The Tropical Mystery

[Dakota]

Misty had just asked Dunston his opinion about all the writing on the walls when she saw the others had all come to a stop and Tef had turned querying her watching her front paws slightly tap at the ground.

" I'm sorry Tef, I don't mean to hold you up, Dunston was just showing me all these possibly ancient drawings and languages on the walls that the vines are covering,... which could mean that we aren't alone in this maze, that many have gone before us."

Pausing she didn't know if she should say about the heat from the ground, no one else was shuffling at all she couldn't understand what was happening.

"why aren't any of your paws burning ? since we started moving again, all I can feel is heat radiating from the ground. some steps I take are cooler than others, but its there."

Misty raised up her front left paw and placed it on top of tefnuts, pressing lightly "can you feel that at all, or is it my imagination ?"

Startled now by the floor seemingly vibrating under her, Misty jumped back letting a growl escape her muzzle just as a low powerful voice interupted them. Misty pushed Liam behind herself and tried to shelter Dunston as well, as piercing green eyes surveyed them all from the dark shadows.

Paw by paw he emerged. As he got closer his body got bigger and Misty had to raise her neck to look up at him. Her claws unsheathed she stood poised for whatever was going to occur, nothing was going to hurt those she was protecting. Moving closer to Tefnut and with Santiago on the other side, Misty spoke forceably but with respect.

"We mean no harm to you and whoever else is in the labrynth, but this was our only way we could come, if we stayed where we where, we would all have perished,. as some of our friends have already done. It was this way or no way, we had no other option."

Falling silent Misty held her ground and waited.

[SVelasquez]

Santiago raised an eyebrow curiously at Misty as she posed her question to the group before looking down at the ground. "I don't feel anything, Misty," He replied as he felt the ground vibrating causing him to look around for a possible source.

First he heard him, then he saw the imposing figure that was approaching the group. He couldn't quite make out what he was saying, but he figured by the way that Misty was attempting to protect the group that the large creature was a threat.

And then he pulled another boneheaded move.

"Stand down," Santiago warned as he leaped over Misty and let a low roar escape his throat while he stood in a threatening position while facing the creature. He was playing Russian roulette at the moment, except he didn't have a gun--not that he could actually grip or use one anyways...

"Well it seems that you're not alone and that we're not alone. So I'll make this simple, we're trying to get out of here. Preferably with the same number that we came in, and preferably all in one piece. Needless to say if you or any of your buddies hurt any of my buddies, then we'll have problems. I am NOT afraid to fight if I must, but if you want this to end peacefully, I advise that you kindly show us to the exit. And if it's trouble you're looking to make, you'll get WAY more than you bargained for," Santiago advised in a threatening tone as he kept up his threatening stance while looking up to the creature, a dead serious expression on his face.

[Kirsui]

Tefnut looked at Misteeca in confusion. She couldn't feel nothing, not even when Misteeca pressed her paw against the ground. This was not a good thing, not at all.
"Misty..." she begun, but never got the chanse to finish.

"What business brings you here to the passage of ancients?"

The things moved too fast for Tefnut's liking when she heard an unknown voice speak these words. Her head turned around, her pure white claws extending automatically. Misteeca was faster than her to reply, giving Tefnut some time to examine the feline in front of them. He looked stronger than most ceatures Tefnut had seen - and she had seen a lot. What made her really curious though was his unusual colouring. He looked mostly like a lion, but the stripes...?

Then she understood, her eyes widening slightly in surprise. Halfbreed, like herself.

A roar from Santiago interrupted Tefnut's line of thoughts. Her attention turned to the male lion. She couldn't believe what he was letting out of his mouth!

Or actually, she could. She had seen him behave like this before.

A low warning growl escaped Tefnut, but it was not aimed at the unknown feline. No, it was meant at Santiago.
"Shut up already!"
Well ok, she hadn't meant to shout out exactly that... But it had slipped now, and she couldn't take it back. Her deep green eyes flashed dangerously as she stepped next to Santiago, her fangs bared as she hissed a warning at him.
"You would do well to examine the situation before acting, you fool", she whispered at him with such a low voice no one else than Santiago would hear.
"There is no visible threat coming from this feline... He simply asked a question which you failed to hear."
The liopardess narrowed her eyes.
"And if you fail to hear something, you do not jump into action! You examine the situation, think what is the best way to act and then do what you must."
She growled again.
"One more slip, Santiago", she whispered him as if no one else was present.
"One more slip and I will leave you behind. I am tired of your stupidity, because that is how you act. If you fail to examine the situation, think of a solution and act according to the best plan you will leave the thinking up to someone else. Now go back to where you were, and no objections!"
She glared at him, challenging him to do against what she said...

