Feldspar led the way down the old tunnel, his borrowed flashlight flickering every few steps. Its faded light brushed against ancient, dripping stone carved roughly into the shape of bricks. They glistened with moisture like a collection of tiny gems whenever the light brushed against their cold faces.

Onyx followed close on his heels. This would be their first time exploring this bunker, and from other colonists' stories she was not keen to get separated.

Above their heads rusted water pipes tangled around each other. Something let out a low groan that bounced off the dead brick around them. Onyx bit back a shudder, trying not to imagine what it would be like if one of those pipes sprung a leak so far below the ground.

At last Feldspar came to a halt. As they walked the ground beneath their feet had steadily sloped downward. Growing wetter as well. Now the pair stood in front of a dark, liquid shape coiled thick and impenetrable in the hallway. The only sound that came from the bunker around them was the quiet rippling waves skittering across the water's surface.

Dark and cold that water may be, but uninhabited it likely was not.

Onyx craned her neck, squinting at the oversized puddle in front of them. Definitely way too large to go around

"Maybe we'll be able to drain it somehow," she suggested.

As she spoke Feldspar was busy squinting into the water. He swooped the flashlight in an arc above the surface, only for the weak light to quickly get swallowed up below. They could at most

Onyx also hazarded a guess that the water might not be the cleanest. Darked from either from dirt or tannins from exposed roots, it was certainly a murkier color than the oceans and verbal pools she was used to.

"What do you suppose is down there?" Feldspar turned to ask her. A part of him couldn't help but feel uneasy that they couldn't quite see through the murk.

Onyx squared her shoulders. "Only one way to find out."

With that she confidently strode forward, not wanting the older tsabhua to think she might be a coward. She waded until the water was up to her elbows, the dark liquid casually lapping at her fur.

Onyx lifted her head, turning to flash Feldspar a confident grin. See, it wasn't so bad.

Only to feel something wet and slimy brush against her leg. With a cry of pure terror she ripped herself from the water, all thoughts of appearing brave flying straight out the window. The only thing on Onyx's mind was getting the hell away from whatever that thing was.

Feldspar was quick to meet her. He grabbed her by the shoulders, eyes wide with concern. "What is it? Are you alright? What did you see?"

"There are…" Onyx cleared her throat awkwardly. "Turns out there are some aquatic plants down there."

She watched Feldspar's face as the information registered. Worry dripped away, instead replaced by a very deliberate attempt at a neutral face. He released his panicked grip on her shoulders almost apologetically. "Ah."

"Yeah." Onyx fought the urge to fight awkwardly. Already she could feel an uncomfortable heat crawling under her pelt. Whatever chance she once had at impressing the older xunari was surely quashed by now.

Awkward silence hung heavy around the two, echoing definingly against the stone bunker walls.

"Well," Feldspar cleared his throat. "We still have a mystery to solve."

Right, that was the reason they had come down here in the first place. Onyx rolled her shoulders, trying to shake the earlier startle from her mind.

"Why don't I take the lead this time?" Feldspar suggested. He gave her a look that was probably meant to be reassuring, but it only made her embarrassment climb higher. "I'll let you know if there are any slimy plants to watch out for."