Private Tales Beyond the Veil

A private roleplay only for those invited by the first writer
Given items to map out the place, he did not stop talking while he built a map for the other man. "True. The first few weeks will be the most difficult, likely those that stole the name will do what they can to bring the game to light. As for what lights the place, bioluminescent organisms. As well, spelled crystals, faerie fire, and candles for the lesser fae." his hand stopped as it hovered over a trio of buildings. "And darkvision, like Mal has."

"The temperature is constant, think of a good whiskey cellar. Doesn't bother most of the Fae since they are rather resistant to hot and cold."

When he said he knew little more than the name, Trahaearn again stopped, giving him a deadly serious look, his tone carrying a heavy undertone of fear as he explained. "If you hear that name, this game is over. We are doing our best to avoid her. Nothing can trick her senses. She is the Queen of the Unseelie Court. As it is, if has been only a few days at court, and Queen Mab is none the wiser to what has happened to Mal. And we can only hope it stays that way."

"There have been rumors of unbalance in the mortal world. A black dog tied to it but we can talk about that later."

Trahaearn began attaching significance to each place that he could. Pointing out rivals, possible threats, and one place they could stop for supplies. He continued until Joseph decided to end the session, which had included several rounds of coffee. He waved the man out, his own mind weary from all the explaining that had to be done.

He did little more than laugh about his little map of crackers, whiskey, and hors d'oeuvres. He fell asleep with his face cradled in his palm, shirtless and sitting before a mess of a table.
 
She smiled softly as he, too, remembered she needed to eat. "And food," she agreed. His shifting wasn't unfamiliar to her now, and she watched patiently as he became his female self, then the Joseph she knew so well.

"Until tomorrow, Trahaearn," she said over her shoulder to her warlock, the small smile remaining as she bid him farewell.

Back in her room, the shuck dressed down into a pretty silk robe in the armoire as they waited for their dinner to arrive; it was a deep black with an array of florals embroidered across the shoulders and back, as well as a few smaller flowers playfully stitched at the edge of the sleeves. The food hadn't yet arrived when she had finished, so she flopped onto the bed with a loud poof. She sank slowly into the mattress and comforters with a giggle.

She was quite comfortably lazing in a mass of blankets when the bell chimed and the food was brought in. She simply lifted her head to watch and listen.

"This will do fine," she added to Joseph's dismissive wave. They departed and she rolled onto her side and propped her head in her hand when he brought the tray to the bed. She cocked a brow at his remark.

"The church left me chickens as offerings in older days," she informed him with a smile as she reached out for a golden strip. She paused, the morsel midway to her mouth. "Though they had feathers and innards still, and I got to chew on the feet for a few days. This is a bit different."

Their conversation carried them far away from the topic of chicken, and by the time she laid her head down on the pillow, curled in his embrace, she was smiling. Tomorrow she would worry -- to deny that truth would be to lie shamelessly. But for the night, at least, she set aside the uncertainties and fear of the journey ahead. Taking a deep breath of his scent, she let it go in a long sigh and allowed his heartbeat to carry her off to that dreamless sleep.


She awoke to the sound of the door, shortly followed by Joseph's flop into the bed beside her. The shuck lifted her groggy head. She squinted at the window, which had been opened to allow in the morning sun. The storms of the days prior had gone, leaving a chipper light that was entirely offensive to pour over the bed. Still exhausted, she pulled the blanket up over Joseph and herself.

"Did you talk to Trahaearn all night?" she asked, struggling to keep her eyes open as she lazily attempted to unravel him from her hair. She giggled softly as he wriggled deeper.

"How are we supposed to leave today if you two haven't slept? Your rest is important." She didn't want to admit that she would likely sleep just as long and hard yet as he would, in spite of the long evening of rest she'd already gotten.

