She hadn’t bargained for this when she stepped foot into the cave. Probably the biggest bear she had ever seen in her life rushed behind her. Only thanks to a couple tiny corridors was Deathbelle even an Alivebelle right now.

Her curiosity had gotten the better of her this morning when she was almost done travelling for the night. She was still used to the desert rhythm, sleep in a sheltered place during the day if you could and travel during the cold of the night. The sun hadn’t quite peeked out over the horizon when her midnight paws carried her over the threshold of the cave entrance. Belle delved deeper than she intended as well, she had been entranced by the glow of the mushrooms. The smell of them must have masked the musk of the she bear and her cubs as well.

She didn’t see the mother at first, her gaze was caught by movement just out of reach of the glowing mushrooms. Her nose only then decided to work, and the strong scent of bear overwhelmed her. Had she not noticed so fast she wouldn’t have dodged the silent blow of mom. Belle ducked as soon as she realized there was a cub, and that instinctual movement saved her from a crippling if not deadly blow.

Instinctively her form shifted, taking on a defensive stance before realizing her best course of action was retreat. Belle wasn’t a small wolf, but this was close quarters with a huge bear. Her brilliant amethyst gaze caught sight of a small tunnel, and as the bear recovered she dove for it. Even through her panic her movements were precise and sure, ensuring she missed yet another swipe from the mother bear’s other paw.

Her claws scraped against the rock as she shimmied through the narrow tunnel, her heart threatened to beat through her chest. Her breath came quick and adrenaline surged through her royal veins as she appeared on the other side of a thick wall. She found her scent here, and felt relief begin to pour over her. Deathbelle had made it away from the bear and had conveniently found her way back to the path.

With her first step the fear returned as the musk surrounded her again, this time coupled with a deafening roar. Deathbelle would never admit that she had screamed in that moment, right before trying to seek out another lucky tunnel. She didn’t have to to retreat back into the tiny tunnel as the bear threw its clawed paw her way. Belle narrowly escaped past the enraged bear and back down the original tunnel she had come down. She had to find another small tunnel or get out of this place if she wanted to survive the day.

The bear didn’t hesitate to give chase, its huge form would easily overwhelm her lithe body if she didn't hurry. Finding some kind of tunnel was more difficult than it sounded. With the very dim light and exaggerated shadows Belle had a difficult time seeing anything. She begged to deities she didn’t believe in to help her as her paws carried her through the unfortunately straight tunnels. Then she saw it, the second tunnel to save her life.

This one was not level with the floor, and Belle wasn’t even sure if she had enough time to climb up the rocky incline into it. She went for it though. Rushing like her life depended on it Deathbelle squeeze into the tunnel just in time to feel the bear’s paws clawing at the entrance. She stifled another frightened scream as she pushed through, thankfully she wasn’t claustrophobic.

This passageway was thinner and longer than the last one, and she panicked that the bear would be at the end just waiting on her. She never realized that cave bears were real, she always figured they were just big brown bears. This thing seemed monstrous. Belle wondered if it had left the cave this year with the smell it possessed. This is what she tested for as her head poked out of the end of the tunnel. She sniffed lightly, feeling better about emerging with this action.

She took a tentative step out, and slowly brought her second paw. Belle paused for a moment, listening and smelling the air lightly before bringing the rest of herself from the hole. Slowly she started in the direction of fresh air when the sound of claws on stone sounded behind her. Belle wasn’t ready for this again, but rushed forward. She had to outrun it this time, she knew she was close to the entrance.

The bear roared again, closer than she would have liked but farther than she expected. This brought her hope for her goal and she put on a burst of speed as she caught light in the distance. The corridor was twisting enough that she stayed in front of the enraged mother as she shot out of the cavern like a bullet. She didn’t stop there either, her gallop continued as she oriented herself northward. She spared a glace behind her about a mile out, and didn’t see anything following behind her.

