I really do try to return to the cave, but in the end I just can't do it and turn back to the pit. Then I start climbing down the side using my claws to hold onto the rocks. At first it is slow going, but I quickly get better at it and am able to move faster.

However, even after an hour passes, I still haven't found anything but more rock. It is probably a good thing I didn't try to fly down while shapeshifted, I would have run out of time. Just as I am wondering if I should turn back, I spot something different ahead.

There is an opening in the side of the rock, it looks like a tunnel entrance. When I reach it and take a look I find that it is, so I enter it and am able to take a break. The tunnel heads away from the pit and slants up at a decent angle, it is probably a lava tube.

In fact, as best as I can tell, the lava tube heads in the direction of the cave. Instead of climbing back up the pit wall, I start walking up the lava tube to see where it goes. If it keeps going towards the cave then I can use this to return faster and still explore at the same time.

Then, I suddenly stop as I spot something shiny, the wall is covered in them. A closer look shows that they are raw, uncut diamonds, so this is definitely an old lava tube. Unfortunately, while these are probably worth a fortune, I currently have no use for them.

Just as I am walking past them a glint of red catches my eye and my instincts start screaming at me. The glint is from a red gem, I can't be sure if it is a ruby or something else. It is hard to concentrate on what it is because my instincts are screaming at me to eat it.

These new instincts haven't been wrong yet, so I stop fighting them and do what they want. With my teeth I grab hold of the gem and rip it from the wall, then I bite down. The gem shatters in my mouth and I swallow the chunks, it does hurt a little.

Luckily, the small cuts the fragments make heal quickly and I can feel something happening. The lava tube lights up as my body starts glowing with red light and the diamonds reflect the light around. Now that there is some light I can see that there are a lot more gems than I thought.

However, there are no other gems like the one I just ate, which is a little disappointing. Again, whatever the gem did to me is not reflected on my character screen, but it felt wonderful. So far, it seems my instincts only react to things that will help my growth.

If in the morning I have had another growth spurt, then I will know that is the case. So I continue following the lava tube, which has stayed fairly straight so far. My sense of direction isn't perfect, but I am fairly sure I am still headed towards the cave.

By the time I find the end of the lava tube the sun has set and it is dark out. The exit is covered by greenery, including a fairly large tree, meaning it has been a long time since the last eruption. That being the case I am really lucky that the lava tube hasn't collapsed anywhere.

Climbing to the top of the tree I quickly get my bearings, I am not too far from the cave. So I jump to the next tree in the right direction and quickly reach the cave. Brightfire is at the cave opening watching the darkness and I see her relax the second she sees me.

She turns and retreats into the cave, when I catch up to her I find her putting meat on to cook. Nala is already asleep, which tells me they already ate without me, but that's fine. Brightfire remains silent the entire time she is cooking, in fact she doesn't speak until I am done eating.

Brightfire says "How did your exploring go?"

I shapeshift and say "It went alright. How was your day?"

Brightfire says "I reached level two!"

"That's great! What did you find to fight?"

Brightfire says "A type of small lizard. It stands around two feet tall and they run in a pack."

"I think I know what you mean. If I'm right, just be careful, they might have a paralyzing bite."

Brightfire says "No worries, they couldn't bite through my leathers."

"To have leveled up you must have killed more than a couple of them."

Brightfire says "Yes, I killed half a pack. I would kill one or two, the rest would then run away. After a while the rest of the pack would come back. Then I would kill one or two more, and they would do the same thing."

"If they kept coming back, how come you only killed half the pack?"

Brightfire says "Because after I killed about half of them they stopped coming back."

"Ah, too bad."

Brightfire says " So did you find what you were looking for?"

"Only part of it, but I am thinking of giving up and leaving."

Brightfire says "Giving up? Why?"

"Because this island is a lot more dangerous than I thought it was. I am worried about you and Nala."

Brightfire says "You think the cave and the surrounding area are no longer safe?"

"They never were safe, just safer than the rest of the island."

Brightfire says "You don't need to give up on our account. We may not be as strong as you, but we can handle ourselves."

"You can say that, but if something happened to you how would I explain it to your father? Not to mention, you have a responsibility to help me get all the elves somewhere safe."

Brightfire says "So, you're going to be like that? Alright, if you are that worried we can move the camp down the stairs."

"Down the stairs? That would be safer, not perfectly safe, but safer."

Brightfire says "That way you can keep exploring."

"True, but the tree is probably big enough now. We should head back."

Brightfire says "The tree might be, but you aren't. Won't you have to shapeshift to be able to work on the ship?"

"Yes, that is true."

Brightfire says "So, either way you are going to have to wait until you grow up some more. So why not spend it here where there are things to keep you busy?"

"Why are you so set on not leaving?"

Brightfire says "Because I also want to get stronger, and I can't do that once we go back."

"If you are not going to stay in the camp, what point is there in moving the camp?"

Brightfire says "To make you worry less?"

"Then what are we going to do to make you worry less?"

Brightfire says "Tie you up and lock you in a cage?"

"Yeah, not letting you do that! Any other ideas?"

Brightfire says "Since you won't let either of us come with you, not really."

"Then I guess we will both just have to keep worrying."