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Vivian and Chester walked cautiously through the stone tunnel, their eyes adjusting more and more to the dim light. As their vision became clearer, they began to notice that what they had assumed were almost natural cave walls, rocky and chaotic, actually seemed somewhat shaped, deliberately made in the image of a cave wall. The crystalline lights embedded into the wall at regular intervals were their first clue to this, but as they continued to travel, the sharp edges and uneven surfaces gradually began to smooth out.

The difficulty started when they came to a fork, with no obvious differences in either path.

"This...has to be a trick right? We know which direction brings us closer to Karla and Ciera..." Chester said, carefully examining the walls nearby for traps.

"Perhaps. Or it's just meant to give the _illusion_of choice. Let's head the direction that brings us closer, and leave some kind of marking behind just in case we have to backtrack."

"Solid plan. Do something magical, for preference, don't want this place trying to play tricks on us."

"Magical? I could leave a rune behind, perhaps, but my runework isn't amazing. I primarily deal in music, Chester. I enchant minds and people, not rocks and dirt."

Chester sighed, and said "Fine, whatever. We'll leave a bit of rope or something against the wall. Not like the people who made this place aren't clever enough to spin us around in circles whether we like it or not. If they want us lost, we'll _be_lost."

With that, Chester cut a bit of rope, leaving it laying against the cave wall on the path they chose, one end deliberately frayed more to provide a sense of direction. It wasn't the cleverest way to handle things, but it worked well enough for now.

Chester and Vivian then continued walking, in relative silence. They had both begun to realize that, of all the four companions, Chester and Vivian trusted each other the least. Neither said more than they needed to about themselves, and as a result they knew very little about each other. Karla and Ciera seemed capable of looking past this, and trusting everyone regardless, but both Chester and Vivian were too cynical for that.

"So...you ran some kind of, what, mystical music therapy before this?" Chester asked, determined to push past the slight awkwardness.

"Something like that. People came to me with problems, and I helped them. Occasionally I was hired for...special jobs."

"Ah, I see. I've also had to do...special jobs before. Ones where the client offers a lot of money, or something worth _more_than just money, and you stop asking too many questions."

"Yes. I see we understand each other. My services in those cases are confidential, but...well, I may have bent my morality in a few cases, but I've never broken it. You're the same, yes? Underneath all that affectation, playing at frustration and annoyance, you watch people very carefully. You knew who you were dealing with when you agreed to join this team."

"Hah, yes, I did. Frankly without having seen you I probably wouldn't have joined. No offense to either of them, but Ciera and Karla are a little naive, this Tournament would have eaten them alive without some cynical bastards like us around."

"Not as cynical as you might like us to think, I imagine. Tell me, what do you really think our odds of winning are?"

"Better than most. No idea how many teams this year, but...well, probably a one in ten chance, right?"

"I would say half that, personally, but I know a bit more about the Tournament I think. I've seen some of the winners, here and there. Quite a variety. Usually they win by themselves, a few have won as part of a duo."

"How many teams of four have won?" Chester asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Ah. Well. None, so far. There's a bit of a stigma attached to full teams of four, usually it's a team of young upstarts thinking they'll win through a numbers advantage, but this Tournament has a way of picking apart your teamwork, taking your greatest advantage away, and then all it takes is for one member to decide enough is enough."

Chester sighed, shaking her head. "Well, I'm not planning on giving up any time soon, I don't think any of us are. I think Karla thinks the numbers advantage is going to be a big deal, but..."

Vivian smirked a little. "That's not why you thought this was a good team. I think we're on the same wavelength here. Play to the Judges, right? A team of four has a lot more that can go wrong. Loathe as I am to admit it, that's our biggest advantage. The longer we stay in, the more they will want us to stay. They say that the Judges control a _lot_more than just consequences, you know. It's possible even traps like this have different outcomes, based on what they decide. This could have been the end of our journey, some terrible consequence impossible to recover from...if they wished it so."

"Let's...not talk about this. I mean, I know...I get it. You're right, I think. But personally, I'm still in this to get out with as little going wrong as possible. We've gone through enough already, and I don't feel like the Judges have done anything_for us. You're right, I didn't join this team because I thought it we were going to win every fight, that this was going to be _easy. Frankly, I joined out of desperation...but, well...Karla and Ciera seem to be capable. More capable than most would think."

