My hair flared with that familiar iridescent light, piercing the rodent’s skull as my consciousness shifted to the upper dimension.


    Familiar territory. It’s starting to feel like coming home.


    I was fully encased within the small, tree-like structure. Its branches seemed even thicker than before, though it was still dwarfed by the golden sphere illuminating everything.


    Nyotha?


    A distinct green speck of light rose from the roots this time, and a fresh wave of memories flooded my mind.


    ******


    Darkness. Utter darkness. Not a single glimmer of light. But right next to my ears, I hear the distinct snuffles of a much larger creature. I instinctively crawl closer, seeking its warmth. The comforting scent of… well, something vaguely earthy and slightly musky fills my nostrils. Ah, bliss.


    Day after day, I eat, crawl, and dig. Not a care in the world. We happily rummage through the earth like furry little excavators, creating intricate tunnels that would make even the most experienced diggers blush with envy.


    One perfectly ordinary day, as we’re enjoying a peaceful nap – a truly epic nap, the kind where you dream of giant, juicy grubs – a completely new scent drifts in. It’s quickly followed by the pungent stench of… well, let’s just say it smells like something’s having a very bad day. The earth rumbles ominously, and the ground beneath us splits open. Many of my companions scream beside me, before abruptly falling silent.


    Yikes.


    I scramble, digging and moving as fast as my little claws can carry me. Digging and moving. I don’t stop until the awful scent finally fades.


    This cycle continues for what feels like forever: eating, crawling, sleeping, digging, escaping. The familiar sounds and scents around me constantly shift and change. Some return, some vanish forever, never to be heard or smelled again.It''s like a bizarre, subterranean kaleidoscope of sensory input, with sights, sounds, and smells constantly shifting and changing.


    The rumbles seem to be following me. They keep happening every so often. I manage to escape each time, thank goodness. But many others… well, they aren''t so lucky. Let’s just say they’re probably fertilizing something somewhere.


    Resting once more, a sharp, piercing sound assaults my ears. We all instinctively surround the source. Heat! I whirl around, but it’s too late. The intense heat still singes my fur. Everyone else manages to stay safe…The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Furious, I lash out with my claw toward where the heat came from, But all I get for my trouble is more pain as my claws shatter into pieces.


    I sense more heat from the side, so I change direction and charge. The burning heat hits me again. I try to hide, but suddenly, something gets under me. Pain explodes through my insides. And then… nothing. All my senses vanish.


    ******


    My vision snapped back to this dimension. Time, which had paused for my interdimensional detour, resumed its relentless march.


    Bailey’s eyes were wide, frozen in shock. Again. A low rumble vibrated beneath my feet, sending the remaining rodents into a frenzy. Some bolted, others frantically dug deeper into the earth.


    I yanked Bailey''s sleeve. “Let’s go! Quick!” I closed my eyes, extending my senses. Using the memory of that unfortunate rodent, I relied on hearing and smell to navigate the maze-like tunnels.


    We reached another open area, finally stopping so Bailey could catch his breath. We were well clear of the fog now. Bailey checked his device before pulling off his mask.


    "I''m not even gonna bother askin’," Bailey said, gasping for air, a strained smile on his face. "I''ll just assume it''s one of your… magical somethin''s."


    “We have to get out of here quickly. There’s something else in these tunnels,” I explained. “Something that eats those rodents for lunch. It’s also the source of the rumbling.”


    "The cause of the quakes? Eatin'' those giant Umbrynus for lunch?!" Bailey exclaimed.


    “Probably not all the quakes, but it definitely eats more than one for a meal,” I clarified. “Remember those large caverns and tunnels? Some are natural, some dug by the rodents, some by the ancient Mesoselenians, but most of the bigger ones we were in? Those are the creature’s work.”


    "What...what''s it like?" Bailey asked, his voice trembling slightly.


    “I don’t know. All I know is the slithering sound it makes and the awful smell—like something died and then… died again,” I say, giving Bailey’s shoulder a reassuring pat. “Don’t worry, though. I doubt we’d even make an appetizer for that thing. But we still need to scram.I know the way, but I can’t tell which direction is out. Any idea?”


    Bailey consults his device again, his brow furrowed in concentration, before pointing. "It''s… vaguely that way." We rest for a few more minutes, catching our breath before venturing back into the labyrinth.


    Those rodents are truly dedicated to their craft, creating a dizzying network of decoy nests—presumably to confuse hungry mega-predators. Clearly, though, their efforts aren''t always successful.


    Bailey and I continue through the tunnels, giving any with that eerie blue glow a wide berth.


    We encounter the blue fog a couple more times, but now that we know what to expect, avoiding it is like dodging puddles—mostly a matter of paying attention.


    After what feels like a geological epoch of walking, crawling, and occasionally scrambling up short inclines, we finally emerge at the bottom of a massive sinkhole. The two crescent moons casts a dim, almost apologetic glow through the dissipating fog.