Of Dreams and of Legends

[Relairah]

The coast off of the outlying territories of the Noctre Imperii packlands was typically a peaceful place. There wasn't much more than the sound of gulls and the waves crashing against the shores. Yet the tranquility was broken with the sound of gleeful laughter and shouts. A wolf was running at full speed toward the edge of the cliffs, darting in almost rabbit-like fashion around rocks and plants that were in her way. Already the wind from the sea rippled through her already swirling lavender and white coat and as she neared the edge, she began to spread her wings. "Almost there, brother!" she exclaimed.

They had traveled from the Northern Mountains in the Noctre Imperii lands in a relatively small amount of time. And they were not here merely to play or to see the world. They had a purpose and would not be stopped until they had attained it.

Aelariah's pale eyes never once looked to see where her brother was in relation to her. Too much risk she would lose the race. And she was determined to win.

[Mokobo]

The early afternoon light beamed down warmly upon the coastal terrain. As Aelariah made her final approach to the cliffs, her brother Gjelu was no whee to be seen. For most of their race he had been present, occasionally passing his sisters to spur her on. Each time Gjelu would let her regain the lead, shouting out teasing taunts every so often. The result was that his dear sister was entirely absorbed in their little contest, full of glee and excitement at their adventure. The young warrior wolf felt excitement too, but it was tempered with a tinge of caution. He had only seen the ocean once before, and that had been during the Demon War.
As Aelariah would approach the cliff's edge, Gjelu would finally make an appearance. Like a white streak dropped from the heavens, the warrior wolf would shoot through a small cloud to land roughly behind his sister. With a grunt his heavy paws would bite into the earth before he chased after the other wolf. "Aelariah! Wait!" His voice was full of anxiety and concern. Whatever he had seen whilst airborne had obviously been serious enough to worry the warrior wolf. A look of determination would settle upon Gjelu's brow as he dashed forth to try and put himself between his sister and the edge of the cliff.

[Relairah]

Perhaps Aelariah shouldn't be so surprised that Gjelu could play so easily. After all, he had trained his whole life and was more than simply an able-warrior. He was seasoned in his own right... and could take on powerful foe. She on the other hand had focused her efforts on her magical abilities and while she was fast, her muscles would never quite be as developed as his. Still, she appreciated the fact he let her have her fun and played along.

The last thing she was expecting was for him to suddenly try and stop her. She might have suspected he were trying to gain the upper-hand. But his tone suggested otherwise. Still, she was already near the edge of the cliff, wings half-spread. It was easy as her wings burst open to full span and she took to the air, circling around so as to avoid collision as Gjelu was suddenly in front of her. "What?" she asked, frowning slightly and looking between the edge of the cliff and her brother.

[Mokobo]

Gjelu remained perfectly still as his sister swooped past him in a flurry of fur and feathers. In hindsight he thought of how he should not have spent so much time in flight. Not only was it not fair to their contest, but it was a severe oversight to the safety of their mission. There was no telling what sort of dangers were lurking about, and he had a duty to protect his sibling. When Aelariah was once more atop the cliff Gjelu would let out a soft sigh of relief just as his sister was asking what it was he was doing. At first he would offer only a gesture to the south where a flock of birds could be seen wheeling through the air. The creatures were so far away they seemed mere specks, hardly anything that presented any danger.
Yet the warrior wolf was obviously tense. His ears were pinned down against his skull as he raised his head to investigate a breeze. Those pale blue eyes of his swept across the surrounding area, searching for something with a calm deliberateness. After a few moments he would finally look back to his sister, brow still furrowed with worry. "That was loud. I spent too much time up there trying to figure out what it is. I'm still not sure." Once more the male wolf would raise his snout to an incoming wind. He offered no more elaborate of an explanation. Whatever had the warrior so stirred up had so much that he did think to take the time to explain the situation. With a frustrated snarl he would lower and shake his head. "No good. We better check it out on paw." Slowly Gjelu would begin to pad along the top of the curved cliff toward the south. After a few steps he would look over his shoulder to Aelariah. "Stay close and stay quiet. There's death in the air."