Then Tef turned her attention to the unknown feline, as if Santiago didn't even exist. The way she held her head up spoke of confidence she had. She had chosen to speak things out rather than use force, violence rarely was the best solution. Her expression was as calm as ever as was her voice when she begun speaking.

It was as if nothing had happened a moment ago.

"My friend", she begun, motioning at Misteeca, "is correct. We had no other way. We were forced to come here without knowing what this place was and without knowing what we would face."
She paused momentarily.
"We have seen strange things lately", she continued with a slightly lower voice than a moment ago.
"Things so strange that if we told someone who has not been with us it would be likely they wouldn't believe us."
She narrowed her eyes slightly as she examined the unknown feline.
"We have seen death, our group has lost members. We are suspicious of everything we come across with... Which unfortunately includes yourself."

She tilted her head slightly. She knew she could still continue, she could add something... But she didn't. She rather fell silent, her gaze locked on the feline in front of her. She waited for him to speak, she could wait forever. She only wished the rest of her group would have the same patience to wait, one scene had already been enough.

[SVelasquez]

"If you really were going to leave me behind, you would have done so already," Santiago said through gritted teeth as he glared at Tefnut. Despite how it may have seemed to anybody else, deep down, Santiago knew that he was right. He had acted like this before, and had been told that if he had one slip they'd leave him. Well, here he is, one slip later and he's being given a second chance.

"The again, right about now, I don't care. I am objecting, and I'm not stepping back," Santiago said as he became confrontational against the liopardess. "And right now I could think of so many insults I could hurl at your leadership abilities, but I won't. Instead, I'm leaving and going off on my own. I've survived this long without a group, and I'm really regretting trying to join one."

Santiago turned and looked at the rest of the group before looking back at Tefnut, "Good luck." With that he turned and walked back towards where the group had come from, looking for any potential side passages that might get him out of the labyrinth and back to the surface world. Not caring who he left behind.

They had their chance.

[Liam]

Liam was starting to feel more and more at ease when Misty had tried to rationalize, but as soon as Santiago stupidly intervened, he tensed up a little. Even though he was only a cub, that did not stop him from harsh thoughts toward Santiago. As Tef had made the complaint to Santiago, he had felt the familiarity of the scenario. "Dejavù." the silent word escaped from his mouth, so those who either had ultra sensitive hearing, or those in close proximity would hear.

He then watched as Santiago left, thinking of so many things to retaliate, yet to scared to respond. I...I can't just sit around and let him toss his life away. he thought as he finally mustered up the courage to speak out in objection to Santiago. "S-Stop!...I-I know what y-you are thinking...b-but I know w-well enough that it is difficult e-enough to stay strong, even i-in numbers...It is v-virtually impossible o-on one's own....Y-You're practically walking i-into a wild fire b-by going alone.." he said, trying to get some sense into the stubborn feline. Liam did not wish to see any others go...not after Abeni. He had put his all into his speech, and didn't care if santiago were to strike him for this.

[Dakota]

Misty listened to the tirade between Tef and Santiago, then watched amazed as Santiago started to stomp off. Bringing her head back around she gazed up at the half lion/half tiger still standing patiently, himself surveying all that was happening in their small group.

Feeling a bit more relaxed, as it didn't look as though the one blocking their path was dangerous at all, he could have attacked by now, and with his size taken a few of them out at the same time.

Misty turned watching Liam try to convince Santiago to stop, with little success it seemed. Nodding to Tef and Dunston, the lioness took a few paces backwards and turned quickly. why... why does he have to keep doing this, does he have a death wish .
Clenching her jaw in frustration, she lunged to where Santiago now stood, coming to stand in front of him blocking his way any further.

Opening her muzzle Misty fought down the bitter harsh words that had been about to tumble forth, instead surprsing even herself, her paw seemed to come up of its own validation and struck the red maned lion across his muzzle, with the sound echoing off the vine cladden walls.

Eye to eye, she didn't speak, waiting for a strike to hit her back in retaliation. When none came, remorse started to grip her, but she knew it had to have been done. Stepping in closer to him so none of the others could hear Misty was acting braver than she felt.

