Far from the volcano that had burst to the northeast, there came another eruption — a subterranean quake, perhaps less vivid, but no less dangerous.
Its epicenter was at the southern edge of Blackfeather Woods, near the base of what the locals called "Death's Gate": a harrowing ravine that split through a part of the woods and tapered off into the relative calm of Spiderlings' Glen. Stumbling over the canyon at its deepest point meant a plunge into darkness, not unlike the Void of which the daedra whispered.
At late morning, when the sun sparkled elsewhere over a layer of early snow, the shaking started. The already brittle walls of the ravine began to erode, sediment raining down the sides. As the quake grew more intense, the canyon began to collapse in earnest and split even wider than before. It sent stones and dirt rolling into Spiderlings' Glen in a small rockslide, and the trees on the edge of the ravine cracked and tumbled into its wake.
All throughout the woods was chaos, with massive oaks weakened by age brought to their knees and the flow of Otter Creek interrupted by downed branches and disturbed rocks.
But the worst of it was to the south, where Death's Gate lay in ruin. Its once winding, snakelike path had burst to a yawning darkness, and the entrances to the tunnels it had harbored had collapsed. Corvids unable to take wing quick enough to escape the terror lay dead in the dust, as did small prey animals; the wolves here would not find food easily in these troubled times.
When the trembling at last subsided, a solitary grackle flew from the trees, heading south at a great rate of speed. It was quiet, save for the soft groaning of felled trees and occasional skitter of pebble downhill.
Too quiet, for all that had just occurred.
Its epicenter was at the southern edge of Blackfeather Woods, near the base of what the locals called "Death's Gate": a harrowing ravine that split through a part of the woods and tapered off into the relative calm of Spiderlings' Glen. Stumbling over the canyon at its deepest point meant a plunge into darkness, not unlike the Void of which the daedra whispered.
At late morning, when the sun sparkled elsewhere over a layer of early snow, the shaking started. The already brittle walls of the ravine began to erode, sediment raining down the sides. As the quake grew more intense, the canyon began to collapse in earnest and split even wider than before. It sent stones and dirt rolling into Spiderlings' Glen in a small rockslide, and the trees on the edge of the ravine cracked and tumbled into its wake.
All throughout the woods was chaos, with massive oaks weakened by age brought to their knees and the flow of Otter Creek interrupted by downed branches and disturbed rocks.
But the worst of it was to the south, where Death's Gate lay in ruin. Its once winding, snakelike path had burst to a yawning darkness, and the entrances to the tunnels it had harbored had collapsed. Corvids unable to take wing quick enough to escape the terror lay dead in the dust, as did small prey animals; the wolves here would not find food easily in these troubled times.
When the trembling at last subsided, a solitary grackle flew from the trees, heading south at a great rate of speed. It was quiet, save for the soft groaning of felled trees and occasional skitter of pebble downhill.
Too quiet, for all that had just occurred.
by Miryam
October 01, 2019, 09:25 AM
Perhaps against her better judgment, Maegi was within Mephala's Web. She felt safe in the darkness, despite the recent disturbances of the earth. Besides, she mainly stuck to the larger caverns, choosing to avoid the smaller, narrower tunnels. Those seemed the most dangerous under current circumstances.
When the quaking started, she was nosing around near the southeastern portion, looking for various things of interest. She felt the beginnings of it, a steady vibration under her paws. Her heart began to beat hard and fast as the shaking intensified, sediment raining down upon her head. She heard groaning, creaking. . .
A thunder unlike anything of a storm, unlike anything she had endured before. It was deafening, and she wheeled, trying to find the nearest path upward. She lost her way. She —
She let out a pained shriek as she tripped, coming down the wrong way on her already-stunted right fore.
There's an exit here, I know it —
Bottom of Death's Gate, to Spiderlings' Glen —
There was light ahead, growing steadily brighter. Hope. Maegi rushed that way, only to hastily back up as the roaring grew impossibly loud. The light faded as dirt and rocks tumbled down like a spring deluge, faded, faded. . .and then blacked out entirely, the exit sealed.
The quaking was ebbing, but Maegi was now trapped in darkness. Injured leg throbbing, she did a slow circle in the tunnel, the only sound the earth settling again and the gasping of her panicked breaths. There had to be another exit close by, somewhere. . .but where?
Now what?!
When the quaking started, she was nosing around near the southeastern portion, looking for various things of interest. She felt the beginnings of it, a steady vibration under her paws. Her heart began to beat hard and fast as the shaking intensified, sediment raining down upon her head. She heard groaning, creaking. . .
A thunder unlike anything of a storm, unlike anything she had endured before. It was deafening, and she wheeled, trying to find the nearest path upward. She lost her way. She —
She let out a pained shriek as she tripped, coming down the wrong way on her already-stunted right fore.
Shit,Maegi hissed, gritting her teeth as she tried to stand again. Not like she used that leg much anyway, but the agony was nearly unbearable. Tears streaming silently from the corners of her eyes, the Nona hobbled her way forward —
There's an exit here, I know it —
Bottom of Death's Gate, to Spiderlings' Glen —
There was light ahead, growing steadily brighter. Hope. Maegi rushed that way, only to hastily back up as the roaring grew impossibly loud. The light faded as dirt and rocks tumbled down like a spring deluge, faded, faded. . .and then blacked out entirely, the exit sealed.
The quaking was ebbing, but Maegi was now trapped in darkness. Injured leg throbbing, she did a slow circle in the tunnel, the only sound the earth settling again and the gasping of her panicked breaths. There had to be another exit close by, somewhere. . .but where?
Now what?!
October 07, 2019, 09:38 AM
he feels all the pain of the Wood as if tears across his own soul. wolves have come and gone, wars have been fought and lost, and yet the foundations; the Wood, have always stood. and now they falter, the mightiest of the oaks felled and the earth torn asunder. the ravens and crows have sought refuge elsewhere; save for the old, foolish, brave, and the singular raven that never is far from the guardian. they will not leave, will not run, and yet both are aware that they, and the Wood, will to continue to erode, crack,
crumble.
crumble.
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