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Post by Leafy on Mar 9, 2019 21:55:44 GMT -6
The stone collided with the ground as it fell, sending up a spray of small pebbles. Snap dodged back, his tail waving rapidly as he tried to shield his body from the assault. Leafy regarded her work with pride. There was a sizable space in the wall now and if she worked a little harder on it, she was certain she would break through. She was almost too enthralled with her work to recognize the low buzzing hum of a Karzik. She might have even ignored the familiar sound if she hadn’t locked eyes with Snap. Her own Karzik companion, Rylan, was far from here. The noise was coming from a wild Karzik.
Leafy set her pick down against the wall. She needed her hands free if the situation required her to rush in and save Snap from danger. The girl turned around slowly, not wanting to agitate the wild Karzik into an attack. Snap was a little less hesitant. His mind was methodical and when encountering something unfamiliar to him, he sought to investigate it. The Karzik was an unknown factor in the mining expedition and Snap needed to figure out what it was and why it was here.
Snap approached the Karzik with his ears perked forward out of intrigue. His posture was relaxed as the Karzik had not presented itself as a threat yet. Snap understood that attacking a peaceful creature would be illogical. He wouldn’t give a vocal greeting to the wild creature since Snap didn’t like to make noise. Leafy wasn’t even sure if he could make noise now that she thought about it. However, it was clear to her that he wanted to greet the wild Karzik, so Leafy would have to do it for him.
“Hello there. That’s an interesting collection of gems you have,” Leafy commented. The Karzik had a negligible chance of understanding her, but Leafy didn’t consider things like that when making conversation.
(Snap 13 1/5, 18 1/5)
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Post by Renathan on Mar 9, 2019 22:13:15 GMT -6
The karzik was a bit scared by the loud sound, but it didn't need to go far from here to get to his nest, so it stayed where it was. It seemed to be weighing its options a bit. The karzik's wings hummed as it stayed in the same place, staring down at the foreign-yet-not-so-foreign creature below. It did not seem to be being much of a threat, so the karzik figured that it might not be a terrible creature at all, or a danger like some of the others around here. Life in the mines was a lot more difficult some days than others. The Karzik did notice the other being making noise, and it looked up to try to figure out whether or not this was some kind of a threat. The karzik looked between the two beings before realizing something; was that gems? The karzik's familiar senses, so to speak, were going off- there were a whole lot of gems somewhere around here! But where? The karzik almost forgot about its own gems at that realization.
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Post by Leafy on Mar 9, 2019 22:55:35 GMT -6
The Karzik appeared to be somewhat interested in Snap, but it dismissed his presence quickly. It appeared a lot more wary of Leafy and the girl wasn’t quite sure how to assure her that it wasn’t a threat. It was then that she caught sight of the gems clutched in the Karzik’s grasp. It seemed quite adept at finding them. Had it come here looking for hers as well?
Snap appeared to have noticed the gems as well. He glanced briefly at Leafy’s backpack, wondering for a moment if the Karzik had stolen from them. Snap stepped over to Leafy, his eyes still locked on her backpack. She could tell that the mining familiar was worried about something, but she couldn’t tell precisely what that was. Was there something wrong with her backpack?
“I assure you I would have noticed if there was a hole in the backpack,” Leafy told him.
Her words did little to comfort the halfbreed. He took to pawing at her leg, urging her to check that their gems were still safely in the backpack. Leafy removed the pack from her shoulders and unzipped it. From what she could see, nothing appeared to be out of place. She lowered the pack enough for Snap to peer inside as well.
(Snap 13 2/5, 18 2/5)
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Post by Renathan on Mar 10, 2019 10:23:02 GMT -6
The karzik was still very wary of both individuals as it inched closer, an attempt to get closer to that strange source of gems. The karzik was not knowledgeable in the ways of things that were not in the mines, so it was not sure what to think. Usually gems were scattered about everywhere, not in one spot! The karzik held on to its couple of gems with less and less attention. The karzik moved forward once the being seemed to take an even less offensive position, and then peered down into the thing that it had been carrying. There must have been a billion gems in there, as much as the karzik was concerned! The mining familiar looked down at the two lonely gems it carried, and then back down into the strange gem nest. This being was very good at finding them. The thought of possibly being able to get even more gems with a partner was certainly exciting; and the individual didn't seem aggressive. The karzik looks curiously into the being's face, and then down at the other foreign-not-foreign creature cautiously.
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Post by Leafy on Mar 15, 2019 20:07:02 GMT -6
The Karzik appeared interested in her backpack full of gems. Leafy wondered for a moment if the Karzik was going to make a grab for them, but the creature still appeared to be calm. It made no move to attack, which made Leafy think it was more content with figuring out how the girl found the gems rather than taking them for itself. Snap was more suspicious of the Karzik than she was, but he made no move to fight it.
“Easy there,” Leafy whispered to Snap.
