After a trip back outside to fetch Tock, Lochinvar headed back to the Hive where Glot was still madly working away at hammering "wire" for the machine. Little strips of burnt out metal are strewn about the floor, hinting at why the stuff needs to be replaced so often, and why the Titanian had to spent so much time hammering more of it.

Glot and the Rath'ani had a confusing discussion about how to tend to the machine, but eventually the raccoon got to work, snipping off bits of wire and stringing them through the inside of the large machine, while trying to mend smoking panels and burnt-out circuitry here and there as well. Impressively enough, Tock had brought some of his own tools to work with.

After leaving the raccoon to his work, Glot and Lochinvar consider their options. "Tunnels here easiest way to get to fire-rock Glot needs, but there probably more nastyworms along the way. Glot skish some when he try to get to fire rock in first place, but run out of time." He slams a meaty hand into his fist, "Worms in tunnels fat and slow, not as much for them to eat."

"Ran out of time?" Lochinvar asks. "How do you mean?"

"Couldn't stay away from machine too long," the Titanian explains. "When wires burn, bad stuff happen in hive. Hooka Mother start making monsters instead of Baby Hooka." He scratches at his neck.

The Hekoye nods. "Of course, so you said. But now we have Tock working on the machine, so we should not be constrained so much, right?"

Glot nods his head vigorously. "Until wire burn out. Glot make enough wire for about six hours."

A black Jupani emerges from one of the tunnels, rubbing his head. "Bleh, these tunnels smell of sulfur."

Lochinvar nods over to Matchstick. "I think the smell could get only get more intense as we go further in." The winged coyote looks over to Glot again. "Lead the way."

The Titanian nods and motions down a tunnel. "Be careful of worms. They bad."

Matchstick mouths Glot's words to himself and sticks his tongue out at the end of it all.

"'Stick," the coyote says, "take up the rear? I'll follow behind Glot."

"As you say, captain!" The Jupani fires off an odd looking salute to Lochinvar and hops behind him. Glot makes a confused whine and begins charging down the tunnel.

"Glot too big for some of this. Must take long way," he barks.

Lochinvar tilts his head at the Titanian. "The long way?" he asks.

The Titanian nods. "Tunnels too small. Hooka-sized, not Glot-sized." He shrugs. "Still get there in time, just might meet more worms."

The Hekoye furrows his brow a little at Glot. "What would you suggest is the best way to deal with the worms if we meet them?"

"No let them grab you for too long. They suck life from bones and skin." Glot hefts a hammer. "They soft though, no fight good. One whack scares them off."

Lochinvar looks around the cavern for something that would issue a good "whack".

Lots of rocks around. Hey! There are even a couple of broken stalactites on the floor as well.

The coyote picks up a good sized stalactite, and gestures to his Jupani companion that it might be a good idea to do the same.

Matchstick nods and grabs a dagger-like piece of rock for himself. "I've got a lantern; should I keep it handy in case this moss fades?"

"Might be a good idea to," Lochinvar answers, before starting off down the tunnel.

The trip manages to be somewhat uneventful, except for some points where the heat is rather bad. Then the trip starts to move through some tunnels where the moss isn't as bright, and long streaks look to have been burned through some sections of it.

There have been a few "worms", but only little things that have been easily crushed. The heat is also growing stronger as they three make their way deeper into the mountain.

"Careful… Where there little worms, there a big one somewhere," Glot whines.

"A big one?" Lochinvar urfs, pausing for a moment to pant slightly, then looks back to Matchstick and gives him a "Did you hear that?" look.

Matchstick grips his stone weapon and grimaces.

"Bigger than little worm. Not as big as forest-eaters," the Titanian amends.

Lochinvar continues following the Titanian. "That's only somewhat comforting," he replies.

One of the little black wiggler things nudges at Lochinvar's foot, stinging a little.

The Jupani yelps and stabs down at his feet with his bit of stone. There's a satisfying squish. The same thing happens with Glot.

The Hekoye jumps back out of the way of the worm, giving 'Stick a face full of wing.

"Gyaaa-mmmph!" Matchstick barks out. The Titanian whirls around and swats at the air.

Lochinvar gives the Jupani an apologetic look, and turns around to look at Glot. "Sorry. Just startled by one of those creatures."

As if in response, Glot's foot slams down heavily on the floor. The resulting noise booms through the passages.

Matchstick winces. "Great… just like a fanfare."

The coyote looks down at the floor. "I think you got that one," he offers.

A soft hissing can be heard from one of the tunnels further up. Sounds like someone just woke up.

"Sorry." Glot droops.

Lochinvar pricks up his ears, and motions for silence. "Shush," he says, "Did you hear that?"

The two other lupines quiet. Ahead, the hissing grows louder…

In other words, something's coming.

The winged Hekoye tilts his head at the noise, and glances at Matchstick, then to Glot. "I think you woke the big one up… " he says, mainly to Glot.

Movement can be spotted up ahead as something moves closer. From here there are two options: retreat or fight.

Glot grips a wrench and growls. It's obvious which option he wants to choose.

Lochinvar tightens his own hold on his stalactite, then looks to Matchstick and nods to him, communicating the decision down the line.

The Jupani growls as well, nodding. He grips his bit of stone and waits. Ahead, the rustling in the passage has silenced, although something can be seen pulsating in the shadows… waiting.

The coyote flattens himself against the tunnel wall – as much as he can with his wings anyway – and waits.

Suddenly several tendrils shoot out from the shadows, trying to grab at the three canines. Glot rips them off boldly, while Matchstick swats at them with his makeshift dagger.

Another tentacle fires its way at Lochinvar, who attempts to spear it with his stalactite.