// Joseph Meier //
 
Joseph, despite his ichor and snappy attitude, was a good student. He listened attentively, asked questions, and was respectful of the things Trah told him. After all, Mal relied on this. Their falsehood relied on this. He made a sketched copy of their map with notes, hastily scribbled in his shorthand. At the end of their session he had a serviceable map of the Unseelie Court. It would have to do. It was at least something to study from.

But oh how cruel that light was on his aching eyes. He kissed Shucks neck lazily and groaned. He did not want to get up. He was exhausted. “Five minutes.” He groaned, putting his arms around Shuck and pulling her close. This warm lovely bed was the last they would have for a very long time until they reached the court. He heard one of the little doors under their bed open, three little sphinxes coming out to whisk away chicken bones and lukewarm tea. They swept up crumbs quick as a flash, set out two new sets of clothing, fresh towels for the bathroom, and a hot carafe of coffee with a cold jar of cream for breakfast. Little round puff pastries filled with egg, cheese and bacon followed. Then chopped fruit, yogurt, and toast with butter.

Something heavy and warm was slid under the foot covers and Joseph jerked his legs away. The warmth spilled into the bed, relaxing his bones. He tentatively reached down with a foot and found a ceramic container with a long wooden handle that stuck out of the foot of the bed. It was filled with dying coals from their fireplace, which warmed the bed without scorching the sheets or burning their feet.

Then just as quick as they came the sphynx were gone. They had a little more difficulties with Trahs room, tutting at him as they gently moved the sleeping man onto the bed and cleaned up the “map”. He got the same service as Joseph and Shuck did, complete with a simple if fresh white shirt and black pants.

Joseph lifted his head to look at breakfast. He kissed Shuck’s shoulder. “I had to study. We can leave. I’ll lash my horse to your saddle and sleep in your lap.” He mumbled.
 
She pet him idly as the sphinxes worked throughout the room. Quietly raising the blanket to peek out, she saw trays being removed from the table, a paw running a rag over the table surface, and a fresh tray being set in their place. Tails alone could be seen over the height of the bed, and she fought the urge to laugh at the strange sight. When they finally departed, she sighed and lowered the blanket once more, but he was roused.

"You need to rest first," she said more firmly. Cupping his face, she gave him a deep, lingering kiss. Certain she had his attention, she withdrew and held his gaze. His eyes were bloodshot and dark circles made his face appear more gaunt than normal.

"Take off your brace. A few hours' delay will make no difference. We can eat a bit and I can inform Violet that we're not to be disturbed until you've had your rest."

Flipping back the comforter, she slipped into her robe and fetched the tray of breakfast. The hot drink smelled horrid, but at least there was sugar and cream with it. The shuck carefully climbed into the bed and set the tray down between them, then lounged with her head in her hand as she hastily popped one of the flaky bacon pastries in her mouth. She watched him for a moment, thinking.

"Was your late night fruitful, at least?"

// Joseph Meier //
 
Well, she was right. As long as they didn't dally too long, he supposed he could take a short nap. "Only a few hours." he told her. "The more time we waste, the more you fade. We have to get moving before midday." He sat up enough to unstrap his brace, setting it next to them on the bed. He kissed her cheek and curled up, putting his head on her knee. "It was. I learned a lot from him on the outline of the Court. The significance of certain places. Avoiding the queen." he gestured vaguely and yawned, kissing the skin under his cheek.

He closed his eyes, cuddling up with her and sleeping.
 
The shuck nodded along as he spoke, idly petting his hair. He fell asleep before she finished eating, and she snuck out from under him to set the tray aside once more. She quietly crept into the hall and rang her bell, summoning Violet and informing her that they would be resting until midday, at which time they would be leaving -- with Trahaearn.

With nothing further to keep her awake she curled back into bed with Joseph and, with a deep sigh, slipped off into that dreamless reverie.


The faewilds weren't much different than traveling through the mortal lands, unless you counted the spectres and shadows that Trahaearn insisted they ignore, the screeches and howls that filled the lengthening night, and the ominous shapes of creatures watching them from a distance.

