The mass of vines moved as the dirt hit it, but did not grab at it nor retreat from it.

The distraction that that exercise provided, however, allowed the tendril working its way through the shadows to quickly loop around the boy's ankle and tug.

In the time that the digging had taken, the bush had cooled a bit on its own, so the branch was warm, but not terribly uncomfortable. If you held it tight against skin, it would redden and maybe peel later, but it wasn't terrible.

The bush shook as the rock worked through it, seeds falling off. It broke through, eventually, severing the branch from the bush.

You can move on, if you feel you have enough light. How many seeds did you manage to get?

When you move on, the way before you lit at least a bit by your fireseeds, you see a fork in the cave. To the right, a cacophony of sound echoes off the walls, its source yet unseen. The dischord crescendos and speeds before disappearing from notice. It then begins again. To the left, a partial cave-in and silence. If you linger too near the left, however, a foul smell reaches your nostrils. It is pungent: the kind of smell that sticks in your head.

Choose your way carefully. There is no telling whether you can retrace your steps.


As you tug, the tendril tightens in response, keeping to the shadow. It continues to tug, attempting to drag you toward the plant.

The sharp edge tore into the vine, nearly severing it, which released the boy, but others from the left side began to work their way out from the massive wriggling pile.

They made their way over slowly, but there's no telling how far their reach.

As you walk, the source of the smell sticks to the bottom of your shoe. Rotten vegetation and the unpleasant excretions of the mimbulus mimbletonia: stinksap. Harmless... unless you are of a weak stomach.

As you proceed further through the tunnel, you find that it’s become packed with several leafy, non-threatening plants. Your surroundings look normal enough, until you come across a fully grown plant enclosed in a soundproof box. As you walk a little closer and get a good look at the plant, you see that the root of it is acting quite strangely. You can see its little mouth opening and closing, and you can tell, although you can’t hear, that it is screaming. Beyond this screaming plant is a solid, transparent barrier that you must pass... but how?

The pursuing vines ceased their pursuit when the fire seed branch was held in front of the boy. Indeed, they didn't just stop. They retreated, rejoining the mass of wriggling vines.

The one seed landed on a vine, which promptly jerked, knocking the seed to the ground, though no moved into that space. The vines kept their distance from the seed, but retreated no further.

At the tap, the root stopped for a split second before launching into a wail that contorted its face dramatically.

The waving of the branch jostled loose nearly two dozen of the boy's seeds, but there was no effect on the barrier, except for a little shimmer from the light.

The few steps into the cave were torturous. Her eyes could not adjust - it felt like one had been stripped of an entire sense. She was vulnerable. She didn't like being vulnerable.

Her steps were counted, calculated and hesitant. Hands splayed against one side of the cave she was a few metres in when she was a type of light glowing from further inside the cave. Now with a point to anchor herself to, she walked in the general direction, her ears hypersensitive to everything.

She reached the plant - or so it seemed to be - and stared at it cautiously. It was light. This plant was emitting light. Light that could be precious to her. She frowned a moment. It was hot - or so it looked. If she touched it.. would it burn her?

Curiously, she wondered if it was the seeds or the actual branches that were emitting the light. Were the seeds on fire?

She bent down, ignoring the fact that the heat stung a little, and blew on one of the seeds. Taking the whole bush would be a pain, but just the seeds would be easier to carry.

Would they go out?

The tendrils in front of the branch pulled away leaving a space to walk into the mass of vines, but it wasn't a clear path all the way through. Where the heat failed to radiate, the vines did not move. The space it made was large enough for the Champion to step into.

Perhaps it would continue to part if he pressed forward?

The seeds dimmed briefly as she blew on them, but brightened again, perhaps a small bit dimmer than they had originally been. The heat radiating from the seeds was intense. So near the champion's face... must not be too comfortable.

Owwwwww.

The heat was too hot. She sighed and stepped back. Fine. The seeds weren't going to 'go out'. Well.. that was good. But still left her with her original problem.

Could she use a piece of her jumper to break off a branch? Would it burn the material?

Worth a try. She slipped off the thick woollen thing and used it to wrap around the lower branch and pushed down - it was cooler around the tree without the jumper on - and waited for it to crack.

Would it be too hot even through the material?

At first the heat was noticeable even through the jumper, the material smoking where it brushed the seeds. But, with a little time, the bush cooled again, though the seeds still gave off light.

With a creak and a crack and another creak and still another crack, the branch broke. How many seeds did you manage to get?

When you continue on, the way before you lit at least a bit by your fireseeds, you'll see a fork in the cave. To the right, a cacophony of sound echoes off the walls, its source yet unseen. The dischord crescendos and speeds before disappearing from notice. It then begins again. To the left, a partial cave-in and silence. If you linger too near the left, however, a foul smell reaches your nostrils. It is pungent: the kind of smell that sticks in your head.

Choose your way carefully. There is no telling whether you can retrace your steps.

As you step forward, the vines in front of you part to avoid the heat and light, but once you continue in, the vines behind you will close the gap. The space you have remains the same, but you are now within the plant.

If you take a few more steps, you will notice a change beneath your feet: vines, instead of solid ground, that wriggle and threaten to curl if the light gets too far. If you don't take a few more steps, well, then nothing much has changed, has it?

The scuffed seeds began to dim further as they rubbed against the ground and became covered in dirt. As for the barrier, it remained unchanged as the mandrake continued it's silent wail.

