Firefly Lake

Before you enter, you may bring 3 things with you. These may include companions, accessories, and the like. Please list them at the start of your thread. There is great risk involved to all that you bring along as well as your chosen character, though you may find there will also be equally great benefit.

Any rewards gained in your adventure will be account bound and therefore not tradeable unless simply gems. A handful of the benefits will be for the character you bring only.

Your choice in character, companion, and accessory will possibly impact your story. Different attributes and aspects of your character, companion, and accessory will provide risks or benefits depending on the various encounters, and where one wolf would fail a situation another wolf might pass it with ease.

As the story progresses, encounters will become riskier though you can choose to abandon the adventure at any time. If you choose to remain, you do so understanding the risks!



Coming to this area, the sun rests low in the horizon and many fireflies are just starting to light the sky in its stead. There is nothing inherently spooky about these scenes, however the complete lack of the usual chittering of birds and rummaging of creatures puts even the most steadfast of visitors on edge. The water calls to you, reflecting the last luminescent rays of the golden sun as it sinks into the horizon. It seems as if every step is blocked off by a wall of fireflies which seem unpassable.

How do you attempt to get through?

• Barge your way through
  
• Eat the fireflies
  
• Leave
  

Winter is bringing her Japanese macaque companion, polar bear cape, & her razor claws

The yearling had never been here before, but her father had told her about the lake that glimmered with thousands of fireflies at night. She had arrived just a bit before nightfall, the sun sinking slowly on the horizon. When she first arrived, she had seen a few fireflies flickering about but the main thing she noticed was how quiet and still it felt here. She felt slightly on edge, but the soothing touch of her macaque companion twisting her fingers into her fur was comforting. The newly appointed alphess eyes the water, the silence that echoed around her seemingly pushed her towards its edge. The sun had gone now, replaced by the flow of fireflies that upon realization, had seemingly formed a wall. Curious, she felt as if they were trying to hide something. But what? Were they acting that way for a reason?  Or was that the natural behavior for them? Something told her it wasn't despite her not having any experience with the bugs...taking a deep breath, she glanced at her companion for a moment before ultimately deciding to barge her way through.

"Speech"

Firefly Lake

From this point on, you can exit at any point, even if the option is not listed! If leaving is listed as a choice, then you may only ATTEMPT to exit!

You push with all your might, but the fireflies hold fast. As you fling yourself through, they part, sending you tumbling towards the waters. You go to catch yourself, spraining your front left leg! As you finally make your way through the mass of fireflies and towards the water, you see a small bridge of strange, floating crystals leading through the middle of the lake to a… is that a downwards staircase into the lake? Those stones look a little slippery.


How do you attempt to get through?

• Use the bridge
  
• Swim
  
• Jump over the gap
  

She pushed and pushed, but surprisingly, the bugs held fast. They were surprisingly strong, and she had a feeling they were really determined to keep her from whatever it was they seemed to guard. As she continued to force her way through, she finally made a breakthrough and the fireflies parted in her wake. However, she wasn't as prepared as she thought and when she moved to catch herself, she yelped for a moment as she sprained her left foreleg. Ears flattened for a moment as she took her weight off of it for a moment, but then her attention was promptly drawn to the water and the strange crystal bridge that made its way towards the center. She tested her sprained paw for a moment before slowly advancing forward, the youth hesitant, but with the comfort of her companion she pressed on. She decided to try her luck with using the bridge, using the razor tips on her claws to give her a better grip on its surface. "Speech"

Firefly Lake

You walk gingerly across the steps. Water just barely flows over the surface, making them quite slick. One wrong pawstep and OOF! You slide into the water, cutting the left sixe of your muzzle and cheek on the edge of the stair as you slide down. Afterwards, you are able to swim to the staircase.

Down the Rabbit(?) Hole

You step down the finely chiseled stairs which seem to be made of thin sheets of crystal, showing the water below as fish swim beneath your very paws. As you go lower, the fish swim beside, then above you until you are slowly immersed into a dark, watery chamber. When you come off the stairs, you find you are standing on solid ground, though far above you can still see the surface of the water. Light from above shimmers and refracts into tiny rainbows across the ground. The only place to go now is deeper into the cavern which narrows and darkens. The cavern grows quite steep and your eyes have not fully adjusted to the darkness. One should be careful as they descend into the depths.

How do you attempt to get through?

• Slow and steady wins the race
  
• Mad dash
  

She was far too fascinated by what she was seeing at the lake that she wasn't paying much attention to where she was stepping. The slick surface prevented the sharpened points of her claws from getting a good grip and before she knew it, she had slipped into the water and ended up cutting the left side of her cheek and muzzle on the edge of the stairs. She gasped from the pain, the literal monkey on her back squealing her displeasure from getting wet but Winter managed to recover enough to swim the rest of the way to the staircase. Shaking out her fur, she stared in awe as she descended the stairs and into the deeper part of the chamber. Her eyes still adjusting, though she could tell the path was getting steeper. The girl opted to go slow and steady to try and avoid falling or tripping onto her face in the darkness. Was she afraid? Yes. She wasn't sure what to expect down here, and the monkey on her back did little to soothe her the further she went.

