Beast, Blood, & Soul

* 17 *

Pawed feet pad carefully through the debris leftover from the landslide. A coyote, a wolf with a rabbit on its back, carefully looks over the cliff face at the gaping hole of the new cave system revealed beneath them.

Did we make sure no crews would be nearby today? The coyote asks.

I confirmed with Brendan that the area would be clear of any personnel today. The wolf replies to the coyote.

A blurring shimmered as Yoongi stands up to shrug off the backpack he carries with him. He removes rope and climbing gear so he can safely scale the cliff face without the risk of falling. Jin and Jungkook blur into their human forms, also shrugging off their backpacks and removing their equipment.

They secure their ropes to the cliff face and carefully lower themselves down to the cave. Once in the cave, they unhook themselves, grab their flashlights from their packs, and look around the cave opening.

"Well, you do have a great view of the valley from here," Jungkook remarks as he checks out the lip of the cave and the surrounding area.

"Just watch out for that last step, it's a doozy..." Yoongi mutters as he walks deeper into the cave system. "There is a tunnel back here. And I don't think it's natural." He shines his flashlight onto the rock that bore unmistakable signs of manipulation by something mechanical.

"Definite signs of cutting. Someone made this," Jin comments running his fingertips over the smooth rock.

"So the survey didn't mess up, then." Yoongi walks up to the tunnel and runs his hands over the jagged rock. "This must be relatively recent. We commissioned that survey 4 years ago."

"More than enough time if you have the right tools," Jin replies. He sniffs, "There is a familiar scent here, do you smell it?"

"Yes, but I can't place it," Yoongi comments as he looks around opening up his animal senses.

"We'll have to follow this to see where it exits." Jungkook points his flashlight down the long tunnel. Peering deep into the darkness, he sniffs and tilts his head as if listening carefully, his eyes widen and he quickly takes off running.

"Jungkook, wait!" Yoongi yells. "Damn it. Stupid rabbit." He and Jin follow down the tunnel, letting their flashlights guide the way.

They follow him- down the long tunnel, "How could he have seen anything, this is dark as hell." Jin complains.

"He must have identified the scent." Yoongi pants as they run after the youngest member.

They almost run into Jungkook as they find him stopped, his flashlight pointed up, highlighting a large cavern.

Jin gasps as he looks around the vast cavern, not believing his eyes. "Why is this here?"

The three men look on in horror as they see a scene that is familiar to each of them. Harnesses hang from the walls, surrounding a platform that once held a deranged woman who cursed them all.

"This was here all this time?" Jungkook asks in disbelief.

"No, we destroyed the original site, this must be a recreation. Waiting for us to return to her to finish what she started." Yoongi growled. Fury ripped through Yoongi as he stared at the scene. He wanted to destroy everything in this cavern.

"Is she nearby then? We haven't seen her in so long."

"She chased us for years and then trapped us with the curse. She wouldn't just give up and disappear." Yoongi huffed.