Whoa. This place was... super weird, if he was being honest. He'd been interested in exploring the western lands, finding them wildly strange to him. He'd been born further east, in the cool autumn and his world had been a chilly one filled with snow. The season had faded though, and though he'd learned of the world his father was from -- the far north, where it snowed year-round, with snow drifts so tall they could engulf a wolf whole -- he wasn't quite ready to explore those lands. Not yet, at least. The sands entranced his fickle mind for now, the sprawling hills, so desolate and stark that he often forgot he wasn't the only one in this world at all. It'd been days since he'd seen anyone at all, and he was beginning to think he ought to reunite with his dad again and move on to their next adventure. One particular feature of the land had caught his interest immediately, though, arresting him from his thoughts. A sharp crack in the terrain, as though some great god had pulled the earth apart from below, like nothing he'd ever seen before. Unable to quench his curiosity by just examining it from a distance, he closed the distance between himself and the land formation quickly. He was nearly full-grown now, almost reaching his father's height, and as he leaped off the rock he'd been standing on he left large pawprints in the dirt beneath his oversized frame. His nose twitched with visible interest as he scoped out the terrain. It was difficult to see into the hole, and he squinted as his pale silver eyes struggled to see down. It looked a bit dangerous, sure, but he'd never been one to shy away from a challenge. Not yet, at least. Feeling eager, he slowly started his descent into the underground cavern, taking each step cautiously. He wanted to explore, not to break a limb, and he was determined to do so.

A vision!  Hot and vivid, it had swirled through her thoughts, burning her mind as she'd tossed in her dreams.  She could make little sense of it and as daylight rose the rays of the sun chased the fragments of her dream from her mind, causing it to grow fainter with each passing moment.  All she could remember really was the heat.  The dry heat and a barren landscape and so she journeyed from the north to the west.  The gods were sending her a message, she was certain but what they could possibly want from her she did not know.  She only prayed that she'd be blessed with another vision upon arriving that might be a bit more instructive.  

"Naudir!  Naudir!  There is a great wound in the earth.  It's deep and black and just ahead!"  Branwen fluttered lightly in the air, before resting between her shoulder blades.  Naudir turned to the albino raven and spoke. "Thank you Branwen, we'll make for the crevice.  Is Balthazaar on his way back?" Branwen shook her head, her mate had flown farther ahead in scouting and she'd lost sight of him but neither woman was worried.  Balthazaar was as intelligent as he was irritable.  He'd be fine.

As she approached the scar she gasped at the steep chasm in the earth.  What could have caused this?  Her thoughts drifted to Surtr and more of her mothers tales and she felt a shudder ripple down her spine.

Much to his surprise, Kai didn't linger in these dark caverns alone for long. Warily he began his descent into the dark cavern, one cautious step at a time. He preferred the solid ground of the earth above, but he knew not all exploration was comfortable and that he'd often have to step outside his own comfort zone to find new things. He supposed many would avoid this place, due to its potential for darkness and the strangeness of it. Surely it'd be easy to slip in here, and being corned with no means to escape was another very real possibility. Or.. what if a flash flood hit without warning? He shivered at the thought, trying to recall if he'd seen any dark clouds in the sky, though he only recalled clear blue skies. After some time he heard rustling behind him, towards the entrance. Perhaps not even in the cavern itself, but certainly near enough. Kai found his hackles raising instinctively, knowing if someone approached he had to be on guard regardless of their intentions. He was a large boy, certainly big enough to scare off many wolves that might try to bother him from his sheer size and bulky frame. Curiosity getting the best of him, he wheeled around from the position he'd been facing, peering back at the dim light of the entrance. "Hello?" His voice called out, still young enough to denote him as a child but deepening with each week that passed. The question was a simple one, curious but devoid of uncertainty, as he took a few leaps forward up the incline he'd already navigated.

