Aximili is confused by the appearance of Illyria; she looks like a genetically modified version of the other female, or perhaps an identical twin wearing very different clothing and body dye in her hair and skin. He decides not to ask, since he is about to do something that will likely appear just as strange to them as they do to him.

He lands near them and begins to demorph. He can make the jump to the higher tunnel in his natural form without difficulty, there is enough oxygen to sustain him in his own form, and the rain and wind made it exhausting to maintain his hover. Bones audibly creak and crunch as his wings bend forward and change direction into arms and legs. «Allow me a moment to return to my natural form. Flying in this weather is unpleasant, and I believe it is no longer necessary. I can find the other tunnel with my own senses.»

As he speaks, his beak is running down like hot wax and retracting into his skull. His own nose opens up in his reforming face, and he can smell the air coming in from the tunnels. «This air is foul. Are we certain that prolonged exposure to it is not harmful?»