"Thanks again for saving me." It was the umpteenth time Astera had admitted it and still, she felt as if she could say it a thousand times more.

            Spuds offered her the same genuine, saccharine smile. "It was nothing, I couldn't just have let you jump."

            Gods, she was going to wasn't she? She hadn't the right mind to keep herself from walking straight into those accursed depths. Well, it was behind them. No more dwelling, it would only make things worse. With a final grin back to her compatriot she focused back on the path. Still, move carved stones with effigies and grotesques carved along the equidistant pillars that helped flow into support across the vaulted ceilings. Moss clung to everything it could, though the path was well worn and vacant of anything besides some ferns or greens along the very edges. All very familiar at this point, and that familiarity lulled them both into a sense of relief. It was much needed after that previous scare, so what others may call a boring walk through a dimly lit passage was warmly welcomed by the strange duo.

            Then, the light of their lanterns started to catch and dance along damp - stark, sharp highlights that followed the curve of whatever substance it managed to catch. Astera leaned her head back to stare up at the ceiling, where the winking highlights caught, and found herself staring at... goo? Green, viscous slime. The longer they stared, the more collected at the edges of cracks. Astera could hear Spuds' hooves shuffling beside her, and even the nervous twitch of his tail. As quickly as they had noticed it pool, the slime expanded exponentially. Slowly, massive droplets of transparent lime slime fell from the ceiling until the weight grew too much and it collapsed to the ground. Each slap was wet but the gooey substance remained mostly intact, avoiding any excess splash. After a few lingering smaller clumps fell from the ceiling, the verdant liquid began pulling closer toward one another forming a massive vat of gelatinous material. While it was mostly transparent, Astera and Spuds were dumbfounded as a large, singular eye blinked open.

            "Uh, hello..." Astera stuttered with no real explanation as to why.

            "I don't think it has a mouth." Spuds countered.

            "We didn't even know it had an eye until a second ago!" She whispered back in rebuttal.

           The sentient slime blinked at them. It didn't seem hostile, at least, not right now. It did, however, take up most of the space in the passage to continue forward.

            "If it isn't too much trouble, can we get by?" Astera attempted to communicate again, speaking slowly and using her muzzle to gesture down the path behind the gelatinous monster. Its whole eye slid along the exterior and peered down the passage, before turning back towards the two equine. It made no clear indication of motive, and expressions were lost as there were no real lids, just one giant eyeball that formed from the gloop. Astera could only think of repeating herself, so she shrugged her packs to ready herself and spoke with more volume and a slow cadence. "We need to go that way. Can you move so we can get by, please?"

            Whether it was the more digestible cadence or please, the slime blinked rapidly in response before its one optic slid up and down in what could only be affirmative. As quickly as the slime appeared it started to slip into the cracks and seams of the cobbled stones at their hooves, silently melting into the dungeon the same way in which it had come. Neither Courser moved forward until the last droplet of lime slime was gone, and their strange encounter was over.

           "This place is crazy..." Spuds murmured as the two hurried passed the space.