The quaking isn't contained to just one land in the north- the tremors ripple across the frozen tundra of northern Boreas. The Frozen Field is not exempt from the effects, the vast glacial field rumbling with the echoes of the quakes, roaring like thunder. The ancient glacial ice groans under the strain, cracking and splintering to eventually reveal a massive cavern beneath one of the largest glaciers.

Shards of ice litter the cavern's floor. The cave's walls are a mess of jagged glacial ice and frost-coated rock, which glimmer from the light seeping in from the fractured ice above. Trekking through it feels immediately dangerous; the sound of creaking ice echoes from the walls, though another sound can be heard deeper in the cave, where light struggles to penetrate. It's the sound of something moving, shards of ice clinking together erratically, a strange eerie chime that echoes up toward the cave's entrance....

Danger is imminent! Posting in this thread can cause minor or moderate injuries, up to minor/moderate maims, or other bad, temporary effects to characters. Only one character per player; characters involved in the deeper Shimmering Shore exploration threads OR the S.S. Antiox exploration threads cannot attend.

the city looks so pretty
do you want to burn it with me?

Battery didn’t have a fucking clue what was going on around him, but that was okay. The world was ever changing in his short time out of the cave and it was all that he knew. After fishing for that cod with that one guy, Battery was rather interested in the frosty north and what food it had to offer… he just hoped that it wasn’t full of worms or something equally gross. Was everything plagued with the nasty worm-gut?

Peacefully exploring and minding his own business, the ground began to shake and roar and a cave had appeared, or well, maybe it was there before but with the ice falling and the ground shaking, it only made sense. After living in a cave for longer than he could count, one would think he wouldn’t want anything to do with a strange, new cave… Battery was not like the others though, and curiosity picked and poked at him. What if there was something to eat in there?! The other cave had hallucinogenic mushrooms that were much fun, so maybe this cave would have something too!

Without much other thought, or any fear, Battery headed into the cave with a wagging tail and a smile on his face. What could possibly go wrong?

Speech ─ Think

─ by Skelle !

Kea was walking along the frozen field, trying to make his way to the lands that wolves said needed to be hunted. Had he taken a wrong turn somewhere? He’d heard about the odd prey animals, and their strange actions. He was supposed to be looking for a ship. Something large and metal and frozen and… what was that?

He froze as the earth started rumbling beneath him. Spreading out his paws, trying to keep his balance, and then just as quickly… it was over. Before him he could see a cavern had opened up beneath a large glacier. Something new to explore?

He took the plunge, trying to push aside thoughts of worms. Really, how often could that happen to a guy? And this was a place of ice. No fire worms here, no fire worms here, no fire worms here…



"Speech"

Why did she keep get lost? When had she ended up so far north? It was to help the animals... Those poor animals. So lost and confused, but there was no helping them. It was terrifying. What was happening to their world? Overwhelmed by the idea that she too could get sick, Gem continued north. Except, she wasn't entirely aware she was heading north. With the earthquakes that continued to shatter the ground around her, she kept getting lost. So lost, very lost. Even when the cavern opened up before her and other wolves were entering, she hesitated. Why go in? But as she looked, turning her wide eyes to cave, she felt the pull. The glittering ice, the dripping water, how it all refracts under the bright, red light. Beautiful in its own horrific ways. A gasp leaves her as she steps further in. Amazed and speechless, Gem forgets how frozen she is, how much her paws hurt. What else could be down here? Gem Klein

Gypsy had stuck close to Gem after their exploration together. She didn't want to be a burden to the young girl, but the old woman felt a sense of comfort in their familiarity. Perhaps she would find a pack or a band that would take her in as they traveled together... or perhaps she would just wander off on her own to die. What else was there to do when you were old and blind and alone?

As they traveled, the temperature dropped. The little old wolf was chilly and her pads felt frozen. She stuck close to Gem, sharing body heat with the younger fae. "What is this place?" Gypsy could feel the heaviness in the air and the thrum of the earth through her paws. More strangeness.

"Gypsy"

**Gypsy's past is full of some extreme abuse. Be warned.**

Indigo may enter any of Gypsy's threads as he sees fit.

Barghest prowled along the fractured ice, her bright eyes narrowing at the shifting landscape before her. With each crack and splinter underfoot, her claws flexed instinctively, as if preparing to dig into solid ground should it crumble beneath her weight.

She approached the cavern’s mouth, her sharpened metal talons clinking lightly against the ice shards scattered across the floor. As she listened to the strange, haunting chime of moving ice below, she felt the thrill of an unknown challenge, the restlessness in her soul craved answers.

