Of Legends and Myths *open*

[<3Kodi]

No matter how many times anyone walked through the Labyrinth, Raja found it hard to ever think anyone could be tired of seeing it. Each time he journeyed to this place, Raja found himself as spellbound as a pup seeing the world outside the den for the first time. He'd been here only twice before as a young wolf, once by accident and the second time while getting away from a rather nasty group of strangers he had tried to not come in contact with but had failed. Now Raja was glad to say he was neither lost nor fleeing dangers as he wandered through the ice-glinted maze. Gemstones winked alluringly at him in the dim light, ice making the stone walls glimmer. It was a feast for the eyes and Raja could never get enough. He had the soul of a storyteller and places like this, known as Rainbow Jewel Labyrinth to most, never stopped amazing him and always left him wondering how it had all come to be.

As he wandered, Raja's mind began to weave a legend or tale to explain the caverns. They were amazing, some small and some enormous, as unique as the different wolves Raja met in his travels. The large wolf painted dark brown with gold splotches throughout his fur running in spots and streaks lumbered easily along his way, in no real hurry for he had nowhere to go and simply let his imagination run away with him as it often did. Raja bore no fear of anything within the caves for he doubted anything meaning him ill would linger in a place of such beauty.

Coming out of a tunnel, Raja found himself in a high-ceilinged cavern. Apart from the tunnel he'd come from, there were two other tunnels leading off into the dark unknown. In this cavern Raja saw several large crystal and ice formations, various gems poking out of the darker walls and gleaming. High above him, Raja's golden gaze took in the sight of a hole in the ceiling allowing light to filter in. The light however, was dim for all Raja could see were stars winking at him from high above. Night had fallen while he had roamed the caverns for he had set out at midday to explore this place.

Laying down beside a large outcrop of crystal, Raja stared up at the chunk of sky he could see through the opening. In a rather spontaneous urge, Raja let out a long silver-noted howl. The howl echoed off the tunnels and stone walls, soaring up into the high ceilings and ringing through the maze of caves. Raja was unworried about who lurked in the caverns but he was interested in decent company if any lurked in the caves.

[ღE/m/i/l/yღ]

There was no company in the cave, but their was a young male wandering on the outskirts of the Labyrinth. Youssarian had been reflecting about matters most wouldn't care about when he heard the high-pitched howl echoing off what seeme4d to be the gemstones of the odd Labyrinth. He had never wandered too close to the odd place- He had to admit, he was superstitious of the spakling place. But, wondering if this wolf was in pain or in trouble, he found himsef bounded threw the crystal mazes in order to found whatever was making that echoing, hollow howl.

Youssarian tracked the scent and sound to one of the many crystal caves of the Labyrinth. He wove his way inside to see a male wolf, belly and legs up, staring out the chunk of sky that made the crystals sparkle. Odd. Youssarian would puzzle over this scene for a while. Better found out what's going on.

"Excuse me, er, sir." he began awkwardly. "What is so interesting about this place that would make you stare out a chunk of sky? I am very curious."

[<3Kodi]

It was much to Raja's surprise that minutes after his howl died away, he caught the steady thud of pawsteps. Flicking his ears up the gold and black patched wolf listened intently to the approaching sound. Someone had heard his howl though it was a bit surprising that anyone was near or within the Labyrinth but the company was welcome so the gold-eyed storyteller simply decided to wait for the other to find him or leave. Returning his gaze to the sky, Raja waited as the pawsteps grew louder and finally stopped. Moving his eyes from the sky, Raja found himself looking at a wolf that appeared older then himself, smaller and thinner as well. Built for mountains, Raja was fairly sure he was almost twice the size of this male but decided not to worry about that. At his question, Raja let out a deep chuckle that echoed richly off the walls.

"Staring at the sky? I am thinking and remembering my friend" Raja replied, his friendly gaze landing upon the red-pelted male. "Why should one not watch the sky even when underground? Sometimes you learn rather surprising things."

Raja returned his gaze to the portion of sky outside of the caves. He was pondering what the red wolf was doing down here but decided to wait. All good stories were told with time and patience, this wolf's tale would be treated the same and it would be richer if not questioned out. Time had taught Raja that lots of things were better with time; stars, stories, wilderness. All of it was like a fine wine, time tested and richened. Turning his gaze from the sky, Raja laid his gaze once more upon the other male and gave him full attention.

"What brings you to the Labyrinth my friend?" Raja asked, deciding to at least be friendly lest the other male think he's someone with darker intents. Of course Raja was no such thing but rather a healer and legend-keeper.

[ღE/m/i/l/yღ]

Wise one, this wolf was. Youssarian sat down, comfortable in this males way of talking and acting. He watched the sky, too, and suddenly he was interested. He nearly missed Raja's next words. "Oh, uh, I was just wandering, and traveling." Youssarians voice sounded very loud for one reason or another. He scuffled around for a bit, then finally settled on what he would say next. Hopefully the words would come out right.

