Zalthirion: Sighs deeply, leaning against the wall. "Again with this? Left on our own like we're some lost pets."
Kaeltherion: Looks toward the door Toriel exited through, frowning. "What could be so important she'd leave us here?"
Lymtherion: Shrugs but stays on guard, pacing slightly. "Maybe it's best if we don't move this time. Just in case."
Velthara: Rolls her eyes. "We could handle whatever's in there. I don't see why she keeps treating us like children."
Thaltherion: Adjusts his posture, scanning the hallway. "Let's just wait. It's what she asked."
Xelthara: Sits cross-legged on the floor, keeping an eye on Valtherion. "We'll stay here, but we should be ready if something happens."
Valtherion: Looks nervously at the door. "Do you think she'll come back quickly this time?"
They wait patiently for Toriel to come back quickly. 5 minutes pass, and then they receive a call, as Velthara received a call, and answered it.
Toriel: "Hello! This is Toriel. My errands are taking longer than I thought they would. You must wait 5 more minutes. Thank you for being patient."
Then, the call hangs out.
Zalthirion: Crosses his arms with a sigh, leaning his head back against the wall. "Five more minutes... Sure, why not?"
Kaeltherion: Glances at Velthara. "She could've just told us that before she left. Let's just stay put."
Lymtherion: Nods, staying still but visibly tense. "As long as she comes back after that, fine."
Velthara: Shrugs, sliding the phone back into her pocket. "Five minutes isn't bad. Better than being stranded again."
Thaltherion: Sits on the floor, arms resting on his knees. "Let's make sure we're ready for anything when she does show up."
Xelthara: Smiles faintly, resting her back against a pillar. "At least she checked in this time. Could've been worse."
Valtherion: Looks relieved. "Okay, just five more minutes. That's not too long."
They continued waiting, and after another 5 minutes, as Toriel said, instead of appearing, was another call.
Toriel: "Hello... This is Toriel. I found what I was looking for. But before I could take it... A small, white puppy snatches it away. How odd. Do dogs even LIKE flour? Err, that is an unrelated question, of course. It will take a little longer. Please understand."
The call then hangs out.
Zalthirion: Groans audibly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Are you serious? A dog? What even is this place...?"
Kaeltherion: Crosses his arms, visibly irritated. "She's testing our patience now. How much longer can this really take?"
Lymtherion: Sighs but stays composed. "It's just a dog. She'll handle it. Let's not overthink it."
Velthara: Rolls her eyes, smirking slightly. "A puppy stealing flour? Sounds like this place gets weirder by the second."
Thaltherion: Looks up from where he's sitting. "Maybe we should start moving forward ourselves. Just waiting isn't helping much."
Xelthara: Giggles softly. "A puppy, huh? At least it wasn't something trying to kill her."
Valtherion: Looks worried but hopeful. "She'll figure it out... Right? I mean, she wouldn't abandon us."
Zalthirion: "Honestly, this is ridiculous. I say we start moving. If she's chasing flour-stealing dogs, we'll be here all day."
Kaeltherion: "Agreed. We've waited long enough. She told us to be independent earlier, didn't she? Time to prove it."
Velthara: Smirks. "Oh, I'm all for moving. Sitting here like lost puppies isn't exactly my style."
Lymtherion: "Wait, hold on. She asked us to trust her. We should honor that. Let's give her more time."
Thaltherion: Shrugs. "I don't know. I get both sides. But standing around feels pointless. My vote's to move."
Xelthara: Hesitates, then quietly adds, "I think we should wait. She hasn't given us a reason not to trust her yet."
Valtherion: Nervously fidgets. "I... I think we should stay. She said she'd come back, and I believe her."
Final Vote: 4 for moving, 3 for waiting. The group hesitates for a moment, tension hanging in the air.
Zalthirion: "Majority rules. We're moving. Let's see what's ahead."
Xelthara: Softly. "I hope this doesn't upset her..."
The group starts to cautiously move forward, keeping an eye out for any signs of Toriel. But after they enter the next room, they see a big room, leading to two. One to their left, and one to continue forward in the right of the room. In the room there are piles of leaves, and two white frog like creatures, and the only noise they do, are "Froggit"s.
As the children step cautiously into the room, their eyes scan the scene, taking in the piles of leaves scattered across the floor and the two Froggits hopping about. The room feels strangely serene, with faint shafts of light streaming in from cracks above, casting soft glows on the piles of leaves. The Froggits croak gently, their "Froggit" noises echoing lightly.
Velthara: Smirking, she steps forward. "Well, look at these little things. Are we supposed to fight them or... what? Seems like they're just minding their own business."
Kaeltherion: His expression darkens slightly, his tone sharp. "If they get in our way, we deal with them. We don't have time to mess around." His hand instinctively moves toward his weapon.
Lymtherion: Quickly interjecting, his tone calm but firm. "Wait, wait. Toriel said monsters down here want our souls. But that doesn't mean we need to attack them right away. Maybe we can talk to them, figure out what they want."
The Froggits notice the group, their eyes wide with curiosity. One hops closer cautiously, croaking softly.
