Her first day in the tunnels had been interesting to say the least. This time she was more prepared with her chanfron fastened tighter. No crabs would be stealing that this time.

She ventured onwards, caution still at the forefront of her mind. There was no telling what she might find. The first level of the dungeon was surprisingly teeming with life. In every nook and cranny were creatures. Most scuttled away at the sight of her, cramming themselves even further into their hide-holes to stay away. Some hissed at her, trying to scare her away, flashing whatever deadly weapon they were armed with. Teeth, claws, stingers. Philippa took a wide berth in response, tiptoeing by them as to not piss them off any further. These were just the ones she could see. It made her skin crawl to think of all the ones that were especially good at camouflage.

Shuddering at the thought, she continued on. There was so much to see and explore. There was an urge within her to venture further into the deep. The ground beneath her began to squelch underfoot as the floor became thick with moss. Dirty cave puddles sent splashes of water spraying up her fetlocks, the coldness sending a shiver down her spine. The pull became stronger, grasping a hold of something within her like an invisible fishing line reeling her in. A tiny voice inside her head told her to stop but it was not loud enough for her to listen.

It wasn't long before Philippa saw the mystery that called out to her. A large, gaping hole sat central within the cave system. It was pitch black, eating all the light from it's surrounding. It was a daunting sight. Despite this, she didn't feel afraid. Strangely, she wanted to get closer. What harm could it do? Slowly, she tenderly stepped forward, stretching her nose out to inspect. No light, no sound, not even a breeze or smell to hint to where it led. This couldn't be the opening to the level beneath? This isn't where the signposts led. Another step forward was made, edging ever nearer.

There was an incredible urge to take the leap. Just step into the darkness and see where it leads. The gaping mouth was beckoning her, whispering to her to do it. 'Go on', it nudged, 'do it'. Legs trembled. Sweat beaded along her forehead. Her throat was dry; tongue sticking to the roof of her mouth. Did she dive into the unknown?

Squeezing her eyes shut, she made the decision. With a quick spin, she turned her ass around and sped away. The hole was howling now, screaming at her to come back. Philippa's pace quickened into a canter. The negative reaction from her rejection gave her every reason to trust her instincts. If she'd taken the plunge, she most likely wouldn't have come back.