"My name is Youssarian. What is yours?" his eyes darted from the sky, the cavern opening, and Raja. A cool breeze flooded into the cave, making Youssarian feel calmer, and more collected. Settling, he lay down and, again, felt comfortable. Maybe he and this wolf could be good friends. It had been a while since Youssarian had good, steady friends.

[<3Kodi]

Raja perked his ears as the male, Youssarian, replied to his question though it seemed Raja had interrupted some train of thought for the male started almost startled. Flicking his ears in silent apology for breaking his thought pattern, Raja nodded his large head to the smaller male. "My name is Raja. I am a healer and storyteller looking for the forgotten legends of the land. These caverns whisper their stories to me, wanting me to speak the tales they themselves can't tell because no one will listen." Raja looked toward the tunnels leading out of the cavern. He could hear the wind whisper through them, water dripping from the ceiling and other nearly silent sounds that seemed to echo in the underground space. True, the sounds weren't actually stories or the voices of the earth but Raja liked to think it so, to add a bit of magic to an already mysterious place.

Besides, who knew? Maybe the caverns were speaking to him and he just didn't know it quite yet? It was nice to imagine he could hear the stories no one else took time to listen to, as if he could give comfort to the timeless earth by hearing her slow-spoken tale. Raja looked up at the hole in the ceiling in time to see an eagle swoop overhead, flying down the mountains to hunt in the valley below, its shadow cast into the cavern for a moment before it was gone. Raja gave a whistful smile as he watched the large bird vanish.

Turning to look back at the other, Raja shifted so he was laying on his side, large paws and long legs extending in front of him and feeling more comfortable with the cool feeling of stone seeping through his thick fur. "Is there something in particular you seek in the caves?" Raja asked to strike up a hopefully steady conversation. He was sure Toussarian found him odd but then again most wolves did. They said he dwelled too much in his legends and stories, dabbling too deeply into pasts better left forgotten. Pah! No past was best left forgotten in his mind.

[ღE/m/i/l/yღ]

Youssarian was thrown off a bit, lost in time and history. Who were the first wolves to come to Penori? Who were the first creatures. These could tell all, but they only told so little. Suddenly, Youssarian was irritated. He wanted to know the answers that might never be answered. He was stubborn. "No, nothing important. I just heard you howl. I thought something was wrong." he sighed, his eyes lsiding over the dark cavern walls.

"Do you know anything about the history here? I have so many questions." Youssarian wanted to walk farther into the caves. The darkness suddenly made him curious. What could be down the dark, moist walls of these caves? It could hold the secrets to answers he wanted to know so badly.

[<3Kodi]

Raja chuckled and flicked his ears back sheepishly. "I apologize for drawing you here on the impression of danger." The big gold and black male couldn't help but be unsurprised by the answer from Youssarian. How many times did wolves howl anymore out of joy? Mostly howls were signals for danger or pain. Raja of course preferred the old howls, the ones that told of hunting victories, plain happiness, love or even told stories to the night sky. Breaking his chain of air-headed musings Raja focused on what Youssarian was saying and then dropped back into storyteller mode, sifting through his memories of various stories he had heard.

"Well my friend I know various versions of Penori" Raja barked at last. "I know only one of these caves but several about Penori as a whole depending on what you would like to hear. Some are built on lost romances, others on neverending wars and sometimes both."

The big male shrugged and couldn't help but think that war always led to love. He knew endless tales from various packs and loners about loves on different sides trying to beat the odds of war only to end in death. Some of the stories were heartbreaking not only because of the love and war but because usually the characters would get oh so close and then at the last second die by some mistake or foolishness. Still, despite hearing the same story with different names and places, Raja never grew tired of hearing them or telling them. It simply told him how often things in history repeated in different times and places, sometimes taking different forms.

Much like the caves, it took time to change a story or to change history but with time it did change and reveal something new for others to marvel at. Sitting up, Raja gave his bulky form a brisk shake to fluff out his fur a bit and focus his mind back on Youssarian.

[ღE/m/i/l/yღ]

Youssarian pondered on Raja's, words, chewing them over. Raja was a wolf that could be trusted. There weren't many wolves like that anymore in Penori. They had all been sweet and friendly in the beginning, but then pack were started. Alliances made. One wolf could have an evil mind, and pass it onto another. Sick world, it was.

"Do you know the stories? I'm dying to hear...." he looked back to the caves darkness. He wondered if any of the old, ancient wolves and horses were listening, holding old stories they may never be told, never be heard, never to be passed on. if he was to learn these stories, he would remember them and pass them onto his friends and sons and daughters. These stories would be treasured into his mind, forever locked insidr and kept closely.

