Come down, come down sweet reverence

Jynn marveled at the moss as Audra further explained their uses. She had no idea and it was fascinating to learn about. "Cool! I saw a healer in Fireside that carried a pack on his back. He stuffed all kinds of things in there." She'd often thought about trying to find a pack like that for herself, though not really for healing materials but more for the random shinies and baubles she might find on her journey's and also some food and other useful items.

Jynn burst out laughing as Audra took a piece of moss and put it on her head while pretending to be a monster. "Eeek!" Jynn yelled, pretending to run as she bounced ahead on the trail. Her voice echoed oddly on the walls and she slowed her pace. It was now getting to the point where it was almost pitch black again. Jynn tried to focus on keeping the conversation going to keep her mind of the spookiness of the cave. "Do you have anyone in mind you'd prank out of curiosity? I can't decide between a pirate I know and the serious Fireside healer. He could use some lightening up."

11/20

_________________________________________________________________ Audra's tinkling laugh mingled with the echo of Jynn's faked shriek. Skipping ahead to follow her, she quickly brushed the moss from her head, but not without grabbing some more and shoving it quickly into her bag. It wouldn't do to leave without important materials. Pausing a moment before leaving the cavern, she made sure to look around and pick up a few more pieces. The moss wasn't just used for bandaging wounds. There were uses in teas and stews and salves that could be used at any time, with or without heat. She was glad to have come down here and found such an abundance of it. Tightening her satchel quickly with her teeth, she made her way to be closer to Jynn once more. She smiled as Jynn asked if she'd have anyone to prank and mentioned a few wolves. Thoughtful and quiet as the click of their nails filled the silence, Audra felt a sense of sadness. Was there anyone she'd like to prank? Other than the Valhalla pack and now Jynn, there really wasn't anyone she could think of. Unfortunately, she hadn't really made any friends. Except maybe one... "Actually yeah! I met the Shogun of Ashen once, Hattori is his name. He's also super serious. I bet he'd be really fun to prank," there was a giggle in her voice as she remembered the dark cloaked figure she'd met on the stormy beach. While she knew he could easily be dangerous in a split second, pranking him still would've been fun. _________________________________________________________________ A  U  D  R  A

Come down, come down sweet reverence

Jynn burst out laughing at the mention of Hattori being a potential victim for a prank. Her paws pranced in the dirt as she thought of his reaction. "Oh, he would be so pissed! He does strike me as a man who takes himself way too seriously." She'd love to try and get a loud, honest laugh out of him and while pranking was probably not the way to do that it would still be fun if for her own amusement.

She continued down the path for awhile longer until it became too dark to see. She glanced back toward the small opening of light now far off in the distance from where they'd entered the cavern. She glanced back at Audra. "Uhh… what do you think? I can't really see where I'm going any more. Should we turn back?"

12/20

_________________________________________________________________ Their laughter faded into a quiet echo in the caverns as they ventured deeper in. The light soon grew into the darkness where Audra too was squinting to see the path in front of them. Becoming more worried that they would get lost in the depths, she nearly ran into Jynn as the other girl turned to look back at her. Hesitating, Audra too glanced at the pinhole of an opening. Clacking her teeth together in a thoughtful motion, she shrugged. "I think I've collected all the moss I can carry and I haven't seen any fungi," her voice trailed off as she looked to the ceiling and then back ahead. It was nothing but pitch black shadows and a narrow pathway. If there was nothing else to see down there, maybe they should turn back? An idea struck her mind as she smiled. Perhaps it was dangerous, but it could also be fun. "Would you wanna race back? Make it interesting," she questioned, her golden eyes eyeing Jynn to see her interest in the option. Since they'd already walked down here, the path was somewhat familiar and while it was precarious, it couldn't pose too much of a threat. _________________________________________________________________ A  U  D  R  A

Come down, come down sweet reverence

Jynn nodded as Audra stated that she had enough moss and hadn't seen any fungi. She hadn't either and it was no surprise. Most plant and fungal life needed some sort of light, even if it was a meager offering. At this point in the cavern there was nothing but pitch black. Light simply wasn't able to filter far back enough into the cavern to allow any usual plant and fungal life to grow. Now, there might be some exceptions but she had no idea what they were and if neither she nor Audra could see them then what was the point? She turned around and as Audra mentioned a race Jynn's tail started to wag rapidly. "Oh, yes please! Great idea. You can do the start countdown if you like." Jynn crouched into her racing stance.

