Chapter 12 The trail (1/2)

This is an exciting development! The colony is calling me, lighting the beacon to bring long lost Anthony home!

Still, let's not get carried away. Remember what happened the last time you got carried away, Anthony? You still haven't returned to max HP!

After inspecting the source of the scent on the tunnel floor, I immediately move back to my comfortable stealth position on the ceiling and continue down the tunnel. I'll have to continue down this path until I can pick up the trail somewhere.

The tunnel itself is becoming more irregular in direction, zigging and zagging through the earth, even as it continues its downward slope.

As I move I'm beginning to feel vibrations in the air from down the tunnel. Something is definitely happening in front of me. I must proceed with all caution!

Thirty metres ahead the tunnel splits once again. I'm starting to feel that these tunnels and caves are going to be splitting into a very messy network of tunnels. This is going to be hard to keep track of.

[Tunnel sense has reached level 2]

This is what I'm counting on! According to its description this skill helps maintain a sense of direction whilst underground. I suspect because of this effect I've been able to know which way the tunnel is sloping or curving almost without having to think about it. I'll have to depend on this to help me navigate and remember which way is which.

Since I can't detect any pheromone trail from either tunnel and one seems no safer than the other, I decide place a mark in the ceiling right at the split which indicates which direction if have taken. If I create and maintain a simple set of symbols to mark the tunnels it will hopefully help my memory.

After sc.r.a.ping a simple arrow into the rock with my mandibles I move down the right hand path.

Ten minutes later I have returned to the juncture.

Well then! Not going down that way anytime soon! It hadn't taken long for me to discern something was wrong with that tunnel and without having to travel far I encountered an area wherein the tunnel widened slightly creating a sort of hollow that had been occupied for a group of wolf lizards. Five of them were lounging on the rocks, gnawing on bones of what appeared to be recently killed prey. I wasn't prepared to try and sneak past them so I turned my tail and returned.

What symbol should I use for instant death?

In the end I scratch a rough X for danger and a ~ shape next to my mark for the right tunnel to try and represent the wolf lizard tail before marking the left tunnel and moving into it.

Hopefully this path is a little more manageable!

After a few hundred meters the tunnel seems quite safe, almost pleasant, as tunnels go.

HOLD IT!

I freeze in the process of walking, one foreleg poised in the air to advance as I stare hard at the s.p.a.ce in front of me.

Is this …. What I think it is?

Before me I can see, barely see, a thin, silvery line of delicate thread stretched taught across the tunnel.

Very gently I bring my leg back towards my body and place it down before taking a few steps back and examining what I see in front of me.

Without having +2 eyesight there is no way I would have been able to notice in time.

Reflecting the soft blue light of the rock walls there is a web of whisker thin strands stretched across the tunnel. I had been so close to walking headfirst into a welcome I would not have survived.

Monster spider! I s.h.i.+ver.

I can't help but feel indignant.

Stupid spiders! You think you're the king of the insect world? Huh!? You let your webs do all the hard work for you! Not an honest, straight forward worker like an ant. If I had two hundred of my kind here, boy you'd have to watch out!

After inspecting carefully I can't see any spider on this web, but that doesn't mean it isn't nearby.