Naudir's first instinct was to turn back but tendrils of the previous nights dreams were still left smoldering in her head.  She was led here for a reason.  She wasn't turning back.  Branwen shifted on her shoulders and as Naudir was about to make her descent she heard a voice speak out to her.  It echoed from within the crevice and caused the fur on the back of her neck to stand up.  Was whatever had caused this crevice still within?  She shook her head lightly, if that were the case why did the voice sound so unsure?  Surely whatever great beast had caused such a thing to happen would have bellowed out its prescence but that all assumed that this was caused by a beast and not the weapon fall of one of the gods.

Naudir slipped in and she felt Branwen shudder on her back.  Picking her way carefully down she froze when she noticed the young, but quite large, male that had spoken.  He didn't strike her as one of the gods and she felt a sense of relief wash over her.  "Hello there, I see I am not the only one the gods have called down here today.  I can only imagine why though.  I don't suppose you have any insight in those regards?"

It took a moment for the stranger to reply. For a moment, he thought he might end up alone here after all - but after some time he heard a reply. It was a woman's voice, and it sounded like a fairly young one too, though she definitely sounded older than him. A slight grinned pulled at his lips, taking a few more strides forward, climbing up higher in the cavern, closer to the entrance now. The scent of the wolf was accompanied by the scent of another creature. Some kind of.. bird? His nose wrinkled as he tasted the scents on the air, wafting down into the cavern. It wasn't long before he caught sight of them, a medium-sized woman with a lovely coat of white, mottled with flecks of grey and crimson. The sharp red markings on her face reminded him of his own family's coat, and interest shone in his eyes, his grin widening. He wasn't quite sure what to make of the bird on her shoulder, but decided to give him a chance nonetheless. "I.. I'm not quite sure," he admitted with a stutter, not out of nervousness but merely uncertain at her words, which seemed intentionally vague. His father had taught him a bit about the gods, but he wasn't quite sure what gods she spoke of.  "The gods speak to you, sometimes?" He'd never had such an experience, though Aki had taught him some wolves could speak to the gods.. just not everyone. Maybe he was in the presence of a noaidi? The thought sent a shiver down his spine.   "I've never seen a place quite like this, so was interested in checking it out." His tail waved gently behind him as he examined her, taking a few steps closer to her.

The boy was interesting to look at and she couldn't help but be amused to see that the similar crimson tracks marking the boy's face much like her own.  She stammered out an answer stating that he wasn't sure and she would nod slowly.  Branwen shifted on her back and she took comfort in the gently preening of the pale raven's beak against her fur.  She dimly wondered if she'd managed to pick up a bug of some sort that had caught the raven's attention before she rolled her shoulders in a lazy stretch.

The gods speak to you, sometimes?

Naudir nodded. "Yes, when I dream they speak to me and guide me where to go.  Though lately they have either been completely silent or speaking as if through a great distance, the sound warping like I'm drowning in a lake and the stand just above me.  It is… disconcerting."  With the distance from her family and her roots she could feel the ties to her beliefs starting to fray.  She nodded again at the boys words.  "Perhaps we can explore together?  My name is Naudir Finnvi.  This is one of my companions, Branwen.  Who might you be?"

Kai was beginning to realize he liked uncertainty. He liked not knowing what to expect, both of this place and of his new acquaintance; being unable to predict even a single word she spoke was exciting, and he found his tail wagging behind him, in visible pleasure at her presence. His gaze drifted to the raven again, studying him briefly before she spoke again. Naudir said they spoke to her in dreams and guided her. "That's neat," Kai admitted, impressed. He'd have to bring this up to his father and see what he thought of it. She was young, and he wasn't sure anyone could so young could speak to the spirits, could they? Didn't it take years of practice? Either way, he wouldn't argue with her. Her words sounded convincing though, and he frowned slightly at her obvious distaste with the fact that she couldn't hear them well lately.   "Perhaps they are just.. I don't know.. weak? Can the gods grow weak? I am sure their voices will find you again." The boy offered a faint smile and shrug of his shoulders. "I'm Kai Jarvela," he offered his own name, taking hers and grasping onto it, repeating it silently in his head lest he forget it. Naudir Finnvi, and her friend Branwen.   "And I'd be happy to explore this place with you." He had nowhere else to be, and the possibility of a new friend - and an adventure - was always tempting.

