"Are you sure we're gong to find any plants down here?" Solar asks, kicking at a rock in her way. "It's very hot. And rocky."

Izori picks their way along behind her, their wings and greater height making it much harder to navigate the narrow stone passageways branching off the main tunnel of the ring. Their white fur is already stained with dark dust where they brushed along the cavern walls. Ducking under a low overhang, they reply, "The chances are low, yes, but life thrives where you least expect it. Imagine the kind of flora that could survive in this environment! Perhaps they utilize the heat and light from the lava, or even consume chemicals and minerals only found this deep under the surface! Maybe some kind of mushroom…." Izori trails off, peering into a crack in the floor that beams sullen orange light.

Solar rolls her eyes. She's not interested in the science talk, she's just here because Izori needed someone to watch their back and fend off the new, aggressive tark'ee that apparently lived down here. She adjusts the laser staff where it leans against her shoulder, waiting for Izori to catch up before she continues moving.

The narrow tunnel opens into a broader cave, one tall enough for Izori to stand upright in. The cave was very clearly formed by lava: black stone lines the walls, and no stalactites or stalagmites break up its tubelike shape. Even though there is no active lava flow through the tunnel, a stifling heat still radiates through it. Solar scans around, before waving Izori through.

They don't get far. A series of jagged rocks moves, revealing themselves to be the plated back of a tark'ee, barely taller than Solar but far, far heavier. Terracotta rises from where he sat behind a pile of stone, rumbling in annoyance. "What's this?" he asks. "Thinking you could sneak through a side tunnel to attack our queen?"

"N-No, of course not!" Izori stammers, glancing over at Solar. "We're just looking around-"

Solar steps forward, deftly flipping the laser staff off her shoulder and slamming its tip into the stone with a heavy thud. "We're not here for your precious queen. We just want some plants or whatever, so go back to your nap so we can get on with it," she snaps.

Terracotta's eyes narrow. "No plants here," he growls, and Solar glances back at Izori with an 'I told you so' look. They frown at her. Terracotta continues, "And if you think your attitude is going to ward off a fight, you're sorely mistaken."

"Fight? We don't need to fight. We'll just be on our way-" Izori interjects, but is cut off by Terracotta lunging forward, a roar pouring from his throat. Solar yanks the staff out of the ground and whips it across the tark'ee's face as he nears, sending his momentum sideways. Izori yelps as he crashes against the stone wall.

Terracotta chuckles as he picks himself up. "Feistier than I expected," he admits and Solar grins back, showing her teeth. She doesn't wait for him to attack again, instead leaping at him, staff swinging. Terracotta grabs it and yanks her off balance. Solar stumbles forward, directly into Terracotta's headbutt, which sends her reeling. He immediately pounces on her, pinning her beneath his massive weight. Solar gasps for breath, claws scrabbling for her staff, but he swats it out of reach with his tail. She grimaces as the tark'ee leans in, a grin on his jagged face.

Several soft pops barely break through the ambient noise of the cave, but Terracotta's reaction is immediate. He stumbles back, gasping in pain. Fresh burns mark his side, and Solar turns her head to see Izori, a blaster held in one trembling hand. "Come on, let's go!" they cry, and Solar leaps upright, snagging her staff as the two rush toward the lava tube they arrived through. Terracotta snarls behind them, but he is clearly built for strength, not speed, and they quickly outpace the volcanic.

Once his angry roars fade out of earshot behind them, Solar leans against the wall, panting. "Where on Xiunus did you hide that thing?" she asks, gesturing toward the blaster.

Izori ducks, ears angling back as they lift the ruff of fur around their neck to reveal a small holster, which they return the blaster to. "I thought it'd be best to come defended," they explain quietly.

Solar snorts. "Good thing you did," she acknowledges, then gestures. "Come on. We'd better go tell the base camp that this tunnel is guarded, too."