[SkyWolf11]

"Thanks for coming with me, Kiyomi."  Star's gentle voice echoed off the cave's walls.  "Oh it's no problem, Star.  I'm happy to help."  Kiyomi smiled.  The two walked in unison down a well beaten path through the cave.

"Word is, now there is some creature that lurks here."  
"Yeah I do believe it's called an Akail."
"I also heard something about runes on the walls.  I think I want to find those more than anything."  Star laughed.
"Always trying to gain knowledge aren't you?"  Kiyomi giggled.

For a cave, it was fairly lit, though from what they weren't quite sure.  However, they weren't complaining - with more light they could probably fair better.  A few minerals embedded in the stone glistened softly.  The sight was beautiful.  

((sort of a boring start X3;  Darn writers block.))

{6} {1}

[SkyWolf11]

A light scraping sound could be heard up ahead.  Kiyomi's fur bristled at it.  Star, however, seemed to ignore it completely.

"What was that?  Ugh, it gave me cold chills."  Kiyomi whispered.  Star looked down at her small companion.  "It could be a wild rattegan."  She shrugged.  She flexed her wings then refolded them against her sides.  "I wish this place had flying room.  Walking isn't my favorite form of travel."  Kiyomi laughed and shook her head.

"Walking has never bothered me.  I actually prefer to walk."  She flicked her tails from side to side showing she was quite relaxed.

{7} {2}

[SkyWolf11]

The scraping ceased shortly after.  Once again the cave was silent.  The soft footsteps of the two creatures was the only sound heard.  They had been walking for a while and still hadn't seen hide nor hair of this Akail thing.  Star groaned and stopped.  Kiyomi halted as well and turned to face her.

"Something wrong, Star?"  She asked.  Star glanced at her then collapsed slowly up against a group of rocks.  Startled by her actions, Kiyomi jumped and ran up to her.  "What's wrong?  Are you hurt?"  The concern in her voice showed greatly.

"Oh no don't worry." She sighed.  "I just wanted to sit for a while.  My feet can't handle this terrain for long."  She flexed her fingers and claws.  Somewhat relieved, Kiyomi took a seat on a rock beside her.  With her small size, the rocky surface hadn't hurt her soles.  On the other hand, Star's massive size and weight bearing down onto these rocks would have cause some irritation.  "Shall we rest for a while then?"  She smiled and curled up, feet tucked neatly under her and tails curled around her side.

Star nodded and rolled her shoulders to loosen her joints.  "I think that would be best right now.  We are in no hurry after all, right?"  She laughed.  Kiyomi laughed a 'yeah' and smiled.

{8} {3}

[Missy]

The light scraping sound had not been a wild rattegan, but instead a rather dangerous tail being pulled across the wall. The creature with said tail heard the words, and instead began on it's way to the source of the noises. All the Akail hunting was making her ravenously hungry, and a few thrill seekers could really hit the spot.

Upon seeing the much larger creature of stone, Helft-ras Hond ducked into the wall. Ras was not very interested in eating rocks. But when the rather tasty-looking creature appeared, she knew she would not go hungry.

They chose to stop almost directly next to her. The creature who had been called Star was in between her, and her meal. She had never tasted Kuhuna, or at least she thought they were called that. The larger creature seemed friendly with the meal, and didn't seem like it would let her grab it so easily. But it was a tunnel, small enough to restrict the others movement and very dark, enough to hamper its' vision.

Still, she would have to be fast. Besides being food, this would stop their search, and allow her to get on with hers. These two were just searching on a whim, no doubt. She needed one.

And she was hungry.

She left the wall, remaining etheral as long as she could, to reach the meal, passing through the hulking creature, flames extinguished. But upon eaching the meal, she regained mass, along with her hellish glare that danced around her, very close to her prey. She barked, something of no importance, and lunged at the critter.

(Sorry if I messed up. I'm a bit new.) {1}

[SkyWolf11]

((Oh no - It was very good =3))

At the sound of a bark, Kiyomi jumped to her feet and leap onto Star's back instinctively - trying to get to higher ground.  This triggered Star's reactions and she quickly got to her feet, growling from the pain of her still aching feet.  Upon seeing the fiery dog she spread her wings defensively and whipped her tail around aiming towards the creature.