It was unsettling, but more so was her fatigue. When they had set out from The Cat, she had been bright-eyed and (though anxious) ready to get to the court and face the trials ahead. But as each day passed, it grew harder and harder to wake up, to stay upright in the saddle after long days of maneuvering around time puddles.

Which had annoyed Trahaearn, initially. But after her firm insistence, he had set them a new course. It would add two weeks to their journey, making it a month and a half total. She had thought it was fine, but with her constant hunger and mounting struggle to stay awake, it was more troublesome.

Today marked their sixth day. She had done her best to conceal it from Joseph and Trahaearn, but this morning it had been all she could do to crawl out of her bedroll and into the saddle. Her stomach was gnawing at her spine, and her eyelids were heavy.

Trahaearn was explaining something to Joseph, she wasn't sure what, but her head bobbed and she barely managed to catch herself before she toppled out if her seat.

"I think I need a break," she said suddenly. She stopped her horse, ignorant of where they were and not much caring. It was another cold, dark wood, like all the others they'd passed through.

Swinging her long leg over, she rest her head on the saddle before rifling through her things for a stick of dried meat from her rations.

// Joseph Meier // Trahaearn //
 
Trahaearn was an odd sight, even in these woods. A large black dog, wearing a small bag that wrapped about it in two places. With a sword, as big as the beast, lashed to the bag a bit haphazardly. To boot, it looked to the two horses it accompanied and was speaking in the human tongue.

In their travelling, any spare minute was spent trying to ingrain all that he could teach Joseph about the Unseelie Court, it's members, and everything that was relevant to dealing with them. Habits, working on speech patterns. All the while ignoring the lurking presence of others around them. They were quite a sight after all.

Mal had made a point of wanting to avoid the time puddles, which wouldn't been a problem if that hadn't added more time to their trip. Although it had aggravated him to the point of needing to chew on something in his dog form, he had not fought with Mal. Instead, he bit his tongue and charted their new court. The mortal path to court seemed the best idea, since it seemed there were things they still needed to deal with. Or they didn't want to randomly jump through the puddles in fear of losing more time.

Everyday seemed to take just a little longer every morning to get going. The creatures around them didn't truly bother him in the usual sense. But he did make himself glance back every now and again to check on Mal as they talked, lest some malcontent being tried to snatch her from the horse. The first few days, nothing seemed terribly out of the ordinary save for leaving a tad later each sunrise. The last two days however had made Trahaearn look at her a bit more thoroughly. He had hoped these signs were not what they seemed, prayed to the storm god silently to himself that it was not as it seemed.

When Mal nearly fell out of her saddle, claiming she needed a break, Trahaearn trotted near to her and watched silently as she found something to eat. This didn't bode well for them at all. He had seen Fae fall into this state, just shortly before the afflicted Fae was swapped out for a human babe to pass away in the care of the Fae's new found parents. Trahaearn unknowingly whined as the thought invaded his mind. What had happened to her?

"Mal, are you alright?" Trahaearn asked, concern plain in his voice as he looked up to her, his eyes combing her face. Even in his dog form, the slight silver sheen glistened in his fur and eyes.
 
Joseph was initially positive about their ride out from the Cat. Kitty had given them rations for a king; dried salmon, little pastries wrapped in wax paper, fresh fruit packed in sand, jars of preserves, sugar, salt, coffee, smoked fish and sausages. They were stocked and stocked well, and Joseph was in quite a good mood when he could wake up early and get in a cup of decent coffee before he started in on his lessons with Trahaearn. He was a dedicated student, quizzing the man constantly. Court manners, table etiquette, food, drink, people, he needed to know it all to succeed. He spent as much time in it as in his own form.

The creatures around him he found hard to ignore...but they had to. With his lover growing more and more tired each day, they had to press on. He was worried about her. Every morning she got up later. She needed to take naps. Her appetite was so voracious he'd taken to hunting as a fox and catamount just to keep the amount of calories she needed in her. What was happening? He was in the middle of a lesson when he saw her head bob like a soldier on the march, and then she got down and struggled for food.