[Relairah]

Aelariah frowned. Her brother wasn't making any sense. But she knew better than to shrug off whatever it was he was worried about. It was probably better to be overly cautious than to get into trouble. She nodded slowly and followed him. She knew that slowly they would make their way down the cliff toward the beaches far below. It wasn't going to be easy and she still didn't quite understand why they didn't just fly down... but she would trust him.

She moved closer to Gjelu, partially wanting to reassure him, and partially so no matter what they would stay close together. The last thing she wanted was to suddenly get separated or for him to slip and be out of her reach to pull him back. She desperately wanted to ask him what he was thinking, but he had told her to stay quiet. So she simply kept herself alert.

[Mokobo]

After some time of cautiously pacing along the edge of the cliffs, Gjelu would indeed find a suitable path leading to the shore below. Slowly he would lead Aelariah down the bluff, silently guiding her along precarious ledges by demonstrating his own steps. Just as his sister attempted to stay as close to him as possible, the alabaster canine made sure to never get too far ahead of her. The descent would go slowly, but all the more safely for the lack of speed. It was at times like this that Gjelu felt exposed with his bright, white pelt which served as good camouflage whilst flying. Yet he was determined that they stay out of the air until the full extent of any potential danger was known.
Eventually they would reach the shore below. Despite the lulling crash of waves and glittering reflections of sunlight off the water Gjelu was still tense. For a few moment after reaching solid ground he would freeze all motions, using all of his senses to try and detect any other nearby creatures. However soon the warrior wolf would once more resume their cautious advance. Now Gjelu would keep his snout low to the ground, dashing to and fro across the beach to investigate every little oddity. It would almost seem a comical scene if not for the dire warning he had given earlier. Even with Gjelu's increase in pace, his constant zig-zag of a path did nothing to expedite their progress.
Only at one point did his vigilance seem warranted. After nearly an hour of scouring the beach in a southern sweep the warrior only seemed to find one thing of note. Near the very furthest point of the concave curve of a coast Gjelu found a scene that entirely absorbed his attention. A set of odd footprints ran from base of the towering cliffs above, leading directly into the waters of the ocean. Whatever sort of creature that had made these prints had four toes and an elongated heel. Never before had the experienced veteran seen such a print. On closer examination it appeared as if the being had climbed down the sheer face of the stone wall, a nigh impossible task, only to run full speed into the ocean to disappear.
"Have you ever seen anything like this?" It was the first time Gjelu had spoken in quite some time. His voice was just barely above a whisper as he beckoned to Aelariah if she was not already near. Those bright blue eyes of his would cast around the area, but fail to find anything other than piles of kelp and shining sands. Yet he could not shake the feeling that something was watching them.

[Relairah]

As they descended the cliff, Aelariah's senses remained alert, watching out for some sign of whatever it was that had put Gjelu on edge. But as they reached the beach, she saw nothing. She frowned, though still trusted his warrior instinct. Surely... there was something. But she had no idea what it could be and why it was so dangerous. Then again, they were a very long way from home. But it wasn't like she had never seen her own share of the world's realities.

As Gjelu took off in his zig-zagging, she followed after him in a straight line, keeping close and waiting for him to announce he had found something. She realized that despite the fact they were on the coast, there was no sign of any island whatsoever and she knew it wouldn't have been that easy anyway. So she was content to follow him. Chances were, he'd discover something before she would. Though she still kept herself aware.

Then, he did find something and she quickly joined him, observing everything for herself. "Well... for all we know whatever it is could have wings just like we do," she said, fluffing her feathers against her sides. She didn't know what else to possibly make of it. "No, Gjelu... I haven't," she whispered finally, gazing in the direction the prints headed. "Maybe we should follow and find out. I mean... if they go into the water, it's not like we'll be out of our element," she said with an encouraging smile. Maybe... just maybe... fate had left them a clue on their journey. Perhaps Aelariah was optimistic, but it was better than nothing.

