Nnnh… Uff…

  Climbing is… huff… super hard!

  I’m only around… Oh god! Shouldn’t have looked down!

  Only half way there…

  I really didn’t expect this to be so tough!

  Goats can climb super steep surfaces super easily, why wouldn't I be able to do the same?

  Is what I thought before, stupidly.

  Now I’m hanging… who knows how high up, from my front legs. And I’m only half way there.

  Damn iiiiit…

  Gotta keep goin’…

  As I shove my claws further and further up the wall of rocks, small fragments of the wall chip off and fall down behind me.

  Huff… Huff… Huff…

  I pull myself up with every ounce of strength in my body, and plant my stomach on the ground triumphantly.

  Fina… Finally…

  Phew…

  I made it up…

  I finally… made it up…

  I try to push myself off the ground, but my limbs fail me.

  I can… I can wait here a little while…

  Phew! There we go! One good rest, and I’m all revved up to go again!

  Time to get some food for Mushthew!

  It’s been a little while, but I think I remember where all the good spots are.

  Let’s see… Don’t see or hear any monsters, good to go!

  Woah, I forgot how weird walkin’ on this stuff was. It’s so weirdly squishy.

  I kinda miss it, it was so easy to dig through. Nice and easy to set up a shelter anywhere I want.

  Super dark up here though! Can’t see a thing!

  Can’t even see the wall, when I think at this point it’s only like five feet away!

  Well, I’ll get used to it eventually, did before.

  Now, should only be a little while ‘til I get there…

  And here I am!

  Right on time too, the Mushles are gathering, so it must be just about feeding time.

  Right on queue, a glob drops down to the ground with a splat.

  Perfect! ‘Scuse me guys, comin’ through. Just grabbing a bit to go for a pal at home, don’t mind me!

  One Mushle walks directly in front of me, standing right between me and the goo.

  What are you doing? You think I’m gonna attack you?

  Sorry, I’m busy.

  I slap it out of the way, avoiding hitting it with my claws.

  Don’t worry guys, I’ll be riiight outta here once I grab a bit of this.

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  I scoop up a large portion of the stuff in my mouth. Still doesn’t taste like much.

  See, told ya I’d be leaving right away. Bye bye!

  Now, to figure out how I’m gonna get down. Last time, we just kinda… jumped. Dunno if I wanna do that again.

  Maybe I can climb down… Maybe…

  Mmmmnope. Can’t climb down. Climbing up was hard with four legs, climbing down is impossible, I think.

  Are there any other entrances maybe?

  I stick my head through, looking left and right.

  That’s… a no. Damn it.

  If only I could dig a less steep path down.

  I tap my claws on the rock floor.

  Too solid to do that though. Maybe Fir’s fancy schmancy new magic could do something about that.

  That’ll take too long though.

  I’ve tried nothing, and I’m all out of ideas, so there’s only one thing left to do!

  Geronimo!

  I impact the ground, nearly missing a large root. I feel a few scratches, but I think I’m mostly unharmed.

  Oof!

  Well, that was easy.

  I’m coming Mushthew!

  Something feels wrong.

  It’s too quiet at our den.

  Usually the sound of Mushthew struggling against the ground is audible from outside. But I hear nothing.

  [Fir]

  {Hm?}

  [Something’s wrong.]

  {What?}

  [It’s quiet.]

  {Yeah, I can hear… What’s in our mouth?}

  [That doesn’t matter. Mushthew isn’t making noise. Something is wrong.]

  {...Well let’s check it out.}

  I step inside slowly. I carefully adjust my steps, insuring I make no noise.

  As I get further in, I hear something like a quiet chattering, over top of an even quieter breathing noise.

  {Wait.}

  I stop, and suddenly I see two blue lights appear in our den. Fir activated soul sight.

  Two lights. Something is in our den.

  And it is right on top of Mushthew.

  You bastaaaard!!!

  I leap forward, knocking whatever it is off of Mushthew.

  The blue light disappears.

  [What the hell Fir? Bring it back, I need to kill that fucking thing!]

  {Hold on! Jeez!}

  A ball of light appears, and the den is illuminated.

  In the corner, just now getting back to its feet, is a thing that could only be described as a dinosaur.

  {Wha-!?}

  Come’re you fucker!

  I run at it again, bearing my claws.

  {Gloria wait, let me appraise it!}

  I don’t even register what Fir says, I just keep running forward at the little freak who hurt Mushthew.

  It jumps forward at me. It’s surprisingly agile for its body shape. But it doesn’t matter, I’ll-

  The dinosaur lands on my head, then launches off of it and runs towards the den’s entrance.

  What the hell?!

  [Fir! Kill that thing!]

  {What?! What do you want me to do?!}

  [Use that new magic of yours!]

  {It’s too slow, I won’t be able to hit that thing!}

  [Don’t care, just try!]

  {Fine…}

  I feel something drain from me, and move underground towards the door.

  {Shit… this is using a lot of mana…}

  With a rumble, three spikes shoot up from the ground and block the exit like bars on a jail cell door.

  {Now, I can see what that thing is.}