Tombs of Dross by LEW ANDERSON

Author:LEW ANDERSON [Anderson, Lew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: TreeStone
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

20 THE CAVE GORRON

All four stood listening.

“Maybe Isaac forgot the signal,” Breezy said, their hearts pounding as they listened. Nothing more came, so Eryn blew the signal of acknowledgement.

In anxious haste, they ran back toward the intersection, the rough ruts and mossy clumps causing several stumbles. Eryn’s thick hair floated out behind as she zoomed ahead, while Mirrah bound her locks into her cloth belt. Breezy and Bella fought to keep pace. Hot tears moistened Breezy’s eyes, a rush of self-pity flooding her soul. Gritting her teeth, she pushed it back, ordering herself to stay strong.

When they reached the stone post, pausing to briefly catch their breath, Eryn blew three short blasts.

“How do we… find them?” she huffed, looking all about.

Breezy stood bent over, a hand on her side as a bug swirled around her. “Which way?” she asked, fear marring her face. Eryn again blew her whistle, but again, no response.

The moss-laden trees seemed to grow thicker as they peered into the forest of endless green, frantically wondering which way to go.

They stared down the road leading out from the post, a mossy lane they’d never traveled, its path overgrown and draped with vines. Breezy inwardly pleaded they not go down that way, its gloomy path leading deep into the island.

Then a flash of movement came, something on the path, coming straight towards them, something running fast.

Mirrah and Eryn readied their swords. Breezy pulled her felkin, her heart pounding hard into her ears. In silence, they waited.

Then Nusa bounded full speed around a bend, her claws flinging moss high into the air behind her. As soon as she saw them, she slid to a turning stop and ran back the other way.

“Stay close!” Eryn shouted, darting after Nusa. All Breezy could think was that they were going deeper into the forest, further from the beach, further from the ship. It’s hard to run in the wrong direction, especially on an empty stomach. Panic teased her mind. Where are you guys? We’ll miss the ship. Why does Eryn have to run so fast?

She felt she’d die of side pain by the time they finally turned a corner and stopped. Breezy froze with fear. Ahead loomed a large dark cave, its jagged opening draped with twisty vines, all hanging like unkept hair, a curtain of green warning all to stay away.

Nusa ran to the opening and paused. Eryn called for them to follow as she ducked through the vines into the darkness.

Breezy shook her head and groaned.

“Hurry girls!” Mirrah called after them.

As Breezy and Bella passed through, the twisty vines left trails of slime on their hair and skin. The moist rock inside glistened with green gooey icicles that hung from dripping cracks overhead.

“Ohhh, God,” Breezy whispered, taking Bella’s hand.

“Stay close, girls,” Mirrah said over her shoulder.

“Yeah, like we’re going to… wander off and…” Breezy didn’t bother to finish. Goosebumps covered her skin as she huffed and puffed, venturing deeper into the cave of dark, damp, slimy cold.

More vines of slime hung from the ceiling, sticking to their skin as they walked deeper into the darkness.

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