Wine padded after Luna, not looking around herself. She kept her eyes staring dead ahead at the twisting white tail of the lioness in front of her. She slowed progressively as the terrain grew more and more difficult, used to the soft grass and gently winding paths of the springs. But she kept up, refusing to fall behind now when they were so close.

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Eventually, they reached a rather sizeable clearing in the middle of the jungle. Luna stopped right before it, turning to Wine one last time.
"From now on, I need to have your promise that you'll do exactly what I tell you. There is no room for error. If the ritual is broken, the consequences will be dire." She said, her tone firm.


Bastet ran through the jungle until she found herself in the middle of a clearing, right in front of the yawning entrance of the cave before her. She hesitated only for a moment before she stepped inside.

"Stella! Are you there?!" She called out, her voice echoing through the dimly lit tunnel, leading up to The Primordial Spring. She wasn't sure why she was there. She just knew she should be here, that there was some unmistakable danger coming and she felt she had to stop it. Panic began to rise as only her own voice responded back to her in an echo. Was she already too late?

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Wine looked around at the clearing, searching for any signs of something supernatural. She looked back at Luna as the white lioness spoke, and nodded firmly. "And it will all be under our control?" she asked, wanting to be sure of this before she agreed to anything. The way she said it sounded like she was concerned about the spirits, and losing control of them, and mostly she was. But she also wanted to hear Luna say that they would be in control. Even while she admired the lioness, Wine hardly felt like Luna was the kind of lioness she could trust.

(Agh! Again!)

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Luna kept quiet for a few seconds.

"Yes" She replied with a hint of finality in her voice. She knew it was a lie, but she hoped she had made it sound convincing. Afterall, Wine wasn't the only one who could tell a convincing lie. Besides, she did need for the young lioness to agree, so the ritual could be completed. It had to happen this night, no questions asked.

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Wine waited with her tail twitching with distrust as each second passed, but finally Luna gave her answer. Wine wasn't one to trust, but she wanted to believe Luna. It was either that or leave all this behind. She was too close to give up now. "I swear I'll do exactly what needs to be done. No arguments, no mistakes."

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Luna nodded in approval. She had a feeling Wine didn't trust her, but having her confirmation she knew to press on forward.

She stepped through the foliage, and into an open meadow right in the middle of the forest. A dim light of the moon illuminated the area in a soft, mysterious glow. An entrance to a cave was carved in a stone monolith, which stood right there in the meadow, seemingly ou of place. The entrance was painted with ominous symbols, and an eerie glow eminated from inside the cave. The atmosphere was heavy in the air, as the feeling of being watched washed over the two lionesses like a wave.

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Wine padded after Luna, looking around at her surroundings. She looked up at the entrance to the cave as they were engulfed in eerie air of the place. Wine looked around at the symbols, trying to figure out what they said, though she didn't recognize them. But as they got closer, Wine's attention was caught by the ominous glow ahead of her. She moved forward warily.

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Luna entered the cave without much hesitation. The glowing light made her feel sick, like she was being judged by a powerful being for what she was about to do. She truted forward, not stopping to look if Wine was following, until a figure standing in her way made her stop dead in her tracks.

Bastet turned around, as she heard pawsteps behind her. She could only stare at her own mother and a lioness she didn't know as they stood not far from her. Her stomach sank, as she felt an unexplainable feeling of dread overtake her entire body.

(Hello there! I had an idea, what if we combine our rp with the one I have with valor? It could make sense, considering that my pride is most likely going to run away once the spirits escape and seek shelter at the Asaarii territory. Perhaps your pride could seek out their help as well?)

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Wine followed after, feeling a growing sense of dread and starting to second-guess her actions. She was caught up in her thoughts, and took a moment to notice that Luna had stopped, and a lioness was standing in front of them. Wine, of course, immediately recognized the lioness as Bastet, though she knew Bastet didn't know her. She was silent, waiting for Luna to make the first move. This certainly seemed like bad news for them, and the weight of the situation wasn't lost on Wine.

