Fire Emblem: Curse of the Goddess [IC/PG-16/Not Accepting]

Sethera · August 22, 2017

Frogs

Glenn glanced at Shiro, but the other frog remained silent. This wasn't anything unusual for him, however, so the green-haired man refrained from comment.

"Then the best time to strike at the foxes is when everyone's recovered," Azar suggested. "Unless they happen back-to-back, which doesn't seem to be the case from what I've seen, it would be best to take advantage of whatever window of opportunity is between the attacks."

Glenn listened to the shaman's suggestion carefully, before nodding. "There is sense to thy words," he assented. "But they happen at random, mayhap several times a day mayhap only once. We cannot plan around them, only hope they pass us by."

"It is possible that the Foxes are not at fault." Edrick declared, turning to look directly at Glenn. He continued before the frog could do more than open his mouth indignantly. "Let me explain. We encountered...well, we saw sign of the same fox when we were in Ithome. They murdered someone in a secret portion of a library, and seemingly made off with some scrolls. If my thinking is correct, they were scrolls of information on the Great Dragon. Including its location, which is what we were searching the library for in the first place. It is my thinking that this fox we have encountered is acting separately from the tribe of their birth. Maybe they are an outcast. We would have to ask the foxes themselves in order to know for sure. Though why anyone would want to deliberately cause strife between your tribe and theirs I cannot say I know. Do you have any shared enemies?"

"It's probably just to funk with us," Alois replied bluntly.

The green-haired man shot the fighter a sour look at the cuss. "Crudely put, but mayhap correct." He seemed to mull over the information Edrick had given him. "The Great Dragon? What dost the mighty beast of legend hath to do with our strife?" He hung his head in thought. "No shared enemies we have, 'cept the brigands that roam these woods. We have oft driven them out with the patrol's aid."

The black-haired shaman approached Catriona after putting forth her suggestion. "Does your group get tied up in this kind of trouble often, or did we just meet at a bad time?"

The lord blinked, not sure if she should be offended or pleased at this stranger's forward manner. She decided on neutral, for that would be less of a toll on her emotions, and focused on the subject at hand. "This would not be the first time trouble has found us," she replied.

Alois agreed, smirking. "Please, getting caught up in some kind of murder case is like our every day here. It's almost like a rite of passage."

Gunther turned to Catriona. "What do you think? Are we to attempt to fight or talk?"

The woman narrowed her eyes. "We shall see," her words were crisp. "It depends on the status of our comrades." She glanced at Shiro, wondering what this quiet frog thought of all of this. "I would ask that you scout with Glenn, but I would be loathe to send the two of you alone into fox territory now that they are aware of your forays." She seemed to gain confidence as she spoke, her posture stiffening into that of a soldier's. "First, I would know more of this white fox you saw."

Gunther smiled sheepishly at Glenn. "I'm sorry I didn't recognize you right away, though, I suppose that would be expected given the...circumstance."

The green-haired man smiled and shook his head. "Think nothing of it, good fellow," he said. "I did not recognize thee as well. I had thought thee would remain at the palace." He shook his head. "Though now I see thou art indeed the most loyal of knights." He sighed. "Loyalty is at its strongest when it is devoted to a fellow flesh-and-blood being, not just an ideal." He smiled. "For us though, the person can oft be the ideal itself. Such as Sir Cyrus, or the king, or in thy case, the princess royals." His expression sobered as he glanced at Catriona. "I hope that the younger one is safe as well."

--

Foxes

"Why rice? Your teeth seem designed for meat eating."

Chief Rufus glanced at Penelope with some surprise. "Our teeth are normally just like yours. I see my anger got the best of me," he smiled in some embarrassment. "Also, our founder Inari favored rice, especially wrapped in fried dough, so we usually include it in our meals by tradition."

The twin brothers tensed when they saw that strange wolf-like swordsman open his mouth. Whatever he had planned, they would be ready for it. Their chieftain on the other hand, did not seem nearly as agitated concerning the green-clothed man, though whether that was out of obliviousness or confidence remained to be seen.

“Could I see where you stored this artifact? If it will help clear our names and resolve this quickly, maybe I can help.” the blond's voice was rough and soft, but carried well.

"Yeah... We might even be able to find some clues as to where the beads might be... That is if the thief left any trace of their arrival..." Sienna said turning to her father and back to the others.

"Oh, oh! Yeah! Let's go see the shrine!"

The chieftain's eyes narrowed in annoyance at his question being ignored, though one could also see a shadow of suspicion starting to form in his expression, from the way his ears started to flatten to the downward curl of his mouth.

"Have there been any of your people who left the village, besides Sienna, who may have returned and done this? I mean no insult but if, as you say, it was well guarded then would it not make sense that the one to take it was someone who knew how it was protected? Perhaps the reason no trace could be found was the scent was not one that would be unusual. It's not as though anyone would have the power to cause them to just vanish out of thin a-" The girl paused. "Yes we should check the shrine. Perhaps Warp magic is to blame..."

"Warp or Rescue staff would be quite unlikely, unless both were used in tandem and even then it would be quite a magnanimous effort even to a skilled staff user. Both staves cannot be used at their own user, and they would have a certain range limitations too.

It's still a possibility, but I am quite sure that...well, the easiest guess would be it's someone from amongst the foxes that did this. For why, I don't know. But yeah you guys should look at the shrine and find more clue first. I'm not in the mood to crawl there right now and it's not like we'll be framed for murder again now."

"Very well," Chief Rufus said quietly. "We do not usually show that shrine to outsiders, but in light of recent events, it may be for the best." He glanced at Ciela. "If you wish to stay, then I will leave a guard with you." He glanced at Licorice. "Stay behind with her."

The black fox nodded.

The chieftain would then rise, and gesture for the rest to follow him. The other two guards would take up the rear, hovering near Link. The walk through the village was peaceful, the aggressive stares of the foxes mixed with confusion now, especially at seeing Rufus take the time to show various parts of the village and explain them.

"These are the tribe's rice paddies," he said, showing what looked like flooded steps cut into the hill, each separated by lips of dry land. "Inari taught us how to grow them, after visiting eastern Locris, where they are grown." He also pointed out a large tree, a rope skirt around its trunk, from which hung paper-and-straw decorations. "We call that the spirit tree," he said. "Inari had the ability to call upon the spirits to aid her. It is in that tree that their blessing resides." As they passed by the shrine they had seen earlier, the chieftain paused briefly to bow, clap his hands, and pray, before moving on. "That is the town shrine," he said. "There is another one at the entrance to the village, and another one, also at the edge. It is to that one that we are heading."

BGM

The further the group walked, the fewer villagers they saw. "Here is the start of the sacred land," Rufus said, pointing out a large stone arch, with more arches behind it that went back as far as they could see, these painted bright red, side by side to show twin paths. "Let us walk underneath." His eyes were hooded and watchful, and if anybody refused to walk underneath the stone arch, he would insist that they do so. After walking underneath the arch, a keen observer would note that the forest noises had disappeared completely. Rufus would pause at the start of the red arches. "It matters not which path you take, as they both lead to the same place," the chieftain said. He took the left path and the guards took the right.

The walk underneath the bright red arches would only last a couple minutes, until they reached an open space where there was only one path of red arches. The chieftain would take the lead once more with the guards behind. This time they walked uphill, and this time it seemed to take forever. A keen observer would note a flicker out of the corner of their eyes every so often, but every time they turned to look, they would see nothing but the swaying trees and the red arches.

As they walked, each person would start to feel...different. Penelope would feel a breeze and would find that the atmosphere seemed to have changed, as if somebody were there, listening politely to what she had to say. Link would feel an almost unnatural trepidation, and movement was difficult, his limbs weighed down with what felt like boulders, a headache throbbing at his temples. Eventually the weight would recede enough for him to move, though he would feel a reproachful presence around him. Funnily enough, throughout all of this, his left hand would remain fine. Sienna would find no problem at all, and in fact felt comforted and safe. Tsetseg was much the same way, though rather than safe, she would feel an incredible sense of buoyancy.

Throughout all of this the foxes kept a keen eye on the group, though their stiff postures relaxed when nothing more happened.

Eventually they arches would end and they would see another clearing, with one last red arch. Walking underneath, they would be startled by the sudden sight of a large red building surrounded by other buildings. "This is the shrine," Rufus said, approaching with slow, dignified steps. He would go through a number of curious rituals which included washing his hands in some sort of trough. Eventually he would stop right at the entrance to the building. "It is just within," he said.

Inside, the group would step onto a wooden floor bare of furnishings save for a single stone fox statue. Its eye sockets were inset with cat's eye beryls, which seemed to gleam unnaturally in the gloomy interior. At the end of the small room lay two bright red doors, one on the left side and one on the right, each large enough to fit a horse through.

