Soft steps pushed silky sand between webbed toes. "So let me get this straight-" Sandstone walls surrounded the incoming troop. Protective, dusty, and full of stale, hot air. The sound of distant digging was echoing from the many winding tunnels, their entrances marked by wooden arches.

The two Tsab miners were balding in the webbing between limbs. They looked tired, their claws slightly bloody from itching. "Like we said- Sand fell from the roof and we can't stop scratchin.'"

Snaking up the mineshaft was a stranger- A belemoid by the name of Houdini. "Eughhhhh." He rolled in the dust, wiggling and itching his back. Soon to follow, a smaller belemoid, equally strange. "Are you itchy too, Canna?" Their voices were foreign, a Rekes' dialect.

"And who are these fine folks," inquired Sapphique. She stood at a distance, uneasy with the thought of her own skin itching to this point of near mange. Hooked in her tail were two tark'ee whelps and a small saltwater tsab; Taco, Korey, and Bird. Taco was slowly wedging herself between Sapphique's legs, looking up at the tall tsabs.

"These are Houdini and Canna- Transfers from Ororest. Mining study," Novruil itched at his chin. "I'm thinking fleas, again."

"Again?" Bird looked mortified, the thought of the bouncing bugs nibbling in its curls. Korey mocked gagging. Taco just seemed confused.

"What are… Fleas?" Taco tilted her head, looking up at Sapphique.

Lungric, the second Tsab miner, sighed, "They're itchy, biting, infuriating insects." She shook her mantle, as if to shake the very thing from her body. "Last time Kahawai and his troop were swarmed when they broke through an old shaft." Novruil nodded in agreement, a scowl clear on his face. "Took weeks to clear them out."

Sapphique looked uneasy, shaking her head and tucking the whelps closer to her body. "How horrible, you all must have felt so miserable." She was lucky, her short fur and thick blubber made her unappetizing. However she swore she could feel a little prickle in her toes… Best to ignore it for now. Taco snuggled close to Sapphique, peeking out from between her legs.

"So who sent you?" Houdini sounded annoyed as he rubbed against one of the wooden posts. Canna stood nearby, scratching at her ears.

"I think I got fleas…" Canna muttered, looking at the slight red stain on her foot. She leaned down to chomp at her feet. Bird watched intently, curiosity sparking. Korey nudged the green whelp, muttering something in its ear. Taco shot a glare back at the whelps, frowning. She whispered a harsh "don't be rude."

Ew Canna, don't do that-" Houdini gagged, reeling his head back in disgust. Sapphique's eyes softened. Clearly the whelp felt extreme discomfort- She was unsure if it really was blood though. She wasn't even sure if the diagnosis of fleas was accurate.

"Show me the sand, please?" Novruil nodded in turn, leading down the shaft. He flicked on a flashlight, lighting the dusty path. "So you broke through the ceiling? Did it open to the surface?"

"Yeah, it surprised us. Turns out we managed to find the singular big crack in the plateau up surface side," Lungric shook her head. "Just our luck, right?"

"Houdini did it," Canna announced loudly with a proud tone. "We found the big crack!"

"Canna, don't blame me!" Houdini shoved the whelp back, frowning. "I'm not taking responsibility for that."

"No shame in it, Houdini," shrugged Novruil. "You're new to Issiq, the mountains are unforgiving. Sand gets everywhere, sandstone is always a risk." He kept padding lower, finally approaching the wide corridor. Moonlight streamed through a wide hole in the roof. The soft glow illuminated a pile of sand that seemed to shimmer with movement.

Sapphique hummed in thought as she peeked at it. Bird held back, shaking its beak in disdain. "I don' wan fleas," it muttered, shoving Korey ahead of it.

"Hey!"

"Kids, stop," commanded Lungric, folding her arms in disapproval.

"Sorry Miss Lung…" muttered Korey, his head tilting down.

"Oooohhh you got in trouubbleeee-" mocked Canna, sticking a tongue out. Houdini cuffed her around the ears, scolding her in turn.

"So did you!" shot back Taco, trotting past with her broad head held high. Novruil rolled his eyes, returning to the more important topic at hand.

"Do you think it's fleas, then?"

"No, I don't." Sapphique's face turned sour. She shook her head, backing up. "They're mites. Like fleas, but so much worse." She scooped at the whelps with her tail, pulling them away from the miners in whole. "You need to quarantine. I'll get Kanene."

"Mites?" Canna looked up to the aquatic tark'ee in confusion, unsure of the severity.

"Don't worry little one, we'll get help as fast as we can."

"Hurry back…" Novruil sighed, pulling the other miners closer. "We're in for the long haul, folks. Send out a ping to HQ, site 67 is bust." Lungric groaned, holding the bridge of her nose.