Indeed the falcon was actually starting to trust the snake more and more. It was just that he did not show things like that very often. He was the type who trusted that others would simply know rather he trusted them and not make a huge deal out of it. He noticed that the path was wider again. So he moved a little bit away from the snake as he was looking at the walls. He the saw the snake pick something up from the wall and stated that the item was odd. Hum well that interesting to know. A hydra scale? That was actually interesting to find. Though claws did not know what a hydra was exactly. He looked at the scale with interest as the snake held it close to the light. It certainly looked neat that was for sure. ” alright …..a …hydra…scale? ….wow…… that….. is very …..interesting……. Hum…… they…… do……. that…… is…… nice ……to……. know. …..Yeah…… I …..see. Three…. heads?…… Wow…… that….. is….. unique….. Hum….. what….. is….. a….. hydra …..though?. “ he said with a smile. These were the times when he was glad that his eyesited was so great. Even when he was in a dark place like this. Now that was not to say that he could walk threw here with no light at all. From the questions he asked the snake could probably tell that he did not know what a hydra was. what he did know was that they must be related to dragons judging from the size of the scale and all. though he knew that it was better to ask and find out then it was not to and never know at all.

"Heh, not a bad question. I know almost everything there is to know about hydras though, otherwise I probably wouldn't have even known what this scale here was." Athos paused, trying not to sound too superior or overly proud of his random and incredibly obscure knowledge. It only came from personal experience years and years ago, experience he didn't want to repeat.

"Hydras are a sort of mix between dragons and snakes, at least that's the easiest way to describe them. Like dragons they can sometimes develop unique skills such as breathing fire or spitting poison or acid, not usually to any grand degree like a dragon can, but it can still be there. Start with the body of a dragon, heavyset and broad, lots of muscle. From the chest up you'll start to notice a difference, again depending on how far out there the specific family is the change can be pretty drastic. A few have two or three sets of arms, but that's extremely rare in an already rare creature. Now when you get to the shoulder area it's even wider, because there's more than one neck. Every one I've seen the necks all start out as individual necks like yours or mine, supposedly they can start as one and split off into different necks, but I've never seen it."

He hoped this wasn't going to be an information overload but he wanted to be thorough. "So multiple necks, multiple heads. Each one has its own brain, so its own thoughts, feelings, emotions, like conjoined twins or such. All of the heads have at least some control over the body as a whole, good for them if they're all agreeing on what to do but bad for them if they all want to go in a different direction. Each head developed independantly so you have slightly different voices in each one, and their necks tend to have stronger scales. They're also longer so there's space for the multiple heads. It can be interesting if you know one, try having three or four or five different conversations all going at once, heh."

Athos held the scale in his hand up again. "This would be from the chest, where their organs ger the most protection, so it shows off the points better than say on the arm or leg or tail. Now, the funny thing is that people who do hear about hydras have one huge misconception about them. There was a legend long ago about if you cut off one head two would grow back to take its place. That's just fiction, a story. In reality it would kill that head, completely. Any remaining ones would still be alive but the body as a whole would suffer from the loss. However, just hurting the body is pointless. That's where their "magical" regeneration comes from, can take just about any kind of punishment to the body and survive but not the heads. Heh, hope I haven't bored you with all that."

Claws smiled as he listened to the snake speak. He was very happy to learning all of this new information. He knew that knowing things like this took a lot of knowledge. And he respected that completely . “ ahh.. I…see.” claws said. He then listened to the snake as he went on to explained exactly what a hydra was. He loved to learn new information about things. Not that he would eve have to deal with a hydra but it was nice to know about them. Ahh… okay…that …sounds ….interesting…. Hum….. That……. Might……. Be……. hard for….. one ……to…… live ……with …..if….. none…… of …….the ……..heads…… got…… along…….. And…… it……. might …..be…… kind of ……hard…… to…… talk to ……them…… that…… way……. as well……… Hum ……yeah……. I…… think……. I ……heard….. that…… myth ……..before. ……Ahh ……they…… can …….heal…… themselves……. a…… bit. …….That is …….interesting……. as …..well……. Oh…. no ….you ……did ……not ……bore me……. at …..all. ……..You ………certainly…….. know……. a lot ……about……. them……. though……. You……. know ……you ……are a …….very …..interesting…… person…… I am……. very ……glad ……that ……you have…….. been ……so….. patient ……with …..me…. and…. have…… told ………me……… all…… of ……this …….useful ……information. “ he said with a smile he was glad that the snake had told him all of this interesting stuff. The falcon also meant what he said when he said that he thought that the snake was interesting.