"I feel I must warn you," the chieftain said slowly. "That it was not only our keen senses that made us careless in our watch. There are a number of rooms beyond, all for the sake of testing those who would proceed forward. They can be rather...dangerous," he glanced at the group. "There are two paths before you, each different, but the destination is the same. It does not matter which door you choose, as both ways are equally difficult. As ones who have taken the tests before, we may not accompany you, and will take the other path," his tail flicked toward the two guards. "If you want to turn back, now is your chance," he stressed, gaze lingering on Sienna as if pleading with her.

--

Ciela, who chose to stay behind, would find herself with Licorice and anybody else who chose to remain. The black fox would glance at her before saying, "Were you alone, I would advise against anything but remaining in this house. However, since I am here, go where you wish."

[spoiler=OOC]

Team Frog - Catriona, Gunther, Alois, Edrick, Azar, Shiro

More interaction, yay! Catriona is asking Shiro to explain exactly what happened with the murder, and Glenn is chatting with Gunther. Post with your reactions and stuff.

Team Fox - Penelope, Link, Ciela, Sienna, Tsetseg

So a lot happened here, but basically you're at the shrine now, but you still have to go through some sort of test before you can proceed. The chieftain's given you the choice to turn back if you want, so post with your decision.

King K. Azo · August 22, 2017

Shiro had remained quiet the entire time, taking in all this information. He was gone quite a long time, but apparently these were the royals Cyrus and Glenn spoke of. He had to admit, he was none too impressed. They came from a pit of snakes, from what the Protean was able to gather, and he didn't like snakes. Still, Glenn seemed... to be alright with them, so he figured he could make an effort of not throwing gunk at them when he got the chance. Still, a murder would come only a few days before this group appeared... he found it very suspicious... Still, he had no proof, and throwing baseless accusations at royals would end horribly.

"We shall see," The princess's words caused Shiro to look over. "It depends on the status of our comrades." She glanced at Shiro, causing the frog to get nervous. Oh no, she wanted info from him, didn't she? Now just how would she go about it...? "I would ask that you scout with Glenn, but I would be loathe to send the two of you alone into fox territory now that they are aware of your forays." She seemed to gain confidence as she spoke, her posture stiffening. "First, I would know more of this white fox you saw." That sounded like an order. A order from a human? It made him want to just run outside, dive into the water, to escape this horrible situation. Still, last thing he wanted was to put stress on the Sage and Glenn, so he took a deep breath. He needed to calm down.

"Going into fox territory is no issue for us," He muttered. Still, just because they are allies doesn't mean they had to follow her every order. Did she think her being a princess carried weight around here? "I did not get much of a look at it, but I do remember it being... much bigger than the average Fox Protean," He stated. "At its size and apparent skill, it could more than likely overpower both Glenn and I, but it chose to flee as soon as it sensed us,"

Hakima · August 22, 2017

Link itched for the comfort of the shadows as they walked through the village, under the scrutiny of what felt like a thousand foxes. His throat constricted, and he swallowed several times in an attempt to wet his mouth. This sounds too familiar, he thought, as Rufus explained the spirit tree and Inari’s ability to call upon spirits to aid her. His stomach flipped painfully.

His face revealed nothing of his internal struggles. He trailed at the back, by the guard, watching the princess and the rest of the company carefully.

He was the last to arrive at the pathway of arches. Something was wrong. The demeanor of the foxes shifted almost imperceptibly, watching the company of humans expectantly. Urging them to walk through the arches. Link imagined this was what a walk to the goal felt like, and he wanted to refuse to cross, but knew that they were already too far gone for that. He adjusted his scabbard to fit more comfortably on his hip, pulled his cap down snug, and marched forward.

It was like walking into the tide. Easy at first, but the further he went, the more an otherworldly force pushed against him. A feeling similar to exhaustion swept over him, making his body heavy, and it was difficult to put one foot in front of the other. It was like he had just fought the most intense battle of his life and was paying the price. At several points, he thought he wasn’t going to be able to move another inch, but somehow he did. Because duty demanded it of him, and Link always did his duty.

Near the end, it got easier. The weight on his shoulders lessened, and the push of the otherworldly force got a lot more manageable. Link raised his chin when he reached the other side, staring at any fox who would meet his gaze with a challenge. They didn’t think I would make it, he realized. There was a small bit of satisfaction found in defying their expectations of him.

"This is the shrine," Rufus said, approaching with slow, dignified steps. He would go through a number of curious rituals which included washing his hands in some sort of trough. Eventually he would stop right at the entrance to the building. "It is just within," he said.

Behind the chieftain, there was large red building, with architecture the likes of which Link had never seen. He was used to stone buildings, intricate statues decorating the steps, but this was just as striking, somehow. The building was surrounded by other, smaller buildings. He followed the group inside.

There was a fox statue with gleaming eyes that greeted them as soon as they walked in. Link felt uneasy with it staring at him. At the other end of the room there was two red doors, diverging paths. The chieftain put himself to the forefront of the group once again.

"I feel I must warn you," the chieftain said slowly. "That it was not only our keen senses that made us careless in our watch. There are a number of rooms beyond, all for the sake of testing those who would proceed forward. They can be rather...dangerous," he glanced at the group. "There are two paths before you, each different, but the destination is the same. It does not matter which door you choose, as both ways are equally difficult. As ones who have taken the tests before, we may not accompany you, and will take the other path," his tail flicked toward the two guards. "If you want to turn back, now is your chance," he stressed, gaze lingering on Sienna as if pleading with her.

Link shook his head. No, this wasn’t right. There was something the chieftain wasn’t telling them. “What’s going on here?” he asked. His tone was respectful, but there was a tightness to his features that there hadn’t been on the way to the shrine. “We crossed under the arches without question. Someone has been following us since we passed over that large hill twenty minutes ago, but we didn’t mention anything. Now this. The forest has gone quiet, sir. You know that never means anything good. What’s going on?”

Link didn’t budge, but he made sure that he was close enough to the princess to interfere if anything happened.

LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow · August 23, 2017

Penelope had to restrain herself from arguing with Ciela. She couldn't fight with each other in this place. Even if the Tactician didn't agree with the healer.

"Very well," Chief Rufus said quietly. "We do not usually show that shrine to outsiders, but in light of recent events, it may be for the best." He glanced at Ciela. "If you wish to stay, then I will leave a guard with you." He glanced at Licorice. "Stay behind with her."

Penelope cursed herself for a fool. She hadn't even answered the chief's question! What a rookie mistake...This wasn't like her at all. Though what was like her was continuing on. And that is what she had to do. They were about to see something no human has likely seen before and she had to be as alert as possible.

This Inari person interested Penelope greatly. She must have been extremely powerful and talented. To the point that she was practically a Goddess for the foxes. Of course she couldn't be such but...maybe she was similar in line with the Great Dragon. This thought occupied Penelope as they continued through their tour.

When the chief asked them to walk under the arch, Penelope did so without question, and as she did, following the chief through, something happened. She felt as though she had an intent listener. Even though she wasn't saying anything. Not out loud at least. And there was that flicker...Perhaps Inari herself was here in some way. It was her shrine, after all, so was that too far fetched?

If Inari was here then Penelope had to meet her.

The Tactician observed as the chief did some rituals. Taking mental notes of each action. She considered trying to copy them out of respect but she did not want to risk messing it up. So she instead just stayed, uncharacteristically, silent as they continued on their way.

"I feel I must warn you," the chieftain said slowly. "That it was not only our keen senses that made us careless in our watch. There are a number of rooms beyond, all for the sake of testing those who would proceed forward. They can be rather...dangerous," he glanced at the group. "There are two paths before you, each different, but the destination is the same. It does not matter which door you choose, as both ways are equally difficult. As ones who have taken the tests before, we may not accompany you, and will take the other path," his tail flicked toward the two guards. "If you want to turn back, now is your chance,"

A test was it? And a dangerous one...it was optional apparently. But was it really? They couldn't go forward if they didn't take a step. She had to know what was beyond this door. Perhaps by the end she would get to meet Inari herself. That was a chance she couldn't risk losing.

“We crossed under the arches without question. Someone has been following us since we passed over that large hill twenty minutes ago, but we didn’t mention anything. Now this. The forest has gone quiet, sir. You know that never means anything good. What’s going on?”

Penelope frowned. Disrespecting their host and questioning them at this juncture? The moment they let the group into a sacred place? Were they to pay back trust with doubt? No. That wouldn't do. Even if this was a trick it was not befitting of a member of the royal family to not be diplomatic here.

The girl stepped forward, towards the left door, and continued on without looking back. "There has never been a test I have not passed."

"It depends on the status of our comrades. I would ask that you scout with Glenn, but I would be loathe to send the two of you alone into fox territory now that they are aware of your forays. First, I would know more of this white fox you saw."

Catriona had given a level-headed response. It was moments like this that Gunther saw the similarities between her and her sister. As Shiro responded to Catriona's question Gunther listened to what Glenn had said.

"I did not recognize thee as well. I had thought thee would remain at the palace." He shook his head. "Though now I see thou art indeed the most loyal of knights." He sighed. "Loyalty is at its strongest when it is devoted to a fellow flesh-and-blood being, not just an ideal." He smiled. "For us though, the person can oft be the ideal itself. Such as Sir Cyrus, or the king, or in thy case, the princess royals." His expression sobered as he glanced at Catriona. "I hope that the younger one is safe as well."

