The group stepped carefully into the deeper tunnels of the abandoned cave system, following faint markings etched into the stone walls. As they walked, the passages gradually widened, opening into vast chambers that once had been the heart of the old Kitsune clan settlement.
Renkai's eyes glimmered with both awe and sorrow as he led them forward. "This… this was once my home," he murmured, voice hushed. "Before the hunters came, before most of us were forced to scatter."
The first chamber they entered was vast, high-ceilinged, its walls painted with intricate murals. Time had dulled the colors, but the artistry remained breathtaking. Kitsune figures danced across the stone in flowing robes, tails swirling elegantly, their forms entwined with flowing streams of water, swirls of wind, flickers of fire, and sprouting vines of earth. Scenes of celebrations, rituals, and mystical practices were immortalized in sweeping brush strokes.
