Velasco stepped lightly, weaving between the pillars of silk, holding his lantern up so as to admire the way that the half-transformed moths looked, wrapped in their layers of cocoon and their partly formed wings. They were quite beautiful, in a way, and Velasco was uncertain if it really felt right to disturb them. Perhaps if he was careful and brought one of the cocoons back whole, without harming it, some of the scholars on the surface would have an interest in observing the moth as it emerged and thus learning more about the creatures. This thought excited Velasco, and he swiftly settled on this course of action, going back through the cavern of pupae to find a likely candidate to be brought back to the surface.

He found one after a few minutes of searching - a cocoon stuck to the wall, sort of close to the ground and easy to reach. The creature inside was early in on in its metamorphosis and mostly still caterpillar shaped. Carefully, Velasco took the base of the cocoon in his teeth and detached it from the wall. 

It was heavier than he was expecting, and as it swung from his jaws he worried that it would burst open under its own weight. He would have to be very careful carrying this out. Luckily, he was not far from the surface.