Yunkef looked over to Red. "How will we know when we find it?"

The girl simply shrugged and eased herself down onto the moss. She crossed her arms behind her head to lean on them as she gazed up towards the cavern ceiling. "I guess that's just part of the mystery. We're the first people to ever get this far, and if even the guide doesn't know what's out here, then it's up to us to find out. Might be treasure, more remnants of the old world. I think it's worth trying."

"I guess you're right," Yunkef said quietly. "I want to know more about the world. It's always been too dark to find anything new about it."

"Does it bother you?"

"It does, of course, but there is the feeling of helplessness that gets in the way." Yunkef leaned back and looked up towards the cavern ceiling as well. An insect with a glowing abdomen floated by. "What is the use in finding out more about the world, when you can hardly see it? Why bother exploring when the danger in leaving the Settlement is so great?"

"It's because you know there's something there, some reason to all of it, and you want to know what it is," Red said simply, glancing at him. "There is more world, you know that. You know there are other Settlements out there, other people somewhere, but you want to see for yourself. No matter what."

Yunkef sighed and laid down on the moss as well, beside Red. "You're right. At my Settlement, I tended to the farm. I helped harvest the mushrooms, feed the glowbirds and glowbeasts. Our inventor, Grass, he developed a way to grow fresh wood."

Red propped herself up on one elbow to look at Yunkef. "Grow new wood? You can't be serious. All the wood that's left is brittle and rotten."

"Yes, but this wood was made of mushrooms."

"You're joking."

"No, I'm not!" Yunkef lit up. He sat up, eyes alight with excitement as he gestured animatedly. "Grass found out that the mushrooms have a complex system of roots in the soil, and he created this long rectangular box to use as a frame and coaxed the mushroom roots to spread."

"And then? Wouldn't it just sprout a bunch of mushrooms?"

"After some time, he opened the box and the roots had filled up the whole space, and were fairly dense! He cut the roots off from the soil and let it dry, and it became so solid he was able to make a table out of it! Just like wood!"

Red stared at Yunkef with an incredulous expression, and just as Yunkef started to look away, embarrassed, she burst out laughing.

"What is it? What's so funny?"

"I'm sorry, but that was so smart! I can't believe it!" Red said, catching her breath. "Wood from mushrooms, who would have thought? But do you realize what that guy did?"

"Um... He made wood from mushrooms?"

"He created new building material! If he could share what he knows with other Settlements, let the traders share it with others too, it could change the way Settlements even work!" Red laughed again and slapped Yunkef's shoulder.

Yunkef's eyes went wide with the possibility. Their entire ways of life, changed from a simple invention. Could it be possible? "If Grass could share the knowledge to other Settlements... Then they can create more building material instead of relying on hunting beast hides and scavenging for old-world wrecks. Less people would be risked on hunts! We could build bigger structures, more housing, bigger farms! Bigger Settlements!"

Red smiled at him. "See? You've got it!"

"Grass was also inventing a new way to tell time without relying too heavily on the glowbirds' cycles. If we could study herds of glowbeasts, we could plot out entire waking and sleeping cycles for a long time!" Yunkef's voice rose as he got more excited. "I could bring back what I saw from the Citadel to make lanterns with flame that doesn't flicker! And the herbs and medical techniques they had there!"

Red chuckled to herself as Yunkef continued listing what other inventions were possible. She leaned back down, arms folded under her head. "And that's just from what you've seen on the way here. What about what you'll see and learn from here on out? Maybe you'll find a way to grow these plants back home too." she said.

"It would be nice to see what else might be out there," Yunkef said slowly. "You're right about that, Red. I should look forward to just exploring the edge of the darkness, huh?"

"That's what I was trying to say the whole time." Red chuckled and patted the space beside her. Yunkef took the invitation and laid back down on the moss. "We'll get there when we get there, you know? So enjoy the journey."

Yunkef couldn't help but chuckle too. Folding his hands over his midsection, he gazed up at the ceiling of the cavern. "I guess you're right."

By the campfire, Cross glared at them. The young man said nothing as he sharpened the point of his spear with a rock. All the food was eaten, fresh supplies had been gathered, and bedrolls were laid out for three. Anre had moved off to the side of the camp after dinner and lay on the floor, leaning against his beast. The two had fallen into a quiet sleep after eating a full meal and were recovering from the scare with the worm-beast and collapsing cavern. That left Red and Yunkef still awake and talking. Cross saw that Yunkef seemed to be getting quite close to his sister.

"Hey." He called to them, causing both of them to sit up. "If you're going to be lying around on the floor, at least sleep on the bedrolls. We lugged them all the way here from the shack so you better use them."

Yunkef scrambled up. "Right, the bedrolls! I forgot about those, thank you Red and Cross."

"It's not a problem! They're not so heavy anyway." Red likewise got up and brushed herself off. "Made from beast-leather, so they're tough. Won't rip up easily so no rocks should get through."

