I am not a minion of evil I am the upper management--- It moved smoothly through the caverns he had been using as home the passed two seasons, he had stumbled upon the series of tunnels and caverns one day while traveling about. It was an odd thing to see, but the male was rather excited, having never been able to explore a cave system before he was overly exuberant about getting to go splunking in this one! Black boots hit the hard ground with a fervor he hadn't held since he was a wicked little yearling giving his mother grief, and he found his tail curled up and held parallel with the earth as he made his way deeper into the cave's depths. In the seasons he had been here, he became quite familiar with all of the outter twists and turns of the mountain's insides. 'Riot came to understand the paths and where they led and how to get from one place to another in a matter of minutes without getting lost. In all actually, the monster had surprised himself with his ability to navigate the complex, winding trails within the caves.  This particular tunnel led to something of an underground pond, it was made from the run-off that came through the rocks and dropped down from the jagged ceiling of the cave. The water was cool, though it tasted metallic and bitter thanks to the levels of iron within the water. Dipping his painted head, the monster laps up a few mouthfuls of the water and then moves off to the side of the trail to peer down the crevice that split the cave floor from the wall. If I dropped someone down there...how far would the drop be? It was an intense curiosity, but one he found himself joyously entertaining for the next few lonely hours. He couldn't help himself, and when he sat down at the edge, Iscariot felt the small pouch at his neck hit his chest and moved to lay down. Dipping his nose into the herb pouch, 'Riot took a single cannabis bud out and began to gnaw at it, listening as drops of water collected in the crevice below and wondering if anyone would come along. He debated between gathering information and starting a fight, unsure of which he needed more of at the moment.  "You." Walk. "Talk."

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Ashiel was far from home, intent on broadening his mind and taking in the full scope of the world he lived in. He was a yearling now and his ambitions had bred a determined fire within him. Winter bit at his body, sharp and cold and the wound above his right eye started to ooze again. Dam. Where in all the hells had Lydia run off to? He didn't know what had transpired between the captive and his mother or why his mother had let her go. Part of him wondered what would happen if he found and recaptured her. The yearling paused as he noticed a curious hole in the side of a mountain. A cave? The wind picked up, biting and bitter and Ashiel decided it was worth the risk to get out of the cold for a bit… as long as he didn't run into a sleeping bear. Cautiously Ashiel scented the opening before slipping inside. He didn't detect much in the way of bear scent but it was clear these caverns went far and deep. Blinking his peridot eyes he waited for them to adjust to what little light there was. Using his nose, Ashiel maneuvered farther into the tangle of caverns until he came to a pool of water and a large mortal. He gazed at the other for a moment. "Nice place you have here." His nose twitched at the odd scent of the male. Had he run across a healer or a mad man? "Talk" "You" Think

She had come here to escape the snowstorm, and in its mighty fray she did not see past the entrance, did not notice that the cavernous depths did not stop. Deprived of sleep and half-delusional, Jendyi had spent many days here lingering just outside the caves, catching mountain rabbits to sate her dampened appetite. The cold had ruined her. It had usurped her strong capabilities and had sent her into some wayward spiral. Being here during the winter had not been ideal, but Jendayi had trapped herself in such usual migrations that spending the cold season here seemed like something she would not experience at all if she’d pushed it off until she were older. Her explorations came with expense, however, and the lack of safety and companions brought with it the agony of starvation (loneliness, however, was something Jendayi could always handle). She found herself often praying the spirits she used to worship before quickly chiding herself about it, and it plummeted her into a long-fought war against her past, and her unforeseeable future. Above all, however, it was impeccably frustrating. How cruel the world was to those who simply wished to live it alone. Eventually, she founds that the caves ventured farther, and seemed to connect in an intricate and endless system. She had been careful to leave a trail of small bones from a freshly-eaten rabbit behind her as she ventured, the urge to explore such depths certainly overwhelming (but the amount of bones and other items she had to lead her back to the entrance rather limited). Having long learned her lesson from her earlier excursion at the treacherous snowfalls, she kept her gaze carefully trained on the ground in front of her, careful to avoid any pitfalls or sudden drops in the terrain. Long-winding caves quickly narrowed, and oftentimes would brush against her skinny sides. Certain pathways would become simply too narrow to pass through, and would force her to back up, to take another path. Eventually, the thin caves began to grow larger, and would sometimes even return to the mountainface in small or large openings, allowing flittering light of the midday to leak through. It was quiet—stale scents often lingered near these entrances but ventured no farther. It was with this that the voices came as a surprise. Nice place you have here. It was almost boisterous against the silence of the caves, but quickly Jendayi stopped in her tracks, having almost turned the corner that would undoubtedly present herself to them. Ever-cautious, the alabaster maiden at first listened, and surveyed the two from the corner she’d hid behind. The tunnel opened up to a small pond, with many other small crevices dotting the outskirts. Two men lingered near one another, and they were large and formidable enough that Jendayi almost entertained the idea of leaving. Do not let your fear fetter you. Eventually, they will see you. She wanted to move forward—she had to move forward. With a drawn breath, Jendayi revealed herself from her temporary hiding spot, and moved at a an angle past the men, at first. Her head was level with her shoulders, her long wintry tail sweeping at in a relaxed position at her ankles. Her appearance neither aggressive nor frightened; she was silent, almost unnoticeable, and hoping to be just that. Jendayi had always made a good passerby.