"Heh, you sure I'm not boring you? Good, wouldn't want to make this an unpleasant trip. It's nice when someone finds my random trivia and mostly useless obscure knowledge interesting. Though this might actually be useful, I've heard we might have a hydra student at the school now. Haven't seen him myself so he's probably really new, but it'll definitely be interesting." Good thing he hadn't heard of "true" hydras anymore, just the anthro versions. if he ran into a big beast like that he'd be hard pressed to do anything about it, that was really more of a dragon's thing like Blake or Drake, not him. Not unless an anti-dragon weapon could work on one and he sincerely doubted that.

Claws smiled as the snake spoke again. He found it rather interesting that there was a hydra student at the school. However he did not really have a reason to want to meet him. Claws was simply to shy to say hello to everyone who passed him by. That was why the falcon did not have many friends himself. Really though he figure with they way that he was always traveling he did not have to have friends anyhow. Though that was not to sat that he was not happy that he now had at least one friend. claws smiled as they counted on their way threw the cave. It amazed him that one creature could go and dig something like this all by themselves. There was also still the question of why they dug it as well. Perhaps the falcon did not really want to know the answer to that question.” no… you …..really……are….not. ……You……. do……. not……. have …….to …….worry….. about …..that……. I………. am…….. having…… a…… very…….. good …….time……. Heh……. yeah……… Hum …….really,……… yeah ……that ……could …….be …..useful.” claws said with a smile. The falcon would really hate to run in to a giant monster like a non anthro hydra. The falcon would probably run and try to hide from it the instant he saw it. You see the falcon would be the first to admit that he was a coward during certain situations.

The path finally stopped its little incline and leveled out, something Athos was kind of relieved about. "Feels like we're getting close to the end, ground's more even and I think I feel a bit of a breeze ahead."It was good to know the kid was enjoying the exploration and information he could provide. Now hopefully this would finish the cave exploration for a bit and they could start working their way back down the mountain before it got too late in the day, he wasn't sure how far up they'd come yet but with a bit of luck they'd find out in a moment.

The falcon was walking behind the snake as he found that the cave was starting to become more level as they contained to walk up the path. He was happy to be walking with the snake in the cave. He knew though that they needed to get started back to the school pretty soon if they did not wish to be walking back in the dark. And the falcon really did not want to be out here in the dark. Who knew what or who wondered these woods at night. He had heard that there were bad creature that were in these woods at night. And while the snake might have been a tough customer himself claws did not want to meet up with any of them himself. “ alright… well….after….we …..get….. out…..of…here…we…. should… .probably ….. make…..out …..way…..back…..to ……the…..school… so….we…are….not…out ….her…. At ….night…” said the falcon with a smile. He hoped that they were not too high up in the mountains. You see the falcon was not all that good of a climber. Normally he would have just flown down but because he was with company he could just climb down. For the most part he was just lazy when it came to that sort of thing.

"My thoughts exactly. Though getting back to the school wouldn't be a problem it'd take longer. Looks like there's a lot of light up ahead though, we're almost out. Let's hope it leads to a convenient path back down the mountain instead of some dead end. Though a dead end isn't really so bad, it'd probably have a great view." Athos was optimistic about everything still, and he'd continue to be until there was a reason to change his perspective. He could handle just about anything and even if it was a dead end it wasn't like they were stuck up here, they could just go back the way they came and if it took a little longer then so be it, there was still time.

Claws smiled as he listened to the snake speak. He was not to worried about how hard the trip back would be. It was just that with those long claws of his he was not the best climber around. His nails tended to get caught in things and beaked. And he knew from experience that breaking his nails really hurt. However for the moment he was willing to go wherever the falcon was willing to go where ever the snake lead them. “ yeah…. That….is….true… really…. I… am… .in… no… .hurry…. Yeah…alright…..heh well…… if it …..dose …….and ……there……. is a ……pretty …..view…… it….. would……..have ……..been ……….worth ………the …….climb ……up ……here……. anyway.” the falcon said with a smile. The falcon like the pretty things in life for the most part. That made others think oddly about him though. Really he did not care though. After all you are who you chose to be not what other think you are in claws point of view.

