Prompt: Among discarded Courser barding, a glint catches your eye. Horned beetles with gemstones fused to their chitin armor clash against one another in combat. They are small enough to pocket – or eat as a crunchy snack, if you’re so inclined…

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There was a glint of glee in Paladin’s eyes as he pranced over to the abandoned Courser barding. Maybe, just maybe, something valuable had also been dropped in the process, or maybe the armor was better than his own and he could finally replace some of the cheap pieces of equipment he was wearing as a new dungeon diver. Looking into the armor something shiny caught his eyes. Something sparkly, red and blue, could be seen inside one of the metal pieces.

“GEMS!” Paladin chimed.

Majesty walked up behind him and looked over his shoulder.

“Who in the world just drops gems along with their armor?” she questioned.

“Who cares! They are gems! I’m sure we’ll get a pretty penny… for… them…”

Paladin trailed off as the gems began to charge at each other. They clinked together, causing the stallion to tilt his head. Reaching down, he picked up the blue gem and flipped it over to see how it had moved.

“BUUUUUG!” his voice went up an octave as he screeched and dropped the beetle.

Majesty stood there as the stallion fled into the bush. While she waited for the stallion to return she inspected the beetle that was struggling on its back, trying to flip over. It was a type that was edible and gems were embedded in it.

“Is it safe to come out?” Paladin whispered from the bush.

“They are not gonna kill ya. Actually, they are edible.”

“EWWWW!”

“You did say you were hungry.”

“NOT FOR BEETLE!”

“Food is food,” Majesty chimed as she popped a beetle into her mouth.

As she chewed, the beetle making a satisfying crunch, she spit out the embedded gems and handed them to Paladin who hesitantly took them, slightly grossed out that they had been in the mare’s mouth.

“Fine, I’ll take the beetles, you get the gems.”

“Fine…”

Paladin grumbled as Majesty snacked away, taking the saliva covered gems and placing them in a little baggy for safe-keeping.