The Knight blushed. Praise from someone who was close to someone such as Sir Cyrus was quite something indeed. The last statement sobered Gunther. Penelope...last they saw she was in the jaws of a large fox. It didn't look good at all. "I thank you, though I do not think I deserve such praise as I am now. As for the princess. Well...this is Penelope we're talking about. If anyone can go into a den of wo...foxes, and come out alright it would be her. Though we should still find them as soon as we can. Even if Penelope can keep the situation peaceful...well we can't be sure everyone will do the same." He didn't want to name names but a certain blue haired woman came to mind.

Alaina · August 25, 2017

As the talk came of what to do next, Alois wasn't actually too keen on fighting those foxes head on. After all, they had managed to slip into their group and wreak havoc before they could notice the first time they met each other. Yet still, he didn't think they would be likely keen on talking or peace or any of that stuff, and the group that was with the foxes didn't make the fighter any bit more confident that there opinion on humans would magically rise. As the princess asked about the fox that attacked, Alois thought about it. "Well, they probably just didn't want to be seen or didn't want to get in too deep. It'd probably completely ruin his plans if they were caught or, at least they knew which specific fox to blame." Alois wasn't actually sure how common white foxes were at that, but he had an incredibly small sample size and given the colors of the others, he figured it was common enough to not be a completely defining feature.

Tsetseg was quite thrilled with the fox chieftain saying he'd take them to the shrine. The girl hadn't ever seen a protean shrine before, or a village for that matter, so the idea of being able to see all the new things belonging to the fluffy tailed ones got her positively energized. Walking through the village, Tsetseg had a look of awe cross her face at every new sight and explanation the chieftain game them, no matter how mundane it might have seemed. She was particularly interested in the spirit tree, and gave a slight bow of respect to it as they passed. Tsetseg wondered just what this Inari person was like, to not only unite the tribes of fluffy tails but also be super friendly with all the spirits. While she wondered, the girl's attention eventually shifted over to the twin arch gates before them. Looking at them with similar wonder, the girl merely walked alongside the rest of her comrades as they passed through.

The more she walked, the odder things started to feel. Her steps weren't deterred by anything but they started to feel lighter, and she herself started to feel even more excited for what was beyond these gates. Starting to have even more spring in the step, the girl started to increase her pace past the others, only to then stop once they arrived at the shrine proper. The chieftain told them about the how there was apparently a test within, which caused Tsetseg's growing curiosity to only skyrocket. As the man with the sword seemed to wonder what was really going on, Tsetseg said, "it's ok green guy, we're just checking out a super cool shrine!" She wasn't actually unnerved by any lack of noise near the shrine, though, she wasn't exactly feeling unnerved by most anything at the moment. The girl then looked over to the white haired girl and nodded saying, "oh oh, me too! I'm great a test taking too!" Though, the tests they were talking about were more than likely different.

Maeriberii Haan · August 26, 2017

"Were you alone, I would advise against anything but remaining in this house. However, since I am here, go where you wish."

"...This is boring. Can you get me to the shrine instead?"

And...Ciela was left alone with Licorice while the other departed for the shrine. It was...a lot more boring than she expected. She thought only the likes of Penelope and the overly sensitive and paranoid Link would be interested in actually checking the thing, but everyone, including all but one of the foxes chose to leave too. She considered to have a small talk with Licorice, but the thought of boredom overcame her so much that she instead just asked the fox to carry her to her horse - might as well catch up while time hadn't passed for long enough.

After a few moments Ciela was already rushing on top of Remy, with Licorice holding her while telling where to go to catch up. It's not really brought up often, but Remy was bred as a race horse, and despite her journey didn't really need that kind of speed most of the time, when Ciela needed to go fast, Remy could deliver. After a while, she could see the group again while they admired some of the foxes' rice fields, and silently integrated herself with the group, while Licorice dropped from Remy.

It was a while, but then they entered the shrine complex. She got an odd feeling from the place, and after following them a while, Ciela started to feel odd. She was feeling quite heavy, as if she had been weighed by iron shackles on her limbs as she passed through the area. Remy seemed to be fine, but he did notice something was wrong. Ciela wanted to ask him about it for a moment, but he didn't seem to really know why either. All of this while the foxes kept their eyes on the group. That wasn't uncomfortable at all. It was a while until they met a red ornate building in the middle of the complex, which the chief identified as the shrine. She followed the group as they entered the shrine and see the fox statue, and a pair of pathways, with opening large enough to fit a horse in comfortably.

"There are two paths before you, each different, but the destination is the same. It does not matter which door you choose, as both ways are equally difficult. As ones who have taken the tests before, we may not accompany you, and will take the other path,"

Well, that didn't sound good. Link first of all started being all paranoid as always, though he did have a point. Even Ciela could feel something was odd while passing the forest earlier. Penelope then confidently chose one of the paths, declaring that there's no tests she hadn't passed. Of course, Ciela hadn't really gotten over the events of the past few days, but she did feel that just as easily the two of them got along, their personality would make this kind of conflict and disagreement happen often too. Before they leave from this face later, Ciela felt the need to go face to face and set the issue straight rather than keeping it to herself as always. She couldn't be more irritating and a pain to handle than her older sister anyway. The new archer girl...wait...she's really joining the group? That felt weird. Either way, the archer agreed to follow Penelope.

"Well...I decided to be here, back there is boring without anyone to talk to even if I get a supply of good rice enough for a lifetime. Don't know about the others, but if this is a challenge, then I'll clear it, even if I have to crawl to the end.

So bring it."

Challenge. Why was she so fired up about this anyway? She doubted that that going through this would even show any clue about the beads' theft, but ...well, she had come so far, might as well do it. Backing out wouldn't be something that Ciela would do. Even if the road brought her a lot of suffering, the word regret wouldn't be in her personal dictionary.

Ignoring the others as she made up her mind, she chose the other way from Penelope.

Hakima · August 26, 2017

Nobody listened. Princess Penelope declared she would take their test before the foxes responded, which was the catalyst that caused the rest of the group to do the same. Tsetseg even reassured him they were only checking out a shrine. Link was on his own now, isolated, because he hadn’t moved an inch yet.

Something Commander Marianne had said jumped unbidden to his mind. “Don’t ask so many questions, Harkinian. You’ll sleep better that way.” She had been right. She always was. He had thought he had already learned to stay silent the hard way, but when it came down to it, he still didn’t know how to shut his mouth.

Stupid stupid stupid, he scolded himself. A good guard should be seen, not heard. They don’t care what your thoughts are. You’re here to kill for them. That’s all they want from you. A small, tiny voice in the back of his head whispered, just like everyone else. Link ignored it.

He made a fist with his right hand and pressed it to his heart, performing an awkward half-bow. ”They’re right. I was just being paranoid. Sorry.” He rigidly performed an about-face and marched over to stand beside the door with the princess, ignoring his instincts, screaming not to give the foxes his back. Link knew better than to listen to them now.

Wind Rider · August 28, 2017

"Very well," Chief Rufus said quietly. "We do not usually show that shrine to outsiders, but in light of recent events, it may be for the best."

So they were gonna be going to the shrine, it seemed like an eternity since Sienna had even seen it for herself. Hopefully they could find some clues as to how Inari's Beads were stolen. The trip over to the shrine wasn't too eventful, for her anyway. Everyone else seemed to have felt something upon coming close to the shrine, though she herself didn't feel anything, the shrine felt like a safe haven for Sienna, as it should for all foxes.

After doing a number of rituals, her father turned back to the group. "I feel I must warn you," the chieftain said slowly. "That it was not only our keen senses that made us careless in our watch. There are a number of rooms beyond, all for the sake of testing those who would proceed forward. They can be rather...dangerous," he glanced at the group. "There are two paths before you, each different, but the destination is the same. It does not matter which door you choose, as both ways are equally difficult. As ones who have taken the tests before, we may not accompany you, and will take the other path," his tail flicked toward the two guards. "If you want to turn back, now is your chance,"

Looking at her father, Sienna felt as if were trying to tell her something with the look he was giving her. Her friends seemed eager to do these tests, all except for Link who seemed like he was getting dragged along. Sienna took a deep breath and looked at her father. "I shall take the test too, father..." she said simply as she stood beside Ciela. Whatever was behind the door, she needed to assist Ciela with it.

Sethera · August 30, 2017

Frogs

"Going into fox territory is no issue for us," the red-haired frog muttered. "I did not get much of a look at it, but I do remember it being... much bigger than the average Fox Protean," He stated. "At its size and apparent skill, it could more than likely overpower both Glenn and I, but it chose to flee as soon as it sensed us."

Catriona narrowed her eyes in thought. She wasn't the kind of person who could unravel a mystery like her sister. She had ever been the straightforward one of the two of them. So she wasn't even sure if this knowledge would be important or relevant.

