"Are you sure there's something worth finding down here?" Lollihops pressed their hooves into the dungeon floor, their ears flicking at every drop of water as condensation rolled off the ceiling. Despite all their times down here, they still aren't used to how moist it gets.

It makes them yearn for the days they were a frog…

No. They weren't going to think about that.

Wyvern's short tail twitched and they turned to look at Lollihops over their shoulder. Mischief could be read in their expression as clear as day. "There's always something good to find down here, Lolls! That's why we come down here."

They turned to face Lollihops, walking backwards. Their hooves made soft clatters against the cobblestone. "What, are you afraid the big bad shade is gonna snatch you up again?"

Lollihops ears flattened against their head and they hopped forward, biting at Wyvern's flank even as Wyvern danced out of the way. "That's uncalled for and you know it, Wyvern." They tossed their head, stepping around Wyvern, and pointedly made sure to walk and not hop past their companion.

"Aw, Lolls, I'm just playing with you. I know you're capable. Anyone would have gotten caught up and wrecked by that guy. It's not your fault you were a frog for so long." Wyvern trotted to catch up, pushing briefly into Lollihops space to brush their sides together. "Come on, I wouldn't have anyone else with me on this dive."

"You're just saying that because it involves water and I don't mind swimming," Lollihops said dryly.

"Well, yes, but no. That's not the only reason." Wyvern huffed, stamping a hoof. The sound echoed back as they made their way into a large room in the caverns. The sound of falling water was louder here, the steady drip, drip, drip making both of their ears twitch. They had to be getting closer to the treasure Wyvern had heard about from the others.

Each draw of moist, earthy air through Lollihops lungs reminded them of what it was like when they were small and helpless. It's not a pleasant thought. Their ears flick back, hovering between pinned and alert, and their steps slowed to an almost crawl. Unease rippled across their skin, their coat standing on end.

There was a sound beyond the dripping of water, something they could just barely make out. Something that Lollihops couldn't identify beyond their instincts saying "danger!"

Wyvern came to a stop next to them. Their ears were pinned back just as firmly, and their coat rippled with their unease. "Hey, Lollihops?"

"Yeah?"

"I think we're being watched."

"Yeah."

Wyvern cocked their head, tilting one ear forward. If they focused they could listen past the drip of water. There, just underneath the steady white noise, they could just barely make out something breathing. Something big. They stepped close to Lollihops, once more pressing their sides together, and this time Lollihops didn't move away.

"I think we should leave very slowly, and very quietly," Lollihops whispered. Neither of them had brought weapons or equipment. It was supposed to be just a quick jaunt down, Lollihops would swim down to grab the bag Wyvern had heard about, and then they'd leave. All they had with them were their teeth and their hooves.

Wyvern hesitated, looking at Lollihops from the corner of their eye. On the one hoof, Lollihops was right. They should leave. But on the other, they'd already come this far and the bag was supposed to be right there. And they weren't afraid of some dungeon beast!

So with a grand shake of their head, Wyvern trotted forward. "No. I'm going to get it. You can come with me or you can go back." Their stomach did a flip. Even now they knew they were probably making a mistake.

"Wyvern," Lollihops hissed. Their tailed swished in annoyance, the ends smacking against their flank from the force of it. "Now is not the time to be a fool. You can hear that thing!" They hopped forward to catch the end of Wyvern's tail between their teeth, tugging just enough to get them to stop. "It's bigger than us, we don't have weapons, and there is no treasure worth losing your life!"

Wyvern stamped their front hooves as they whipped around, the sound much louder than it had been previously. "You don't know that, it could just sound bigger than us!"

Lollihops made to retort and then abruptly froze. Their gaze was caught on something over Wyvern's shoulder.

"What?" Wyvern snapped, their voice finally rising in volume. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Shut up."

"Excuse me?!"

"No. Seriously. Shut up." Lollihops gestured with their nose towards the far wall of the cavern. "The dripping stopped."

"What?" Wyvern's ears flicked and they lifted their head.

"The dripping stopped. The water. Where'd the water go?"

It suddenly made much more sense for why Wyvern's hooves had been so loud. The cavern was eerily silent now. The breathing had stopped too. Perhaps Lollihops was right. Maybe they should leave. But the treasure… but every sense was saying "you're in danger, you have to leave now."

The ground rumbled beneath their hooves. A pebble clattered to their right. Lollihops glanced at it, and then looked back to Wyvern. There was another rumble as the ground shook, and another. Rhythmic and slow, like a beast lumbering and walking towards them. More pebbles clattered with each bone-shaking thud, and the spires above them on the ceiling quivered.

"When I say go, run," Lollihops said lowly. They paced forward, coming in line with Wyvern, and lowered their head.

"Run where?" Wyvern asked. Now wasn't the time to argue, but neither of them knew where this thing even was. The steps sounded like they were coming from all around them. The cavern made everything disorienting and too loud.

"Back the way we came. If we're lucky, it's ahead of us. If we aren't…" Lollihops blew out a slow breath.

If they weren't lucky they were as good as dead.

Wyvern tensed their muscles and swallowed hard. If they made it out of this, they owed Lollihops an apology for not listening the first time. They stared past Lollihops rump, searching the dimly lit darkness for any sign of what was hunting them. They could barely make anything out and it only made their skin prickle more.

Lollihops' breathing made their sides touch. The sensation made both of them jump.

The drip, drip, drip of the water resuming was loud enough that Wyvern pinned their ears back, hoping to muffle it. "Lolls….?"

"Wait."

Their hooves slid as the cavern floor groaned.

"Lolls?"

Lollihops sucked down a deep breath, squinting into the darkness before them. Just barely they could see the outline of something. Something they certainly didn't want to deal with without more tools and maybe a few more explorers with them. They tensed. The beast stepped. The floor cracked.

"Now!" they shouted.

Lollihops and Wyvern bolted, the sound of hooves on stone louder than anything else. Back the way they came, through the cavern entrance and up the winding path they'd taken to get there in the first place. With their hearts racing in their chests, time still feels like it's at a standstill until they break free of the darkness and step into the midday sun.

Even then they don't stop. Not until they are well away from the entrance of the dungeon and have a safe distance between them and the beast inside. Only then does Wyvern finally sit, panting with their sides heaving.

"Do you think… Do you think it'll follow us?" they asked Lollihops.

Lollihops still stood beside them, one ear cocked towards the entrance they could no longer see. "I don't think so. It looked blind. Probably doesn't like sunlight." Despite their words, their voice betrayed how shaken they were.

Wyvern nickered quietly, an almost mournful sound, and leaned forward enough to nose Lollihops' foreleg. "I'm sorry. I should have listened the first time."

Lollihops dropped their head to rest it on top of Wyvern's. "At least you keep things interesting." They smiled and playfully lipped at Wyvern's ear. "So, next time you hear about a fun treasure, what are you going to do?"

Wyvern huffed and tossed their head just enough to bump the bottom of Lollihops'. "Don't start with me, you didn't bring any gear either!"

"Yes, because someone assured me it would be easy in and out and the dungeon was cleared already."

Wyvern closed their mouth, waited a moment, and finally sighed. "Next time I'll do more research…"

"Good," Lollihops said. They lifted their head and nosed at Wyvern's cheek. "Now, why don't we go find something fun to do that isn't a harrowing near-death experience, hm?" They trotted a few steps away and looked back at Wyvern, flicking their tail in invitation. "Well?"

Wyvern snorted and rose to their hooves, giving a full body shake. They trotted to catch up with Lollihops and pressed against their side briefly as they walked. "I dunno, I think a near-death experience can be fun from time to time."

"You… are hopeless."