Vivian chuckled a little, before replying "I agree, you know. Ciera is especially capable, more than she lets on. Want to know an interesting little fact? Karla is the one who organized the team, and put everything together, but...it was Ciera's idea. Karla apparently needed some convincing. Just think about that next time you hear Ciera _mooing_during a milking session."

Chester blushed slightly, wondering exactly what Vivian meant. Vivian couldn't lie now, of course, but it was clear she was beginning to find it easier to skirt the truth. Did she know something about Ciera that Chester didn't? She was a curiously diverse mage, most mages specialized pretty heavily, with maybe just a spattering of utility spells. Chester had only seen Ciera cast a few spells...and she was apparently quite skilled in healing magic, but...

Well, it wasn't worth worrying about. Not now at least. Chester's focus needed to be on the task ahead.

There were, eventually, more forks in the path. Some actually did seem to branch into tunnels with different textures and colors on the walls, and eventually they were walking down what was almost a large hallway. The crystalline lights were brighter, shaded more red, like actual firelight. It was unnaturally tall and wide, compared to the previous tunnels, but it was hard to say whether that was something to be concerned about. Then, they noticed a door blocking their path, some distance ahead.

"Should we...get closer? We'd be easily pinned in if something was able to get behind us," Chester said.

"Hmm...do we really have a choice? Are you thinking about turning around, walking down some different branching path here, just so we can fall prey to a different trap? Might as well see what we're in for here."

Chester nodded, hesitantly. She was right.

They walked up, but nothing seemed to happen. No traps triggered, nothing dangerous. The door did have a large bull's head emblem on it, and while it seemed to be sturdy nothing seemed to prevent them from opening it.

"If this is a trap...it's the most obvious trap I've ever seen," Chester said, examining the door.

"Maybe it isn't a trap. Maybe it's a warning. We should be prepared for a fight."

"We should always be prepared for a fight, but I get what you mean. You're not much help in combat, no offense, so stay back and keep your distance if we get attacked. I'll try to distract them long enough that you can get some kind of spell going to assist."

"Very well," Vivian replied, stepping back as Chester opened the door.

The room was massive. It was dome-shaped, with a huge crystal hanging from the center that cast an extraordinarily bright light over the entire room. The room itself looked almost like it belonged in a castle or palace, like some sort of underground atrium, if such a thing were possible. The crystal above did seem to somehow simulate sunlight, and the central area of the domed room was actually covered in a soft grass. There were even a few trees planted.

Of course, the most prominent feature of the room was the large Minotaur standing at it's center, with a sizable axe sitting against a nearby tree. He was wearing a nothing, except a golden neck brace emblazoned with a glowing rune.

Vivian stood stunned, while Chester advanced cautiously. She had recently found herself more than a little obsessed with a certain...idea. She almost suspected some enchantment or another, but it wasn't exactly an odd fantasy to have. After all, who _didn't_imagine what it would be like to wrap your lips around the famously large bull cock of a full-blooded Minotaur, struggling to take it all, the taste and feel...

She shook her head a little. She usually had more control over herself than this, she had been trained_to resist effects like this. She was now certain _something_had managed to influence her mind, but when, and how? God, she was_salivating! She looked over at Chester, prepared to give some kind of warning, but she was already beginning to speak to the Minotaur.

"Hey, you! You've just been watching us since we walked in! Can you talk? We'd rather not fight you, if we can avoid it, so say something!"

The Minotaur huffed, before saying "It is _wise_that you do not wish to fight me. I am stronger by far than the two of you. What weaklings they allow into the Tournament these days. You are fortunate I am bound to offer you a peaceful choice, as well as a violent one."

Chester nodded, glancing back at Vivian to make sure she was keeping her distance. She was, although...perhaps a little too much distance, actually. She had barely moved past the door. Surely she wasn't embarrassed or something by the Minotaur's brazen lack of clothing? Couldn't be, after all they'd been through. Still, that look on her face was concerning...but Chester needed to focus on the Minotaur.

"What's your name? I'm Chester, and the woman back there is Vivian. Might as well introduce yourself, before we get to business."

"I do not provide my name to the fools that pass this way. You may simply call me the Minotaur," he said with disapproving snort.

Chester sighed, replying "Alright then, Minotaur. Little rude, but so be it. What is this choice you mentioned?"