" If you think you are just going to wander off by yourself and leave the others in this maze unprotected, well you are going to have to think again. You made your choice earlier when you said you would be with us, and that is how it is going to stay."

Looking past him, she saw the cub standing there shaking and the others still watching, blinking quickly she dropped her gaze amnd bought it back to his. "Your decision still stands Santiago, it's not changing, and if you want to try and go back to where you think we started, well... you have to get past me first and all that it entails, trust me when I say this.."

Unsheathing her claws, Misty stood her ground, it was to be this way or no way, she hoped Santiago would make a wise decision, his only decision actually, because she wasn't about to loose.

[genie]

Na'gasha watched calmly as things happened in the group, first one of the females - seemingly more brave as she spoke first seemed to be inclining that the group was not hostile and only passing through. Suddenly the male seemed to take it upon himself to show off or something, Na'gasha raised a eye brow at this, it should of been clear who had a clear strength advantage in a fight... a male, 2 females and a cub... he doubted even combined it would garentee them a victory in a fight without sever injuries that may lead to death.

Then the other female rounded on the male snarling words at him, perhaps more intelligent of the situation which it seemed the male didn't like, the cub piped up seemingly objecting or pleeing about something and the male was seemingly leaving... was this group even a group he wondered. Next the first female suddenly jumped in front of the male blocking him and seemingly pushing that he had to stay, he sighed and shook his head, why were these smaller cats always so agressive and confrontational.

Suddenly his eye caught something just beyond the first female and he suddenly he pounded forward with surprising speed and roared "STOP!" jumping clear over the arguing cats landing very precisely just in front, slightly bumping the female. Clearing his throat and blushing slightly, he'd had little close contact of others he spoke more quietly "It would be in your all interests if you did not casually step just anywhere... Long ago, according to those marks you were looking at, creatures that walked on 2 legs set traps in this place..." and he stamped heavily on the ground slightly to the side of him and the next moment a big section of floor seemingly dissappeared.

He look at them a moment before moving past in a neither friendly nor unfriendly way and merely said "consider yourselves lucky not to all be in one of these traps by now... the ancients must of been guiding you... watch your step..." as he padded back to where he had been before. He left it for them to see for themselves 12 foot drop down where'd there of been no escape from.

[SVelasquez]

Santiago stopped dead in his tracks as Misty jumped in front of his path causing him to draw his head back as if she had just gotten in his face. His expression hadn't changed from the dead serious one he had fostered earlier, apparently the fact that somebody had come out of nowhere and blocked his path didn't phase him in the least. In fact, he actually had expected it.

What he hadn't anticipated was being swatted in the muzzle.

He let out a grunt as he felt the lioness' paw make contact with his face, turning his head with the blow before looking at Misty once more, expression unchanging, save for the blood trickling down his muzzle.

"I tried to protect you guys, as impulsive and out of place as it may seem, I was trying to protect the group when I jumped in front of you. I effectively put my life on the line so that you all may have a chance to escape if the animal confronting us was hostile. Now if you'd do everybody a favour and move so that the least wanted member of your group can leave it, I'd appreciate it. Especially considering I'm not going to fight you," Santiago replied seriously as his expression changed to a 'don't argue with me, please' expression.

[Dakota]

Misty sucked in her breath shocked at what she had just done to Santiago, now her eyes were watching the slow trickle of blood dripping down his muzzle. Raising them again to met his, she was about to tell him she was still going to stand her ground when she felt the rush of air and a shadow leaping over her.

She felt the ligers fur brush over hers, then the warmth of a bump as she was knocked to the ground. She wasn't hurt at all, just confused at what what happening, pushing herself back up off the ground Misty stood beside Santiago her muzzle hanging open listening to what this big cat had to say.

Amazed even more when his paw made the ground shake, Misty jumped back pressing herself against the rock wall, as the ground trembled then opened up and dropped away.
"Santiago, that would have been you, if I hadn't of stopped you, we would have lost you. you would have fallen to your death."
Looking back at the red maned lion, as the liger pushed past them all, Misty didn't know what to say, instead she moved her gaze further to where the others still stood as shocked as her.

"Tef..." was the only thing that they all heard, as the deafening roar had finally ceased.

[SVelasquez]

Santiago looked up as a drop of blood fell from his muzzle and landed on the ground before waiting to hear what Misty had to say. He raised an eyebrow as he noticed the shadow leaping through the air and immediately turned his attention to the source of said shadow in the event its owner should be hostile.

