Lunar Heart, Shadow Bound ✓ [when the moon lies]

Ch.19: Chase and Run

Edited: May, 19, 2020

Note: Slightly long chapter. Above graphic made by me (Aug, 7, 2020). Titled: Transition To A Possible Land Structure

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It wasn't long before they came to another new part of the Forest Crup. Before them stretched a yawning cave with stalactites and stalagmites making it look like the cave had teeth. Water dripped upwards and a soft yellow light was coming through the opposite end of the cave.

Or maybe it's a tunnel if it has an end. She sniffed the air but all she could smell was wet rock, wet soil, and fresh air. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, but she wasn't going to bet on that.

"Ooo," Deel said and his voice echoed. "A cave-ish thing. Do we go in? I'm going in, I like cave-ish things," he said and walked in ahead of her. "It goes all the way through, look!" He pointed to the opposite end and confidently made his way into the deep of it.

"Look, it's a real cave!" Deel shouted and his voice echoed all around them in hollow bounces. Pinti craned her head to look beyond the stalactites and stalagmites. Sure enough, there was a real cave off to the side with a high ceiling. The light from outside reached this cave, too.

"What if this is where Thereanbold lives?" Deel said, peering in. "Maybe we should check it out?"

"I'm not sure." Pinti twitched her whiskers, but before she could decide, Deel decided and ran off.

"Heizak, Deel!" She hissed and ran after him, careful where she put her feet because some rocks looked quite sharp. This was not a good place to get a cut if she could help it. So far, she had not detected even one ordinary herb for potion making. A basic healing potion for cuts needed three herbs—yarrow, goldenrod, and calendula.

Sorcerers don't need to use herbs for magick like Kathula do. She remembered Galag saying something of that sort. That meant it was still possible for Thereanbold to be living here.

A breeze whistled through rocks. The inside was cool, and moisture stuck to her fur. The ceiling became so high Pinti wouldn't be able to reach it even if she jumped. There were many holes in the ceiling and from there, a soft light shone through making puddles of yellow light on the cave floor.

"Pinti," Deel called. "Look," he whispered and pointed to their right. She sucked in her breath at the sight of huge stone statues carved into the walls. There were five of them on pedestals, each with a different face that had eroded. Up close, they were probably five times her height. She squinted her eyes at the pedestals catching some kind of inscription. It took a moment to recognize it—it was ancient Kathulan. She took out the Scepter of Tamido book and found the same squiggly lettering as the title.

"Oh, wow, are those the ones that you can read?" Deel said coming to stand next to her. "Those ancient squiggles are words?"

"You should know ancient Kathulan." She backed away at the stench of his breath. "And your breath still smells ancient." She waved her paw in front of her nose to rid of the smell. "If you want me to read, go over there."

"I'll keep my mouth closed," he said closed his mouth tightly.

Sighing, Pinti put the scepter book away. Deel held out his hand. "I'll carry it for you."

She eyed him suspiciously. He hadn't been thoughtful like that since they met, and he got her a room and food. She handed over the bag. "Uh, thanks, I guess."

Then she turned her focus back and used her tail to sign the letters. "Craft man plural peace, of, lie here." She said in Kathulan and worked in her mind to translate it to Universal to Deel.