Bismuth carefully carried the lit torch in his mouth, taking extra care to not accidentally set himself on fire as he casually made his way down one of the darkened tunnels. He still preferred the mountains of Dreamer's Col, but ever since a pack had set up there he'd been forced to move out with the others. While these tunnels weren't as nice, they were intriguing enough to explore that he braved the cold in the deeper sections. Heliodor slowly flapped above him, helping guide him through the tunnels. He wasn't sure exactly how long he had been exploring, or just how deep in he had ventured, but after a while Bismuth settled down by a four-way intersection, setting the torch upright amongst some rocks so he could still see, but now had the use of his mouth. He sat back on his haunches near the torch with a soft grunt, fluffing out his fur against the cold. Estimating he had more than enough time before the torch burned out, Bismuth decided he would sit and meditate in the tunnel for a bit, not expecting anyone else to come by and disturb him.

The clan was listless and struggling, trying to find a new place to settle. Scouts had been sent out for the last few months, seeking out a new series of caverns in which to settle for the forseeable future. The monochrome titan was one such scout, though they were admittedly a bit rusty. Their current project was investigating the ancient mines, whose shafts had yet to be fully exploited for minerals and ores. They would be incredibly useful for crafting endeavours, and as they ventured deeper and deeper underground, the air grew warmer. The ground under their paws was notably softer, though no less rough. It would be an excellent space to claim as their own, with its network of tunnels and wells crisscrossing the underground landscape. It's only major drawback was the lack of fresh water sources. Many of the pools the giant had found were stagnant, or contaminated in some way. Not to mention, the risk of collapse was not inconsiderable. Meandering back from whence they'd come, towards the cooler air of the surface and its slight increase in light, the sounds of paw steps that were not their own echoed from up ahead. The drafts of fresh air carried a familiar scent, which brought a great smile to their dark maw. They picked up the pace until they could track down their companion, who had been just as keen to wander in recent months. "Bis!" they boomed, noticing the dim flicker of flames from the tunnel up ahead. By the time the riotous pelage came into view, Snowflake's grin had reached their eyes.