Joseph pulled up and dismounted, going to her and picking out some of the fruit and meat for her. He rubbed her back, kissing her cheek. "You're getting more and more tired..." he said softly. "We have to get your name back. You're fading. We're running out of time." He looked over at Trahaearn. "We need to move quickly. A month is too long, isn't there anything we can to to rejuvenate her, even a little bit?"

As he was quizzing Trahaearn as to what they could do...a pair of eyes were staring at Shuck from the woods. They were large and bright, welcoming. Pleading, even.

'You're so tired. Come with us and rest. Even a few hours would do you well. Yes, nothing but a few hours. You need so badly to rest your head...look at your eyes. So heavy.' A voice whispered, quietly, slithering into her ears and her ears alone.
 
The whine at her hip made her turn to look as she ripped the dried meat between her teeth.

"I'm tired," she replied simply. Anything more would have been approaching a lie, and she knew better than that. As much of an asshole as he'd been the first day, Trahaearn had been a devoted companion. He could be rude and tried his best to push Joseph's buttons, but he was invaluable to their plans. Deceiving him, even a little, felt wrong in a way.

Joseph dismounted beside her and began fretting. She knew he meant well, and she knew he was loaded down with the fear of her imminent demise. He'd lost love once before, she reminded herself.

But it was a lot to handle when she was already so tired she could barely keep on her feet. She took a deep breath, steadying herself and focusing instead on the woods beyond the horse. She didn't want to hear their conversation, didn't care to consider her mortality any more than she already did.

The thoughts invaded her groggy mind and she frowned. Pausing her chewing, she gave the men a half-lidded look over her shoulder.

"I need to lie down." And she did. Her whole body yearned to lie down in the underbrush and steal a couple of hours. Harmless, really. Just a nap, and then they'd be on their way. Without waiting for their reply, the shuck began to walk around the horse.

// Joseph Meier // Trahaearn //
 
She gave him a simple answer, and given that they had been travelling a lot, he could understand that since she likely wasn't used to riding horseback. She moved away and stared into the woods, pausing her ripping and tearing at the dried meat. He poked his head around her to look where she was, and saw nothing more than trees.

When she began toward the trees however, the dog plodded in front of her, doing its best to stop her. "Hey, stay on the trail. We can camp right here." he would have snapped his fingers in her face had he the digits to do so.
 
Joseph frowned. He wasn't sure what was happening, or why she was trying to go into the bushes. "Here, we'll pitch the tent and you can rest for a little bit here on the road, where it's safe." he tried to convince her. He was worried. Wandering off, eating like a starving dog, sleeping too much. What had happened to his precious Shuck? Was this what it was like when a fae just...began to bleed away into the ether of the world? He looked at Trahaearn in concern. "Listen, there must be some place, some way we can give her some of her energy back. I don't think it's travel. I think it's being so long without her name, and being in this place." he said softly to the dog.

The eyes in the woods didn't waver. 'The brush is so nice and soft. You don't want to sleep in that human contraption do you? You want to sleep in the wild, with the embrace of the trees and the whisper of the wind, enrobed in the magic you were born in. Come. I have a safe place. Safer than on the road. Soft, and full of magic.' the voice whispered alluringly to her. If she followed it off of the trail, she would fall, quickly and hard. Down into a deep cavern decorated in shining toys, glass bits, baubles, gems, stuffed animals and other oddies. A swirling kaleidoscope of soil and color all rolled into one...and bringing her down into a deep cave at the heart of it.
 
She hadn't gotten far before Trahaearn stepped in front of her, and both men attempted to persuade her to stay on the path. Frowning, she allowed the warlock to herd her away from the trees with a final longing look. When she looked back at them, her heavy eyes were a glassy red.

