Part 17 (1/2)
Hornsbuck chopped off his speech with one slash of his hand and held it up as though forbidding Mika to speak while he stared in all directions with sharp eyes, scanning the forest behind hi unspoken confir the air with upturned e boulder that stood nearby, a boulder seely no different froestured for Mika to follow
Mika did so, thinking that they round and beganstones at the base of the boulder Mika stared down at the grizzled no?
Hornsbuckcertain that the roan was out of the way, and then leaned his shoulder against the rock
”Get over here and help,” he growled, looking up froely Mika joined hih he had absolutely no idea what on Oerth they were doing or why
Suddenly, the rock began to move It shi+vered under their palms and trembled with the anticipation of ainst the rock, his face suffused with dark blood and his neck corded with effort Mika obeyed, pushi+ng harder now that it see
There was a loud ru a yawning black cavity at their feet that Mika barely avoided falling into
He stared into the dark hole with disbelief He looked up at Hornsbuck who grinned at hio and how does it come to be here?” Mika stammered ”And how did you co his hands on his thighs ”That is for s left in the world that you have not discovered
”Hornsbuck has had littering ”I aht but wolves and killing DaintyI, too, havepup, so save your laughter and sneers for someone other than I”
Mika felt the blood rush to his face and he sneaked a look at Taies, Hornsbuck I did not ive offense I'm sure TamTur and I can learn much from you and RedTail”
Their eyes ,” he said gruffly ”You've even gotthe area with one last look, he grabbed the reins and dragged the roan into the dark hole
The roan was not pleased at the prospect and attempted to rear, his nostrils filled with the scent of da the reins tight in his huge fist right below the horse's muzzle He had no choice but to follohere he was led
Mika wasnever liked close, dark places But he followed hard on the heels of the roan with Taently for the first few feet, and as his head dipped below the surface of the ground, Mika felt a hand grip his arm and pull him aside
Hornsbuck pulled two of the pitch-stained li his flint, lit thean to burn with a bright fla tails of dark smoke
Hornsbuck handed both li on what appeared to be the roots of bushes, that dangled froroan, and the boulder began toof panic ca out the blue sky above It settled into place with a solid, final-sounding thuain
”Don'ta callused hand on Mika's shoulder, ”it ain't so bad, after a bit You'll get used to it Co Keep your mind busy so you don't have time to think”
Mika was not too sure about Hornsbuck's logic, but he agreed in principle, so he handed one torch back to the olderon his iht of where he was
Their heads and shoulders brushed occasionally against the earth walls and ceiling Roots poked through the ceiling, flaring briefly as they were touched by the torches The roan filled the narrow corridor completely and scraped dirt from the walls which fell in Mika's path
Quite soon, however, the path dropped abruptly in a series of gigantic steps It gradually widened until it was broad enough for both he and Hornsbuck to walk coing up the rear
The ceiling rose higher and higher until it was hts above their heads, and Mika's feeling of oppression lifted so the smooth blocks of stone underfoot that had obviously been worked by man or dwarf Metal torch brackets were fixed to the walls at regular intervals, although the wooden stubs that filled thee of long dark years since they had last known the heat of fire
”What is this place?” Mika asked in a whisper that rustled about thehostly echoes
”Don't know for certain,” ruh it seees coot to be careful not to stray”
”Why? What's down the side passages? Where do they go?” asked Mika, his voice filled with concern
”Don't know,” said Hornsbuck with a shrug ”Main path takes ured it was safer sticking to the o?” persisted Mika
”Straight into Eru-Tovar,” said Hornsbuck with a broad grin, looking at Mika, anticipating his surprise He was not disappointed
”Eru-Tovar?” questioned Mika, his eyes ith surprise ”You ht into the city itself?”
”That's right,” nodded Hornsbuck ”Ends up right under an old abandoned te for a place to go with a friend Quiet like, if you get h it was hard to i up to any woman Still, the ain he had surprised Mika with his ingenuity
The passage of tirew disoriented and he could not tell if he was hungry or tired or how long they had been traveling by the ti and walls had turned froo and now rose in vaulted arches above their heads The walls were regularly spaced with rounded pillars of stone that flowed into the ceiling, e had taken a sharp turn to the right when Mika became aware of a sound, h the tunnel
A current of cold damp air struck thee The sound was louder now
Hornsbuck hesitated for a moment, then turned to enter the new tunnel which was lower still than the corridor they traveled It was reached by means of a narrow raer and their torches flickered wildly and threatened to extinguish However, once they reached the floor of the new corridor, the draft gentled and the flames steadied
Now Mika could see the cause of the noise and the daehich noide enough for twentytorrent of water that rushed by at a pace more rapid than a man could walk It flowed in the same direction as they traveled
Mika approached the water cautiously It was black and oily in appearance and barely reflected the light of his torch Mika shuddered, not anxious to draw closer nor tempted to slake his thirst froh it could suck a man under
”Nasty, eh?” said Hornsbuck ”Don't like the looks of it myself That's why I filled my waterskins froullet from the likes of that Don't trust water at the best of tiy head toward the black water, ”ain't exactly the best of places”
Mika nodded his total agree water and built a s chunks of enerous portions of raw meat for the wolves and then fed and watered the roan
”Well, at least she doesn't cost too much to feed,” said Hornsbuck as he whacked the princess on the buttocks with casual faot to admit that she doesn't talk too ood points!”
Somehow, Mika felt offended on the princess's behalf and spoke up, drawing Hornsbuck back to the fire
”Why are we eating here? It's so cold and drafty”
”Figured the draft ht wash away the sured that theredown here I don't knohat they are, and I've never seen any, but it doesn't hurt to take precautions”
”Critters? Like what?” asked Mika, theheavy in his sto ”Could be al All sorts of critters like the dark better than the light Could be kobolds or gnolls or bugbears or trolls or gnooblins, or even orcs, for all I know I can't say for sure I just keep my eyes open when I' will it take to get to the city?” Mika asked, looking around uneasily at the mention of all the horrible possibilities
”Two days, two nights,” said Hornsbuck ”If we don't run into any trouble I figure that with two of us, it'll be easier to keep watch, although RedTail and Ta's on our trail Leastwise, I hope so”
So did Mika They packed up and set out again after their brief respite, following a long, confusing set of tunnels Mika had only ad memory, for as far as he could tell, the older man consulted no map other than that which he held in his e that lay even further below ground than the water tunnel when Mika noticed that it was beco harder and harder to stay on his feet