Citria, Tezcatlipoca, and Bloe stare into the chasm before them. The glistening rays of the afternoon sun peeking through the canopy of giant mushrooms shine upon the open maw of the dark cave. An inviting, open mouth that won't let anything it takes escape, including light. The sound of cool droplets dripping within reverberate and ricochet off the cold stone walls, becoming loud enough to compete with the rustling of mushroom caps rubbing against each other in the wind and the chitter of local wildlife.

Ycthuthrheth's drone opens its mouth, takes out a large coil of rope, sets the rope on the ground, holding on to one end, and giving the other end to Zuri. It recounts the plan, "We are going to go in until it is impossible to go in further or the rope runs out. Whichever comes first. Zuri, please watch the rope and tug on it when it's no longer coiled."

Zuri chirps and nods.

Not wanting to deal with the claustrophobia of narrow subterranean tunnels but wanting to maintain her stoic facade, Citria stands tall in her 14 ft 9 in glory. "I am too large, and that will hold us back."

Being of a mostly serpentine form, Bloe knows that she will become the scout going through tight crevices. She doesn't quite mind the squeeze, but she shivers at the thought of what unknown horrors might dwell within that sightless void she will encounter headfirst. "Do we know what's in the cave?"

Tezcatlipoca, on the other hand, makes his fears known. "Are we sure the cave won't collapse on us? or that we won't get lost? It ain't a good idea to go in too deep."

Ycthuthrheth turns off the drone's speakers before chuckling a bit, then turns it back on. "The rope is there to prevent us from getting lost, and," Ycthuthrheth's floating hands gesture to Zuri, who is already bored, chewing on his end of the rope and fraying it, "if something happens, Zuri can go and get help. Also, don't worry about your size, Citria. We will probably run out of rope before the passage ways get too small."

At the direct acknowledgment, Citria nods. She still does not like the thought of being trapped within the cave. Especially when the paths could be narrow, and with her large size, she blocks the way to safety from her smaller friends. But she does not want to set a bad example for Zuri either. Citria steps closer to the mouth of the cave. "Shall we go in?"

Bloe follows. "Sure thing. Let's just make sure to turn back when the paths get too narrow for all of us."

Tezcatlipoca hesitates. "Are you sure it's fine to g-" Bloe wraps the tip of her tail around Tezcatlipoca's front arm and pulls him forward, "- Okay, we're going in."

The three Xunari and their researcher make their way forward inside the cave that filled their minds with fear. What starts off as a blinding darkness fades to a soft glow from the bioluminescent mushrooms on the ground and its mycelium running up its walls. Narrow halls lead to an open chamber full of fantastical rock formations. At the center of the chamber, stalactites drip into a small pond that houses tiny, white, eyeless fish. Glowing bugs skitter their ways across the stone in search of their next meal, only to become glowing targets to those who want to make a meal of them. All look around in wonder at the fauna they haven't seen before. And then the rope tightens in Zuri's grasp, signaling that it's time to return.