[Golem-SRP] Rock Clawbster

[belloblossom]

Golem's parents hadn't been very attached to him and in all honesty, Golem hadn't been very attached to his family either. The only cat he showed much interest in was his brother, Drake. His sister, Wyvern, appeared distant, much like his parents. Golem didn't mind it. That's just how families were, he reasoned. Once he and his siblings were old enough to fend for themselves, they were put out into the world. Golem knew how to hunt and how to fight, already having gotten in a couple of skirmishes himself with other beasties. He and Drake traveled together for a time, but eventually Golem took off on his own, mentioning his general whereabouts to his brother and then disappearing.

It wouldn't be hard to track him, his foot prints were so large. His parents had warned him of the dangers of groups of cats as you got closer to the central forests, but it had never bothered Golem. A relaxed and fearless cat, the only thing that bothered the cat seemed to be bright sunlight. Nocturnal, he turned to shadowed places where he could find comfort. So was his fate one evening, when he stumbled onto a tunnel in the forests. There was plenty of cat scent around, but it would seem that there weren't any cats inside of the tunnel, which was all he cared about. He'd never been in a tunnel before, but the darkness called to him and he slid through the opening. There was a faint cat scent here, but Golem could tell it was old. Beyond that, lay something else, but it was too faded to be able to tell (not that Golem would know fox when he smelled it anyway, as he had yet to encounter one on his travels.)

Pale eyes gleaming in the darkness, he felt safer here and moved forward, undaunted by the way the darkness pressed in on him from either sides. He would've continued moving forward, had the scent of water not reached his nose. Perking his ears and parting his jaws, the smell of musky dampness indeed was coming from ahead of him. While he wasn't the biggest fan of water, his curiousity got the better of him. He almost stumbled into the cavern as his paws slipped down into it. His eyes adjusted and he stared around in wonder. There was certainly water here, but he couldn't quite make out how much water was there. Bunching out his fur to keep warmer, he proceeded forward slowly.

"Hullo?" He mewed, his voice gravelly from not speaking often. His stub of a tail flicked and he blinked to let his eyes adjust. His eyes were starting to slowly settle. Maybe he could figure out if this cavern lead out into other tunnels, or maybe this river flowed somewhere exciting. At any rate, he was certainly more comfortable here than in any place he'd seen before. The dirt and rubble didn't bother him. He finally felt... at ease here.

caffeinecraving

 

[caffeinecraving]

Golem would find the way tightening in on him, after Robinstar Flamestar had hunkered down here for a bit but never went past the narrowing, and the earth had shaken loose. The way would be tight but a determined cat would get through.

On the other side the ground sloped leading to an open cavern. The sound of running water would fall on a cats ear. Still in blinding darkness if they made their way into the cavern a small amount of light would seem to light up the way enough.... that they would see a rocky riverbed with fast moving water rushing by.

Looking around they would have a choice, they could follow the river north or south... cross the river and go east, or follow an off shoot tunnel that would lead them back the way they had come to the west and further it seemed down....  

[belloblossom]

When Golem traveled in closer to the cavern, the light was able to illuminate some of the area. He turned in a circle, evaluating which way he should go and then settled on following the river. This cavern was large enough that he was certain he would be able to find it again. If he could, he would explore each one of these tunnels.

I'll rub my scent all around the tunnels I go through. He decided firmly. That way I'll know which ones I've already been to. He reasoned, before he started to follow the river north. He kept a safe distance away from the rushing water. While it would certainly get him in one direction faster, he wasn't the greatest swimmer in the world. He looked down at his paws and shook his head. Walking was much more preferable to him, thank you very much.

Keeping his jaws parted, he continued to scent the river beside him and rubbing up against every wall or rock on his journey north.
I should bring Drake here. He reflected as he journeyed on, curious to see what he would find next. Maybe he would feel just as ease as I do here.

caffeinecraving

 

[caffeinecraving]

As he followed the rocky river bed, he would the path once again started to narrow. The path he was walking would slowly give way into nothing but water. He would have a choice, he could swim in the water, against the current to follow the river farther into where it disappeared in the rock, or he could turn back. If he looked hard enough he would see a little light seeming to come through the hole where the water disappeared.  

