The humid air of the jungle was something far different than the dry air of the mountains, and Seafoam was already sweating. And cranky about it. Thankfully they weren't alone in this, with both Whiteout and Ambergris both looking uncomfortable in the heat despite not having Seafoam's layers of blubber. They felt a perverse sense of glee at not being alone in their misery, but the sooner they were done with this the sooner they could go home and soak in a snowbank.

"The map?"

Whiteout jumped and pulled out the laminated map, and the three bent over it. It listed the location of trees that produced "gems". According to Noodle, the gems weren't actually stones but were a deposit of hard saps that the tree built up around insects that breached its bark. Larger "gems" were prized in the medicinal field for the proteins, and so Noodle had asked them to get some.

Whiteout tapped a point marked on the map. "We're here."

Ambergris eyed her. "If the flyer set us down right."

"No. I checked. This topographical feature is that, and this lake is here, there -"

Seafoam nodded and waved off the rest of her explanation. "And where's the grove the trader mentioned?"

Whiteout tapped the forest. "Here. There's the three lakes they mentioned."

Ambergris grimaced. "That's a lot of jungle to get through."

"Would you rather we airdrop you in the flyer?"

Seafoam rubbed their face. Bickering young adults, that's all they needed. "Unless you have a harness and some rope, and can hover the flyer over the trees for however long it takes to reach this 'gem,' I suggest we walk. Yes? Yes."

Ambergris and Whiteout fell silent, and followed Seafoam as they took the map, orientated themself, then struck out into the marshy jungle. They followed behind, boots squishing in the marshy ground.

The jungle of L'Hatzif spread out before them, with its swampy ground and mushroom-like trees. Frogs and other amphibians croaked in the background, falling quiet as they passed and then resuming with a fury as they passed. Large insects buzzed through the air and scuttled around, giving the party a wide distance. The smell of decaying plant matter, pungent at first, soon faded to a background scent.

Despite its strangeness and overwhelming warth, Seafoam had to admit that the jungle had a beauty all its own. Navigating it, however, was an exercise in balance and quick thinking. Ambergris slipped first, landing in a muddy puddle, and while Whiteout cackled, she forgot to watch her footing and went headfirst into a pile of reeds.

Seafoam watched them both, unamused, claws digging deep into the mud. "Watch your step! I don't want to have to share a flyer with two swamp beasts."

They both grumbled, but began to watch their footing more after that. Navigating some of the larger pools of stagnant water involved either finding logs to cross with, or leaping up into the canopy of mushroom caps. Given the logs were already half-decomposed and squishy… they opted for the caps, despite being further off the ground.

Eventually they made their way to the grove of trees that looked more like the ones they were used too - though instead of leaves, they had small mushrooms sprouting from their branches. Seafoam blinked at the strange sight, then nodded to Ambergris and Whiteout.

"Remember what the trader described on how to spot a gem, yeah? Let's spread out."

The two nodded in response and the three spread out, looking for the telltale bulge in the surprisingly supple bark.

Eventually Ambergris called out and pointed up the trunk when the others came over. Seafoam eyed the height warily, and Whiteout seemed equally unenthused. They had brought a collapsible ladder, but testing the ground around the tree…

"Alright," Seafoam grumbled, motioning for the others to set up the ladder. "Whiteout, you're the smallest, you climb the ladder. Ambergris, you and me support it and keep our footing, okay?"

Both Whiteout and Ambergris looked at each other, then looked at the bulge in the bark.

"Faster we do this, faster we go home and can take baths."

They hopped to.

Soon, the ladder was braced in the ground, Seafoam and Ambergris holding it steady while they also fought for footing against the slimy mud. Whiteout began her perilous climb, ladder rungs slick under her muddy boots. The ladder shook and rattled, and Seafoam and Ambergris had to reshuffle their footing as the weight shifted.

Whiteout meanwhile, had to balance on the ladder, prying at the bark to remove the shiny prize from within. The ladder shifted alarmingly and she sometimes had to pause and grab onto the tree to steady it before Seafoam and Ambergris could compensate.

After what seemed an eternity, she held it in her hand. "I got it!"

"Then get down and let's go home!"

And go home they did.