"It is simple. You may fight me in single combat, either of you, and if you win, I will provide you with a small reward, and the door behind me will open. If you lose, you are only deserving of the second choice. Get on your hands and knees, and suck my cock. If you do a good enough job, I will open the door behind me. If you do not, you will try again. I am _very_patient," the Minotaur said with a smile.

"Suck your...really? No tricks, riddles, or anything, just fight you or blow you? Vivian, what the hell is this?" Chester said, glancing back at her again, chuckling slightly. She stopped laughing when she saw the intense look on Vivian's face, her eyes slightly glazed over as she stared at...the Minotaur's cock?

Vivian swallowed thickly, blinking as she tore her gaze away and responded to Chester. "Oh, er, I guess...it seems simple enough. Do you...do you think you could take the Minotaur in a one on one fight?"

"Hah, do I think I could...yes, of course I can! Look at the size of him, and his axe! He wouldn't be able to hit me!" Chester responded.

"Yes, yes...the size of him. Very, um...W-what about the second option? Does only one of us have to do it?" Vivian asked, as Chester began to look concerned.

"I said I would open the door. I don't care how many people walk through it. I abide only by the terms of my service here."

"Service?" Chester asked.

The Minotaur snorted, his expression contorting for a bit. "Yes,service. I am bound to a mage that operates the Tournament, and I abide by the rules I have been given. Take care that _you_do not end up with such debts, contenders."

Chester turned once more to Vivian, who by now was just behind her. "So, if it only has to be one of us fighting, it should be me, clearly. There doesn't seem to be any rush, he doesn't look like he'll attack us until we agree."

"What if...we didn't fight him..." Vivian said, quietly. She was staring at the Minotaur again, Chester noted, quite openly.

"Vivian, is everything alright with you? You seem a little-"

"If you say _distracted_I'll happily send you in there to lose to him. It's just...well, I've...let's just say I'm not opposed to taking care of our problem here."

"What? Are you sure you can even handle that monstrosity over there? Vivian, you're not thinking about this, I can easily take him!"

"No. No you can't, just because he looks slow doesn't mean he _is_slow. You'd be rolling the dice. Just let me...try. At least once. Let me worry about what I can and can't handle."

"You're acting strange, Vivian, but...if this is really what you want to do, I won't stop you. I'll just step out while you-" Chester said, turning towards the doors as they slowly slammed shut behind them.

"A decision has been made, it seems," the Minotaur said, stepping forward slightly. "You are the one called Vivian? Step forward."

"Wait, why am I trapped in here? I don't want to watch, you bull-I mean, you, um...damn it, not being able to insult people is a pain in the ass. Whatever, I'll stand here and try to stay out of it..." Chester said, huffing and leaning against the wall of the circular room.

Meanwhile, Vivian seemed almost entranced as she stepped forward, a dreamy smile on her face. Dreamy was the right word, too, she felt almost as if she was really living out a dream now, all logic and circumstance gone. It was just her, and this bull-like cock in front of her. Had she dreamed about this? She had certainly daydreamed about it, on multiple occasions. When had that started? Had she always wanted this?

It didn't matter, she decided. All that mattered was what she wanted_now._ She stopped just in front of the Minotaur, looking up at his face for a moment before getting onto her knees. He looked...amused. As though he knew something she did not. At any other moment, this would concern her. Now, she didn't care. She reached towards his bull-cock, and started stroking it gently, getting him hard. She wanted to _savor_the process, each moment being ingrained into her mind as _the_moment she got to live out her fantasy. Each of her senses was on edge in anticipation, smell, sight, taste, touch, she even felt herself listening carefully to his breathing, wanting nothing more than to know that she was doing her job well.

It didn't take long for the Minotaur to be fully erect, and Vivian was practically enraptured at the sight. She was only going to be able to fit the tip into her mouth, maybe just a few inches if she tried very hard...and she was going to try _very_hard. She wrapped her mouth around his dick, her eyes fluttering slightly as she began to use what little range of motion she had to suck him off.

She wasn't inexperienced, of course. One of her hands was moving up and down his shaft, fully aware that she needed to compensate for her inability to take him fully. The other had begun reaching towards his balls, also absurdly large, trying to do her best to give him the_complete_ experience. She wanted him breathing heavy, wanted to watch him as he approached his climax, wanted to feel the tensing of his cock as he came...and she knew that if she wanted that she needed to do her best.

