We had taken a rest in the room after the room of many coats, and we had really needed it. I lifted my head, blinking sleep out my eyes, and yawned. I looked at Cal, who was still fast asleep next to me. I couldn't believe how beautiful he is. My movements must have woken Rhidd, because he shifted and nudged Petal awake. I did the same to Cal.
"Morning all." I said, as I handed out rations for breakfast.
Between bites of dried apple, Petal asked "So, where to now?"
I shook my head. "Honestly, wherever you guys want to go. I'm happy to head back to the surface, also happy to keep exploring."
Cal's ears had pricked up at the mention of the surface. I think Rhidd caught the movement too, as he chuckled and said "there's a hot spring on the surface that's calling my name."
We finished up our hasty breakfast, and packed everything away.
I checked that everyone was ready, and then nodded to Rhidd. "Lead the way."
"Happily", came his reply.
He led us over to a path that sloped steeply downwards. I looked down to where it faded into darkness. "Are you sure this is the right way?"
Rhidd huffed and started walking down the passage. Despite my misgivings, I followed, after making sure that Petal and Cal went ahead of me. It was pitch black in this passage, and the floor was so steep that it felt like i might slide down it if I wasn't careful. The floor was strewn with tiny pebbles that immediately made their way into my hooves, and it wasn't long before all the goodness from our rest was gone.
"Here we go!" I heard Rhidd say. He had gotten a fair distance infront, so I had to wait for first Petal and then Cal to make their way out before I could see what was ahead. Just like before, there was a sheer rock wall infront of some decorated tiles. But where the earlier tiles had been painted stone, these tiles were actually made of precious rocks, you could see the light glimmering off the multifaceted sides. They still had odd symbols etched into them, and they were so beautiful that I could hardly look away.
Rhidd was already pressing a few of them, and then listening intently for the noise that followed. I couldn't hear any differences in the rumbling of stone, but he clearly could. I sat off to one side, ready for him to figure it out and call us over. Petal and Cal came over to join me, and I caught Petal watching Rhidd with a look of pure love on her face.
After a while she spotted a tiny snail on the floor, and as far as I could tell, she was trying to befriend it. She was offering it tiny crumbs of dried apple, and seemed genuinely delighted when it crawled up her leg and settled on her back.
Cal leaned over to me, and said "Thank you again, Ti. I can't tell you how much of a relief it is to not be wearing a constant reminder of the worst time in my life."
I pressed up against him. "You don't have to keep thanking me, I'm just so glad it's what you wanted."
Cal smiled and nestled his head in my neck. He smelled like sunshine and petrichor, of sugared apples and days spent lounging in the sun. If I'm being honest, he made me feel safe.

Rhidd managed to solve this one faster than the earlier one, though I still couldn't comprehend any part of the puzzle. As he pressed the last tile, the wall began to shake and slowly slid up into the ceiling. Surely enough, the path from here sloped sharply upwards, and in the far, far distance I could hear birds singing. As we walked up, the tunnel getting brighter and brighter, I could see a new spring in Cal's step ahead of me. He seemed so much happier, so much lighter, already. We came out of the tunnel into blinding daylight, and had to give our eyes a minute to adjust.
Rhidd and Petal looked around, fidgeting. I noticed that the snail Petal had befriended was now firmly attached to her back. "You know, you're welcome to stick around for a while if you'd like."
Rhidd shook his head. "No, our job here is done. I'm glad I could guide you to where you needed to be."
Me and Cal hugged them both goodbye, and watched as they walked off, chattering away to each other as they walked. I hadn't known what to make of the pair when I first met them, but after our time in the dungeons together, I thought that I was really gonna miss them.
We both turned and headed for our favourite spot in the river.
"So, Cal, the hair."
Cal groaned. "I know!! Why did it have to change it back to long?? Now I'm gonna have to go through the effort of shearing it all off again." The grumpy look on his face made me grin. I reached over and began to play with a stand of his long mane.
"... then again, I suppose I could always keep it for a little while, see how we get on."
I grinned up at him, and he grinned back.
A light breeze blew across the riverbank, and I looked around. The sun was making the water glitter as it bubbled over rocks under the surface, and the air was warm and gentle in the late summer evening. Cal was happy, and I was happy, and I wished that this could last forever.