"Look, going this way could be way faster than going around!" Phillip insisted. "This tunnel could get us through this mountain in hours!"
"Or it could lead to a mess of mazes we could get lost in and never find a way out." Matilda retorted sharply. "Or lead us to a family of hungry bears. Or lead us to a crack in the earth's surface in which we could fall into. Or lead us to a bandit's hideout. Or lead us to an End portal and one of you knuckleheads hop in and get roasted by the Ender Dragon."
"What?"
"Nothing."
Phillip rolled his eyes. "Or it could lead us to where we want to go."
"Or it could be a dead end."
"Well, if it's a dead end we can just retrace our steps and go around." He raised his eyebrows pleadingly. "Come on...We won't know until we try it! Where's the adventure in that?"
"I figured you might want to live a little longer so you could have more than one adventure."
Cole joined in. "Yeah, come on Matilda! If there's a sign of danger we'll leave, OK?"
She glared at him from under the brim of her pointed hat. "Your stupidity alone is a sign of danger."
"Aw, come on, it'll be fine!" Phillip insisted persistently.
Matilda scowled at the boys from her seat on the stallion. Liana was silent, gazing sightlessly away from the group, though you could tell she was listening.
The witch muttered. "If I refuse, you'll never let me hear the end of it, will you?" She glared at the reins she held. "If we go around, you two will whine and cry about how much faster it would have been if we did it your way." She sighed. "Youth is truly wasted on the young."
She nudged her horse and headed for the cave. "Don't say I didn't warn you."
Cole and Phillip exchanged smug glances at each other, and followed Matilda. Liana's face was expressionless, as if lost in thought.
At the dark mouth of the tunnel Matilda slipped off her black horse and used the reins as a lead. She took out her wand from its sheath and muttered. "Lumos."
"Look, going this way could be way faster than going around!" Phillip insisted. "This tunnel could get us through this mountain in hours!"
"Or it could lead to a mess of mazes we could get lost in and never find a way out." Matilda retorted sharply. "Or lead us to a family of hungry bears. Or lead us to a crack in the earth's surface in which we could fall into. Or lead us to a bandit's hideout. Or lead us to an End portal and one of you knuckleheads hop in and get roasted by the Ender Dragon."
"What?"
"Nothing."
Phillip rolled his eyes. "Or it could lead us to where we want to go."
"Or it could be a dead end."
"Well, if it's a dead end we can just retrace our steps and go around." He raised his eyebrows pleadingly. "Come on...We won't know until we try it! Where's the adventure in that?"
"I figured you might want to live a little longer so you could have more than one adventure."
Cole joined in. "Yeah, come on Matilda! If there's a sign of danger we'll leave, OK?"
She glared at him from under the brim of her pointed hat. "Your stupidity alone is a sign of danger."
"Aw, come on, it'll be fine!" Phillip insisted persistently.
Matilda scowled at the boys from her seat on the stallion. Liana was silent, gazing sightlessly away from the group, though you could tell she was listening.
The witch muttered. "If I refuse, you'll never let me hear the end of it, will you?" She glared at the reins she held. "If we go around, you two will whine and cry about how much faster it would have been if we did it your way." She sighed. "Youth is truly wasted on the young."
She nudged her horse and headed for the cave. "Don't say I didn't warn you."
Cole and Phillip exchanged smug glances at each other, and followed Matilda. Liana's face was expressionless, as if lost in thought.
At the dark mouth of the tunnel Matilda slipped off her black horse and used the reins as a lead. She took out her wand from its sheath and muttered. "Lumos."
Cole stiffened in surprise when a blue-colored light shone brightly from the tip of Matilda's wand. Her midnight-black stallion snorted uneasily.
The other teens slipped off their horses and led them into the tunnel one by one, with Matilda in the lead. Cole shivered as he stepped into the cold shadows with Shauntel in tow. Outside the sky rumbled ominously, threatening rain. The light of Matilda's magic cast strange shadows about the stone tunnel, giving it an eerie atmosphere. The thick darkness was stifling, save for the blue light the witch carried.