Slow and steady wins the race

Down the Rabbit(?) Hole

You slowly descend down into the depths of the cave. As you walk, you feel a small notch in the wall. And another. And another! In each, sets a tiny gem. By the end of the tunnel, you have a nice handful of gems! You'll have to count them later!

Now, the cavern levels out, but is still tricky to navigate. You’re sure you hear shuffling ahead, but can't see anything to match the noise. What do you do? This is open ended! Respond as your character would, but only to the point to where you ATTEMPT something! No cheating!

She descended slowly into the cave. Her eyes slowly began to adjust to the darkness, her companions hands tightly twisting into the fur on her back. She shivered the further she went, so she adjusted the polar bear Cape she wore before continuing on. The alabaster youth could hear her own heart pounding, the feeling of anxiety creeping up on her. She had never been in a cave like this before and so she wasn't sure what to expect. How would her father handle such a situation? Would he be afraid? She doubted it...he didn't seem to be afraid of anything. She wanted to be the alpha that he was, but when the shuffling started up ahead, she froze and held her breath.

She listened for a few moments. Unsure what to do. Surely her father wouldn't hesitate nor be afraid...right? Taking a deep breath, she headed further into the cave to investigate the source of the sound. Hoping. Praying even. That whatever it was was something she could handle.

Down the Rabbit(?) Hole

You approach slowly, carefully, and silently. You smell nothing, but eventually come upon the dim glow of a group of fireflies struggling to put on a cloth which would make them appear as if they are a rat. The cloth is pulled this way, then that way, but the uneven buzzing of the creatures beneath it make it hard to settle evenly.

What do you do?

• Watch them
  
• Try to help them
  
• Bugs are tasty- chomp (eat/ attack them)
  

She approached the source of the sound, the girl practically holding her breath as she drew closer and closer. She moved slowly, quietly, and carefully just in case something decided to attack her. She was wholly expecting to find another creature. A rabbit perhaps? Judging by the shuffling sounds at least...but she didn't smell anything. Slightly confused, she came across what appeared to be some fireflies struggling - or fighting? - over a cloth. As if they couldn't quite get it on themselves or work together enough to be able to accomplish their goal. She stared at them, surprised, and wondering if she should help or simply leave them be. She figured she ought to try and help the bugs, but as she stepped forward to help, the monkey on her back leaped forward towards them and decidedly attempted to catch them for a snack. Winter gasped in surprise at her companion's bold move, and she stood there frozen, unsure what would happen next.

Winter companion decided bugs are tasty

Down the Rabbit(?) Hole

Your companion decides to eat the fireflies. As he grasps at the many bugs, the sheet falls away. Your companion manages to stuff many of the bugs in his mouth, but some flutter away deeply into the cave as if fleeing consciously in the same direction. Your companion's hands are left glowing faintly from the encounter.

Sp̶͙̆͗̚̕ooky Cavȩ̴̧̩̖̱͔̈͑̾̅͂̊͝ͅ

The main cavern opens up to a large area full of stalagmites and stalactites. Your eyes adjust (if you have fireflies, their light dies out) allowing you to see just how vast this underground expanse is. Water trickles through the center of the cavern running from the wall near you and creating a small river cutting through the room all the way to the end. It seems clean, but there is no telling what lurks in the depths.

How will you navigate this room?

• Carefully around the stalagmites.
  
• Swim the river
  

While you're here... there's that water...

Do you take a sip?

• Sip Sip
  
• No sippy
  

It was too late for her to stop her companion from eating any of the bugs, but alas, there was nothing she could do about it now. She frowned at the macaque, but all she got back in return was a sheepish grin as the primate turned to follow the bugs that had fled. Winter followed quietly, still feeling on edge as neither she nor her companion said a word yet. The further they went, she noticed the cavern opened up into a larger area full of stalagmites and stalactites. It didn't take too long for her pale gaze to adjust to the dimly lit room. The only real source of light she could spot ahead was the faint glow of her companion's hands, but that was about it. Nearby, she could hear the steady trickle of water as it made its way across the room to who knew where. Feeling parched from her anxious endeavor so far, she wondered if the water down here was safe to drink. "Do you think the water here is safe to drink?" She whispered, posing the question to her companion as she followed quickly behind. "It doesn't smell rotten, and who knows how far we've come. Best drink while we can." Both of them take a drink from the water before continuing on.

carefully around the stalagmites & sip sip

Sp̶͙̆͗̚̕ooky Cavȩ̴̧̩̖̱͔̈͑̾̅͂̊͝ͅ

The water looks nice and you take a sip! It's cool and refreshing and you feel as if your sprain doesn't hurt anymore.

