Ivy just looooved that wonderful blend of bison and pig that was neither, that was, in fact, her beloved sweet Jakon, and how did his scent make more than just her purr for more, and not just her tummy either.

This hot spring was like the find of a lifetime, all in itself. The way it weaved around so many of this huuuuge boulders and how so many of these boulders were exposed and craggy and so easy to climb around, yet they were so much like the countless boulders at home in the valley below this lone mountain.

So many boulders poked out of the hot spring. So many were completely submerged within the hot spring. It was obvious just looking at it, the spring went deep.

Maybe even deeper than mountain’s own roots.

Underwater there were even minnows, and even bigger fish. More dangerous creatures. Plant monsters that resembled blue water lilies that ate the fish like venus fly traps eat flies.

Even eat her … if she wasn’t careful during her deeper dives.

But this time she brought talismans for both light and protection, which included near endless breath holding. They were both bracelets wore on each wrist and they were woven with water-proofed silk so very, very fragile, but very, very worth it.

She’d find another way into Dirlop Mountain. Another way to … you know, sneak in, just like her elder wanted her to find, as an excuse to get her out of their village while the Dragon Lords tried to recruit their best warriors for dragon craziness.

Let alone carded like her brother was for … you know. Dragons were just as bad as the ancient overlords that made tigermites as fodder for whatever stupid schemes blah blah blah.

Of course, she hated lying to Jakon. He was so trusting. So sweet. Just like his human mother, Helga. Who even trained Ivy a good little bit each day. Long after Jakon showed up each day.

As if Ivy was only Jakon’s secret.

Ha!

But Dirlop Mountain was an eyesore to her kind. Well, most tigermites, at least. Dwarfs infesting key tigermite territory … (but honestly, better dwarfs than beast elves, orcs, dragon overlords and ugh.)

So if today’s invasion of orcs and beast elves and … other things succeeded … tigermites would so be forced to go minion for those awful dragons.

Again.

And those snow vixen witches were scary good at magic. They snagged several of her village’s best warriors. Defeating them all at once. Carding them in a monster deck.

A special deck. Meant for real, actual war.

But lucky for Ivy those vixens hadn’t noticed her so far away and hidden. Or they didn’t care.

Hopefully this next dive proved what she suspected true. Only one dive needed to succeed.

And with her luck … this one would be it. A way to help the dwarves—and without being caught—he-he.