Absinth had departed from Aresenn upon their planned return to the Sound. He had to go report back to Sephiran, and she wagered a small bit of exploration would be fantastic before she headed back as well. He hadn’t given her any trouble over it, a mere reminder of Sephiran’s original words of stay close to the Sound playing in her head as she searched for at least one thing to sate her need for thrill. Be that a location, or perhaps even a soul. She didn’t mind either way, as long as she was able to continue on exploring for a bit longer.

She had trekked quite a ways, at some point deciding to follow a very unique smell. It was strong, sulfuric in nature. She followed it through till the end, the strength of it getting stronger and stronger until she happened upon a cavernous opening. Heat radiated out, and she wagered it would only get hotter… but she wandered in anyways. It had been pretty lackluster at first. That is, until she reached a section where the cave system expanded into a molten landscape. Trails of lava falling from different cracks in the stone, a river of molten rock drifting thickly as she carefully maneuvered through it. Her eyes were wide, the emerald aspect almost completely overtaken by the sheer orange glow all around her. “Fucking hell. It's fucking hell.” She spoke with a playful grin, relishing in the heat and how one… false… move… and her body would go up in flames! What a damn rough way to go that would be.

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What had even happened? Another blackout. More questions. A… a body. Rivin was still processing it all. The body of one of her own kind, gored by her antlers, had been left upon the ground by her when she came to. She didn’t understand the cause… why it kept happening. The cat… facing her father… meeting Sephiran again… and now this. It made her feel sick. The lapses in her memory were concerning, and the more she tried to get a grasp on it the more it made her feel like she was going insane. It felt as though she was trudging through sludge at this point, away from the Raiders as she tried to process what was going on. She thought she had the cause figured out. But… Did she? Was it just linked to anger? And… Why did she get so easily angered and ruffled anyway? It wasn’t normal.

She slipped into a cavern, barely bothered by the heat at first. Barely noticing the smell of sulfur. But the more she descended into the pits of the cavern, the more the smell and heat began to intensify, Rivin was pulled out of own mind and became focused on where she was. What even was this place? It was unnatural, like she was walking into a fire… and then, as she rounded a corner of the tunnel, she saw the river of lava. It illuminated the open cavern it flowed through, bathing the world in an orange-yellow glow. Her ears perked forward with interest… until a voice echoing off the stones caught her attention.

Green gaze would snap in that direction. She felt antsy. Guarded. The fur on her neck bristled. She took in a breath, trying to calm herself. No. She needed not to let her emotions get the better of her. She needed to avoid another blackout. One here… if she fell into the lava… no one would know. She would be gone, and this time Jack wouldn’t be here to save her. Rivin shook her head. No, better to walk away. Pretend that she hadn’t even heard the stranger. But… How did she even leave? She glanced back towards the tunnel. She had gone through so many twists and turns. She had been distracted.

Shit…

She’d start towards the opposite direction of the stranger. Maybe the other woman wouldn’t notice her. She needed to get her head on right. Get herself sorted before she returned to the raiders again. What was she supposed to tell Gilgamesh? That she was killing wolves now? That she couldn’t… be trusted? Rivin stopped, her gaze at her paws. Would she be cast from the Raiders? …and would that be such a bad thing? What if she… What if Jack got hurt because of her? That made her feel sick. She’d already fought her father without memory… couldn’t recall what had become of her reunion with Sephiran…

…was there even a way to prevent her from completely losing herself…?

"Speech," 'Thought.'

As Absinth admired the bubbling, almost living and breathing nature in which the molten rock moved… She couldn’t help but think of her father. It was like looking him in the eye, those pools of lava that seemingly swirled at times when he was drifting off into his madness. The heat was becoming a bit much the longer she remained, after spending so long in the Polar Sound she had grown accustomed to the cold- comfortable even.