He watched as the liger bumped into the lioness before he continued his flight through the air before landing as the ground parted. "Holy crap," Santiago managed to say as he watched the liger fall into the gap between the two ledges.

"I wouldn't be the first of those I know who have done that," Santiago said quietly to himself as he heard Misty's response to what had just happened, not bothering to look over his shoulder at the rest of the group.

[Dakota]

Misty snapped out of her stunned state and looked back at Santiago. Sighing slightly she looked at the blood she had drawen once again I should apologise, but I'm not, he deserved it for carrying on like a complete .

Taking a step away from the crumbling edges and back towards where the others were standing, she couldn't move past him as he was blocking the way.

"Santiago, are you going to just stand there like an idiot muttering under your breath, you havent any choice in the matter now, you have to come with us whether you like it or not. Soooo.. better put on your brave face and start moving."

Misty took another look at his muzzle glad to see the blood had now congealed well there you go, I didn't hit him hard enough other wise it would still be dripping, better save it for next time

Trying not to let a grin appear, Misty averted her eyes and looked towards the othes once again to see where the Liger had moved too.

[SVelasquez]

Santiago sighed, fuming at the recent change of events. Despite his stubbornness, the lion realized that Misty did indeed have a point, he had no choice.

He never did.

He didn't have a choice to stay or leave his pride. He didn't have a choice as to whether or not to follow Malawi....well, that actually was a choice, but he never quite acknowledged that fact.

"I appreciate the irony, five minutes ago you were head over heels for me and now you're calling me an idiot. And yes, I did notice you staring," Santiago told the lioness before turning and walking back towards the group.

[Dakota]

Misty's jaw dropped open as Santiago's words reached her ears "I WHAT ... dream on, Me staring at you, I doubt that very much and ..if I was.. which I wasn't, it was probably because I was waiting to see what little temper tantrum you were going to bestow upon us next, you're like most of the other males..a complete baffoon."

Pushing past him, Misty felt his fur from his mane tickle her and held back a smile, looking back she finished their 'chat' with one last retort. "Better be careful next time I might draw blood not on your muzzle, but the other end, could be fun not seeing you sit on your cut rump for a while."

Reaching Dunston and Liam still with Tefnut, they seemed to be ok if not a bit shaken.
"Tef, where did he go, he might be our only way out of here?"

[SVelasquez]

Santiago smirked at his little trick, he learned quickly that something like that got the lionesses out of his mane if they were starting to annoy him. What he didn't quite know was that he was actually right. "You wanna see a baffoon? Go back to the pride I came from, plenty of idiots out there!" He called after the lioness with a laugh. "And I don't sit down much."

He turned and strayed from the group a bit, moving away just enough so he had the space he needed to calm down while not being so far that he'd get his head chopped off. "What have I got myself into now?" He asked himself with a sigh.

[Dakota]

I think we had better pause until kirsui or genie or Liam can post..

[SVelasquez]

((Hurry up slowpokes XD!))

[Kirsui]

((OOC: I ain't a slowpoke! x) But I'd suggest you two waited until others posts, even if it takes some time. =3))


Tefnut rolled her eyes in slight frustration and stood back, watching the whole scene happen. It was obvious to her now that Santiago was no longer listening what she told him. She had always been the leader of only her own life, never had she had to actually lead a group... And so she never had faced a situation where her leadership was questioned.

While the liger - for that was what the liopardess assumed the new feline was - pounced over to reveal a large hole in the ground, Tefnut made a decision. If Santiago indeed chose to ignore what she told him, she would do the same. Childish act, someone could say... But from her point of view the male lion had started and would apparently not understand if she didn't play the same game.

And so Tefnut stood still, a calm expression on her face when Misteeca approached her, asking where the liger had gone.
"There", she simply said, motioning with her head at the direction where the liger was.
She glanced at the hole in the ground.
"Lets go."
She turned to walk after the liger. She was curious of who he was and how he knew about the trap, but more importantly she wanted to know if he knew the way out. He did seem to know quite a lot of the labyrinth anyway...

[Liam]

As Liam looked at the trap, he was grateful to the unknown feline. He soon saw how embarrassed Misty had been when Santiago made a comment to her. He followed the others as he didn't know what else he could have done, glad Santiago wasn't going to walk off stupidly.

[genie]

Na'gasha sat looking quite imposing against the rocks, he was't facing the group but rather looking ahead and slightly up at the sky like he was thinking on things, which was very much what he was. The group did't seem hostile... indeed it seemed a wonder that they were still alive... he did't think any of them would last long by themselves individually... perhaps that what this group was... a group of need rather than the normal sense.

