Putting an ear to the wall, Diamond heard faint talking coming from the other side.
"Are you sure they came this way?"
"Yes! Tracks come here, then vanish."
"They are little horses, not mighty wizards. Must be hiding."
Diamond drew her head back and frowned. "They sound like that lizard thing," she whispered to Silver Spoon.
Silver tilted her head. "Maybe they opened the door and they're here to get us out. We should talk to them."
Diamond crossed her forehooves. "There's no way they're just here to help us out of the kindness of their hearts. They want something, and it probably involves arrows or that dagger there." She pointed at Silver's kobold dagger.
Silver Spoon reached for the door, "I'm going to give them a chance." Diamond pulled her handaxe free and rolled her eyes with obvious disapproval, but let Silver proceed.
Silver pushed the door open on the surprised kobolds. They wheeled towards her with deep scowls, staring silently at first. Silver Spoon looked between them. "Like, hi? Did he make it back safely?"
One of the two kobolds noded. "He did. You are stupid horse for not killing him." He held out a scaled hand. "Give dagger back."
Silver offered the dagger out, and it was snatched away with a low hiss. She ventured a little smile. "Why would it be a bad thing to not kill somepony?"
One of the kobold's tails thrashed. "He failed, in front of a stranger. He didn't escape out of cleverness or smarts, or strength or durability. Only your stupid kindness. Why did you save him? Are you just weak?"
The other chuckled softly, "Maybe she just dumb."
Diamond Tiara threw a leg over Silver Spoon's neck, handaxe held at the end of the same hoof. "Maybe we're just giving an example."
One raised a scaled brow. "Example? What you mean?"
Diamond Tiara pointed at Silver with her free forehoof. "You see, follow us, and you get places. Work against us, and I get to try out this axe." She flashed her flat teeth at them. "Either way's fine by me."
The kobolds seemed cowed by the attempt to intimidate them, shrinking back. "You're not that tough!"
Diamond pointed back the way they came. "Did you see the dead thing, and the spider?" They nodded. "We put them both down, and if we have to, we'll put you down next, and I just might enjoy it."
Silver Spoon snorted softly. "I don't want to do that though. Wouldn't being friendly be nicer?"
The kobolds looked between the two different smiles, one with genuine warmth, and the other a sinister promise of pain delivered with a smile. "Um... Yes, we offer service, yes, no smashing."
Silver Spoon bobbed her head. "Did you open the tunnel back up?"
One of the kobolds pointed back where they had come from. "Yes, shown how to open, open. Come for dagger, and treasure. Is good treasure? Give it."
Diamond Tiara frowned. "Sell it, maybe. Give it, no. Out of the way, we're coming through."
They backed away as Diamond Tiara led Silver Spoon out into the hallway and past them. Diamond Tiara pointed ahead. "Go on, lead the way." Where they could be seen, she quietly added to herself.
Silver Spoon dug into her saddlebag and pulled out one of the unknown vials. "We can trade. One of these for a safe trip out. That's fair, right?"
One of the kobolds reached out and accepted the vial, looking it over curiously a moment before bobbing his head. "Good trade, yes, follow." They scurried ahead, leading the ponies through the hallways, then the tunnel, soon to emerge into the sunlight. One of the kobolds whispered something to the other, and they giggled before dashing off, apparently pleased.
Diamond peered at them scampering along the mountain trail before looking to Silver Spoon. "Whatever you gave him was worth a lot, or he wouldn't have been so happy about it."
Silver Spoon softly huffed, turning away from where the kobolds fled to continue towards the peak. "Let's just find which way's the capital. I'm glad we're out of that place. It was too dark and cramped."
Diamond followed alongside Silver. "I won't argue that, but just imagine what other kinds of treasures were probably hiding in there." She hefted her new axe, clearly enjoying it. "At least we got something nice out of it."
Silver reached for and swatted Diamond's necklace. "What about this?"
Diamond glanced down at it. "Huh, we should get it looked at, along with the other bottles, when we get to a real town." They ascended towards the peak, the stuffy mustiness of the underground traded for the crisp frigidness of the mountains.
As they approached the last crest, Diamond's ear twitched, and she swung around, axe coming within an inch of Gneech's startled face. "No kill Gneech!"
Diamond Tiara lifted the axe away from his head. "What do you want, Gneech?"
Silver Spoon looked Gneech over, noticing his clothes were tattered and torn. "Did something happen, Gneech?"
Gneech gave a slow nod. "Gneech is outcast of warren... Failure in eyes of others." He glanced away, then back at Silver Spoon. "You take Gneech in? Gneech will be good and loyal companion."
Diamond Tiara shoved in front of Silver Spoon. "You're making a critical error there, Gneech. I'm in charge. You want to join us, you have to ask me." She tapped her chest with the hoof from which the axe was stuck. "Why should we trust you?"
Gneech flinched from Diamond's anger. "Oh, Gneech is sorry, alpha female, most powerful of all horses." His words had a mollifying effect on Diamond Tiara. The actual scraping on the ground was a nice touch that she appreciated. "Don't send Gneech out into the cold alone. Gneech is useful, yes?"
Silver Spoon gave a slow nod. "It's my fault he was kicked out. They think he's a bad, uh, like... What are you again?"
Gneech pointed at himself with a claw. "Gneech is kobold! You are horses, yes?"
Silver Spoon shook her head. "Ponies. I say we take him."
Diamond nodded. "I agree. A servant will make us look better." She smiled at Gneech. "But don't forget, you're the bottom of our little organization. Work hard, excel, maybe you'll earn a real place for yourself." She leaned towards Gneech. "We respect results, but we do not tolerate failure." She licked over her lips. "You were kicked out of your last home for failing, let's see if you can't kick that habit."
Gneech bobbed his head furiously. "Gneech will be the best kobold you ever hired." Diamond doubted that would be hard. "But first... Gneech is very hungry. Do you have food for Gneech?"
Diamond grunted as Silver Spoon dug out some rations and shared with Gneech. Pony rations were not quite what a kobold most desired, but he accepted it and filled his belly with far better than nothing at all. "Where are you going? Gneech is good at above-grounding. Can go from warren to warren faster than others."
Diamond perked an ear. "Do you now? Do you know the way to the griffon capital?"
Gneech bobbed his head. "Oh, yes, big place, shaped like egg, full of bird-cats. Gneech usually avoids. They don't like kobolds any."
Silver spoon clopped her forehooves excitedly. "Can you show us the way there?"
Gneech stood tall and proud. "Yes! Gneech will be your guide. Gneech is very useful." He turned and began hiking back down the mountain, taking a subtly different route.
With a guide secured, the two followed after Gneech, feeling more hopeful that they would soon be back in civilization, and the comfort it could provide.