The Ballad of the Bygone Drifters - The Watchers

╔═════════ The wATCHERS - Chapter ONE ═════════╗

840 Words

Grizz landed heavily on a protruding rock outcrop and paused momentarily to catch her breath. Her muscles screeched in protest, her paws trembling with fatigue. All she wanted to do at this very moment was collapse, to let her poor strained body rest. But there was no time for that. Since arriving in the Haedian caverns, the three Vayrons had been through a veritable gauntlet of tasks. 

She was starting to think this was less about gaining favour and more about proving themselves. But proving what? That they could go toe to toe with a being three times their size?

Loose rocks beside her scattered as Otho alighted beside her. The smaller puller was having a much easier time navigating these tight corridors, though even his fur was marred with tangles and damp. He panted, leaning his muzzle on Grizz’s neck.

“Is there.. even an... end to this Grizz?” Grizz huffed in response, adjusting her body weight slightly so it was more comfortable for her companion to rest against her. 

“Surely there must be.” She mused, “They would not send us on such a futile task.” Although she sounded sure of herself, a small part of her resolve faltered. Maybe this was just a way to get rid of them? Intruders in their hidden refuge.

“Where is Mari?” Otho’s question pulled Grizz back round to the present, her ears swivelled as she scanned the caves.

“There,” she announced, pointing her nose further down the winding tunnels, “Ahead.”

Up ahead Mari hopped from perch to perch, flitting like a Tyrian between tiny rocky protrusions that looked like they shouldn’t be able to support her weight. She stopped once she reached a platform that was finally big enough to fit all four paws, looking over her shoulder to meet her partner’s gaze.

She must be close to the finish line, and yet…

She waited. Bright orange eyes sparkling with encouragement. 

“Come Otho,” Grizz shrugged her shoulders, pushing Otho back into standing on his own four paws. “Not much further now.”

Mari watched her partners, heart swelling with pride as the pair took flight again, pushing their weary bodies to the finish line. She would be lying if her own body wasn’t wracked with tiredness, but she had a point to prove and she was stubborn to a fault. These Watchers would see that the Reoseans of topside were a formidable force - one that would make a powerful ally.

Mari crouched suddenly, forcing her body into the stony outcrop as a huge shadow zipped past her. If she’d reacted any later it would have slammed into her, sending her spiralling to the depths below. She grit her teeth, upset at the unintentional slight. It did however give her an idea, she quickly stepped out of the shadows onto the platform proper, meeting her partner’s eyes and directing their gaze to the second Haedian that was fast approaching their position.

Grizz cocked her head in confusion as Otho turned to face the oncoming threat. Mari bounced up and down on her front paws, hoping the pair would get the wordless hint.

Otho snapped his head to look at Grizz, “Grizz I think she wants us to jump!?” he panicked. Grizz however, nodded in understanding.

“That makes sense, it’s the quickest way to make up time. We’ll never be anywhere close to finishing the race otherwise.” Otho trembled in trepidation, knowing exactly what Grizz’s next step was going to be. She grasped the scruff of his neck in her jaws - despite his vocal protests - and in a surprising show of strength for a Vayron that was only a foot taller, tossed him at the Haedian that zipped past them. 

“Grab on!” she yelled, but she didn’t have to tell Otho twice as he dug his claws deep into the hide of the Haedian, who roared in pain. She smashed into the wall in an attempt to dislodge her painful hitchhiker, lashing her tail in fury. Otho hung on as long as humanly possible, before taking his chance and pushing off the back of the Haedian as she attempted to slam into the wall yet again.

He alighted a bit worse for wear on a ledge just short of the finish line. His ears perked up seeing the glowing torches and he barrelled forwards. Mari - now behind him - quickly closing the distance. Grizz the slower of the three lumbered cautiously after them.

Otho’s paws alighted at the cavern exit, laughing in glee. “I made it!” he crowed as Mari joined him, followed by the battered Haedian who scowled at him as she passed. “We made it!” he announced again, as Grizz finally joined them at the apex of the race. She nodded, breathless, but smiling nonetheless.

“Nicely done Pothos, I was worried for a second we’d lose you in the crevasse.” she gave him a playful barge with her shoulder. Otho scoffed,

“No thanks to you! You’re lucky I have a sense of self-preservation.” Despite this dig, his face betrayed his joy at finishing the race.