[Mokobo]

A slight contemplative frown would set upon Gjelu's lips as he considered his sister's suggestion. During this brief moment of indecision he once more examined the odd tracks. Already the steady swell of the rising tide had begun to erode the prints closest to the shore. Admittedly, between the collective powers of the siblings there surely would be a way to pursue the trail.  Yet there was still the concern of his earlier sighting which gnawed at the edge of his mind. Perhaps what he had seen was not related to their search, but experience and the duty he was sworn to compelled him to investigate the oddity.
After these quick thoughts, Gjelu would turn his gaze from the slowly deteriorating trail to give Aelariah a look of praise. "Not a bad idea sis, it is certainly possible...Except." Here he would pause, once more surveying the surrounding area to reaffirm they were indeed alone. "Except I have to be honest with you for a bit-" Here a sheepish demeanor took hold of him as he turned to needlessly examine a nearby pile of kelp. "While you were 'racing' I may have sort of been flying..." After letting his voice trail off for a brief breath's time Gjelu would snap his bright blue gaze back to his sibling. "But purely for our, your safety. Well, it's a good thing I did too."
Now the Archus of the Vorlfur seemed to slip into a demeanor born of the rigid rules for issuing reports. Gjelu straightened his posture and spoke earnestly and efficiently to explain the fruits of his vigil. "In the War I learned that there's usually only two reasons birds flock with different kinds of birds: to travel or to eat. Well I saw one of the largest flocks I've ever encountered just past that southern point of the coast there." To demonstrate he would gesture toward the apex of the curving coastline. "I couldn't make out how many birds or even what kind they were, just that there were a lot of them and a lot of different kinds. Since they're not exactly going any where they must be eating something, and I want to know what it is."
What Gjelu left unsaid was that usually one could tell exactly what it was that had attracted such a variety of avian life. In this case he had hardly been able to belief his own eyes, and had attributed the odd shape and large size to the number of winged creatures which were enjoying their feast. "If it turns out to be nothing we can always come back to follow this trail. Any creature that lives in this territory may have knowledge we need, even if they don't know it." Once more he would cast his gaze to the curious tracks. "Come on, the tide is coming in so we better hurry." When they continued on their way the arctic wolf would no longer dash about the beach in search of clues. Instead Gjelu would begin to stride to the south, intending to lead Aelariah toward the edge of the cliffs and hopefully an answer to the mystery which had him so concerned. As the siblings would press on the brother could not shake the feeling that someone or something was watching them.

Shortly after the two canines would take their leave one of the piles of kelp near the curious prints would begin to stir. Quite suddenly the mass of aquatic fauna would rise ever so slightly. With a scampering scuttle the seaweed would slide into the surf before disappearing among the crashing waves.

[Relairah]

Aelariah smiled slightly when Gjelu offered praise but felt he remained cautious and uncertain. As he explained further, she resisted the urge to laugh as he admitted he had cheated. She had known it. Especially toward the end. But secretly, she hoped someday she would at least be able to match her brother no matter if he flew or merely ran. But that was a discussion for a later date. She quirked a brow, pretending to be upset, even opened her mouth to protest... and then frowned when he insisted it was for their own good. She clamped her mouth shut and let him continue to explain. She knew he was right on the bird habits. She had seen it also. She may not have been much part of the fighting, but as a healer she had seen her share of terrible things including those she was unable to save and what happened to their bodies as they couldn't always be taken care of so that those that could be saved were tended to.

The birds had been at such a distance... but the way Gjelu spoke of it was as though there were some monstrosity in this region that they should be on alert for. She couldn't imagine anything more than a dragon or a Druin... but she knew that both those creatures could be terrifying and dangerous in their own right. And worse, if it was something else... there was no telling what they were walking into.

"Okay," Aelariah said simply. She remained content to follow and trust in her brother. She gave a final glance seaward where the trail had disappeared to, and then fixed her gaze forward to whatever it was they were soon to discover.

