Of Dreams and of Legends

[Mokobo]

The siblings would find themselves bobbing within a small pool set in the corner of a massive cavern. Immense stalagmites rose up to meet equally formidable stalactites, forming monolithic pillars scatted about the expansive chamber. Sunlight would pour in from scattered openings in the ceiling, casting shafts of light down. These natural gaps in the stone had been skillfully hidden among the dunes above with driftwood and scrub-brush. Due to this the light they offered was dimmed, and generally kept the cave in a sort of twilight during the hours of the day. As the wolves eyes would adjust to the low levels of luminescence crude lean-to-like huts would loom out of the gloom some distance from them. Further acclimation would reveal these huts to be thrown together from curtains of dried kelp supported by more driftwood and the occasional large bone. Movement among the primitive constructions would hint that their escorts were far from the only ones of their kind.
The small creatures which had led the siblings to this place had rushed to the nearby shore of the pool as soon as they surfaced. Only a few of the beings remained near the wolves to keep an eye on them as the rest of their kind shoved each other around in order to reach the sands all the quicker. The first group which made it to shore triumphantly hopped around for a moment, eventually dashing off toward the huts while emitting whooping laughs as the leader once more began to shout. The second group to disembark made to follow their brethren, but were stopped short by the leader's spear suddenly sprouting from the sands before them. The score or so of discouraged creatures left scuffed their webbed against the ground and grumbled with disappointment. Satisfied there would be no more deserters, the lead creature would reach up to the kelp about its head and tug.
With some maneuvering the creature would remove the mass of aquatic foliage which apparently served as a camouflage. Beneath was the true form of the diminutive beast. Its scaly flesh, that is what parts were not hidden behind wrappings of seaweed, was a curious grey tint, mottled slightly with greens and grays to give it a color which resembled the ocean beneath a storm. It would become immediately apparent that this leader of the unruly rabble was a female of her specie. Her frame was lighter and more lithe than that of her charges who were also removing their headdresses. All of the bipedal beings had angular faces with scales which shrunk and swirled into varying patterns, most of these focusing around brightly colored eyes. After tossing the cloak of kelp upon a growing pile, the chief of these curious looking creatures would raise a webbed hand to a mane of thin, spike-like growths which sprouted from her head. This hair or sorts resembled the shell of a sea urchin, with the exception that the spikes were thin and supple and thus more prone to tangling amongst each other. Such an action had the possibility of drawing one of the siblings' attention to the gill-like flaps set behind the creature's sharp cheeks.With the attention the creature gave to her mane, it would become apparent that she was quite proud of this growth.
Gjelu would begin to cautiously swim to shore, looking about the area with curiosity and wonder. Upon reaching the sand he would take a moment to shake the water from his pelt. It was only after the action was done that he would remember his sister was most likely close enough that he would have simply soaked her instead. Either way he would quickly cast his bright blue gaze toward Aelariah, offering her an almost childish grin of wonder. "Can you believe this Aelariah? Look at how big this cave is! I'm surprised no one has ever found this place before.." 

[Relairah]

Aelariah had to breathe as she realized she'd been holding her breath... at least, once she'd gained it again after surfacing. The cave was magnificent... she slowly took in everything, finally settling on the creatures as they revealed their true selves. She still couldn't help calling into question why they would be showing them what was clearly a secret place. As Gjelu pointed out... though he wasn't entirely correct. Obviously these creatures had found it at some point in history. Or perhaps there was more to it. Aelariah wasn't so ready to simply accept it. There had to be something they were missing. She almost felt as though all the cautiousness Gjelu had had before and her carefree-ness had now been flipped. The feeling was even more solidified as he shook out his fur right onto her. She quirked a brow at him, her fur completely matted down and dripping now and she mock-frowned as he grinned her way innocently. She sighed, letting him pass slightly before shaking out her own fur.

Her mind still swirled with question as she then stepped after her brother, paying close attention to the creatures' city of sorts. Part of her wanted to pounce about the cave and observe every detail including the creatures and their homes. But she had been put to caution by Gjelu's warning when they'd first descended the cliff and despite her bold curiosity... she felt she'd do well to continue sticking to her brother's side. "Gjelu... are you sure you haven't ever seen anything like this before?" she asked. After all... Aelariah could never forget when her brother had vanished and then all of a sudden turned up in a cave deep below the mountains. Granted, his memories had been completely gone.... but... he had managed to get a lot back. She just couldn't let herself rest easy. She was almost waiting for the creatures to suddenly attack them. Like now that they had seen them, they had to be killed for it.

[Mokobo]

