Crispin eyed the young buck. Ansgrim was pouring over a map he'd procured from other dungeoneers on the surface. It had cost a pretty coin, more than he'd like to admit, but there was no price on being prepared. The heat had long proved sweltering and the magma seemed... higher than usual. Of course, the map didn't account for an natural phenomenon like this. Thankfully, reading maps was the one thing Ansgrim was exceptionally good at.

"You nearly done, kid?" The veteran Courser questioned, his carmine eyes stern as they peeled over the younger gray who'd thrown the map over Crispin's back for ease of reading.

"Almost, I'm just trying to figure out this one spot..." Ansgrim tilted his head, his undone forelock plastered to his face with perspiration. He wanted nothing more than to scratch it, but he also didn't want to keep Crispin's valuable time wasted.

"Which one?" The senior inquired as he squinted off into the massive, open cave system.

Waterfalls of lava poured from high, unseen cliffs, spilling into swollen ponds and lakes. Bubbles gurgled and popped, spraying searing gloop on anything unfortunately close. The dark rocks they'd found themselves on were safe, currently, but who knew how long that'd be the case.

"There's a section here that leads into cave systems built behind the ruins over there," Ansgrim pauses to gesture with his muzzle, pausing to ensure Crispin confirms with a nod. "However, we're on the most direct path there. And as you can see, well... it's flooded."

A large river of lava was pouring from an overflowing pool on the right and towards the left. "Just straight ahead here?" Crispin tilted his head, his tone calm despite the clear sweat darkening his alabaster hide.

Ansgrim glanced up briefly, nodded, then returned to the map. "There has to be an easier way around..."

The map nearly slipped from the gray Courser's back as he rolled with a chuckle. "Why not just jump it?"

"Jump it?"

"Correct, would be simple enough while it isn't too wide."

"I don't know if I can do that, sir." Ansgrim's ears fell back onto his crown, eyes falling from the gaze of the other courser. The weight of knowing he was being observed had him fidgeting on his hooves, so much so he snapped up the map and stuffed it back into his open pack.

Crispin eyed the younger stallion, then offered a cool sentiment to stave off the heat of the furnace. "Trust in me, young one. You can make it, and so can I."

"I don't know, strength has never been my best quality..." Ansgrim couldn't bring himself to look into those red eyes. Would there be disappointment? Disapproval? He dared not to look. "If you want to go the direct route that's fine, I can try and find another way around with the map."

"Absolutely not." There was no fighting the tone, Ansgrim knew, so he swallowed, gathered what fraying courage he had, and raised his head. "You can make it, young one. Trust me. We all have our place in a party. You got us this far, let me get us the rest of the way."

It took several more encouraging comments to get Ansgrim to agree to Crispin's idea. It was so simple. Jump. Yet, it struck him to the core. Of course, he wanted to continue, he wanted to search and find everything that he could. If that involved stepping out - leaping out - of his comfort zone, he supposed it was better to have someone here to watch his back.

Of course, Crispin made the jump without a hair out of place. It was magnificent, graceful and powerful. Ansgrim's stomach fell and his mouth went dry. All he could do was stare at the lava and imagine just what it would feel like. Nope, no, can't do that... he can't think of that or he'd really never make the jump.

"Come on, Ansgrim. We don't have all day."

Having an audience may not have been the best. Ansgrim paced back and forth, warming his already burning muscles. Three... two... one... He lurched forward, coming as close as he dared to the gurgling river. Ansgrim tried to tuck his legs just like Crispin, tried to follow the trajectory, but he could feel that he was off, that he was wriggling in the air like a worm. His forehooves reached forward, eager to kiss stone again, and his heart stopped when he felt the intense heat at his fetlocks. A yelp bubbled in his throat but it was clipped as his weight was suddenly pulled forward.

Crispin had him by the leathers and pulled him from the edge of easily becoming a two-legged horse. Ansgrim heaved in breaths. They flew in and out of his nostrils so quickly it dizzied his head.

"Good job." Crispin praised, chuckling.

"Yea, uhuh..."