[he hangs back rather than sticking to his companion's side the whole way, and that's where things go to hell a bit: they were both listening hard for attention from down the tunnels, but there's a shout from behind them on the non-tunnel side, too, as the flute music ends up attracting attention from multiple sides.

Wei Wuxian startles, and--with very little time to make a decision, caught out in the open a crucial moment longer than Xingqiu--ends up fleeing for a different tunnel altogether, and out of Xingqiu's sight.]

((sounds good! if you had more plans for Xingqiu's side of this explore thread, we can handwave them meeting up again after getting chased around by the Kappa and keep it going a little longer. if not, i'm fine with wrapping it up here if you are!))