Gjelu's wonder at the new discovery had indeed made him forget his earlier caution. Yet the tension in his sister's voice, as she asked if he had any prior experience with these beings, caused him to renew his vigilance. Once again he examined the leader of the scouts who had brought them here. She almost appeared a miniature version of the primitive man-beasts he had seen before. Yet the resemblance was purely in the shape of the two being's frames. This creature before him more resembled some sort of fish with its scaly flesh and slightly hidden gills. The latter feature seemed a secondary means of breathing, as the captain seemed to have no issues drawing the breath to shout orders at her charges. Something of one of Hawke's lessons tugged at his attention from some dark recess of his memory. These creatures must have originally lived on land and later adapted to a marine life, and yet even their head-fur resembled the shell of a sea urchin. Their whole composition was mind-boggling to him.
"No, never..." Gjelu would frown as he examined their surroundings with a more prudent gaze. The huts were truly primitive at best. The kelp which composed the roofs and walls looked to have been thrown on every which way, and some of the supporting structures looked as if they would fall with a small gust of wind. The denizens were even more chaotic, running around in all sorts of directions do whatever came to their fancy. "I don't think these creatures have been living here that long." The male wolf would make to approach the huts, but was stopped short as he received another sharp thwack to his rump.
When he spun to snarl at the female leader of the scouts, he would find her pointing one greenish gray finger at him as she worse a fierce scowl upon her scaly face. "No!" So shocked was he at hearing this all-to familiar word, Gjelu would at first fail to catch the meaning. The tiny creatures high-pitched voice almost had a comedic quality when it uttered the word, despite the fury within the beast. When Gjelu did not immediately obey, the creature would smack him with the spear once more. "No!" The female would point toward a different direction before giving the male wolf one more smack to really send home the message.
The three successive strikes and entirely sobered Gjelu of his earlier giddiness. He practically blazed with anger as a low growl bubbled within his chest. The noise caused the troop of creatures to once more lower their spears. Unlike before, the weapons were held levelly and with steady grips which showed along with fierce scowls that there would be no nonsense. Gjelu found himself regretting having allowed this beings to take them here. He had been foolish and now had put himself and his sister in danger. Quickly he would move to Aelariah's side, ushering her in the direction that the creatures apparently wanted them to go. He would mutter to her in a soft voice. "Stay calm, I'm gonna come up with a way out of here."
After a few tense moments they would arrive at their apparent destination. Faint, hazy light shone down from one of the covered skylights, illuminating a ring of stalagmites which had grown from a steady drip of water from above. The result was a circular wall which rose to impressive heights. Stone had grown and melded together at odd intervals, leaving small and large holes and varying heights. Near the largest of these holes at ground level stood two males of the creatures, apparent sentries. Their spears crossed over the entrance as the scout leader passed the two wolves to take the front of their little group. Her conversation with the guards was interrupted as two things came flying out of the entrance.
The first thing to come flying out of the entrance was another female of the creatures. Fearfully she pushed through the spears of the guards before shoving her way between the siblings. As the frightened female tore her way off into the gloom the source of her fear came flying out behind her. A loud shout, sharp and screeching like rusty steel being torn apart echoed forcefully from every window within the wrinkled rock. "No, No, NO! I said I want MEAT! No more FISH!"

[Relairah]

Aelariah nodded, trusting Gjelu. She contented herself to also observe their mannerisms which she could only describe as uncivilized and bizare. They did have some sort of... civilization, it seemed. But it was hardly cultured. She simply couldn't understand beings having any order interacting in such eratic fashions. Though granted, she had seen wolves also interact emotionally. Still, this seemed far different. Her ears flicked as her brother mentioned the time they may or may not have been here. Aelariah quirked a lavender brow, curious for his reasoning behind his thoughts. It seemed he wouldn't be able to explain, however, as the leader seemed to suddenly become commanding and attentive toward them once more.

She frowned. Had the situation been different, she might have laughed at Gjelu. But instead, she found herself only nodding once more at his next words about staying calm. Her paws were almost silent as she treaded toward their new destination, and the next events followed.

Nothing could have prepared her for what came bursting out of the odd ring of stalagmites and stone. She lowered her stance. The words she heard made her suspect one of two things. Either they had brought them here because they saw them as some sort of higher being. Though she was inclined to dismiss it based on all the ordering and smacking. The second thought was that they had been brought as some sort of sacrificial meal. Though of course, she had no way of knowing for certain. And she was relieved that the likelihood of that happening was slim.

"Gjelu, we should find out what's going on," she murmured, her curiosity peaked, despite her wariness. "This isn't normal... there's got to be... something." She realized she sounded vague. But this entire situation was just too... odd, not to have her full attention now and she had officially determined she was going to get to the bottom of it if they had come all the way here from the shore. Part of her was inclined to use her seer abilities to make this whole process faster. But she decided to hold off on it just a little bit longer. It was somewhat draining and they needed to reserve strength for their quest.

[Mokobo]

As the female creature pushed her way through the siblings, Gjelu would drop into a defensive stance at precisely the same time as Aelariah. He felt the spears of their escorts poke ever so slightly against his back as they nervously gawked at the entrance. However there was hardly any pressure behind the gesture, instead the weapons trembled in the hands of those that wielded them. Even the two stoic guards gave each other a nervous glance before raising their own spears to clear the path forward. Gjelu would relax his stance slightly as an ominously wet thud echoed outward from the stone circle. He would offer Aelariah his own look of trepidation at the latest turn of events. It appeared they were not the only captives these creatures held, for that voice could not have belonged to one of them.
Out of the entirety of the scaled beings only the female captain seemed able to maintain her composure. Despite jumping out of the way as her fellow female dashed past, she would grasp her spear tightly and motion for the canine siblings to enter the small tunnel. Gjelu would move his gaze from his sister, frowning as he strode forth to comply. "C'mon. Maybe whoever that is knows something about all this." He tried to make his voice full of confidence, but he could not help but share his sister's concern about their situation. As unkempt and chaotic as these creatures seemed, there had to be a reason why they would take captives. This new realization that they were not the first was unsettling.
As they would advance down the short, crude hallway, lit in a dim twilight from either entrance, the source of the earlier thud would become apparent. Lain across the sandy floor was a large fish of the sea. Its exact breed was uncertain due to the way it had been torn apart. The carcass seemed to have been shredded, rather than fed upon, with large chunks splayed across the rest of the tunnel. The captain would stride around this mess with a look of disdain, but seemed otherwise undeterred by its presence. Gjelu however would pause for a moment, his bright blue eyes quickly surveying the scene. On a nearby wall he noticed four perpendicular lines gouged into the stone, not unlike the ones he had scene on the inside of the giant turtle's shell. Before the wolf could move to investigate further, the guards behind them would urge he and his sister onward with their spears.
The short hallway would open into the interior of the stone ring. Within the sound of dripping water echoed off the slick, curved walls. The growth of rock flowed in odd. curving flows, many of which were covered with green mosses and lichens. At the center of the circular room a natural dais of sorts rose upwards a few feet. Formed from the waters of many rains, the stepped form of this flow seemed to have been torn apart in some sort of primal fury. Chunks of stone were strewn across the chamber, the largest piles being against the walls.
At the top of the primal platform lounged a large, scarred wolf preening his curiously bright claws with the utmost care. Blood-red eyes focused fiercely on the task as the one ear he had left stood attentive. On closer inspection it would become apparent that those shining claws of his, which reflected the pale light from above, were made of metal. Small patches of rust are what drew the battle-torn canine's attention, so much so that he did not initially take any notice of the new arrivals. Despite the patter of feet and paws he continued to pick flakes of rust from one claw with another. "I swear if you brought another fish I might just see how good you taste."
Even in low tones his voice was harsh and grating upon the ears. The wolf would lift his crimson gaze to glance in mild surprise at the procession which had entered his chamber. "You dolts! Those are wolves, not meat!" A bark of laughter escaped the wolf as his rose to all fours, the terrible tone echoing roughly off the stone walls. Shaking his head with a maniacal sort of merriment he would begin to descend from the dais with bounding steps. "Still, it is good to finally have some guests! Come, enjoy captivity only...as...a..." His voice drifted off right about the time he raised his gaze to survey the siblings. The brute of a wolf had tensed slightly as his eyes focused upon Gjelu, causing his thought to drift from his mind. When his voice next rose there was no hint of the deranged glee. In its stead was that same harsh quality from before, much like the noise his claws were making as they bit into the stone floor. "Who the hell are you?"