[Mokobo]

In a few brief moments they had come to the corner of the curved cliff. Gjelu would press against the rocky face of the bluff, edging forward with an anxious sort of caution. For a moment he would pause at the edge of the curve, casting one more glance and softly spoken sentence to his sister. "I'll make sure there's no nasty surprises." With that statement he would peek around the protruding spindle of stone. For a long moment those bright blues eyes would dart around, steadily widening in disbelief. When at last he backed up to face Aelariah once more, the bluish-white coloring of his face would almost seem even paler. "Well...it's definitely nasty, and I sure am surprised...but let's go."
Cautiously the arctic wolf would stride around the cliffs, pausing once the curious scene was on fully display for the siblings. A living funnel of all manner of birds circled about a large mass upon the shore. Sea and land fowl alike had come to dine upon the sands. Ravens, crows, gulls, pelicans and even the occasional albatross all squabbled loudly in the air, occasionally breaking off into groups to partake in small dogfights. Below the victors enjoyed their spoils from one of the oddest dinner spread the ocean had to offer, the carcass of a sea turtle.
This sea turtle was far from the normal breed however. The most notable difference was the size of the deceased beast. Its shell was over a third the height of the nearby cliffs, the top of which was ripped open in a most curious way. While it was difficult to be sure through the flock of avian life enjoying their meal, it appeared as if the natural armor had been blown outward by some unknown force. The behemoth of a reptile had most certainly perished some days past. By now the scavengers had picked away all exposed meat, leaving behind ivory white bones which protruded from the ruined shell. A massive beak laid open upon the sands, large enough to swallow two wolves whole in one gulp.
Gulp is exactly what Gjelu did. As he swallowed the feeling of wonder and primal fear, the wolf would turn his soft blue eyes toward Aelariah. "This- How...I've never seen one that big."

[Relairah]

Aelariah followed her brother closely once more as they dashed across to the corner of the cliff and waited with baited breath as Gjelu peered around it to observe whatever it was that was on the other side. She quirked a slight brow at his statement, and then slowly followed him as he made his way forward. The sight was sickening. Aelariah frowned. She saw little reason to be terrified... she doubted after such a meal the birds would suddenly attack herself and Gjelu. But then... she had seen her share of odd things like that happening. "Gjelu..." she paused. The entire situation begged the question of how it died. On one hand, it could've been merely age. Especially given its size. But another possibility was something terrible. She bit at her lip a moment. "Do you think we should scatter the birds and investigate? Or leave it be?" she asked softly, looking past him with her pale gaze to the scene once more.

[Mokobo]

At the sound of his sister's voice Gjelu would stir from his trance of wonder. Slowly he would give a distracted nod to her suggestion. "Yea, stay down here." With those words he would dash toward the carcass of immense turtle. Rather than use his wings to ascend the height, the warrior wolf would instead leap upon the behemoth of a beak. From there another display of dexterity deposited him upon the shell of the beast. The scales were slick with bird waste, making Gjelu have to take uneasy steps. Birds would scatter as he drew near only to wheel in the sky to fight for another chance to dine. A few of the bolder creatures made several swooping passes at the wolf, attempting to scare him away from their food.
"Okay this is ridiculous!" This exclamation came after several minutes of slipping upon the shell whilst fending off the furious fowl. Every word was strained with frustration, and for good cause, as a pelican had just latched onto his tail. His bright blue eyes seemed to burn with an icy fire of rage as he gave the bird a sharp kick to dislodge it. With a loud snap the wolf's large wingspan would fully extend, the action alone startling off some of the creatures. While these scavengers were willing to fight for their food, their instincts would do their best to keep them from becoming food themselves. After a few minutes of Gjelu beating his wings forcefully against the air, the flock would retreat into a swirling mass within the sky.
At last able to continue his investigation, the warrior would make his way to the grisly, gaping hole within the turtle shell. Large panels of armor wore torn upward, several of which bore deep gouges on their edges. Those scars seemed to draw Gjelu's attention the most. Slowly he would raise his paw to slowly trace the four parallel channels that were set deeply into the shell. After a few more moments of investigation he would  leave the macabre scene to the birds. Using his still extended wings, the wolf would glide back down to the sands below and his awaiting sister. "It looks like something went through the shell, from the inside at that. It almost looked like-"
What exactly it almost looked like would have to wait. Gjelu's words were cut short as dozens of piles of kelp seemingly jumped to life. Indeed they quite literally leaped to webbed feet with four toes and short, knobby legs which were wrapped in bulbous kelp. Similarly slimy arms sprouted forth as well, ending in four-fingered hands which gripped spears which seemed to be made from the bones of fish. Overall the appearance of these odd creatures was quite fearsome, except for one major factor. These bipedal beasts which chose to hide themselves in seaweed were just under half the size of the pair of wolves. Gjelu would dash to Aelariah's side, spinning every which way as the troop of creatures circled around them from every side. More of the beasts dropped down from the sides of the cliffs while others drifted up from the sea. Soon there were three score of the miniature beasts, all of them whispering to each other in an odd language and occasionally kicking a neighbor in the shin to get a better look at the wolves.

