"Alternates"
What would you see in a mirror of unknown magics? would you even like it?
What do you think this mirror is supposed to do anyway?

Awesome work by OtherWords of my character taking stalk of an unusual situation.

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Artwork ©:  OtherWords | Original Here!!!
Character ©:  leasoncre

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"I don't think I've been this deep in a cave system before" I thought to myself as I walk down a tunnel exploring a cave system that, so far, has been quite extensive. I haven't seen daylight shine past a rockface in a few days at least, but I haven't exactly been aiming for the exit either. I was pretty sure this could be the last tunnel to chart in my mind. I had already explored the rest of the tunnels off the main caverns. There were several nice possible nesting alcoves and some premium resting chambers in some of the other tunnels. I was hoping this tunnel would only lead to a few more places so I could make my decision as to which chamber to call my own. As I rounded a curve in the dark tunnel, narrowly avoiding a stalagmite that had grown rather low in the passage, I noticed a glow in the tunnel ahead. "OH! Another secondary exit?!" always good to have a backup escape route in case trouble stirs in closed quarters.

As I sauntered onward, I heard the sound of wind as well. Wait,.. no,.. not wind,.. water. There was a nice stream flowing through the chamber ahead of me. However, this flowing water was not as loud as the tumbling falls outside. As I rounded the bend in the tunnel, I saw it, A mirror flanked by crystalline growths, only.. the mirror had a shimmer to it, as I approached it I noticed the floor was wet, and what I heard was coming from the mirror. The water flowed from the ceiling to the floor and spattered against the crystals at either side, most of the water finally disappeared into a sliver of a crack at the base of the mirror. It was nearly a perfect mirror, and made of water no less! This is a fascinating find indeed. I’ve never seen a natural formation of water create an effect like this. Sure, you can always look down upon any lake and see your reflection, or some rare creations of other creatures can give you a similar mirror effect. I could just feel that something about this ‘mirror’ was special.

At first I didn't even notice myself staring back at me, I had seen my own reflection may times in various pools and objects I'd come across in my travels. But something about my reflection looked a little different from what I'd seen for so many years. I looked at my reflection, admiring my features and the scale plating the has kept many a sharp object at bay. As my eyes moved to my jawline, I could see my reflection looking back at me from that mouthwatering mirror. Was this my reflection? Or another me? This was quite strange, I knew what I was to the core. But this mirror somehow made me question that. My reflection looked back into my eyes and I knew this was me, but She stared back at me. There was no mistaking those subtle characteristics that define most ladies from their counterparts, and I had to say that she was attractive.

Though I wasn't sure what premise, law, or magic made my reflection appear the way she did, I reached out to the mirror to touch it, but hesitated just short of the water’s façade. Not knowing what this thing was actually meant to do or if it was just a fancy prop for some magician's parlor tricks. After a moment of thought, I figured it better to lose a claw to what might be been acid than loose half my paw. I stuck a single claw into the water, where a thin line appeared below where my claw had interrupted the flow of water. After a moment I could feel the cool flow of the water through my claw, since my claw seemed unaffected by any magic’s, it seemed to be a safe to touch.

I raised my paw and pressed it against the shimmering water, making a rift in the mirror apparent below my palm's presence as much of the water splashed across my hand. I could feel solid stone now, and a gentle pulse of energy flowing through the surrounding area now. Strange I hadn’t noticed it before, I usually sense energies from a fair distance. The energy seemed to be benevolent or it wasn't concerned with my presence. The Illusion before my eyes was so close, I could feel myself being drawn to her. Her form my own, but just as hungry as I was. If it were only possible to... Was she just an illusion?

(Continued...)

-Written by leasoncre, accompanying artwork by OtherWords