"Alright, are we all ready?" Mordo'kai was a strong leader, a man who worked well to push along the party without coming off as strict or aggressive. Karl'eem and Shenzi gathered their stone picks, while Ma'groth–the only other belemoid–grabbed one for himself, and another for Mordo'kai.

"Oh, don't you worry," he gave a deep laugh, "I've got climbing gear, too. I always come prepared." He gestured to the harness that criss-crossed through his tan fur, as well as the large hitchiker's backpack he wore, teaming with bundles of rope, a compass, and other bulky items yet unseen.

Shenzi watched the herd, investigating them as she did before interacting with any social group–she was the only female here, which didn't matter in a dark mine other than the fact that her voice would be more notable against the other's. "Ready," she agreed, taking a slight step to speak for the group.

"Where are we off to, boss?" Ma'groth's voice was serious and teasing all at once, in the way only a farmer's could be. Karl'eem nodded along. "Nowhere too far," Mordo'kai gave just a slight smile, "We're staying here in Mireh–I've got an old mine scoped out. We don't know what's in there yet, so we'll just bash a few rocks and see."

Travel across the open plains was surprisingly quick, without obstacles that Shenzi was used to such as vast stretches of ocean or the mazes of deep jungles. But the tall grass did make her legs itch a bit. "This must be it!" Karl'eem called out, having spotted a small, rocky outcropping. As he grew closer, it revealed an entryway framed by old, wooden beams.

"None other!" Mordo'kai agreed. Ma'groth leaned in to examine an oil lamp hanging from the wood post, but it was so dusty it sent him into a loud sneeze. "Ah-choo!" he said. This place must've been abandoned for a long time, Shenzi thought. At least they didn't have to worry about company, but was there any good chance they'd find valuables here?

Karl'eem, Ma'groth, and Mordo'kai lead the way in, feeling the warmth leave their pelts as they escaped from the hot day's sun into the shade of the mine. "Must've been left by the belemoids," Karl'eem pointed out as he had to slouch to get through. The mineshaft was dug out, either by tools or claws–but it was also covered from the icy floor, to the scraped-out walls, to the low ceilings in a growth of moss.

A rail track through the center of the mine had become rusted in time, while the wood had rotted away into broken pieces. Still, a blemished metal minecart sat on immovable wheels, containing large chunks of rock inside–possibly geodes or ores. "Let's start here," Mordo'kai nodded. He reached in, picked a large stone, and dropped it near his feet. "Karl'eem, help me take these out. Shenzi and Ma'groth, get to whacking, if you would!"

The two readied their stone pickaxes and then put them to work–smacking the rocks underneath them with loud bashes, urging them to crack open. They were surprisingly tough, the first only splitting after the rest had been fully unloaded and Karl'eem and Mordo'kai stood with their pickaxes ready to join. "What is it?" Shenzi squinted at Ma'groth's broken ore in the lowlight.

There was coal inside, black and sooty–it even left dust on the pickaxe. Nothing too exciting, not really–Just enough to convince the miners that there was some worth here. "Good," Mordo'kai encouraged the disappointed crew, "More coal to stoke the forge. Nothing better–Let's keep on." Ma'groth nodded, and Shenzi sent the pickaxe back over her head again over another geode.

The quatro smashed away at the rocks, the mine remaining as strong and stable as the day that it had first been carved out of the earth. Y'know, if you cleared out the cobwebs a bit, the mossy foor wouldn't make for a terrible place to sleep. By the end, the miners rolled their loot back into a corner towards the mouth of the cave, and counted it–

"Four lumps of coal, granite," the blacksmith Mordo'kai explained, "And one citrine–found by our own Karl'eem." The tsabhua hid a proud smile. "What do you think?" Shenzi offered, her brown pelt contrasting against Ma'groth's black as they stood side-by-side. "Not bad," Mordo'kai agreed, "But we'll have to delve deeper. Are you all ready and willing to find what's beneath?"

"Yes!" They all agreed.