The Minotaur himself was actually fairly stoic, perhaps deliberately. His arms were crossed as he stood above her, his eyes focused on her, watching her every reaction as she became more and more enthusiastic. The rune embedded in his golden neck brace gleamed slightly, almost entrancingly, as he looked down at her.

Eventually, her efforts began to bear fruit. Stoic as he was, she could feel his heartbeat rising, his cock tensing as he climbed towards the edge of climax. She redoubled her efforts, looking him in the eyes as she did. She was going to enjoy this, and if he didn't think this was good enough...she just might have to try again. That wasn't the_worst_ idea in the world, she felt. There was a look in his eyes though, as she felt his body beginning to tip over the edge. A dangerous look. Not just amused, but almost...predatory.

And then his orgasm began. Vivian melted into the moment, the warmth, the closeness, the taste and feel as his cum began to fill her mouth...and then she felt something. Her eyes were drawn to the rune on his neck brace, and suddenly there was a force_behind it. It felt like a brand, pushing it's way past her eyes, imprinting itself upon her mind...and she was in _ecstasy. It touched her mind, and she felt thoughts and emotions and feelings connect like lightning blazing behind her eyes. She _loved_this. She could feel his cum on her taste buds, and something felt strange, different...there was suddenly a _thirst_behind her desire, a need, a hunger...

And then, all at once, like a voice echoing inside her mind, the word came. Addiction. She knew, without a doubt, that it was the imprint of the rune upon her thoughts. It repeated, quietly, like a chant or a mantra. I am an addict. This is my addiction. I need cum. I crave cum. I need to suck dicks, blow cocks, anything it takes to satisfy me. I need to satisfy my addiction...

Even as her thoughts settled, her eyes blinking as she regained control of herself, she could feel the whispered thoughts. They didn't fade, exactly, more like they solidified. Like magma turning to stone, becoming a part of her. Whatever this magic was, it was raw, powerful, and impossibly deep inside her thoughts now.

She took a moment to look over herself, expecting a mess, only to realize she was actually quite clean. Had she really managed to swallow...but she could feel it. Warm and relaxing inside her stomach, she felt impossibly pleased with herself. She knew how dangerous this sudden change in her thoughts was, but...how could she fight something she loved so much now?

"Well,Vivian, it seems you've completed your end of the bargain...tell me, do _you_think what you did was enough?" the Minotaur asked with a sly grin.

She thought on this a moment, prepared to answer that she had, when she realized that if she answered no she would get to try again. She couldn't lie, but the Minotaur's wording left her some wiggle room...She knew that was unreasonable, that the whole reason she took this option was to get him to open the door, but...

"No, I...I think I should try again, just let me-"

The Minotaur snorted, practically laughing. "Hah! Yes, I can see it in your eyes. This job isn't all bad, when I get to see that look. You did a fine job, human. Did you like my little enchanted trinket here? A gift from the mage that has me bound here. Every obstacle in the Tournament leaves it's mark, one way or another. Enjoy yours, cumslut," The Minotaur said, before turning towards the exit door of the chamber, and walking over to open it.

Chester approached from her distant vantage point, looking over Vivian. "Everything alright? At least you seemed to enjoy yourself, hah. I tried not to pay too much attention, but to be honest...not like there was anything else going on in this room."

Vivian was still stunned, somewhat. She felt so...quiet. Like the world's weight was suddenly a bit lighter, like there was a new peace inside her thoughts. She should be worried, she knew. This was the most dangerous power of enchantment, and mind affecting magic. Carrot, and stick. If you wanted any enchantment to hold, you needed something the mind wanted to have, and something it wanted to avoid. She was now in the throes of the former, but eventually...

"I think I'll be okay eventually, Chester, thank you. Perhaps...we'll talk later."

"You sure? He did say something about leaving a mark, right? Did he do something to you? I just assumed he was talking about filling you half-full of Minotaur cum, but...well, if you want to talk later, we'll talk later. Let's get the hell out of here, he's opening the door."

Vivian nodded, standing up, somewhat unsteadily. She followed Chester as they stepped through the exit door, turning around to look at the Minotaur as they left despite herself. He smiled at her as she did, winking before he shut the door. She felt...saddened by this, a little. Perhaps she would never see his cock-or rather, him, ever again...

