Larkcall Lowlands if i lose myself tonight

Subterritory Discovery: Larkcall Caverns
Description: North of Windsong Fjord on the eastern hemisphere of Larkcall Lowlands resides a series of interwoven caverns that feed through much of the land between Whitestone Monadnock and Kingsfall. There are multiple ways in and out, but each is hidden throughout the land in subtle dips in the land or underneath readily overlooked stones. Voices echo readily in the caverns and where light filters through, there is an illusion of waterfalls that keep visibility high within the tunnels.
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Wraith couldn't decide if he was annoyed or amused that @Morganna insisted on him taking @Piety out on patrol with him. The Northerner relished his alone time on said patrols, but wondered if her reasoning really was as simple as concern for all the time he spent alone while traveling back and forth in the mountains. As it was hardly the female's fault, he resigned himself to polite conversation. It wasn't all bad. She was a packmate, after all, and Wraith knew he had to reintegrate himself back into the ranks rather than holding himself off to the side. A Second couldn't function well from the outside looking in. He sighed. Perhaps Morganna had a point there. The pair had been trotting in silence for some time, though his companion didn't seem affected by it. While Wraith would have been content to continue the patrol in silence, guilt nagged at him. Finally, he relented and looked down at her with a smile while they moved."You know, I never did ask how you came to join Whitestone. Was it the area that drew you?" he wondered, clueless to the fact that his Alpha knew of her before this. It still had not clicked that the female with the missing ear was the very same as the one he'd heard of in Morganna's tales. Already, the pair were angled south on the eastern side of the lowlands, hovering somewhere between Whitestone and their ally pack, Hearthwood River. Wraith couldn't count the number of times he'd walked this same path, so it came as a surprise when the land beneath his paws seemed to give way. "Move!" he called out in warning too late. He had only the time to tense in preparation to run when the hard, pebbly soil beneath him sifted down and carried the pair of them with it. Wraith landed hard on his side, the breath knocked from him when Piety fell on top of him. Light filtered from above from the depths of a cavern.

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de

You'll find me burning bridges
searching for some sense of distance
tearing out post trauma stitches
that held me together

She didn't mind trips with @Wraith but she sometimes wondered if he minded them. They could travel in silence for some time and during those times she often slunk behind him like a child in shame. The pale woman knew he didn't hate her and clearly didn't find her that much of a bother but she still felt bad. There wasn't the constant chattering and touching like with @Lorcan. Sure, Wraith and Pi shared touch in plays and politeness but it just wasn't the same. She just had to remind herself everyone was different.

His smile was met with a weak smile of her own, still feeling like a burden. "I knew Morganna when I first entered these lands. Ran into her again when I returned. We hunted and she made an offer to me, clearly one I didn't pass up." Her tail swayed limply behind her. She perhaps left out a ton of details but he would learn in time. Those who didn't already know from Craw or Morganna of her past would surely learn by spending more time with her.

Before she knew it the ground beneath them felt so different before it seemed to disappear. The last thing she heard was Wraith's voice before she landed on him. With a groan, she rolled off of him. "I'm sorry, Wraith. I-I wasn't prepared." Her tones were a gentle whine. All she could see was red sand surrounding them as light from where they fell made way into the darkness.

# C W T

The revelation left Wraith thinking again of the white wolf @Morganna had torn an ear from for some affront he couldn't recall. The conversation had been so long ago and it had only captured his interest because it was the first insight he received into how vengeful Morganna could be when she wished. Again, the northerner had to believe it was coincidence that she knew her. What sane wolf would willingly join the pack of someone who had committed such a vicious act against them? And @Piety didn't strike him as loopy. Though, of course, competition for the loopiest wolf would always go to Sylva in his opinion. Anything further he would have said on the subject was quickly dashed against the rocks as their pair of them fell. Wraith hardly heard her apologies as he struggled to his feet and coughed in an attempt to recapture his escaped breath. The momentary panic eased when his lungs filled with air. Belatedly, his mind processed what it was she'd said. "Not your fault," he assured, blinking about dazedly. "Are you alright?" From what he could see, she was sound. Sensing her mood, he licked at her crown and rubbed shoulders with her in comfort before turning to peer around their new prison. Layered limestone walls were stacked around them while light filtered down like a waterfall, bathing the cavern in a soft light. Wraith sneezed as tiny dust particles continued to filter down from above and tickle his nose. Beneath his paws was a later of silty sand, soft and yielding unlike the harsh, prickly terrain of the lowlands. Relieved to see the caverns were fairly large and readily traveled, he sighed. No way were they getting out the same way they'd fallen in. "Forward or back? Your choice," he invited with a lifted brow and an ironic smile. Nothing about their current situation should be lending a smile, but he preferred to see it as an adventure when there was still a chance for them to get back home in one piece.

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de

typed from the phone so will fix typos and make post prettier with a table later<3

Sand covered and a bit sore, she raised to her paws. She heard his question then felt his touch. Very briefly the Santoro buried her muzzle into his side. "Just a little sore. I think I'll be alright. Will you?" Her voice was a soft whisper that seemed louder than it was thanks to the tunnels walls. Red toned sand clung to her fur as she watched her company. He almost seemed unfazed by the fact they'd just fallen into a network of tunnels that led only god knows where.

Piety politely reflected his smile with her own. "You always make me pick." Her voice was a friendly tease as her muddy colored eyes looked around the area. The light above them showed them a few ways to go and Pi hesitantly took a few steps forward ahead of Wraith before turning her head back to look at him. "I say we go forward." Her voice filled with confidence as that lush tail (currently looking a little red from the sand mingling with her pelt) swayed behind her pale form.

With no more hesitation in her step, she went ahead and began trotting onwards. "Hey, Wraith. You think anything lives down here?" Her eyes searched to find her giant, dark companion in the fading light.

