No Sun in Winter

Lion · February 21, 2016, 11:21:18 PM

The dire wolf gave a soft growl of displeasure at the continued talking but sat up and shook out her fur and chuffed to the both of them. She got up and went outside of the hanging branches and Theon followed. Jouzan was restless in his hood and wanted a chance to spread his wings. The bird hopped out onto his shoulder, and eyed the dire wolf suspiciously.

There was no visible activity outside of the cave's mouth, but he could see traces of a soft glow deep in its darkness. "Shall we make the trek to the other side?"

visualspice · February 22, 2016, 03:15:55 PM

"Even if we do," she added, stepping beside him. "That cave is in a strange location. We'd have to figure out a way to climb down to it, or up to it. It is an entrance on a cliff's face." She sighed. "Of course it couldn't be easy." Then again, her entire journey never had been.

Lion · February 22, 2016, 03:56:32 PM

"Then, let's look further, and find the solution to our quandary," Theon said and started from around the mouth of the canyon. The dire wolf licked Ninn's face and started after him.

visualspice · February 27, 2016, 02:23:17 PM

"It's hard to gage if we're going to find an easy way around it.The canyon seems wide and endless."

Lion · February 29, 2016, 12:02:35 AM

"We won't know unless we try," Theon said, pausing a moment to survey the edge of the canyon. From where they were it seemed it would take days to circumvent. Theon took a breath, closing his eyes eyes and feeling the edges of a vision. He knelt down into the snow, burying his hands in it, and within his mind he saw a singular snowflake.

It flowed as the wind gusted around them, and there it traveled in a flurry, falling from a lowered ridge where the section of a the canyon sloped down around them. Theon opened his eyes, taking in a deep breath and holding Ninn's leg for a moment. "There's a path down the canyon, a ways to the left," he murmured.

visualspice · March 03, 2016, 05:42:53 AM

Ninn looked that way, then back down to Theon before pausing to observe the dire wolf as she began to step that way too. Her tail raised up, wagging a little before she turned to point her black nose west.

"I suppose we won't know until we try." And she began to move forward, following the wolf.

Lion · March 08, 2016, 10:02:45 PM

The trek saved them several days' journey, Theon imagined, but it was enough for them to get down to the ridge below. The path was narrow, and they all had to stay inline, the rock beneath them feeling unsteady at times. As long as their steps were even, there would be no foreseeable trouble. Theon could only hope, however, because beneath them was a long way down.

visualspice · March 10, 2016, 02:16:02 PM

It had taken many hours to scale down the cliff side safely. In fact, there was a time the woman didn't think they'd make it at all. But it was precious time she knew they couldn't afford. Now well below the cavern, it was no longer in sight. She peered up at the cliff wall. It looked impregnable. But perhaps if they kept looking they'd find something.

"Half the day is gone. Come, let's make haste. We don't know what we'll find."

Lion · July 04, 2016, 10:45:49 PM

"The ledge is precarious," Theon said with a nod. "Watch your footing." As if it needed to be said. But the going went on never the less. Once down on the edge of the cliff there was little more they could do but keep going. It would take too long to turn back, and be twice as likely for them to fall off.

They soon reached a path cut in the ride that wound up to the lip of the cavern, one that was out of sight from where they were, and the ice was smooth along its footing.

visualspice · July 05, 2016, 10:25:25 AM

Ninn bared her teeth, studying the small ravine of ice that cut through the rock. It was their only option, and looked nearly impossible to foot. But they had little choice. Drawing in a steady breath, she pushed herself inbetween the juts of rocks and pulled herself forward.

"Careful of the ice. Guard each footing and never trust each step."

Lion · July 05, 2016, 11:16:13 PM

He took out Lohengrin, and positioned the point of the blade on the the ice, sticking it where he found it was able to support his weight, and wandered upward, keeping in step with Ninn even as his footing betrayed him now and again. With the blade, he remained more steady, slowly working his way up.

visualspice · July 11, 2016, 01:18:21 PM

Ninn would do the same, needing to use her blade, lest her feet be left to the fate of the ice.