In all the commotion, Star was able to shout out: "Back you!  Come no closer!"  She growled, trying to keep all eyes on the intruder.

{9} {4}

[Missy]

"Oh, and why shouldn't I? You came into my tunnels, and all I ask is for a small morsel of meat, much like the one on your back." Ras spoke very calmly and reasonably, masking her annoyance. Ordering her, the obviously more intellegent one, to back up like a common dog? Now she had to be careful, or she might have to fight. It wasn't that she thought she couldn't reduce 'Star' to rubble, considering it wasn't too much larger than her, but rather that the sound of splintering rock might chase away the cave dwellers. Then were would she be?

"Now, if you rather not give the snack up, saving it for yourself, perhaps you could pay your toll in some other way?" Maybe these two dolts could prove useful after all.

{2}

[SkyWolf11]

Cautiously, Star slowly refolded her wings against her sides but retained a stiff stance.  Kiyomi, fur bristled and fangs bared, glared at the demon dog.  "Who says these tunnels belong just to you?"  She spat, still annoyed that they had been ambushed.  "And you can forget about snacking on her." Star spoke, eyes glued on her adversary.  

Star said nothing at the remark of saving her 'snack' for herself.  She figured if she continued to think such a thing, the Preluhna would remain safer, at least for a while longer.  "Take caution.  We mustn't let our guard down around her."  Kiyomi whispered.  Star nodded.  "What exactly do you mean pay our toll some other way?"  She questioned her.  Her tail swept across the floor, signaling she could still go on the attack.

{10} {5}

[Missy]

"A house truly belongs to the one who builds it, and tunnels to the ones who dug them." Ras laughed, a sound between a snarl and a bark. "You don't think these tunnels magically appeared over night, do you?" More of her odd laughter, the flames dancing along her back almost merrily. The snacking comment was ignored for the moment, as it was quite obvious there really was no chance to reach the bit of flesh st the moment. It was worth it, for an Akail. There would be other wanderers. Besides, she probably still had a leg of a Rexxel laying about back at her temporary lair. Those annoying little creatures were delicious when cooked, and it had been worth listening to their pointless dribble to finally snare them.

"Yes, I tend to offer other was of payment to the more worthy creatures."  she said as slyly as she could, doing her best to make her voice enticing. "You see, I am looking for someone. An Akail, as it were. Now, I'm not out to eat one, but I must meet with one.. As you might imagine, it feels a bit odd to never have even met those who share the same space." The was true enough, or at least it sounded right. "I could use the help of such bright and strong creatures in finding one of them." Ah, what a sly beast, never once mentioning what she might do when she 'met' the poor creature. "In return, I will consider your toll permanently paid, and you could come and go as you wished." She smiled appealingly, ignoring the movements of the biggers tail.

{3}

[SkyWolf11]

"So you alone created these tunnels?  That can't be the whole truth."  Kiyomi mewed from Star's back.  She was smarter than the average kuhna.  If she were to take to the ground she would surely be attacked sooner or later.  She had no intention of getting down anytime soon, that was certain.  

They listened to her words without any comments.  By now, they had figured her plan out.  It was clear to them that she planned to use them to her own benefit.  What she didn't know is that, in turn, they could use her just as much.  Seeing as she claimed to have made these tunnels, she must know the routes well.  If they stuck with her, there could be a greater chance of finding an Akail.  The two glanced at each other.  They had both came to the same conclusion.  They nodded to her.  

"So it seems we all are after the Akail." Kiyomi spoke clearly.  "Yes.  Well, I see no harm in cooperating."  Star said slyly, sounding innocent.

{11} {6}

[Missy]

"I never claimed to have done it alone." she said like a teacher correcting a pupil. "But I am the only one left." No, it wasn't nearly as sinister as it sounded. The others who had patrolled with her had left at the end of the war. After all, the Imperials were no longer so popular once the simple defeat. "And if you, little one, stay up there, you may be killed by the tunnels. It gets much narrower, and darker, so I doubt your friend will be able to scrape by, much less carry you." she said with mock tenderness.

A Queen-Pin to-be could tell when others plotted against them. And the silence of the two others, along with their quick reply, meant they hoped to use her as well. Not that she really cared, but it did mean losing hem in the darker part of the tunnel system would be much easier once she had her Akail. Unless the foolish creature tried to go back to help. It wouldn't do her any good to let on that she knew, so she pretended to accept the nod without any qualms. Mutinous henchmen were quite the danger.