13/20

_________________________________________________________________ Audra's own tail began to wag as Jynn's did in excitement. Yes, this would be the perfect way for them to escape the cave quickly. Turning so that she was side by side with Jynn, she faced the entrance with its pinprick light to guide the way. "Okay, the finish line is the entrance," she said happily, a smile flashing onto her lips. "Ready set go!" Audra chirped with excitement, her ears flying back as she dug her paws into the rocky surface beneath them. Picking up her pace quickly, she ducked her head down and kept her eyes on the entrance. She wasn't going to let Jynn win, no way. Eager to reach the entrance, she was careful to skip over any larger rocks and loose pebbles. Her steps echoed in the cave as the flutter of bats zipped away from them. Audra vs Jynn for Race Round 1/2 Age: Over 1 year Size: Small Build: Light Skills: Intermediate Healer & Intermediate Navigator _________________________________________________________________ A  U  D  R  A

Come down, come down sweet reverence

Jynn's limbs coiled, her front paws shifting up and down rapidly with anticipation. This was going to be a challenging race. The cavern was darn and they were deep within its great expanse and in places it was difficult to see the ground. Audra counted down and on the word 'go' Jynn sprang forward. Loose gravel was kicked up by her paws and the click of her claws on stone echoed strangely throughout the cavern. Something about the spookiness of the cavern gave her added fuel as she rocketed forward. At one point she nearly lost her footing but she managed to regain it without losing too much time.

Jynn vs Audra for Race
Round 1/2
Age: Over 1 Year
Size: Large
Build: Light
Skills: Master Navigator & Master Fighter
Specialty: Scout

14/20

_________________________________________________________________ Jynn was quickly behind her and she could hear the scrabbling of paws. They made their way up the path with some difficulty. It was still hard to see at times as she navigated through the turns they'd taken. Her own paws slipped at times as she tripped over a rock or two. Determined to win, she let the adrenaline of leaving the spooky cave and winning propel her forward. This was it. They were almost there. She could see the cavern's opening widen in front of her as she fought to gain purchase on the smooth stone. Taking in a deep breath, Audra pushed forward in hopes she'd be the first one to make it out. Audra vs Jynn for Race Round 2/2 Age: Over 1 year Size: Small Build: Light Skills: Intermediate Healer & Intermediate Navigator _________________________________________________________________ A  U  D  R  A

Come down, come down sweet reverence

Jynn wasn't quite sure where to focus so she varied her attention between the path ahead of her and then to the opening of the cave which was slowly getting wider and wider. At first her focus was mainly on the opening of the cave. It was so dark when they'd started the race it didn't really help that much to look at her feet. However, as she got closer to the light and could start seeing the fuzzy outline of objects she started focusing more on the path ahead of her. It still didn't stop her from running right through a pool but thankfully it wasn't that deep and she was able to pick up the pace again. Her claws dug in to the stone and earth where they could as she looked for more traction to launch herself toward the opening.

Jynn vs Audra for Race
Round 2/2
Age: Over 1 Year
Size: Large
Build: Light
Skills: Master Navigator & Master Fighter
Specialty: Scout

15/20

And the winner is...

Audra

Jynn was left in the dust! Totals: Audra: Speed Roll: 45 Stamina Roll: 59 Balance Roll: 51 Total: 155 Speed[45] + 10% Bonus[4.50]: 49.50 Stamina[59] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 59.00 Balance[51] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 51.00 Total[159.50] + 10% Bonus[15.95]: 175.45 Jynn: Speed Roll: 10 Stamina Roll: 23 Balance Roll: 56 Total: 89 Speed[10] + 5% Bonus[0.50]: 10.50 Stamina[23] + 10% Bonus[2.30]: 25.30 Balance[56] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 56.00 Total[91.80] + 25% Bonus[22.95]: 114.75

_________________________________________________________________ Light became blinding as they both approached the widening entrance. Squinting hard against the difference, Audra reached out with her nose and gave one final leap to cross the confines of the cavern. Breathing hard as she tucked her tongue back in, a paw scraped along a rock she hadn't seen. Tumbling, Audra falls for a moment as she just barely wins the race. Her shoulder hits the dirt as she attempts to collect herself before completely doing a somersault. A quiet yelp emits from her lips as she gives her body a shake. "Whoa, that was fun!" She chimes, finally standing back upright while she turns to face Jynn. Collecting her breath as the adrenaline wears off, her eyes move back over to the cave. When standing outside of it, it definitely appears terrifying and ominous. How had they had the courage to ever go in there in the first place? _________________________________________________________________ A  U  D  R  A

Come down, come down sweet reverence

Ahead of her the mouth of the cavern grew wider and wider, more and more light spilling in and lighting her way until at last she made it out int daylight. While Jynn ran as fast as she could, legs stretching out to try and make up for the time she'd lost, victory ultimately went to Audra. Panting she sat down heavily and looked over to the other woman with a grin. "Congrats! You're quite the runner. Are you alright?" Audra's near somersault hadn't escaped Jynn's notice. While she wasn't a healer she was happy to track down some cool water or larger leaves for scrapes and bruises. She had a few nicks herself but figured it was nothing that needed tending to.

16/20

_________________________________________________________________ Audra sat after shaking off her tumble with her tongue lolling out the side of her mouth. A happy smile on her lips as she giggled.  "Thanks! You're quite the competition yourself!" She exclaims, shrugging her shoulders to pass off the fact that she had indeed tumbled as she crossed over the finish line. Looking down at her legs and over her shoulder, she did notice some cuts and felt a bit of soreness. It wasn't anything that was in dire need of attention so she shook her head softly. "Oh, I'm alright. I can be a bit clumsy from time to time," Audra mentions, glancing at Jynn to make sure she too wasn't in need of medical help. "Ya know, I am a bit parched though. You think there's water nearby for us to grab a drink?" She asks with gleaming eyes. Standing up with a roll of her shoulders, she looks around to see if there was any source of water in sight. Unfortunately not, but she was sure Jynn would know. _________________________________________________________________ A  U  D  R  A

Come down, come down sweet reverence

Jynn chuckled as Audra explained that she could be a bit clumsy from time to time. "Oh, don't worry you're in good company. I'm a terrible klutz." It probably wasn't surprising as a pup being born with long, lanky legs and large paws. While she'd managed to grow into her paws she still had crazy long legs and running on stilts had its advantages and disadvantages.

