The left tunnel

Teysa ducked under the lintel of the left-hand tunnel, pulling Aliara behind her. Tiny bones scattered and crunched under their feet. Inside, the tunnel was low and claustrophobic. It immediately spiraled leftward. Half-dragging Aliara, Teysa pushed forward until she was sure that whatever had frightened her friend was gone.

Aliara called a halt, panting, and leaned against the wall. She was short enough to not have to bend over, but Teysa had to crook her head uncomfortably to stand straight. She settled for a slouch against the opposite wall. "Well, Li?"

Aliara smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Tey. I don't know what came over me. It's gone, now, whatever it was. Quick thinking." Teysa smiled. "Well, I wasn't going to leave you behind. I get lost on the way from the bedroom to the kitchen. I don't want to wander around down here until I die of old age." She shook the orb Mish'li had given them, brightening it enough to see the floor. "Look at these. I wonder what they came from?"

The floor was, if anything, more densely carpeted with bones than the entranceway had been. They rustled like dead leaves as Teysa reached down and fished a long, thin femur out of the pile. She studied it intently. It looked like it had come from some kind of small furred creature-- it was as long as her hand, and a scrap of furry skin still clung to one end. She dropped it in disgust and scraped her hand against the wall in a reflexive gesture. "Ugh!"

Aliara giggled. "Come on, Tey. They're just bones. Look like rats or something." She kicked aside a pile, causing a minor avalanche. "We should be on our guard for scavengers. Kobolds, maybe, down here. Rats are certainly their speed."

"We shouldn't linger down here, Li. I don't care if it is just kobolds, this place gives me the creeps." Teysa shuddered. "You want to lead?"

Aliara took point as they followed the tunnel. The carpet of bones continued unabated, but the tunnel gradually widened. Teysa wasn't sure, but it seemed as though it was sloping steadily upward. She could see where stalagmites had been pulverized to widen the way-- this was not wholly a natural passage. Combined with the bones that was not a reassuring thought. She rested one hand on the pommel of the dagger Mish'li had given her. The drow was right-- this wasn't much of a weapon-- but it reassured her anyways.

The passage abruptly opened up into a round cave. Teysa shook the orb to brighten it, but the lambent blue glow barely illuminated a few feet. Something about the darkness down here seemed to drink in the light. Unconsciously, the women drew closer together. Teysa could see at the edge of their sphere of light a dark circle in the floor-- it looked like a pit, but the circular rim was too regular for it to be a natural phenomenon. A cool breeze gusted out of the pit and made her shiver. Aliara held one finger to her lips-- unnecessary, as Teysa felt instinctively that making noise would be a bad idea indeed. Together they started to inch forward, hugging the wall and keeping their eyes peeled for an exit.

A keening wail erupted from the depths of the pit. All of the hair on Teysa's neck stood up, and her skin prickled with goosebumps. The sound was impossibly piercing, echoing off the stone walls. It seemed to go on and on and on. Dimly she could hear a scurrying, scuttling sound behind it, but the wail commanded her attention and rooted her to the spot. It reverberated from the cave walls and seemed to come from everywhere at once. Her dagger was in her hand without conscious thought, but she couldn't make her feet move. Finally the horrible keening died out, leaving both women terrified in the dark. Aliara's eyes rolled madly in her head as she swiveled her head back and forth. The scrabbling grew louder, and Teysa noted in horror that she could see movement down in the pit.

With a monumental effort of will she **** herself to move and dragged the trembling Aliara behind her. Taking a step broke the fog of terror and she found herself running across the cave floor, searching blindly for an exit. Behind her she could hear something scraping across the floor. Up ahead-- there! Another opening in the wall led away from this cave. She took a step towards it and felt Aliara's hand pull loose from hers.

The half-elf was standing still, holding her dagger in front of her in both trembling hands. Her mouth hung slack with fear. A few yards in front of her, something was emerging from the pit. It was surprisingly small, actually-- a humanoid shape, white-furred, hunched over. The stench was appalling, a mixture of filthy matted fur and old stale blood. It pulled itself over the edge of the pit with its hooked claws and loped across the floor. Another followed, and then another. Teysa shook the orb and immediately wished she hadn't. The light revealed a tide of twitching, jostling bodies scaling the rim of the pit and pouring over the edge. As the glow brightened the creature nearest them yelped and flinched backward. Teysa got a glimpse of a grossly distended jaw pushed open by a bristling mass of mismatched fangs, a pale snout, and a beady red eye. As more of its packmates joined it, the creature advanced again, but seemed unwilling to get too close.

"Aha! Don't like the light, do you? Take this!" Teysa shook the orb again, but it was as bright as it could get, and as soon as she stopped the light slowly began to fade again. Throwing one arm protectively around Aliara, Teysa held the orb aloft. One of the creatures let out an eerie whine, but they maintained their distance. Teysa and Aliara were surrounded by a semicircle of the things. Teysa pulled her friend backward, backing them up to the wall. She could feel Aliara's heart pounding. "Li, I need you to get a grip, ok?" she hissed. "Please, love. Please, do it for me. I need you here now."

Aliara took a deep, rattling breath and nodded. "I'm here, Tey. What do we do? There's too many of them."

Teysa set her face grimly. "We have to fight our way out. Through them. I saw an exit up ahead. They hate the light. If we can get to that tunnel, they won't be able to use numbers against us. It's our best chance."