[Relairah]

Aelariah waited, watching Gjelu's pale form as it ventured forward and somewhat of a comical scene followed with the birds except for the tenseness of the situation. As Gjelu delved into the shell and voiced his observations, she knew how he was going to finish the statement. Or thought she did. Like the turtle had had something explode or burst outward from inside of it. Perhaps it had swallowed something... a creature perhaps. With its size she wouldn't be surprised. But suddenly they were under attack by... well... she wasn't quite sure what. The oddities in this place continued to grow. She had never in her life heard of plants coming to life in such a way... And further, she didn't feel as though they were exactly under attack.

"Gjelu... look... I think these... creatures... made the tracks we saw in the sand," she said. Aelariah wasn't sure if he had already come to the same conclusion, but she was somewhat glad they didn't need to dive into the ocean to have found out. She quirked a slight brow, feeling less than threatened and more intrigued. After all, if she really needed to she was more than capable of a fight.

But then... she couldn't help wondering if there was a connection between whatever happened to the enormous sea turtle and these creatures. Perhaps they were more dangerous than they appeared.

[Mokobo]

Gjelu continued to turn about as the curious creatures continued to tighten the circle around them. Just like Aelariah, the warrior wolf was uncertain of whether or not they were truly under attack. While the small bipedal beasts were armed with their spears, they only casually pointed them toward the canines to keep them in place. It was apparent to his trained eye that these creatures had no discipline or order like that of the Vorlfur. Quick fights would occasionally break out on the outer edges of the troop, one of which Gjelu saw start from a foot being stepped on. From what he observed of this unruly rabble the warrior wolf was unsure if they even had a leader.
Aelariah's voice would draw Gjelu's attention back to her. Quickly he would move to her side, leaning against her ever so slightly in a reassuring way. "I think you may be right." His voice came forth just above a whisper as those bright blue eyes continued to watch the creatures who were in turn watching them even more intently. "I don't think we're in any real danger. Let's do whatever it is they want and we can figure it out as we go. We can always-" Gjelu would stop talked as his eyes noticed that the beasts did indeed have a leader. Its slimy braids of kelp had shells and polished stones woven into the bulbous material.
Currently the creature was shouting at the others in the same odd language, most of which seemed to be composed of guttural grunts alternating to high pitched tones. One word kept arising that seemed to have some significance; grutoika. The leader's webbed hands kept pointing its spear first to the wolves and then to the carcass of the gigantic turtle. The orders he was shouting sounded garbled, but the same word kept coming up. Gjelu would frown as a section of the circle facing the sea would disperse into lines blocking all other routes. "It seems they want us to go for a swim. Best we oblige before they decide to stop being to friendly." Almost as if the creatures understood his words, while it was more likely the beast had impeccable timing, Gjelu would receive an encouraging jab in the back side from the butt of a spear.
The white wolf would lead his sister to the water's edge, pausing as the waves lapped at his paws to turn and give her a reassuring smile. Behind them he saw the creatures advancing, leaving them no where to go but into the water. Some of the beings were already running into the water with loud whooping laughs, hardly the conduct of trained warriors. The leader apparently knew this as well, for it was currently throwing curses and stones at the rambunctious rebels. "Worst comes to worst sis, I'm sure we can trick these things." With those words Gjelu would join the bobbing blobs of seaweed in the foamy waters of the ocean and wait for Aelariah to join him.
Once they were in the water the creatures stowed their spears in clever holsters hidden within the plant growth on their backs. It would immediately become apparent that the water was indeed their true element. Some of the group would dive below the surface only to reemerge moments later in arcing leaps out of the water. These creatures appeared to have made the act into some sort of sport, praising those who went the highest with high pitched whoops. The leader generally did not approve of these acts, but was currently occupied with giving the wolves occasional taps with its spear to keep them on course. The beast's rough voice would rise up from behind the siblings from time to time, causing an end to the jubilation for a few moments each time. The more time they spent among these creatures the less concern Gjelu felt.
After quite some time of swimming the cliffs would have changed to rolling dunes patched with scrub-brush. With no apparent land-mark in sight the leader would suddenly call a halt to the procession. Rather, it gave Gjelu a good whack over the rump with its spear to get his attention. The male wolf returned the gesture with a snarl as his temper rose within. "Would you stop doing that?!" The only response he received was the creature pointing one of its four fingers down. With an exasperated sigh Gjelu would turn to Aelariah. "I believe it wants us to dive below the surface." This was indeed the case, as by now over half of their group had disappeared below the surface. After giving a slight shrug, Gjelu would take a deep breath and slip below the waves.
Once under the surface of the ocean, their destination would become clear. The creatures were all heading to the mouth of a cave below, the stone of which had been crudely carved to resemble the open mouth of a turtle, not entirely unlike the one whose remains they had found. With strands of kelp streaming behind them, the beasts used their webbed feet and hands to swim into the dark entrance of the underwater cave. The white wolf would follow them, occasionally checking to make sure his sister was still with him. He would hesitate for a slight moment at the entrance, wondering to himself if this truly was a good idea. After deciding that the bottom of the ocean with half a breath of air in his lungs was not the best place to contemplate these things, Gjelu would advance into the darkness of the cave.
They would go down an angled drop for a moment, one long enough that Gjelu wondered if they would have enough breath to make it. Just as his lungs began to burn the tunnel would sharply curve upward. Using his paws to grip the roughly hewed stone, the canine would climb as fast as he could toward a shimmering light above. It seemed to take forever as his lungs screamed at him for air, but soon his head would break the surface of the water. After taking a gasping breath of cool, damp air, Gjelu would spin around to make sure Aelariah had managed the trip through the tunnel.