╔═════════ The wATCHERS - Chapter TWO ═════════╗

816 Words

At the finish line waited their ever vigilant guide, Cailu, beaming in pride at his three wards. “Impressive my friends!” He exclaimed, “Despite the odds being stacked against you, you made it across the finish line.” He leaned down to comment in hushed tones as two more Haedians crossed the finish line behind them, “And you didn't take last place.” He winked.

Mari, who had finished leagues ahead of her partners, smiled warmly at Otho and Grizz, nudging each or their snouts with her own. “I knew you'd figure it out, now for a well deserved rest.”

“Ah,” interjected Cailu, “We may not get that rest just yet.” He nodded towards an approaching Watcher, a Haedian swathed in silken black fabrics speckled in stars. Their bright blue and purple hide peered through the sheer silks giving the appearance of a flushed nebula.

“Greetings,” he stated, bowing his head and sweeping his arm in welcome. “Welcome to our abode and congratulations on finishing the race.” He gave a wry, almost condescending smile, “Most impressive given your distinct lack of wings.”

Otho beamed, his tail slapping against the dry rock as Mari once again took lead in the conversation, “Thank you.” She returned the bow, “Perchance is there somewhere we may rest?” 

“Of course,” The new Haedian gestured further into the caves, “Should you follow me we will dress you in appropriate attire, you may rest while we work.”

The three Vayrons shared a look with each other, before peering up to Cailu who simply nodded after the new arrival who had already begun making headway through the tunnels.

Otho shrugged and trotted after their new companion, the others quickly followed after the brown and white puller, Mari and Grizz taking up their all too familiar position at each other’s shoulders.

“Sounds like we’re getting a makeover.” grinned Otho, “I don’t know about you two but I am certainly overdue for some pampering.” Mari lifted a paw, tugging at the particularly thick tangle on Otho’s neck with her claws.

“I’m inclined to agree, Pothos, your fur has lost its lustre.” she chuckled.

Their new companion had finally reached his destination, waiting patiently at the open cave entrance of his abode. The group followed his gesture to enter, awkwardly standing together in the centre of the large room as he closed the curtain behind them.

“Here,” he said, “Welcome to my quarters.” he swept past them to another, smaller off-shoot. He paused, surveying several neat piles of fabrics, occasionally looking back to the Vayrons to compare the cloth to their coats.

Eventually he nodded to himself, happy with his choices, and returned to the group. He meticulously laid out the cloth in three separate piles, smoothing the creases from them as he did. “I’ll let you dress yourselves, but I am here to assist should you need it.”

The three shared a quick glance before approaching their curated piles. Grizz’s was shades of crimson and vermillion, interjected with gold edging and intricate embroidery. She carefully extricated the top garment, slinging it across her shoulders. Mari took the end in her teeth and gently tugged it to help cover Grizz’s back.

The short-furred puller smiled at her partner, “A gorgeous colour on you.” Grizz returned her smile as she turned to the next garment.

Otho was already at home in the loose clothing, having draped several garments across his form. He was currently in the process of expertly tying a knot between his teeth to secure the sash about his waist. Their new Haedian companion nodded in approval. For Otho he had chosen emerald greens blending into turquoise blues with silver embroidery creating intricate patterns in the delicate silks.

Next it was Mari’s turn. She carefully unfolded her own pile, revealing fabrics of blushed lavender and soft baby pinks. She paused to appreciate the colouring, her paw tracing sapphire blue accents.

“Thank you friend,” she said softly, as her companions had an impromptu fashion show beside her. Otho was strutting down the small cave as Grizz tapped out a beat with her paw. “These colours are expertly chosen.” she smiled in appreciation, the new Haedian returning the expression in kind.

“You are most welcome, it’s only fitting that our esteemed guests look the part.”

Mari carefully took the fabrics between her teeth and slung them across her shoulders. Without opposable thumbs it wasn’t the easiest task to complete, and her two partners were already deep within their little fashion show.

Cailu however was paying close attention, and moved to sit beside Mari, clasping a gold and sapphire brooch shut at her lapel. He carefully adjusted the silks to make sure they fell equally across her flanks, with all the care of a mother dressing her child for school. Cailu leaned back and smiled down at his ward,

“I could almost mistake you for a Haedian in this garb!” he chuckled.