"I just want to lie down for a bit," she said slowly. Her voice was slurred by exhaustion. "That's all. There's no need for us to make camp here." It wasn't even midday. She just needed a little nap. Not much, just to close her eyes fir a little while and she'd be right as rain again.

But at their insistence, she sat down on the path. Sitting with her hands around her knees reinforced how hungry she was, and she groaned in complaint.

"And I'm hungry." But now that she was on the ground, it became far more difficult to keep her eyes open. Flashes of crimson caught the sunlight as she tried her damnedest to stay awake, a challenge she was rapidly losing. She laid her face in her knees and wobbled from side to side as she began to fall asleep.

// Joseph Meier // Trahaearn //
 
Trahaearn did not relent, eventually winning as she moved back from the trees. His gaze fell upon her eyes when she knelt down, and his hackles rose. "Magick." he spat, the words almost coming out as an angry bark. He nudged Joseph while he stared at the woods she had made for. "Get this pack off me, I need my hands."

He knew well that the silver coloration of Mal's eyes were a falsehood, a glamour she kept up to appear less than what she truly was if only to lull the unwary. The glaring red of her eyes meant something was very wrong, and had been directed at her only. The silvery sheen in his coat danced along the raised hairs at his neck, his low growl almost constant now.

"Stay close to her, and do not move to help me." he snapped, the teeth in his muzzle gnashing in strange ways as he spoke. Rage returned to him, building at the thought of something already attempting to attack Mal before they had even made it a full week into their journey.

How dare you, Trahaearn thought to himself as the adrenaline ramped up, his entire body tense.
 
Joseph knelt down to his Shuck, taking her hands in his. “You can’t sleep here...look, we can stop early for the day but we have to find a campground. We’re not going to sleep in the middle of the damn road.” He was trying, but worry stained his voice. She was tired, unnaturally tired, and the red of her eyes meant it was serious. He stroked her cheek, unsure of what he could do to help her.

He looked at the woods she’d made for. Trahaearn seemed to think something magical lured her there. He frowned and stood up, taking the pack off of Trah and slinging it over the back of his horse. Magic. There was something wrong in those wood. Something he could feel in his bones. A coldness. He stayed close to Shuck as he was bidden.

Then he spotted them. A pair of eyes in the shadows of the trees. There was an uncomfortably long figure behind them, and Joseph could see insect-thin legs moving through the branches. ‘Come and sleep.’ The voice urged Shuck. ‘You are safe here....sleep and rest.’
 
With the pack off, he shifted into his human form. The clothes that had been laid out for him covered him as he grabbed the blade from the sheath and advanced. He didn't pay attention to what Joseph was doing, had told the man his job. Now it was time to do his job.

His eyes focused, seeing something staring back before limbs moved. The blade found rest on his shoulder, lazily walking around the tree to see it better from the other side. The silver side down, cold iron present in both the blade and pommel. His smile was wide and cold, gaze fixed on the eyes tied to the limbs.

"Hey, pay attention to what's around you." Trahaearn called to it, the blade singing as he swiped downward with it from his shoulder.
 
Joseph watched the creature. It was looking at them, long limbs adjusting slowly in the trees like some sort of gargantuan spider. He shuddered and knelt next to Shuck, stroking his hands through her hair. “Come on...you’re not tired. It’s magic. Fight it.” He tried to urge her, at the same time trying not to attract attention to them. He didn’t know what he could do against such a creature; he’d never seen a fae like that before.

Luckily the creature’s attention seemed to be on Trahaearn when the man shifted back into a human. The creature slowly drew back into the trees, eyes firmly affixed on Trahaearn. Joseph couldn’t help but be fascinated; from what he could see, the creature had eight limbs; three pairs of arms so slender they looked like they’d shatter under the creature’s own weight, and smaller legs tucked up under its body. It’s head was narrow and long, balanced on a thin neck and suffering under hunched shoulders. Joseph felt uncomfortable just looking at it.

