AW becoming grace

Tintalle,

Empress of Ithilien

Played by Nova

---

T

he Mountains had been quiet as she travelled quickly around them, ultimately coming around the bend to a path further north. The path was predominantly water with a few thick trees scattered to mostly one side of it, but she wanted to know her foot paths for the future. If she intended to stay here she needed to be able to walk the walk and talk the talk, literally. To tell others I don't know simply wouldn't do, especially when she could find little secrets.

It took her a while of wandering around within the embrace of the mountain's base to see an opening. A dark opening that enticed her in within seconds and led her further and further inward. Normally, she would've said wait for someone to help her so she didn't get lost but that voice was taking a vacation. Instead she was focused solely on following a path that was quiet save for the repercussion of her breathing until she could hear a gentle dripping noise. A noise that forced her even deeper into the Catacombs of Sarmenor.

Blue,

Lioness of Prideless

Played by Plymouth

---

From the southern tips of the world to the northern peaks. The woman headed back the way she'd come but she didn't intend to leave this place, no, any place without her previous damned pride was automatically better. Instead, she was investigating and poking around to see what she could find. It was what lead her deeper into the mountains and up to an area that led down deep, deep into the belly of the earth... Or what she assumed to be the belly. Her stomach still ached, but she'd caught a rabbit to fill a bit of the pit before. Although something else would certainly not hurt.

In any case, she wondered if there would be anything interesting --or tasty-- further down in this strange hole in the earth. Blue considered briefly if she should really go in... but then curiosity won out. What was that saying about cats and curiosity?

She could smell the scent of someone else here but would it matter? Perhaps the caverns were so vast that she'd never bump into them... or perhaps she would and she would get a feel for more of the lions that resided here.

Blue took one step in, and then another, and then she was steadily on her way inside. It was dark, humid, but it felt better than it did outside. Her eyes adjusted to the gloom, her ears could hear the faint sound of water as it grew louder and louder the further she went. There was also the unmistakable shape of another lioness, faintly outlined in the dark. There would be no weaving around the other and pretending like she didn't see here. So, she paused and then loudly cleared her throat in an effort to get the other's attention, if she hadn't already by her mere presence.

303| @Tintalle | notes

"Whatever it takes,"
I love the adrenaline in my veins

Lion © Michael Rodock | Coding & Manip © Plymouth

Tintalle,

Empress of Ithilien

Played by Nova

---

The maze that was laid out in front of her was more than challenging and for someone that had a hard time making a decision, this was certainly not for her. She didn't know whether to go left or right, or to even turn back. There were far too many choices to make and a little fear in taking the wrong one and getting lost as inevitable with her luck. However, if she were predispositioned to shout a string of cuss words, now would have been the time.

The arrival of someone else caught her off guard and she audibly gasped, jumping a little in place before turning around. Gently clearing her throat and exhaling. Wasn't quite expecting company in here, she expressed plainly. After all, who would go into the Catacombs and think they could maneuver through it? Certainly not her. Tintalle was good at mazes (she'd chosen one to live in and rule over, after all) but this was an extreme maze that one could easily feel claustrophobic within. Don't suppose you know your way through here? Or what's on the other side... if there's an exit? Just as soon as she'd asked, she realized that maybe this was just a cave with no exit. Perhaps there was no point being in here at all.

@Blue

Blue,

Lioness of Prideless

Played by Plymouth

---

The blue lioness hadn't exactly expected to scare the other lioness, she certainly didn't expect the jump and gasp. One eyebrow inclined slightly higher than the other but then she nodded in understanding when the other made it clear the reasoning for her surprise. It was pretty fair. After all, who would want to come down into the mountain catacombs for no reason?

Check one box next to Blue's name.

Her gaze, which had first been on the lioness, now roamed to the area before them. The tunnels that branched off this way and that. "Nope." Was her simple reply as she glanced at the other lioness and then back towards the branching tunnels before stepping past and forward. One ear was cocked back towards the woman just in case she tried anything funny, she'd hopefully hear it in time.

Then, Blue moved to poke her nose first into one tunnel and then the next. Considering their scents and then looking back at the other lioness so that she could belatedly answer the question. "Water, maybe." Or at least she thought so. She could certainly smell the sweet scent of deep mountain water. Well... both tunnels had the faint smell of water but one was slightly more powerful than the other.

Now, she stood in front of the tunnel with the slightly stronger scent of water. Pondering if she should go deeper or not to sate her own curiosity. To see what else there was to find... Was it worth it?

Maybe...

She began to look around for something then, searching the floors for an item that might help her.

270| @Tintalle | notes

"Whatever it takes,"
I love the adrenaline in my veins

Lion © Michael Rodock | Coding & Manip © Plymouth

Tintalle,

Empress of Ithilien

Played by Nova

---

In this land, she was someone that no one would really know but she had more than enough reason to alleviate that notion. Tintalle had a lot to offer and was prepared to give it to those who wanted to give her a chance. She wasn't a male so she couldn't boast that but she recognized that she was likely strong than at least half the male population. She could hold a candle to that, so to speak. When she happened to talk to strangers she attempted to keep that in mind, just as she did so now with the dark colored lioness.