With that, Chester and Vivian found themselves in another hallway, this one continuing the general trend of looking more and more...well crafted. As though moving from semi-natural caves and caverns into some kind of deliberately arranged series of castle-like hallways. They continued to walk, as much by habit as any decision either of them made.

Vivian seemed to be walking almost in a daze, and Chester kept glancing at her with a concerned look, but didn't want to press too hard. She was certain something had happened with the Minotaur, but she had experience with her own problems, and...maybe sometimes it's best to let things come out naturally.

There were further splits in the path, but they could always choose the 'correct' direction based on the rings they were given for the Tournament, so it wasn't much of a concern. Chester was beginning to suspect why the webwork of tunnels were set up this way...given what she knew about the shifting landscape up above, perhaps the tunnels here were meant to be easily changeable as well. This would allow the Judges to decide what obstacles someone might face, and how long it took for them to find what they were looking for. Knowing that was a little concerning...

And then things took a turn for the difficult, when Vivian suddenly gasped.

"What's wrong, everything alright Vivian?"

"Y-yes, fine, at least we know Ciera is - Ah! - Alright..."

Chester looked at her a moment, seeing the blush in her cheeks as she dealt with the echoing pleasure from Ciera. "We'll stop here then, to rest for a while. No sense in trying to travel while you're distracted like that."

"Of course, hah...thank you...I suppose I should have expected something like this. Do you mind, um, turning away? Maybe walking down the hall a bit?"

"No problem, might as well. I'll head a bit down the hall, just within earshot in case something goes wrong."

With that, they separated briefly, and Vivian dealt with the unfocused pleasure assaulting her body. She didn't intend to do anything about it, not now, but she could wait it out. It didn't take longer than a few minutes to milk Ciera...

But she was dealing with a separate problem as well. She could already feel the warm, vague, pleasantness she earned from the Minotaur beginning to fade. She could tell there was a cold, hard edge to that fading warmth...not just the _need_to sate herself, but...withdrawals? Was such a thing even possible? The pleasantness of that experience had been almost...drug-like, in it's soothing sensation...

It didn't feel like it was going to be _dangerous_exactly, but she wouldn't know more unless she let it get worse. And right now...she wasn't planning on it. In a way it was almost lucky. She was trapped down here with the _one_member of the team equipped to help her with this specific problem.

It took a little longer than normal, nearly a half-hour had passed when Ciera was finished being milked. Vivian deeply suspected more than that had happened, but didn't plan on bringing it up. She approached Chester, who was finishing up a simple equipment check, going over knives and various other tools.

"Chester...I have a question. It might be a bit of an awkward one."

"Listen, I've gone from being a normal shifter to being a damn dog_in the last several days, so awkward doesn't even begin to cover it. I'm still struggling to figure out how to shift into my normal, everyday animal shapes from this form! Whatever you want to ask, it can't be worse than _that."

"It might be. Um, when Leila transformed you, she said she let you keep your...I mean, I haven't actually seen you, naked that is, since then. Is what she said true?"

Chester looked up at her with a suspicious expression. "Yes...it is. I'm still, um, getting used to it a bit. Do you know what a knot is? Because I never expected _that_little bit of information to be relevant to me."

Vivian blushed, but soldiered on, saying "Well...would you mind if I...I mean, we both need to take the edge off things sometime, and after what just happened with the Minotaur..."

"Vivian, you're beating around the bush an _awful_lot there. I'm not opposed to what I _suspect_you're suggesting. I think...letting myself have a bit of fun here and there will help keep my problem suppressed a bit longer between, well...you know. If you have something in mind, just say it."

Vivian took a deep breath, and then said "I'd like to...perform fellatio on you," wincing a little at the somewhat clinical wording.

"Vivian...you're not much of a smooth talker when it comes to being direct, are you? Neither am I, but that's besides the point. Well...alright. I mean, given what I've done with Ciera, it's inevitable at this point that each of us is going to end up with _some_experience with one another...do you mean now?" Chester asked, seeing her expression.

"Oh, er, yes! I mean, it shouldn't take long, and I'm...I'm a bit pent up from what just happened. This should be enough, though!"

"Really? Vivian...do you have a thing for giving blowjobs? That would explain a lot, come to think of it..."

