The morning light had yet to fully dispel the chill fog above the Fungus Castle. Baroque pushed open the door, took a deep breath of the crisp air, and then moved his shoulders somewhat in surprise.
"That's odd..." he turned to another dwarf who was washing at the stone trough outside the house. "Is it my imagination? This morning doesn't seem as bone-chilling as the previous days, does it?"
The dwarf scooped some warm water from the heating Puki and wiped his face, nodding: "Now that you mention it... it seems the wind isn't as biting today."
Baroque had now completed the symbiosis, and experienced the fascinating flow of thoughts within the Fungal Network. But like all newcomers, he hadn't quite let go of the habit of speaking out loud.
He couldn't be more satisfied with life in the Fungus Castle - the gigantic forging furnace was professionally impressive, the piles of minerals were his for the taking, and those mushrooms were so delicious they could bring a dwarf to tears!