"Well, they probably just didn't want to be seen or didn't want to get in too deep. It'd probably completely ruin his plans if they were caught or, at least they knew which specific fox to blame."

The lord brightened at that. Alois seemed to be much better at this sort of thing than her. "Plans...what sort of plans, I wonder." Did it really have anything to do with their group? Perhaps this was just one big coincidence. But if it did involve them...they had to keep a wary eye out.

Meanwhile, Gunther had replied to Glenn. "I thank you, though I do not think I deserve such praise as I am now. As for the princess. Well...this is Penelope we're talking about. If anyone can go into a den of wo...foxes, and come out alright it would be her. Though we should still find them as soon as we can. Even if Penelope can keep the situation peaceful...well we can't be sure everyone will do the same."

Glenn nodded. "Let us hope that is the case. The foxes are wily. If thy friends offend, they will not strike back in plain sight, but take revenge through insidious means."

Gunther would feel the sage stir in his arms. The man blinked open his eyes, before suddenly hopping out and onto the ground with surprising agility. "Thank you, young'un," he said. "Sorry you had to see that. Used to be I could shake off something like that like it was nothing." He sighed. "Even the stoutest of trees must eventually wither."

Not long after, multiple frogs in human form came running in. "Another attack! Sage, are you well?!" The three that had been knocked out rose as well, adding their shouts to the clamor.

The man raised a hand, and the voices hushed. "Yes, I am," he nodded. "Do not worry for me, but care for your family. The young and the old are weaker," he explained to the group. "Though these attacks have not caused any permanent injury, I do not want to take chances. But now that it has struck, it is all the more likely that it will not strike again tonight. It would be good to scout the fox territory and see how your friends are doing. I will send some frogs to do just that."

"And we will go with them!" Catriona announced, anxious to see her sister, and the others, again. "Please," she appended.

One of the frogs spluttered. "You can't just talk to the Great Frog Sage like that."

The sage shook his head. "It is fine." He looked at the group. "If you want to come along, then you are welcome to. Shiro or Glenn will show you how to disguise your scent. If you would rather stay here, then that is also fine."

--

Foxes

“What’s going on here? We crossed under the arches without question. Someone has been following us since we passed over that large hill twenty minutes ago, but we didn’t mention anything. Now this. The forest has gone quiet, sir. You know that never means anything good. What’s going on?”

"It's ok green guy, we're just checking out a super cool shrine!"

The chieftain's eyes gleamed as he looked between the two. "There is nothing to fear...if you have nothing to hide."

"There has never been a test I have not passed," Penelope said, walking toward the left door.

"oh oh, me too! I'm great a test taking too!"

"Well...I decided to be here, back there is boring without anyone to talk to even if I get a supply of good rice enough for a lifetime. Don't know about the others, but if this is a challenge, then I'll clear it, even if I have to crawl to the end. So bring it." Ciela walked to the right door.

“They’re right. I was just being paranoid. Sorry.”

"I shall take the test too, father..."

Rufus' mouth twisted downward, tail starting to lash the floor in agitation. "Very well," he sighed, casting one last glance at his daughter. "But you must go together," he warned before anybody could walk through either doors. "It could be...dangerous for you to not take the same path. And, it is tradition." Were the group to try to separate anyway the foxes would be insistent that they not. In the end, the chieftain looked at the group. "So...have you decided which door you will take?"

The two doors looked exactly the same. Both of wood, both bright red, and both large enough to fit a horse through. There was nothing to tell them apart, aside from the fact that one was closer to the left wall and the other closer to the right wall.

[spoiler=OOC]

Team Frog - Catriona, Gunther, Alois, Edrick, Azar, and Shiro

Decision time! Do you want your character to help scout or stay in the village and explore?

Team Fox - Penelope, Link, Ciela, Sienna, and Tsetseg

Decision time! Left or right door? Unfortunately, you cannot choose both.

LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow · August 30, 2017

"Let us hope that is the case. The foxes are wily. If thy friends offend, they will not strike back in plain sight, but take revenge through insidious means."

Gunther gulped. Despite his earlier show of confidence it was still...nerve-wracking. Insidious was never a good word. In fact it could be described as bad. If Penelope was here she could probably give the exact definition. It probably included "bad".

Then the elder stirred in his arms. Gunther had almost forgotten he had picked the elder up. So used to carrying around bulky things he was that this was basically just another book bag.

"Thank you, young'un," he said. "Sorry you had to see that. Used to be I could shake off something like that like it was nothing." He sighed. "Even the stoutest of trees must eventually wither."

"Ah, you're welcome sir." Gunther replied politely as the man got back to his feet.

It seemed that there was to be some sort of scouting mission that Catriona wanted them to join in on. While he wanted to help Penelope....he wasn't the most stealthy individual. He would hate to get them caught. "I think I should stay here. If it's alright with you, of course." He said the latter to Catriona. "I would slow any scouting party down and it is not like I'm built for such a stealthy endeavor. Just...please be careful." He smiled at the older princess.

"These attacks seem quite odd to me. They aren't all too...effective. By now you would think it would have escalated or...anything." He didn't really expect anyone to pay attention to his musings. It was likely an oversight on his part anyway.

Penelope nodded at her group. They had all agreed to take the test. However...She looked at Link. "If you have any concerns you're welcome to tell them to me directly." She didn't want to keep the soldier from ever speaking. She had started to notice a trend of total obedience. Normally she wouldn't think much of it but among....the others in the group it stood out to her quite a lot.

Whatever the case now they had decided to move on. And then they were told to only choose one door. She glanced between the two. Left or right...was there anything in lore she could recall about importance of the two directions? She could think of several but if they related to this culture or not was a trickier matter.

So that meant...When there was no obvious strategy, luck was all that was left. Penelope took out a coin and flipped it......Tails. Which meant...

"We go right." She said, stepping towards that door with confidence.

......

Immediately after opening the door, Penelope would see a long hallway with wooden walls and flooring like the room they had been in before, but no door other than the one they had come through. Before any of them could turn back, the door would shut with an ominous click, and if anybody tried to open it, they would find it locked. The only thing of note was a scroll hung at the far end of the hallway, upon which were written words in a curling script:

You have chosen this path, and your trial begins. Solve this riddle, and the way will open to you.

From me springs my lady bright
Her herald of regularity,
She who blesses from her height
The world its brilliant clarity.
Look to her when you are lost
But only at her birth,
Follow her at quite a cost
Once she has set forth.
At birth and death
She leads you home
If I am he who gives her breath
Then how would you care to roam?

........

A heart beat

A breath.

A sigh.

"...Is that all?" Penelope muttered, pouting at the simple riddle before her. She looked to the others, surely they would have gotten it by now as well right?

Hakima · August 31, 2017

"If you have any concerns you're welcome to tell them to me directly,” the young princess said.

Link pressed a fist to his heart and lowered his head head, acknowledgement for the command. It was a nice sentiment, but he doubted it meant very much. Princess Penelope was extremely learned, or “book smart”, as he heard it put at the border. It was a useful thing, but it was best when paired with experience, which was a category the princess was sorely lacking in.

Until she had learned, the hard way, that reading about things is different from living them, she wouldn’t ever really listen to him. With good reason, he thought to himself as they walked through the door. He was just an extra soldier to put on the frontline to her. She had no way of knowing about the Night Wolves; even Catriona hadn’t really known about what they did, and she had been there.

He pushed the thoughts from his mind as they entered a new hallway. Link surveyed the area quickly. No way in now that the door had slammed shut, and no way out either. There was a scroll hung at the very end of the hallway, with some kind of riddle on it. Princess Penelope grasped it instantly, apparently, but Link had to mull it over.

The first part was very obviously talking about the sun. “She who blesses from her height the world its brilliant clarity” made him absolutely sure of that, as well as the next few lines, referring to the fact that the sun would always rise in the east and set in the west. Any basic traveler knew to use that to find their way if they were to get lost. It was the first and last bit that had him confused.

“From me springs my lady bright, her herald of regularity,” led him to believe it the horizon, but the last line.... “If I am he who gives her breath, then how would you care to roam?” He wasn’t entirely sure what that meant. Except maybe…

”By night?” he muttered under his breath, stroking at the stubble that had started to grow on his chin. He would need to shave soon, he realized, still lost in thought.

Maeriberii Haan · September 1, 2017

A riddle already. If this was the form of test, then why the chief insisted that everyone should come together? Where's the danger? That made no sense, Ciela thought. Well for one, she hated riddles. No matter how hard her brain tried to rack the answer, she would always overlook something obvious regarding it. It's just so frustrating. It's not like riddles have any practical application in life anyway, so she never really bothered to learn more on how to solve them.

Calm down. Ciela saw Penelope and realized that she wouldn't want to be one-upped by the tactician.

Ciela took a deep breath, and attempted to read the words more carefully. The female pronoun was clearly describing the sun, that part was obvious. But, who is the narrator? Heralding her regularity made Ciela think of him as the dawn, but dawn connected to the sun as a paralel, rather than something that gave it life. How the hell should one answer this riddle anyway? There didn't seem to be anywhere to write it. Should she yell the answer?