[Relairah]

Aelariah only nodded at Gjelu once more, following suit as they made their way down the small tunnel and into the chamber. She looked around, also taking in the details. The sight was unsettling, but she couldn't worry about it as they took in the chamber next and the wolf sprawled out over the raised stone. She frowned, stopping in place and glancing between the wolf and the fish. He acted as though he were ruling the fish... and yet he spoke of captivity. She was most certainly confused. Though she was at least pleased to find out that she was correct in the purpose for their being brought here, and that the purpose of being food was out of the question. Finally. Someone that spoke their language. Although she had a feeling this wolf wasn't quite normal either.

At his question, Aelariah wasn't certain if she should wait for Gjelu to speak, or if she should. She could be rather bossy at times, but she respected her brother all the same and given the situation... it was far different than the mere play that went on within their home territories. But there was something she didn't like about the way this wolf was looking at Gjelu.

"My name is Aelariah and this is Gjelu. We're simply traveling. Who are you?" she asked, attempting to bring some sort of ease to the situation. Perhaps they would soon find themselves once more merrily on their way. Though she was still uncertain about the captivity part. She was more than confident that they could take this fishy creatures if it came down to it. Though she suspected there was more to them than what they had so far seen.

[Mokobo]

There was a tense moment as the battle-scarred wolf held a fierce staring contest with Gjelu. The two males stood to the fullest of their heights, instinctively trying to intimidate each other by size. While the younger wolf was ever so slightly taller, the as-of-yet unnamed creature had a stockier frame. Dense muscles bulged beneath his scarred pelt, hard as solid steel from countless years of endless battle. The two were polar opposites. The elder's pelt was jet-black and his eyes were such a deep red they nearly appeared black. The younger wolf was a pure white color, with bright blue eyes that somehow matched his opponent's ferocity despite their brighter coloring.
This can't be him. I killed him! Didn't I? Sure I did! But he didn't have the decency to stay dead did he? Could it be that now he's come to taunt me with his new-found youth?! Wait a minute...that's not how aging works...or is it? No, I don't think so at least. Besides, this pup doesn't have the Mark. He's got all the good qualities of that ghost though. That is, unless, he starts making bad jokes..
Such was the monologue that went through the veteran's mind as he continued to survey the other male wolf. Despite his initial desire to tear this reminder of the past to shreds, he found himself feeling a sense of nostalgia. A smirk slowly tugged at the corners of his lips as he continued to glare at the unwavering blue gaze directed his way. No, definitely not him. I like this one though, he's got spirit. By the time Aelariah spoke out to answer the maniac's earlier inquiry, his previous anger was almost entirely gone. A short bark of laughter would escape him as the female labeled them travelers. Yet as his own title was asked, the black wolf would break from his glaring to give Aelariah a lost, blank look.
"Who am I?" His voice drifted off as his eyes seemed to glaze over in thought. When he next spoke his tones were barely above a whisper, each word seeming frail and feeble. "I don't have a name..." Not any more...I think. "I used to, but no more." I forgot it long ago...or did I? It's all very confusing. "You may call me Navlos." For I am the Nameless.
Gjelu returned the intense glare directed his way with a calm, collected coldness. He remembered many of his old lessons well, and one of the most useful to date had been from his father. Icewulf had explained long ago how there were still some creatures in the world who lived entirely by the old ways. Some were so consumed by archaic courtesies and desire for battle that something as simple as blinking at the wrong time could incite an attack. Within moment Gjelu reached the conclusion this creature before him was quite mad. The way the beast cavorted upon their entrance before quickly jumping to a menacing mood was evidence enough. Yet it was that blood-thirsty, penetrating glare which really made the idea take hold. When the other male abruptly seemed to loose interest in the contest, Gjelu would relax visibly.
This new acquaintance seemed to be a veritable hurricane of emotion. Gjelu would frown as their new friend would seem to have issues recalling their name. A pang of pity struck at the young male's heart for a moment. What a wretched beast, to forget your own name... The title the other gave seemed to be of the old Northern tongue, which surprised Gjelu immensely. Just as he made to raise his voice and verify this suspicion, movement at the corner of his eye would cause the inquiry to die off in his throat.
The captain of their escort had up to then been conversing in low tones with the two male guards. Their guttural language was brutish and indecipherable, but it was apparent that they were deciding just what to do about two new captives. One of the guards had been shaking his head for a few moments while his companion watched the black wolf with a fearful apprehension. The captain had been shaking her fists in frustration just as Gjelu meant to speak. Her squeaky voice rose with her temper as she began to shout at the resilient guard whilst stamping a scaled foot. The white wolf wondered to himself just what it was that had gotten their captor into such a tantrum.
As if to answer the young warrior's thoughts, a sudden thumping noise would reverberate down the short entrance hall. These new arrivals bore a closer resemblance to the two guards rather than the female captain and her troop. All of them were stocky males, bearing more elaborate spears and vests woven of kelp and sea shells. Each of these guards wore the skull of a different type of fish as a sort of mask, their fierce eyes staring stoically from between the teeth of sand-sharks, barracuda, and many other predatory aquatic life. In a breath's time dozens more of the creatures poured forth from the rough tunnel, filing out into two parallel lines which first faced the group of wolves before rotating to face one another. In a display of order which had been lacking up till that point, the creatures crossed their spears whilst gazing blankly off into nothing.
Starting near the entrance tunnel, a soft tapping would echo in the silence following this sudden arrival. In a slow procession, the helms of bone would shift slightly as pairs opposite each other lifted their weapons. It would be apparent that they were letting someone pass, but whoever it was took quite some time. When at last the final set of spears raised, they revealed the apparent chieftain of these curious creatures. That he was their leader was in apparent in not only the reverence his kind apparently held, as all but the female captain set their spears on the ground as they dropped to their knees, but also this one creature wore more elaborate adornments than those of his fellows. Kelp had been cleverly woven into the spikes of his hair, braided with pearls and the gleaming inner shells of their makers. The reason behind his slow pace would immediately become apparent, as a good portion of his left leg was entirely gone. Bands of sea-weed hid the full extent of the devastation, but the way the creature hobbled on a piece of driftwood noted that the entire appendage was useless.
"Excellent!" Almost immediately Navlos' previous jovial mood returned. Shortly after the chief made his appearance, the rest of the fish people would rise to their feet. The guards would remain in their stoic stance as several females rushed in bearing food and drink. Several large lizards were set before the wolves, along with a dozen fish of varying specie and a few upturned fish skulls full of liquid. Of the latter there were two colors, the clear most obviously being water. The other had a sweet fragrance, reminiscent of nectar from a honey-suckle, and was apparently some form of juice. None of these held the attention of Navlos currently however, despite his earlier request for a difference in cuisine. With an almost boyish gesture, the black pelted wolf would nudge Gjelu. "Oh you two are just going to love this guy. He tells the best stories, or at least I think they're stories."
"Well he certainly knows how to throw a party."
So much for 'no bad jokes'.
Gjelu found himself suddenly distracted from the new turn of events. His bright blue eyes widened as he saw an amazing scar upon the right foreleg of Navlos. A distorted blotch of skin was entirely bare of fur, and yet that was far from the most intriguing feature of the mark. The flesh itself seemed to lack any sort of opacity, allowing one to see the machinations of muscle and tendons and veins. He had first noticed this scar shortly after Navlos had so rudely bumped him. Gjelu's small jab at humor had come as a sort of instinct as he found himself lost in wonder at this scar. The warrior wolf could not help but feel like he had heard of such a scar before, but he could not place where this feeling came from.

