"Deeper," Ren urged as the hole continued expanding beneath them.
Sweat beaded on the diggers' foreheads as they worked tirelessly.
Ren observed students sliding into the trench while Zhao's feathers grew increasingly scarce.
"Faster!" Ren urged Taro and the others who continued digging.
The hole was almost deep and wide enough, forty students had slipped inside, but the space for those remaining wasn't ready yet.
"Min, help them smooth the earth there," he directed his friend. "Taro, to the right, the earth is softer there."
Taro's beetle changed direction, its legs tearing away larger chunks of soil. Two other students with digger beasts coordinated their movements, expanding the space with efficiency. Their combined efforts made the tunnel grow faster than any single beast could manage.
'Just a little more,' Ren thought while approaching where Luna remained apart, observing the situation with her wolf ready to strike. He extended a hand toward her.