Cross continued to glare at Yunkef even as the latter took up a bedroll and laid it out near the now dying campfire. He and his twin set their beddings on the opposite side of the campfire from Yunkef, and Cross never let go of his spear even as everyone laid down to sleep.

"How will we know when to wake up?" Red mused. "Should whoever wakes up first wake up the rest?"

"I think it's reasonable. But there are glowbirds around so I think we can just wake up at their crow."

"If the ones trapped in this cave even crow." Red pointed out, amused at the confusion on Yunkef's face. "Didn't think about that, did you?"

"I didn't even consider it! The glowbirds here look the same as the ones we had on the farm, but you're right! We don't know if living in this cavern changed their habits and personalities!"

Cross scoffed and sat up, carefully laying his spear across his lap. "You can stop thinking about it since I'll stay up and keep guard."

"What? Why?"

"What if another beast like that other one comes around and catches you all sleeping?" Cross sneered. "You won't stand a chance."

Red sighed and reached out to slap her twin lightly in the knee, as she was too comfortable on her bedroll to move any further. "Stop it, Cross! We're high strung and scared enough as it is, so if you're going to keep watch, just keep watch and let us sleep."

The gruff young man chuckled and waved his sister off dismissively. "Fine, fine. Sleep well. You too I guess, Yunkef."

"Um, thank you?" was Yunkef's reply. Feeling a sense of unease, Yunkef turned onto his side, facing the glowing embers of the dying campfire, and Cross. He had the strange feeling that he shouldn't present his back to the young man.

Yunkef woke briefly and opened his eyes to vision blurred by grogginess. Cross was no longer sitting on his bedroll across from Yunkef at the campfire. Confused, Yunkef propped himself up on his elbows and looked around. Red was still sleeping, as were Anre and his beast. Not much time had passed since Yunkef first fell asleep. But where was Cross?

Then Yunkef spotted him, the unmistakable silhouette of the young man with a spear, standing by a dark tunnel entrance. Through the haze of sleep, distance, and the gloom, he couldn't clearly see why Cross was gesturing so much.

"Yunkef? Hey, wake up!"

Yunkef woke a second time to see Red looking over him and gently shaking him awake. Her pale hair framed her face in the glow of the plant's light in an interesting way. "Red? What's going on?"

Red smiled and sat back on her heels. "You're the last one to wake up! Come on, I cooked more glowbird for us, and Anre said he found a way out of here!"

Yunkef slowly sat up and patted his cheeks to wake himself up. The camp was packed up, save for the bedroll he was still sitting on, and a sheet of glowing leaf with a chunk of roasted glowbird.

"I'm so sorry! Have you all been waiting long?"

"No, of course not," said Red.

"Yes, hurry up," said Cross.

"Sorry, sorry." Yunkef stammered again, getting up and snatching the chunk of glowbird from the leaf and putting it in his mouth hurriedly. He rolled up the length of beast-hide bedroll and passed it to Cross, muttering more apologies from his full mouth.

"You didn't have to hurry actually. But it's fine, now that you're up we can head out." Red gestured to a far wall where Anre was waiting with his beast. "Anre's said we should try this tunnel first and see where it leads. It sounds the safest, according to him."

"It's as good a lead as any." Yunkef took one more look around the cavern and set off towards the chosen tunnel, following behind the twins. "This place was a good spot to rest but we should get moving."

"I'd rather not wait to see if that worm decides to catch up to us," Cross muttered. As he got closer to Anre and Ice, he raised his spear.

The trek through the tunnel was more arduous than they were prepared for. At one point, Yunkef lamented that they didn't bring torches of some sort, as the darkness of the tunnel was more than even their enhanced vision could handle. Cross chided him for not having prepared torches beforehand if he was just going to whine about it anyway. Red grew concerned as they walked, that they might tire themselves out before they could find a place to set up camp. All the while, Anre said nothing.

They walked on for hours, keeping one hand on the tunnel wall as they moved single file through the darkness, picking their way over rocks and hollow debris that may have been bone. They did not stop, and they did not spend the time and energy to wonder what else they were stepping in.

"Anre..." Yunkef whispered, his voice growing louder in the tunnel's darkness. The walls felt like they were closing in on him, and his breath became staggered and ragged. "We've been walking for a long time. Are you sure this tunnel is safe?"

Cross huffed. "I knew we shouldn't have trusted him! He's leading us to our death!"

Anre shushed him.

"What? Are you telling me to shut up?"

Anre shushed him again.

Cross, about to go into a fit against Anre again, was stopped by Red poking him in the middle of the back with a strong jab with the air of finality. "Stop it Cross. He uses sound to see, you're distracting him."

"I'm distracting him?" Cross said in insult. "That's what you're worried about, instead of him leading us to our death? If it isn't a cave with a giant beast, it’s an endless tunnel that will see us starve before we find the end!"

"Have a little faith, Cross. I know you're scared, but we'll be alright."

Cross spluttered in anger, but his twin just smiled at him.