Lament Pyre It was some days after the start of his memories, and very little from his old life had come back to him. He would occasionally catch a glimpse of something, a vision of a tree, it’s great branches waving in the wind. The feel of air as it gushed up a cliff, adrenaline as he gazed down at the long fall. A face, but this was the blurriest image of all. He could recall no details, and couldn’t connect his dreams into a memory. He couldn’t bring them into a greater picture and perceive something. His frustration made it hard to sit still, and he opted to spend long days walking, simply tasting the air, and feeling the earth beneath his feet. There was something good, and comforting about that. It simply felt right. His sister was safe, and less weary a few days after the incident itself. He would always return to her at the end of the day, or bring her out with him to explore the world they found themselves in. Today he would find himself nearing the entrance of a cavern, its gloomy innards offered something interesting, and he had veered course to make his way towards it. Only, before he could get far a form rocketed free of its mouth like a bat out of hell. Her deep purple form was sleek in the sunlight, and there was power in her legs as she worked them for all they worth. “Ahoy runner, is all well!” he called out over the distance between them. He stopped his own path, his muscles coiled cautiously beneath him, preparing him to fight or flight whatever had startled the stranger so. His face was strangely blank, not one expression passed over his stoic features, and his paws occasionally fidgeted slightly beneath him. A movement here and there, that could be passed off as settling of weight. "Speech""Ademic"

Deathbelle didn’t notice the form lingering outside the cave, she almost didn’t hear him either with the sound of her heartbeat almost overwhelming in her ears. Her regal features shifted as she slowed herself, circling around to face him she wouldn’t approach. She was marked in angry fire, an interesting look somewhat similar to the waves of snow that lapped at her sides.

As she stopped the woman regarded him warily, he was obviously young, surely not quite two yet. He had the look of a fighter though, and if the bear decided to emerge at least there were two of them.


”Bear,” she answered cooly. Now that she was more sure she’d at least be able to outrun him if things went bad. She almost yelled out for him to be cautious so close to the entrance, but with her scream earlier her throat was raw. She started backing away, eyes already looking northwards. She’d been travelling all night, and at this point was feeling exhausted. Belle couldn’t let those facts be known to this stranger though.

Lament Pyre He kept clear of the looming cave, sensible enough to recognise a threat had spurred the woman onwards. When she began to back away, announcing a one word reply, his paw offered her a Cautious Smile before he too casually took his steps in her direction. He wasn’t about to tangle with an angry bear, not without good reason. Even then, if he had to, he would rather take a squad of their best fighters. Their best fighters? He wondered who they would be, what they would look like. He felt like a memory was attached to the thought, but nothing followed. He hid his frustration well, matching his stride to hers as they moved further away from the source of the threat. He could hear the raw rasp in her throat, and felt he read trepidation in her expression - but he was not positive, still learning as he was, to read the face of a barbarian. “Thanks for the warning” his warm voice pitched to travel just between the two of them. He might have called out to her as he watched her run, but that didn’t mean he approved of raising his voice. His thanks was genuine, knowing he would have explored the cave if she hadn’t been there, and wasn’t pleased with the concept of tangling with a bear alone. “Are you injured?” he would ask of her, not knowing how close the bear had gotten to her, well she tore out of there like a bat out of hell. Gentle Concern "Speech"|"Ademic"

As the Ivory splashed woman backed away from the entrance carefully so did this flame marked man. She didn’t blame him for wanting to keep away from the dangerous entrance. She didn’t see the bear, and at this point she suspected the monster had retreated back into the depths. He moved with her further away from the cave’s entrance and eventually offered her a thanks for the warning.

Deathbelle hadn’t intended to be so kind, but she accepted his humble thanks with a flick of her alabaster tail. Though she gave little interest in his personal well being he expressed his interest in her own. ”My pride it hurt, is all.” She would have fought the things had they been out in the open, but she would have died if she tried.

She didn’t know how she felt about the young wolf, she thought him a little foolish for giving so much interest to her. However she wasn’t one to dispariage adoring eyes. ”Deathbelle Klein.” The royal offered him her title. She eyed his fidgeting paws from down her slender muzzle.