Prompt: Though the dungeons are well-trodden in the Age of Coursers, they are too vast to avoid getting lost occasionally. How is your sense of direction? What do you do when you realize you don’t know where you are?

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At one point in time, Majesty could remember listening to the tales of the various dungeoneers and the spoils they have brought up from the depths of the dungeons. With Paladin sitting beside her and surrounded by the many other eager foals of the area, they would listen as a storyteller told the tales of the most recent dives into the dungeons. Some of their favorites were the tales of Terrence and his achievement of crossing the Earthen Furnace’s geyser field. The two would then run home and take turns reenacting what they thought it might have looked like and being the hero of their own tales.

Now here he was, Terrence himself. Majesty had gotten her hooves on a contract that allowed her to hire a more experienced dungeoneer to guide them down into the Earthen Furnace. Majesty was not yet experienced enough, and while Paladin technically could, the two felt better hiring someone with more experience for their first time heading down that far.

“Well, well, well! You two must be the ones who hired me. Nice to meet ya!” Terrence chimed.

“Hello! Thank you so much for your help,” Majesty replied, nervously.

“We’re HUGE fans!” Paladin chimed.

“Shhhh!” Majesty tried to quiet the bay tobiano.

“Haha! So you must know about the time I crossed the Earthen Furnace’s geyser field. You two are in the company of the right Courser! I’ll get you two in and out in no time and show you what it takes to be the best of the best.”

Terrence shot them a grin.

“Alright, let’s get moving before it gets too late.”

Majesty and Paladin follow behind as the woad smoky black Courser guides them down from the Overgrown Caverns into the Earthen Furnace. The heat hits them like a wall as it appears to funnel through the tunnel they are trotting through to the level above. It’s surprising the heat did not affect the level above as much as one would expect, though probably contributed to how lush the above level was and why the life there thrived so much better than the surface.

“So what are your goals?” Terrence asked the duo.

“Oh, um, I guess to gain some experience and learn about this level. We want to be prepared for later dives when we can’t hire someone to join us. Figured it would be safer to higher someone for our first dive on this level,” Majesty replied.

“Well, you made the right choice in hiring me! I’ll make sure you get out safe and sound.”

“I still just can’t believe we are down here with Terrence of all Coursers,” Paladin basically squealed into Majesty’s ear.

Majesty just shook her head but she was grinning from ear to ear.

On Majesty’s back was her little slime companion, and on Paladin’s was his mole. The two companions clung to their Coursers and watched the landscape around them change. The tunnel opened up into a larger chamber that grew into an underground lavascape. Smoke, lava, and even creatures of fire and brimstone could be seen all around them. Neither companion wanted to touch the ground as they could feel the heat in the air and could only imagine how warm the stone beneath the Coursers hooves was.

Terrence guided the duo and their companions, showing them the safest paths and even bringing them to the edge of the geyser field.

“Oh man, are we going to cross it?”

Paladin began to walk out onto the field.

“NO!” both Majesty and Terrence yelled in unison.

The mare grabbed the stallion’s tail and dragged him back to the edge.

“Don’t be stupid!” Majesty bopped the stallion over the head with her chin.

“Ow…” Paladin mumbled.

This was not the only incident of Paladin’s impulsive nature and Majesty knew she had made the right choice in hiring someone. Terrence had to shove the bay tobiano out of the way as they were attacked by a flaming two-legged creature that Paladin was happily going to try and fight himself. Majesty managed to stop him from eating some strange plant he wondered was edible. And lastly, the stallion attempted to pet some ‘puppies’ he spotted, not noticing the hellhound ready to attack from the shadows.

“Is he always like this?” Terrence asked.

“Yes. I’m usually rescuing him.”

“You are a very good and patient friend.”

“I just don’t want his death on my conscience.”

Terrence chuckled.

“Alright, we should head…”

It was only then that Terrence realized he was not entirely certain where they were.

“I’m afraid to say we have gotten lost.”

Majesty looked around and then at Terrence.

“Welp, guess we’ll be wandering a bit,” she replied.

The mare remained completely calm, unlike her friend.

“LOST?! What do you mean we’re lost?!”

“Pretty sure that is your fault, dumb dumb. Don’t chase strange dogs.”

Paladin huffed and tried to shake off the embarrassment as Majesty pointed out how he got them into this mess.

“The best we can do is stay calm, try and find a landmark Terrence will recognize. That should help us find our way back up to the previous level.”

“She’s correct,” Terrence added, nodding in approval. “Alright, please stick close so we don’t get separated.”

His voice took on a more concerned and stern tone as he took this adventure even more seriously now that he wasn’t just showing off but had to actually get the two younger dungeoneers out of the Earthen Furnace.

“Um, I think Quartz has something to say,” Paladin piped up.

The other two Coursers turned and watched the mole point towards their right.

“I think he wants us to go right,” Majesty said.

Terrence nodded and did just that, being careful about where he stepped and turning his head frequently to check on the other two Coursers. Majesty’s slime joined in and would point when they needed to turn, sitting backwards on Majesty’s back so they could watch for Quartz’s instructions as the stallion and mole companion took up the rear. The mole would sniff the air and point, the slime would then tap Majesty’s back around them to indicate where they were supposed to go, and Majesty would relay that into words for Terrence.

“That companion has a good nose. I know where we are now and it appears they could sniff out the level above, probably because they recognize it as creatures from that level,” Terrence commented.

Terrence took over and led them safely back to the tunnel leading up. The group was happy to leave the heat behind, having gained experience and made it out safely, the two young adventurers felt more confident and ready to take on the world. After Majesty knocked some sense into Paladin of course.

“Thank you for helping us today,” Majesty said to Terrence as they prepared to part ways.

“Thank you for hiring me. Take care, both of you. And you,” Terrence pointed at Paladin who froze in place at Terrence’s focus on him, “think before you act. You’re gonna get yourself and your friend killed one of these days.”

“Sorry,” Paladin mumbled.

“Well, with that out of the way, this is farewell.”

The two Coursers watched as their guide left, leaving them on the Overgrown Caverns level of the dungeon.

“We should find our companions some treats since they did so well down there,” Majesty suggested.

“Sounds good to me,” Paladin replied.

Off they went, heading back towards the exit of the dungeon, searching for some good rewards for their companions along the way.