The creature easily moved back away from Trahaearn’s swipe, moving slightly higher into the trees.

Joseph moved to try and pick up Shuck...only to notice she was sinking. The road had suddenly taken on the quality of thick pudding or molasses, and Shuck was rapidly sinking. “Trahaearn! Forget the fae!” He shouted, diving after her. Joseph scrambled to get his arms under hers, but the harder he yanked the faster she sank. The road crumbled, and Shucks weight was torn out of his arms and down a long, narrow hole. Joseph pitched halfway into it himself, catching on...a toy? He stared at the gaily painted wooden horse he’d caught hold of, stuck into the wall. From what little sunlight he could see, there were thousands. Stuffed dolls, bits of bright cloth, multicolored glass, strings of beads, candles, and coins. He shoved himself back up onto the road, scrambling away from the hole.

The creature Trahaearn faced flashed a sharp-toothed grin at him, and scuttled upward into the trees and out of his reach.

“Trahaearn! Damn you, get over here!” Joseph shouted, peering into the sinkhole in the road. He couldn’t see her. Everything beyond three feet into the hole was shrouded in black.

Shucks fall was long, and twisting. She hit a rather soft bottom lined with rugs and lit candles, the swirling hallway of bric-a-brac looming in front of her. The hallway was barely tall enough for Joseph to stand upright, let alone Shuck. The place didn’t smell; far from it. There was an alluring scent drifting down the hallway. Fresh fruit, spiced wine, candied nuts...the scents coalesced and coated the hallway. The floor was awash in a hundred rugs of various sizes and colors, appearing like a circus had vomited out all of its spare cloth to line the monsters hallway.
 
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It was too difficult, staying upright. She wobbled, teetering to the side, she barely managed to catch herself before she would have otherwise hit the trail. Bracing herself on her hand, she slowly laid herself down with a small groan.

"So... tired..." She turned her head toward Joseph as he ran his fingers through her hair, but her eyes wouldn't open anymore. Her eyelids were too heavy to fight and she sagged into the grass and dirt, craving the release of sleep. Yet it wasn't toward that dreamless nothing that she felt herself being folded into but--

The ground gave away suddenly and she was falling, rolling and tumbling through a tangle of wood and glass and fabric until landing at the softened bottom of the tunnel. Far softer than any other part of her fall, she laid in a heap for several moments squeezing her eyes shut against the pain of the bruises and scrapes marring her silver skin. Her clothes were torn and scuffed from colliding with... She looked up, taking in the clutter jammed into the walls of the tunnels. Toys, trinkets, candles, bottles, jewelry; it made little sense to her jostled mind.

But she had a feeling that wherever she'd fallen wasn't safe. Jarred by the fall, she had reclaimed a portion of her wits, but she was still sluggish and weary as she rose onto her knees, reaching up into the tunnel she'd fallen through. She didn't trust the other path, didn't like the promise of sweets that made her stomach turn sour.

"Joseph," she called. Her body hurt, battered and scraped from the fall. Reaching up, she fought against the tangle of rubbish. She was afraid, knowing that wherever she'd fallen was a dangerous place. The Unseelie Court consisted of all manner of dark and malicious fae, and she didn't want to know what might have set the trap she'd fallen into.

"Trahaearn. I'm here." She couldn't even see daylight through the twists of the shaft, turning sharply away from her. It would be a long and laborious struggle to the top, she was certain, but she wasn't even going to consider taking the other route. The sweet scents drifting toward her made her gorge rise, and she forced herself to swallow back the urge to vomit as she braced herself to climb back up.

// Joseph Meier // Trahaearn //
 
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Trahaearn spat at the creature when it climbed higher, backing away while keeping an eye on it as best he could. Joseph called for him, twice, and he had heard a scuffle or something from that direction. He turned to Joseph when he ran into the horse, finding a tunnel where Mal had been.