(I mean, we can, but you know I'm not super fast at replying, and I would probably either drag you guys down or you'd move forward way too fast without me.)

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Both lionesses looked at each other for a long while, without saying a word, way too stumped to actually do anything.

"What are you doing here?" Luna asked finally, her voice venomous like a pair of hungry cobras.

"I was about to ask you the same thing..." Bastet replied, her mouth barely moving from the shock she was still in. The fear she felt intensified.

"We have a business to attend to" Luna hissed "Step aside right now."

Bastet took a few steps back but didn't step out of the way. "N-no" She stammered out, her ears flat against her head. She knew something was horribly wrong and she couldn't let her mother get to the spring. Despite having no experience in battle, she would fight if she had to.

(No worries, valor isn't quick to respond either XD)

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Wine tensed, feeling a ripple of anger at Bastet. She didn't understand, she couldn't understand what this meant to Wine. Whatever she had going on with Luna, that was her business. But this was Wine's one and only chance to fix everything that had come apart. She wanted to snarl at Bastet to move, but she understood this was a personal matter. so she would give her one more chance to change her mind. She moved forward slightly so Bastet would know that she wasn't going to give in that easily - and she was certain Luna would do whatever it took to get there.

(Okay, well, if they're actually alright with it I am. I don't want them to agree just to be polite.)

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"I'm warning you Bastet. This is your last chance to let us pass peacefully" Luna snarled, her voice had a small hint of a desperate plea in it. She didn't want to do this, she didn't want to be forced to do something she would most certainly regret later. Then an idea appeared in her mind.

"Bastet, my darling" She softened her tone, letting her part of a distraught mother seep through" Please if you let us go, you can join us in our quest. When I repay my debt, we can finally be a family. We could finally be so close, you and I. Isn't that what you want? For your mother to love you and your daughter?" She did speak from the heart. That was something she always wanted, and she knew Bastet wanted it too. A part of her truly hoped that her daughter would agree. This flame of hope however was quickly extinguished.

(I already asked them a while back and they said they'd really like that)

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Wine could hear the hint of softness and desperation in Luna's voice, and her ear flicked with a sudden dark feeling of control. Luna was, after all, just a lioness. She may have been a little something more, but her feelings were the same as any other's. So was no So Sweet. Wine wasn't touched by their moment - rather, she was jealous, and out of this she became irritated with Luna. Especially when she mentioned repaying debts. She had never mentioned this, and Wine festered with the idea that Luna was lying to her. In a dangerous way. She glowered at Bastet, no longer caring whether she would say yes or not. She just needed to say something so this could move on.

(Alright then, let's do it! After this whole little story?)

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"You know better" Bastet's concious spoke to her.
She did not feel swayed by Luna's promises. Of course, she did want her mother's affection. Who wouldn't in her situation? However, she felt obligated to do what was right. She didn't know what type of debt Luna was talking about, but she had a feeling it wasn't anything good. She straightened her posture, staring intensely right into her mother's eyes.

"No," She said, a hint of finality and determination in her voice "I don't know what your plans are, but I will not let you pass. You shall not harm The Primordial Spring. If you want me to move, then you'd have to kill me first."

(Great! And yeah, I would like to finish this little story and the current rp I have with valor, which should be coming to an end shortly)

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Wine waited with an uncomfortable feeling under her skin for Bastet's response. As soon as she saw the indecision leave the lioness's body, and the way she looked Luna straight in the eyes, she knew what the answer was going to be. She stifled a growl, and looked around at the white lioness. Bastet spoke, and said Luna would have to kill her to get past. "Come on, Luna," Wine said quietly. She didn't think Luna would harm her daughter too badly to get past, but surely she wouldn't be backed down by her either. They had come too far.

(Okay, tell me when!)

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