Despite the fact that he had encouraged Matilda into coming in here, Cole felt slightly uneasy surrounded by all that stone. The mountain seemed to weigh down on him, making him feel claustrophobic. He ran his hand through Shauntel's dark mane, for once taking comfort in the beast's presence.
As the corridor curved and the entrance dissapeared from view, he heard Liana whisper ahead of him with Aquilla. "This tunnel has never felt the light of the sun."
The group walked cautiously down the tunnel, each person keeping their horse close by. Everyone felt the need to be quiet, as if wary of disturbing the peace of the tunnel...Or a beast lurking within. Eventually the tunnel widened, reverberating with the footsteps of the travelers. There seemed to be a deathly air in the darkness...cold and stifling.
Cole inspected the peculiar ridges on the stone walls. He reached out and ran his hand over them, feeling the different layers of rock. Beneath his feet scrunched damp sand. It looked as if a river once ran through here. The beige stone was ice-cold to the touch, sending a chill into his skin. He withdrew his hand and stuffed it in the pocket of his jacket, fingering the many little iron hoops Matilda gave him.
After what felt like hours of walking quietly, Matilda halted and called out. "Which way?"
Cole glanced past the line of horses ahead of him and saw that the tunnel had divided in two.
Two gaping mouths in the rock yawned before them, each one leading into thick, stifling shadows. The wand's blue light cast strange shapes across the faces of Matilda, Phillip, and Liana. The horses flicked their ears and swished their tails, clearly feeling nervous. The faint light reflected off of Liana's cloudy eyes, making them look hauntinlingly ghoulish.
"Which way?" Matilda repeated, her voice echoing off the ice-cold walls.
Phillip shrugged. "Left?"
"Do one of the passages look lighter than the other?" Cole asked. "Light could mean a way out."
Matilda shook her head. "They both look the same. Besides, light dosen't necessarily mean a way out. It could just lead to a hole high up in the ceiling or a passage close to an exit clogged by rocks. If you're trying to find a way out, look for a tunnel that smells like fresh air."
Cole cocked an eyebrow. "You mean...smell the tunnel?"
"Yup." With that, she leaned forward and sniffed as if she was in a perfume shop, even opening her mouth to taste the air. She looked a bit ridiculous, but the boys refrained from commenting.
She frowned slightly, and shut her mouth. "Hsst...They both smell the same." She glanced down the tunnel on the right. "Might as well go down this one."
"Why not the one on the left?" Phillip asked behind her.
She rolled her eyes. "Fine, whatever...Left it is." Still holding out her glowing wand, she gripped the reins of her horse and lead him down the tunnel. Her blue light made the shadows on the walls jump and dance as she walked, making the tunnel seem alive. Phillip followed with Traveler, and Liana right behind him with Aquilla. When Cole passed by the passage on the right, he made Shauntel pause, and sniffed. He couldn't see how anyone could tell anything just from smelling. The tunnel just smelled musty. And wet.
A flicker of movement from within the shadows caught his eye, making him freeze.
Two gaping mouths in the rock yawned before them, each one leading into thick, stifling shadows. The wand's blue light cast strange shapes across the faces of Matilda, Phillip, and Liana. The horses flicked their ears and swished their tails, clearly feeling nervous. The faint light reflected off of Liana's cloudy eyes, making them look hauntinlingly ghoulish.
"Which way?" Matilda repeated, her voice echoing off the ice-cold walls.
Phillip shrugged. "Left?"
"Do one of the passages look lighter than the other?" Cole asked. "Light could mean a way out."
Matilda shook her head. "They both look the same. Besides, light dosen't necessarily mean a way out. It could just lead to a hole high up in the ceiling or a passage close to an exit clogged by rocks. If you're trying to find a way out, look for a tunnel that smells like fresh air."
Cole cocked an eyebrow. "You mean...smell the tunnel?"
