The line to enter the dungeon was short. As is, the dungeon doesn’t have enough payoff for anybody but the newer teams and the general public to bother with. However dungeons grow fast and anyone with a nose for gold has already tried to make a claim. Even while waiting to enter the dungeon there were people trying to sell food and potions and other things. Vara sent them away before Carolyn could spend all her money.

The group signed in with the guild employees at the entrance of the dungeon and entered. A quick flash of their guild cards and writing their names down was all it took. They looked around curiously but the path from the entrance was a mostly rocky and mossy tunnel leading down. There were spotlights of sunny areas, as if the sun was passing through a broken roof. They noticed several cats sunning themselves and lazing about. The party had been warned not to attack the cats and, although some were evolved to be larger and stronger, they didn’t even seem wary of the intruders.

[Carolyn] Do… Do you think I can pet them?

[Paul] No Carolyn. They’re still dungeon monsters. Just because they aren’t attacking us doesn’t make them pets.

[Vara] I wonder if dungeon monsters carry diseases and ticks and stuff like normal strays...

[Carolyn] But the guild said the dungeon said they would only attack out of self defense!

[Adis] Hah. Still no Carolyn. There’s plenty of strays running around town. We’ll help you pet some of those after ok?

[Carolyn] Ok….

Although their eyes were closed, the pile of cats were still keenly observing them with their acute senses. They were certainly not just taking a nap. Even if the sun was pleasantly warm and the light breeze ever so comfortable. Almost as if to prove they weren't asleep, one even thought that it was paculiar how the intruders seemed to separate those in the tunnel with the cats in town. They were all the same dungeon monsters staying inside the same dungeon after all.

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The dungeon had finally opened out into what seemed like a series of large fields separated by walls. The path to the next level was clear. It was a straight line and the path down could be seen even from the entrance, although it was quite some distance away.

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[Paul] Oh. The dungeon isn’t as dark and cold as I’d expected. It’s pretty much the same as being outside.

Vara glanced over at the harpy already spreading his feathers to take in the light.

[Vara] I would have preferred it to be a little darker though. Hah. So? What’s our job today?

[Adis] Oh Paul and I picked some out. Rabbits and snakes are always accepted so we can hunt them if we spot any. The same with most of the common herbs. We also got requests for milk from the milking vines and flowers of jack-in-the-bushes. They should all be on the first floor.

[Paul] Rabbits and snakes aren’t worth very much so we might as well focus on the other quests. Food from the third floor ponds are worth more so we can try to hunt there later. I heard there were inkberries in some of the pools and that’s always worth a few copper.

[Vara] Well that sounds like a plan. Since there’s not much fighting it shouldn’t be too hard.

[Carolyn] Ok lets go! We’ll gather up enough to make the other F rankers jealous.

The group took their time exploring and rather enjoying their first dungeon dive. Vara, being an elf, and Paul, being the most well read, lead the way and pointed out a few interesting plants and animals they saw. The fact that the two races had particularly good vision didn't hurt.

[Vara] Oh. There’s quite a few different plants in here huh? I don’t see what we came here for but these are edible and helps with digestion.

The dark elf broke off a small pod from a bush and pried it open with her nails. Inside were shiny red balls that looked like candy. As Vara ate one, the other members also popped one into their mouths.

[Adis] Ohh. It’s a bit sour but the sweetness and fragrance is there.

[Carolyn] I recognize these. When I was a kid I used to explore the forest. I always got caught by Grandma Kanva but she’d always give me one of these before kicking me out. How nostalgic.

[Paul] It makes sense for the dungeon to contain all sorts of things from the surroundings. They only get new base materials by absorbing things after all. Although you never know how things will mutate or be changed once a dungeon has it.

[Carolyn] Well these are good and nothing’s been done to them. Let’s pick a few more and take them home.

Carolyn set her back down and reached out to pick a few more when Vara yelled.

[Vara] Watch out! Back!

[Carolyn] Eh?

A snake had leapt out of the bush, intent on biting the hand that had disturbed it’s rest. Before it’s bite could land, Adis had already grabbed onto one of the tentacles on Carolyn’s back and pulled her back, just far enough for the attack to miss. Vara beheaded the snake with a dagger before it could rise for another try.

[Adis] Hah. I don’t think that’s a poisonous variety but I’m glad I made it in time anyways.

[Vara] Come on now. Even normal snakes would get startled if you just started sticking your hand into random bushes.

[Paul] Well luckily it seems the dungeon wasn’t lying about it not being too dangerous for the general public. With a non poisonous snake of this size it’s pretty hard to kill anything human sized. Come on Carolyn don’t you have anything to say to them?

[Carolyn] Ah um ….. You shouldn’t touch a lady’s tentacles like that. Hmph. And you know thanks.

[Adis] Haha. I’ll be more careful next time. Well then should we keep going? There’s no real deadline on these quests but we won’t get paid until it’s done.

[Carolyn] Un.