Old Bones

The snow fell silently on the rocky path before him. It had been falling most of the afternoon and now that the sun was slipping from the grey sky, darkness was creeping up upon him. He should of headed home, but he was on the trail to a place he had never been before, and the path that wound around the side of a mountain peak was just too inviting to turn back now. The snow was untouched here, and the scents that marked the walls was completely bare- no one had been here for a long time, which was strange because the path he followed, whilst fresh, was not hidden- why had no one been here recently?

Unable to stop his mind from wanting to know the truth, his paws obediantly followed the trail, his leather pads pressed into the snow, leaving his prints in the snow behind him as he followed the path, winding around and around until at last the path seemed to even out- no longer was it a steep incline, instead it opened out to the top of the mountain, but rather than a peak which continued up into the grounds, the mountain just stopped. Stopped dead flat. He stepped up onto the plateau, a vast expanse stretched before him, far wider than he might have expected, yet within the middle of the flat area rose a cluster, trees dead from the winter, mixed with boulders of all shapes and sizes formed some sort of fortress within the natural made walls. It was going to be a challenge no doubt to see just what lay within the centre- but he was always up for a challenge.

First, he walked the area. Pacing at a trot as he rounded the entire plataeu, his nose working over time for anything off beat, whilst his eyes were focused on the walls which rose up within the centre of the flatland. From the outside, it seemed impenetrable, but he would find a way.
By the time he made it back to to the path that had lead him up here, nightfall had fallen and the darkness loomed above him. The sky was darker than usual, with the snowclouds that loomed above, raining snowflakes onto his dark fur. Visability was perhaps a little more difficult than it should have been, but he was determined to find a way into the vault... besides, walking back down that winding path in the pitch black, was perhaps not the best idea. It appeared he would be camping out under the moon tonight- how very exciting.

It appeared that his next move should be to find shelter- with any luck the snow would not get any heavier. He might be able to sleep out in the open with the current levels of falling ice, but much more would be perhaps a little too much for him to deal with. Grunting, he moved back towards the island and began to pace the edges, his eyes scanning ever nook and cranny, hoping to find a way in and discover whatever secrets it offered... and maybe some shelter for the night too.

His afternoon had been full of aimless wandering. If he had been much younger in his years he might have considered the activity as some form of exploring but, as he was, the subordinate of Nomad's Pass was merely conducting a series of investigations. The active rabbit warren - consisting of two males and a number of does - he had been eyeing the past few days had somehow slipped his mind and it took him half an hour or so to realize why, aside from the snowfall, he had been disoriented. The spoke-like pattern of paths that radiated from his designated sleeping quarters did not help at the very least, especially if he had meant to be traveling in the opposite direction.

Nevertheless by nightfall Mapplethorpe had managed to ensnare one of the older female hares between his jowls. He was about to start heading back to his nook of a sleeping place when his path unexpectedly intersected his Leader's path. The earthy musk of the secluded forest and wind-scoured stone was unmistakable. Rhysis was going somewhere...

He secured his grasp on the lifeless doe, clamping his teeth further into the saliva-drenched down. His brow furrowed as he took one uneasy step into where Rhysis' own forepaw had been several minutes ago. He shrugged his shoulders after he came to a realization that he was being ridiculous. As far as he was concerned, he still held the ace and it was only in his best interests that his superior not come to any harm or unexpected misfortune. That being said, he was sure the weight he had recouped over the past month could be put to use if drastic measures required it of him.

Swallowing he began his ascent, breathing through his nose and blinking often to keep the snow from his eyes. Eventually the climb evened out and a grand plateau manifested before his feet. His concerned gaze swept over the area, his eyes straining against the dim moonlight and the never-ending curtain of flurries. He took a deep breath, standing still as he tried to pick out information among a list of scents. The dark man's footprints signalled that he was still present but his scent, and his scent alone, told him that Rhysis was on his own unless something or someone else inhabited the small grove in the center of the plateau.

If he hadn't been looking as hard as he had, Mapplethorpe could have easily missed the shadow that was skirting along the tree line. He skittered forward, his ears and tail lowered as he caught up to his master. Once confident he was within earshot, he set down his token and called to him through the snow, "You must have a death wish being out in the snow, exploring at this time of night."