"Oh no, this just couldn't go along without a hitch, could it? Damned Fae always up to no good." Trahaearn's tone completely sarcastic and rhetorical as he didn't stop to consider what he was doing. Hopping down into the tunnel, he half crouched and held the sword tight to his body, point up with the guard flat against his chest.

"Come on then sleepy head! Wake up!" Trahararn called down into the tunnel as he fell. Hoping Mal had moved at least a little so that he didn't feel bad about landing on her. He did however, land on Mal. As best he could do in mid air, which even for someone like him wasn't much, tried to pull away from her. He crumpled like a pile of clothes to her side.

"This has got to be the largest collection of junky, useless, rubbish, I have ever seen. Well, felt anyway." Trahaearn griped, after collecting himself off the floor and moving a little into the tunnel, trying to see where they were.
 
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Squashing his lover wasn’t what he’d had in mind. Joseph glared down into the hole at the both of them. “You’re supposed to climb down not break her ribs you fucking ape!” He snarled down at Trahaearn. Joseph took a more careful route down. He shifted into a rat, carefully bounding from toy to toy and sliding down a colorful piece of fabric down to the other two. He wiped the dirt off of his tiny paws, twitched his nose at Trahaearn, and shifted back into a human.

The tunnel yawned in front of them. Joseph could stand, even if he had to duck to avoid bits of lanterns, rocking horses and stuffed animals. Trahaearn and Shuck were much too tall; they’d have to transform or crawl. Joseph sighed and looked back up at the hole. “I can climb back up...but you lot can’t.” He reasoned aloud. He didn’t have much longer to think about it. The hole began to close up, shifting piles of dirt, rock and toys until the road healed itself. Joseph heard a faint whinny of surprise. “Great.” He muttered, and glanced down the hallway.

The sweet smell was...odd. Joseph curled his nose and moved to help Shuck get up a bit. “We’ve got to get moving. It didn’t follow us down here so it’s got to have a den entrance somewhere. Clever shit, tunneling under the road like that.” He muttered. “You don’t happen to have flint on you?” He asked Trah.

Joseph picked up a heavy glass bear and smashed off the curved arm of a rocking horse poking out of the wall, yanking the wood up and covering the end with a rag.
 
She heard Trahaearn's voice and felt a moment of relief before debris began to rain down gently from above her. Was he digging her out? Only a few moments of confusion passed before the warlock's body tumbled through the turn in the tunnel and landed squarely on top of her. Hitting the cushioned ground, all the air whooshed out of her body and she laid on the ground, groaning softly, before pushing herself back onto her hands and knees.

Not bothering to rise any further, she saw Joseph appear as a black rat, dust himself clean, then shift back to himself. Still getting her bearings, she hung her head and winced against the pain in her shoulder and hip. She'd been thoroughly abused between the tunnel and Trahaearn, and it would take her a moment before she sat up again.

"Where are we?" She looked around as Trahaearn lit their makeshift torch. Not that she had needed it -- her vision pierced the darkness with no issue.

// Joseph Meier // Trahaearn //
 
"Well, it looks like a den. Or maybe just a bunch of tunnels, but whatever it is, has a serious problem about gathering stuff. Sorry about landing on you, it was the quickest way down." Trahaearn spoke as the torch was lit. The walls were littered with what he considered rubbish. A collection of toys and odd dust collectors stuck out of the walls of the tunnel. His eyes not staying on one thing to long, always watchful for movement.

The sword held ready to stab at his side, he stepped away from the other two a moment, his arm still within reach of them as he looked around. "If it is was in the tree, how did it tunnel beneath us? But you are right, we need to move. Find something to mark where we have been."
 
Joseph kissed Shucks cheek and shook his head at Trahaearn. “I don’t know why you attacked it.” He muttered, using the torch to examine some of the things on the walls. He was noticing a theme with the toys and bright colors. It was somehow more menacing than if the place had been decorated with bones. He rolled his eyes at Trahaearns comment. “The tunnel was here far before us. Think about it. It tunnels under the road and waits for travelers. You saw it in the trees but fuck knows where these tunnels meet up at, or where the entrance is. If you noticed the hole Shuck fell down as far too small for something that big.”

