"HEY COURSER."

Tarnish had done this song and dance before, and flicked his tail, talking to Prism.

"Keep going, and ignore them." He was depositing Prism back at the Gray wings headquarters - or hopefully very soon, on the way to do so, then he could see about collecting Ken from whatever odd dangerous corner he'd wandered off to.

"HEY, DON'T IGNORE ME, BONE MAN-"

"DON'T IGNORE ME, EITHER, GOLD AND TARNISHED GREEN. SEEN ANOTHER LIKE YOU. HE WAS PRETTIER COLORS." Tarnish's ear flicked, and he paused a half a second, but then pressed on. It didn't mean anything, they could mean anyone. Prism's teeth clicked, and, seeming as if he'd noticed the way it made Tarnish twitch or pause, glanced over their shoulder - and aimed a sharp kick to the jaw of the offending imp.

There was an awful little crack sound, and the thing was sent cascading back, and crashed into a pillar of stone, falling. The rest of the imps paused mid-insult, absorbing this, and then swiftly decided they had somewhere else to be right now.

Tarnish exhaled, the air blessedly silent, as they picked their way towards what should be the upper exit of the furnace. His beetle settles near his ear, making small, slight sounds, and Tarnish focuses on this a moment.

A while later, a familiar face pushes out of a column of smoke - Devereaux. Not associated with the gray wings, but known all the same.

"Oh. You pair. Message." They said in even clipped tones, and Tarnish halted. "... Well, you, primarily. No words for that one." Devereaux's intact ear flicked in Prism's direction, but Prism wasn't paying enough mind to be offended.

"What is it?"

"From Collapse. Says 'We've found Corrode. Alive. He wants you.' or something or another."

Tarnish froze, blood running cold - then hot with panic.

"Shit - thank you - Prism, we go now-" Tarnish said, and galloped past Devereaux - with Prism stumbling to keep up behind him.