╔═════════ The wATCHERS - Chapter THREE ═════════╗

807 Words

The three Vayrons followed their Watcher companion from his abode. Initially cold and uninterested in conversation, he had warmed up to the group after seeing how much they enjoyed his choice in fabrics. He finally introduced himself as Shaud, and explained he was one of the Watchers who had the pleasure to observe the Vayrons’ race.

Shaud led them to a massive sanctum, one that seemed impossibly tall. Embedded into the wall in what almost seemed like steps, were individual plateaus not unlike the ones they had leapt across only this morning. Everywhere there was a foothold there were murals adorning the walls, a variety of colours from pastel pinks to bright blues bleeding into one another in an artistic soup. Deep in the recesses of the ceiling they could see a menagerie of stars and constellations, ones that almost perfectly mirrored the stars topside.

Mari stopped to admire the art, gasping as her eyes tracked the murals across the room. “Wow,” she breathed, “These are absolutely gorgeous.”

Shaud smiled warmly, “Thank you, these are drawings from our faith.” he explained. “On behalf of our clan, I invite you to add your own paintings to the mix.”

The three stood awkwardly as Shaud headed to a table situated beside an empty portion of wall. He took in his hands a palm-sized wooden bowl filled with pre-mixed paint, gently dipping his claws in the vibrant red, setting to work on his own drawing.

Mari allowed her gaze to wander as Otho and Grizz eagerly headed to the table. The murals - although abstract and colourful - easily captured the countenance of Cosmosis, a god the three Vayrons were more than well-acquainted with, a being that they would tentatively say they followed the tenets of, Mari more than Grizz and Otho.

She smiled, although initially a bit stand-offish and brisk, the Watchers were beginning to grow on her. She glanced over to her companions who despite not picking up on the specifics of the paintings had certainly picked up on the theme of art, with Grizz slapping down big splodges of colour - purple and blues - that Otho detailed with tiny points of white and yellow.

Mari carefully dipped her paws in a deep, cosmic blue, stepping between her partners to drag her paint-laden paw over their background. The three worked in tandem with Grizz and Otho touching up the background as Mari painted a character upon it - her own rendition of the god Cosmosis, a nebula stricken serpentine dragon with multiple heads, its own lanky torsos winding between itself in tangles and knots.

In the eyes of the Vayrons they had created a masterpiece. In the eyes of the Haedians, not so much. Cailu cocked his head as he regarded the newest addition to the Watchers’ walls, the Vayrons simply did not have the dexterity in their cumbersome paws for intricate details. From a distance the art piece could be read as Cosmosis… if you squinted.

“Hmm,” Cailu mused, “You know I never realised until now how bothersome paws are.” Otho frowned up at their guide, white fur already marred with paint.

“Hey! I’d say we did pretty good given our limitations. I don’t see you trying.”

The Haedian chuckled, “My art already adorns these walls, thumbless one, I need not prove my talents today.” he smirked. “I think you three need more practice anyway, and there’s only limited spaces that your small stature can reach!”

Otho scoffed, Grizz snickering beside him. “Hear that, shorty? Cailu says get back to work.” For her comment, Grizz received a shove on the shoulder from her partner, only causing her to laugh more.

Mari rolled her eyes, during this entire back and forth she had continued with her work, moving on from her portrait of Cosmosis to dab her paw across the bottom of the painted sky in a shade of dark green. She peered over at Shaud watching him work before mimicking his technique, dipping her claws into the paint and very carefully blotting out three quadrupedal figures atop the grass. One in shades of pink and black, one in splotches of white, red and black, and finally one mottled with brown and white.

She stepped back and smiled warmly, “Well,” she said, “It may not be a masterpiece, but it’s meaningful.” The attention of the other two Vayrons and Cailu was drawn to the piece, Cailu returning the warm smile despite his initial jabs.

“It is indeed.” Silhouettes of Haedians darted over the massive form of Cosmosis, and at their feet stood the three Vayrons.

Shaud stood with the group, beaming at the mural. “I disagree with Cailu, I believe this is a masterpiece. Something unique and - you’re right - meaningful.” he looked down at the Vayrons, “Thank you for your additions - ah, I think we need to get you cleaned up though.”