[<3Kodi]

Raja ran an intense pale gold eye over Youssarian, sizing up the red wolf. He obviously had a will to know, a burning passion for stories no one had bothered to fester and feed, nourish and guide. It was sad to see that some wolves with curious minds and long memories never got the attention they deserved when it came to collecting the forgotten past. In any case the only reason some of the past was forgotten was because nobody passed on their story to their sons or daughters, sharing them with friends or even telling them to strangers. Life was a story all its own, unique to each character. The more it was shared, the more the story grew until it could touch every creature whether they were an equine or canine. Well, since others seemed to have ignored Youssarian's curiosity, Raja would certainly not hesitate to feed it. Besides, who knew? Maybe someday Youssarian would be telling the story to someone else.

"An old wanderer told me of these caves when I was a whelp and it took me years to believe or understand" Raja began, sifting through his memories and lining up what he was going to say. "There was a wolf wandering in the caverns, lost for several hours from his pack and simply enjoying the wonders of the cavern. He began to hear strange sounds, thuds and echoes off the walls that sounded almost like something was screaming. Naturally as most wolves are, he was curious and much like you found me, this wolf followed the sounds until he reached a cavern similar to this one. In the cavern the wolf, I believe his name was Remus, found a young stallion that had been wounded in a fight with equine and was deeply wounded, unconcious by the time Remus found him. At first Remus contemplated killing the animal for it was winter and his pack was starving but in the end he decided against it and instead helped the equine by tending his wounds with a few herbs."

Raja paused, staring into a dark corner of the cavern, his eyes glazed, lost in the story. He saw in his mind's eye a young stallion, chestnut perhaps, laying on its side limp but not dead and a wolf smaller then himself with more grey approaching it wearily.

"When the horse woke it was of course frightened when it discovered Remus had tended to him. Remus was nearly kicked to death had the horse not fallen, weakened by his wounds. For several days Remus kept returning to the cavern bringing herbs and berries for the equine. Of course the horse was mistrustful, asking why Remus would help him. When the horse could stand again without falling, Remus continued to visit it, warning against the equine going back to his old herdlands because the stallion that had wounded the equine was still lurking around. The equine, I believe his name was Flashfire, disregarded Remus's advice and went out again. Remus followed at a distance, hidden until Flashfire found the stallion that had wounded him. The two fought again and Flashfire of course went down first. Before the other stallion could strike a killing blow however, Remus sprang from the undergrowth and took a blow to the head that would have killed Flashfire."

The battle scene played in Raja's mind and he couldn't help but shake his head in wonder. The story never ceased to amaze him.

"Remus's intervesion gave Flashfire the chance he needed to get up and fight back his attacker until the other fled. When Flashfire approached Remus, it was obvious the wolf was dying. Flashfire asked Remus why he had jumped between fighting stallions but according to the story Flashfire never found out because Remus died with a knowing smile on his face but not words in his throat."

Raja turned his gaze from the dark corner, light returning to his eyes as he resurfaced from memory. He was curious as to what Youssarian would make of his little tale. Equines and canines were seldom ever friends, much less dying for one another. Raja had his own ideas as to why Remus would save Flashfire, much less place himself between Flashfire and a killing blow but he was still curious as to the other's opinion before voicing his own.

[ღE/m/i/l/yღ]

Youssariab was lost in the battle, of heroic wolves and weak horses. He wished he had been there, to save FlashFire and Remus. He wished that Remus had never died. Remus could have been a Guardian, he was so noble. A guardian like Namid, the white horse he had heard of, giving wishes to the worthy. Or Raed, the horse that was tricky yet giving. Or Komi, the gifter of quests. The three horses that had helped Fallen nearly create the land. It was so interesting.

There were wolf Guardians, the ones that led packs and had special powers. He wanted, so badly, to be a hero, a Guardian that was divine and talented. It was a life he could see himself living, to the fullest expectations possible. It was his dream. It was his goal. Lost in thought, he started to wander deeper into the darkness of the cave...

[<3Kodi]

Raja remained laying, watching Youssarian and couldn't help but smile a bit fondly. Looked like the older red wolf was lost in the old story of equines and canines. Laying his head upon his paws, Raja let a great sigh woosh out from his bulky form and his pale gold eyes blink lazily at the darkness that closed in. From the look of it Youssarian had lost his slight unease at the labyrinth and instead was going off to explore it. Of course Raja had already been wandering around rather aimlessly inside the complex caver network and his paws were a bit sore, joints a bit achy. Besides that he had been wandering out all night so Raja let his lids droop. He was sure he and Youssarian were the only ones in the caves since no one else had reacted to his call or at the very least hadn't bothered to.

"Feel free to explore Youssarian. If you wish for company again I'll be here or somewhere near, a howl and I'll find you" Raja barked, though he couldn't be sure the other had heard him.