The halfbreed’s gaze flickered back and forth between Leafy and the backpack for a moment before he lay down on the ground. He settled his head on his front feet, watching warily. Leafy took a step closer to the Karzik, holding her backpack open wider so that it would be able to get a closer look.
“I see you have lots of pretty gems as well! You’re very good at finding them!” Leafy cooed at the creature.
Leafy trusted that her reflexes would be fast enough to pull the bag closed if the Karzik decided it wanted to steal from her. Snap shifted slightly, but he allowed the girl to take a step closer to the Karzik.
(Snap 13 3/5, 18 3/5)
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Post by Renathan on Mar 15, 2019 20:32:13 GMT -6
The karzik was about as witty as any other karzik was; but it did know quite a bit about the world it had been living in. The mines were sometimes a rough place. Stealing another's gems was never a good idea. However, the karzik had seen before another familiar make a kind of alliance with another, and both got lots of gems, more gems than they would have had before. This being was both not dangerous seeming, and was very good at finding gems.
The karzik looked further into the bag that the being held open, not quite understanding what it was of course, but figuring that it was a nest. The karzik then slowly, while keeping eye contact with the tall being, got closer to the bag and glanced down at its own gems. After a moment, the karzik dropped both gems it held into the bag, and then attempted to land on it to the best of it's ability.
It wanted to go with the strange being and the other odd familiar; but would the being allow it to?
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Post by Leafy on Mar 15, 2019 21:14:16 GMT -6
Leafy was incredibly shocked when the Karzik trusted her enough to deposit its own stash of gems into her backpack. Snap raised his head and flicked his ears forward in approval. He was not one that liked strange creatures easily, but this Karzik had earned his respect. Leafy assumed this creature wanted to go with them since no mining familiar would willingly part from its gems. This Karzik would be a valuable asset if it was able to find gems as diligently as it had already. Snap stood up and shook himself, figuring that the ordeal with the wild familiar had resolved itself. It was time to move on now. Away from this wall that had yielded a few gems and away from this tunnel that was likely on the verge of collapse. Snap wasn’t exactly confident in Leafy’s abilities to dig safely just yet. With Snap’s sudden eagerness to leave, Leafy gathered up her tools and began to walk away with him.
“I assume you wish to accompany us?” Leafy beckoned for the Karzik to follow.
(Snap 13 4/5, 18 4/5)
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Post by Renathan on Mar 15, 2019 21:31:50 GMT -6
The karzik was a strange creature indeed; but it was probably still quite obvious to those that had seen Karzik before that this particular karzik was very excited at the prospect! Since the beings did not seem to be aggressive, and the strange mining familiar seemed to be eager to move on, the large-eyed creature followed along, never quite moving far away from the bag. Yes, this could be a profitable partnership indeed! The karzik seemed pleased with itself, and the idea of the new life to follow.
[The Karzik has decided to follow you!]
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Post by Leafy on Mar 15, 2019 22:17:56 GMT -6
(Time skip: Karzik back at kennel.)
Leafy and Snap ventured into the mines once again. This time Snap had some experience under his belt which would make the whole process a lot easier. They would be able to explore some trickier areas without Snap being a burden. Leafy was using that newfound flexibility to take Snap down a completely unexplored tunnel. She was fairly certain that no other miner had been here before. The tunnel itself appeared completely natural which also meant that it was unstable. It was the perfect combination for an exciting adventure. There was just enough danger to keep things interesting and the prospect of treasure that she couldn’t even fathom. The treasure would need to be found first, however. Leafy and Snap found themselves emerged in complete darkness. If it weren’t for the girl’s flashlight and Snap’s natural bioluminescence, there would be no hope of seeing anything. Even as it was, the light they created themselves appeared a lot dimmer than it should have been naturally.
(Snap 14, 19)
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Post by Renathan on Mar 15, 2019 22:26:34 GMT -6
As soon as the cave is entered, there is a kind of entropic pull that could be sensed by anyone that could feel magical influence. What a strange, eerie glow. [75-80]
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Post by Leafy on Mar 25, 2019 11:07:53 GMT -6
The strange crystal had made Leafy feel quite uneasy. She had decided to take it back to her kennel so that it would not distract her from mining. While at her kennel, Koyuki had approached her, silently demanding that the girl take her with. She had complied, deciding that it would be beneficial for Snap to learn how to work in tandem with another creature. Snap had seemed unaffected by the added presence of a new creature. Leafy hoped they would get along well enough. They were both hard workers and persistent enough to accomplish any task. It would likely take a while before they found value in each other, but Leafy was confident that it would. “We’ll be heading in deep today. I think I know of some places we could check for gems, but I’d prefer to head into unexplored territory. It’s infinitely more exciting than places I’ve already been.” Leafy spoke aloud so both of her creatures could be informed. They stood at the wooden entrance. It had rotted away in places which made it simultaneously exciting and completely unsafe. She had confidence that her pets would be able to handle it. Tunnel collapses were not the most terrifying thing in the mines. (Snap 14 1/5, 19 1/5 | Koyuki 0 4/5, 3 4/5) 81
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Post by Leafy on Mar 25, 2019 11:35:23 GMT -6
Darkness was not an issue for the trio. Leafy had a flashlight that illuminated the area enough for the girl to scout the path ahead. Snap’s bioluminescence aided him in searching for gems. Koyuki’s nightvision allowed her to keep an eye out for danger. It would be an effective system if everyone played their parts perfectly. Koyuki seemed slightly uneasy in the unfamiliar terrain, but she didn’t hesitate as they pressed forward. Leafy had some decent experience now working with Snap. With the addition of a new creature, their dynamic would need to adjust.
