No One Told Us Not To Sooo... We Can, Right?! (Candy/Auro Partnership; Monster Hunt; Rated E; Invite)

She tried not to nod, humming in the link as an affirmation. If it's trying to lure us, that means it knows that we're here. Do we know of any cave systems? Part of her was suddenly very annoyed at herself for having not put more time into learning the lay of the land, as it had not been her primary focus; hopefully, though, Candy had.

There is a cave to the north of the town, quite a ways away. It's quite small and supposed to be a bear den. Heard anything about any bear sightings from anyone? Maybe a woodsman finding any dead bears? Candy asked the last questions, since the Wendigo could have easily dispatched even the large mammals.

Move of not finding any. The Witch stated simply, checking around before determining which direction was North and working to try to make her way to it. A pause followed a sudden realization, and she retrieved Candy. Trust me?

Of course! Candy exclaimed over the link, without skipping a beat. With my life!

Aurora nodded, tossing Candy for a moment before dropping her soul protect and transforming. Catching her with her own mouth in mid-air, she made her way to one of the trees, scaling it.

Why leave ourselves as a target?

It'll make the searching faster. Sure. Candy replied, without hesitating. I trust you.

Good, she thought back, her voice showing relief as she glided from tree to tree, continuing in the direction Candy had previously directed. There's no reason for it to have soul protect, so as long as we're in these forms, it shouldn't pay us any mind. Still, as they drew closer to the cave in question, the silence of the forest became more obvious, permeating the air so heavily that it felt almost deafening. A shudder snaked along the witch's nervous, a clear waver in her wavelength, even as she held the ball weapon so easily.

How a forest could become so entirely silent that it seemed dead was beyond Candy. She couldn't fathom it. No wind, no nothing. Nature itself seemed to be afraid to step near the semi-dead creature which defied it before. I hate this.

I do, too. Aurora thought back, though it was far from reassuring. Settling on the tree nearest the cavern, she worked to focus on perceiving the creature's soul. At present, it did not appear to be home, a thought that was more than a little unsettling. Dropping from the tree, she glided into the cavern, clinging to itself and looking around. The area wasn't especially deep, but the sheer darkness of it would be blinding for daylight-accustomed people. Where do we start?

With getting a light so I can see. Candy thought, attempting to draw some attention to the fact that she didn't have night vision goggles for eyes. Well, she didn't have eyes at all when in her weapon form... If we fight it in here, though, I can bounce a lot. We could wait.

Whatever you want, Aurora said, mumbling under her breath and trying to draw forth a small ball of light. She accomplished such, but only just barely, throwing it at the back of the cave where it stuck to the wall. The light was dim, all the way towards the front that they were, but given time, it was enough to adjust to.

That helps. Thank you. Candy looked around the cave as best she could now, though not really adjusted to the light. Do you see anything interesting?

Nothing you want to know about, Aurora insisted, very specifically avoiding looking at the floor as she crawled along the cave's wall. It definitely lives here. You're lucky you can't smell, right now.

Candy imagined the plethora of assorted carcasses that must have been strewn across the stone floor. The reading she did on the creature didn't help make those in her mind look any better.

We're scaring ourselves, Aurora mentally scolded them both, moving to try to find somewhere less... disturbing, should she have to shift back to her human form. Suddenly, her eyes widened and she looked towards the entrance of the cave. Though there was nothing there, she sensed something nearby, an unsettling fact that had her quickly moving out of the spectrum of light she'd casted and into a nearly unnoticeable crevice towards the ceiling. Her Perception was finally going off, but it couldn't keep track of the creature's movements, darting through the trees as it was, making it's way back to towards the cave. The small blessing was, at least, that it appeared to have not been hunting, at least... not successfully.

With the light being out, Candy was completely blind. She knew the thing was there. Whenever you're ready, I'm ready.

I can't pinpoint it. Aurora said, voice shaking, even in her mind. Her eyes darted back and forth as she fought to keep track of the creature. Did it know they were there? The light was surely a hint of interference, but unless he could smell her magic, somehow, then there was no way... right...?

It's fast... I didn't think it'd be this fast... Candy said, trying to perhaps listen for it's location. Wasn't working. Her vision still wasn't good, despite the dim light.

I might toss you once it enters, be ready. Aurora was sweating, shaking slightly as she contemplated. If things went wrong, she could play bait, easily, but the issue wasn't so much in staying safe from the wendigo, then, as from her own wavelength...

Being able to tell what Aurora was thinking, for the most part, Candy attempted to give the girl a mental jolt similar to a slap upside the head. I'm the weapon here. I'm safer than you; don't you dare try baiting it away from me. 

Just because you're a weapon, doesn't mean you can't be eaten. Even mentally, she fell silent rather suddenly, staring as the twisted creature finally stepped foot in the cave. It looked almost blind, and some reports stated that this was likely but unknown. Some thought it saw movement, like certain dinosaurs reportedly could do. Either way, she remained still, watching as it sniffed around.

If I'm eaten, it is going to get great many new holes. Candy replied, not knowing that the creature was inside the cave; eyesight still wasn't well adjusted, even after this time.

Not wanting to make them more obvious, Aurora left the light well enough alone, though the beast seemed to detect a foreign intruder nonetheless. As her familiar, she knew that she would not give off a particularly human scent, just as the same would be true of Candy in her weapon form. However, the magic could have a smell all its own, or perhaps just her being would seem foreign enough that it wold grow suspicious.

ooc// Your call.

It seems that any scent made the creature rather violent. It suddenly stopped sniffing at a certain point and looked -or pointed its nose- right at Aurora and Candy. Perhaps the reason for the forest outside being almost barren of life was that the creature attacked anything and not just people.

The witch's eyes narrowed slightly, trying to force the adrenaline in her to steel her senses, rather than force a flight response from her. Swallowing hard, she backed up against the wall, scrunching herself in a manner not unlike compressing a spring. Steadying her nervous, she leapt, tossing Candy hard against one of the walls. Gliding out of sight, she waited, senses alert on her partner.