[Relairah]

As the one who called himself Navlos and Gjelu had their silent stand off, Aelariah tensed, preparing herself in case the outcome was less than amiable. She had a feeling of unrest in her stomach and she also felt that these fish creatures were the least of their worries at this point. Still, it soon came to an end and the dark wolf seemed to return to his light-heartedness once more. A frown crossed her lavender features and she turned her attention toward the entrance as more fish creatures came in with what was clearly a food offering as well as an entry for their leader. What was really going on, here, she wondered? And further... Aelariah was growing with another type of unrest. She couldn't help feeling somewhat impatient to leave. Here they were, trapped below ground in some hidden cavern with strange creatures that couldn't even speak the common tongue with a wolf that seemed less than stable while their mother was home, possibly suffering, and their land was slowly falling into chaos waiting for them to find some hidden artifact that they already knew was going to be a challenge. And they certainly weren't actively trying to make that challenge any easier. They weren't even focused on finding clues to the island their mother had spoken of. Instead, they were here who knows how far from where they should be and wasting time. She had half a mind to use her magic to take them out of there then and now. Enough of these odd, annoying creatures.

But once more, she found herself holding back. Gjelu seemed to be thinking of something... and she reminded herself once more she trusted him. He was the one who had traveled more than she had, and if his instincts told him to stay for a little longer... well then so be it. Perhaps this was somehow connected to their quest. Though she couldn't see how. Yet. How she wished to use her abilities for even a glimpse of something. But in this cavern, it wasn't like she even had a pool of water to use and she had no intention of leaving her brother's side to go back to where they had first entered the cave. At least for the moment.

That was also when Aelariah herself glimpsed the spot on Navlos' shoulder and she frowned again, her brows furrowing. Something within her stirred... and she felt like somehow, she had just found her answer for her impatience. But she wasn't sure how. She glanced at Gjelu as he spoke and then toward the leader of the fish-creatures.

[Mokobo]