“This should be easy going for a little while, then it will get more difficult to navigate as we enter unexplored territory,” Leafy said.
Koyuki paused to listen to the girl’s words before following her. Snap didn’t need to listen as closely, knowing full well what lay in wait for them. Snap flicked his ears forward as he kept his attention focused on the path ahead. Leafy took the lead, making sure that the path had no dangerous dips or loose rocks. Both of her accompanying creatures were light and would be unable to test that terrain well enough for Leafy’s weight. She needed to do it herself.
(Snap 14 2/5, 19 2/5 | Koyuki 1, 4)
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Post by Leafy on Mar 25, 2019 16:00:13 GMT -6
The tunnel they turned down was spacious in diameter. It made Leafy feel relaxed as it was unlikely that a tunnel this wide could collapse. And even if it did, the aftermath wouldn’t be all that dangerous. Snap stuck close to her heels, keeping his eyes focused on the ground as they moved. Koyuki stayed further behind, watching their backs for danger. Leafy felt safer knowing that nothing could sneak up on them. Koyuki’s vision was sharp and she was smarter than any wild monster they could come across in the mines.
The air was more frigid than Leafy expected it to be. It wouldn’t be unheard of to be cold underground since there was no sun to heat the area up, but the air felt downright frosty. An anomaly such as that shouldn’t go unnoticed. It also wasn’t a cause for immediate concern, however. The presence of frost did not necessarily indicate the presence of some frightening monster. Instead, it could be an indication of magic and magic usually meant some kind of interesting artifacts would be nearby. Snap was lucky that he was composed of fur. It ensured he never got cold. Leafy on the other hands did not have that luxury.
(Snap 14 3/5, 19 3/5 | Koyuki 1 1/5, 4 1/5)
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Post by Leafy on Mar 25, 2019 17:46:01 GMT -6
“There’s a bit of a slope coming up so make sure you both slow down,” Leafy commented.
Koyuki flicked her ear to indicate that she had heard the girl. Snap paused momentarily to check the slope for himself. Once he was confident that it posed no danger, he scampered forward. The two halfbreeds allowed Leafy to go first, allowing the girl to test the stability of the pathway firsthand. Koyuki moved silently as she followed, her feet barely touching the ground with each step. Snap was light enough that he made only the slightest scuffling noise as he scrabbled over rocks.
Leafy placed her hand on the wall to balance herself. It remained firm under her touch which in turn made her more confident about the safety of the tunnel. The terrain was littered with large rocks that lay embedded in the hard dirt. Leafy had to be careful to ensure that she didn’t trip and twist her ankle as she navigated over the rocks. Snap and Koyuki were both undeterred by the rocks, keeping pace with Leafy as the girl moved along. She shivered as a gust of air filled the tunnel, howling as it echoed within the hollow space.
(Snap 14 4/5, 19 4/5 | Koyuki 1 2/5, 4 2/5)
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Post by Leafy on Mar 25, 2019 18:00:38 GMT -6
The wind never stopped howling. The sound matched that of a carnivorous beast searching for a meal. It forced Leafy to pull up the hood of her sweatshirt in an attempt to keep her ears from freezing. The girl was unsure of why wind howled. Did the wind have sentience? Was it trying to communicate?
“If there’s something you want Mr. Wind, I’m afraid I can’t give it to you. I have nothing to trade right now.”
She let her hands trail against the wall, leaving a trail in the dirt. Snap pressed close to her legs, brushing his fur against her as he walked. The gesture might appear to be one of comfort, but Leafy knew he was using her legs as protection. She paused for a moment, taking care to check their surroundings. If Snap was spooked, there might be danger close by. Koyuki copied her, using her superior senses to scout for danger. When neither of them found anything of interest, the trio pressed forward once again. The tunnel the were in for the most part was unremarkable. It was composed of basic rocks and dirt which made for a rather dull adventure. Leafy wanted to pass through quickly and head further into the unknown.
(Snap 15, 20 | Koyuki 1 3/5, 4 3/5)
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