A smirk curled at the edge of her muzzle, even as the air grew colder with each step into the depths. Barghest, never one to back down from a challenge, would gladly oblige. There were others here too, maybe she’d luck out and one of them would care to fight her in case this wasn’t as interesting as she thought it was.

""

With something amiss so close to her home, she couldn't help but feel obligated to inspect the happenings. Part of her was still getting used to pack life, and while she was grateful to be home, it was difficult to return to staying in one place for stretches at a time. Makara was almost grateful for the distraction, as she hadn't been able to settle in quite as easily as she might have thought. By the time she'd reached the Frozen Field, quite a few wolves had already gathered to see what these new tremors had unearthed. Of course, another cave. Makara paced at the entrance as other wolves quietly funneled in, drawn to the novelty of it all.

Could she risk being trapped underground again? But what lies inside... Her curiosity had always ruled her, and in the end, she was swayed by its whims again. Makara tentatively began her journey into the cave, keeping her eyes warily glued to the ceiling at the shivering curtain of ice shards. She adjusted her goggles, tightening them firmly by tugging on a long, loose tie with her teeth. If the fallen, shattered ice on the ground was any indication, it looked like they were liable to fall at any moment. She stuck to the cave wall, hugging the outside of it and steering clear of the others for now. For once, she stayed silent.

Speech

Walking across the vast tundra, Clove was following the rumors of sick prey animals wandering the abyss of the North. There were herds of diseased prey up here and that needed to be hunted, to preserve the health of the prosperous herds. Seemed simple enough. If they weren’t hunted, the disease would spread into the neighboring territories, and eventually, reach her home in Auster. And that was a risk Clove didn’t want to take- especially with Mother and Father’s newest litter. Now where was that boat…

The icy tundra started to tremble before she could move into the next territory. The first tumor was subtle. Almost imperceptible, as if the tundra was holding its breath. Then, the earth shuddered violently, a deep, thunderous rumble resonating from the earth's core. The ice beneath her paws buckled, cracked, and shifted with an eerie, ominous force.

Racing across the tundra, Clove catches sight of a massive cavern beneath one of the largest glaciers. It seemed untouched by the tremors- a source of safety. Other wolves were racing toward it too- and Clove fell in line with them, bursting through the entrance and stumbling into one of the cavern’s icy walls. Deep within the glacier, a dark, hollow silence emanates, broken only by the faint, high-pitched whistling of the wind.

Panting, Clove is catching her breath, and testing the space around her for any familiar scents. Ciaran. She can smell the male’s scent in the glacier, somewhere nearby. He must have come looking for the sick herds too. Driven by familiarity, Clove treks deeper into the cavern, following her pack mate's scent, hoping to find him before another tremor shook the icy world around them.

"Clove Carpathius"

Speech // thought // French

Dark paws dance over the tundra. Conserving her energy while looking back and forth to keep her mind active. There was nowhere to hide should trouble come find her. And so close in the north, she was sure trouble might try.

Then the world groaned and bucked and trembled. The ice shattered and shifted beneath her. Expletives in French fell from her dark maw as her mind reeled and went blank.

Her paws were running. They were running toward an opening in the towering glacier. toward people, toward something. Her breath scrapes against her lungs as her ears are pinned to her skull. Her bright violet eyes were wide in fear as she slowly came back to her senses. Other wolves were gathered around, and a strange tinkling noise from deep within pulled her curiosity to the forefront.

Her heart still rammed against her ribs but surely anything in here was better than anything out there?

Éldi's continued exploration of the north revealed more and more concerning finds. It seemed that the channels in the Shimmering Shore and the spikes near Glowshroom Cavern were not the only features to mark the lands of Boreas and Auster. Tremors and earthquakes continued through the region. As Éldi wandered across the frozen terrain he came upon a cave carved deep into the glacial ice. The daylight show bright blue through the ice but the deeper one went the darker blue it became. Sounds of ice clinking together made his fur stand on end but he had come here to explore and explore he would. He needed to bring Eltrys answers… if he didn't die in the process.

As Éldi ducked deeper into the icy cave he soon realized there were other wolves here exploring. Perhaps they had heard the rumblings in the north and came to investigate as well?

Ken was far from superstitious. He had shown that at the spike place, and when the earth started shaking again, he settled himself down clear of falling rocks and poured out a drink for himself and his bitches. He was well on his way to being written off when a familiar scent drifted towards the trio on the breeze. His tail started to wave and he rolled to his feet, stumbling strolling towards the gathering just across the frozen field.