He looked down the passage, then up at the wall of dirt between them and their horses. “Nothing for it.” He muttered. “We have to get out. I don’t want to get cornered when that thing comes back.”

Trahaearn was right...something to track their progress. He searched the walls, wandering a few feet down the tunnel until he found what he was looking for. Glass. He held the bright pink bauble over his torch, watching it blacken with smoke. He shoved the glass into the soil. “There. A black marker. We can also track the scent of burning...since this place seems to smell like a sweet shop.”

The blackened glass stuck out like a sore thumb in the glittering assortment. Joseph went to Shuck and kissed her cheek, putting his hand on hers. “Are you alright? Was that thing luring you to sleep?” He questioned softly.
 
She wanted to lean into the kiss on her cheek, to lean into Joseph and let those warm arms hold her as she drifted into sleep. Instead, she listened to them until she was getting steady enough to get to her feet.

Hanging onto the walls, more specifically the garbage in it, she stood as well as she could. She was nearly doubled over, stooped so her face didn't scrape against the items firmly pressed into the tunnel ceiling.

Joseph blackened a glass orb, which helped eradicate the sickeningly sweet scent cloying the air.

"I'm not sure. I was already so tired, I thought I should go lie down. But I don't know if I thought of that or..." Her voice fell away. She wasn't sure, and when she tried to think back things seemed unclear.

"What was that thing?" She looked to Joseph, hoping he would understand what was happening -- because she sure didn't.

// Joseph Meier // Trahaearn //
 
After lighting the makeshift torch, and giving Joseph an approving nod at his choice, Trahaearn addressed Mal.

"I honestly could not tell you what this thing is. I don't deal a whole lot with things outside of the court." Trahaearn explained as he slowly pushed forward. "If you want to ask, you can after we get out."

Trahaearn led the way as best he could considering he was half crouched. He watched the ceiling and walls, mindful of any opening or crevice that presented itself.
 
Joseph shook his head. “I don’t know.” He said softly, patting Shucks shoulder and heading down the tunnel. He looked at Trahaearn as they walked down the tunnel. It would be easier on both of them if the others transformed. He cleared his throat. “Stop stooping over...shift back into the Shucks. It will be easier on you. Dogs can see in the dark and you’re both too tall for the tunnel.”

The tunnel was long, and the going was slow. Joseph had to be careful to pick his way over the toys and garbage, frowning. It looked like a hundred lifetimes of children’s toys. Many of them were worn, though he wasn’t sure if it was the environment or if they had been actually played with at some point. Thankfully, they didn’t have to endure the claustrophobic place for long. It opened up into a room. The piles of toys, glass and fabric fell away to tiles. A roaring fireplace that wouldn’t have been out of place in a country estate was set into the far wall. It was strangely homey, and a table full of freshly cooked food sat before them. If Joseph hadn’t just walked down that tunnel he’d have sworn they stumbled into the kitchen of some rolling manor owned by a humble merchant.

“Don’t touch anything...” he said quietly. It wasn’t natural. Everything looked so right and felt so wrong. He crossed the kitchen carefully and inspected the pot over the fire. Empty. There was a passage diving back into the twisting passageways. Joseph was about to make for it when he saw something shift at the end of it. He gritted his teeth, backing up to stand in front of Shuck and holding the torch aloft.

“You don’t have a name...” a whispering voice said from the passage. “But I know who you are...when I was at Court.” The creature unfolded itself from the passage, heading toward them on those spindly limbs. He kicked something and Joseph eyed it when it rolled out onto the tile. A skull. A very small skull. Suddenly it all made sense. The toys, the scents, the food. All to lure in children. This thing preyed on the young.
 
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