Prompt: You stumble upon a fellow adventurer who is hopelessly lost on this level of the dungeon. Will you help them? *Can* you help them?

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The tunnel was fairly long, but it soon opened up into another section of the Overgrown Caverns. Luckily they did not have to worry about finding a way down as the exit appeared to come out level with the cavern floor. It was almost noisier in this chamber of the dungeon with squeaking or screeching heard in the distance. Aleyna shivered and unconsciously moved closer to Jalil as the path widened enough for them to walk side-by-side rather than one-by-one. Jalil didn’t comment on it, and just allowed it.

“GOSH DANG IT!”

Aleyna jumped at the sound.

Jalil stopped dead in his tracks.

Both sets of ears perked up and they looked around. The cremello shuffled closer to the black courser, her head lowered while his raised.

“How did I get into this? Why in hell did I even come down here! Now I’m lost and the bats are pissed off. Just…. RAAAAAH!”

The voice got louder and sounded frustrated.

“Another lost courser? Seems everyone is getting lost today,” Jalil chuckled and relaxed.

“You really think it’s another courser,” Aleyna asked.

“Never heard anything else speak like that down here.”

“That’s reassuring, but they sound pretty angry.”

“Probably just frustration,” Jalil replied.

“I guess we should help them then?”

“I think that would be right.”

Aleyna took a big breath and thought it over. Looking between the lush green around them and then back at Jalil, she realized one of them should stay on the path while the other looked, that way they didn’t all lose the path.

“I’ll go…” she whispered.

“You sure?”

“Yeah… I need to be more brave, right?”

Jalil just smiled softly at her without saying a single word in response to her question.

Aleyna left the path behind in search of the other courser.

“OH COME ON, UNIVERSE!”

Aleyna nearly jumped out of her skin as it sounded like the voice was right on top of her. As she jumped the voice cried out,

“GHOST!”

“Wait, no, no!” Aleyna said quickly.

“It talks?”

“No, no… I mean, well, yes…” Aleyna fumbled over her words. “I’m not a ghost!” she finally got out.

The other courser paused. Aleyna finally got to look at them. Mostly white, they had a splash of orange chestnut on the top of their head, going down the back of their neck and coloring their mane.

“Oh, I see now. Just another dungeoneer!”

“Yes.”

“Sorry about that! Been a rough day. I’m River!”

“Aleyna.”

“Wait, did you come looking for me?”

“We could hear you from the path…”

“We?”

“Yes, Jalil is waiting at the path so I don't get lost… again…”

“Again?”

“Jalil found me lost earlier, helped me, and we’ve been exploring together since…”

“Well then! Seems like it is a lucky day for both of us!”

“Yes, yes. That seems right.”

Aleyna led River back to the path where Jalil was waiting. The black courser smiled as the two lighter colored coursers approached from out of the brush.

“I see you found them!” he chimed.

“Howdy! I’m River! You must be Jalil.”

“That is correct. Are you heading further in or heading back?”

“Wanted to go further, but got lost as you can see.”

“H-how about you join us?” Aleyna offered.

“That would be fantastic! Much more fun to travel as a group.”

Aleyna nodded and Jalil smiled. With River tagging along, they continued down the path, heading further into the dungeon. They all wondered what else they would find in the depths. Would they find more to join their little band, or would they find treasure? Only time would tell.