“No one move a muscle.”

Three sets of ears swiveled to listen to their party leader, Chapel. She had stopped suddenly, legs trembling. Chapel was good at assuming leadership despite her nervous nature. Being the leader of the Sunspires, an organized community of mercenaries and do-gooders, she was used to ordering others around. She had been promoted to the position by her father, so really she had no choice but to push past her anxieties and do her job. She showed a lot of resilience, and became a natural in leading groups through the dungeons.

“What’s up, boss?” The horse at the rear, Velvet, called out. “Spotted a trap?”

A few quiet seconds passed. The air had a chill to it, and a couple pebbles suddenly bounced around at their hooves. Something was shifting…

“Nevermind what I said, move forward! Now! As fast as you can!” Chapel shouted out as she began to gallop across the other side of the dungeon room. 

Before anyone had the chance to question why, the floor started rumbling and shaking. It began to split apart with a wretched stony crunch. Bones and barrels got consumed into the deep darkness that opened up beneath them. All 3 horses, who had paused in shock, began to leap and scramble. 

“Quickly! Hal, make the jump!” Chapel coached the group as the floor continue to rip apart. “Pleiades, you have to move your hooves!”

Pleiades, who was not very attuned to dungeoneering, had frozen in fear. Their golden hooves had begun to slip at the edge of the abyss. They were panicking, Chapel could see it clearly across their face. If they didn’t snap out of it immediately, they were going to be swallowed. 

Luckily, Velvet was already on her way to help. She ducked her head behind Pleiades’ rump and gave it a shove. The blue horse stumbled, and suddenly broken free from their panic, bolted to Chapel’s side. She nodded at Velvet, silently thanking the chestnut horse for her help. 

In the commotion, no one had noticed that Halberd had raced to the wrong side of the room. He was over by the door they had entered from, on the other side of the gaping hole that now separated them. 

“Hal, I said forward.” Chapel sounded worried as she gently chastised the herald.

“I panicked, I’m sorry. I couldn’t jump.” He hung his head in shame. “How do I get over there?”

“I’m not sure you can. That is an impossible length to jump.” The leader said. It was true, no horse could possibly jump the gap.

“Are there any planks of wood over there that could reach across…? Anything to bridge the gap?” Halberd sounded stricken. 

Velvet nosed around some of the junk that was laying on the dungeon floor. More old bones and barrels, with the occasional rat. She looked up and shook her head.

“Doesn’t seem to be.” Pleiades had joined Velvet in the search. “You’re going to have to head up to the surface alone.”

Chapel narrowed her eyes. “Don’t say that. We’re going to find a way to help you, Halberd. Just hold tight.”