Flicking his bushy tail up around his side, Raja curled in on himself a bit and settled down for a little nap, listening to the caverns whisper around him. Youssarian's pawsteps clicked softly on the stone as his claws hit the ground, telling Raja just how far or close his new friend was. Raja kept his ears perked just in case there was some unknown danger in the caves, he didn't want to take a chance and be caught unaware. Raja wasn't a fighter at heart but sometimes his sheer size and appearance of being a big fighter gave him enough to scare off potental problems, especially if an equine came around. They tended to be easily frightened by the appearance of a wolf, despite being far bigger then even Raja.

Oh well, the male thought lazily. Not likely to find an equine in here, not if they smell us around.

[ღE/m/i/l/yღ]

Youssarian had questions, again. "Raja? Do you have a pack?" he asked this, as he wanted to know what pack he was a part of. Youssarian was the Alpha of Stone Frosts, with his love, Chaos. Maybe he could get Raja to join... besides, Raja would be a valuable addition to any wolves pack. Youssarian waited for the answer. He twiddled with his paws, and he flicked his ears. Thoughts of stories came back to him, and he was so lost in the thoughts, he could've missed Raja's answer. But, he realized that Raja hadn't answered yet. He waited patiently, sitting down and string at the ceiling of the cavern/

[<3Kodi]

Raja was roused from his sleepiness by Youssarian's question. Lifting his head, the black and gold male blinked and looked around at the other wolf, ears swerving forward. "I wander alone, without a pack for some time. Why do you ask?" Raja decided to wait for a little nap and sat up into a proper sitting position. After laying on stone for some time, Raja could feel his back shifting and popping a little and flicked his ears. He really should learn to sleep above ground or in a den like normal wolves rather then spend his days in caverns and the darker places of the world. It would be the death of him, or at least the death of his back in any case.

Turning to look at Youssarian, Raja's gaze appraised the male. He looked small to be an alpha but Raja was no judge of size considering he was a large wolf himself. Youssarian had yet to see Raja when standing. When he did stand Raja was almost twice as big as Youssarian but again, Raja was no judge. Alphas were made up not only of size but of their moral values, character more then anything defined an alpha. Raja didn't know Youssarian well so again, he could not judge. If Youssarian was an alpha then Raja could feel foreboding coiling in his belly.

Raja had his own story and not one of valor or bravery. No. His story told of mercy that turned to disaster. Disaster turned to death and a whole pack died in pain and agony. Adults, elders, pups. It had all been the same. Nausia, fever, death. Nearly two years ago that had happened. Raja had yet to touch any sort of herb or go near an ailing wolf. He didn't dare trust his healing abilities because they had brought the death of his family, the destruction of his pack. If Youssarian was going to ask what Raja thought he was, Raja wasn't sure if he'd be able to refuse though his heart told him he didn't deserve a pack after his mistake.

A troubled look glazed Raja's eyes and his ears laid flat, almost as if the big wolf was fearful of what Youssarian would say.

[ღE/m/i/l/yღ]

Youssarian shied away. "Er, no reason." Would Raja be angry with him? He didn't want that. He wanted Raja's friendship. But as he had said, he was a wanderer. He probably didn't want to be a part with a pack. Youssarian understood, but for some reason, this hurt him. He probably wouldn't see Raja again after this. It made him sad, thinking about that, so he stopped. He shifted his weight around uncomfortably.

[<3Kodi]

Raja saw hurt flash in Youssarian's eyes and felt his heart sink. It wasn't his intention to hurt his friend's feelings or make him feel badly about something he couldn't control. Raja simply didn't know if he dared walk among a pack again after his foolish mistake, a mistake made from pity that turned to death. Had it been just youthful foolishness that had turned Raja to aide an ailing loner or had fate simply destined him to walk alone? Raja ducked his head and stared at the cave floor for several long moments before raising his sad eyes to Youssarian again. Fixing the alpha in his gaze, Raja drew a deep breath and sat up straight again.

"Youssarian, do you think all stories are meant to have a happy ending?" he asked. "Even if the beginning is full of hope to help someone only to end in the deaths of many? A story of mercy turned to tragedy perhaps or even youthful ignorance? Do you think those stories should end well or in solitary penance?"

Raja wanted Youssarian's honest opinion. Though Raja still doubted it would turn his mind to joining a pack, it would be interesting to hear someone else's take. Raja had considered telling his tale before, simply to have it pass on, to have others know and be weary in deciding acts of kindness or mercy. To this day he had kept quiet, closing off his own legend because he feared the judgment it would bring. He feared that if others knew, he would not be forgiven. He had yet to forgive himself for the deaths of his friends and family, even his own mentor. What was one more judgment along with the so many others? The voices that whispered in his nightmares, blaming him for condeming them to a horrid death, they still blamed him. Never forgave him.

The big male ducked his head again, half weary of Youssarian's reply and half anticipating it.