The last part...it mentioned roam. It referred to the reader. That was the question. The narrator was what gave the sun her life in the morning, and then he asked where would the readers care to roam after all that.

The narrator was a direction.

Turning towards her east, Ciela attempted to see whether there's anything there by knocking on the wooden walls repeatedly.

Yui · September 3, 2017

"This would not be the first time trouble has found us."

"Please, getting caught up in some kind of murder case is like our every day here. It's almost like a rite of passage."

Is that so? She'd gotten involved with a troublesome group after all. Trouble magnets. Azar briefly considered just ditching the lot of them the first chance she had. She was pulled from the thought by a bit of what she overheard from that funny-talking frog.

"Loyalty is at its strongest when it is devoted to a fellow flesh-and-blood being, not just an ideal. For us though, the person can oft be the ideal itself."

Azar, for one, believed people weren't ideals. They were people, and weren't to be treated as anything else, for better or worse. However, the talk of loyalty got the gears in her head turning. If this group had a knack for finding trouble, and apparently solving it given the fact that nobody was dead, it was only a matter of time before they got involved with trouble in Isauria. Such as a missing shaman who Azar had been researching with. Somebody she was especially loyal toward. If this group somehow got tied up in Rashido's disappearance, Azar wanted to be there for it, and if they were really as good at getting involved in everyone else's problems as it seemed, that was going to happen. It was only a matter of time. She wasn't a big fan of solving everyone else's problems just because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but Azar would bear it if it meant bringing him home.

The conversation that followed boiled down to the sage stating that now was a good time to head into fox territory. Just like Azar had thought.

"And we will go with them! Please."

"You can't just talk to the Great Frog Sage like that."

"It is fine. If you want to come along, then you are welcome to. Shiro or Glenn will show you how to disguise your scent. If you would rather stay here, then that is also fine."

"I'm coming along too," Azar commented. "The sooner this is dealt with, the better."

Alaina · September 4, 2017

As the frogs had fully recovered, it had seemed time for the group to get going out on some sort of a scouting mission to help figure out more stuff about the foxes. Alois didn't have much experience through trekking through a forest, nor was he particularly certain of himself as a kind of scout. Stealth wasn't his strong suit and he wouldn't even really be sure what to be looking for outside of giant foxes. Yet still, he was curious about the foxes place and was also feeling a tad bit restless in trying to know what was going on with the captured group. While he was about to say something, it was then that he heard the flower-faced knight's musings. "I think I'll stay behind too," Alois said, his tone level. Turning to the knight, he said, "looks like we're on guard duty here, big man."

As the group picked an entrance to go into, Tsetseg walked into the room alongside everyone else. Inside the room, it was a simple wooden hallway, with some kind of scroll hanging across the wall. While everyone else seemed to have a good idea as to what they were doing, Tsetseg did not. The girl looked at the scroll. And she looked at the words. And she continued to stare at it. However, each and every letter seemed to be some kind of intricate shape. Each one with its own meaning that the girl merely couldn't decipher. As she continued to look at the scroll, it looked as though she had stopped merely thinking about what was there, and instead started looking around. She had no idea why the blue-haired meanie girl was looking at the wall, and the green guy seemed to mention something about "the night." Tsetseg was thoroughly confused as to what the test was. As such, she just looked at the wall that the blue-haired girl was checking out, and move to check it out herself.

Asriel Dreemurr · September 4, 2017

Much of what was going on felt wrong to Edrick. The fact that they were staying in a Protean village by itself had him more on edge than he should have been, experience with Sienna aside he had still be taught not to trust creatures who could change their forms at will. The mention of the brigands as the only enemy the frogs and foxes shared sat especially poorly with him, even more so considering that those very brigands had been specifically hunting Catriona. Combined with the second sign they had encountered of that same enormous fox, he had many reasons to be ill at ease. So while the others discussed things, and began deciding if they would scout into fox territory or if they would stay, he continued thinking on what he knew. There had to be some explanation for all of this, and considering what they had already encountered it likely had to do with the Princesses' quest. When an answer finally dawned on him, he found himself laughing like a madman. Both because it seemed it should have been obvious to him sooner, and because of the terrifying implications.

"Catriona, I have an alternative suggestion to all of this. Let us leave the foxes as they are for the time being; between Penelope, Link, and Sienna our friends have more than enough to keep them safe in such a place." He then turned to look at the Great Frog Sage. "You said that you and the Foxes share an enemy in the brigands here in the forest. The same brigands which we know were hired to hunt us and Catriona. This white fox has been stirring up trouble between your tribes, the same white fox that had us waylaid in Ithome and hindered our efforts to find the Great Dragon. Their actions have aligned in goals against us, and even now have further weakened us by splitting our forces here in this forest and leaving us, or trying to leave us, more vulnerable than we have ever been." He paused for a moment, both to catch his own breath and potentially allow the others to draw the same conclusion as he had without explicitly saying it. The thought would be all the more powerful if they reached it of their own accord. "I think that these brigands and this fox are working together, so I will ask you this: where do the bandiți hide in these woods? Where is their...sediu...the place from which they make their attacks throughout the forest? If you know where it is, I would suggest we move to strike it with all of our force. If you do not know where it is, then let us find it so that we may put them down and learn with certainty if this fox is working with them or not." It was a long shot perhaps, but it was in Edrick's mind a much better idea than sitting around or scouting out the foxes' territory. Even if he was wrong about the connection, they would be ridding the forest and the area around it of the bandit menace. "We should gather reinforcements from the Pelinna Patrol first of course. Such an attack would require as many fighters as we can find."

Sethera · September 6, 2017

Frogs

"I'm coming along too," the red-robed shaman commented. "The sooner this is dealt with, the better."

The lord nodded at the girl, feeling her heart thaw toward this person. She had no obligation to help any of them, and yet she stuck by them. "I thank you," she said, a small smile on her face. "We are truly fortunate to have you at our side."

Gunther then responded with his decision. "I think I should stay here. If it's alright with you, of course." He said the latter to Catriona. "I would slow any scouting party down and it is not like I'm built for such a stealthy endeavor. Just...please be careful." He smiled at the older princess.

Catriona's heart sank. She had thought to rely upon the trusty knight to help her, but then again, he was ill-suited for this venture. Had she been in a better state of mind, she would have predicted this outcome.

"I think I'll stay behind too," Alois said, his tone level. Turning to the knight, he said, "looks like we're on guard duty here, big man."

However, the blond knight had more to say. "These attacks seem quite odd to me. They aren't all too...effective. By now you would think it would have escalated or...anything."

"Escalated. You could call it that," the frog sage grimaced. "When they first started, they were far weaker than they are now. I fear for the safety of our tribe if things continue this way. To think the foxes had such a weapon on their side," he shook his head. "They have always been the most spiritual of us all, but I had not thought their faith so strong as to affect an entire village."

Catriona turned to Edrick at that point. He was the only one yet to make a decision. She blinked when the lancer started to laugh like...a madman.

"Catriona, I have an alternative suggestion to all of this. Let us leave the foxes as they are for the time being; between Penelope, Link, and Sienna our friends have more than enough to keep them safe in such a place." He then turned to look at the Great Frog Sage. "You said that you and the Foxes share an enemy in the brigands here in the forest. The same brigands which we know were hired to hunt us and Catriona. This white fox has been stirring up trouble between your tribes, the same white fox that had us waylaid in Ithome and hindered our efforts to find the Great Dragon. Their actions have aligned in goals against us, and even now have further weakened us by splitting our forces here in this forest and leaving us, or trying to leave us, more vulnerable than we have ever been."

The lord nodded at his words. That was true. Both the white fox and the bandits had caused troubles for their group, and for the tribes. It was almost as if...

"I think that these brigands and this fox are working together, so I will ask you this: where do the bandiți hide in these woods? Where is their...sediu...the place from which they make their attacks throughout the forest? If you know where it is, I would suggest we move to strike it with all of our force. If you do not know where it is, then let us find it so that we may put them down and learn with certainty if this fox is working with them or not."

Catriona furrowed her brow at that. They had had such difficulty fighting the bandits before, to do so again, to strike at their very stronghold, would be near suicide at their numbers, unless their earlier slaughter had eliminated them almost entirely. However, from what it sounded like, brigands were a reoccurring thing here in this forest.

Edrick seemed to have anticipated her thoughts. "We should gather reinforcements from the Pelinna Patrol first of course. Such an attack would require as many fighters as we can find."

The Great Frog Sage blinked, before leveling a calculating stare at the boy. "Had you said this ten, even five years ago, I would have laughed at the mere notion of such a...sediu. Marauders have roamed these woods almost as long as we have, but for the most part, they have done so in small bands or pairs. However..." he paused. "Not long ago, a group of bandits appeared almost as if out of thin air. They made their home here, and gathered under them all the wild criminals of Histia, from petty thieves to highway robbers." He glanced at the group. "My scouts tell me that you have killed both of their leaders. If you want to eliminate them once and for all, now would be the time."

