"If you really wanna know, I'll tell you later." Skobeloff responded to Stargaze's words while continuing to make for the mines. "But for now, let's go find the others, hear all about that unicorn vision Fellwing had, and stick our noses right into Garrock's family business"

Not noticing Fellwing's hesitation, Runa quite cheerfully started bounding off, pausing only for a moment to make sure the black dragon was following before continuing on her way.

Upon following Runa, it wouldn't be long before Fellwing happens across a tunnel, reminiscent of an animal burrow... though larger than a lot of animal burrows she would have previously seen. Certainly large enough for Runa to enter, which she does, glancing around before motioning for Fellwing to follow. "Are you used to traveling underground?" she asks. "Don't know if it's common for dragons, but if not so, stay close to me."

---

While there is no longer an unruly magic to prevent Stargaze and Skobeloff from making their way through the woods, they quickly find themselves face to face with a different problem. As they walk further and further through the trees, both drakes will start to get the distinct feeling that they are not alone, as if something is following them. Upon looking around, either of them might think they catch sight in the corner of their eye, though they're never entirely sure...

At least until they heard the snap of a twig directly behind them.

What will they do?

Skobeloff paused at the sound of the snapping twig. "I know what you're thinking right now." The little Trickster said, not deigning to turn around just yet. "You're thinking stepping on that twig means I know you're there now... Nope. Not even close." Skobeloff finally turned to face the source of the sound. His face adorned with that same sly smile he always wore when playing the Long Game. "I knew you were there the second you started following us."

Stargaze's head snaps upwards, her neck forming an S shape at the sound of the snapping twig. She looks around warily as Skobeloff calls out to their pursuer saying that he knew that they were being followed form the moment they started pursuing them. Stargaze was naturally confused. She hadn't seen anyone following him when she hurried after him before.

She looks around and she asks Skobeloff, getting ready for a confrontation when she asks Skobeloff, "I don't suppose you know who's been following us, Skobeloff?" She couldn't help but think back to Home, where that dark dragon targeted dragons who were alone. She looked around for any sign of that dragon, or who else could be pursuing them.

"Hmm?" Runa looks over her shoulder at Fellwing, taking a moment to process her question. "What built tunnel? Not sure. We've been here slight over a day and haven't seen much besides small Beasts. Nothing big enough to have made tunnel. If tunnel isn't just another part of mine, maybe whatever made it long gone." She then gives Fellwing encouraging smile. "But you need not worry. Runa doesn't like to fight, but she can defend herself if need be." Her smile becomes a grin. "And Brother very strong! Runa once saw him take on a bearox by himself!" She gives a strong nod. "Anything that attacks will have do deal with the two of us. You are safe."

With that, she begins to lead further into the tunnel. As they get deeper, the tunnel starts getting narrower and narrower, though surprisingly this does little to deter Runa, who's wide and bulky frame does little to slow her down as she weaves through the sharp corners and squeezes through narrow spaces. Occasionally, she had to use her claws to chip away at the dirt and stone, but far less than one might expect. She also makes sure to check over her shoulder frequently to make sure Fellwing is still following, and ask if she's okay. Once assured, she keeps moving.

After walking for a good while with no signs of life, the pair suddenly hear a loud thud somewhere above them. Runa stops, and motions for Fellwing to stay where she is. She perks up her ears, at which there is another loud thud, this time a little ahead of them. Runa flinches a little, her body tensing. Despite her previous assurance to Fellwing, she seems quite nervous right now.

---

There is a long pause after Skobeloff's words, as if who's ever following the drakes hopes that if they don't make sound, their presence will be forgotten. After Stargaze acknowledges their presence, there is a small, defeat sigh as a familiar light green drake comes lumbering out from the bushes. "Was I really that obvious?" Tamba asks with a nervous smile.

"I'm afraid you were." Skobeloff confirmed. "But hey, you weren't really, really obvious. I didn't know it was you until you came out." Skobeloff then tilted his head in curiosity. "Sooo... what are you doing all the way out here, Tamba? Got a little secret or something? If you're alone, I bet it's something you don't want Pleexem finding out about."