It was a long haul, and her muscles were sore at the end, but eventually they found a small recess that lead to just a few more short climbs to the lip of the cave. ANd judging by the way the skies were, she knew they needed to hurry.

Once knowing the pair was safe, Ninn lead them onward, up the final climb and over the side, to where she pulled herself up with a grunt and remained, down on one knee, and catching her breath. But then she rose, ice colored eyes taking in the mammoth mouth before her-
and staring deep into the endless sea of black.

Lion · July 12, 2016, 11:03:31 PM

Theon approached from the side, resheating Lohengrin. He panted lightly, but the altitude did little to help him catch his breath. "What did the spirit lady say we'd find in there again?" he asked.

visualspice · July 14, 2016, 01:29:22 PM

"She said we'd find that of which we seek in here." Her own blade was put away as her gaze remained hard and tense on the deep blackness before them. "We shouldn't waste much time. We can walk slow, to let our muscles heal from the climb, but I have a feeling we'll only be safe to venture here for so long."

Lion · July 14, 2016, 10:25:39 PM

Theon did not feel the same dread when staring into the darkness. As he stared deep within he found he could scarcely look away. And not because he felt anything ominous within it's confines, but because he seemed to sense an a strange calm, a stark difference out here in the harsh mountains and sharp cold.

However that seemed most to come from the blade at his side and he reached up to squeeze Ninn's shoulder, doing nothing more and stepping within.

[This was where the fire wolves' den was right? And they were gonna slay like the mother beast or something? Or find out why people were turning into wolves? I don't remember much of what we plotted.]

visualspice · July 17, 2016, 11:51:04 AM

OOC: Yeah, I can't recall all of the detail anyway but it was more or less to check out this area where all of these beasts are congregating to get to the bottom of just what they are and what they might be doing.

The quiet was unnerving at best, but at least afforded her some proof the cavern was vacant. She took her time, ever cautious of where she stepped and how deep her eyes looked, for any crook or cranny might be a sign of certain death.

And she wasn't about ready to die yet. Adjusting the weight of her things upon her back, she noticed the cave continued further, into a darker corner where she could vaguely make out a split path.

Lion · July 17, 2016, 04:09:01 PM

"We need a light," Theon said. "Can you make a torch? I realize the irony of fire. But...it's almost impossible to see anything."

visualspice · July 23, 2016, 03:48:34 PM

Ninn frowned, but set her bag down, moving out a small flask of oil and a clothe before moving to snatch up a dry piece of wood off the ground. But upon examining, she saw it wasn't wood, but bone.
It mattered little, however, except to prompt her to check on their surroundings once more before wrapping the clothe around the end and dipping it in oil.

"Got a way to make a spark?" she could fetch her flint, and began to dig into her things for it while holding the soon to be torch to one side.

Lion · July 23, 2016, 10:03:26 PM

No other way but to strike it against a piece of metal. Otherwise there was no point in fashioning the torch. Theon knelt on the ice and took the piece of flint she had and rung it firmly against Lohengrin's edge. With a loud shree! the sparks flew off from the edge and onto the bone's head. He concentrated, doing it again and once the spark caught, he carefully blew on it until it took to flame.

Raising it above his head, he stood before Ninn, nodding to her in readiness.

visualspice · July 24, 2016, 07:37:24 AM

Ninn stood there, the flame dancing between the pair of them. The flames seemed to accent the half of her face that hadn't been burned off, and she might have appeared even pretty.

"A lot of caves around here can go deep within the ground. We should be wary of the time." She glanced over her shoulder, towards the sky, then back to him. "We should not linger for more than a few hours." Although she had a feeling this would take much longer than that as she stepped into the darkness to where the light spilled and began to lead the way into the unknown.