"Yup." With that, she leaned forward and sniffed as if she was in a perfume shop, even opening her mouth to taste the air. She looked a bit ridiculous, but the boys refrained from commenting.
She frowned slightly, and shut her mouth. "Hsst...They both smell the same." She glanced down the tunnel on the right. "Might as well go down this one."
"Why not the one on the left?" Phillip asked behind her.
She rolled her eyes. "Fine, whatever...Left it is." Still holding out her glowing wand, she gripped the reins of her horse and lead him down the tunnel. Her blue light made the shadows on the walls jump and dance as she walked, making the tunnel seem alive. Phillip followed with Traveler, and Liana right behind him with Aquilla. When Cole passed by the passage on the right, he made Shauntel pause, and sniffed. He couldn't see how anyone could tell anything just from smelling. The tunnel just smelled musty. And wet.
A flicker of movement from within the shadows caught his eye, making him freeze.
Matilda, that's genius and works, but... *does the classic Jay Walker "WHAT!?!?!?"* Oh yeah, Cole!? Tell that to my nose! And if something smells wet and musty, then that means water and must. Oh-no, what is it?
Was it just him, or did something move down there? The light from Matilda was fading fast as the others walked away, unaware of Cole and his horse standing at the mouth of the other tunnel. He gripped the reins as he scrutinized the deep shadows of the cold tunnel, searching for another sign of movement.
Just as he was about to walk away, a hiss broke from the interior of the passage, sending a cold chill down his spine. "My....precious..." It hissed. Something stirred. "Nasty little ninjases!"
The passage was still. Stifling a shudder, Cole led his horse away from the entrance and caught up with the others. He decided he was only letting his imagination get the best of him, and tried to ignore a tremor of fear. Invisible eyes seemed to be watching him, seeing through him. He couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being watched.
They walked quietly down the passage for a long time. The sound of hoofbeats and footsteps scrunching on the damp, cold sand began to drone on in his head, becoming a ceaseless, regular pattern. Matilda's back was rigid straight, always alert for danger. There was a tense, cold atmosphere among the travelers...until Shauntel broke wind and the sound echoed throughout the tunnel like an explosion. Phillip, Liana, and Cole fell into muffled giggles while Matilda glared at them. Shauntel looked slightly indignant.
Still, there was a deathly silence in the air, making the teens sober quickly from their chuckles. It seemed wrong to laugh in such a dark, haunting place, as if you smiled at a funeral. Cole felt very, very cold, and attempted to wrap his jacket closer around his shoulders, as if that would make him warmer.
It seemed to be hours later after ceaseless walking when Liana stopped and hissed. "Wait." At the sound of her voice everyone paused and looked at her. Her head was tilted to the side, looking as if she heard something. A lock of silver-blond hair fell across her face.
"I hear it, too." Matilda muttered. "This way." She continued leading her horse down the passage, with the others close behind.
It wasn't long before both Phillip and Cole heard the sound of running water echoing down the path. After a minuet or two, Cole realized there was a faint, natural light up ahead, growing brighter as they neared.
"Nox." Matilda muttered, and the light on her wand went out, leaving the group blinking and trying to adjust their eyes. They followed the tunnel and turned a corner, bringing them to a wide, spacious cavern. About a hundred feet above them there was a crack in the stone ceiling, shedding faint moonlight from the outside world. It was barely big enough for a cat to crawl though, let alone a person or a horse.
The floor of this cavern wasn't completely flat; smooth shelves similar to slate rose and fell, littered with rocks and boulders half buried in the sand. To the right of the group the ground gave away, revealing steep banks sloping down to a dark, gurgling river. The black water looked menacing, as if it wanted to suck down anything that fell in. The river curved its way under the surface in front of them and came out on the other side to the left, dissapearing into the shadows. Several different caves and tunnels branched off from this room, dark, gaping jaws of rock.
Matilda stepped forward with her horse and surveyed her surroundings. "I don't like this."
