" This is fine, but does it not seem darker than before...?" Faelyn murdered to herself. “UGH I need to not freak out- I’ve been here many times, granted I had Mayura to come with me but going in alone is basically the same right??” Slowly stepping into the entranceway, the young elf took a deep breath and walked in.

“Just look for the light teal glow- the light teal glow- is….is this it..?” She sighed as she lifted up a small mushroom that had been attached to the side of the cave. “No, Mayura said it was slightly bigger….why is it the one time we need something so oddly specific Mayura had to be busy.” She argued with herself, angrily muttering her thoughts aloud as she continued to search. This was something Faelyn did often when she was alone. Being friends with the quietest elf in her village ended up making her talk more, and not just to Mayura. “Why did I have to be chosen for this stupid job-“

“BOO!!”

“AAAHHHRRG! What the heck Zenith?!”

“Well, I saw you go into the cave alone and couldn’t miss this chance to scare you, since you’re obviously afraid of the dark.”

“I am not?!” Faelyn stated, eyeing Zenith with her not so scary death glare.

“Well it sure seemed like it.” He chuckled. “Why isn’t Mayura here anyways?”

“Well she had to help her mom with something, and they really needed this…mushroom? Well one of these anyways.” She gestured to the mass amounts of bioluminescent algae and shrubs that coated the inside of the tunnel.

“You sure it’s not this one?” Zenith asked, picking up one of the mushrooms that she had just previously set down.

“I mean of course I knew it was that one, I was just setting it down for a second.” She said firmly. “Anyways, we need to leave this place- it’s giving me the creeps.”

“Ok fine, though you have to admit I got you good with that jump scare.”

“Never.”

Faelyn, Zenith, and Mayura had been friends for years, and though they were young, the three elves had started being sent on journeys to gather objects or information to help their village, meaning that they hadn’t hung out lately. Faelyn knew that Zenith and Mayura had a thing for each other, and being their friends she would never want to do anything that would hurt them. As you can probably guess, she liked Zenith, but never showed it, instead, covered it up with anger or hostility. The only thing was nothing she did would ever make him want to be friends with her any less, so he decided to hang out with her as much as he could.

“I can see the exit I think.” Faelyn stated, still walking toward the light. “Um, hey Zenith.”

“Yeah?”

“I was just- um I….i…”

“What is it?”

“I…..never mind, we have to get home quickly so hurry up, I have chores.” He laughed at her stubbornness, knew something was up, but knew better to say anything about it, cause he most likely would be pummeled. The two reached the exit, before parting ways. ‘Why couldn’t I have just said something.’ She thought. ‘Ugh I just need to stop, I don’t want to be the reason….i don’t want….im never going to betray Mayura like that.’

The sun was bright, and beamed down on them through the canopy of trees.

“Alright then, see ya!” Zenith yelled, before disappearing into the trees.

“Alright…. Ugh I gotta get these to Mayura- she better be thankful because the amount of times I almost was scared to death was reallyyyyy annoying.”

Faelyn then too ran off, still grumbling aloud about the annoying traits of herbs and plants. “I’ll become good at something one day….just you wait.”