Morwenna was out of the loop among the Raiders and had a penchant for getting bored and wander-y. The slippery little wolfdog asked the next wolf she met if they'd like to explore a cave with her, that wolf was Kaija.

And so she stood at the mouth of a cave, in the middle of a desert, in the gathering winter of Boreas. Morwenna had never been into a cave like this before and it was both fascinating and the steep incline a little frightening.

"Kaija, Have you ever been in a cave like this before?" Her paws itched to enter and explore but the daunting darkness inside was a little hard to get over. Did Kaija bring a light source of some sort?

With dainty steps and compact paws, she carefully picked her way down the incline into the deep hole of the cave. A few pieces of rubble were dislodged under one paw and she gasped as they scattered below. The bottom sounded pretty close.

She glanced at the other to see how she was faring, the larger woman probably had more experience spelunking than Morwenna did. She offered a supportive reflexive smile.

She reached the bottom and did a little spin for victory and she made it without breaking one of her spindly fragile legs! At the bottom of the Descensum cave, she marveled at the flourishing lush plants. Dandelion, plantain, clover, and chickweed grew abundantly among the ferns and moss.
"What a marvel this is!" She exclaimed, keeping an eye on Kaija to make sure she was safe.

Wc: 262

The Raiders had up and moved, and while Kaija wasn't sure she had any real opinion on the choice - not that it mattered, since it hadn't been up to her anyway - at least she felt some good things about being so close to the lands she'd been born in. Change didn't really bother her and moving certainly didn't, not when she was used to always moving to a new place. Returning to familiar places though, especially after being away from them for awhile, could be pretty nice, she had to admit.

When a wolf named Morwenna had invited her to tag along for a little cave adventure Kaija was inclined to go along with it. Cave-diving wasn't exactly a pastime of hers but exploring new places definitely was and she was down for a little adventure. Admittedly there wasn't a place she'd come across that she hadn't been interested to explore, no matter how strange or foreboding it might be. Pausing near the dark entrance, Kaija considered it for a moment, though came up short. "Y'know, I don't think so," she admitted.

Though she had no light source of her own she knew her eyes would adjust to the darkness as they navigated into it. Slowly, maybe, but enough to keep her upright and in one piece - or so she hoped. Carefully she descended after Morwenna, slowing slightly as they neared the bottom of the incline. The other woman's little victory dance earned an amused snort from Kaija, a slight grin breaking across her features. Lately she hadn't exactly been in the most joyful mood but that didn't mean she had to be a shitty travel companion. No need for all that.

This place was already quite different than she'd expected. The cave's mouth was full of flora, growing plentifully despite the recent shift in weather. That was pretty cool. Sniffing around a cluster of thick vegetation, flowers and wide-growing ferns that threatened to overrun everything around it, she lifted her head and gave a half-hearted nod. "Yeah, it's pretty neat. Haven't seen anything like this before," Kaija agreed. "You're wanting to go further in, yeah?" The darkness up ahead was more tempting to her than any flowers could be, though she wasn't sure if her travel companion would agree or not.

Morwenna tiptoed through the plants, taking stock of each leaf and flower, trying to identify every one. When Kaija lifted her head and mentioned moving in further the wolfdog followed her gaze into the darkness.

Morwenna swept the flag of her tail behind her as the darkness beckoned them toward it. What could they find in those depths?

She nodded to Kaija and led the way further in. Stalagmites and stalactites towered and glittered around them like pillars and teeth. The echoes of dripping water in the shadows bounced around them as their surroundings grew darker still. As her violet eyes adjusted to dimming light she could see little ripples of movement in a still pool. She peered over the edge of the pool rimmed in smooth calcified minerals. The pale creature beneath the mirror like surface moved blindly around and met another. It was the strangest salamander she had ever seen, with red like fingers coming out of its pale pinkish white cheek and dark red eyes the colors of rubies.

"Kaija! Look! I think it's a salamander, but it's the weirdest I've ever seen."
Morwenna was unaware that a little further into the cave, a little beyond this set of strange pools a mighty drop-off would yawn before them where the depths were unseen below.

wc: 217
Total: 821

The flowers wouldn't keep her attention for long, though she guessed she could appreciate them. Something about this place told her it kept its own little ecosystem even when the weather wasn't so pleasant, which was interesting... maybe it was worth keeping in mind if she heard any of the raiders were looking for herbs in the future. At least she could marginally helpful sometimes.