"Well, you don't seem to like anything, so that's not new, is it?" Phillip grinned cheekily.
The witch turned and scowled at him. "Arrogant teenagers included."
Phillip rolled his eyes.
"How many other tunnels are there?" Liana asked.
Cole glanced at her. "How'd you know there are different tunnels here? We didn't say anything."
"I can hear the sound of the water echoing off the walls of the other passages." She replied.
In answer to her question, Matilda counted. "Seven."
Was it just him, or did something move down there? The light from Matilda was fading fast as the others walked away, unaware of Cole and his horse standing at the mouth of the other tunnel. He gripped the reins as he scrutinized the deep shadows of the cold tunnel, searching for another sign of movement.
Just as he was about to walk away, a hiss broke from the interior of the passage, sending a cold chill down his spine. "My....precious..." It hissed. Something stirred. "Nasty little ninjases!"
The passage was still. Stifling a shudder, Cole led his horse away from the entrance and caught up with the others. He decided he was only letting his imagination get the best of him, and tried to ignore a tremor of fear. Invisible eyes seemed to be watching him, seeing through him. He couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being watched.
They walked quietly down the passage for a long time. The sound of hoofbeats and footsteps scrunching on the damp, cold sand began to drone on in his head, becoming a ceaseless, regular pattern. Matilda's back was rigid straight, always alert for danger. There was a tense, cold atmosphere among the travelers...until Shauntel broke wind and the sound echoed throughout the tunnel like an explosion. Phillip, Liana, and Cole fell into muffled giggles while Matilda glared at them. Shauntel looked slightly indignant.
Still, there was a deathly silence in the air, making the teens sober quickly from their chuckles. It seemed wrong to laugh in such a dark, haunting place, as if you smiled at a funeral. Cole felt very, very cold, and attempted to wrap his jacket closer around his shoulders, as if that would make him warmer.
It seemed to be hours later after ceaseless walking when Liana stopped and hissed. "Wait." At the sound of her voice everyone paused and looked at her. Her head was tilted to the side, looking as if she heard something. A lock of silver-blond hair fell across her face.
Was it just him, or did something move down there? The light from Matilda was fading fast as the others walked away, unaware of Cole and his horse standing at the mouth of the other tunnel. He gripped the reins as he scrutinized the deep shadows of the cold tunnel, searching for another sign of movement.
Just as he was about to walk away, a hiss broke from the interior of the passage, sending a cold chill down his spine. "My....precious..." It hissed. Something stirred. "Nasty little ninjases!"
The passage was still. Stifling a shudder, Cole led his horse away from the entrance and caught up with the others. He decided he was only letting his imagination get the best of him, and tried to ignore a tremor of fear. Invisible eyes seemed to be watching him, seeing through him. He couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being watched.
They walked quietly down the passage for a long time. The sound of hoofbeats and footsteps scrunching on the damp, cold sand began to drone on in his head, becoming a ceaseless, regular pattern. Matilda's back was rigid straight, always alert for danger. There was a tense, cold atmosphere among the travelers...until Shauntel broke wind and the sound echoed throughout the tunnel like an explosion. Phillip, Liana, and Cole fell into muffled giggles while Matilda glared at them. Shauntel looked slightly indignant.
Still, there was a deathly silence in the air, making the teens sober quickly from their chuckles. It seemed wrong to laugh in such a dark, haunting place, as if you smiled at a funeral. Cole felt very, very cold, and attempted to wrap his jacket closer around his shoulders, as if that would make him warmer.
It seemed to be hours later after ceaseless walking when Liana stopped and hissed. "Wait." At the sound of her voice everyone paused and looked at her. Her head was tilted to the side, looking as if she heard something. A lock of silver-blond hair fell across her face.
)
![[derp]](http://storage.proboards.com/6672327/images/YqNTPqyQUocVMYXZgUAI.png)
![[uni]](http://storage.proboards.com/6672327/images/mPKcREJAtrpeAXSOgaOH.png)