Zalthirion: He crouches slightly, watching the Froggits with interest. "They don't seem aggressive... yet. Let's try not to provoke them unless they make the first move."
Thaltherion: Nods. "I agree. Toriel did mention trying to solve problems without fighting. Maybe this is a test, like the dummy."
The Froggit closest to them tilts its head, making a low, questioning "Froggit?" sound. It seems to wait, as though expecting some sort of reaction.
Xelthara: Quietly, almost nervously, she steps forward. "Maybe... maybe I can talk to it." Her voice is soft, hesitant.
The Froggit hops closer to her, croaking again. Xelthara kneels, holding out her hand tentatively.
Xelthara: "Hello there... We don't want to hurt you. We're just passing through."
The Froggit blinks at her, croaking again, but this time more cheerfully. It seems to relax slightly, hopping in place.
Valtherion: Watching intently from behind his siblings, he whispers, "I think it understands her... It doesn't look like it's going to attack."
Velthara: Rolling her eyes slightly but stepping closer. "Fine, fine. But if it even twitches the wrong way, I'm not holding back."
The second Froggit hops over, croaking as it does, seemingly encouraged by Xelthara's gentle approach. It circles the group curiously, making soft noises as it studies them.
Zalthirion: Smirking faintly. "Well, I guess this counts as 'solving problems without fighting.' Good job, Xelthara."
The Froggits croak happily before hopping away toward the left path, disappearing into the dimly lit corridor.
Lymtherion: "Looks like we made the right call. No bloodshed needed."
Kaeltherion: Still tense, watching the direction the Froggits left. "For now. But don't drop your guard. Just because those two were harmless doesn't mean everything we meet will be."
The group glances at the two paths ahead.
Zalthirion: "So, do we follow them, or keep going forward?"
Velthara: Her smirk returns. "Well, if they went left, that probably means there's something interesting over there. Let's see what they were running to."
Kaeltherion: His tone firm. "Or, it could be a trap. Forward might be the safer route."
The group exchanges glances, weighing their options, before making their decision.
After a brief discussion, the group decides to follow the Froggits, heading down the left path. The corridor is narrow and dimly lit, with faint claw marks on the walls suggesting this passage is frequently used by something—or someone. The sounds of distant croaks echo faintly, guiding them forward.
As they emerge from the corridor, they find themselves in a small, cozy-looking room. Piles of leaves form a soft carpet over the stone floor, and an old wooden sign stands in the center. The Froggits they followed are hopping around happily, seemingly at peace.
Xelthara: Her voice soft. "They look... so calm. It's kind of nice here."
Velthara: Raising an eyebrow. "Sure. If you like damp rooms with creepy vibes. I'm just saying, this better not be a waste of time."
The group approaches the wooden sign. The faded text reads:
"Beware the creatures who croak. Though harmless in peace, a croak of distress signals chaos within."
Kaeltherion: Frowning as he reads the sign aloud. "So... if they start croaking in distress, things will go south quickly. Great."
Suddenly, one of the Froggits croaks loudly, its tone sharper than before. Its previously relaxed demeanor changes, its eyes narrowing as it hops toward the group aggressively. The second Froggit follows suit, croaking angrily.
Velthara: Drawing her weapon instantly. "I knew it! I knew this was a trap!"
Lymtherion: Raising a hand. "Wait! Don't attack yet! Let's try to calm them down first!"
Xelthara: Stepping forward nervously, her voice shaking slightly. "Please, we don't mean any harm! Calm down, okay?"
The Froggits hesitate, their aggression faltering for a moment. But the first Froggit's croaks remain sharp, and it takes a small leap forward as if testing the group.
Kaeltherion: His tone cold. "They're not calming down. We need to act."
Valtherion: Stepping forward with his hands raised. "Let me try something." He crouches slightly, lowering his voice. "We're not here to hurt you. We followed you because we thought you might help us. Please, we don't want to fight."
The Froggits exchange glances, their croaks softening slightly but still uncertain. The second Froggit hops back a bit, seemingly reconsidering its stance.
Velthara: Watching closely. "If they make one wrong move, I'm taking them down."
Lymtherion: Glancing at her. "Let's give them a chance. It looks like they're backing off."
The first Froggit croaks loudly one last time, but then, after a moment of tense silence, it turns and hops away, followed by the second Froggit. The room grows quiet again, save for the faint echoes of the Froggits disappearing down another corridor.
Zalthirion: Smirking faintly. "Looks like we avoided a fight again. Well done, Valtherion."
Kaeltherion: Crossing his arms. "Too close for comfort. Next time, we act before things escalate."
Velthara: Rolling her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. But hey, at least we're still alive. Let's keep moving."
The group looks around the room, noticing two more exits—one leading back to the main hallway and another heading deeper into the ruins. The sound of distant running water echoes faintly from the latter.
Lymtherion: "I think we should follow the sound of water. It might lead to something useful."
Kaeltherion: Nodding. "Agreed. Let's go."
The group moves cautiously toward the path with the faint sound of water, their steps echoing softly in the quiet ruins. Despite the tension, a sense of determination drives them forward. They've made it this far, and they're not about to stop now.