Fear is how I fall

In the sweltering heat of Boreas, Balrog padded through the entrance of the Caves of the Past. His obsidian eyes reflected the eerie images that decorated the cave walls: shapes that had long been etched into stone by ancient hands. The oppressive sun outside had forced him into the shelter of this strange, historical place, where the cool air was a welcome relief from the heat. Yet, Balrog wasn’t here to admire human relics. He had a mission: to find water. With every breath he took, the dryness in his throat reminded him that survival was paramount.

He paused, lowering his snout to the cave floor, taking in the scent of the air, hoping to catch even a hint of moisture. His sister Selene had been playful earlier in the day, splashing through the streams back in the valley. But here, in this dry region, the streams had run thin, evaporating under the summer’s brutal sun.

Balrog’s keen eyes scanned the ground as he walked deeper into the cave. The shadows of the jagged rock formations stretched long, making the cave feel much larger than it was. His paws crunched softly against the gravel, but then something else caught his attention: a soft, almost imperceptible movement along the cave floor.

Bugs.

He crouched low, watching as tiny critters squirmed in and out of crevices between the rocks. They scurried quickly, almost as if they had somewhere to be—somewhere important. Intrigued, Balrog followed them, curious. He knew enough about the natural world to know that these bugs could be a sign of something useful, perhaps even water. Creatures like these often thrived near moisture, and in this heat, they might be just the key to leading him to the life-sustaining water he needed.

As he walked further into the cave, following the bugs' path, the walls began to close in slightly, and the air grew damper, cooler. Balrog felt a faint surge of hope. His sharp eyes tracked the critters as they burrowed and darted into the smallest cracks in the cave walls. They knew something he didn’t, or so he hoped.

“Alright, show me your secrets,” Balrog muttered under his breath.

The bugs disappeared into a series of narrow tunnels that wound deeper into the earth. Balrog hesitated. His large frame would barely fit through the tight spaces, but if these critters were indeed heading toward a source of water, it was a risk worth taking. He squeezed through, careful to avoid scraping his sides against the rough stone.

The further he ventured, the more the bugs seemed to cluster. They gathered in droves, almost as if they were moving with purpose. His instincts hummed; this was no coincidence.

Suddenly, the air became noticeably cooler, and Balrog heard the faintest sound of dripping water. His ears perked up. He followed the sound, winding through the narrow passage, now more confident. The bugs seemed to disperse as the tunnel opened up into a small cavern. There, in the middle of the room, was a small pool of water.

It wasn’t much, but to Balrog, it was precious. The steady drip from the ceiling above had created this little oasis within the cave. The surface shimmered in the dim light that managed to penetrate the cracks from above, casting an ethereal glow across the cavern.

Balrog padded toward it, dipping his head down to lap at the water. The liquid was cool, refreshing, and he drank deeply, his thirst momentarily satisfied. When he raised his head, water dripped from his chin, splashing back into the pool below.

“Found it,” he murmured, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

He knew that this small pool wouldn’t last long. It was too hidden and too scarce to support many creatures, but for now, it was enough for him. He would have to return to Selene and bring her here, at least for the evening. They could rest, refresh, and plan their next move in the morning.

Balrog looked around the cavern one more time, taking in the strange markings on the walls. He didn’t know what they meant, but something about them seemed to hint at survival, endurance: things he himself had experienced in his short, tumultuous life.

As he turned to leave, Balrog caught sight of the bugs once again, now scurrying back toward the cracks in the walls from where they had first emerged. They had done their part, leading him to water, whether by instinct or sheer luck. Either way, Balrog felt a strange sense of gratitude for the tiny creatures.

He moved back through the narrow passage, squeezing out into the larger chamber of the cave, and then back toward the entrance where the heat of the outside world still lingered. For now, he had found water. Tomorrow, he would continue his search for more, but today, thanks to the bugs, he had at least a small victory in this endless summer.

Balrog padded back into the daylight, his obsidian eyes glittering with excitement of his discovery.

"Balrog"