As she was turning to begin picking her way back out of the cavern system she caught the sight of a very large shadowy figure illuminated on one side by the glow of lava. She could make out… horn, which paired with the size she immediately thought of Karaka. But the shape of the horns was wrong, and she was sure a girl colored in gold and orange would look far more ethereal here… no. This stranger was far darker colored… more mature. Still, she craved a better look at this retreating stranger. Why turn away from her? She was far smaller in stature and build by the looks of it, why not push for an interaction? It certainly piqued her interest. Unbeknownst to her of the inner struggle Rivin was experiencing, or the danger thereof. Then again though, if she did know she would have certainly rushed right into the thrill of it all anyways.

So the monochromatic woman obeyed her nature to seek the next most exciting thing, turning her attention away from the lava and following the big stranger on her path. Emerald eyes glittering with amusement as she wondered when they would notice her trailing them. What would come of this fiery meeting? Hopefully something heart-pounding.
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Over and over her concerns played in her head, the fear that she couldn’t keep herself together. That… that whatever this thing inside her was would consume her. Fighting used to be such an enjoyable thing and now… now she worries about allowing herself to get riled. That the blackouts would come again. The next time… would there be another body? Would it be another wolf? Would it be one of the Raiders? Her friends… Rivin let out a heavy sigh. The last thing she wanted was to hurt those she was growing to care for. Learning to be a better healer wasn’t just for herself - she could help the Raiders. She had been forming bonds with some of them. With Gil. Maybe that was why the idea of him casting her out bothered her so much. The truth was… he was a father figure to her. Disappointing him now, when he’d been trying to help her better herself… dammit all. Wasn’t there some way to combat this thing? If cannabis was a lost cause… maybe…

Her ears swiveled as the realization she was being tailed dawned on her. Great… Rivin drew in a breath. She had hoped that the other wouldn’t notice her, or, at the very least, wouldn't decide to engage. Hell, had the other woman tried to speak to her? How long had she been trailing her? Rivin furrowed her brow. It wasn’t like ignoring her presence would make this other femme leave, right? Her ears flicked back and she turned, circling so that she could size the other woman up. A monochrome coat, emerald eyes… and a scent that reminded her of poison. She was smaller, but Rivin knew better than to believe she had an advantage based on size alone after her first raid. She straightened, quirking a brow as she tried to play off as if she hadn’t just been trapped within her mind. “How long are you planning on following me? I don’t know the way out of here, so you’re on your own for that.” If that was even what she had been after at all.

"Speech," 'Thought.'

Absinth's heart quickened with excitement as the woman finally acknowledged her presence. She relished the challenge of engaging with someone in such a volatile place – truly a treacherous environment should one take the slightest misstep... With a sly grin playing on her lips, Absinth stepped forward, her movements fluid and graceful despite the rugged terrain of the lava cave. She was feeling rather impish, and that was plain for all to see in the glowing lighting of the cavern.

"Have you finally noticed your shadow?" Absinth purred, her voice dripping with amusement as she took in Rivin's defensive posture. A pleased smirk stretched across her inky lips then, her eyes shining with downright delight.

"Oh, don't worry about that." Absinth's emerald eyes sparkled with mischief as she half circled the other woman against the confines of the passageway. Absinth continued, her tone laced with taunting confidence. "I'm sure we can figure something out together. Besides, who said anything about wanting to leave just yet? I was hoping for a bit more... excitement. I’m a glutton for a thrill." She took a bold step closer to her, her gaze locking onto the horned wolf’s with intensity amplified by the soft glow of the lava. "Come on~ Show me something interesting," Absinth's voice was low, a dangerous edge creeping into her words. "Or are you too afraid to dance? Just a little bit?" The stranger was an enticing one. Her face screamed with warning, like a formidable foe to face… and Absinth was much too interested in pushing her buttons to withdraw.

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The woman before her was… problematic. As much as Rivin didn’t want to engage another, the fae before her clearly had other ideas. She wore a smirk, her voice dripping with amusement as she addressed the red streaked fae. Rivin felt her skin crawl, her ears pinned flat against her skull as she growled softly in warning. This woman knew not of what she was attempting to bring forth, hell, Rivin didn’t really know herself. But she could feel whatever it was threatening to come back to the surface, whispers and coos of interest urging her to start fighting, to let her anger consume her. The green gaze of the other woman made her uncomfortable and, as she realized her backside brushed against stone, Rivin let out another growl… a louder one this time. This woman was attempting to corner her, to force her to lash out.