Catriona felt a chill run down her spine at his words. "Your scouts are quite well-informed."

He smiled. "Stealth is not an unfamiliar field to us."

Had he known of their existence, His Royal Majesty would have done much to gain these Proteans' loyalty, the lord thought, before speaking once more. "It is late," she glanced out at one of the windows, seeing the slowly fading light shining through. "Far too late to return to the patrol." She looked at the frog sage. "Whether alone or accompanied, I shall scout out the fox territory. We can discuss the brigands later."

"Thou shouldst consider thy man's words," Glenn said. "Thy sister is safe for now, but if the bandits are truly plotting the demise of your group, 'twould not do to ignore them."

Such was her anger that the woman completely overlooked Glenn's assumption of Edrick's allegiance. "I'm not ignoring them!" Catriona snapped, her voice like splintering ice. "My sister is in enemy hands, and you say I should focus on other matters?" Immediately afterward, she felt regret for her loss of control. Taking a deep breath, the woman shook her head. "I will get them back, even if I must do so myself." It was not only her sister she worried for, though she would readily admit to having the most concern for the girl. There was Link, her old war comrade, Ciela, naive and sorrowful, as well as Sienna, an innocent. None of them deserved this.

"This is my suggestion," the frog sage said, his raspy voice overlaying a core of steel. "The foxes make their home near the entrance of the forest, and that is also where the bandits make theirs. If all goes well, you should be able to scout out both tonight." He turned at the Proteans beside him. "Shiro, you are one of my stealthiest fighters. If you would go with them, it would to do much to ease my worries. And Glenn, I know you have done some correspondence with the patrol before. While Shiro leads our warm-blooded allies to enemy territory, if you can, find the Pelinna Patrol and ask them for aid." It was clear that, while phrased as questions, he was not expecting to be disobeyed on these points. The old man turned to the group next. "Whether it be against foxes or bandits, or both. Now that they are directly involved, there is little chance of them refusing at this point, and indeed, they might already be gathering their army."

"I would not call it an army," Catriona said. "However, you are right. Urvan himself said he was calling for backup."

.

Those who chose to scout would follow Shiro's instructions on masking their scent before they even set out. It would take some time to get to fox territory, so by the time they reached it, night had fallen. So far, the group had had no trouble at all, and Glenn, who had decided to accompany them until they reached the border, had been leading rather confidently. However, after setting foot on enemy lands, he slowed his pace considerably. "We should be careful," he said. "Foxes have keen senses."

Not long after he said that, the bushes nearby started to rustle, but not from the wind.

.

Those who chose to stay behind and explore the village would find that it was rather small, and the Proteans quite friendly toward them. Many a curious child would trail behind them, even some teenagers, and an adult would greet them every so often. Listening in, most of the conversations seemed to revolve around the upcoming fight with the fox tribe, though a few made mention of something else.

"Old man Toichi's going out on his boat again then, huh?"

"Yeah, seems so. Wonder if he's going to that place?"

"You mean the old manor on the other side of the lake?"

"What other one am I talking about? Not like there are any big houses like that over here."

--

Foxes

Upon rapping the wall to their right, or east, both Ciela and Tsetseg would notice one area that sounded different from the rest of the wall. Rather than a dull thud, this was more of a thonk sound, as if there was a space on the other side. Eventually, the thief would put a bit too much pressure on one of her hits, and the wall gave, revealing itself as a revolving door, its surface cleverly matching its surroundings.

On the other side of the wall lay a ramp going down. At the foot of the ramp was another hallway, walled with stone instead of wood. However, unlike before, the hallway did not end in a dead end, but instead a door, which slid open quite easily.

The door revealed a large natural cavern with tunnels on each side, one going to the left and one going to the right. Just ahead of them, in the middle of the ground was a bas relief, at the center of which was embedded a small black gem. Further ahead the cavern sloped upward, though the stony ground and the gradual incline showed one could easily walk up with no difficulties. At the apex of the slope the ground was concave, as if a giant bowl was carved out of the stone. On the other side of the bowl the cavern gaped open, revealing the forest floor beyond, though a picket fence separated it from the interior. Those who attempted to cross over the fence would find their way blocked as if by some sort of barrier. Another scroll was pinned to the wall at the left of the fence, this one saying: "The pupil yearns for the lady's strength, to light the clouded way."

[spoiler=OOC]

Team Frog - Catriona, Gunther, Alois, Edrick, Azar, and Shiro

The scouting team has made it to the fox territory by nightfall, but it seems they're not alone. How do you want to act now?

Meanwhile, those who chose to stay at the village are seeing the villagers prepare for battle, but also hearing about some sort of manor. What will your characters do?

Team Fox - Penelope, Link, Ciela, Sienna, and Tsetseg

You are in a large cavern now, with another ambiguous scroll and two ways you can go. Or you can stay and explore the cavern a bit. Either decide amongst yourselves or post with your reactions.

Alaina · September 6, 2017

Alois was a bit surprised at what Eddy had to say. The fact that the White Fox was deliberately trying to make life harder for their group had been a no-brainier that they had already discussed. He didn't really think the bandits to be a type that would have a stronghold, especially in a place as both lived in and patrolled as the Pelinna Forest was making itself out to be. Yet still, it seemed to have some merit as the Frog Sage had relayed the information about the bandits having just apparently appeared and set up shop here. While Alois was more curious about this, and felt his blood rush a bit at the idea of just charging at these bandits and getting rid of the problems at their root, with the group split in half they were hardly in a shape to do that. Even at full strength, it had only been because of the Patrol that they were still standing. Yet, it still felt frustrating to him to just sit around and just let them go about their business.

It wasn't until Cat had gone on an outburst that Alois started to grit his teeth a bit, as if holding something back. After the sage instructed her as to what she would be doing, Alois walked over to the princess and said, "Cat." His expression was stern as he looked straight at her. "Don't lose your head out there and rush at the first fox you see. You're just scouting." Looking to the others who were scouting as well, he added, "be sure to let the others know that too. And cheer up," a small smirk crossed his face as he said, "your sister's already made friends with one fox, what's a couple dozen more." As he bade her and whoever was following her goodbye, the boy's hand clenched, tightening into a fist with his calm expression dropping just a bit.

"Why did I do this to myself?" The boy wondered aloud, as he wandered the surrounding village. It was boring, to say the least, and the fact that he was constantly under the vigilance of some children who thought he was the most interesting thing in the world, certainly didn't help. And while he listened in on a few conversations here and there, all of which had the same "funk foxes, frogs rule" kind of vibe to them, there was one in particular that made him stop. "Well, doesn't that sound interesting." The boy had no idea what the hell a manor would be doing in the middle of a forest like this. It also just sounded like a good way to kill time, and given that there was no immediate peril, despite a feeling that things were just waiting to go to south fast in this village, he had decided to check it out. And so, with a new direction in mind, Alois walked towards the manor.

As Tsetseg started to tap against the wall, curious as to why it was so interesting, she was soon given an answer. Knocking against a wall, it sounded to be much more hollow then a regular wall would be. Wondering why this would be, they continued to feel against the wall, until finally she fell through the wall. While the girl was astounded at her ability to push through walls, this feeling was cut short as she let out a small yelp, falling through the wall. Landing flat on the ramp below her, the girl merely said, "ow," before realizing she was in a completely different room then the one she had just been in. Bounding up in excitement, she peaked back through the door, pointing at it enthusiastically. "Guys, guys, guys! Look, look!" The girl puffed her chest up in pride as the people came over. As the group started to walk down the ramp, Tsetseg started to merely ramble aloud. "Man, I've never been in a place like this before. I wonder if all Fox houses are like this. Wouldn't that be cool guys? Man, just imagine living in a place like this."

While she was rambling, the girl soon noticed the sun with the black stone imprinted upon the ground. Walking up to it, the girl bent down and started poking at the black sphere, curious about it, but her attention was then pulled to the ramp that went upwards. Going up that, she was only put in more awe as she saw what lie beyond it. Trying to pass through the picket fence that seperated the group from the forest, Tsetseg found herself stopped by something. She didn't know what it was that she was stopped by, and thus she kept attempting to until it appeared that each and every attempt was met with failure. "Whooooooaaaa." While this too intrigued her, at the end of this really weird place, was yet another scroll. Looking at it, the girl couldn't quite make out what the shapes on it were trying to depict, quite like the one in the previous room. As such, after staring at it pensively for a solid thirty seconds, the girl deflated a bit saying, "do any of you know what those are pictures of?"

Hakima · September 6, 2017

Link wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but Tsetseg suddenly falling through the wall after roughly frisking it wasn’t it. His hand snapped to his sword, and the blade was halfway out of the scabbard by the time Tsetseg whimpered out a muffled, "ow.”

Oh. A false door. Link sheathed his blade and sighed softly, his nerves completely shot. His hands had a small jitter all the sudden, and he quickly clenched them into fists before anyone took notice of it. "Guys, guys, guys! Look, look!" Tsetseg shouted excitedly from behind the wall.

