Chapter 26: Amid a Valley of Burgundy and Navy

Turmeric’s remade, more powerful legs strode through the dark moss of the tunnel he had dashed down.

This tunnel was completely covered in the moss known as the darksorbing vague brushmoss, there was nothing else in the tunnel, so naturally Turmeric could easily charge down it.

He laughed as he charged.

“This great! Feel great. Strong, Turm strong!” he bellowed.

He had left Fancy Chill’s minion and the forgehome long behind. Turmeric wasn’t an idiot when he was a mere beast, and after becoming more than a beast he certainly wasn’t an idiot. He was only going to slow down after he was sure that they wouldn’t get caught, even if it meant he hadn’t a clue where he was going.

He broke out of the tunnel and slowed down to a trot as he took in the sight that came before him. As a beast, this was not a thing he did, admiring a view, but he could not help but do it.

Spreading out before and below him was what is called an inner valley. A cavern shaped just like a valley. One side of the valley was navy, the other was burgundy, cutting along between this was a river of green! It was not a river of water of the chocolate river, but a river of jade water. It was likely there was at the source of this river a living vein of jade!

On the ceiling of the inner valley cavern, twisted around stalactites were fairybulb vines giving out light of many colours and growing out among this was a forest of blue-leaved upside-down oaks.

The fairybulb vines even twined around these trees, the light from their bulbs peeking out sheepishly along with various cavern batlings. It is quite more common to encounter batlings in the underground than underground avians. Batlings, naturally enough are Elcon’s collection of flying leathery winged beings. Some of them aren’t terribly bat like at all. Of course other things flit about in the underground, but nothing as common as the kinds of batlings.

Turmeric pulled the caravamel closer to the burgundy side of the valley. As he did so he noticed that the burgundy was caused by masses of lollipop shaped trees. These trees had a kind of rough dark brown bark. As Turmeric followed the jade river, watching the hardcore metalfish that rocked through it, he was also able to observe the other side of the valley, which was covered in massive navy mushrooms, various creatures stalked among the stalks of the mushrooms, a herd or pride of this or that getting spooked away from their grazing or fleeing as a predator takes down one of their number.

The burgundy forest was considerably less lively.

“Turm wonder why forest peaceful?” he mused.

He was careful not to lead the caravamel into the forest, or to stray too close to the jade river.

“Is that forest snoring? Wait, did you just talk Turmeric?” Kejo asked, having just revived from unconsciousness.

“Yes. No.” Turmeric replied to both questions.

Kejo let out a deep sigh, and then wiped his face with one of his long fingers.

“Well, that’s good, I thought I was going crazy there.”

Turmeric gave a dismissive snort.

Kejo stared at Turmeric, it dawned on him that Turmeric was greatly changed. Then following that, he realised that Turmeric had talked. Another revelation chased after this, the trees were indeed snoring.

“AAAAAAAHHHHH!!! YOU TALKED!! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!? WAIT THE TREES ARE SNORING, TREES DON’T SNORE!” he shouted.

This loud yell had the effect of annoying Turmeric, but it also woke the red foolbears.

Their trunks shaking, the foolbears raised their leafy and fierce heads and bellowed in displeasure at being awoken!