Into the Darkness

Sam

I awoke to the sound of muffled shouting. Yawning, I stirred to stretch, only to find myself still cocooned within Sapphire. Realization hit me. Suddenly, without warning, the walls of Sapphire's stomach squished me back up her throat and out of her mouth. I groaned as my eyes slowly adjusted to the light.
"You ATE him!?" Astrid exclaimed in disbelief.
"Wel-" Sapphire started.
"WHAT IS THIS?!" Astrid cut her off.
"Relax," I groaned, getting up from the ground. "I'm fine…"
"Fine?! HOW ARE YOU FINE? SHE JUST ATE YOU!" She shouted.
"It's… I…" I couldn't seem to get the words out of my mouth. I blushed, embarrassed.
"Well?!" She demanded an explanation. I opened my mouth to speak. I was interrupted by a burst of laughter. Everyone turned to see Luna sitting in one of the tree branches looking down on the scene.
"Sam? You're a voraphile?" She laughed.
"Umm… what's that?" Astrid asked.
"Well… let's just say when Sapphire's hungry… he doesn't mind," Luna explained. I let out a nervous chuckle. My cheeks filled with pink as Astrid turned to look at me with a face full of confusion.

Then she laughed.
"You!... You!..." She said in between her laughter. I was surprised. I expected the usual 'You're weird' and avoidance forever.
"You're not grossed out or anything?" I asked, surprised.
"No! You're my friend, I accept you're a little… different. After all, I've seen weirder stuff," She said, still laughing a little. "This is priceless," She giggled.
"Hehehe… thanks," I said.
"Well then…" Sapphire interrupted. She turned to Kiiro, who was sprawled out across the riverbed, faintly muttering something about rabbits. She turned back to us. "Shouldn't we get going?"

***************************************
The group awoke the slumbering orange dragon, gathered up their belongings and soon they were well on their way, following the river on foot, downstream. To the left was the lush forest, and on their right was the wide riverbank separating the lush forest from the flowing river's edge. The river was wide and deep, large enough to engulf Sapphire from tip to tip of her wings. It flowed ahead of the travelers disappearing into the treeline. The sunrise was a welcome change to the travelers. The darkness would have to hold off their attacks, allowing the group to travel in safety. Leading the group was Kiiro, followed by Luna and Astrid while Sapphire and Sam hung at the back of the group. Luna and Astrid were locked in a long conversation, while Kiiro and Sapphire occasionally exchanged questions and answers. Sam just continued silently at the back of the group, enjoying the atmosphere.
"Okay, so Kiiro, what are we actually looking for here?" Sapphire asked.
"A cave of sorts," Was his reply. An uneasy sensation passed through the group. Again they would be at the clutches of the darkness. "Don't worry," He reassured. "Luckily I could melt them to nothing within a second!"
Sapphire rolled her eyes.

Another hour passed of seemingly endless hiking.  The group came to a fork in the river. Following Kiiro's directions, they ventured left, where the river soon ended.

…where it flowed into the dark, looming cave that lay in front of them.

"Well then…" Sam started nervously, peering onto the dark depths that lay ahead. The mouth of the cave extended into the distance downwards, until light ceased to shine. The entrance was riddled with stalagmites and stalactites, giving the cave an alien and ominous appearance. The river flowed into the cave, quickly slowing down to a dribble that slowly descended into the darkness.
"Oh relax it'll be fine!" Kiiro said, stepping into the mouth of the cave.
"I've got a feeling that this isn't going to end well," Sapphire said, following Kiiro. She turned back to face the trio. "Stay close, and don't get lost. If you see something, make some noise," She instructed, before stepping further and further into the cave.
"Oh boy," Sam muttered, following Sapphire into the darkness. "I think I'm redeveloping that childhood fear of the darkness,"
"Oh this is familiar," Luna said, her voice echoing into the cave. "Isn't this like in those horror movies where the main character's in a dark scary place and then a scary monster jumps out an-" She was cut off by a loud squealing noise above them. The trio looked up, startled. One hundred pairs of eyes stared back at them. A colony of bats looked down on the trio. One bore its teeth and squealed, a high pitch scream that echoed into the darkness. The other bats began to squeal and hiss, sending chills down the trio's spines.
"Oh shi-"

Suddenly a blast of fire exploded across the roof of the cave, sending the bats scrambling out of the cave into the sunlight. A few unfortunates dropped at the trio's feet, leaving a faint sizzling noise and an unpleasant odor. The fierce fire rolled out above the trio, continuing to the mouth of the cave, lightening up the darkness. Sapphire stepped into view.
"I told you to stay close," she said, letting a puff of smoke escape her mouth. "Come on, and don't stray this time,"