It was the sound of excited whining that made Morvin look up from the patch of mushrooms he was investigating. He'd been trying to determine if the variety he'd encountered were edible or at least alchemically useful, but the sound of Madra getting worked up over something was worth postponing the mushroom study for a bit later. Around a corner and behind some large stones he followed the sound of the hound, to discover the brindle canine sunk into a play bow and intently watching gemstones scuttle around. Well that's new. The stallion lowered his head to get a closer look, and snorted softly in surprise to understand just what he'd discovered. Or rather, what Madra had discovered.

Beetles. Large ones, encrusted with gemstones both raw and worked, of nigh every variety he'd ever heard of. Two were currently locked in what was probably for them fierce combat, horns entangled as they strained to push one another back or perhaps to lift the other high overhead. He wasn't sure which just yet. Others walked over tarnished metal that had once been some sort of barding, empty sockets silent testament to where these odd invertebrates had probably found their adornments. Even as he watched, one discovered a dirtied stone and set to prying it free from its setting with its mandibles.

They're going to be so upset when I take that metal back to the merchants. Morvin chuckled to himself, the sound startling a few of the smaller creatures and sending them scuttling for cover.

"Whatever is the commotion over here?" came a light, feminine voice from behind him.

Morvin jerked his head up in surprise and peered over his shoulder to see who had snuck up on him. A pale blue mare watched him inquiringly, gray eyes alight with mirth at his reaction. "Oh uh, Madra found some peculiar beetles." He stepped closer to the canine in question, opening up space for the mare to join him.

"Beetles, eh? What sort of... oh!" She lowered her head as he had done to get a better look. "Jeweled beetles! Look at them fighting over the females. I think the one with that big centered ruby is going to win, what do you think?" She glanced up at him, inquiringly, and Morvin coughed to cover up the fact that he hadn't been looking at the beetles at all.

"It is a bit bigger, but the one with the two sapphires has been putting up a good fight," Morvin contributed, forcing his attention back to the invertebrates. Why does the courser who sneaks up on me have to be so pretty?

The pair continued their commentary on the struggle unfolding before them, and Morvin couldn't help but notice that she stood just a bit shorter than he, and admire the dark streaks in her mane and how they contrasted against her eyes as she enthusiastically shared what she knew of these little creatures.

"Ah ha, I knew it!" she cheered as her chosen beetle finally reared back on its backmost legs, hoisting its competitor into the air before lurching forward and sending the sapphire beetle tumbling end over end. To Morvin's surprise, she reached out and picked up the loser and tucked it into his own satchel before he had a chance to protest. "You should take him with you and feed him well, perhaps when you come back through he'll be big enough to win some females."

"I uh, don't know what they eat..." he began, only to watch in bewilderment as she didn't wait for him to finish before pointing her nose at a outcropping of the same mushrooms he'd been studying earlier.

"They eat those. Here, let me get you some," she volunteered, already stepping around him and Madra who was laying down and intently watching the beetles. Morvin could only watch, bemused, as this strange mare harvested several large creamy yellow mushrooms from the stone wall before returning and stuffing them into his satchel as well.

"I'm Muriel, by the way. What brings you out here?"

"I'm Morvin, and this is Madra. I scavenge for things that are useful to others, and barter them for things that are useful to me."

"That is very useful! I bet you'll be collecting some of this metal then. You should leave the ones that still have gems on them, the beetles reattach and add to their collections every molt as they get bigger. When the gems are all gone, they'll move on." Already Muriel was picking up bits of metal barding long since stripped of their decorations.

"I don't think I will be able to gather all of it in one trip, so I guess I'll be coming back pretty soon..."

"Nonsense, I'll help you. Divines know I have spent enough time out here by myself this time. It'll be nice to help out and have someone to have intelligent conversation with."

Not one to argue, Morvin simply acquiesed to her decision to travel with him with a bowed head before joining her in picking out bits of metal that the beetles wouldn't miss. He listened, more intently than he might have otherwise, to her explanations on these peculiar little bugs and how soon they should return to collect the rest of the barding and return his beetle to the colony. He half expected her to continue chattering the entire way back, but as they turned to leave, beckoning Madra to follow, Muriel settled into a companionable silence at his side. Morvin was somewhat surprised to realize that he liked her company, and that she had been talking about traveling with him in the future as well. It was a nice feeling.