He wondered slighter what their aim was, why they were wondering this place, but it wast exactly his business, and he had asked at the start but they had't been forth coming with much information so he left it at that.

[Dakota]

Misty approached Tefnut where she was standing with Liam and Dunston, thank goodness no one else had been closer to the passage way when it caved in and dropped.

About to speak again to Tefnut, Misty saw the look of anger on her face, and kept her muzzle shut, why does she have to take it all on herself, and bottle it up, then when something happens she snaps, maye we should be giving the others choices as well

Sighing, Misty turned and followed after the others. Giving a backwards glance over her shoulder at the gaping hole,she suddenly realised that if not Santiago it would have been possibly her that might have been sucked up by the hole. Feeling a shiver run through her, she turned her body and moved towards where the liger, seemed to be waiting for them.

[SVelasquez]

Santiago let out a sigh as he pulled himself together, wiping is eyes with a forepaw. The recent events had only served to remind him just how scary it was for him to watch Malawi fall and crater. He never quite got over the trauma of that event.

At least not yet.

He slowly began to walk towards the group once more, choosing to stay further back so nobody called him out for wandering off again. If anybody looked carefully, they would be able to tell that he had been crying recently, something that he didn't want to be called out for either.

During this whole trip he focused solely on trying to help get the group out of this place alive, and each time he did anything (save breathing), the lion got rebuked for it. He didn't need people to start spreading rumors that he was crying because he was being yelled at. He's not like that, he fights back, speaks his mind and doesn't care about the repercussions.

As if that wasn't obvious enough already.

No, he just didn't want to be known as the tough lion who broke down...

[Dakota]

Trying to not scuff her paws as she walked, Misty could still feel heat emitting from the compact ground, it didn;t seem to be as hot as before, but it was still mkaing her paws start to feel tender.

Quickly looking over her shoulder, she wanted to check that Santiago was with them, and not deciding to try and prove a point by staying back where the labrynth had collapsed. Reassured he was indeed moving forward with them, she watched as his red mane still flew all around his head, then snapped her head back to where the liger, was waiting cautiously against the wall.

Misty was waiting for Tefnut to start speaking to the stranger, but for some reason nothing was forthcoming from her, which was strange as Tef always suspicious of strangers, she had to be really, they all did.

Clearing her throat, Misty stood in front of him and stretched ner neck up so she could meet his eyes, pausing slightly, Misty became nervous about what she should actually be asking him.
best to just say whats on my mind I guess
"Thankyou, for comng to our rescue back there, we haven't had much help, the complete opposite actually. Tefnut and myself were in a group of others looking for our hunting party that failed to return, and one by one, the others have been killed or just simply vanished. Liam and Dunston have been with us a little while, and Santiago back there, just joined with us, which we aren't sure is going to be a good thing or not.?"

"How long have you lived down here, and how come you know so much about what the two legged things have done?"

[genie]

Da'gasha moved his head to look directly at Misty when she spoke to him, he had't thought they'd bother with him and would continue on their way.. where ever that way was, his big head dwarfing hers as he studied her face. Then he spoke lowly "I was told what some of symbols on the wall mean... quite some time ago, a ancient lion before he passed away..." he shook his head "What i understand does not speak good, it tells of these unnatural creatures that move on two legs like a monkey but they kill and destroy everything they touch...".

He paused looking at her face as he told her this before continuing "I'd guess they moved on, i've never seen such a creature but this place was corrupted to one of they places of death... There are signs, things that don't look right that show traps... the walls speak of them but you've been lucky to of gotten this far without falling prey to one... I know many have not been so fortunate!".

He paused again before considering her question about how long he'd been here "I'm not sure how long I've been here... half a year maybe... its hard to keep track of time in here when you're alone".

[SVelasquez]

"Destroy everything they touch?" Santiago asked as he cleared his throat so that his voice would stop breaking and cracking. "That's not possible, is it? Unless the excrete some sort of poison. Right?" With that he looked to the others for some support on his suggestion. While he knew it wasn't entirely impossible, there would have to be some way for another creature to do that much damage just on touch alone. It'd need some sort of incredible strength or assistance somehow.

Good, my eyes are not watery anymore, He thought to himself as he reminded himself that he had just cried recently and to be careful about eye contact for extended periods of time.

