The further she traveled into the dungeon, the more Yuzu grew to think that perhaps she wouldn't have to travel back through the bugs. After all, the dungeon was cast and sprawling and, quite likely, twisting on itself in a magical way that meant she'd never see that room again. She wouldn't be surprised if the rooms and caverns shuffled themselves with each door she passed through.

She never did catch up to the wisp from before. She hoped it was doing alright. It wouldn't do for such a little creature to get caught in the web of something larger.

Although, now that she thought about it, did Wisps have enough corporeal form to get trapped? Or would they simply phase through anything that tried?

Perhaps if she found another one she would ask it.

She flicked her tail idly, dismissing the thought, and rounded the most recent bend that seemed to loop in on itself. It opened into another cavern, just as broad as the one with the bugs but brighter. There was no sunshine here, the light of the overworld didn't reach this far, but the room was bright all the same. Reflections perhaps? More torches that threw light with mirrors?

No. It was a cold light. An ambient glow or moonlight was more accurate to the color. Fire would have been warmer, redder.

Yuzu's ears twitched as she heard a creak from in front of her.

In the center of the room stood a large, gnarled tree. It's branches reached for the unseen sky, and it's roots dug deep into the unforgiving rock and dry dirt of the cavern floor. The bark was gray, peeling from the trunk in strips that curled and coiled on themselves. If she looked to close they looked like coursers, their faces trapped in the bark and struggling to get free.

A chill raced through her, goosebumps setting her fur on end. She couldn't help the shiver or the way her tail lashed from side to side in anxious unease. This was not a normal tree. If she listened close enough it seemed to whisper, calling to her by a name that no one knew anymore.

It hadn't been her name in a long, long time.

She slowed her steps, caution keeping her well away from the great beast. It swayed, the branches shifting and reaching for her. Her heart raced even though she stood completely still. Frozen. Her limbs wouldn't move, wouldn't even twitch—

"Mrraow!"

A yowl broke the spell and Yuzu jolted, her hooves clattering on the ground and carrying her away from the creeping roots that almost held her. A bright orange cat leapt from the shadows of the cavern, smacking at a root with claws outstretched.

The tree seemed to shudder, recoiling.

The cat didn't stop until the roots were far away from Yuzu, and even then it hissed one last time before it trotted back to her merrily. It sat at her hooves, calm as could be, and cleaned one of its paws.

Yuzu blinked at it, then slowly lowered her head until she could nose at its forehead in gratitude. Despite her caution, the tree would have devoured her whole without the feline's help.

It purred, leaning into the nuzzle, and then hopped neatly onto her back without so much as a "pardon me." It settled there between the straps of her bags, purring away, and Yuzu tossed her head in amusement.

Fair enough. It probably thought she was incapable of taking care of herself now.

Well then. She supposed her and her new friend would be on their way. And hopefully she could warn any others of the dangers of this particular tree. May her map be useful to someone once she returned to the surface…