code & art by lynx

I am not a minion of evil I am the upper management--- There was an almost immediate response from his wishful thinking, and Iscariot felt an all too eager smile spread across his face as he looked over the younger male. His tail waved slowly behind him, and he stood, amazed by the height of the stranger. Once the boy's voice rang out, 'Riot could tell his youth, though the tones said that he was soon to be an adult. "Nice place you have here." The ashen male said, and caused 'Riot to puff up a bit, proud of his underworld shelter. "It keeps out the weak, and the stupid." A small, barking laugh rumbled up from the monster, and he moved closer to the younger male. Iscariot couldn't help but flex his muscular frame as he strode forward, taking a seat a few feet away from the male. He inhaled slowly as the effects of his bud kicked in and he felt the familiar cloud settle over his mind. As he did, he caught the scent of a hidden female on a breeze that washed in from an exit tunnel, though he said nothing. He wondered if the other would notice her, his mind quickly wandering in other directions. "Must be awfully cold for you to brave these caves, either that or you're fond of dark and dangerous places." The faded light of the caves made the pupils of his eyes glow a bright blue to match his irises, and he trained them on the male before him with an oddly intrusive intensity. Just what would come of this interaction, it was hard not to be curious about his earlier musings. It would seem that his question just might be answered after all. "You." Walk. "Talk."

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Ashiel watched the stranger puff up with pride and the youth grinned in response to his statement. Keep out the weak and stupid indeed, though Ashiel would much prefer the sunlight. He'd use is fangs to keep out the weak and stupid. The stranger laughed and moved closer. Ashiel blinked the dusky shadows from his eyes to take in the form of a large man draped in a pelt of creams and black. The man moved to sit a few feet from him but Ashiel didn't flinch, instead his eyes narrowed slightly, nostrils flaring. He wished he knew enough about plants to pick out what that scent was. "It is quite cold yes, but I don't think bravery has anything to do with why I'm here. It's a simple curiousity." Ashiel grinned. "Though that said I guess I don't mind the dark and dangerous places either, it's where you meet the most fascinating characters. Tell me, you reek of musty plants, are you a healer of some sort? Or a madman come to scream into the abyss?" Ashiel's nose twitched as he caught the scent of another among them. A small female, adorned with a flower in her fur, was attempting to slip past them. Ashiel got to his feet and deliberately moved to place himself directly in her path in an attempt to block her from exiting. "Hello, where are you off to in such a hurry? Won't you even say hello?" "Talk" "You" Think

Damn you, and all the terrible things you do. Is there was an award for self-deprecation, Jendayi would have long won. She had played herself far too small, too meek, to frightened, and now did she pay the price for mimicking a scurrying mouse rather than a strong warrior. Her path was blocked by the young man, and quickly, the lowered maiden rose to her full height once more—and yet, still short and stocky and without much chest, Jendayi stood below him. Well below him. “I was not aware this was an open conversation,” she replies, and though her tone is even her words are strained, as if almost unable to get them out fully. She did not think it wise to challenge two men far stronger and far larger than her, but she knew as well that men often preyed upon the weak. Jendayi attempted to hold her awkward middle ground, but it was nearly impossible when words and charms were not her prowess. She glances briefly toward the paler man, catching his blueish gaze before returning to the virulent green of the other. Her tail curled across the ground, her haunches lowered so that her ankles were nearly grounded. Her head was held upwards, but her ears were pressed somewhat back and her lips were trembling (out of nerves, and out of the cold chill). She had not caught much of their conversations before, but there was something more peculiar than that—one smelled strongly of weeds and thistles, and the other smelled strongly of Amon. What was his scent doing so far north? Jendayi almost wishes to mention him, to see if it would strike some recognition and get her a free pass, but she bites her tongue instead—Jendayi had always fought her own battles. Call it stubborn pride.

code & art by lynx