"True, it'd definitely be a picture perfect sort of moment. Shame I didn't bring a camera, heh." Athos smiled, as they finally got back outside the view was indeed great and to their incredible fortune there was a path down from this entrance. It led back down and from what he could tell, into the woods. Strange, a path he didn't recognize? Maybe it was more overgrown down there than it was up here, but either way it made returning to the school much easier now. "What a lucky break for us huh? Great view and a way down, can't complain about that."

The falcon now smiled at the snake as he spoke. He could not agree more with what he had just said. The only thing that was better the looking at the land from so high place was the adventure it always took to get to such a place. “ yeah….I ….think it…..would. ….heh….yeah….that….would…have…. Been….good” the falcon said with a smile. He followed the snake out of the cave and smiled at the sight that was before them now. It was indeed breathtaking. And well worth the climb. He also notice that it would not be all that hard to climb back down the path. The only problem was that he still had to wonder how the path had gotten there. Maybe someone wanted to come up here before them. Maybe it was the very hydra that made the tunnel in the first pace. “ yeah….it ….is ….. Nope ….you….cant….complainer about…..that.” he said with a smile on his beak now.

"We'd better get going though, nice as the view is and thankful as I am that there's a path we don't want to be late." not that the dark was really a problem considering they still had the flashlight and his torch if necessary but it was harder to be prepared in the woods. He smothered the torch for now, no use burning it in broad daylight. The snake smiled and took the first few steps along this newly discovered path, making sure the slope wasn't too steep and the footing was decent. "Safe to walk down but wouldn't advise running. no loose spots that I can see though and it's wide enough for us to go side by side if necessary."

Claws gave the snake as smile as he spoke. He did have a good point there.” yeah…. We…..do……not…..need ……to …..be ……late.” claws said softly. He for one did not wish to be stuck walking in these woods at night. He just got a feeling that if that became the case that they might meet some sort of creature who liked to lurk in these woods. Maybe though claws had heard to many horror stories form the other kids at the school. He now looked at the snake as he put out his torch. At least he did have someone he could trust in case he ever need him. And for that the falcon was very thankful. He then watched as the snake tested out the path that hey would soon be taking. Well at least it was not very steep so far.” that…… is…… good…… Heh…… you……. Do…… not……. Have ………to ………worry…….. About…….. me running. ……..I…….. have enough …………trouble just ………walking. ……..That ………is ……..good…….. That…….. means that……. it ……..will ……not…….. be to hard……… of a path…… to walk …..for……. now.” the falcon said with a smile as he started to follow the snake down the hill.

"It's odd, still no real sign of anything making this path other than that one scale. And now I'd guess it was designed as a path to go through or up and down the mountain quicker but if that's the case it should have still been in use, even by wild animals from time to time. Maybe we'll have a better idea of why this is when we get down to the bottom of this path. If not, well, guess it's just a really lucky break for us, heh." Though he was starting to get more concerned, this was the sort of thing a predator might do if they wanted to catch easy prey. Go through the mountain path, start climbing down, and when you get to the bottom find a big hungry predator waiting for you. And after the climb up through the mountain and down this path, it'd be really hard to run back up and try to sneak through the tunnel again. Still it didn't seem likely that a beast would go through that much trouble but he'd be prepared.

The falcon was also kind of wondering what could have made such a path. He figured that it was probably some feral creature. Because if it was a person then they would have wanted to live in the cave where it was safe right? Though he knew that he could be wrong though. He certainly did not wish to run in to trouble while he was out here. Though he knew that they were taking that risk as they made their way on in to the woods. However he was just trying to keep such things out of his mind for now. He did not want to be afraid of what they might run in to while were on this little hike. “ yeah… it…. Is…. Maybe someone ……..uses…….. it……… and ……..just tryst …..not to…… lave much …….of a ……sign…….. Like …..maybe ……..they did …….not ……..want …….to be……. found…….. Hum …….well ……..maybe……. something just ……..uses…… it …….once in….. a….. while….. You ……know…… like…… an …..escape ……route ……or ……something” claws said. He was merely giving the snake his suggestions for what might have been using the trail. After all something or some one had to come threw for the trail to be as nice as it was. He just hoped that their good fortune would last until they got back to the school. If not then he would try to put on a brave face if he could.