Gjelu listened intently as the legless leader of the fish people rose his voice in some sort of primal chant. The white wolf frowned slightly as he tried to discern any sort of meaning from the rather unintelligible dialect. Leaning on his crude crutch with one scaled arm, the other waved about enthusiastically as he performed his recital. Whatever it was this creature was saying, it did not seem like a story. To Gjelu the whole recital seemed almost like a sort of sermon or prayer. Adding to this suspicion was the way in which the other beasts seemed to hang off every guttural utterance. In truth, the only one of the creatures not fawning upon their leader's every syllable was the female captain. Alone this rebel stood, tapping a foot impatiently as she waited for the speech to come to its end.
The speech did not take long to run its course, and when it did the guards would rise to their feet to once more assume their stoic stances. As the leader of the curious looking creatures would turn to approach his captain, Gjelu would survey the spread of offered food. Fish were somewhat of a rare delicacy for him these days, as lately he had not the time or energy to hunt the fleeting delicacies. Never before had he tasted the bounty of the sea, and a few of the more exotic examples before him did not look appetizing at all. After a moment of indecision he would approach one fish with the most normal appearance, a large striped bass with a fat belly. With a little effort Gjelu would carry the food over to Aelariah, setting it down before her. "No sense in not eating. We don't know when our next chance will be."
Those deep red eyes flitted over to the female wolf as she looked at Navlos' scar with curiosity. Such an act was of no surprise to him, as many other creatures had done the same over the years. Rather than be annoyed by this, it served only to feed his demented ego and cause a sense of giddiness to wash through him. After all, Navlos was proud of this scar in particular for many reasons. While the leader of the fish people had held his little sermon, Navlos rapidly and visibly lost all enthusiasm in the former's 'stories'. Rolling his eyes, the battle scarred elder would turn his head to survey the offered bounty just as Gjelu took his choice of meal to his sister. A soft coo of delight would escape the maniacal male as he spotted the large lizards. Reptile! My favorite!
As the spread had been lain closer to Navlos, he did not need to rise to select his dinner. Instead he reached out with one of those deadly paws, the faint sunlight glinting off the smooth metallic surface. Piercing a claw through the tail of the dead lizard, the black wolf would drag the meal close. "I suppose you two are wondering what I'm doing lounging down here with the fishes." Navlos would pause for a moment as he flipped the lizard onto its back, his one ear perked to listen to any responses before he carried on. "I was making a meal out of a creature that wanted me to be his own dinner." The tip of a sharp claw pressed into the flesh of the lizard's chest until there was an audible pop of bones breaking. Navlos focused intently on his work while he spoke, using his claw to slowly cut open the carcass with a dainty sort of precision. "Which if I'm to be completely honest, happens more often than you would think...I think it does at least..."
Here the curious hermit seemed to loose track of his thoughts. Gjelu had been taking a few bites from the tail of the fish when Navlos had begun his monologue. As the dark-pelted canine had continued his story, the younger male stopped chewing on the morsel within his mouth. Gjelu would almost loose the chunk of fish within his gaping jaw as his mind clicked the clues together. He's the one who killed the turtle! Small wonder too..look at those claws-I can't help but feel like I've heard something about claws like that before... Quickly the warrior would swallow his food, as he impatiently waited for the other to continue his account. Gjelu's curiosity and suspense was intense enough for him to fail to notice the captain of the fish people arguing with her leader in hushed tones. Her fierce debate was returned with patient, slow statements which seemed to throw her into a tirade of frustration. Huffing heavily with anger, the female captain would storm out the entrance tunnel. The leader would hobble toward the his guards and the whole procession would take their leave. All of this took place as Navlos continued his broken narrative.
Navlos' next words were spoken after the battle torn wolf managed to open the chest cavity of the lizard and plucked the prey's heart out with the same deliberate sort of reverence. "Well, I suppose none of that really matters." He waved the paw holding the small bloody heart carelessly while he spoke before promptly plopping the organ into his mouth. Almost instantly the wolf's dark eyes would roll in delight as he chewed loudly and lustily. Careful to not spit out his treat, but not so much as to prevent spittle from flying, Navlos would continue speaking. "These little things here saw the whole thing happen apparently, and came up to me once I was done eating." As if these words reminded him of his current mouthful, which was likely, the wolf would swallow the stringy meat with a loud gulp. "They raised up such a stink until I came here with them, wretched things. I think they think I'm some sort of god." A coarse laugh, which grated upon all but the most deaf of ears, echoed across the circular chamber once more before Navlos went to eating the rest of his meal with a ravenous enthusiasm.
At least one mystery had been solved, but the realization caused Gjelu to start to share his sister's unrest. That this wolf had killed such a massive beast truly was a wonder. However it was obvious the other male was mad, and lavished in the idea of being worshiped by the fish people. While it was all interesting, it held no significance to their quest. Originally he had hoped these curious creatures might hold some knowledge of that which they sought. Now it was apparent that this was not the case, as they were a primitive society at best. This lunatic most likely had no useful knowledge either, and so it was best they take their leave as soon as possible. Between this eagerness to depart, and their new acquaintance's horrendous dining manners, the warrior wolf had lost his appetite. Gjelu would rise to approach one of the skulls full of water, but before he reach it Navlos would shove a different skull full of the sweet juice toward him.
"Here, drink that instead. Not only is it delicious, it has a sort of restorative quality to it."
Gjelu was hesitant to try an unfamiliar liquid in this lair of sea-folk, as he knew the dangers of drinking seawater. Some of the liquid, which had a soft, enticingly pink hue to it, had landed upon Gjelu's paw from the shaky way it had slid toward him. Tentatively he would raise his appendage to taste the sample of the draught, his eyes widening slightly as the taste exploded across his tongue. It was indeed delicious, being subtly sweet and refreshing at the same time. Eagerly Gjelu would lower his head to drink deeply from the crude bowl, raising his head after a moment to gasp softly. After consuming a goodly portion of the refreshment he did indeed feel refreshed, full of a new found energy. Gently he would nudge the bowl toward his sister with a large smile upon his face. "You should try it Aelariah."
Navlos would chuckle at the youth's enthusiasm for the newly discovered delicacy. "It's the one thing these horrendous creatures have gotten right." Here the elder wolf would pause to drag another skull full of juice toward himself, bowing to drink its entirety in a slovenly sort of way. After a few moments of his loud gulping, Navlos would raise his grinning maw which dripped with the sweet nectar. "It's the part of the reason I haven't moved on yet. I am...afflicted. It has something to do with my magic, I don't understand most of it. I was in search of a mythical island before I discovered these beasts and their delightful drink." Here that rough sort of laughter echoed out again before he took note of Gjelu's attentive gaze, encouraged to continue the monologue. "See this drink may not cure my problem, but it eases the physical pain and well...helps me think more clearly I guess. But then-" A sudden ferocity took hold in Navlos' voice and demeanor as he rose to all fours, his claws biting deep into the stone once more. "But then these little pests tricked me and stole something of mine! If not for their elixir I would have slaughtered them all by now and taken what is mine!"
Once more the younger white wolf had been enraptured by the words that Navlos offered. However, this time it was the mention of a mythical island, made in passing and fleeting before the fury which followed. Could it be that he had been wrong and this creature did have some knowledge of their goal? This newest revelation tore him with indecision between remaining to learn more and immediately trying to find an escape. To add to his woes, the sudden feeling of energy was quickly being replaced with one of exhaustion. The sensation was so sudden and unexpected Gjelu would actually stagger slightly before taking a seat. The action caused Navlos to erupt into another fit of cackling as the younger male eyed the empty bowl of juice before his senior.
"My magic is killing me, and the elixir represses it. It won't save my life but at the least I can die in comfort." Here he would pause to let loose a loud yawn before lounging once more on the primal, naturally formed steps of the dais. "Also, it helps a troubled mind find some sleep. Tonight you two will find what was taken from me, and then I will tell you how to escape this place."

