Fig was just about ready to speak, when a deep guttural growl began to vibrate its way down the tunnel. As it approached it grew in strength, bringing with it a sea of violent winds. As they whipped past Fig her chest convulsed with shock, forcing the oxygen right from her body. She gasped, trying to pull life into her lungs.

"We have to get out of here!" Sowa screamed above the roaring current.

Fig only nodded, still unable to speak. She coughed as she tried to run back the way they'd come. The winds were strong and Fig found herself grabbing the edges of the walls to stay steady. Her thick clumps of hair kept whipping at her face, leaving stinging trails along her skin. The walls were too slick to offer much help, but with effort the three wanderers eventually reached the end of the tunnel. 

It was like standing in the eye of a tornado; Fig's dreds no longer whipped at her skin as they were sucked upwards into the storm. The three stood at the entrance, gazing up at the sky where it had turned a swirling charcoal gray. The ventus winds around them swarmed with a vigorous need to release their energy. They looked angry - unmerciful. Sparing life was not a concern for them. Instead, they tore through the skies like caged beasts seeking freedom.

A storm like this was not uncommon, but typically the ventus would give a bit more warning before releasing such wrath. Apparently something had set them off. 

The storm ravaged the air above as Fig, Sowa, and Leb all tried their best to climb their way out of the deep cavern, Sowa using her steel-like claws to stay latched on securely. Leb had tried to fly but the winds easily swept his weak attempts away. Eventually, he burrowed his way into Sowa's thick, protective coat and hung on. He climbed up her back until he was able to cling to her neck. Fig could see his little arms shaking as he tried to maintain his grasp. With only hooves, staying latched on was nearly impossible. He was panting when Sowa finally clawed her way out of the hole and onto solid ground.

Fig was only half-way up the wall when suddenly her foot landed on an unstable piece of crystal. It broke easily, and before she could regain her footing, she was dropping back towards the bottom of the cavern. She landed painfully on her side, grunting when the force knocked into her. She rolled over, her vision slightly blurred and her lungs fighting to pull in air.

Somewhere in the distance she could sense Sowa and Leb screaming for her. Fig rubbed her palms over her eyes before blinking several times. It took a moment to recover, but she was grateful that the impact hadn't been worse. Glancing around she realized that Nurigor must have been with her, because she landed on one of the only smooth surfaces in the cavern. She shuddered at the thought of being impaled by the jagged stones around her. Letting out a relieved breath, she turned her focus upwards.

Something seemed off, almost as if the walls were throbbing and shifting. Fig wasn't sure though. It could possibly just be her vision fighting to adjust after the impact of her fall. She rolled to her side before pushing herself onto her knees and glancing up. The opening above her seemed small -- much smaller than before.

The winds were still wild, and she could see Sowa and Leb's struggle to keep their footing. It seemed the storm was only increasing, and the safety of her friends were in jeopardy.

"Go!" Fig screamed, waving her arms frantically.

She could hear them urging her to climb again, and she knew they wouldn't give up until she was safely above ground. Fig lifted her foot, locking it securely into a small crevice of the wall. Her hands reached to pull her body upwards as she clung to the side of the pit like a spider. Slowly, she inched her way up, her chest throbbing from the punches her heart was giving. 

She tilted her head back to see Sowa peeking over the side of the opening above. Her fur whipped in multiple directions as the ventus continued to multiply in number and strength. She knew she couldn't waste anymore time. Pulling her gaze from her friends, she continued the climb. 

A shadow passed overhead, making Fig falter slightly. She didn't risk looking back up, but instead tried to regain control of her trembling body. Falling again now could get her and her friends killed. The storm that seemed to be brewing above was not a friendly one. The winds seemed keen on destroying something; Fig just hoped it wasn't her or her companions.

When Fig was suddenly plunged into darkness, she froze. Had the skies really turned so dark that all light was cut off? Fig's fingers ached with the need to stay attached to the wall. She could feel them slipping, and quickly adjusted her grip. She found a large hold and clung to it before lifting her eyes upwards once again.

Her heart dropped into her stomach when she realized the reason for such darkness. The skies hadn't covered up the lights. No, the lights were most likely still shining bright, but Fig wouldn't know because the opening, her escape out of this pit, was sealed.

She'd been right about this place. The ground was alive, and in its attempt to protect the crystal caves, it'd closed her inside. While most storms only lasted hours, they were known to rage for days. If this was one of those storms, the chances of her getting out of here alive were slim. 

Giving up on trying to climb her way out, Fig slowly made her way back down the wall. As she reached the bottom, her eyes were drawn to several tunnels that lined the enclosure. Each one was blazing with light. It now made sense why she was able to see so well even after the light was blocked from view. Whatever was inside the tunnels was aiding in illuminating this entire underground chamber.

She cautiously made her way towards the tunnel she and her friends had exited just moments before. She peeked inside, and could make out the intense glow further in the distance. Knowing she had no other choice than to sit here and wait for death, Fig ventured down the narrow passage. Her thoughts wandered to her friends, and she prayed to Nurigor that he keep them safe. For now, that was the only help she could offer.

