Vhalar 3rd 719
-‡- It was dark, the moon shown through the duration of slowly passing clouds high in the skies that had provided a most cool breeze to glide within. It was also known to be the time when the nocturnal beasts of the wild and dangerous came out to roam in the wilds. Wilds where the denizens of slavery within Athart weren't permitted to leave the sanctions of the walls without proper papers from their owners. None the less, a squad of Shadow Wings landed upon a clearing of land at the base of a cliff that rose up several hundred arm lengths in height. At the top of the cliff was a long stretch of a plateau where the pit of reflection was known to exist.
As wings were listened to in their feathery soft flapping, their descent became instinctively halted as dark wings were extended from their armor laiden bodies. The subtle sounds of several feet and claws landing were nearly non existent by a few of their number. The few who were the more skilled and experienced avriels. Coroths' attentions were upon them, knowing how good they were, seeking to pick up on how they remained so quiet. One of whom took a grace in her movements, almost as if she were dancing in the air as she melodramatically touched her feet and hands to the earthen ground below. Her arms drifting gracefully to return to her sides from where they had been playing her fingertips within the air beyond her sides as if minstrelling cords of the air to her whims. When she landed, Coroth's eyes were upon her, watching how her small hands reached for the sheathed daggers which she could kill with utmost lethality.
Whispers were emitted amongst them as wings were notoriously folded behind them. Their blackened feathers becoming like dark voids behind them to conceal them from any looking at them from behind it seemed. Orders were silent spoken, and uttered with breaths to be heard by the listening ears as they gathered together. The mission had already been spoken to the squad earlier at an outpost near Athart. The cavern had come under threat from an unknown number of arachnids who'd killed off several slaves who'd been quarrying the area. Plans had been made for the alcove, and were disrupted. Whether they struck an opening to somewhere else within the mountainside, or they had appeared one night from the jungle and took up residence, they would not know. Nor needed to in order to eliminate them.
Gesticulations were used to point by the lead avriel, a woman of thin dark hair that was allowed to fall to her shoulders in bound curls that remained out of her eyes by bands of leather behind her head. She was of the lithe breed of winged ones, slenderness adding to the finesse in her movements. She was also proven to be deadly with her dexterity and small blades, some would consider her of the roguish assassin lineage in merits of skills and abilities. She held everyones respect, for it was not a rare occasion for her to sneak up upon an adversing avriel with a blade to their throat to assure them that they would agree with her when she wanted them to.
Coroth unharnessed the stave of his longbow from his back as they prepared themselves. His bared foot bearing soft yet darkening fur curled around the butt end of the wood as the cord was habitually fitted to one ends notch. The stave was deftly flipped to upright the remaining side. The strength in his arm bearing the rooting muscles of an archer as he forced the wood to bend until he was able to weave the other end of the cord to it in turn. It was still a weak bow, and he a learner of it's trade. There were a few others who were archers as well, one of which bore a crossbow, something far easier to use as it required not the same strength, but the power of mechanisms to load instead.
An arrow was being drawn silently from the quiver at his back as he was led towards the caverns entrance by the herding of the squad, prepared and ready to perform their duty. A large orifice had been chiseled from the cliff face in days prior, perhaps weeks or longer. Marks of picks and hammers against stone became all the more visible as one of them had already set down his shield and blade and was drawing sparks against a nearby torch ensconced on the outer wall until it lit up with a racing flame. A flame that danced quickly as it was brought to life, sputtering for air until it was taken in to its core to burn and warm once more. A dismal, quiet spark stirred inside of Coroth as he watched it. Yet, fearing the reprisal of his brethren, he fought the urge to speak with it, even from within. A few others picked up torches that had formed a small pile outside. They were lit up and used to guide the rest of the party as they entered. Three others took the lead, ready to kill and take the first hits with shield and skill. Their leader took up a position behind them, in the midst of the group. The light of the torches lit her up from their positions at her sides, exposing the tautness of her darkened, metal rings that were worn for armor and how they weighingly fit to her feminine curvings and more so her movements. Though other attire was worn over the maille, not all of it was concealed from the light. It was ever a fight with his inner yearning for woman that kept his eyes fancying at least an occasional glimpse, or longing stare at her when she wasn't looking. As if she didn't know, or provoke the other males with the way she moved with pride.
Coroth himself waited with two other archers till the torches radiance was in front of them, then followed after, remaining far enough behind to be able to slip into the darkness and remain hidden. One of the archers, a more older avriel, had taken to the knack of guiding Coroth whilst he was in the squad. Giving him small reminders or notes to do this or that to acquistion to their military ways. After several moments, the silence remained vigil, and then the cavernous tunnel began to open higher above their heads. High enough that their wings could be stretched outwards, yet not so high to allow them to fly. Crenalations of natural growth became noticeable as the torches illumination devoured loitering appendages that hung from the ceiling. Some of them glazened with some moist dew. Shadows danced, and leapt about as they continued. Shadows that were watched were kept all the more so alert and unknowing of their cause unless dutifully scrutinized and watched as they were passed. The leader turned about, meeting the eyes and gaining the silent attention of her followers. Directing one to look in one particular direction, the other at another compass route, whilst in the center was to keep an eye on the forward rank and attack anything before it attacked them.
It was one of the shadows hidden a distance away from the path they took along the center of the cavernous corridor that caught someones attention. Shadows, that darted quickly behind one of the hanging stalactites, it was quickly brought into Coroths sights while he aimed. His bows cord was drawn backwards, the sound of the cord drawing at straining wood to form a slowly tightening curve. A whisper was sent from his lips that one of the torchbearers heard, and caused him to stop and turn about. The torch raised higher, causing the shadows to evaporate nearby. Waving it about towards the hanging cones of smoothened rock. The cavern seemed to open up into another chasm in the direction Coroth was holding his aim towards. Whispers were sent to listening ears, some pointy, others more humane. The fur along his cheeks thistled some as his adrenaline was felt rushing through his blood; through muscles still growing towards adept as they held the bow with acute readiness. It was as one of the warriors with shield and spear turned about and strode in that direction that the sparkle of a spiders web was noticeable in the distance. Slightly reflecting the light of the torch as the wielder followed the warrior for a closer look. Ever seeking a reason to find something, hidden. =‡=