You never know if a cave system looks abandoned because it has been uninhabited or simply because no one has ever left. Poor souls, they were probably eaten, or maybe not…?
Story Context: There’s an ancient cave system that looked untouched for many years. As an adventurer stood before the caves, he figured there’s bound to be hidden loot deep down. However, the deeper he went, the bigger the caves become and the thicker the air became. He simply assumed it was a natural progression as he reached the final destination full of riches. Sometimes along the path, he finds a new appendage swishing in the air behind him, it was a tail. He dismissed it as his own imagination due to the air. The air seemed thicker and itchier as he kept pressing on. He just presumed it was only meant to discourage intruders. Then this so-called “air” quickly sunk in heavy, he had sharp pains in his skull and his bones all over ached. Panicked, he began to falter in his resolve to continue, fearing he may have underestimated the journey. But before he could turn around, it was already too late. Suddenly, the world seemed very big as the dragon stood before him, and he wasn’t sure if it was the dragon that made things feel big, or he just shrunk. Kobold transformation.
All works are mine.