[Kirsui]

Tefnut remained silent during the time the liger replied to Misteeca's question. What came next from Santiago made her let out a faint sigh before shaking her head. She didn't look at the male lion when she spoke, instead she chose to let her gaze wander at the labyrinth walls. She had a sharp edge on her voice when she spoke.
"Why ask such a thing when you have seen with your own eyes that things around here are far from normal?"
She turned her head at Santiago momentarily, lifting an eyebrow.
"Or have you perhaps already forgotten the gigantic scorpions we encountered...?"

She didn't wait for a reply from the male lion as she turned to face the liger. The cold melt away from her expression and she had a slightly curious shine in her green eyes instead.
"You say you've lived here for half a year?"
She tilted her head, her ears twiching slightly as she thought.
"How well do you know this place? I saw already that you're familiar with the traps..."
She paused briefly, glancing at Misteeca.
"... but how about a way out?"

[genie]

Da'gasha gazed at the sky as he was spoke to by Tefnuf who was enquiring how well he knew the place, he seemed liked he was considering the question, a bit of a grin formed on his face and he said "There are many ways out of this place from here... but I doubt you'd like them... and you would travel no further is this life...". His grinned returned to a normal look and he looked her in the eyes, a deep look like he was gazing at her soul before replying "But there are 2 ways that you might go from here beyond travelling the path back from where you came..".

He paused continuing to study her face, he did wonder if this group would be up to either route, both were treacherous routes "There is a route that leads to the north and a route the leads to the west..." indicating both directions with a nod of his head even though neither route was yet visible. "Depends were you want to head really... but know there is no easy route out of here..." he informed her waiting to see what her response would be.

[Dakota]

Misty caught Tef's brief glance her way, and in return gave a little nod of her head, it was amazing at times how Tef managed to get answers from others without them realising what she was doing, it had worked before and now she was hoping it would work again.

Looking over at Santiago when he asked his question, Misty raised her eyebrows, "well I suppose poison is one way of exterminating others.". She couldn't see him that clearly as his face was partly in the shade, but something didn't really look right about him. about to step closer, she held herself back, there was no reason to invade his personal space. Giving him another look, she smirked a little well there's no horn protruding from between his eyes, he's probably ok, justa bit shaken about what could of happened to himself back there

Turning back to where Liam and Dunston stood close together, they still hadn't uttered a single word, they just stood there with their muzzles open staring up at the liger.Moving beside them, Misteeca listened as she heard.

"Depends were you want to head really... but know there is no easy route out of here..."

[SVelasquez]

Santiago nodded as he listened to Misty's comment about poison being one possibility. There were others too, highly deadly traps were high on the list. "...what if they had some sort of weapon? You know? Like a stick...but more powerful and deadly?" He chimed in as he looked up, not caring who saw his face.

If they asked he'd come clean.

Although his past is something that he doesn't like to talk about much. It never was unless it was about the good side, and that was far beyond the extent of his memory. All he remembered was trying to survive.

"These routes will only be as hard as you make them. If you think that they're gonna be hard, then they're going to be hard."

[Kirsui]

Tefnut had to force down the feeling of him being able to see right into her very soul when he gazed deep into her eyes. She didn't flinch, she didn't break the eyecontact. She merely lifted an eyebrow slightly. Surely, she had had her fair share of gazes that seemed to see right into the back of her mind.

"These routes will only be as hard as you make them. If you think that they're gonna be hard, then they're going to be hard."

The liopardess glanced at Santiago before returning her gaze to the liger. She locked her gaze in the liger's eyes as if she was trying to figure out what he was up to. But no, she had made her decision already when he had said there were two routes out of the labyrinth.

"I wouldn't have expected an easy route out of here", she said.
"If there had been an easy route, I would have picked the harder one. The easier something might seem like, the more dangerous it can be. False feeling of safety is worse than the clear sign of danger..."
She tilted her head a little, her left ear twiching slightly.
"What else you know of these two routes than the directions where they lead...?"

[genie]

Da'gasha considered her closely, though clearly lacking somewhat in a powerful frame.. she seemed alert and intelligent or somewhat more so than the male that had spoken, and considered her question.

"One is a trial by fire.. the other is trial by water... neither is particularly 'easy' as your friend there thinks..." he said meaning santiago "but know that both paths will lead you underground before they lead you out...". He breathed in before saying "Both are dangerous but for different reasons and whether any is better suited to your little group I can not say..." he stopped and waited for her to digest this information.