OoC - >..> I knew this was going to end up a long one

[Relairah]

Aelariah nodded in response to Gjelu, moving step by step alongside him and into the water. And at that point, she couldn't help recalling her suggestion to chase the prints they had discovered into the water. At a more opportune time, she might have stuck her tongue out childishly and said, "I told you so!", but instead she held back a large grin and padded until she was swimming and they went farther out than she might have thought they'd go. As they went, she found the creatures and their behavior to be most odd. They were squirmy little savages, she thought. It was not just Gjelu's rump they smacked on more than one occasion, and Aelariah resisted the urge to rip one of their heads off. Only because... it was probably best to keep the situation as calm as possible for the time being until they learned more.

She resisted a giggle when Gjelu barked at them, understanding how he felt, and nodded at his observation. Where were the creatures taking them? They soon found out. As they dipped below the surface, Aelariah put her magic to good use... perhaps she should've done so sooner. But she thought of this only now. She pushed the water outward around her in a constantly moving circular motion so that they were inside an air bubble of sorts, attempting to circle Gjelu with it as well. She would smile slightly at him, though she was not able to do it for long. As they reached the mouth of the cave, she couldn't help making the same observation as her brother about its shape. Still, now was no time to hesitate and debate.

Instead, she had to fill up her lungs and release the water from its motions. There was not that much room except for one of them at a time as they went down and through the tunnel and so she had to trust her abilities to hold her breath. She stayed as close as she could to Gjelu, glad that the creatures weren't trying to separate them. For now. And soon, she surfaced just after he did.

As she looked around, Aelariah couldn't help wondering if indeed these creatures did have something to do with the turtle, why they would be leading them or showing them what they were now. Surely this tunnel was a secret of some sort. And clearly only accessible to those small enough to get in. Still, she kept her questions to herself. For one, she wasn't sure if these barbaric things could even understand their language. And for another, she had a feeling they were about to learn more.