Onwards, you take to climbing around the stalagmites. Some areas narrow so much, you're forced to pull back and try another route. You eventually clear your way into the next room, feeling rather accomplished and much more skilled than before!

Crȩ̸̱̞̈́͗̆̾̀̑̈̇vice S̵̡̥͉͌͗̿͋̾̓̀̍h̴̢̆͛̉͗̏̎̇́uffle

You cross into the next room and the passages just keep getting smaller and smaller! Finally, the passage forks into one that is very small, but stable-looking. The other is large and spacious but appears to be much more treacherous.

How will you navigate this room?

• Big Tunnel
  
• Small Tunnel
  

The water felt cool and crisp when she drank it. She felt refreshed and a little less nervous than before, and even her sprain felt like it didn't really hurt anymore. She flexed the formerly injured leg to test it before ultimately deciding that perhaps it hadn't been as bad as she initially thought before continuing on down the path. As she followed her companion and its faintly glowing hands, she noticed the passages kept getting smaller and smaller. While she was nearing her full height, she was getting worried. Was she going to have to turn back at some point if the passages got to narrow? She wasn't the smallest wolf in the world. Far from it, actually. And the horns on her head would surely jam her up if she tried to squeeze through too small of a space unless she somehow managed to maneuver her way just right. Eventually, they came to a fork in the road and she wasn't sure which way to go. "Um..." She glanced to her companion for a moment as she weighed her options. One tunnel was smaller, but looked safer than the larger one...but on the other hand..."Let's take the big tunnel and hope for the best..." Swallowing back the nervousness she felt again, she tried to find her confidence as she made her way down the larger tunnel.

Crȩ̸̱̞̈́͗̆̾̀̑̈̇vice S̵̡̥͉͌͗̿͋̾̓̀̍h̴̢̆͛̉͗̏̎̇́uffle

The large but steep tunnel twists and turns. You find yourself slipping, lost, and totally out of breath. At one drop, you miss your step and find yourself waking some time later at the bottom of the pit. You feel its hard to breathe upon awakening, and there is a sharp gash along the side of your left ribs where a now-bloodied shard juts upwards. The cut bleeds and is sure to leave a scar.

Ç̸̭̩̻͔͖̱̥̉̚ŕ̶̨̛͙͍͓̲̣͕̎̃̾̎̄̑̐̏̔͆͝͠ȳ̸̡̼͉̙̻̘͚͕̘̿̌stall̴̞̪̀͋̎̏̂̄̔́̈́̀̆͐̕͝ĩ̷̛͎̦͉̼̤͇̏͠në̸̻̗̣̏ D̴͔̲̲̫̭̤̲͌̑̅͗̔̐̇̒̾͐͌͝͝epths

The tunnel leads you into a vast room where pinholes of light shine down from the ceiling and down onto a sea of sharp but enchanting crystals below. The place is as breathtaking as it is lethal. You feel as though if you don’t turn back now, you will not be able to leave the tunnel the same as you came. You take a deep breath and decide to descend the glittering slopes. At your feet, there are surprisingly soft mosses with many microflora sprouting up between the rugged crystals and fireflies loom lazily in the air. Somewhere in the distance, a crystal from the ceiling falls like a dagger into the ground below. You do not see where it lands, but it shatters with enough ferocity to be felt in your paws.

How do you navigate this risky wonderland?

• Left, towards the crashing noise!
  
• Right, away from the crashing noise!
  
• Over the giant crystals!
  

Well, it appeared that hoping for the best was the wrong choice. She quickly found herself in a heap of trouble. It was steep and dark, the girl feeling hopelessly lost, tired, and out of breath as she slipped and even missed her footing. She fell. Hard. And it was enough to knock her out for a bit. When she came to, she could feel a sharp pain on her side and she could feel the warmth of blood on the left side of her ribs. Her breath hitched as she tried to pull herself up, the macaque doing her best to calm the now anxiety-ridden girl. Her claws scraped on stone as she scrambled to her feet, the polar bear cape on her back at least absorbed some of the impact of her fall to prevent her back from breaking. With some effort, she and her companion began to search for a way out considering she wouldn't be able to climb out the way she had fallen. Eventually, she came to a large room with bits of light that shone onto some mesmerizing crystals. Despite the pain she was in, she was enthralled. She knew if she kept going though, she wouldn't be able to turn back later...but she also couldn't see how she'd be able to get back the way she had come. Her sides hurt too much to climb, so she kept going and descended the slope. The ground felt soothing on her now weary paws, the microfauna and the fireflies that now floated about did help to soothe her racing heart and the anxious feelings she'd been having. As she moved, she heard something crash to the ground with enough force she gripped the shaking ground with her claws. Eyes closing for a moment from the sound of impact. Although she was curious, she was rooted in place. She squeezed her eyes shut as panic began to grip her. Luckily for her, however, her companion gently led the way so that at least she wasn't rooted to the spot in fear to investigate where the crystal had fallen. Feeling perhaps there was a way out in that direction.

Left, towards the crashing noise!