The answer to the riddle suddenly dawned on him. Link had known all along and hadn’t even realized it. East, that was how he would care to roam. How had he missed it? ...Well, it didn’t matter now. Tsetseg had gotten the answer somehow, and now they could move onto the next trial.

Link took a deep breath, waiting until he had mastered his emotions before pushing through the wall and into the next area. The first thing he noticed was the smell of mildew, the second was the shift in the atmosphere, the air becoming thinner and harder to breathe. Link had already guessed he was in a cavern of some manner before his eyes even had time to adjust to the lower lighting.

He took note of the landscape in front of him as Tsetseg chattered. Diverging paths, left and right, a sculpture that he didn’t recognize with a black gem set in the center, and behind that a slope. He trekked up the incline quickly, just to see, and found what he guessed was some kind of man-made basin. Possibly meant to fill with water? He wasn’t sure, but it reminded him of the big bowl Ilia’s momma used to serve him soup in. On the other side of the basin was an opening that lead back into the forest, sectioned off by a small picket fence. He carefully made his way over to the fence, trying to reach an arm over it, and he found his path blocked by some sort of invisible barrier. Magic? Maybe. There was a note on the fence, too, but he wasn’t sure what it was trying to say.

Tsetseg was right beside him, staring at the same thing. He hoped that she might know the answer, since she had solved the last riddle, but there was something about the way she was looking at the note… Link surmised that she couldn’t read just as she was asking if any of them knew what the pictures were.

It honestly didn’t surprise him. The only reason he knew how to read was that Rusl had forced him to learn to, “because no blood of his was going to be willfully ignorant”. Writing, too, though he hadn’t practiced that skill since he was fifteen.

Oh well. If he knew the younger princess half as well as he guessed he did, she would fix that problem quickly. He figured Tsetseg hadn’t even realized what she had just done.

Taking advantage of the momentarily silence, Link shrugged off his backpack, leaving it on the floor beside Penelope. ”Permission to scout the paths, Your Majesty? Fifty yard venture, there and back in five minutes max.”

He pressed his fist over his heart and dipped his head, waiting for a response.

LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow · September 8, 2017

Gunther felt his heart twist at the princess's words. It felt as though he had betrayed her almost by making this decision. Perhaps he should go with, to make her feel better, especially if the ones going with her were the stranger and the Pontic....

Thinking on it more he realized he'd have to rid himself of his armor if he were to do this. And that wasn't something he was willing to do. He wasn't strong. He wasn't agile. He wasn't skilled. Without his armor he wasn't much of anything. If they did end up in a fight even if he survived he would suffer a large amount of pain.

And perhaps they would feel more confident with him there. Confidence in him that wasn't deserved. And it would cause them to fight a little more sloppily.

No, there was no other choice but to stay behind. To Catriona he said. "I want to help her too. And I will come once we make our move. But it's just a scouting mission...er, it IS just a scouting mission right? You won't do anything...drastic. I wouldn't be as useful as a scout."

He went to Glenn, making sure what he said next were for his ears only. "I must entrust her safety to you. I know you to be an honorable man. I won't lie, I am...uncertain of how well I can trust Edrick and Azar. Please keep an eye on things for me."

----

Gunther was surrounded by children. They all seemed curious about him, and his odd armor, as their kind didn't really have much use for such a thing. There was questions like "How do you transform with that on?" and "What do you do when you fall over?" and he tried to answer best he could. By the time he extracted himself from the children he noticed that Alois had moved on.

Eventually the Knight found the man, heading in the direction that Gunther had heard was some kind of manor of sorts. "Hail." Gunther said, hurrying to try and catch up with the Fighter. "I take it you are going to check on this place? Certainly it seems unusual...perhaps something important might be found there. I will come with...If you don't mind."

Penelope grinned a bit as the others figured it out. Slower than her but even so. It wasn't a difficult riddle but there were some misdirection involved so it gladdened her that she hadn't needed to step in.

The area they next went into was much more open than the previous. With many more options to examine. Similarly to Tsetseg her attention was at first drawn to the gem. It seemed rather out of place, overall, and she couldn't help but wonder if it was important in some way. It had to have been here for a reason after all.

"do any of you know what those are pictures of?"

This sentence took Penelope's attention away however and she went over to where the Archer was standing. As Penelope looked over she expected to see some sort of mural. Instead. "The pupil yearns for the lady's strength, to light the clouded way....that's what it says. It's not...it's not pictures."

Could this girl...not read? How could someone go through life like that?

”Permission to scout the paths, Your Majesty? Fifty yard venture, there and back in five minutes max.”

"Ah, yes, that is...permission granted." Penelope said, not entirely registering the soldier's question. She was staring at the Archer still. "You can't read can you?...I am going to have to teach you."

Maeriberii Haan · September 10, 2017

Ciela huffed with pride and sense of accomplishment as the pathway before her opened. It was nice to solve a riddle once in a while, although seeing Penelope's smug grin kinda dampened the mood. So Penelope thought she had one upped the rest...well, Ciela would definitely not let that pass. Sooner or later, Ciela would show her up and wipe that higher than thou stance that she had. Well, but now they were in a cavern. Ciela hated caverns. It was big too. And soon something blocked their path.

A barrier, with a scroll on its side. Was that another riddle? Damn it. So right now Link decided to leave to explore the area, Penelope tried to teach the funny archer how to read, and the rest...well thinking about it, perhaps it would be best if she also explored the area.

Or perhaps not. The place really made her uncomfortable.

Alaina · September 11, 2017

Tsetseg seemed in awe as the white haired girl managed to speak off the meaning of the shapes she saw on the tapestry. "Whoa really? I woulda never gotten that," she merely shook her head as she stated this. "You must be like, really smart or something White Hair Girl." She was unsure as to why the girl was still intently staring at her, but as she mentioned something about reading, Tsetseg shook her head once more. "Nope nope, nope. Only the merchants, and some of the adults and some of the smart people, and some of the smart adults are the ones that could read, so I never learned." Her mood seemed to dampen a bit as she said this, but brightened right back up as she looked right up. "But really you'll teach me? Really, really? Man that'd be so super cool and awesome! But uh," she pointed to the tapestry saying, "shouldn't we light the pupil or something first?"

Asriel Dreemurr · September 12, 2017

Edrick winced visibly when Glenn called him Catriona's man, half expecting the princess to launch into a tirade of questioning his loyalty. Yet she did not, which left him momentarily stunned and looking at her with a questioning expression on his face. Not that he remained confused for long: the Frog Sage it seemed was better able to get Catriona to listen than he was. Perhaps it was the disparity in the authority of their positions, or perhaps it was simply the compromise. Not that there was much point in wasting thought on such considerations now. They were going scouting, and with his suggestion on the table for those to be done he felt the responsibility to go with Catriona. Though there was an issue to be handled.

"I will be coming with you, Princess." He said, his tone leaving no room for argument against it. "Though," he began, turning to look at the Frog Protean he had beaten on his own, "my own armor is ill-suited for moving quickly and quietly. Do your people have something which I could borrow that is better suited for it and still provides some protection?" The Frog, apparently a man of few words, simply nodded and motioned for him to follow. With a momentary look back to their fearless leader, and a wordless request for her not to leave without him, he followed. A few short minutes later he returned wearing a suit of padded armor and the headband and vambraces from his heavier suit. His battered and blood-stained iron lance was in his hand, and the fresh one hung from a strap across his back in the place of his heavy pack. Only now that he was walking without the extra weight did he realise how much it had slowed him, and that he had been slouching under it. A bit of stretching, and he indicated that he was ready to go with a thumbs-up.

"That's a handy trick, masking our scents like that." Edrick remarked a little ways into their journey, and said little else apart from that. The air about them was tense, though admittedly most of that was just coming from Catriona. Understandable of course, but less than helpful all the same. As time went by and the light faded around them, they reached a point where that same tension fell over the rest of them. Glen answered the unspoken question about their entering fox territory by commenting on their keen senses, and soon after a bush rustled nearby. Thinking less about the danger of their being under attack and more about Catriona rushing off to attack whatever it was, Edrick moved to plant his left hand firmly on her shoulder while raising his spear at the source of the noise with his right. He couldn't just let her get herself killed when he owed his life to her sister. "Whoever you are, come out slowly." He said just above a whisper, but with a commanding tone to his voice. "We don't want to fight if we don't have to."

King K. Azo · September 13, 2017

Shiro was quiet as everyone decided what they would do. He didn't feel the need to speak up, considering he was stuck with them. This group certainly made the Protean uncomfortable. Between the princess's... heart felt disregard of Glenn's wise advice and the one he slammed on the ground mad laughter... well, he didn't feel the greatest of confidence. Still, the Frog Sage asked him to, so he would.

The first thing he had to do was show them how to disguise their scents. Shiro needed to reapply a new layer anyways. He lead them to the shores, where the water met the land. Bending down, he took off his helmet and looked at the group. "Mud hides your scent. Applied right, you can sneak up right behind a fox, and they would not know it until it's too late," With that, he began to lather his skin and hair with the mud. He actually enjoyed the way it felt... but he heard humans were against it. He only hoped they would listen to him.