Audra asked about water and Jynn immediately started looking around. "Hmm… I'm not sure. The water in the cave had to have come from somewhere. Maybe there's a creek or something nearby that floods during the rainy season to fill the caves." She got to her feet and started looking about the mouth of the cavern.

17/20

_________________________________________________________________ Noticing how Jynn went to look by the mouth of the cave, Audra nodded in agreement. How had she not thought of that before? Following suit, Audra went over to the other side of the cave's entrance. Glancing around carefully, she thought maybe she saw a trickle of water off to the side. Lowering her face closer to the ground, she sniffed a few times. Reaching out a paw to the soft grass, it felt somewhat wet. Looking up, Audra glanced over to the side where Jynn was. Maybe they'd have better luck over there. Moving around Jynn to also investigate that side of the cavern opening, it was then that she saw a small trickle of water coming down around the opening. Looking up, she noticed that it got larger the farther up the hillside she looked. "Hm, think it's safe to climb up there?" She asked quizzically, hesitating to endanger themselves again. _________________________________________________________________ A  U  D  R  A

Come down, come down sweet reverence

Jynn padded along the mouth of the cavern, her nose taking in the scents of the ground while her ears sifted through the sounds of the forest. She could smell moist earth and hear the gentle sounds of water but it was hard to know exactly where they were coming from and also that what she was smelling and hearing wasn't coming from the cavern. She wandered over to one side of the cavern where she noticed the ground was wet. Audra followed along and soon they found a trickle of water falling down around the opening. Jynn stuck out her tongue and caught a few drops before nodding. "Yea, I think we'll be fine. Just be careful in case its slick." Jynn eyed the overhang for a moment and backed up. Sure she probably could've climbed up an easier way but instead she took a flying leap onto the top of the cavern. "Hey! There's a little stream up here."

18/20

_________________________________________________________________ The few trickles of water that caught on Jynn's tongue suddenly made her realize that she was a lot thirstier. Swallowing down the lump that had formed in her throat, her eyes widened as Jynn took a few steps back and leaped up onto the cavern's top. "Whoa," Audra whispered, obviously impressed by the acrobatics of her friend. Unfortunately, though she was fast, her legs were shorter and there was no way she'd be able to jump like that. Glancing around, she found a slightly tricky and slippery path up to where Jynn stood. Careful not to trip, Audra made it up in a short scramble before smiling. Catching the stream that opened up on top of the cavern's roof, she made her way over. Taking in a long drink of cold mountain water, Audra lapped up around her chin before looking over to Jynn. "This definitely was a good idea!" She comments before taking another long drink. _________________________________________________________________ A  U  D  R  A

Come down, come down sweet reverence

Jynn bounded over to the stream and swiftly bent her head to drink from the cool running water. She hadn't realized how thirsty she'd gotten until she'd had that first taste of cool water. She had been tempted to drink earlier in the cavern but after her experience in the Hallucination Caves of Auster she knew better than to drink random cave water without a thorough investigation first. "Ahhhh…. that hits the spot. I needed that." Jynn sat down heavily and sighed, just enjoying the weather. In the distance she could see the sun starting to set. It's shifting through bands of cloud cast an amber glow over the land. Jynn got to her feet. "Thank you Audra, for the wonderful day of exploring."

19/20

_________________________________________________________________ She was happy. For the first time in a long time, she'd been able to have a carefree day without anything to worry about. Thankful to Jynn and the cavern for not being overly dangerous, her tongue began to loll gently onto the side. Sitting down herself, tail tucked between her paws, Audra's gaze followed over her shoulder to look out to the horizon. Low beneath the clouds, the sun began to set. Shift shading of blues and pinks elongated past the shadows of the coming night. "I wouldn't have traded it for the world," she comments quietly, her amber gaze turning back to Jynn. "Any time you want some company, I'll probably be around," Audra adds on with a smile. _________________________________________________________________ A  U  D  R  A

Come down, come down sweet reverence

Jynn felt some strange mix of contentment and sadness. She had had a wonderful day, one of the best in a long while but now that day was ending and it was time to say goodbye. She grinned gently at Audra. "I'd like that. We really need to do this again some time. Until then, take care and may your footsteps be sure and true." She dipped her head in a respectful goodbye before turning and heading eastward. That was one thing about wandering, she never was in one spot for too long and it made it hard sometimes to form strong friendships. Would she ever see Audra again? She sure hoped so. She made a note to return to this area a few times and hopefully they'd run into each other again.

-exit-

20/20 yay, thanks so much!