Putting that note in the back of her mind, she was eager to search further into the cave system to see what they could find, and she trailed lazil after Morwenna. Sniffing the ground hard as they moved into the dimly light cavern, once she was sure they were the only ones here. Kaija really didn't feel like being ambushed or something, she'd much rather be able to focus on exploring this place freely. Once she was sure the coast was clear her head would lift and she'd start drinking in their surroundings.

It wasn't entirely unlike other caves she'd explored before, long columns rising from the floor to the cave ceiling and vice versa; they were jagged and threatening, and she was cautious to move quickly from under the stalactites, imagining how much that shit would hurt if they fell at just the right moment.

The pool caught her attention next, the smell of the water a little more swamp-like than she expected. Some condensation dripped off the ceiling and disrupted the surface of the water, sending ripples across it. It didn't seem to disturb the critters there though, as the other female pointed out the strange lizard-like creatures there, with skin so pale they were nearly translucent and strange growths on its face. "Can't say I've ever seen anything like that either," she admitted, fighting the urge to splash in the puddle and disturb the creatures. She doubted they'd put on much of a show anyway.

Creeping further along, she slowed significantly when she realized up ahead was darker than she could make out. The drop-off wasn't something she was aware of right away, though Kaija's pace slowed as they moved further along, noting how slippery the ground was here as the condensation seemed to run off toward the steep cliff. "So what's your story, anyway? You're pretty new to the raiders, aren'tcha?" Might as well strike up a real conversation with her as they went, and Kaija was genuinely curious how she'd found her way to the group.

Words: 406
Total: 1,227

As Kaija came up alongside Morwenna the little salamanders darted around, catching small insects the wolfdog could barely see. She was delighted that Kaija had come along with her on this little trip. She didn't know how the other would react since they barely knew each other,  but Wenna was a social sort and had no qualms about walking up to people. She smiled warmly as Kaija remarked on the little lizards with her.

As the powerful tank of a woman walked beyond the pools Morwenna looked up at the occasionally dripping stalactites. They loomed ominously overhead like teeth with drool dripping into the pools below. Her ears pushed forward to catch Kaija's questing fading echo.

"Fairly new, yes." She smiled in the dim light and stepped closer, "I met Dread and Deluge last season while exploring. Then later I stumbled on Daager Isle and Modesty chased me off it, not before I could grab some passion flowers thankfully." She sniffed at the looming darkness before them, then crept forward carefully, feeling the edge of a ledge. "I think there's a drop off here... Maybe we can follow this ledge and see where it leads?" She mentioned, breaking her story for a moment.

"Well, anyway, after Mod chased me off she called everyone to hunt me down but Deluge got to me first! She made it pretty clear that Mod would be hunting me down for a while if I didn't come with her. So we raced for my freedom and I won. But I like her and pack life may be an adventure so I came anyway!" She chirped, "What about you? What kind of life has the powerful Kaija led?" Morwenna swooned and brushed her tail over Kaija's shoulder while she skipped ahead. She sent droplets of water to scatter from her toes as more pools appeared and trickled below into the chasm.

WC: 1542

Kaija had never been a shy wolf either, even from birth - she was willing to talk to anyone and everyone, and going on adventures with someone was even better than just lying around talking. Might as well really go do something, as far as she was concerned. She'd never say no to a new experience, no matter how reckless or stupid it might be.

"Nice," she replied simply to her answer. Truthfully she didn't know any of those three wolves well, though that was kinda Kaija's thing - knowing a whole lot of other wolves but never really getting all that close to them. "That's quite the story. Almost got taken prisoner but chose to stay anyway? That's some shit," Kaija said, her tone lighthearted, clearly finding humor in the situation. What a story. Honestly, it sounded like something she might do too, if she was being completely honest. Maybe not though - she was pretty damn stubborn when it came to her freedom. Any attempts to impinge on that would no doubt see her fury.

Kaija nodded and followed after her, leaning forward to nip at Morwenna's tail as it brushed past her. The ledge was just up ahead, and she wasn't sure they'd be able to make their way down into the darkness below, but at least they could check it out - maybe there was another route?

"It hasn't been all that exciting. Hard to talk about yourself like that, anyway," she admitted. "I was born in a pack that used to lay claim to the very lands the Raiders claim now. The moor, at least, and the plains to the west. Pack life wasn't really my vibe so I've been on my own ever since, at least until joining the Raiders awhile back." Kind of a weird coincidence, but life seemed to just work like that sometimes, pieces just falling weirdly into place without intention.

