Whatever the hell we want!

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.