[belloblossom]

Golem wasn't as lithe as his sister, Wyvern, but he was able to continue further along the river. When the path gave away, he took one step and nearly tumbled into the water, but was able to catch himself in time. One of his paws still got miserably wet though, something he was not keen on happening to the rest of them. If none of the other tunnels he'd seen provided any interest to him, then he may opt to try and swim it, but that was not a high priority.

When Golem had the choice of being wet or dry, he would always choose dry. So, he peered down the river for a bit, seeing only a pinprick of light and shook his head. Another time, he decided. Only if the other tunnels were very boring indeed. So, he turned around and set off in the other direction of the river, wandering south. He passed through the cavern he'd originally, rolling in the dust to make sure that his scent was everywhere should he need to find this again (though he was starting to smell more dusty the more he rolled.)

I just hope this direction proves more useful than going the other way. He thought. If not, perhaps he would choose the tunnel that seemed to lead back the way he came, though not the exact path he'd taken. At any rate, this seemed like quite the new adventure indeed.

caffeinecraving

 

[caffeinecraving]

Following the river back south he would be following it for a little bit. It didnt seem like it was leading anywhere interesting, but it did seem to be headed up.... the river flowing up hill?! but up it went and slowly the tunnel became smaller and smaller and the dry foot space shrank while the rivers pace slowed. he would come to a point where he would have to swim, head underwater, to continue any farther.... There was no promise of what lay where the river led.  

[belloblossom]

Another dead end, unless he'd like to swim and he certainly would not. Shaking his head, he flicked his stubby tail in dismissal.
I am a cat, not a fish. He thought as he turned around again. He supposed since he'd already gotten one paw wet, he may as well try to cross the river to travel eastward, but... no, not yet.

There is still the option of traveling further downward, it would seem. I want to see if that tunnel leads anywhere. He thought as he padded forward. He was grateful for his stamina when it came to adventure. So, pushing onward, he wandered back into the main cavern as he was coming to know it and then turned into the tunnel near where he had initially entered. Sniffing as he went, he continued ever on.

Won't Drake be proud, when he hears of my new home and territory. He thought with delight.

caffeinecraving

 

[caffeinecraving]

Going back was a statement in stamina, at this point he had gone a far distance there and back again. The sun was sinking in the sky, not that he could see that at the moment. Turning down the other path he would smell the scent of grass and herbs. The path wound back on its self a few times but eventually opened up in to a lush garden... almost an Eden, prey scent all over and the sullen chirp of mice being startled. If he looked around he would see herbs of all different types. The walls were smooth and lead to the ceiling where there seemed to be a spotlight that shown the moonlight on the garden. There were small gleaming mushrooms that seemed to have a shine all to their own. In the smooth walls there are 5 openings. Two on the right... two on the left... and one straight ahead.  

[belloblossom]

Golem was beginning to feel weary, but he pressed on. He moved forward until he came into the greenery. His mouth watered at the scent of prey and his nose twitched at the different herbs found there. There were even more tunnels to explore here and he hadn't even covered all the ones from the main cavern. Shaking his head, he came to a decision.

I'll hunt here and nap. Then, when I've rested, I'll start exploring the other tunnels. He decided and set off into a bush to track the scent of mice. It didn't take him long to rustle up two of them and he practically gulped them down, before rolling over and marveling at how there was so much plant life here, when above the ground it was so cold.

I'll explore here. He thought with a pleased purr. And once I've explored and marked it all as mine, it will be such. And with that thought, he curled up among the bones of his prey and was snoring away in no time.

----

It was hard to say when Golem woke, but when he did the light had changed in the... green cavern? He wasn't quite sure what to call it, but he was happy to wake up here. Finally burying his meal from earlier, he got to his paws and stretched. He padded forward, to the tunnel straight ahead. He tried to think of the other tunnels back in the original cavern he had found. Which tunnels had he explored there again? He'd marked the ones he'd gone through, right? Well, what was a little more walking to him? He would worry about that after he'd explored the tunnel in the green cavern, straight ahead.

caffeinecraving

Gah, I thought I'd replied to this already! Sorry for the delay! D:

 

[caffeinecraving]

Going straight led him back into the darkness. however the sunlight that followed him gave him another choice to make when the grasses receded back into rock floor. Three tunnels, one to his far right, one relatively more straight and one to the right.