Sous and Shadow stood underneath a tree as the rain poured on top of it. It had been raining for a few hours now and the only shelter they had, was standing under the trees. Mercy left to them via the size of the leaves.
The Alpha looked around them, using her antennas to try and see if she could see a nearby town or village. Hell, even a cave. She shook had head and slapped her thighs. The was nothing.
Sous turned to Shadow. "It looks like we gonna be out here for a while," the Alpha said.
Shadow nodded his head. The Omega then proceeded to look up, seeing nothing but green from the trees.
The Omega then proceeded to look around. He saw nothing but trees and bushes. He sighed. He was tired and hungry, but he didn't want to complain. He didn't want to be a burden to the Alpha.
Shadow watched Sous pace under the canopy, her antennas twitching with each step. Rainwater dripped from the broad leaves above.
Plinks!
The drops that echoed in the humid stillness. Her jaw was tight, fists clenching rhythmically at her sides, a physical manifestation of frustration battling exhaustion. He noted the subtle tremor in her hands, the way her damp clothes clung uncomfortably, the faint smudge of mud on her cheek where she'd wiped sweat earlier.
The forest seemed to press in, a suffocating wall of wet green, the air thick with the smell of loam and decaying leaves. Little dark clouds deepened as the storm clouds overhead churned, promising no respite.
"If the storm continues, maybe we ought to find another inn," Sous suggested.
Shadow nodded his head. "Yeah, but we will be getting further behind. Did you talk to Kara?"
"I sent her a parchment this morning," Sous said. She looked up at the sky and came to the conclusion they weren't going to be leaving any time soon.
She took a deep breath and squared down near the tree playing with her fingers.
"Should we try and a summon again?" Shadow asked.
Sous back up and waved her arms and called out, "Tilkalde!"
Puff!
"Oh wow!" She said rising up on little baby basilisk's head. She looked down at Shadow. "Alright, let's teleport there." Implying for Shadow to use the seal.
Sous jumped down from the large serpent and stood beside Shadow as he performed the seal. The ground and air cracked around them because of the magae and...they were gone.
Sous and Shadow stood on the path that they were on when Glinda had intercepted them. Little Baby Basilisk slithered off amongst the trees once it was revealed he was no longer needed.
As they walked further up the path, Sous saw wooden planks being used to show the way up toward the jungle's top. The Omega followed after her, the one not sure strong up here.
They came to a cave and entered inside, seeing torches fired up at the entrance. They crept in knowing there was going to be a presence somewhere.
Sous stepped forward, her antennas scanning the damp air. The cave walls glistened with mineral deposits, reflecting torchlight in fractured patterns. She motioned Shadow to stay close. They moved deeper, boots scuffing on uneven stone. The air grew warmer, thick with the mineral tang of hot springs and something else: burnt herbs.
Little dark images danced wildly as torch flames flickered in unseen drafts. Sous paused, her hand hovering near the hilt of her blade. A low hum vibrated through the rock beneath their feet.
Her antennas were able to inform her that there in fact people in the cave but they were much further about in the cave. Sous and Shadow would have to go deeper to interact with them.
Shadow pulled out a map. "So we are in Mingzi cave," he said looking at the paperwork.
"Do we have a map that show cases the inside of the cave and which direction to go," the Alpha asked.
Shadow knelt down on the ground. "That man back there sold us a lot of maps. Let me see," he said. He went from map to map until he pulled out one and handed it to Sous.
A sweat drop came over her. She didn't read maps and wasn't one for lay of the land, so she handed it back to him.
"Um," she said.
Shadow laughed and took the map back. "The cave has two directions. Both of which lead to the direction we're trying to go: to the artifact, the supposed artifact that is."
Sous' antennas vibrated with the low thrum emanating deeper within Mingzi Cave, a resonance felt more in the bones than heard. The map rustled softly in Shadow's hands as he traced a route with a grimy fingertip, the torchlight casting his concentrated frown in sharp relief against the damp, striated rock wall beside him.
Mineral-laden condensation dripped steadily from stalactites overhead, each drop of water echoing faintly in the humid stillness, punctuating the silence between them.
The air thickened perceptibly as they advanced, the burnt-herb scent intensifying, mingling now with a faint, acrid undertone like overheated metal.
Sous' ears twitched and she and Shadow moved out of the way of an individual with a sword who was trying to assassinate them.
"What do we do?" Sous asked.
"What do you mean?"
"These are Glinda's slaves. I don't want to hurt them if they're not even aware of what they're doing," Sous explained.
"Then knock them out then and I'll do the same," Shadow suggested. He wasn't as fast in his movements compared to when he was younger, but he was still abl to jump high with a twist. Using the the butt of the barrel shotgun to know the man out.
Thud!
"Just like that," he said. They continued to walk deeper and further into the cave in silence until they came to a fork.
Shadow looked at the map. "This is where we determine if we go up or down," Shadow said. He looked at Sous to see what the Alpha had to say.
Sous took a deep breath. "I want to go down," she then began to blush, thinking of Kara. Tiny little sweat drops appeared around her head. Shadow chuckled with the two agreeing to see each other at the top.