Down the tunnel, however, from where you'd already passed through, a distinct rumbling can be heard. It grows louder and louder before stopping as suddenly as it had started.

Miles looked at the bush with a raised eyebrow as he saw the light pulsating around it but didn't really feel as much heat as he thought. Pursing his lip he held one hand just barely over the seeds to see how hot it felt at that distance.

His attention was caught however when he felt a breeze in the otherwise still air of the cave and his eyes turned back to the bush in time to see one of the branches dim though still have enough light to use. Hmmmm. Looking thoughtful he frowned. His hand still held over the branch he blew on it just to make sure it had been the wind that had done it and to see how hot it still was. He could rip off his sleeve and use it to hold the branch if it was too hot...kind of like an oven mit. Gathering his energy he licked one finger and touched the branch part directly and quickly,like he used to check food sometimes to see if it was done, as he blew on the seeds around his arm. Just fast enough to see if it was hot and hopefully not hurt himself as he tried to avoid the bright seeds that he figured would be even hotter. If he could he wanted to rip the branch off but how exactly...his shirt? His belt? The leather of the belt would surely be more resistant to heat wouldn't it?

His fingers worked at his belt and pulled it off of his waist carefully. Curiously he wanted to test his theory first and placed the belt carefully around the branch and his hand gently on the top of it wanting to see if he could feel any heat through hit. If not he'd wrap his belt around it securely like a handle.

She gasped as the smell of burning cotton/polyester filled her nostrils. Her hand clenched around the branch, she ignored the searing, burning pain and tried to remain calm.

She had light.

She was still alive.

She'd done a bit of the first task!

Woohooooo!

Her jubilation quashed her fears and overtook precedence over the pain she could feel in her palm - perhaps because it'd stopped searing.

She moved faster - with light to guide her and reached a fork. Wails or wafting smell? She pulled the sleeve from her jumper and went left, using it to put over her mouth and nose - would it filter the smell?

She would go left. She was left- handed... not like it really made a difference, did it?

So dumb so dumb so dumb so-

The vines in front of him moved as the ones behind him fell back into place, and Raiden's breath caught in his chest. He took another step, then another, taking care of his footing as the vines were suddenly beneath him as well.

Vaguely, he wondered if there was still ground under there. Not that he much cared... he was standing inside a plant that probably very much wanted to keep him there. He kept taking tentative steps forward; his left hand might've trembled slightly at his side. Not a big space, was it... and vines on every which side of him.

Breaaaaaathe.

Just keep moving forward.

No going back now. The champion kept taking small steps forward, hoping that his fireseeds continued to be strong enough to allow it.

As you hit the box, the box budges and slides a bit, but the root doesn't move. There is no bottom to the box!

Your stunt has, however, caused the root's face to contort into what could only be an even more vile scream than before. With the box still over it, however, no sound can be heard.

Having cooled over time, the bush may cause some discomfort, but burns should be avoidable.

The smell of the belt's material warming, however, is noticeable. Some seeds have fallen from the bush because of the belt, and those, on the ground, have cooled to hold, as well.

Can you break off a branch? Or will you just grab the fallen seeds?

As you walk, the source of the smell sticks to the bottom of your shoe. Rotten vegetation and the unpleasant excretions of the mimbulus mimbletonia: stinksap. Harmless... unless you are of a weak stomach.

As you proceed further through the tunnel, you come upon an area that is thick with massive plants in the shape of an umbrella. Walking around these plants would be fairly easy if it weren’t for the fact that all pathways are currently blocked by plants resembling large, thick, black slugs. The plants’ surfaces are covered with protrusions that are shooting out a thick, yellowish-green pus smelling of gasoline. The streams of pus are constant, shooting across the walkway. Your only option is to go forward, though, which means you’ll need to find a way past the dangerous, pus-spewing plants.

The vines continue to part in front of you and close behind you. Part in front of you and close behind you. They continue to do this until they part and... there's a wall. The tendrils near your feet, however, have begun to churn underneath you again as the light is not as strong there.

One is about to encircle your ankle.

Miles smirked to himself as he felt the belt and noticed how hot it was but not burning hot. His nose scrunched up slightly at the leather heating reached his nose. Could be worse things...he could have burnt himself. He had more belts if this ruined this one. His eyes landed on the seeds on the ground and he pursed his lips again.

Should he just reach down and grab those? But how would it illuminate the path before him? Deciding he'd do better with the whole branch he wrapped the belt around it tightly and workedthe branch around a bit before pulling on it hoping it would break off easily and seeds wouldn't wind up everywhere because he didn't really fancy taking off his shirt to carry them if that happened.

Creak. Crack. SNAP. Pulling away from the bush, the end is jagged. Some seeds have fallen off and lay on the ground, glowing. How many are left for you on the branch?

The warmth seeps into the belt, and will certainly be noticeable against your hand.

When you're ready to move in, the way before you lit at least a bit by your fireseeds, you'll see a fork in the cave. To the right, a cacophony of sound echoes off the walls, its source yet unseen. The dischord crescendos and speeds before disappearing from notice. It then begins again. To the left, a partial cave-in and silence. If you linger too near the left, however, a foul smell reaches your nostrils. It is pungent: the kind of smell that sticks in your head.

Choose your way carefully. There is no telling whether you can retrace your steps.

The swirling vines stop almost immediately as you bend down with the fireseeds, and, indeed, part below you as they retreat from the light and heat, leaving an opening into nothingness. It's not a far fall, and you should be ok, but fall you will.

Unless you'd rather grab a vine and stay in the snare?