Glenn began to lead the group to the border. It was a quiet walk, something Shiro preferred. Night had fallen by the time they got to the foxes' territory, and they met with their first obstacle, a rustling bush.

"Whoever you are, come out slowly. We don't want to fight if we don't have to." the madman stated. Shiro rolled his eyes. If this was a fox, there was trouble, whether they wanted it or not. Silently, he quickly scaled the trees, moving among the branches until he was hidden among them. He waited right above the bush, ready to drop in case it was trouble.

Hakima · September 13, 2017

Link took a moment to get ready for stealthing. He tightened the buckle on his scabbard to get rid of any play, so that it wouldn’t bounce around when he moved, then removed his hat, folding it up and tucking it away into his belt. It had been a long time since he had done this, he realized, since before he had left the Night Wolves. He was used to having others with him, someone to watch his back and peek around the corners, and knowing that he was going at it alone now was daunting.

He took a deep breath, and reigned in his nerves. Link envisioned a small chest with a heavy lock on it, and he imagined that he was locking away all those negative thoughts inside the chest. He had done this before every major battle or mission with the Garou, dating all the way back to his first year with them. It was goofy, but he found a small bit of comfort in it, even now.

He saluted the princess once more, right fist pressed into his heart, then turned on his heel and went to work. Anyone who watched him move would notice the change in him. His steps were slower and they were synced up with his breathing, and he turned his hips in a way that he stepped on the balls of his feet, making it so his footsteps didn’t make a sound. The shadows seemed to swallow him up after just a few feet, and even those who knew he was there would have trouble spotting his movement.

Link was all business now, taking the left tunnel first. He counted his steps to measure how far down he went in the tunnel, stopping at one-hundred and fifty steps, or roughly fifty yards. He noticed several things while he sneaked forward. The path started to slope upwards, leading toward the surface, and the natural lighting began to dim not far in. He noticed another source of light at the end of the tunnel, and he thought he could feel a cool breeze wafting in.

If he was a betting man, he would wager that he would find himself back in the forest if he went much further. Link double-checked to make sure that he hadn’t missed anything, then turned around and headed toward the right tunnel. The difference was immediately noticeable. Within ten steps, the air in the tunnel had gotten a bit harder to breathe, and noticeably wetter. The tunnel sloped down, meaning it lead further down into the cave, and Link thought he saw a green light around the next bend.

Though he had already gone fifty yards into the tunnel, Link made the split second decision to explore further. He wouldn’t be comfortable sending the party down this path unless he was completely sure it was safe. With that thought in mind, he moved toward the area the glowing green light was coming from, rounding the bend and emerging into another, smaller cavern.

The room was dimly lit, but it was easy to discern the layout. It was a typical underground cavern, maybe half the size of the previous one, with a decent sized pool of water in the very center of it. Strangely, the water had a faint green sheen to it that Link hadn’t ever seen before. He crept forward to inspect it more carefully, and once he was on the very edge, he realized that what he was seeing was a reflection of the cavern ceiling. Stalagmites jutted up and stalactites hung down, all of them emitting a strange green glow that Link wasn’t at all familiar with.

He filed that information away and continued to search the area. He also noticed something at the very bottom of the pool while he was looking into it, but it was shockingly deep, and he couldn’t even make out an accurate shape for the object. He considered jumping into the pool to see, but decided against it. Maybe after he relayed all of this information to the princess, if she thought it important.

There wasn’t much else to find. A few faded footprints, likely belonging to proteans, but nothing very recent. No signs of a skirmish in the area either, which helped to reassure him that there wasn’t some beast lying in wait to ambush them. Link eventually decided that he was satisfied with what information he had gathered, and headed back up the tunnel to report to the princess.

He let out a little relieved sigh as he did, glad that it had gone off without a hitch.

Sethera · September 15, 2017

Las Ranas

Catriona's expression had sharpened at Alois' words, before her expression cleared at seeing the sense in them. She had also nodded her head at Edrick when he brought up getting quieter equipment. Thankfully, the frogs had generously lent him one of their gambesons, and unlike the armor, it didn't need to be fitted. Thinking about it, Edrick's body figure was similar to the frogs, tall and lean. This was especially apparent with the armor off of him, as his spine had straightened with less weight holding it down.

Shiro showed them how to mask their scents with mud. The princess hesitated briefly before following the others in applying it to their own bodies. Her stint in the military had shown her that one couldn't always expect to be clean, in fact, one could expect the exact opposite. Still, she hesitated. Was it pride that held her back? In the end, what was most important was scouting the area so she could rescue her sister, and with that in mind, the white-haired woman applied the mud not only to her body but to her hair as well, turning it a ruddy brown.

Later, when the bushes rustled, Catriona glanced at the four people with her. Edrick, Azar, Shiro, and Glenn. All four had shown some prowess with battle, so she was confident that, should it come to it, they would be ready. Still, her limbs trembled with anticipation, hands drifting down toward the handle of her sword.

"Whoever you are, come out slowly." Edrick said just above a whisper, but with a commanding tone to his voice. "We don't want to fight if we don't have to."

The swordswoman noted that Shiro had melted into the surroundings like a ghost, though she was sure he was ready to strike as well.

And then the bushes parted, and a small greenish-gray puppy was revealed. It tilted its nose up, boldly making eye contact with each of them, before cocking its head and sitting back on its haunches, tail thumping the ground rhythmically.

The lord's brows swooped up in surprise, her hands jerking as the frantic energy coiling through her limbs fizzled out. "This is...not what I was expecting," she admitted.

"A forest wolf!" Glenn exclaimed, though his voice was still rather low compared to its normal volume. "Rare beasts, and not usually the type to approach humans."

The wolf lolled its tongue out at that comment, before getting up and turning around, starting to walk forward. It looked back once, as if saying, Are you coming or not?

"Methinks yonder beast wants us to follow," Glenn said, before turning back in regret. "Unfortunately I cannot come with. I have my own errand. But I trust in Shiro," he clapped the other Protean on the back briefly. "He was born with far more stealth than I. If any were to lead thee safely through the foxes' den, t'would be him." He bowed briefly before leaving, the cape whipping out behind him.

Catriona felt a little unhappy at the loss of Squire Glenn, but he had his own mission. She was about to ask what they were to do now, when the wolf seemed to make that decision for them, letting out a sharp bark. He was facing the fox territory, obviously having some sort of destination in mind.

Still, the princess looked to their frog guide. He would know best what path they should take. "Should we follow?"

.

Both Alois and Gunther would find their path to the manor significantly stymied by the fact that it lay on the other side of the lake. They would, however, find an old man in a small canoe near the mouth of the inlet. After glancing at them, he rowed it next to the dock that jutted out nearby, then stared at them as if waiting for them to get on.

Were the two to do so, they would notice that he was remarkably silent, only grunting every so often in reply to their words. However, he seemed to realize their destination, and rowed across the water toward what looked like some sort of structure in the distance. By the time they came close enough to tell, the sky was darkening, and the shadows had lengthened, casting themselves upon the face of a large dilapidated manor. The blue paint was peeling, the wood rotting, and the stone covered in thick ivy brambles so it looked more green than anything else. The glass--a sign of wealth--was cracked or shattered in places, and some of the roof shingles had given way. Yet there was a majesty to it, for despite the weathering it had received, it still stood, haloed in a golden glow from the sun shining on it, reflecting off the windows blindingly.

The old man pulled the boat up to the small stone dock, pausing to let the two disembark should they wish. Afterward, he would leave, though he would remain within hailing distance.

Despite it being the month of Ramesoth, the air was thick with the pungent smell of plants, and the buzzing of insects was a veritable chorus. Every so often they could hear the croaking of frogs--the non-Protean kind--and nearby, a pair of mallards with a couple near full-grown ducklings nosed about the reeds.

An ornate metal gate barred their way from further exploration, though if pushed against, it would swing open with a loud creak, revealing a stone tunnel behind it.

However, after stepping through the gate, and on up the tunnel stairs, the two would notice after climbing up that the mansion was no longer in disrepair, but as good as new, standing tall like some great monolith, taken over not at all by the surrounding environment. And, though there had been nothing but the sounds of the wildlife before, they could hear music like they had never heard before drifting out from the building.

--

Los Zorros

For those within the cavern, nothing much had changed since Link's absence. The air was still. As for Link himself, nothing barred his way from a safe return to the others, where he would be able to report how his foray had gone.

[spoiler=OOC]

Team Rana

The scouting group--Catriona, Edrick, Azar, and Shiro--have encountered a small wolf cub. It seems to want you to follow it. You could do so or continue scouting by yourselves, though the cub seems to be heading the same direction you're going in.

Gunther and Alois are at the mansion, but something seems to have changed.

Team Zorro

Link is now back from a safe scouting venture and has rejoined the rest of the group.

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Fire Emblem: Curse of the Goddess [IC/PG-16/Not Accepting]

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