[Relairah]

Aelariah continued to observe silently as the leader of the fish creatures made some sort of feast. Or maybe some sort of ritualistic statement. She had no idea. Though it was clear that the other creatures, with the exception of one, held him in utter revere. Instead of focusing her attention on it, she let herself study the room they were in more closely. She doubted any of them would be able to tell where her gaze was anyway given that others could rarely tell she wasn't blind thanks to her natural eye color. Perhaps for her earlier thoughts, there was something she had missed. As the speech came to an end, she returned her gaze to her brother as he moved to get a large fish and share it. He had a point. They may as well eat up while they had a chance.

As Navlos began his monologue after the fish creature was done, she paid close attention to Gjelu. She made the same realization he did, though continued to eat. There was no sense playing into whatever this lunatic's game was. She found herself growing more and more annoyed. She was only mildly curious about how he had defeated the thing. For one, she had seen her share of wolves vs Druins where the battle had been won by the former, and for another, she assumed the turtle didn't possess any sort of magical ability. Plus, for all this Navlos' insanity, she could sense there was much blood on his paws. And then there was the matter of the scar... which still held a certain feeling in the pit of her stomach. No, there was much they didn't know about him that probably held the answer as to why he could defeat the beast and she even had a feeling the tortoise hadn't even stood much of a chance. But that was in the past now. What mattered more was their current situation and where they needed to be heading.

That was when Navlos suggested the colored liquid and Gjelu consumed it happily. With one taste, he drank it in a manner she had not seen him do so in the past. Of course, she hadn't seen him on his journeys, but she imagined he might only do so if incredibly parched and finding a rare source of water in a desert sort of place. In their home packlands, such a situation wouldn't happen as water was more than plentiful. A frown crossed her lips and as he nudged the bowl in her direction and suggested she try it, she instead peered in the liquid, another unsettling feeling coming in her gut. It wasn't water, but she still got flashes of... something. She couldn't be certain. But she didn't trust it.

Aelariah found herself looking once more at Navlos as he began talking about the liquid. What problem did he mean, she wondered? His magic? A mystical island? This drink eased his pain? Physical and mental? And then he went on some other subject about something of his being stolen. The lavendar and white colored wolfess looked at Gjelu. He was thinking something similar to that she was. And then he didn't look so good. "Gjelu, are you okay?" she whispered to him, for his ears only. She ignored Navlos as he burst into laughter. But she didn't ignore his words. Was this liquid slowly killing him? Or was he already close to the end of his life? She turned toward him fully now, her face twisted with various thoughts and emotions. She felt fury. How dare this insane wolf offer her brother something that might harm him, and then demand they do him a favor when he had done nothing for them at all other than rants about who knows what. Clearly, he knew something. But she doubted he would be readily forth-coming. They could find their own way out with ease, she had no doubt. With her and Gjelu together, they could turn this entire place to nothing but icey ruins and make their getaway as if they had never been here.

But she did want to know what it was this Navlos... or these creatures... knew of their end goal. She was done being silent... and she had a feeling there was something to the images she had seen when she had looked into the liquid. "Getting out of here is not something we need from you. But you will tell us what this thing of yours is before tonight. And in return for our help, you'll tell us more of what you know about this... elixir and where you were headed. Fair?" She wasn't sure if it was even worth it to try and reason with this dark wolf before them, but she tried anyway.

[Mokobo]

