After scouting out that strange new land with the ominous stone spires up in Boreas, Ember had returned home to bring back her reconnaissance intel to her father. Artorias seemed worried about what was going on, but he also seemed strangely... calm about the whole thing. As if the bizarre occurrences were nothing new to him. Or maybe he was just really good at remaining cool under pressure. Ember took that as a positive sign that things weren't as bad as they seemed—or at least she did until night fell after the crimson day, and the very earth itself began to quiver. It could be felt even in the foundation of Hearthstone itself; a soft tremor in the ground as if the world itself were changing in real time. It disturbed Ember's reading up in her room, and in the blink of an eye the Carpathian was on her paws.

Ember grabbed her sword on the way out the door, giving a short call for her siblings and any others to come investigate what was happening. The tremors were coming from the southwest, somewhere along the coastline. Was it the smartest thing to go investigate a maybe earthquake happening in the moment? No, likely not, but Em was driven by a furious curiosity and impassioned desire to protect her family from these strange happenings. To do that, she'd need to face any threats head-on. Running out into the dark of the night, Em arrived at the Shimmering Shore, feeling the earth continue to quiver under her paws. She lifted her head and gave another short call for the other Hallowed wolves to find her in the dark.

Then she waited for the cavalry to arrive.

"Ember Carpathius" | "Carpathian"

There were many things that one could say about Dusk Carpathius and one of them was that she was always ready. There was rarely a time where she didn't have Whisper attached to her tail. These days, there was rarely a time where she wasn't already wearing her armor as well. So, when her younger sister sent out a call of inquiry, Dusk was there.

The obsidian fae had been intending to investigate the strange rumblings. The severity of some tremors had brought down a chunk of stone from the crumbling edge of the castle. Dusk sent her trio of companions to warn others about the possible danger, should the tremors start up again.

Coming up beside Ember, Dusk nodded. She didn't know who else would be joining them, but she didn't like to just stand around and wait. Once Coal rejoined her, she sent the groove-billed Ani off to scout ahead. Whatever information the bird could glean would aid them in their mission.

"Dusk Carpathius"

Once Bramble's own scouting mission had been fulfilled in Boreas, she had raced home to relay details to her father. Her raven had yet to return to her after she sent it home earlier, and that alone planted a seed of worry. Was her companion okay? Or had he fallen to whatever thing lie in wait?

The older Carpathian princess was barely through Wildberry Grove when a familiar voice rang out over the plains. Ember calling for the siblings? Bramble's ember gaze scanned the layout of the Starlit Plains to see not only Ember, but Dusk too headed toward the southwest. Were they going to scout something there because of the tremors beneath the ground? What had Ember seen from the castle that would make her go that way?

Even though she was exhausted and ready to rest, Bramble picked up her pace once more and made her way instead to where her two sisters were headed. It didn't take long to catch up. Inhaling a deep breath, Bramble sucks in the salty air to help wake her up. There was nothing like being home that couldn't refresh her energy. Even though it was dark at night, she could practically sense where her sisters stood. Their forms appearing in the night as if she hadn't been gone for weeks.

"Couldn't miss out on the fun now could I?" Bramble's joyful tones hid the obvious unease that was clear in her gaze. Though she's glad her sister's are okay, there's no doubt that something amiss in their lands. What was going on beneath the surface that was causing all of this?

"Bramble Carpathius"

The oddities did not end with the spires. While the stone spires were a fair distance away the newest shift in land was not. In fact it was right in the Hallows backyard. Aster paced back and forth as he delivered the news of strange formations of earth, channels weaving through the land dividing the Fossil Ridge from the Shimmering Shore. Nelu did not know what it meant but it seemed there was something going on below them in both continents.

He swiftly gathered his things and if she had ready his mind he heard his sister call. Nelu moved quicker, swiftly catching up with the group as they headed to the source. Beneath his paws he could hear a low rumble, like the earth was shifting but it wasn't the short violent surge of an earthquake but like something below them was… tunneling. His brow furrowed and he looked to Ember. "Do you hear that? It sounds like there's something… alive beneath our feet. Something big, churning the earth. Could it be more spires? Or something else." He stalked along one of the channels, sniffing here and there before he started digging in the earth, turning it over and testing the scents of the dirt deeper down, searching for clues.

It wasn’t long before Ember was joined by her siblings as all the Carpathians came out to investigate the strange rumblings happening, just outside their home. Ember exchanged greeting looks and smiles with her sisters and brother, grateful to have her family with her. She felt safer with them around, and although their sire had not joined them, she supposed she understood why. With their mother pregnant back home, he was needed at Hearthstone more than he was needed out here. Now was the time for the younger generation to show off their mettle.

As they prowled the soft sandy shores following the rumbling sounds, it was Nelu who pointed out that the sounds weren’t that far below ground and then began to dig. Em didn’t know just how deep the noises weren’t, but she had to agree; they didn’t sound too deep beneath their paws. "I’ve never seen rocks move like that to make these kinds of tremors. These feel like something’s… alive under us." Coming up beside her brother Em also began to dig at the soft soil, wondering if perhaps enough of them started digging then they could coax out whatever was making these unusually strong vibrations in the earth.

"Ember Carpathius" | "Carpathian"