The dusky warmage smiled and shouldered his great sword.  "Let us see if
there are any more of these minor nuisances between us and this bridge
we must cross."

******

     Loriella snorted under her breath, a fairly amazing feat if you think
about it. She glanced over at Holm'ka, who was half-leaning on her for
support. She saw he agreed with her sentiment. If that was a "minor
nuisance," then she was an Argonian beauty queen. Balefire grinned fiercely
at her, but she wasn't sure if he had heard her or not. She smiled back,
feigning nonchalance. To tell the truth, she hated anything with more than
four legs, and if that thing was bigger than she was, it was *not* a "minor
nuisance."
     The warmage turned and led the party on. Loriella made sure she was on
the far side of the hall from the spider's hiding place. Curiosity absolutely
failed to grab her. Talnan took up quietly humming his harvest song again.
The khajiit soon hummed along under her breath. Usually she enjoyed skulking
along, looking for someone's purse to lighten, but now she needed a song,
and the bright cheery tune helped relax her.
     "Ho!" said Balefire softly. "The tunnel forks here."
     The party bunched up behind. Before them, the rough tunnel did indeed
split, both paths leading slightly downward, although the right dipped
steeper. Great cobewebs, each strand as thick as fine rope, obscured the left
way some dozen meters on.
     *Just as well,* thought Loriella, *nothing in the world could make me
take that path after that giant spider.*
     Without further speech, Balefire, with Elfiran and Cromm a footfall
behind at his left and right, strode down the right path. The khajiit's hair
raised up on end when she followed them. It was as if they had crossed over
an invisible barrier. The darkness seemed to become heavier, and she relied
more on hearing than sight.
     Whispers. She slowed her stride a moment, then again matched the party.
Holm'ka glanced at her quizically, but said no word. There they were again...
or was she imagining it? The whisperings were so faint, they seemed to exist
only in her head. Cold voices from somewhere below. She shook herself. She
would not tell the others until she was sure.