"Sss-pur-LUNKing!" He slurred a little, smiling as he slipped down into the cave. "I love spl-king!" He chattered away cheerily to his cattle dogs, giggling a little as his voice echoed back to him.

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

Though Hazel has things to do, the safety of the north is also in question. She needed to return to the Armada, to deliver her news, to face whatever lie there for her. Confronting the environmental danger seemed like a better fate than that. Hell, could Hazel even cross to the Armada, with what was happening here?

The cavern opened before her is deeply unsettling, but she needs to know. Hazel needs to know. Trailing carefully into the mouth of it, then beyond. She knows better than to think she's alone down here, though everything is distorted. Steeling herself, Hazel travels deeper. Nothing could hold her back, not now.

"Speech"

Things were happening in the world, and it seemed the North had not escaped the phenomenon. Ever since the sky turned red and the stone structures emerged, he'd been hearing about all manner of oddities happening from the southern parts of Boreas, down to Auster. But now it was happening in the North, too. He was making his way through when the ground trembled and a commotion began, and in the distance he could see wolves making their way to investigate. Crimson gaze watched them from afar, wondering if they had noticed the strange behavior of the prey animals as of late. He hadn't tried to hunt one because it just seemed too fucking bizarre, but this? This he was sure he could handle.

The scarred male made his way toward the new cavern that had appeared beneath the glacial ice, the scents and faces of those present were all unfamiliar to him. He paid them no mind for now, and instead kept his attention on the new surroundings, gaze sweeping across the cavern. He had a feeling nothing good was here, but he wasn't about to be the first one to turn tail and run. One ear cocked forward and the other flattened against his head as he heard the erratic clinking of ice further within the cavern, but not even that would stop him from going deeper with some of the others. If things got bad, they could...fight...or run...or something, right?

"Speech"

she came to the north first.. looking for her mother. but that wasn't all.. the land she knew turned red, shaking with screams heard from far down below. it was as if something came over boreas. the northern tundra was harsh to her, paws sore and bleeding by now from all the strain. but the situation churned, becoming alive almost as she treaded over the ground only for it to shake, trembling down to show a cave of some sort ahead. she looks ahead then, ears and eyes forward as she makes out more wolves in the near distance. she sees the glaciers broken and shards of ice dangerous to walk around on, so she moves slowly after holding her body to the ground. scared.. and without her family.

"Speech" ─ Think

Made for Alo by Skelle !

The quakes up in the northern lands have continued and Wade is too curious a wolf to leave this opportunity to go and explore unanswered. Even as the ground trembles, shakes and causes the ice underneath his fat paws to groan under the strain, the red boy trots unperturbed across the frozen field. It isn’t until a sound, like a massive crack of thunder, fills the air that his pawsteps even falter. ‘The fuck was that?’ Loki questions in his mind and the teenager scoffs aloud while replying in his mind, ‘Ya think I know that?’. A snicker rebounds in the rooms of thoughts and he knows Sly is laughing at him.

As the most recent, violent shake subsides, Wade shakes out his coat and trots onward, without a care in the world. On the horizon, he spies other wolves, congregating in specific area before disappearing from view. Eyes widen in surprise and, not wanting to be left out of whatever secret they had found, the red wolf picks up speed and seeks to find the mystery before him. Skidding to a dramatic halt near the yawning opening that had been torn into the icy floor, he breathes out a, “Whoa” while his pale gaze takes in every inch of the exposed cave.

Shards of ice litter the floor and light fills the space yet, in spite of the beauty that has been revealed, a deep sense of foreboding roots itself into his gut. As the creaking sounds of ice greet his ears from the depths of the cavern, the boy stands at the opening… and hesitates. Because, underneath the soft groans of ice is the sound of something… else. ‘Well, now we have to explore.’ Sly drawls, poking at Wade to get a move on as he sits in the back of his mind.

Straightening his shoulders, lifting his head in a proud manner, Wade moves into the cave, hyper-alert to every small sound and smell that comes from further ahead. As the light begins to fade the sound of something moving turns that foreboding feeling into a sense of doom… just as a flash of color catches his attention in his peripheral vision. Rooting himself in place and turning his attention to the area around him, Wade calls out, “Uh… anyone home?”.


