The air was still and damp. A musty smell filled the tunnel and crept into the explorers' lungs causing wrinkled noses and dissuading venturing deeper. A dim light filtered through bars near the ceiling. On the outside of the tunnel, these had seemed near the ground but now they were high above the colonists' heads letting in just a few rays of light. With this light it was possible to see far long the walls of the tunnel. This section was particularly murky and wet. Water practically pooled at their feet and the floor was covered in soft mosses. Lichen hugged the walls and added to the green ambient lighting as sone of it seemed to glow further in. Devo and Woodland looked at each other, taking in this section of tunnels. "It's uh…. Very wet." Devo offered. He was a little awkward but was incredibly happy to have the tsab with him on the exploration.

Woodland peered through the dim light, raising a torch she had fortuitously brought. This wasn't her first time in the tunnels and she'd brought along several supplies for the two of them to use. The torch was probably her favorite since one never knew when the light would suddenly go away in these tunnels, stranding explorers in the dark. Devo was saddled up with a borrowed mining harness fitted with clasped pouches. It held rope, snacks, a tablet to document the region, and even a camera in case they found something picture worthy. There was also a small knife in case they ran into trouble or needed to cut their way through something like dense foliage.

Woodland grinned at Devo. "Ready to see what's down there?" She asked, gesturing with the torch down the long winding hallway. Devo gulped. He'd insisted on coming on this expedition. Some of his fellow Tsidal colonists were off exploring the tunnels as well. The colonies were all working together on this adventure, seemingly regardless of their alliances to DPIP. Devo was a little worried to be working with Woodland who was a member of a rebel colony, but he was incredibly grateful for her expertise and kindness in helping him gear up to face the depths.

Devo nodded, and he and Woodland began their walk down the tunnel. It didn't really slope downwards, but something about entering increasingly dim light just made it seem like the pair were descending into some sort of abyss- perhaps never to return. Devo shook the thought from his mind, visibly shaking his head. Woodland raised an eyebrow but kept her thoughts to herself. Devo was a young belemoid and seemed to want to nervously prove himself. She figured he'd do fine despite the nerves. There didn't seem to be anything hostile this way after all. It was just wet, dark, and had weird glowing plants.

The pair continued to walk on. The moss under foot was still predominantly soft. But every now and then something poked through and made both travelers start to pick their way through the depths more carefully. The poking didn't hurt too much but it was always surprising and unwanted. As they rounded a corner, it seemed that they were beginning to go downhill. Devo couldn't help a gasp escaping him as something slimy slithered past, flicking water up at him.

Swinging her torch around, Woodland excitedly hoped it was a Tark'ee whelp. A draconic Tark'ee could be that shape. Casting the light across it, she was immediately disappointed to see it was a weird eel-like creature with a long tail divulging into two strands that resembled a fishtail made of seaweed. It seemed peaceful though, just passing by. "Don't mind it. Let's just keep going. It doesn't look like it wants to mess with us." Woodland said to her belemoid companion. Devo steeled himself and continued along through the watery tunnel.

Since rounding the corner the light had been nearly completely obliterated. Woodland's torch was now their main source of light. The darkness did provide a wonderful sight though. The lichens that lined the walls glowed in this area, casting lime luminescence about and dappling the murky waters the explorers were wading in. Devo seemed determined to trudge ahead, searching for less wet ground. He wasn't a reef belemoid, and for all his time in his home region of L'Hatzif, he still didn't love the damp and the wet. His curly fur trapped water more than his fellow colonists, and cleaning his individual feathers was a task. Still, he persevered, not stopping to truly take in the beautify of the glowing flora on the walls.

Woodland appreciated it though. She walked even slower, lagging behind her young friend a bit. The lichens crisscross one another creating checkerboard patterns, swirls, tribal-like shapes, and indiscernible blobs on the walls. She too spent plenty of time in L'Hatzif and was no stranger to bioluminescence, but she still appreciated the uniqueness of this region, maybe the lichen could even be useful for something.

Interested in the practical uses of the lichen, and wanting to observe it further, Woodland walked closer to the wall, raising her torch to see the details of the plants in the light. As expected, the glow somewhat disappeared with the proximity of the torchlight taking over. She reached out and touched the plants, not really expecting the fuzzy texture she felt. Devo had wandered quite a distance away at this point, but his shape could still be seen in the torch light. Woodland grabbed the knife she'd kept at her side and started cutting away at the lichen so she could take some back with her.

As the blade cut through the lichen there was a sudden dimming of the glow across the whole tunnel. Devo stopped in his tracks and looked around, spotting the torchlight behind him. He was surprised to see Woodland investigating the wall, but the dimming of the light also made him incredibly uneasy. He'd explored onwards and the height of the water had grown. It was now at his chest, and if he went much further he'd have to actually swim. The mostly still water around him suddenly began to ripple. As Woodland cut off the parts of the lichen and successfully claimed her prize, ripping it off the wall the rest of the light dimmed completely.

The ripples hitting Devi's sides in the water grew stronger and his unease turned into a strong anxiety. He began to frantically half wade half swim back towards Woodland. "Woodland! I think something's coming!" He shouted towards her. At that Woodland's head shot up, ears perked in alarm, no longer preoccupied with the lichen. "The light's gone and something's coming, we need to leave!" Devo shouted, getting closer.

Woodland could also feel the ripples now. They were getting stronger and closer together. As Debo's words ended and the main sound returned to his splashing back towards her, Woodland made out a second watery sound, like many tails all splashing up water at once. She couldn't see much in the black expanse before her, and she did not want to wait around to see who or what the sounds belonged to. "Let's get back to dry land" the tsab called back to Devo, turning to leave.

Devo hurried to catch up with Woodland and the pair, feeding off of one another's anxiety and the sudden darkness, began to sprint back towards the section of tunnel they'd come from where there was light, and the water only reached their paws.

Panting and hearts still racing, the pair made it around the corner and back to where the moss was only soft. they both stood there for a moment, catching their breath and eventually chuckling a little at the absurdity of the situation. All it took was a little bit of water and some darkness to frighten them off after all. How silly were they. Devo broke out in a full on laugh at the thought, releasing the tension he'd been building up throughout the entire adventure. Bolstered by the anxious belemoid's laughter, Woodland turned around as she chuckled and cast her light back towards the dark water.

Her laugh died in her throat as she saw it. The water was moving, without a shadow of a doubt. It was moving angrily, as if many furious bodies were thrashing below the surface. She took a few steps back, ensuring she wasn't anywhere near water that could even go over her toes. "I think we might've made something angry." Woodland said softly and with one last nervous chuckle. Devon's eyes went wide as his head whipped around to take in the now churning water.

"I thiiink there was another section that still needed exploring." He offered. "We turned right back a little ways. We could go to that left tunnel instead." The young belemoid hoped Woodland wouldn't insist on continuing down this tunnel. He was determined, but he knew better than to mess with something as angry looking as that water. Woodland nodded and looked at the lichen still in her hand. What the heck was this thing that she'd cut off the wall? She lifted a flap on Devo's pack harness and grabbed a secure sample baggie. She knew some scientist would love to study this further at one of their colonies.

"Yeah, let's go to that left tunnel. Maybe we'll just mark this area as hostile…. And make a note to stay away from the lichen on the walls." The two colonists headed back the way they'd come and left the angry water behind. Whatever creature or creatures were lurking below the surface would be someone else's problem. They'd explored far enough.