Each step brought Fig closer and closer to the light, but she paused when something on the ground grabbed her attention. She stepped closer, curious about the motionless heap shoved against the wall. Her breath caught, a hand coming to rest against her mouth. 

A single gust of wind must have blown through these passageways and been trapped. On the ground lay the twisted, flowing strands of dusted hair and the soft edges of a corpse, unmoving. At a quick glance it would have appeared to just be a mound of soot, but inside the powdery debris were the soft lines and delicate edges of a ventus. 

She was dead. 

A single ventus could not survive without the heartbeat of her entire clan, and somehow this unfortunate creature had escaped life.

Fig bent, hoping to offer a compassionate touch, as her fingers sank softly into the dead wind. The form instantly shriveled, hiding any sign of her identity as she became nothing more than an unrecognizable pile of dirt. She was now one with the earth, and one with Nurigor.

Fear and guilt twisted Fig's guts and she quickly jumped away from the decay at her feet. Though it had already been dead, she felt she'd destroyed any last remnants of the precious being. Like popping a bubble, the beauty was gone.

Fig stumbled away from the soot grave, holding herself up with the help of the walls. She now understood what had caused such chaos amongst the ventus. They'd lost one of their own, and their anger was evident. Fig didn't look back as she forced her way through the tunnel, anxious to find the end.

A hollow roar seemed to echo overhead. It was somewhat hushed, but powerful. As Fig made her way further down the passage, the sound intensified. Turning a familiar corner, she realized that the noise was coming from the underground river that she and her friends had stumbled upon just moments before. She hadn't realized how powerful the flow of water was, but now, with the cave sealed off, the reverberation from the heavy rush caused Fig's eardrums to buzz.

She stepped closer as her eyes took in the tiny particles of light that seemed to be floating freely along with the mighty flow. Though small, the specks gave off a powerful glow. She watched them, transfixed, for several moments before an odd movement from one of the particles snagged her attention.

Fig had assumed they were just a part of nature, like pieces of moss floating through the current with no control on where the water carried them. But when one of them shifted direction and began heading towards Fig, she realized her mistake. These weren't just inanimate objects drifting past her, they were alive.

As the small being approached, Fig stepped closer to the glass barrier. She placed her hand against its warm surface and watched in a captivated daze as the little creature mimicked her actions. Its blue and purple scaly fin swayed behind it as its tiny hand hovered beneath Fig's thumb. The desire to hold the little creature in her palm was nearly consuming, but the crystal separating them, solid and unbreakable, prevented this.

Though obviously meant for the water, the little white-haired being seemed to have all the features of a normal human - apart from the long fin where legs would normally be. Fig couldn't make out the color of its eyes. Actually, she could barely make out any facial features within its tiny face, but her pale hair was long and danced around her with the current. It's size was quite peculiar, as it was merely the length of a single eyelash.

Fig smiled softly, and then, just like that, the small water human stopped waving her tail, allowing the current to sweep her away.

Fig's hand dropped to her side as the little speck drifted off to blend in with her other companions. Once again, Fig was alone. She glanced behind her, but knew it would only lead her to the dimly lit cave. So, instead, she decided to follow the river, hoping that it would lead her to another exit, one not being tormented by ventus. 

Hours later, exhausted and hungry, the tunnel seemed to be narrowing to an end. The underground river had ended two turns back, and the light from the small water beings was beginning to fade. If it hadn't been for the quiet darkness that was beginning to tiptoe its way through the tunnel, Fig never would have spotted the small crevice above her that seemed to be leaking light. 

It was fairly small, but then again, so was Fig. A surge of hope came to life beneath her chest. With much difficulty, and several failed attempts, Fig ascended the slick walls of the cave. Her fingers clawed at the stone until they met the familiar texture of dirt. It was cool to the touch, a sensation that Fig hadn't even realized she'd been craving. With the heated rivers flowing over the crystal, the tunnels had grown exceptionally warm. 

Fig finally crawled from her hole, poking her head out to find the skies clear and void of any wind demons. She sighed before pulling herself over the edge, and flopping down on her back. Her eyes closed involuntarily as she took in several thankful breaths.

She was still alive...for now.

Finally gaining the energy to move, Fig rolled to her knees and pushed herself up to standing. That's when her eyes took in the enormous walls of jagged rock before her - the same harsh peaks she'd spied from the other side just hours before. They created an impassable mountain. The only way she'd be able to get over something like that would be if she could fly - and she was no bird.

Defeated, she turned to find endless fields of velvety red moss. Obviously, heading back towards home was not an option since the mountain of death blocked her way. The only other choice she had would be to wander aimlessly through the unknown fields before her, and hope to Nurigor that nourishment was near.

As she took her first step into the unknown, heart beating with excitement and determination, three thoughts coursed through her mind: She was alone. She was lost. And if she didn't get home before dark, she'd die.