When Tamba revealed themselves and asked his question, Stargaze visibly relaxed. Before she could ask the question on her mind, Skobeloff already beat her to the punch. She looks back to Tamba and comments, "You had us worried for a good moment there. We thought you were some kind of monster or dark...thingy, following us,"

She then remembers something important and she asks Tamba, "Oh yeah! Have you seen Fellwing at all?"

The vision the Darkness allows Fellwing to see is very brief, yet fairly unambiguous. She glimpses into another, wider chamber somewhere above where two silhouettes seemed to be caught in conflict. One is an older dragon, the other is a creature of similiar build and stature to Runa, though quite a bit bigger. The vision cuts off just as the troll-like figure gives a loud roar before charging at the dragon. This times perfectly with another loud thump overhead which pulls Fellwing out of her vision. Even though the Darkness is no longer in her mind, she still feels a lingering feeling, like pull leading her forwards, likely towards the source of said vision. Finding the origin of the sound will not be difficult. Getting involved conflict, however, is another matter.

---

Tamba makes a face at the mention of her twin's name. "Oh him? He's still in the clinic," she said. "No matter what I say, I can't seem to convince him to leave Maug's side." She suddenly looks guilty. "And I just needed a break from him, honestly. He's been acting, well, weird, since the island. Fogdance thinks he might be in shock, but I don't know..." She shakes her head. "But anyway! That doesn't matter! I saw you guys sneaking off and was curious where you were going."

When Stargaze questions her, Tamba tilts her head. "Oh sorry! I wasn't meaning to frighten anyone. Fellwing? No I haven't seen her." She looks around. "Haven't seen any dragons in this forest until I happened across you guys."

Stargaze listened to Tamba as she answered Skobeloff and her questions. When Tamba mentioned that Plexeem was still by Maug's side, and was acting weird, she couldn't help but ask in concern, "Weird? How so?" She still remembered the clutch's time at her home, and how the Brownies acted weird, as well as Garrock. Skobeloff was the one who warned them to not be alone at that time...

She was a little disappointed that Tamba hadn't seen Fellwing, but that didn't linger. Upon mentioning the forest, Stargaze realized something, and she looks around, "...Oh. Right. I have no idea where we are...or where we're going...

She looks to Skobeloff and she asks, "Skobeloff, where are you heading to anyways?"

"I'm heading to this old abandoned mineshaft that I told Garrock was full of giant spiders." Skobeloff said in response to Stargaze's question. "...It's not actually full of giant spiders though. I just said that so he'd go there. That way Rudrick could corner him and talk about their mother. I was gonna leave them to it, but Fellwing ran off to watch the fireworks, and I need to chat with her about unicorns. So... looks like I'm heading that way too."

Runa blinks in surprise, clearly confused about what Fellwing is talking about, but says nothing. Instead, she dutifully followers.

It doesn't take long for the pair to reach the area Fellwing saw in her vision. Though it's still difficult for her see, Fellwing can feel it, like the Darkness she called upon was waiting for her to arrive. The anger in her chest fills her with strange kind of strength, though none she can quite put into words. This makes senses feel sharper than normal, and she's able to catch a glimpse of yellow upon the older dragon's scales, revealing it very much likely to be Garrock, and he is barely fending of the troll who is swiping at him as series of pretty hard punches.

With her decent nightvision, Runa seems to recognise the other troll and calls out to him. "Yetu, thank the Stone Moon you're okay!" She tries to approach him, but the movement seems to draw the other troll's attention and he turns away from Garrock to aim a single hard punch right at Runa.

---

Tamba shrugs at Stargaze's question. "I guess would be hard to explain if you don't know Pleexem as well as I do," she says. "But we've barely been apart since we first hatched. I can usually tell what's going exactly in that mind of his but now..." She lowers her head. "I dunno. He just seems really distant all of a sudden, like he's annoyed with me, but I have no idea why." She's distracted from her sadness by Skobeloff mentioning unicorns. "What is with you guys? First your strange friend mentions it, now you. Is this an inside joke I don't get?"