Well fuck, a flutter of her lips as she prepared herself for what was inevitable: getting lost. Tintalle could work her way through a maze of trees but caverns were not her specialty. Not a whole lot of time spent on Mountains despite how often she enjoyed looking at them from afar. Yeah, i thought that was water that I heard. Perhaps worth it to check that out. Stumbling across some underground spring sounded magical but that was if she, or they, could even begin to make their way towards it. Not truly understanding what it was that the stranger was looking for (assuming a way to track the water), Tintalle began making movements towards one of the closest tunnels that smelled like the ocrrect tunnel. Maybe this way?

@Blue

Blue,

Lioness of Prideless

Played by Plymouth

---

Blue listened to the other lioness as she stepped forward. A glance was thrown to her, simply to make sure that she wasn't trying anything funny before she resumed her search for something on the ground. No matter how hard she looked around though, it didn't seem that there were any good rocks... The blue lioness snorted in frustration before picking up a rather oddly shaped one. Would this work?

She attempted to rub one end on the cave wall, to try to leave a trail or marking or something so that they could tell which tunnel they'd been down already. However, the rock wouldn't mark correctly and after a couple of tries her mouth just ended up hurting so she spat out the stone and it landed with a loud clatter. "Useless..." She grumbled in mild irritation.

Now, her seafoam eyes turned back to the woman as she nodded her head. Maybe they could find other stones along the way. "Yeah." The blue lioness agreed as she joined the other lioness at the tunnel and then with a flick of her tail, she began to walk down it. She didn't stop to see if the woman would follow or give much of a warning. The blue woman just assumed she would follow... or not if she wasn't up for maybe getting lost.

223| @Tintalle | notes

"Whatever it takes,"
I love the adrenaline in my veins

Lion © Michael Rodock | Coding & Manip © Plymouth

Tintalle,

Empress of Ithilien

Played by Nova

---

Tintalle was at least more prepared now to meet others who weren't quite on her own wavelength in terms of social etiquette. Those that weren't quite as talkative or perhaps more exuberant in their choices of words. While she couldn't see anything really terribly wrong with the way that this lioness talked or presented herself, she was assuming that this might be an acquaintance rather than a long-term friend. Tintalle loved to be proven wrong, though! So she was always interested in seeing how everything played out.

Tin's mouth opened casually as the woman murmured something with an exasperated expression. She didn't know what had been said but body language was a heavy factor and it wasn't anything productive or aimed at her. The Empress had had every intention of going this way so was quite relieved when she turned to look over her shoulder and saw the woman coming to this one with her. It meant not getting lost in a sea of caverns that could likely end up with both of them suffering if they weren't careful. In any case, she allowed enough relaxation to denote that she wasn't going to lead the charge and that her company was more than welcome to take lead if she felt inclined.

Meanwhile, Tintalle was more than happy to just sent for the water that was a small distance ahead of them. Down a tunnel that she would eventually find but with so many paths to take, it was clear that she'd be worrying about which one led there.

@Blue

Blue,

Lioness of Prideless

Played by Plymouth

---

The other woman allowed her to take charge which honestly, was a new feeling. Usually, others would push ahead or they'd contest her trying to do anything but not her. The woman seemed fine with following. Perhaps... perhaps she could share the idea that she had with her. As they walked along the Blue woman would look along the paths, casting her gaze from left to right as she tried to locate another rock. A better one. "Was looking for a stone. One to mark on the walls. To show where we've been." She glanced back with her bright seafoam eyes. "Maybe we won't get lost." If she could enact her plan and if it wasn't a dumb one. She didn't think so but maybe the woman would mention something that she hadn't thought of. "Can't find a good one..."

As they walked along, along branching path confronted them but Blue swung towards the one where the water smell was the strongest. She glanced back briefly to see if the other woman was still following or if she'd wanted to stop for one reason or another.

186| @Tintalle | notes

"Whatever it takes,"
I love the adrenaline in my veins

Lion © Michael Rodock | Coding & Manip © Plymouth

Tintalle,

Empress of Ithilien

Played by Nova

---

Through her two short years, she'd never had an itch to be the first one in the line up. She'd never desired to be first and the best, she just wanted to be helpful and considerate. Sure, others could label her as weak or too vulnerable and open to being taken advantage of but Tintalle didn't want to live her life being anything other than helpful. It was better if they worked as a team rather than two individuals searching for the water within. Even if it wasn't particularly the water she was looking for, just interested in seeing what the catacombs offered them.

That's a pretty good idea, though Tintalle quickly went to work examining her own options. Marking the wall by scent worked, just as rubbing your body on the walls - could also use claws to mark a way down, too. Claws would leave a lasting path where as a scent would disappear. Perhaps we could mark the walls with our claws, too? Leave a lasting mark. An option to put out there, as they followed the trickling sounds of the water. We can use our scents to get to the water and on the way out, we can mark over it with claws. That way we know exactly what path to take whenever we come back. She wasn't one to toot her own horn but the more light that her idea got the more excited she became by her idea. She just hoped there weren't any flaws.

@Blue