There was a hole in the dungeon floor. When they had set up camp for the evening, Shield had seen it, and had swiftly shifted a rock to cover it out of sight. He knew well enough what sort of trap those sorts of hungry holes were.

Unfortunately, Litany had seen it before it had been covered - Shield hadn't caught it, to know to keep an eye on him. Litany knew well enough that if he went to have a peek while Shield was awake, he'd disapprove, or plead with him to never touch such a thing again. So he waited.

Shield was fast asleep, faintly snoring with his muzzle pressed against the cold stone floor. Litany's brown eyes slid open, peering around. Shield was unlikely to stir.

A bit farther away, the gaunt, bone hung shape of Creature had settled into a corner, and was seemingly also asleep, ears occasionally twitching idly. Ser Preservation hadn't stirred more than one toe since hours earlier.

Litany pushed himself to his hooves, as quietly as they could manage, and slunk towards the location of the hole.

Soon enough, with both fore hooves, he pushed and heaved the stone that Shield had used to cover the hole - pushing it a foot or so away, before almost magnetically he was drawn back to the hole. He stared down into it, his face drawn closer and closer to the inky depths. Dark, rich blacks and faint hints of navy blues... the faint glint of something lighter, something down beyond.

He felt the pull in his chest, around his heart.

Surely he could slip down for a look, and be back safe and solid before morning. Surely...

The slow pull of ink...

One hoof raised, almost involuntarily, and edged towards the hole -

He heard it before he felt it - a rumble, almost like a hound's snarl, just behind him - and then sharp teeth clipped into the 'nape' of his neck, and he was dragged backwards away from the still beckoning hole. He yelped, delayed, surprised - he was lifted off the stonework, by whatever had ahold of his neck, he was caught, he was prey, and not to the hole, the thing he felt he was meant to be prey to, he was-

The grip released on him, and he dropped to the brickwork with a slight thunk, the places teeth had held stinging against the cool air.

He looked up.

The grey, almost dead, eyes of Creature stared down at him, and there was twinge of fresh red on his visible teeth.

Oh. It had only been Creature.

There was a low, raspy huff, and the Creature nudged him with his head, herding him back towards the sleeping toad who had previously been tucked just under Litany's chin, and the sleeping Shield. Then it turned back, moving towards the hole - seemingly covering it up just as Shield had done before...

Not directly staring at it any longer, the spell was dissipating. He'd nearly gone into the depths...