The tunnel winds upwards, leading to another, slightly smaller cavern hollowed from sandstone. High along one of the rock faces there are large cut open windows letting in bright gold sunlight. Along the other walls are many perches and nesting boxes of varying sizes. In one corner is large Jarah wood chest and a small shelf containing bird and dragon care books as well as many small bottles.
"This is called 'The Aviary' by most of the Tir's creatures though nothing is caged here"
Darkhorse explains. A single bird, a large blue raptor, stands on a jut of rock near one of the windows, watching you with amber eyes.
It squawks, shuffling it's feathers into place and you realise it's loose, no jesses or chain hold it to it's perch. Darkhorse bobs her head and replys in a clucks and chirrups that sounds far more like a bird of prey than a horse. She extends her arm and the bird launches itself lightly into the air landing on Darkhorse's forearm, digging it's talons in to balance but the pegasus doesn't seem to even notice. "Tsss tsss yom z!bih vasu. Tsss tsss yom ch'tych." She gives the birds head a gentle scratch and it closes its eyes blissfully. You raise a tentative finger to touch the birds hansome blue plumes but it opens one hard yellow eye and clacks it's beak fiercely and you decide not to sacrifice your finger. Darkhorse doesn't seem to notice the bird's fierce nature, or else chooses to ignore it.
"This is Ka'tush, she's a Windhunter, her egg was a gift from Sunblind, her kind are very efficient guardians and hunters"
There is a joyous chorus of voices and Ka'tush launches itself into the air with an annoyed cry as a blur of different colours swoop onto Darkhorse like vampire bats. Instead of batting the creatures off she stands there squirming and trying not to laugh as the creatures tiny claws tickle her in their frantic scrabble for purchase on her shoulders and arms.

Darkhorse grins at you."These are my Minidragons." The yellow Minidragon looses it's purchase on on of Darkhorse's wings and flits around searching for a new perch, it's claws catch on the front of her shirt and it hangs there like a lizard on a wall watching you.
"They're brilliant little creatures." The pegasus rubs the snout of the green and black one coiled around her neck like a torc. "The brown is Pa'ithla, my finder." The tiny brown dragon nuzzles Darkhorse's ear and chitters something to her. Darkhorse's grin widens and she strides over to the chest shoving it to one side and almost dislodging the minidragons, behind is a pocket knife and an odd sock.
"So thats where they were. You wonderful little creature. You're worth your weight in gold." She scratches the dragon's delicate eyeridge with a finger and turns back to you.
"Brown minidragons are finders. You picture in your mind what it is you seek and they usually know where to find it. You would not believe how much frustration Pa'ithla has saved me since she hatched! The yellow is Cha'as. His talent is telekinesis and mild telepathy which makes him very helpful during emergencies! Mythna is the grey's, his talent is mist."
As if to prove it the little grey puffs out its's chest and wreaths Darkhorse's head with a fine mist that settles on her mane like dew, glinting like tiny diamonds.
Darkhorse turns and points to the other minidragons, checking off their names on her fingers.
"The tan and green is Baximi he can shape clay. And Khafa.." She rubs her cheek on the green and black dragon. "Besides being a beautiful piece of jewlery, when he feels like it, is a fisher. He helps supply us with fresh fish." The dragons croon happily on Darkhorse's shoulder as the pegasus girl walks over to the wall and a series of what looks like pigeon boxes along one of the walls. Curious you follow. Darkhorse leads you over to the furtherest stone wall of her roost picks up a large bowl of finely cut raw meat from a shelf and begins to feed the hungry minidragons and gives titbits to each of the minidragons perched on her shoulder in turn. As she does so a tiny gold dragon suddenly swoops in from the window followed by a blue and land on a perch beside her, trilling for a piece of meat as well. Darkhorse laughs and flips a sliver of meat to each. "That's Sa'banua, she's a flit from Starry cove. She's quite a sweet heart despite her voracious appetite. The blue's name is Kasun, he's a healer" She feeds the dragons the last of the meat and they gobble it down before darting off to perch and sleep, churring contentedly, their tiny stomachs distended.
"Apart from being a hatchery of sorts this cave is where many of the smaller winged species of the Tir roost in the worst weather."
As if to agree with her words a flock of zebra finches fly in and perch all together, churring and chinting brightly. Ka'tush looks at them and clacks her beak at them but doesn't fly at them and the finches just chir cheekily at it.
"This room is open to all of the smaller winged creatures but as you can see they will not attack one another in here, no matter how hungry. This room is a sanctuary for the winged folk. Outside is a different matter."
She flings the falcon up into the air and it Kreee's before flying away to hunt.
"Outside life must go on and life includes death." There is a trill and a gold streak skims in through the window, circling the room before landing on Darkhorse's shoulder. The anthromorphic filly grins at the creature's affectionate trilling, her solemn mood broken.
"This is Shimnae, a minidragon from a dragon fostering guild.
"All these small dragons," Darkhorse indicates the room with an arm. "All of them. I can no longer find the realms they came from. Some have been destroyed, others simply vanished. If you know of where they are please do tell me!."
"And now I must go."
With that she leaps into the air and glides out one of the larger windows, the fair of minidragons and flock of zebra finches following in her wake. You could return back through the Tunnel or, climbing up the carved ladder in the wall to the window, you can see a lovely beach and an azure ocean. In the distance you can see Darkhorse and the minidragons frolicking in the waves, catching minnows for supper. Leaning out the window you can see a series of stairs curving along the cliff face down towards the beach. Or...
You notice a small, narrow tunnel away from the cave, heading downwards.