Subterranean: a Fable

Once upon a time, in the light of the moon, a little egg lay on a leaf. One Sunday morning, the warm sun came up and – pop! – out of the egg came a tiny and ravenous caterpillar. This caterpillar’s name was Carle. Long ago, during the great beastfolk wars, due to fear of the savage birdfolk, the bugfolk retreated deep into the underground, where no mere bird could ever reach. Over thousands of years, the bugfolk have grown unknowing of what lies above them, adapting to the depths. Recently, in an attempt to reconnect with the world, visitors are allowed to access the subsurface civilization to teach them about life above the Earth’s core.