The little rat was further galvanized into motion upon realizing that Flit had to wait for him often. Long walk? He'd remain stoic.

Hopefully.

He bounded after Flit, considering.

"Those are many words I don't know. I will learn them?" he asked, uncertainly. It was hard to feel nervous around the flittermouse thing--it was so tiny, and friendly, and bright--but the world itself was so big. What was a flower? A nectar? What was a sweet? He had no idea.

A little worried at all of these new things, he kept on down the tunnel. It really was a long walk; he had to stop, sometimes, panting. At other times, the bitter-cold wind hurtled more strongly through the gaps in the stone, sending him skidding over the ice.

It was very unpleasant.

"Home wasn't so--cold. Is your place nicer? --Warmer?" His tone was hopeful. Anything had to be better than this, though--right?

Yet the farther along they moved, the greener the tunnel got. First it was a few tufts of grass; then it was a clump of ferns. Soon enough, there were trees--though bent and bowed by the cold and the wind. They served as a windbreak, and the young rat gladly took shelter among them as he moved, heading closer and closer to Eridanus.

exit Archimedes
@Flit

The rat seemed hung up on the idea of not knowing the words for things- something that Flit could relate to- even if he was more the type to make up his own words for things to help ease himself into a feeling of familiarity. It was a big world for creatures so small- if there was anything he could do to ease his fears, then he would. It was why he was a Fluttermouse- he felt more comfortable knowing that he had a name for his kind- even though he was the only fluttermouse he knew.

"Yes, of course! You'll understand, soon. When you see the things that the words describe- or hear them or taste them- you'll put them together. At least, that's how it works for me." Flit continued, fluttering ahead until the cold wind buffeted his fragile wings and forced him to the ground."Yes, it's far warmer than this-- you'll see!"

He feared at the first leg of their journey that they might be lost- but then the ferns started to appear, and then the stunted trees, and then, finally, the entrance to the cavern itself looming beyond. Hardly able to contain himself, the fluttermouse flitted forward and alighted on a low-hanging branch as he ushered Archimedes forward and into his floral home-cave.

-exit Flit-

"Speech."