"Seriously though Anre, how much longer?" Yunkef piped up. He was breathing hard and rapidly, trying to calm himself.

"Why, are you getting tired?" Anre asked back, not slowing his pace but not quite answering Yunkef's question, much to the latter's panic. "We'll get to the end when we get there."

Yunkef couldn't speak. His heart hammered in his chest and his head swam with every step. He took in deep gulping breaths that didn't help. All he could hear were the snarling of beasts and their fetid, hot breath on his back. Suddenly, someone snatched his hand and gave it a quick squeeze, urging him on through the tunnel.

"It's going to be alright, Yunkef." Red said softly. "You're safe, we're here. Anre, seriously, how much further?"

"You keep asking that. It's not going to get us there any faster."

"It would really help us to know, Anre! Please just answer us!"

Anre sighed heavily, and the sound of his footsteps clacking against the rock quickened slightly. "It's a long way, but I know I heard glowbirds crowing through here. Ice could smell fresh air too. It's just very, very long. There's a way out of this, I promise."

"I hope you're telling the truth," Cross said grimly. "It's too far to turn back now without collapsing halfway."

"Are the walls closing in, or is it just me? They're closing in now, aren't they?" Yunkef wheezed, and Red put her arm around his waist.

"Keep going, we're almost there! Just hold on a bit longer Yunkef, we'll get out of here soon."

The four walked on in uneasy silence, all of them begging for the never-ending tunnel to have an exit soon. When it seemed like Yunkef was about to faint from panic, even with both Red and Cross holding him up, Anre cheered.

"We're near the outside! I can hear the glowbirds!" Anre laughed and quickened his pace. Ice sped past him through the tunnel, the clacking of her claws in the pitch-black darkness causing Yunkef to flinch. "Just a little more and we're out of here!"

"If you're lying Anre, I swear..." Cross muttered, one hand holding his spear and using it to prod the tunnel floor for holes or rocks, the other hand holding up Yunkef.

"Well I trust him, and if he says we're near then we're near! Come on!" Red spurned the two boys on, determination flaring in her voice. She all but pushed the two through the tunnel the rest of the way, urging them on every few feet to keep going and not to lose hope now.

True to his word, Anre had found the exit. He emerged from the cave, laughing as he does, and breathed in a deep lungful of cool air. He held his hands out to his sides, stretching as far as they would go, and laughed.

"See! I told you we'd get out! What were you all so afraid of?" he laughed and heard the three behind him gasp.

"Anre..." Red said slowly. "Get back in the tunnel."

"Huh? Why? We just got out, I'm not going back into the tunnel!"

A voice laughed, and Anre turned his head towards the source of the sound. He could not see the two dozen men and women that were approaching them, armed with their own spears and blades, and the vast encampment they had just past the mouth of the cave tunnel. Ice whined plaintively from where she lay, pinned down under a heavy net and guarded by more people shoving spears too close to the many eyes down her hide.

"Look what the cavern spat out today." The woman who laugh said. Her face was heavily scarred by beast claws, and she was blinded in one eye. Yet in that eye was the deep madness of the darkness-touched. "Just in time too, since we're running out of meat!"

Anre yelled and whistled for his beast, but Ice could not come to his side. Instead, two of the armed men rushed at him. While Anre was quick on his feet, he was at a disadvantage in an open area where sound waves could not return to him in time. He dropped to the floor and dodge the swing of the first man's fist, but the second kicked him in the face and sent him reeling. Anre was quickly grabbed and bound. Cross pushed Red and Yunkef back towards the tunnel and he brandished his spear but was overwhelmed by the larger, stronger men. One swung a beast-tooth blade at his spear which broke the spear off under its tip. He was easily grabbed and yanked towards the main group. Red tried to fight them off as well but was subdued easily, while Yunkef, the most exhausted of them all, tried to run. And he ran away from Red, Cross, and Anre, leaving them to be grabbed by these darkness-touched people and bound with woven cord. He ran towards Ice.

The men guarding the bound beast were caught off guard as Yunkef ran towards them full tilt, his feet still clad in the thin sandals of the Citadel, the material being shredded by sharp rocks as he ran, and tackled one of them bodily.

The guard was stunned by the hit and fell back, allowing Yunkef to grab his beast-tooth blade and brandish it toward the other guard. Yunkef looked at them all with wide, panicked eyes, and moved with the swiftness and shakiness of someone acting purely out of panic. Even then, he managed to swing the blade at the net that held Ice enough to cut a large enough hole for the beast to squeeze out through. With a loud roar, Ice rounded on the remaining guard who balked and yelled, scrambling back. It was easy for the beast to pick the man up with his arm in her jaws and throw him some distance away before running back towards Anre.

The crowd of darkness-touched, now seeing the beast free and charging towards them, flew into a panic. Some held their ground and faced the beast, but Anre, Red, and Cross fought back while the men had turned away. Anre kicked one in the back of the knees, while Cross head-butted another. Red wrestled a beast-bone dagger away from one in the confusion.