"It's not really a joke... but it is an inside thing. Fellwing wouldn't like me spilling it anyway." Skobeloff explained. "Speaking of Fellwing, I guess Stargaze and I should go find her. You can come along if you want." With that said, Skobeloff began looking around. "This would've been way easier if I could just use the gem sand." Skobeloff said to himself as he struggled to get his bearings. "Stargaze, do me a favor and remind me to be a brave, creative empath more often." A few moments later, Skobeloff gave a triumphant "Aha!" and then turned back to the others. "This way." The Trickster told them, before turning to resume leading the way to the mine.

Stargaze could only stare for a good moment upon hearing Skobeloff's plan to try and get Garrock and Rudrick to speak with each other. She supposed she could see why Skobeloff wanted the two dragons to talk, but...with Fellwing getting caught up in this too, and other factors coming into play. What if they run into another shadow dragon like being, like they did at home?

She then turns her attention to Tamba as she answers her question of how Plexeem was being weird. She listens intently and carefully to the explanation. Before she could give her initial thoughts, Skobeloff immediately spoke and determined a path to follow. Stargaze was a little befuddled at his request, but she simply nods. As he starts to lead the way, she sighs and speaks to Tamba with a hesitant chuckle, "We better follow him, otherwise we'll end up lost,"

And so, she follows after Skobeloff. Assuming Tamba follows, she speaks to her after thinking over the two situations, "You know, Skobeloff had a whole plan to get Garrock and Rudrick to talk to each other. Garrock's been avoiding Rudrick for some reason as well,"

She leans closer to Tamba and she whispers, "I think he might have overcomplicated the solution a little bit,"

She then leans away to be a normal distance, and she suggests, "You and Plexeem have been close up until this point. So, why not try and talk to them? Just ask if you can talk with them, and be honest. Maybe if the air is clearer, then things will go back to normal?"

She then realizes something and she speaks, "I...don't have siblings, so I wouldn't know. But, if Skobeloff thinks getting a pair of distant siblings to talk to each other is a good idea, then it's a good idea. Right?"

The dark magic emitting from Fellwing intercepts the punch Yetu had been aiming at Runa, wrapping around his fist inches away from his sibling's face. At first, that it all it seemed to do... until the darkness started twisting and curling in a way that cause Yetu to give a pained roar.

"What's happening?" Garrock's voice calls, and Fellwing can see his eyes squinting to see what is occurring. He turns his head first between the two troll siblings and then towards Fellwing.

---

Tamba beams at Skobeloff, seemingly unconcerned with his eccentricities. "I've love to come along," she says, and walks beside Stargaze as they both follow the blue drake. She's quiet as she listens to Stargaze, a slight frown on her face. After a moment, she gives a sigh. "I guess... you're right. It's just strange when he's so... closed off from me. He never is like this. Never." She gives a small snort when Stargaze mentions how complicated Skobeloff's plan. "Sounds like something he'd do. Curious to see how it works out."

Not long after she says this, the group soon find themselves at what they can assume is the abandoned mine. All three drakes will get an odd sense upon approaching, like there used to be some great power here but it has recently faded. However, the hints of the magic that was once here make each of their scales prickle.

"Well that's interesting." Skobeloff said as he sensed the residual magic at the mine's entrance. "This place was meant to be abandoned. Why was really powerful magic here recently?" Skobeloff was half tempted to stick around and find out, but quickly shook his head to dislodge the notion. He needed to find Fellwing and check in on the seeds of mischief he had planted in the situation between Garrock and his brother. Curiosity about other things could wait. "Be careful now." Skobeloff said to the others. "I hate to admit it, but I think things are about to not go the way I planned them to." With that said, Skobeloff led the way into the mine in search of Fellwing and the bearded brothers.