"Yes! I mean, yes. Damn it, can't lie! Alright, fine, I've been having_dreams_ about it, it's that bad. Fairly recently, actually."

Chester's eyes went a bit wide when she mentioned dreams, but quickly recovered, hoping her surprise hadn't been noticed. "Haha, odd, yeah. Dreams. No idea, huh, when that started?"

"It's hard to know for sure, really...but either way, it's something pretty deeply embedded in my fantasies now..."

Chester considered telling her what she knew of the fey magic that was probably affecting both of them, but thought better of it. Vivian had enough on her plate. "Well," she said, "If this is really what you want, I'm happy to oblige."

With that, Chester undressed. She was momentarily almost thankful for the skimpier armor Leila had provided her, which she was learning was practically designed to be taken off quickly. It was still strange looking at herself like this, at times it felt almost like she was looking at a different person, and at other times it felt the most natural thing in the world. She was, she noted, already hard. Whatever those fey had done to her, she really was _always_ready and willing.

Vivian watched carefully as Chester undressed, keeping her eyes on what she desired. She could feel herself losing her firm grasp on her own desires, some slight concern trying to flare up in the depths of her mind at how out-of-control her 'addiction' was already. But, such concerns were quieted by the mere thought of getting what she wanted, sating her need once more.

As soon as Chester finished undressing, Vivian positioned herself, her face inches from Chester's knotted dick. It was already hard, and Vivian didn't waste much time before starting, giving it a gentle lick, and then lowering her mouth over it.

It wasn't just her prize that she wanted, it was the whole experience. Just like with the Minotaur, she wanted the knowledge that she was pleasing Chester, listening to her breath, feeling her movements and slight twitches as Vivian took her deeper. The entire experience was almost meditative, and Vivian soon lost track of time, ceasing to care about anything except the moment, the feeling.

It wasn't long before Chester was ready to tip over the edge. Perhaps it was the creeping arousal of her restrained, triggered self...perhaps it was the fey influence on her arousal, or perhaps the skill and enthusiasm of Vivian herself.

"Vivian, I'm close to-" Chester said, before Vivian gave her a meaningful glance, and then redoubled her efforts.

Chester didn't last much longer after that, orgasm wracking her body in waves as Vivian continued, swallowing every drop with obvious enjoyment. Chester didn't focus much on her reaction, but Vivian's eyes clearly took on a glazed, almost dopey look as satisfaction took hold of her.

And then, as Vivian pulled away slowly, she noticed that Chester still seemed quite capable of going another round. In fact, she didn't seem to be flagging at all, her cock was still as hard as when they started. Vivian noted this, trying to suppress some devious thoughts, before she stood up and stepped away. She needed to, or she would have started again.

"Well, Vivian, that was quite, uh...wow, you really look like you needed that," Chester said, seeing the relaxed look on her face.

"Hm? Oh, yes...sorry, it's just I'm hopelessly addicted to cum. I mean - Damn! I swear, if we ever find Percival again, I'll..." Vivian said, trailing off as she saw the look on Chester's face.

"Hopelessly addicted to cum? Really? You blow one Minotaur and then...this?"

"It...had something to do with the rune on his neck adornment. Probably the intended purpose of the encounter. I...had hoped to keep it a secret a bit longer, adjust to it a bit more, but...as good as I am at skirting the truth, I still haven't quite figured out the limits of what I can and can't do to deceive..."

Chester sighed, putting her head in her hands and almost giving an exasperated chuckle, before saying "Wow. Of course. And here I was thinking that encounter was just meant to humiliate us. I should have known better. Honestly, I don't care, Vivian. I have the coin on me, since I'm the one that's not supposed to benefit from it, the one that can undo one consequence. If it gets too bad, let me know. Other than that, we should continue."

"Right, of course...it shouldn't get too bad. I mean, as long as you're willing to, uh...help out."

Chester gave a teasing smirk, and then said "Well, the Tournament isn't_all_ bad, it seems. Let's just hope Karla and Ciera's journey isn't any more eventful than ours..."

With that, the two of them continued traveling, trying not to worry too much about Karla and Ciera, who almost certainly had either already gone through, or were going through similar challenges. Somewhere, through the chaotic tangle of tunnels, they too were talking to each other, worried about their companions, preparing for whatever trials might lie ahead...and whatever consequences such trials might have.