The mist in the tunnel thickened and darkened, like shadows gripping around the bear cub, hungry; the lights flickered and dimmed, but did not go completely out. Instead, an awful, churning hum buzzed through them, as if they were straining to stay lit despite the darkness encroaching on the small Gembound. In other parts of the tunnel, the lights did fail and the shadows there engulfed whatever ambient light might reach them—from those patches, small, erratic purple wisps materialized and gave off subtle glows. They seemed to stay clustered to the deep shadows for now.

In the faint, fading light where the bear cub stood, a sudden breeze carried whispers to his ears. But they were too many, too scrambled, and all echoing each other. It was impossible to determine what they were saying.

The shadows seemed to shift, toying with one's senses and playing with their fear- but whatever lay there, buried in the dark, always seemed to dance out of the way of searching eyes. But, was there anything there to begin with? Or was it only the imagination making shapes out of shadows in the dark and the dancing lights? They clustered, gathering tight around the approaching deer, whose pelt was so dark they seemed to seek refuge close to her with cloying tendrils. The air was growing thicker, almost; the breaths of the two creatures now echoed, as though they'd been enclosed in a solid mass. Artume's words were thrown back at her as though they were alone in an empty room.

The voices- or voice, as it seemed as it grew louder- were numerous, but they were all the same. They had their origins on only one tongue. They were a raucous rabble, but it didn't seem that they were conversing- it was more like hearing the hubbub of a busy festival, all disjointed. The voices grew more frantic with every moment, more voices joining the unearthly chorus.

Until finally, the darkness was all-consuming, the flickering wisps almost within reach, so close to being tangible...

And yet... piece by piece, syllable by syllable, the two Gembounds might be able to put something together that was barely legible. Broken and stuttering, syllables torn apart and pieced back together out of order, re-enunciated in a different tone each time, the voice asked a single thing.