{DS} cave pond: {DS} cave pond

They were out once again on the shores, searching for more treasures. The sun was quite low in the sky as the three Stryx walked and flew along. There, in the cliff face, there was a small indent. It wasn't quite the cave of their imagination, but when clouds quickly swept the sky and brought light, drizzling rain down on the three birds, they decided it would have to suffice. Ducking inside, they looked around - it was rocky, smelling of salt and mildew, drips of water from the cave's ceiling creating a staccato sound against the low rumble of thunder in the distance.

 

This time it is Xingyue who steps up first to the interior of the cave, raring to go and excited to explore further in. From his view, it looks like the cave opens up the further it goes inside, as well as drops down...hmm. That may be an issue. But, for now, he shuffles his striped wings more comfortably on his back, and starts picking through the dirt and sand that lies thick on the floor.

 

Perhaps there could be something in a puddle nearby, from where the stalactites drip, gradually wearing grooves into the rocky floor as time has worn on. He steps over to investigate, keen eyes and sharp claws clambering over any little obstacle. There isn't much to see in the puddle - a few blind little cave fish, some salamanders...but on the edge of the puddle sits a shining feather. From what, Xingyue doesn't know. He scoops it up and turns around to show the other two Stryx, searching equally as hard in the cave. Yunyue and Kanir both come over to Xingyue's location. There may be something there for all of them, and they can leave this cave and go home. Sadly - not the case.

 

Kanir is the first to pipe up since the three birds agreed to shelter in the cave. "Maybe we should go deeper in? There might be more there, and it would provide better shelter from the storm." As he spoke, the wind swept a gust of cold droplets over the Gryph, making him shiver. "I don't think it would be a bad idea," he muttered, clacking his beak.

 

Xingyue finally nodded, and Yunyue rolled her eyes slightly, but nevertheless followed. Kanir led them deeper into the shoreside cave, long blue fur easy to follow even in the dim lighting. He didn't have eyes as sharp as Xingyue's, or Yunyue's luck, but he did have a pretty good nose. Closing his eyes and inhaling, Kanir waited for something interesting to happen, a noticeable shift in the air that he could exploit for his scavenging mission.

 

Unfortunately, it didn't lead to much. The most Kanir could detect was mold and lichen, and he sneezed, the sound reverberating off of the walls, sounding like the rumble of thunder had made its way inside. He sighed, a little frustrated, but kept leading the trio on its way, deeper and deeper. Kanir was about to turn around and suggest heading back to the entrance of the cave when Yunyue stepped forward, ruffling her feathers.

 

It's beginning to grow much, much darker as Yunyue takes the lead. "Here, let me see...where should we go?" She turns her long neck to ask this of the other two Stryx, who just shrug. "Alright," she sighs. "We're going left." To her left sits a tunnel that branches off of the main cave, full of luminescent moss and mushrooms. At least there is something here to bring back for their efforts.

 

She leads Xingyue and Kanir along, brushing the tips of her sleek feathers over the caps of the mushrooms, picking a few and taking them. Kanir does the same, a little grumpy he couldn't find this part of the cave on his own, but still following Yunyue's lead. Farther down the left hand tunnel, it opens up into a chamber. In the ceiling of the cave, a hole has been carved - rain comes through it like someone turned a faucet on, and a small pond sits under the hole. Yunyue immediately dives in, scooping up beakfuls of glittery rocks, dropping them on the shore along with her mushroom haul.

 

The other two birds don't join her in the water, but instead pace the outside edges of the cavernous room, looking for other little treasures and trinkets to bring home. Xingyue chips away at the rock with his beak, unearthing a few snails, which he decides to keep. Kanir overturns pebbles, looks under patches of moss, and investigates the smaller ponds made from stalactites, before coming back and settling near Xingyue, who sits at the edge of the pool. All together, the birds pile their treasures, and wait for the rain to stop.

 

It does soon enough, the thunder rolling away further into the distance, and the trio gathers their baubles, taking off through the hole in the cave ceiling.