A small, lazy sort of smirk would take hold of Navlos' face as Aelariah visibly grew furious with him. While he was still unaware of the relation between his two newest acquaintances, it was apparent that they cared deeply for one another. However, that caring was not like the love found between two mates. No, their regard for each other was a collected sort of devotion. That devious grin of his would grow as he deduced that the pair had to be family, most likely siblings. From the spot on which he reclined, the grizzled male would watch the female intently as she approached and made her demands, that satisfied smirk still nestled upon his lips.
For a moment after the female spoke silence would reign within the circular chamber. Blood red eyes would searchingly stare into Aelariah's own curiously colored gaze. At first he had indeed thought this wolfess to be blind, but he had come to dismiss this. Whether she had true sight or used some sort of magic toward that goal he was not sure, but he knew from the moment she had stared at his scar that Aelariah was not blind. After a moment he would let a low chuckle roll out from within his chest, shifting his bulky frame so as to be more comfortable upon the stone dais. "Oh I'm sure you two could fight your way from this place. The question is could you live with it? Those savages may be wild, but they follow the old wind bag like thirsty travelers does a mirage. If you did fight your way out could you live with all the killing? There isn't a lot of the filthy beasts. The more hunters you'd kill would mean less food for the rest. Kill enough and these savages will almost surely die out by winter, if they're lucky. Could your heart take that weight? The weight of destroying an entire race?" Once more Navlos would let out another dark chuckle as he shook his head in amusement.
"You bastard." Gjelu was struggling to keep awake, his head nodding slowly as he swayed in the spot upon which he sat. "Don't you put that on her." The white wolf would raise his tired blue eyes to give his sister a comforting gaze and smile. His head felt incredibly light, and he had never before longed for sleep as he did now. Yet the warrior wolf knew it was because of the drink he had been tricked into consuming, and as such he struggled to keep consciousness. "Don't think of that Aelariah...we won't need to kill to-" Here Gjelu was interrupted as a large yawn consumed him, after which his eyes took quite some effort to open once more. "We won't need to kill them to get out of here. He's just trying to trick you."
A small frown pulled at the sleepy wolf's lips as he looked over to the other male. While Gjelu felt as if he was already asleep, Navlos only appeared to be slightly affected by the drink. The latter continued to lounger upon the stone and even failed to reciprocate the earlier yawn. The white wolf found himself slowly laying down upon the ground as well, his tired body unable to support its own weight. Those bright blue eyes continued to glare at the scarred wolf, attempting to puzzle out why the drink was effecting them differently. Weakly Gjelu would mumble a few broken words as he found he was no longer able to keep his eyelids open. "Aelariah...we need to...funny drink....turtles...a nap." His last word was followed by a soft snore as Gjelu drifted off to sleep. Despite the slight frown upon his lips the warrior wolf would almost appear peaceful in his induced slumber.
Once the younger male had fallen completely under the grip of the elixir, Navlos would at last allow the yawn he had been suppressing to escape from his maw. He had watched with some amusement as Gjelu had succumbed to the draft. It had been particularly enjoyable to watch the other gaze at him in that sleepy, confused sort of way. No doubt it had been an effort to try and figure out why he was not similarly tired. The truth was that he was, but he had been consuming the elixir for many moons. The more he drank the more the creatures brought him, and so he continued to consume vaster quantities of the curious concoction. In doing so he hoped to establish a tolerance to the negative effects, making the elixir a viable long term solution to his ailment. Navlos had hopes that he could achieve this, so that he could leave this place with his mind and spirit whole once again.
The amused smirk would dissipate as he looked to the two empty fish skulls, the sweet scent of the drink still lingering upon the crude bowls. Usually the guards rushed to refill the elixir, and as such should have brought more by now. While he had drunk less than his usual amount, Navlos supposed what he had consumed was enough for the time being. Pushing the thought from his mind he would once more gaze back to Aelariah, the small smirk returning once more to his visage. "You have a bargain. What these savages took from me is of little importance to anyone but me. It is a satchel, made from the flesh of a deer I killed long ago. It is full of odds and ends, trinkets that no one would put value to but myself." Absently he would raise a paw to inspect a patch of rust upon one of those deadly claws. "Among those trinkets are the purest claws I've ever shed. I must have them back." Navlos would lower the paw to the ground before resting his maw upon it. Another yawn would escape him before he shifted his frame so as to more comfortable. When he next spoke the words were as sleepy as Gjelu's had been, and were followed by a soft snore as well. "Find this, and I will tell you all I know."
For a few moments the circular chamber would once more be captivated by steady drip of water not accompanied by soft snores. Aelariah would not be left to her own devices for long however. From the entrance cave would come the soft murmur of voices, shortly followed by two dull thuds. For a brief moment the silence would return, before being broken once more by the soft patter of feet. Someone was moving down the entrance tunnel, and their slow steps bespoke a stealthy demeanor. The sounds of foot steps would be broken by periods of silence, almost as whoever approached was listening to the sounds of the chamber. After some time a figure would emerge from the gloom of the hallway, cautiously approaching in a crouched stance.
It was another of the curious fish people, decked out in the same garb the creatures had first appeared in. The strings of kelp and shells hid the identity of this creature, but the webbed, scaled feet bound in kelp left no doubt to its specie. The mass of sea fauna would twist and turn as it surveyed the chamber, apparently looking to see if any of its fellows were within. When it saw no one other than the wolves, the creature would slowly approach. The being would hesitantly look toward Navlos' sleeping frame before turning toward the siblings. For a moment it apparently stared at Gjelu before twisting in Aelariah's direction. Without a sound the shrouded creature would beckon the female wolf before silently scurrying to the shadows near the entrance. Once more at the entrance the creature once insistently gesture toward Aelariah to follow it.

[Relairah]

Aelariah glanced between Navlos and Gjelu, only briefly considering what the dark wolf said before becoming concerned with her brother again. As Gjelu faded from consciousness, but was clearly only asleep she decided the elixir wasn't in and of itself harmful. At least she hoped it wasn't lulling him into some sort of eternal sleep. She trusted she would've sensed it if he were actually in mortal danger. So for the time being, she forced herself to focus and not become clouded by emotions. Instead, she fixed her gaze once more on Navlos as he continued and explained what it was he wanted. She frowned on his last words, almost feeling like giving him a scolding the way she might at home. But she was far from there and these circumstances were not family banter. There was a sense of unease remaining in her gut. Could she really trust he would do as he said? But she supposed it couldn't hurt to find out. If he didn't follow through, perhaps she and Gjelu could merely be on their way and cut their losses.

That is, assuming Gjelu came to soon. She had her magic as an option... but it was probably best to hold off for now. Even if what Navlos said wasn't true, she had no intention of provoking the fish creatures unnecessarily. Still, she also had no concern for their well-being and survival. She felt odd at the idea that it didn't bother her. Not because she had no care for life... but she was a natural huntress, afterall. These creatures were basically akin to something she might occassionally eat for a meal and granted, if one such as herself showed no care for the death of their prey and food became incredibly scarce... that would indeed be terrible. But such was not the case with these odd creatures. She didn't dwell on it long. And she knew also that what Gjelu had said before passing out was true. They were perfectly capable of getting out by their own means without killing the creatures around them. But to try and explain that to Navlos was perhaps a waste of breath and time.

Aelariah settled herself and gave the dark wolf a curt nod. She was determined to return the whole satchel and not just the claws within that he specified... partially because of stubborn pride. She suspected this wolf felt himself superior in some manner, and well... she was not about to let that feeling prolong itself.

Before she could wait for the opportune moment, though, one of the creatures crept into the cavern and began beckoning for her to follow it. She glanced once more between Navlos and her brother. They were asleep. Perhaps they'd be alright for now. Slowly, the lavendar and white wolfess followed after the creature, her senses incredibly alert and she couldn't help also feeling curious. What did these creatures really want?

