Sitting around and waiting for things to happen was no way to start an adventure, especially in a tunnel as bleak as this one. Strange, feverish chills set into Comet's body just as quickly as condensation formed on her pelt. It was quite an unnerving feeling...
... and it was exacerbated rather quickly. A faint buzzing whisked by a gem-ear. Then another. A few more... ack - ! Something pinched the pup's cheek, then her chin, then her neck. It was short, sharp little pinches, at least, but they were growing in frequency.
Glittering red carapaces came towards her; it was a whole swarm of Ruby Biters settling in for a much-needed meal. Individual flies were barely visible, but a whole cloud... ? Hard not to see (or feel.)
@Comet
Mayfal had been wandering a little outside of Eridanus when they picked up on a familiar scent. A Comet-like scent. She'd been here just recently. Why hadn't she stopped to say hello?
They decided to follow the trail of smells through a rather cold and magical place and then into a worm and dry place. This this warm and dry place was the sound of buzzing and Comet. Something wasn't right.
"Comet!" Mayfal called out, and ran towards the ever intensifying scent. But then they started to feel pinpricks on their face. It was slightly painful and very annoying as they began to accumulate. This was the thing that wasn't right.
Mayfal tried to swat at the nasty bitting things with fiery paws and the pinpricks started to go away a little. They continued their approach to Comet.
@Comet
Mayfal's tiny paws swept towards the swarming biters, and while most of the flies wove around them, there were a few noises like something were charring. They took root nonetheless, feeding eagerly.
Comet's attempts to deter the insects were even less successful. Rather than eject any amount of water to flush them away, her own body concentrated it. She'd experience a glaring headache and sudden, intense thirst. Everything spun in a dizzying manner.
Despite either Gembound's rather unsuccessful deterrents, the ruby biters had their fill in no more than a minute and a half, and buzzed off. They were surprisingly clean and efficient, and would leave no disease or itchy sensation but the phantom feeling of their near-microscopic feet.
@Comet @Mayfal
The pests left almost as quickly as when Mayfal discovered them. With no more annoying pinpricks, it seemed that the two of them were in the clear.
Except that Mayfal heard some soft thuds. They couldn't hear any other creature in the tunnel so it must have been Comet making those sounds. As if she was falling. How long had those bitting things been here? Was Comet going to be alright?
Mayfal began to feel worried. But this time, they were worried for a creature that wasn't themself. This was new...and frankly unpleasant. They ran over to Comet.
"Comet! Are you okay? What's wrong?" Had it been any other creature, this display would sicken Mayfal. But this was Comet, this was different. They actually WANTED her to be okay.
@Comet
Her head hurt. Hurt how? Was there a cut? What kind of pain?
But Comet sounded too weak to answer any of these questions right now. All Mayfal knew about pain is that water helped soothe it. Where could they find water? That would probably be an easier question, especially for comet to answer.
But even if they did find water, they needed to either bring Comet to it or bring it to Comet. Their jaw was their sole carrying tool. They couldn't carry Comet, but they could carry water.
"Comet, where is there a body of water?" their voice carried their determination to help their...mentor.
@Comet