Naudir shook her head sternly. "No, I doubt the gods have grown weak, the problem must lie with me." She sighed and then shrugged. What could she do? She wished she could speak with Katja or Runa about it. Perhaps one of them could give her answers or guidance but it had been so long since she'd seen them she just couldn't be sure. She couldn't be sure about anything any more it seemed.

The boy introduced himself as Kai Jarvela. "It is good to meet you Kai." She moved farther into the strange scar. "Do you live near this place Kai?"

Kai watched as Naudir shook her head. No, she said the problem was with her, rather than the gods. He didn't really know. As far as he knew, the gods were sort of.. everywhere. Speaking to them wasn't something that anyone could just do, even if they felt their presence. It was crazy to think Naudir was that gifted at such a young age, but who was he to doubt her? He noted she seemed uncomfortable with her lack of communication with the gods, and he mirrored her discomfort slightly with a slight frown. "I see," Kai breathed quietly, his eyes narrowing - not in skepticism, but simply in interest.  "It's good to meet you as well." She didn't seem opposed to his presence, and he moved to follow her into the scar in the earth, curious as to where it might bring them. "I'm only visiting these parts. This place sorta drew me in though.." His eyes scanned the darkness, intrigued. "What do you think is down there?"

Naudir gazed again into the abyss, her eyes narrowing sharply. "I don't know but what ever lives and breathes in a scar in this earth is probably no friend of yours or mine."  There could be any manner of ill things facing them deeper within the chasm, true there were possibly some good things but she did not feel the odds were tipped in her favor and she did not wish to tempt fate. "You say you were drawn here, by what force?  Did the gods ask you to come here?"  She was wondering if the boy had heard voices and if so whether it might be from a certain trickster or someone else.  Either way she wasn't to keen on their odds of finding friendly reception.

"I think I shall head back.  This is not what I am searching for and it speaks to me of traps and trickery.  Whatever is luring us here I don't think it is in our best interests."  She turned to leave before glancing at the male and dipping her head.  "It was good to meet you, Kai, if fate deems it perhaps our paths will cross again."

-exit-

Though truthfully he felt a bit skeptical, he was mostly curious. His father had taught him that religion tended to be something not everyone agreed on, and many preferred not to speak of at all - he felt a bit more open about things, but he wasn't exactly in the mood to argue with her. Not today, at least, though the idea of a friendly argument about such things didn't sound totally unappealing.  His ears flicked at her words, finding himself unsettled - in a good way, if that was possible - by her ominous words. "I suppose you're probably on to something," Kai admitted, though he'd be just as quick to follow her into this cavern if she seemed inclined. His eyes narrowed, seeking something in the darkness, but to no avail. Her question had him perplexed. He spoke of such things sometimes with his father, but not quite so.. deeply. His father had never spoke of hearing directly from the gods, but simply sensing them all around him. Was the knowledge that they were there not enough? "I sorta meant.. I felt physically compelled, I guess?" Kai offered, his head tilting slightly to the side. "The gods didn't speak to me." The thought of them speaking to him directly was quite interesting, though he hadn't experienced anything like that yet. He nodded slowly at her words. Maybe she was sent from the gods to warn him of danger? She spoke so certainly that he wasn't sure if it would be wise to ignore her warnings. "Maybe you're right," he said tentatively, his nose twitching. Nothing in here seemed terribly interesting anyway.. right? Either way, he could check things out later, when she wasn't around, though he had an urge to take her premonition to heart for some odd reason. "Thanks, Naudir. Travel well." The yearling offered a faint smile, nodding before turning to clamber up the incline of the crevice and back the way he'd come. - exit -