# C W T

"I'll manage," he murmured, golden eyes casting about for any clue as to which way to go. Settling on going with Piety's decision, he bit back a laugh at her observation. It took great effort, but Wraith thought he managed to pull off a neutral voice when he told her, "So when we go the wrong way, I can blame you." Of course, the merriment in his eyes was harder to hide, though perhaps the limited lighting would help him in that matter. No matter what his face said, he had little doubt she would catch his humor. He had to admire her confidence. The way she didn't question herself was refreshing. So many others would waffle at such a decision, complaining on how there was no clear cut answer. Piety just went with her gut and stuck with it. Despite himself, he grinned, satisfied enough to follow along. For being a Second, Wraith wasn't especially stern on ranks, preferring to let his packmates explore opportunities to learn their limits. Perhaps it was the teacher in him that enjoyed watching them discover themselves. Or perhaps it was just the asshole in him that took amusement out of watching them grow frustrated when they reached said limits. At least he didn't let them flounder. When the white wolf led on ahead, her question floated back, echoing around the caverns in a musical way that had Wraith tilted his head to better enjoy the sound. He snorted. "Why do you think you're in the lead? When we come across a bear, I'll at least have a head start." He wasn't often so verbally playful, but found he enjoyed trading barbs with her. Was that why Morganna had continually thrust her at him? Not a bad choice if she wanted him to become sociable to more than just Craw and herself.

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de

Shallow water has trapped several fish in a small pond. Hunt Opportunity

Piety couldn't hold back her laughter at his, hopefully, joke. "Is that so? Seems fair if I get to claim the rewards in case I make the right decision." In a rather relaxed manner she kept moving down the tunnel. It became darker the further they strayed from the entrance they came from. Her nose sniffed along to make sure there was no unwanted company in the darkness. Last thing she needed was to wind up in trouble with one of the most liked, higher ranking wolves in the Monadnock.

He made another jabbing joke and she smirked, if he could see it was a mystery to her. "Oh yeah? And while I'm so boldly fighting a bear is that head start going to give you time to figure out what you'd tell Morganna and Craw?" Her tones obviously held a joking manner to them. The pale Santoro was simply having fun with the exchange of jabs. She only really did that with one other wolf, Morganna. So it was nice to have someone else she could joke around with. Lorcan was always fun to be around but she never dared to make harsh jokes like these around him, mostly out of fear of how he'd react.

# C W T

As the pair traveled through the tunnels, Wraith had no feeling of unease. He doubted it was just the enjoyable company that left him feeling so comfortable. These tunnels felt barren. As if it had been ages since any set paw down here. Any scents were as stale as the dust that still threatened to have him sneezing again. Even thinking of it sent him into another short fit. Recovering, Wraith laughed outright at her pluck. "'She jumped right into its mouth. There really wasn't anything I could do. I barely escaped with my own life. We should keep the pups away from those caverns for sure. It's a death trap.'" He babbled on with amusement, the story growing with the telling. "'Not sure what she got in her head, taking on a bear like that. Must have been for love.'" He was grinning like a cheshire cat now, delighted with his teasing as his tail wagged behind him. He didn't point out that even if Wraith had the mind to kill her himself, Craw and Morganna would be the first to help him hide her body. Not that it was ever a possibility. The man's morals wouldn't even let him entertain that as a joke to bring up. "Can you see anything up ahead?" he wondered. All he could get from his position was a startlingly fine view of her backside.

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de

Voices in these caves echoed slightly but she still heard his story loud and clear. Piety could help but pause in her tracks, sticking her nose up towards his face with a grin. "Whose affection am I getting for attacking a bear head on, lover boy?" She nosed his neck with a giggle before returning to leading them onwards through the tunnel. It seemed Wraith had a way of getting under her skin, in the best way possible.

Her muddy eyes squinted to look ahead into the darkness as he questioned what she could see. "Mmm, I might be seeing a sliver of light up ahead unless my eyes deceive me. Doesn't guarantee a way out, though." Her shoulders shrugged and she kept up her pace. She didn't worry about going too fast because she knew that Wraith was following along close behind her. Piety's tail swayed behind her in an even rhythm. While this was certainly not the way she had intended her day to go she figured being stuck in some tunnel system with Wraith was better than finding nothing and going home still hungry for adventure. "Despite being mostly dark this place isn't all the bad, you know. Could make for a good hideout or quick travel system." The Santoro couldn't help but smile at the thought of having found something so new. It was obvious either nothing had discovered this place yet or whoever did first was long gone.

# C W T

"The bear's, clearly," Wraith pointed out as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Though difficult to see in the failing light, his eyes did nothing to hide the amusement written so plainly there. @Piety was alright, he decided. Even if he tried, the northerner doubted he could dislike her. She had a sharp wit, sharp tongue, and a keen mind for seriousness when required. There was little more he could ask for in a packmate. "I was thinking the same," he murmured, muzzle turning back behind them to peer down the tunnels curiously. Even after they found their way out, he intended to back track to see just how far they could go before the caverns became too slim to continue forward. Ahead, he spotted another ray of light that drizzled in from above through a small crack in the terrain. It was a wonder that these tunnels didn't collapse in on themselves from rain or the movement of herds. He supposed this part of the lowlands saw fewer movements from larger herds, but they certainly weren't impervious. A puzzle for sure. Easing back into teasing form readily, he laughed. "You sure about your decision to go this way?" For some reason, the brute felt no concern that the pair could be trapped down here indefinitely. Even if they had to figure a way out through one of the cracks above that allowed light to drip down, he'd damn well figure it out. Of all the ways he'd imagined dying, getting lost and stuck in some dark hole did not rank anywhere in the realm of possibilities.

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de