[Mokobo]

The masked creature would seem almost relieved as Aelariah began to follow it. It continued to beckon her while also making gestures to be quiet. In a stealthy crouch the small beast would lead the female wolf up the entrance tunnel. Near the exit to the hallway a webbed hand would shoot out from beneath the woven kelp, held up in a gesture to wait. With slow tentative steps it would approach the yawning mouth of the short tunnel, peeking around the corners cautiously. Whatever it was the beast saw obviously was a relief, as it's tense shoulders would slacken slightly. Once more the concealed creature would turn to beckon Aelariah to follow.
Directly outside the tunnel was a curious sight. The two guards seemed to have fallen into a deep slumber, their backs to the stone wall as their heads leaned against one another. Their soft snores were interrupted by occasional mutterings in their odd language. The guard closest to Aelariah would shift with a mumble as she passed, causing another skull-bowl to spill its contents onto the sandy floor. The liquid these two had apparently been drinking had a bitter, tangy smell that was still not unlike the draft Gjelu and Navlos had consumed. If Aelariah were to dwell upon the oddity her guide would urgently gesture for her to follow, not stopping until the wolfess complied.
The soft patter of webbed feet and paws upon the occasional patch of stone seemed the loudest noises near the circular chamber. After a few strides even the soft snores from behind would be swallowed by the oppressive silence and half-light which lit the cavern. Such was quite different from the loud, chaotic welcome to the two siblings had received. The nearby dwellings seemed to be deserted, completely devoid of any signs of life. It was toward the crude huts the creature would lead Aelariah, occasionally pausing to listen intently before gesturing they move on.
As they would approach the village of sorts a dull thumping would ring forth. So soft and constant was this beating one could almost mistake it for their own heartbeat. As they approached the center of the group of primal huts the light would increase, as would the steady rhythm. Above them was another opening to the sky above, but this one had no covering. From the circle of blue sky and wispy clouds came the steady, hollow beat of some sort of drum. Aelariah's guide would fearfully avoid the circle of light upon the floor, going so far as to attempt to pull the wolf back if she got too close. The drumming seemed to make the creature anxious, and she urgently motioned for the wolfess to continue on.

[Relairah]

Aelariah followed slowly at first, though quickened her step with the fish creatures urging. She took in everything as she went. If there was one thing she had at least gathered over the course of her life, it was how to take in details quickly. Often, one doesn't have the leisurely time to slowly take things in. As they crept past the guards, a frown etched over her lips. Was this liquid some sort of sacred thing to them? Surely... perhaps they were onto something. And she had to admit, even if her brother had been hasty to drink it, at least his instincts hadn't steered them wrong. At least... it seemed to be appearing so.

Her curiosity grew by the moment, and the main thing keeping her silent was the behavior of the creature as well as the fact that anyone who could've spoken her language was now asleep and far behind her. Instead, she kept herself alert. As the rhythmic sound became audible and grew louder, she felt she vaguely recognized it. It was a sound she had sometimes heard in the distance coming from the human villages. It only increased her curiosity, and also her sense of caution.

She looked up to the sky as they stepped into the open cavern. Had that much time passed already? She shouldn't be surprised. But that wasn't what truly concerned her. Aelariah's pale gaze fell on the circle and she continued to move forward. Where were they going? And what was going on?

[Mokobo]

Once they left the crude village behind them in the gloom of the large cavern, Aelariah's guide would at last pause to shed its guise. The creature bent over to remove the covering of woven kelp, the mass would make wet slapping noises as it was unceremoniously deposited upon the sand. The amphibious biped would stand straight, smoothing back the thin spikes growing from its scalp before turning to face the wolfess. It was the female captain, the leader of the group which had captured the siblings. Quickly she would clasp a webbed hand to her mouth, an apparent sign for silence. After a quick moment of peering into the gloom with her fierce eyes, the captain would once more beckon for Aelariah to follow.
Their apparent destination would soon loom out from the twilight before them. Yet another covered opening to the world above illuminated a circular construct similar to the one in which the wolves had been taken to. Here the natural flow of sediments had formed much larger growths of limestone. Much like the dais on which Navlos had lounged, large rolling flows of stones stepped up to the entrance. A studious eye might notice that the stone seemed to have not only grown upward, but away from cavern wall it was so closely nestled to. Near the entrance a guard leaned against the wall, looking above to where the faint pounding of drums echoed forth. His mask was that of a marlin, with a long spear of bone jutting forth from the front of the crude adornment.
Aelariah's guide would motion for her to stay before slinking forth silently. When she was a mere dozen paces from the other of her kind, the captain would straighten herself before calling out in their harsh language. The guard would quickly snap to attention, returning her words with his own that held a tone of inquiry. The female would wave her hand before approaching, kicking the bottom of the guard's crude spear so that it stood straight to the ceiling. Again the female spoke in a commanding tone, waving her hand furiously until her tirade seemed to take hold with the other.
As the guard looked the ground dejectedly, the captain would pat him on the shoulder softly. Her other webbed hand would pull from her under-garb of kelp a hollowed gourd which swished with a liquid it held. She spoke to the guard in a soft tone, and whatever her words were they seemed to brighten the male's spirits. Quickly he would rush to pull his mask from his face, holding it upturned in his eager hands. The female would smile slightly before pouring from the container she held. The guard drank the entire draft down without hesitation, not even pausing to sample it first. In the span of a few breaths a sudden look of bewildered betrayal would take hold on the guard's face before he fell to the ground, soft snores rising up from his slumbering form. The captain would beckon to Aelariah to join her, if she already had not, before racing forth into the structure.
Inside was an apparent temple of sorts, apparently still in construction. The creatures had caved many of the stalagmites in the chamber to crude resemblances of their own kind. The cavern wall opposite of the entrance gave way to the yawning mouth of a tunnel, the floors of which sloped up gradually. The pounding of the drums above echoed softly down the tunnel, as did a slight draft. Above this apparent exit was the beginning of a large mural carved into the stone. The creatures had not made much progress on the work other than to cut the crude outline of a gigantic turtle. Yet Aelariah's guide would ignore all of this as she strode purposely to the center of the room where there was a large pedestal of flowing stone.
Atop this natural altar sat a myriad of seemingly random objects. Through these the female creature would begin to paw, soon tossing some to the side as her apparent frustration began to mount. When the raised stone was soon cleared of the debris, the captain would pull at her spiky hair in frustration as he turned her back to the stone. Slumping down onto the ground she would hold her face for a moment. Yet, rather than wallow in her apparent failure, the creature would quickly leap to her feet and cast a quick glance to the exit. She would approach Aelariah and try to lead her to the fresh air coming from the exit, babbling insistently in her guttural language. Whatever it was the being was trying to say was convoluted, but she kept pointing to whence they had come and shaking her head as if to say they could not return.