After accidentally spurning the little fiery visitor and dodging the subsequent fire, Denver trotted slowly, more cautiously than before down the narrow hall before him. Up ahead he could see an opening; vibrant red glow of lava, or maybe just some weird torches a wizard decided to flavour for fun. You really never knew in a place like this, where hooded figures could pop up in front of you, or molten rock could seep out from the walls’ edges. Humph!

As he neared the arc of a doorless entryway, his ears perked to a faint, distant clanging resounding off the walls like forgotten whispers- notes of a song that had ended long ago. The enormous bay shuddered at the thought that there could be some creature banging on the walls, clashing stone against stone or… no, it was metal... a forge?

Growing up in a large city, one that he knew like the end of his nose, he’d observed all kinds of professions. Bakers and their rosy cheeks, builders with their hardened muscles, and blacksmiths with broad shoulders and sooty hides. He liked the way they smelled, ashy and musky, the way the dew rolled off their backs as they worked the metal into something finer. He let out a little chortle as he imagined some enormous courser hammering a soon to be sharp blade, imagining the inlay he might give the hilt.

While lost in thought, his foreleg kicked something decidedly solid, and the thing let out the smallest ‘squeak!’ he’d ever heard. Lowering his gaze he was met with the sight of a large plump silk moth fluttering its wings uselessly as it tried to scamper away. It waddled and veered, bumping into the archway with another little chirp. It scooched dejectedly behind the wall, large rear still showing; not even remotely hidden despite its clear intent.

“Oh- sorry little guy, guess it’s been a tough one so far n’ I got a little lost in my own dome, y’know?” Denver laughed, a deep woody sound that rumbled in his chest, contrasting with the sharp clangs that grew just a little louder the closer he got to the cavern beyond the threshold. He moved slowly, head low as he spoke softly. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, or scare you, or either really. You’re a cute one, hmm?” He tilted his head, smiling, and the thing’s scared shivering slowed.

“I’m too big even for my own folks, my little sister’s a hell of a lot shorter than I am- ‘ma always said it was from my grandpa. Tall as a tree!” He hummed thoughtfully, stopping just shy of the end of the hall.

Forging he might’ve only admired from afar, knowing little about… but silk, well he knew the value of fine silk- natural silk. Aside from apologies, maybe he could get a reward for helping the little critter out. He wondered briefly if Bert knew anything about refining it.

“Say,” he rummaged in his pack, taking out one of his last dried apple slices, and offering it at the middle of the doorway. “How ‘bout an apology snack? Always makes me feel better.” The little thing turned, fluffy antennae peeking out to test the treat.

With a curious trill it reappeared fully, and took to the slice like… well like a moth on an apple slice he supposed. He wasn’t even sure what moths ate- let alone giant moths like this one that seemed about the size of even his head. “I’m glad you like it, I don’t have a lot” he hinted, blinking large brown eyes at the creature.

It couldn’t blink back, but the way it stared he imagined it might have. There was a silence, and he realized that maybe… it wasn’t such a fantastical beast like the talking pixies or shifting fox he’d found a time before. It was just a big moth. Well then, best to be moving along anyway. “Ah-hem.. alright, good luck with… whatever it is you do down here, darling.” He stepped carefully over the fuzzy thing, and continued on into what appeared to be a vast cavern stretching onward into dim distance.

The sounds of the forge were even louder here, reverberating through the empty space, caught only on the fronds that grew at the edges of deeply gouged lava ravines, heat permeating the air. With a loud sigh, he began his trudge forward, resigned to the sweat he knew would weigh down his carefully shaken mane, if the previous run-in with lava hadn’t already.

Before he could make it barely a step or two with trunk like legs however, he heard the sound of skittering, soft fluttering, a faint squeaking chirp sounding the little bug’s tailing of him. He gave a snuffle, then a hearty chuff that tumbled into another laugh. “I won’t begrudge the company, if you’d like to tag along.”

He looked at its small fragile legs and large body, and lowered himself to the ground for it to climb on top. “But you’ll have to let me carry you, wherever you’d like to go, sweetheart. I don’t know my way, but I think we could figure it out together, hm?” It followed his guidance with easily given trust, and if it weren’t so cute he might have trembled at its furry little legs on his back. It was soft though, and not too heavy either.

“Onward, then.” Denver declared dramatically, tossing his mane and setting forward at a brisk trot. As the two continued, he chattered as if the fat bug could understand- and maybe it could. It trilled and chirped back, gentle sounds to intersperse between the growing clanks of that forge somewhere back in the depths they meandered toward.