Eclipse was not yet at an age where his parents were comfortable letting him wander off alone, speaking frequently of the kind of dangers there were in the world, and how vulnerable he was to them. They loved him as much as they did his sister, but treated him as though he could break at any time - he may not have sight, but his ears made up for it, and he knew he did not look the same as other coursers. He was loved, but he was sheltered, and any requests to be allowed more freedom fell on deaf ears.

Which is exactly why he always waited until they were well and truly asleep, their breathing slow and deep, hearts no longer thrumming with an urgency that indicated they were awake and alert and watchful. His sister was not, though this was usually the way. They'd curl up together under the watchful gaze of their parents, and feign sleep until the adults were satisfied enough to join them, and then they'd disappear, down to the buried kingdom for a nightly adventure.

Tonight, she whickered softly to him, a sound that wouldn't alert their parents, but which told him he was on his own tonight, untangling his too-long legs from hers with only a minor huff of disappointment. He wouldn't be truly alone, Serenity, his sizeable companion shifting from where she was wrapped around his leg to his tail bone, resting her head on his rump while the rest of her body anchored herself to his tail. She was still on the smaller side, and could not manage to wrap around anything larger than his leg yet, but she enjoyed his company as much as a snake could enjoy the company of a large mammal, and was a useful creature to have when you couldn't see particularly exciting items around you.

He was a little disappointed that Nova would not be joining him. He enjoyed when they disappeared together, though his demeanour perked up when he realised it meant he could travel at his pace, without needing to take into account her reliance on what she could see. It was the only time he felt his lack of that fifth sense was seen as an advantage rather than an unfortunate deformity, and while he was careful not to make any sounds, he was in a brighter mood by the time he sensed an entry point to the dungeons below the surface.

Eclipse had been told everyone felt the ache for the dungeons, had even accompanied his family during the day to explore the Overgrown Caverns - he knew the ache disappeared once he was inside, that there was a hole only the world below the surface could fill - and yet they always felt far too short, overprotectiveness overriding the pleas to stay longer, though they would indulge with semi-regular trips down either way.

None of that mattered now though, as Eclipse plunged confidently into the cave, ears already picking up the way his hoofbeats bounced off the walls, helping him situate himself so he wouldn't run into anything. He considered, for a heartbeat, savouring the moment, taking it slow, but dismissed it quickly, picking up his pace to a trot - then canter - then a gallop as he registered more of his surroundings.

He loved this. Lived for it really. The freedom of running through the dungeons, softening the ache in his heart, and without the miasma of fear for him that was draped so obviously over his parents heart.

His hoofbeat changed from the soft thumping on dense soil of the Caverns to something stonier, the air becoming warmer as he continued down his chosen path. It could become stifling if he wasn't careful, but the warmth, for now, was enjoyable, and he swung towards it like Serenity did the sunwarmed spot on his rump should he find himself indulging in such on a not-too-hot day.

It was hard to explain how his hearing, combined with the smells he picked up and the feeling the air made on his whiskers allowed him to navigate the tunnels, especially at high speed (though as a foal, he was fast bit nowhere near as quick as an adult courser), though he started to slow when he felt something move up ahead. Until that point, he'd only identified a few cave-dwelling critters, and the steadily increasing warmth that he would someday learn meant he was heading to the Earthen Furnace, but this was large, moving away from him at a leisurely pace, and... non-threatening?

Cautiously, Eclipse softened his footfalls, his hooves barely making a sound on the stone floor though his ears at least could still pick them up. He relied on the feeling of the air around him to guide him this time, the quieter movements meaning he wasn't getting the feedback from the noise to help him "see". The creature up ahead, however, was certainly making enough for him to track it, and it was a slight relief to realise that the sounds were very similar to that of his parents. A Courser then? Adult. But where was he headed?

Eclipse breathed deeply, taking in the other's scent, before matching his steps as best he could - difficult when the stride was so much longer than his own, but here in the dungeons, the foal was comfortable, and it was almost ethereal how easily he could simply mesh with the general ambiance of the underground kingdom. He'd more than likely announce himself, but his experience with Adult coursers had been.... mixed, and he didn't have Nova here this time to alleviate any of the concern his deformities may cause for strangers. For now, the stranger was playing unwitting giide to the earthen furnace, though Eclipse would learn soon enough that he need not have worried himself over this particular courser's opinion of him. Terrance was after all, a kind Stallion - though sometimes deemed unapproachable due to reputation alone.