Sage and Aurora continue to walk deeper into the caverns, accompanied by the local inhabitants.

The group continues to walk along the winding corridors of the underground caverns.

Light comes not only from the few fluorescent lights on the ceiling, but also from the many fluorescent mushrooms and moss that grow on the walls of the caverns.

It seems that there is a branched network of underground caverns here.

This is convenient from a security and stealth point of view. It is not surprising that the Meram settlement is located here.

Sage, without stopping walking, tries to continue the conversation: "My companion and I have come to conclude trade and diplomatic agreements with your settlement. We are representatives of the Warren settlement. I would like to..."

Naomi replies: "We will discuss everything, Seeker of Truth... But are you both willing to abide by our customs and standards of decency in negotiations?"

Sage replies: "Yes, of course..."

"Then you will need to temporarily surrender your weapons. We'll return your weapons to you later. Negotiations require trust. Judging by your companion's nervous reaction, she has some trust issues, doesn't she?" - the words and the look in Naomi's bright blue eyes clearly hint at the behavior of Aurora.

Aurora looks at Sage with annoyance and strokes her weapon - a portable handheld rocket launcher.

Sage quietly says to her companion: "Please! We need to be polite... you don't want to fail our mission, do you?"

Aurora looks at Sage with disdain.

Naomi says to Aurora: "Mind you, we are all unarmed. If any of us had bad intentions, we could have attacked you long ago. We know the terrain of these caverns much better than you do."

Thoughts of Aurora: "Risk of mission failure... Luna is dead... It cannot be that her sacrifice was in vain! »

Aurora sighs and says: «Well… I agree to temporarily surrender my weapon…»

Soon the group comes to some dirty hut, which is made of pieces of wood, fragments of rusty metal parts and some unknown materials.

A short man in a gray robe comes out of this hut. His face is wrinkled, there are a couple of healed scars on his completely bald head, he has a small gray beard. The look of his gray eyes is tired. But when he sees Sage and Aurora, small sparks of interest and… excitement appear in his eyes.

Naomi commandingly tells him: «Take the things of our guests, Neville. They will take these things when they leave our settlement.»

Sage gives this guy her weapon: twin semiautomatic pistols.

Aurora grumbles discontentedly: «I'm only doing this because. that I want to complete our mission as soon as possible…”

Then she also gives her weapon (portable handheld rocket launcher) to Neville.

So the group continues its movement deeper into the caverns.

Sage continues to try to start a casual conversation: “It was not easy for us to find your settlement. It is very wise to settle underground. It is easier to defend against the many dangers of the wastelands. The Warren is also an underground settlement. I would like to ask you about the material needs of your settlement and what you could provide for trade…”

Naomi casts a fleeting glance at the talkative rabbit-girl and says: “You will soon learn the details, Seeker of Truth… I sense the Spiritual Flame of True Nature in you… Soon we will reach the general assembly hall – there much will become clear to you…”

Aurora snorts contemptuously and whispers to Sage: “They are some kind of crazy superstitious savages…”

Sage whispers back: “Don’t say that! They might be offended…”

Aurora, being a child from a rich and influential family, was always skeptical about religious cults. In addition, the very life of the technologically advanced settlement of The Warren contributed to the dying out of the old customs of the tribes of rabbits-nomads. Of course, among some residents of this settlement, old superstitions and customs of worship of the Ancient Spirits of the Ancestors were still preserved. For example: worship of the Sacred Mother-Bunny (she is also called Aster-Bunny), who patronizes childbirth and the search for food (the wilder tribes of rabbits-nomads still worship her and depict her on the walls of their tents as a huge female rabbit, who holds two eggs in her hands; eggs are a symbol of abundance). However, the mutant rabbits, who in recent years have ceased to be nomads and began to live in the settlement of The Warren, in most cases stop practicing such superstitions. The rule of elder Rynok and chief-researcher Zephyr is based on a thorough study of ancient technologies, and not on faith in any customs of uneducated ancestors.

As the group moves, Aurora looks at the walls of the caverns.

The images on the stone walls of the caverns have become more detailed.

Images of beautiful naked women and men.

Images of strange anthropomorphic creatures with horns and hooves on their feet.

Many incomprehensible texts, patterns and symbols.

Aurora says with surprise: "These patterns and images on the walls are real works of art... How did you manage to achieve such a degree of accuracy in the depiction of bodies?"

Naomi smiles mysteriously and answers: "For all of us, this art is one of the manifestations of the Higher Meaning of life. What you see on the walls of the caves is not the most beautiful thing... Our masters also create life-size sculptures. If you want, you can talk to one of these masters while your friend and I are busy negotiating in the general meeting hall."

Aurora's gaze lights up with interest, she thinks: "Sculptures?! These guys have really advanced in the development of art! I should take a look at this before we leave this settlement..."

So Aurora agrees to Naomi's offer.

Naomi orders a couple of men in gray robes to accompany Aurora.

Aurora and them go somewhere to the right into one of the side branches in this vast network of underground caves.

Meanwhile, the main group, along with Sage, continues on towards the general meeting hall.