"Wade Praetor" 'Thinking' | 'Sly' | 'Loki'

This was a risk maybe not worth taking, and yet Hanako couldn't help herself. She was an explorer at heart, she had seen so much of Boreas and the world at large- so how could she resist? The ice made her paws ache as she padded across it, slow and careful, with all the tremors she knew full well it was not as stable as it might look. Wolves were already gathered, enthralled by the sight, the sense of danger and promise. She found herself moving forward, pressed into the beginnings of the confined space, her breath wafting from her lips in wispy strands.

Others had already entered, she could see the scratches in the ice, caught their scent in the frigid air. No one knew what lay ahead, but pushed on all the same.

The wolves arrive into the frozen cavern, confounded and amused. The ice looms around them, the air dry and chill. The rumbles wax and wane, seemingly coming from different directions. It circles, or is that just the echoes? The ice creaks, springy chimes sprouting quickly across somewhere in the inner ice.

Just as it seems things are calming down, the cave grows still, silent. Maybe it's safe. Maybe the wonders lie deeper within the cave.

Or maybe the wonders come to you.

From above, the ice shatters, blocks falling around the wolves. A large chunk scrapes past Hanako's left back leg, leaving a nasty gash. The other clumps narrowly miss the wolves or are able to dodge out of the way. From the icy mists, a monstrous worm emerges.

Shard like legs scratch and claw at the roof, keeping the worm from falling from the ceiling. It hangs, four triangular shaped sheets flare out, nearly blending in with the ceiling above. Slowly, a cross-shaped maw parts, hundreds of tiny teeth peering out between, hungry and ready. The worm waits.

The creaking and groaning of the ice around her had her flattening her ears straight to her skull. This was bad. It didn't bode well for the stability of the cavern. She'd been involved in enough spelunking expedition gone sideways to know now when to get out of dodge, and yet... the crowd waited. Makara wavered at the cave wall, about to take her leave before she saw her. Her. Her mother.

She parted her mouth to speak, and the ice above shattered in a tremendous crash. Makara pressed her body flush with the wall, panting hard. Small icicles danced and chimed off of the glass of her goggles as they fell, but they held true and served their purpose in protecting her eyes. When she opened them again, all the breath left in her lungs exited in one startled gasp. The air in front of her face crystalized with it. From the ceiling above hung a giant, pendulous, disgusting worm. Makara felt a distant flicker of interest still, but then her nose caught the rich scent of blood. It was heady and carnal against the delicate cold and her eyes roved between those gathered until it settled on her mother. Her mother. She had been struck by the falling ice and a nasty wound had opened up.

A squall of different feelings competed in her gut: anger. Fear. Anxiety. Fear. Fear. Pity. Hanako looked old now, weaker. Like something she had to protect. But had her mother ever protected her? Makara stood stock still, her eyes darting rapidly between the worm above and her injured, absentee mother. She was frozen to the spot.

Speech

Barghest’s senses sharpened, the cold seeping into her fur and settling in her bones as she stepped deeper into the cavern. The chill wrapped around her like an old lover, familiar and unforgiving. She took in the glistening walls that seemed to pulse with an otherworldly light, refracting hues of deep blue and shimmering white. Her breath curled in wisps before her before dissipating into nothingness.
A smirk curled at the edge of her muzzle. The restlessness gnawing at her soul whispered that there would be answers here, or at the very least, a test worthy of her mettle. The silence, broken only by the groaning ice and the steady clink of her claws and the sounds of the other explorers she cared little to acknowledge at the moment.
And then from above ice falls, chunks of it—one she had to dodge. But what emerged from the ceiling was far more exhilarating. A creature, with spikes and petal-like appendages hangs, silent and still. Like a flower, or a venus flytrap. Barghest stills, letting the icy mist settle as she gauges what would come next. Would it attack? Was it… waiting for something?

""

It seemed that there was no end to collapsing tunnels. How deep was the earth after all? Surely they were close to the center by now. Gypsy floated in the air for moments before crashing to the ground, her old bones clattering hard against the frozen earth. The old wolf released a cry of pain at the jarring sensation and she curled in on herself for a moment, willing the pain to stop.

The never ending vibration of the earth seemed to turn up and soon Gypsy felt pieces of dirt flying towards her, striking the purple and white fae all over. She couldn't see it, but she could feel it. There was a heaviness in the cold air and the old woman fought to control her breathing. One paw lifted and she felt around her for Gem. Hopefully the girl was alright.

Gypsy "Bertha"

**Gypsy's past is full of some extreme abuse. Be warned.**

Indigo may enter any of Gypsy's threads as he sees fit.