He was taken with the eerie quiet of the cave. The ice seemed to muffle all sound. Quite a crowd had gathered, and Katsu felt satisfied with his exploration of the place. It did go deeper, but he didn't feel comfortable with the amount of wolves that had begun to gather. Perhaps news of this cave opening would be enough. Even as he thought that he'd arrived at this conclusion, his mind continued to war with itself over it. No, it's not enough. And then, just as insistent: Take leave of this place. He stood, quietly weighing his options, when the cave floor gave out beneath him.
Glittering shards of ice fell all around the crowd as they tumbled through the air, landing unceremoniously on the floor of another subterranean chamber. When he hit the ground, he felt every scrap of oxygen in his lungs leave in one great gust. Katsu wheezed, panting and scrabbling to right himself. The very edge of his field of vision began to darken, so when he finally stood wavering on his feet, he was almost sure the creature standing before him was an apparition. A vision straight from his nightmares.
Once he got his bearings, a pup had already ran headlong at the worm after throwing a rock to the side in an attempt to distract it. An older man tried the same tactic. Katsu grunted and shook off his fall fully, sucking in a deep breath before assessing the situation more fully. A child was already involved... but he needed to make his way home to warn the others. He had to get back to Tojo Kai. He longed for the pleasant clacking of the bamboo, the pristine calm of it all. Maybe he was a coward. But he was stranded here in the cave for now, so hobbled to Beat's side. He had an ugly cut on his shoulder and it streamed blood. "You can lean on me," he said gruffly, trying not to show any fear. The pup was too far gone - reckless and wild. He wouldn't engage until they could figure out more about this creature.
With its sightless mouth wavering - and knowledge of the many unsighted creatures that navigated the earth, moles and the like - the guess of the others was as good of an idea as any. Gripping a massive fallen icy stalactite in his mouth, he hurled it across the cave so it might shatter against the wall in another tremendous crash.
