Post by ⊱ R H Y S ⊰ on Jul 23, 2014 1:37:37 GMT -6
R H Y S
Long live the king...
Pale light drifted through shadow, a glow red, like the dying embers of a flame coming forth from a figure that appeared as black as the tunnel itself. Slowly it traveled along the rubble laden tunnel, claws scraping along rusted, rotting metal as it stalked on through the darkness.
Beams of daylight pierced through cracks overhead, splintering down into the tunnel, revealing the crumbling remains of what had once been some sort of underground track system. It was feared by most of the dog pack that called this wasteland home. Few were brave enough to travel here for rumor of monsters that dwell in darkness... But she had been here once before.
Stepping out of the shadows and into the light, Rhys narrowed her eyes against the stinging light that filtered through the cracks above her head and surveyed the area. She knew she was in the right place. It had to be. This particular tunnel only went so far before being cut off by a collapsed roof and a massive pile of stone and dirt. As her eyes slowly adjusted to the new light source, she could make it out just up ahead, now growing with ivy and mosses. The world above was claiming it's prize.
Long ears twitched at the sound of dripping water as it trickled down from the broken roof farther down the tunnel, falling into a shallow pool along the base of a large stone platform that seemed to continue under the fallen stone that blocked the tunnel.
This was the place alright. It had been only a few seasons since then, but she could still see the scratches and dried blood along the floor.
Careful paws carried her toward the scene.
Her nose lowered to the ground, taking in the scents. Most of them had faded, but she could still make out the faintest traces of blood, fear, and the stench of rot. Her head tilted as she raised it, peering over to where a crumpled pile of fur and bone lay pushed against a pillar. The bare skull's jaw gaping, still posed in it's final, gurgling scream.
The skin along Rhys' back quivered, and a bitter snarl pulled at the edge of her muzzle.
Yes, this was where it happened. This was where she had been soiled.
Why she had come back to this spot, she had no clue, but the thought had been tugging at her for days. Maybe it was to remind herself of what she had endured that day, or maybe it was something else.. Some deep rooted, demented part of her that wanted to remember, to revel for the moment in what had ultimately brought her to this point in her life. Without which she would have never had the drive to go through with the challenge, or to have killed the pack's dear alpha, and made herself alpha in his stead.
Still... It made her sick to remember what he'd done to her.
To remember how many had trusted him to lead them.
"You got what you deserved, and so did he." She muttered, looking into the empty eyes of the body that lay beside the pillar. A deep, hollow laugh echoed from her throat. "Him, and all of his bloodline... Long live the king." She spat the last words in a hushed growl.
At that, she turned and stalked off toward the other side of the tunnel, pausing only to lap at the pool of water before heading back along the track and into the darkness once more.
She'd only taken a few steps before stopping again, her long ears lifting as her head tilted to catch the tell tale sound of paw steps coming her way.