Impressively, the strike connects. Bluish ooze leaks out from the tendril which goes limp the moment it's impaled. Odd – from this close up, it looks to be made of a lot of the smaller worms.

The larger beast moves in. It's about waist high, and is apparently smart enough to know to keep the Titanian and the Jupani distracted while it moves in to do some damage.

Lochinvar crouches down a little, looking for another opportunity to attack the … whatever.

It seems to not have noticed the Hekoye, keeping itself busy by smacking at the other two canines. Lochinvar looks to have one opening…

The coyote launches at the creature again, aiming for the body of the creature this time, rather then the tentacles.

Having wings helps in this instance, and although the space is cramped, Lochinvar manages to get in an almost perfect shot. His stone dagger tears a large gouge in the middle of the beast. The assaulting tendrils seem to wither and shrink.

Lochinvar appears not to notice what's happening to the creature's appendages, more concentrating on driving the "dagger" in.

In it goes. A few tentacles flail around and try to grab the Hekoye, but their strength has vanished and all they can manage is to brush up against his fur. Finally the thing quivers and starts to dissolve.

Matchstick makes a choking noise as he pulls one of the rapidly liquefying tendrils from around his neck, while the Titanian continues stomping on the goo.

The Hekoye just stands there looking at what's left, panting as he tries to catch his breath.

"Creen's eye. Wow." The Jupani pulls himself up and shakes his fur off. "You okay, Lochy?"

After a few moments, Lochinvar turns to look at Matchstick then sighs and nods. "I am. Now."

Glot finally stops stepping on chunks of dead worm. "Beh. Hate monsters. Rrrr." He wipes his wrench on his pants. "There might be more. Gots to hurry!"

Lochinvar nods to Glot. "Right. Let's go," he replies, starting off again.

The three run until their breaths are as hot as the wind blowing through the volcano itself. Glot doesn't seem to be trying to find a river of lava, so much as a crack. The heat isn't as intense, but it's intense enough as they move nearer to the goal. More bodies of those wormy things can be seen along the way.

"Much further?" Lochinvar asks the Titanian.

Glot wipes his brow, while Matchstick has dropped his cool demeanor and opts to pant instead. "Just need to find crack now," the Titanian barks. "Then drop bucket in and make wire."

"Right," the Hekoye replies, and continues on, fanning out his wings a little in an attempt to get rid of some of the heat that way.

Matchstick jams his head up next to the Hekoye, stealing a bit of his breeze. "So where'd you learn to fight, Lochy?"

Lochinvar doesn't turn to look back at the Jupani, but replies quite simply, "You've never stayed that late in the Three Thieves, I take it."

"Temple Scouts… Born and raised by the Rephidim Temple." The black wolf shrugs. "I suppose I've missed out on a lot… "

The coyote nods, and replies, "I guess you have."

Matchstick snorts, "Now you don't have to go and rub my nose in it!"

Ahead, Glot starts making a few happy barking noises as he peers down into a fissure in the store floor. An orange glow oozes out through it and the heat is almost unbearable.

Lochinvar calls up to Glot, "Found something?"

"Think so. Air smells right!" He starts unloading tools from his back, most of which are things that probably even the Technopriesthood has never seen. A bucket with an odd looking cable ties to it, as well as something with a funnel and a crank – and, of course, a hammer.

"We'll watch your back," Lochinvar tells the Titanian.

Glot nods and gets to work. Slowly he starts to lower the bucket down the fissure, wincing at the heat.

Matchstick pants even more and offers Lochinvar a sip from his canteen. "Tock doesn't know what he's missing, eh?"

Taking the canteen, the Hekoye replies, "Rather, I think he has a good idea," then takes a swig.

Glot grunts to himself as he slowly eases up his first bucket of lava and pours it into his contraption. The smell of burnt fur fills the tunnel.

"So what do you plan to tell folks back home about this?" The Jupani winks.

"That this was certainly different from other travels I've been on," Lochinvar says. "Still not sure completely."

The wolf pokes at Lochinvar's pocket where the chain he found jangles, "At least you have a souvenir! You might even be able to sell it and live comfortably." He grins.

Glot growls noisily and smacks the funnel device with a hammer. He nods to himself and lowers the bucket again.

"Sell?" Lochinvar gives Matchstick a pained look. "I don't think so."

"Hah! Sorry… I forgot." The Jupani glances back over his shoulder to spy on Slot's progress. Currently a small length of whitish looking wire rests at his feet while a glowing length emerges from the cylinder device like a luminescent earthworm. "Maybe the Temple will give you another shiny after all this is done. We don't have many… er… Vartans working for us, you know."

Lochinvar chooses to simply nod in reply to the wolf's statement.

Another coil of wire is produced. The worm-critters seem to be leaving the tunnels alone at least. "Glot got one more left to do, then we done!"

"By the way, Tock insists on meeting this 'Hooka-mother'." Matchstick grins. "Apparently she's partial to candy."

Lochinvar says, "That explains why we were suggested to bring candy."

Finally, the last coil oozes out. "Glot all done! Hoo-hah!"

"Careful, Glot," the Hekoye grins over at the Titanian. "You're almost starting to sound like a Hooka there."

The Titanian packs away his supplies and grins back at Lochinvar. "Glot been living with them for long time, pick up habits… except they still spit better than Glot does." His tail wags happily. "Glot want to go home now."

"Then let's get this wire back to Tock, my friend," the winged Hekoye says, "and then you'll be a step nearer home."

"Race you!" The Titanian grins and darts down a tunnel. Matchstick lets out a yelp and rushes after the larger lupine.

Lochinvar starts off after his companions – slow at first, but then decides to forget about the heat and hurries after them.