Ask A Long Shot

[Darth Tiamat]

Tiamat glanced to Jonas when he mentioned losing his home, but she didn't pry. Perhaps a younger version of herself would have wanted to ask more questions, to learn more but it was hard to find that motivation or curiosity at times. The moment though passed and he signaled for them to get moving again. The redheaded woman nodded and stood up, adjusting her pack as she followed the Jedi a few steps behind before catching up.

She could see the cave ahead and the eroded trench that she guessed once held the spring, the water just about gone, only leaving behind a mud hole. She crouched down, feeling the change in dirt as she went further down. Jonas suggested they head into the cave and Tia agreed, "Do you think something is blocking it?" she asked as she looked up the mountain side, seeing snowpack that still remained at higher elevations. The melting was clearly going somewhere, but had forgone the path to this stream.

Walking ahead, the woman seemed to have no reservations about entering an unknown cave, "Do you have a flashlight?" she asked, digging through her pack quickly to see if she had one as the sunlight quickly narrowed the further inside they went.

@Raydo

 

[Jonas Syl]

Jonas reached into his bag and pulled a flashing, clicking it on. The light cast long shadows as the cave cut deeper into the mountains.

"That would make the most sense, I suppose. There certainly has been a drought, but that would suggest the water issues would be more widespread than just this one valley." he said, watching as he stepped down into the cave.

He pointed his flashlight up, the ceiling littered with bats. He pressed a hand to the cave wall, letting his senses extend outward. The cave teemed with life as he pushed his mind further and further outward. That's when he felt it, a huge creature, maybe a pair of them. "There is something big further into the cave. Its not necessarily aggressive right now, but who knows if we get closer." he said.

"You want to continue?" he asked, looking back over his shoulder. "We can turn back, but I will need to see these creatures to see if they are tied to our disappearing water." he explained.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Tiamat stood close, trying to see as far as she could without pulling the Force to aid her eyesight; she didn't need a jedi to pounce her for not being a lightsider. She followed behind closely, pausing only to reach down to touch the soil, finding it cold and dry; it was clear water had not flowed for quite some time. She looked up as he pointed the flashlight up to see the bats, they seemed displeased with their guests, stirring above them. Frowning, Tia looked at her palm, wondering if she had also picked up a handful of bat poop.

Jonas was doing...something. The woman quirked an eyebrow, waiting quietly, though almost interrupted him when he finally spoke, informing what he could feel. She looked at him with doubt, not really certain if she believed there were large creatures further inward.

"Can't you just call them up from here?" she asked, placing her fists on her hips, her blue eyes glanced over his shoulder. "I want to wait here though, who knows what else in back in there." she said, feeling an unease that was not from the idea of encountering hostile beasts, but bad things seemed to happen when she went far into caves.

@Raydo

 

[Jonas Syl]

"I could try..." he said with a bit of hesitation. "If we need to run from this thing, that is going to prove to be...interesting." he said. They had plenty of room outside the cave, but to truly escape the area, they needed to climb the mountain. Likely without equipment if they were in a hurry.

"Probably a good idea. We have more room to work with up here." he said with a nod.

He let out a deep breath, closing his eyes as he held out a hand toward the darkness. His senses extended downward again, touching the presence he had felt a moment ago. This time he tried to touch the beast's mind, coaxing it to come out and remain passive. He could tell the creature wasn't naturally a predator but was already growing agitated at their presence. Undoubtedly, it would have defended its lair if it had pressed forward.

The creature resisted at first but then moved tentatively toward the cave's entrance. Jonas motioned for his partner to move back outside of the cave, as he stepped backward as well. A long moment passed, and then the creature appeared in the shadow of the cave.

It was large, covered in a thick-looking carapace. It looked built for tunneling through rock. It also had a pair of massive claws among its various limbs. It let a hissing sound; some sort of acid dripped from its mouth. Jonas had never seen a creature like this before. "I think I can get it to leave, hopefully.." he said whispered as he tried to form a further connection with the creature.

Roll: 14

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Tiamat quietly watched the shadows for Jonas' return; she stayed put near the mouth of the cave and internally wished Jonas would not get eaten, for she did not want to have to explain that one to the villagers. Though the silence would break, it sounded like stone scratching against stone as slowly, but surely, Jonas was slowly backing up. Tiamat could feel his strength in the Force for a lightsider, and though she didn't care for it, it was fascinating to see how he was able to coax the creature from its home. The redheaded woman just as silently backed up to watch it emerge, first in awe, then in confusion as she, like Jonas had never seen such a creature.

The woman's eyebrows rose as she heard Jonas say something about getting it to leave; her blue eyes flickered to the creature and then back to the Jedi, feeling some doubts as it drooled and hissed again. "Maybe we should find it another cave..." Tiamat suggested. She took a step back as the creature suddenly stood up and then slammed its entire body back into the ground, a powerful blow that rattled to the peaks of the mountains. Tia had nearly toppled over herself as she grasped onto a boulder to keep her balance.

Much to Jonas' efforts, the creature did not seem interested in going anywhere and instead continuing from its cave, its massive clawed arms started to slowly wave, pushing dirt and rock as though it were trying to burrow. "Do you know any other caves? Perhaps it is not a fan of the sunlight?"

@Raydo