"The Pendant Pitch"

With a nod, Alex prepared himself. He held the pendant tightly in his tiny mouth, feeling its cool surface against his skin. "On the count of three," he whispered. "One... two... three!"

In a swift motion, Alex flung the pendant away from them, sending it skittering across the cavern floor. The moment it landed, the Tunnel Wrecker's eyes widened, and it let out a curious grunt, immediately shifting its focus to the shiny object.

"Now!" Mortimer shouted, and they both took off, wriggling as fast as they could toward the nearest tunnel entrance.

As they dashed away, Alex glanced back to see the Tunnel Wrecker bounding toward the pendant, its claws digging into the ground like a treasure-hunting dragon that had just spotted a hoard of gold. The creature seemed completely captivated, giving Alex and Mortimer the perfect opportunity to escape.

"Keep going!" Mortimer urged; his voice filled with adrenaline as they weaved through the tunnels. The sounds of the Tunnel Wrecker's growls faded behind them, but Alex could still feel the rush of danger tingling in his tiny body.