“I hardly call poking someone into attempting to maul your face a thrill.” Rivin countered through gritted teeth. Though she didn’t want to risk the same thing happening to this woman that had happened to that man, she could feel her anger surging upward. Once a glowing ember, fuel had brought it to life in the form of a little flame that was now greedily licking upwards. Her claws scraped the ground as Rivin felt her frustrations rise, her body starting to slip into a battle ready position against her better judgment. Lips lifted to reveal fangs. This was just a game to this other woman… a damned game to play and poke at like there weren't consequences to it.

“You’re a fucking idiot!” Rivin spat, swiping for the other fae. She didn’t get to see if that lash out landed, because suddenly her body started to sway with the surge of emotion. A stumble, a shift of posture. And then… gaze would lift from a spot on the ground back up to the woman before her, a deep, amused laugh leaving her lips.

“My my, it seems you have really gotten under her skin.” She would flex her body, a confident smirk crossing her features. “If you so badly want to dance, I suppose I could entertain it since you're allowing me to come out to play~” Amused, yet slightly cold. Her voice was different, a tone shift that betrayed the voice of an older femme who knew exactly what power she held.

Without further warning Caedes lunged toward her opponent. Her red-streaked shoulder was moved forward, aiming to slam into the smaller girl’s face. Caedes’ head would sweep downward with the hope of reaching just past her opponent’s scruff to bite down onto her back between her shoulders. It would stretch her body out a bit further, but Cae was willing to take that risk. After all, what did she have to fear when this body wasn’t even her own?

"Speech," 'Thought.'

Rivin Caedes vs Absinthe for Dominance
Round 1/2
Age: One year
Size: Dire wolf
Build: Heavy
Offensive Battle Accessory: Serrated Dagger
Defensive Battle Accessory: Leather leg wraps
Companion 1: Wolverine, Male - Battle
Companion 2: Bobcat, Male - Battle
Mutation 1: Deer Antlers - Offensive
Skills: Expert Healer & Master Fighter
Specialty:

Absinth watched, amused and thrilled, as the woman’s demeanor shifted – her warnings clear as day in the low growl that rumbled from her throat. She could sense the simmering anger beneath the surface, the volatile energy that threatened to erupt at any moment. And yet, Absinth couldn't help but feel excitement at the prospect of provoking such a powerful reaction. Wow, this chick was super edgy wasn’t she? Just fight and draw blood!

Absinth maintained her composure, her smirk unwavering even in the face of the other fae's growing hostility. But when the other woman’s claws scraped against the ground and her lips curled into a snarl, Absinth knew that she had pushed her too far. Not that she was scared, fuck, she was so so fucking delighted. With a grin of her own, Absinth met the other’s gaze head-on, her own emerald eyes gleaming with a mixture of challenge and excitement. “Let's see what you've got.” She snarled, her voice laced with anticipation.

The moment the other woman lunged forward, all semblance of playful banter evaporated, replaced by the instinct of a predator on the hunt. Absinth's eyes widened in surprise as the larger woman’s shoulder crashed into her, the impact sending her staggering backward. Before she could regain her balance, she felt the searing pain of teeth sinking into her back, eliciting a sharp gasp from the monochromatic fae. But even as pain radiated through her body, Absinth couldn't suppress the thrill of the fight. It was exhilarating, intoxicating, as she grappled with the stranger in the dimly lit cavern.

Absinth retaliated with a vicious snap, an attempt to take hold of the larger woman’s flesh – in the crook of the hip and rear leg – and shake her skull.


Absinth vs Rivin Caedes for Dominance
Round 1/2
Age: Over 1
Size: Large
Build: Balanced
Offensive Battle Accessory: Knife bracers
Defensive Battle Accessory: leather armor
Companion 1: Raven, Female - Battle
Companion 2: Raven, Male - Battle
Skills: Master Fighter & Master Intellectual
Specialty: Juggernaut

wormwood

And the winner is...

ABSINTH

Due to not posting within the time limit, RIVIN loses by default. They must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out.