Peering over the ledge as they neared it, Kaija wrinkled her nose. The smell of stale water was strong here, telling her that her gut instinct was right. Nothing that went over this steep cliff into the darkness below probably made it out alive, unless there was some other exit down in the depths, but she wasn't going to gamble on that one. "Spent a long ass time pining over someone before that. Took up too much of my time," Kaija admitted. She hadn't meant to spill her personal shit like that but it came out without her realizing. "Figured this group would be a good way to move on. Do some raiding, kick some asses, y'know?" Maybe Morwenna felt similar. Who knew.

Morwenna giggled with a chiming hitch in it. She liked the way the larger woman was brash and forthright.
"I'd rather go places of my own volition than be a prisoner any day." She remarked, "Might as well take the path laid before me without strings attached." She said lightly. Though there was subtle sorrow to it, perhaps the ideas of such shallow flings were wearing on her.

She listened as Kaija told her story, Morwenna sniffing the ledge of the drop-off. It didn't seem like there was a way around or down it. Might as well try a different route entirely. She came to the same conclusions as the fighter. No sense in dancing on the edge of death.

What's this? Pining over a lover? What delicious tea! She looked back at Kaija with an intrigued look. Then turned back with an amused chuff as she went on about joining the raiders to raid and kick ass.

"You delightful brutes and your raids! At least I'll always feel needed for your scratches and bruises!" She said with an amused flick of her tail, leading them away from the ledge and down a new cavern corridor. What else could they find here? Metals? Minerals? Fungi? Bats? Glowworms?

"Pining over someone is such heartbreak. Do you have any partners now?" She asked turning to Kaija with a gleam and wag of her tail.

Kaija nodded, recognizing something kindred within Morwenna. A sort of wild, untamable spirit that she didn't see in many wolves, even among the Raiders. "I hear you there. Fuck letting someone own you like that - ain't no way," she stressed, giving her head a hard shake. "My dad told me about being taken prisoner once. He was tied up, and sold on auction. Turns out someone bought him and tried making him pay off his debt. Like they had any right," she scoffed, recalling the story she'd been told. Playing with the freedom of another wolf wasn't something she could get behind.

The conversation accidentally shifted to her love life though - or lack thereof. Morwenna had asked her story though, hadn't she? And Ophie was a big part of it, whether Kaija wanted to admit that or not. "At least fighting gives my life some extra excitement. I've done plenty of adventuring in my life. Gets kinda old on your own, though." Lonely, a little bit. At least here, amongst the raiders, she had more constant company, something she decided she relied on now a lot more than she once had.

Kaija let out a little snort, her own tail flicking slightly. Nosing around away from the ledge, she was content to trail after the other woman, nudging a loose stone out of the way as she went. "Nope. Haven't found anyone worth my time since her," Kaija confessed, partially joking but also that wasn't really the actual reason. "What about you? You have a harem of lovers or something?"

Speech // thought // Serbian

Kaija regaled their exploration with a history of tragedy. Morwenna scoffed also at the idea of paying off some debt forced upon someone. How does one even get into those situations?

She seemed to have struck a chord in the woman's love life, perhaps she was still pining over that lover. Her?? Oh, the plot thickens! Morwenna danced over a stone for a moment before contemplating the question the heavier woman posed.

"A harem? Hardly... Maybe a lingering fling here or there. But nothing substantial, yet. It seems when I pine for their attention they run for the hills. I'm not one to chase for something like that. Want me or don't, but don't lead me on to a dead end promising something more. Ya know?" She asked as she walked, looking over her shoulder at the woman.

The darkness was just getting deeper. "I think I'm ready to head back home, you?" She asked, making a move to head back to the entrance.

The way she scoffed, a little incredulous, resonated with Kaija. Recalling that story was enough reminder to her that she was free, as she was meant to be, and that no one would ever stand in her way. Being free was really the most important thing above else. That idea had been imparted on her at an early age and had only solidified as she grew older.

She nodded along to her words. "I feel ya there. Not really the romantic type but I wouldn't mind some companionship like that. Someone who's like me, y'know?" Maybe that'd been her issue all along. She'd accepted Ophie for exactly who she was, but she'd always wanted more from her than she could give. She'd wanted her to give up responsibility and come adventure with her, to really live and be free.

Maybe everyone wasn't capable of that.

Enough blabbing on and on though. She felt a little better knowing Morwenna related to her. Maybe she wasn't such a bad partner to explore with. "Sounds good," she agreed, beginning to spin around and head back home.

-end?-