Lily stopped at the entrance with the others, trying to look inside. But large as the tunnel was, she was too big to simply scoot between the others without the risk of pushing them out into the cavern. So she reverted to her feline form, scales receding from all over her body leaving her torso uncovered, and her body furred from the waist down. She then pushed her way to the front through her companions to finally get a proper look at their location.

The place was extraordinary; so much like the tree tops of Earth’s jungles, but so vastly different, too. It was a place where agility and speed would matter far more than raw power. She glanced back at Fenn, this place would not be to his forté. At best, his flames could heat up the steel cables to such a degree that they would burn whatever monsters lurked here.

And according to their guide, quite powerful ones did indeed. 

The hound’s thoughts seemed to be in line with hers. He approached the end of the tunnel, nose twitching distrustfully as he reached extended an arm towards the nearest vines. The dog’s ears swiveled, as if expecting something to jump out of the so-called jungle in response to the intrusion. Still, the paw found no resistance as it wrapped around the closest vine, and Fenn gave it a firm tug. The relaxed, interwoven wires tensed and seemed to stretch, but otherwise, the vine remained fixed in place. Then, the hound drew the cable closer to his face and blew a thin strand of flame onto its surface. The fire simply washed over the material, as it would with any other metal.

Now convinced that the vines could hold his weight and his handholds would not go in flames if he used his power, Fenn moved a step back, his expression still anything but pleased.

“This is a poor battleground,” he grunted.

Lily shot the Hound an impish look over her shoulder. “Only because you’re an unrefined pup with a penchant for brute force,” she commented, smiling. 

“You mistake the issue, Imp.”

“So you say.” Her smile widened enough to show teeth; canines long and sharp. It fell soon after to a more neutral look, and she turned back towards the cavern. “I’m most likely the best equipped the fight in an area such as this,” she mused idly, looking about. She glanced back at Fenn again. “But the lack of solid foundation to stand upon is not what you mean, is it, Fenn?” 

“Nay, Imp though it is worsened by it. The problem would be as pertinent in this place as in a dense, Earthen forest.”

A pause. Lily gave him a half-lidded look. He was sure he expected her to keep prodding. Did he enjoy being vague and leaving her in suspense? It made her wonder if she should quit his game simply for the sake of spoiling his fun.

“You mean fire?” Her gaze fell upon the cables attached to the wall beside them. “They’re not made of flammable material—You tried it yourself, after all. At worst they would become hot.”

“Of course not,” he snapped, seemingly irritated by the conclusion. 

“Are you referring to the fact that attacks can come from any direction?” 

At this, the dog nodded. “Aye, that is a consequence. A place such as this restricts visibility.” He seemed to have lost patience with her, as he continued his explanation with uncharacteristical eagerness. “Had we not a guide, I would hesitate to delve into such an area even if it was devoid of life. Without ground, even scents would be confusing to follow. It would be easy to lose track of the group if one became distracted and strayed from the path. Now, think of predators that may live in this place. What kind of beast do you imagine?”

It took only a quick glance around; the answer was almost immediate. “Arachnids, or other very agile creatures. Something that could make use of three dimensional space.” 

“Aye, beings which would traverse such a place with even more ease than solid ground. The same cannot be said for us. Most in this group would see little recourse but to cling to a handhold and wait for an enemy to close in. It need not be said that we may not even notice such an approach. Should an attack scatter us, each could be singled out with ease.” 

The Demoness grimaced. Loathe was she was to admit it, Fenn was right. “So a poor battleground, then?” She mused. “I see what you mean.” She turned her gaze to Panoptos, then to their guide. She stalked over to him. “Tell me, what kind of beings can we find here? Their name tells us nothing. What do they look like and how do they fight?”