They finally reached the end of the long passage and they decided to camp. They had expended quite a lot of energy over the two hours or more of constant movement.

Aldric helped Edos set up camp and tried not to melt into a puddle when Edos joined their two tents together to make a bigger one. 

Samantha and Flynn were cooking. He could smell that she was using some very fragrant herbs and that had him looking forward to dinner.

"You feed the hounds and the wolf," Edos instructed him, "I'm going to a quiet corner for a prayer session."

Aldric was then reminded that Edos was quite religious.

"Okay darling," Aldric answered in a low voice, "Enjoy your quiet time of reflection."

Edos rubbed their muzzles together before heading off.

This area they were in was more like the overgrown caverns than anything else. There were pools of water, and lots of bush, moss and of course mushrooms but no trees.

Aldric sorted out the food for the canines, and monitored them feeding to make sure that they were not stealing from each other, then he went in the opposite direction to Edos, just to have a little look around.

He had finished most of the field exams with high marks so when he came across certain herbs or roots he plucked them and added them to his pack. He was a bit more hesitant about the mushrooms so although there was an abundance of fungi he only picked a couple brown capped ones.

After exploring that direction for a while, he returned to camp and laid out the mushrooms and edible roots he found in front of the fire for Samantha and Flynn to take a look.

"You did good, Aldric," Flynn praised him, "These mushrooms are really delicious when Samantha cooks them."

"I'll slice them up right now and make a side dish," Samantha offered.

"Yes!" Flynn hastily and greedily agreed, "Are there more over there?"

"Go with him and see," Samantha encouraged.

"Alright, Flynn will go!"

Together they headed back towards the corner where Aldric had found them.

"You're doing well," Flynn told him suddenly, "You don't have to worry."

Aldric blushed and stammered a thank you.

They found the patch and Flynn, who was more experienced, was able to pick different varieties that Aldric had not been so sure about. They came back with over a dozen large  mushrooms.

"We'll save those for our next meal," Samantha decided, "Aldric go and get Edos, it's time to eat."

"Edos is here," Edos cut in, coming up just then.

"Good! Let's eat!" Flynn enthused.

***

After spending a pleasant night with Edos, Aldric felt less shy but much more enamored than he had been before. He accepted more so that this was his reality and that Samantha and Flynn knew about it and didn't find it odd or strange. 

He had to canter around a bit to wake up the lethargic feeling from his bones and Edos watched him with a suggestive expression that brought his mind back to the tent last night.

Aldric had to look away to maintain what was left of his composure.

"Let's go, I found a gate while I was praying last night that seems to be the way forward but as for getting it open, I decided to leave that to the expert," Edos said.

The expert in question was Flynn of course.

"Leave it to Flynn! Flynn will get it open!"

The gate was large and made of heavy black metal. It gave Samantha an eerie feeling because of how dark the surroundings were.

Just then a figure darted out of the darkness on the other side of the gate. It was a courser wearing a dark robe.

"Let me join you," it implored, the words were slurred and echoing.

"No!" Flynn shouted on impulse and she went to move back but before he could manage the hood of the courser slipped back revealing a bone head!

"It's an undead!" Edos cried out alarmed.

It somehow got its head through the bars in the gate and latched on to the strap of Flynn's pack, pulling him forward!

Edos reacted the fastest, drawing his pitchfork and whacking the creature on the skull with the handle. There was a resounding 'cracking noise' and the creature howled angrily.

Its eyes turned red, and Aldric recalled the skull looked much the same.

The next moment to his horror the cloak fell away and the skull of the undead courser suddenly grew and grew in size!!!

"What the f-" Samantha cried out, echoing all of the shock that all of them were feeling.