Shattered Binding SQ 2 - Luring them out

“Here little ones… I have some yummy food for you…” The scarlet and turquoise runner pushed some of the glowing mushrooms in front of the small hole they were burrowed in to.

“Perhaps we try to lure them out in other ways?” Caliu frowned, going in to thought.

“You could try to sing and talk to em.” A more feminine voice called out from the depths of the cave.

It caused both of the reos to jump a bit, Wassail turning on his heel to face a blue and orange Haedian sauntering her way towards the pair.

“I know you have more with the Matriarch, but the few who wander around out here enjoy when we sing to them the songs of our past. Well, what we know of it of course but still. They probably just enjoy some of the soothing voices.” She spoke a bit more, rolling a stone over with her paw. “I am Deirdre by the way, before I forget to introduce myself.”

“Hmmm. Perhaps you are correct. We could try figuring out what songs and stories they enjoy.” Caliu hummed, flicking his fluffy tail across the ground as the runner shook his mane and wings out, “Thank you, Deirdre, if you wish to help us with this you are more than free to join us. We could use all the help we can get to recollect and care for these little ones before we bring them back to the Matriarch’s cavern.”

“I would be delighted to assist.” The blue and orange haedian smiled as the scarlet and turquoise runner bowed his head in thanks.

“What kind of stories have you told them in the past? Maybe we can use that as a guide to what to talk about.” Wassail tilted his head, his ears pulled back as he listened for the Nyxthorns in the wall.

“Mostly ones of The Great Separation, but a few of Oris and his might against Cosmosis. Nothing new.” She shrugged a small bit as the runner and Caliu nodded.

“We could just start talking to them, perhaps we could tell them a new story of places above ground? I have a few I could probably recall for them to learn.” Wassail looked between the pair of Haedians who were listening to his every word while keeping an eye on the glowing mushrooms they had used for bait.

“Perhaps, yes, something new for them to learn while we talk.” Caliu smiled at the thought, “And perhaps we could construct a way of getting them back to the Matriarch so we are not injuring ourselves.”

“Ah yes, some may be too tired to make the trek back to their home cave, so a basket would definitely make it easier to carry them.” Wassail nodded padding over to his supply bag before he started to sift through its contents.

It was at that time though, that a couple of the scared Nyxthorns had taken advantage of the free food and gentle voice that the trio offered that they came forward from their hiding spot in to the open. Caliu paused his movements as he watched them pick up the mushrooms, sniffing them before they took some quiet bites.

“Why hello little ones… Is that a very yummy snack?” The blue and orange haedian smiled before making herself appear smaller by pulling her wings close to her body and lowering her self to the ground.

The pair that had appeared stopped eating midway through their snack, noses twitching. They noticed the other two as well, wary of the scarlet and turquoise runner before them who was holding some rope.

“Perhaps I will put this stuff away, and maybe we could carry them on our backs if need be? As they shouldn’t try to harm us? So long as we are careful of course.” Wassail spoke softly as he put the rope back in to his pack.

“You are right. Letting them just sit with us is likely for the best.” Caliu hummed as he pushed another head of the glowing mushroom towards the apparently hungry little Nyxthorns.

Deirdre hummed as well, curling her tail around her feet as one of the two Nyxthorns approached her. It sniffed her leg, the little puffs of air from it tickling her just a little bit. She slowly held out a paw for it to smell, resting it on the ground for the little pet. It made a soft chirping sound before pressing its soft snout in to her palm.

“Well then, one down, a whole cohort to go.” Wassail chuckled along with the green, white and orange haedian who gently took some more of the mushroom to give to Deirdre.

She started to feed the little one by hand as the other pair started to work on getting the rest of the cohort prickle from the wall. Wassail was slowly and softly telling them a story of a time he and his best friends got in to a heap of trouble when they were making a journey across their home continent, while Caliu was getting more of the mushroom prepped.

“My friend, Shadow, he would love you guys… He’s also purple, and its his favorite color.” The scarlet and turquoise runner sighed softly, before realizing that he had a small gathering in front of him of roughly ten to fifteen Nyxthorns, “Holy,,,, I didn’t expect that many to be in the wall.”

Caliu chuckled as he handed each little prickly friend a piece of food, “That is alright, I believe that is all of them too. So once Deirdre is finished with her little one, we can make our way back.”

He looked between the pair who nodded.