Chapter 5

Shanlai fought the urge to panic. She took deep breaths through her nostrils. The image of the tanner's dead cousin burned in her mind. A muttered prayer to Pelor left her lips, but she was no cleric; light was not forthcoming.

"Don't panic," came Sonya's steadying voice.

Shanlai barked out a laugh, but she didn't panic. She really, truly didn't, and that was the mantra going through her mind as she kept breathing.

"I'm not going to lie. This is bad. Torches don't just walk away. But we can still make it out of here. We'll keep a hand on the wall, stick close together, and we'll get out. No mapping, Yolanda, so keep your blades handy. I know none of you are used to fighting in the dark, but if it comes to it, I know you can handle it. Just stick close, and don't get separated. All right? Let's move."

Shanlai did not want to move, but she recognized the need. Staying in the alcove would not make light reappear. Shakily she stood up, put her left hand on the wall, and followed Sonya.

It was easier with her eyes closed, she found. She could pretend in a corner of her mind that it was a game, a self-imposed challenge. When her eyes were open, they strained, and occasionally she thought she saw something when she knew she couldn't.

None of the forks they had passed earlier seemed any better than where they were going, so they ventured into the large cavern. Before, Shanlai had been relieved by the space. She wasn't normally claustrophobic, but her time in the caves made her wonder how anyone could permanently live underground. Now, though, the openness was a threat. There were too many directions an attack could come from, an attack she was sure was coming now that their torches were taken. She regretted her blithe remarks on their journey now.

Furthermore, they couldn't leave the wall or they risked getting turned completely around. Please, Fharlanghn, get us out of this intact. 

They made it about 100 paces of gently curving, craggy wall when something, either a slight noise or pure intuition, made Shanlai jump back into Yolanda. She had half a thought to be grateful she didn't impale herself on Yolanda's blades, but most of her was focused on the sharp something that cut her shirt and grazed the chain links she wore beneath it. Blindly, she swung her rapier where the attack seemed to come from and yelled, "To the right!"

Distantly, she was aware of the sounds of weapons shifting, but her attention was fully taken by two things: trying to stab whatever had attacked her and trying not to stab Joren in the process.

Her blade missed, and she jinked right. This time, her cheek suffered the scratch, not deep, but an unnecessary distraction. Her mind tried to discern what she fought while her blade moved on instinct. By luck more than anything, her second swipe scored a hit, though not deep. Still, it caused whatever it was to make an animalistic grunt, which fit the angle of the attack and feel of the cut. It didn't feel like a blade, but more like a claw. It was big, maybe like the dire wolves. The comparison drew no comfort. Shanlai had fought those with the use of her eyes.

The thing gave another cry, and there was a shuffle of its feet on the stone. Joren, Shanlai thought, and she leapt forward recklessly into the potential opening.

Before she could thrust, she felt the air shift and ducked. Claws grated against the chain atop her shoulder and slid down her right arm. Shanlai kept hold of her rapier through force of will. A familiar footstep behind her warned her, and she stepped aside to allow Yolanda's blades through. Impressively, the thing roared, and Shanlai added her own strike to it. Her blade hit tough hide but still pierced through.

Joren grunted, but before Shanlai could adjust to her first target, Sonya called, "Joren, down!" This time, the cry was high-pitched and pained, and Shanlai felt warm blood hit her cheek.

Son of a bitch, she thought in awe, and she lashed out again at the one Yolanda tangled with. Her blade hit air this time, and scampering on stone grew distant. Slowly, Shanlai lowered her weapon. After several moments, she sighed and leaned against the wall. It seemed to be over for now, and the adrenaline was winding down. Blood matted the fur on her arm and dripped from her hand onto her rapier.

"Who's injured?" Sonya's voice was strong at least.

"Just a scratch. It's not bad." Shanlai wished she could see Joren. She knew what he considered "not bad," and she worried.

"My arm's raked," Shanlai said. She wiped the blood off her blade and sheathed it. "Hurts like a sum-bitch, but I just need to put something on it to stop the bleeding."

"I'm fine. Shanlai looked tastier, I guess."

Were it anyone else, Shanlai would have taken offense at Yolanda's chipper tone.

"What were those?" Shanlai tried to keep her tone neutral.

"Not sure. Big, angry. Probably not what took the torches."

"Where's the one you killed?" Shanlai reached out.

"I didn't," came Sonya's reply. "It's hurt, maybe its injuries will take it eventually. But it ran off."

Shanlai breathed a kenku curse Joren had taught her.

"Let's get bandaged up and get moving. Staying here won't make it any easier."

Joren had been hit across the forehead, it turned out. Thankfully, he was not just been stoic. It truly was a graze. Sonya had bandages in her pack which were tied around Shanlai's upper arm. It still hurt, but the pressure helped, and it stopped the bleeding. She could manage.

Another 200 steps took them to another tunnel, about ten feet wide. Shanlai was grateful. There were fewer ways trouble could come from. Her arm twinged from gripping her rapier too tightly. The fact they had driven the beasts off was little comfort. They couldn't afford the energy to keep fighting, and with no clerics or healers of any kind, any injury could turn fatal. Shanlai followed Sonya's steady footsteps without hesitation, but she was still terrified of the dark.

They were all tense, but nothing followed them into the tunnel, or so it seemed. They made as little noise as they could, only using a whisper to make sure no one got separated. Shanlai's ears swiveled, trying to hear if those things were coming back.

Tracking time was difficult without being able to see the torch burning down. After several forks and what Shanlai estimated about five hours of walking, they came to a slightly wider space, about twenty feet across, before it narrowed again thirty feet later. Sonya called a halt.

They inspected Shanlai's and Joren's wounds as best they could in the dark. Joren's was already good enough to leave, but Shanlai needed to replace her bandages. Still, as she reassured the others, it wasn't bad. Gods willing, it'd be the worst they saw.

A watch was set again as they rested. Shanlai laid down on her back, eyes staring at nothing. Sleep seemed impossible. The pain in her arm was dull enough to ignore, but her thoughts were filled with worry and doubt. How could they find a way out with no eyes? They had to move slower to keep their footing, and if those beasts didn't kill them, dehydration or starvation could.

When Joren touched her arm for her turn, she was sure she hadn't slept a wink. She gave his hand a squeeze, then sat up and scooched back to the wall. She kept her rapier in her hand, laid across her lap, and listened.

At first, she could only hear the sound of breathing, her own and the others'. She tuned it out, and tried to hear the scrape of claws on stone or quiet snorts and grunts. She didn't believe they had seen the last of those creatures, and she feared there were more than two. If only I could see. If I just knew what we were dealing with...

Her thoughts were too distracted to try and count time. At some point, she realized she should sleep and nudged Yolanda. As Yolanda sat up, Shanlai laid back into her bedroll, and exhaustion surpassed her worries. Sleep finally came, though it was restless and troubled.