"So then, shall I lead the way? Of course I will, how silly of me." She took several steps foreward, then glanced back to give a wry warning. "I suggest you stay close. It is very easy to get lost down here. And never find a way out."

{4}

[SkyWolf11]

"We'll confront that problem once it arises."  Star said sternly.  It was clear that out of the two, she was the least trusting of the Baskerville Bludgeon.  However, she did have a good point.  If the tunnels became too narrow for her build then that would leave Kiyomi alone with her.  Not a wise decision to say the least.  She could only hope that luck would be on her side with that issue.  

"Yes, leave that decision to us."  Kiyomi added.  If Star couldn't fit through the tunnels, she would brave out the rest of the journey alone.  She believed that, if it came to it, she had a good chance of outrunning the larger dog if she gave chase.  However, she would prefer to keep this hunt focused on the Akail - not her.  

"Well, we already knew that."  Star teased at the obvious remark.  If she intended to sound smart then Star would return her attitude.  She never did like being belittled by others.  Reluctantly, they followed suit after their guide.  

{12} {7}

[Saroko]

(Mind if I join?)

It had all ended so suddenly.  After going on for so many months it was hard to believe that it the war was really over.  And at such a horrible cost it only seemed fair to Dicius to come down to the Gyraptor's grave and thank her.

The anthro Draculii tucked his stony hands in his pockets as he progressed through the caverns.  The pitch darkness didn't unerve him at all.  In fact, it comforted him.  It reminded him of his old temple home which he had been away from for far to long.  As soon as he was out of here, it would be the next place to go.

His remaining ear perked slightly at the sound of noise coming from a tunnel.  Could it have been one of those new lizard creatures that had been discovered down here?  Dicius hoped not.  Cutting into another nearby tunnel, Dicius pressed himself against the wall, hoping to be passed by unnoticed.

(Dicius 3/5)

[Missy]

It was darker as she went along, to the point that she doubted most creatures could see anything. And, as she had warned, the tunnels were getting narrower, to the point that the giant one might soon have to slither like a snake, and even then the walls would scrape the sides. Would the Imperials have bothered to widen the tunnels, if time had been of the essence? No, but she was purposely passing the larger tunnels, since it was much too dark for the other two to discern anything but her. Ras allowed the flames to dance upon her hide, just for the two behind her. Not that it was nearly enough for them to make out anything other than her.

Then her flames spluttered, and died. This was not quite the time to abandon them, even if there were plenty of confusing tunnels. She halted simply because she smelled something, a trail fresh. This one was not an Akail, but had a scent similar to some of the sightseers. So, as she saw it, she had two choices, either continue on, or call it out. Naturally, she chose the calling out. Nothing bigger than she could easily travel along these tunnels.

"Show yourself, or be slaughtered." Ras sounded so much more sinister in the dark, more like some ghost than a real being. For a moment she wondered if the two creature following her would even realize she had been the speaker Well, as it ws, she had gone etheral, so she could quietly dispatch of whoever was there. Assuming they did not make their exsistance obvious.

[Saroko]

Dicius winced at a sudden, grating voice.  It would figure that the person would be one of those 'surender or die types.'  Getting slaughtered didn't sound fun either.  He had had quite enough of that during the war.

He stepped out into plain view of the three pets.  The visible markings and his round, unchanging eyes glowed; marking out where he was.  If he could make any facial expression at all, he would've been frowning.

(Dicius 4/5)

[SkyWolf11]

Kiyomi's ears perked as a new scent reached her nostrils.  Apparently, she wasn't the only soul who picked up on it as the Baskerville called out into the darkness.  Star stopped in her tracks as well, her tail slowly dragging across the ground.  Had they found an Akail this soon?  It couldn't be.  It smelt...different.  

Glowing eyes caught their attention.  Their eyes adjusted to the darkness enough to make out a human figure.  The scent however was that of a Draculii.  'An anthro huh?'  "Who might you be?"  Star asked gently.  From her observation, he wasn't a threat.  Or at least, he was less of a threat compared to the Baskerville.

{13} {8}