[Nuranar]

Lissi was learning to deal with the dark. At first, every instinct urged her to stay in the light, to dog the footsteps of the torch-holders. But their spasmodic progress was frustrating, and soon her steady pace found her a position forward of the middle. With only the flickering reflections of the torches to see by, Lissi watched the ground carefully, as much for herself as for Brander. Her eyes became so accustomed to the murk that direct torchlight pained them like the glare of the noonday sun.

Now she trailed along behind Renedwen, Brander her side as always. Sometimes she held his arm, sometimes his hand; sometimes he simply grasped her sleeve or her cloak, but it was her task to guide him safely. Her eyes noted unevenness in the floor and deep shadows in the walls, which could hide doorways, with the same ease she negotiated rough ground while riding. But even as she did so Lissi worried about the other woman. Renedwen seemed to be brooding over her husband's death; she never spoke if she could help it and seemed to ignore Lissi's existence. With the additional burden of Gilly, Lissi thought she would need help, but the lady had stayed cold and untouchable. Lissi watched with concern, aching to help. But she was afraid, afraid of the other woman's pride and disdain and grief. She imagined those brilliant blue eyes, flashing with anger and rejection, and shrank within herself. But she could not stop worrying.

Just as they turned a corner, Lissi thought she heard a low-pitched "halt" from behind. "Did you hear that?" Brander asked, stopping. "Yes," she replied. "I'm glad I caught this one." Brander's sense of hearing was far better developed than hers, a fact which had become very important. Sounds were both easier to hear and more confused in these tunnels; sometimes they echoed clear and far, sometimes the echoes made it impossible to tell the source, and occasionally those same echoes canceled each other out and nothing was heard. They made their way back to the main body. Carthor's voice was raised, but he was out of sight; apparently he was investigating some sort of chamber.

They were nearly to the opening when a shriek rang down the tunnel behind them, a cry for help, shrill with terror. Lissi tingled with horror, fear, and shame all at once. "That was Renedwen!" she gasped to Brander. "Wait here!" She spun and dashed back, the soles of her shoes slapping softly against the stone. The dark beyond the turn blinded her briefly and she slowed. Then a small glimmer appeared in a shadowed turn-off and resolved into Gilly's terrified little face. He dashed up and wound his arms around her knees as Lissi stooped to him. "It's all right, I'll take care of it!" she tried to assure him. Glancing back, she saw Brander's shadow approaching carefully but steadily. "Go to Brander!" she said firmly, untwining his arms and shoving the little boy toward the light. Drawing her sword, she turned away. "I'm coming, Renedwen!" she called. "What is it?"

"I'm caught!" The other woman's voice broke in a panicked sob. "Please help me out of it. Please - hurry, hurry!"

"I'm here, I'm here," Lissi said, slowing as she neared Renedwen's voice, straining to see. What was she caught in – a hole in the floor? A cave-in? Something was clouding the tunnel ahead, something that entirely absorbed the thrice-reflected torchlight. A spot of deeper dark seemed to move... "Renedwen?" There - the white blur of a face. "Here," she whispered. Lissi advanced carefully, sword angled in front of her. Abruptly the blade was deflected and seemed to slide on an invisible obstruction. She hesitated, then reached out her hand. Soft and sticky and slightly elastic... Lissi jerked her hand back with a sudden shuddering horror. "Renedwen, are you all right? I know you're caught, but are you and the child all right?"

The other woman's voice trembled. "I'm all right, but I think I hear them." Her voice trembled and rose hysterically. "They're crawling along the walls, they're on the ceiling and the floor, they're coming for me!"

"Stop it!" Lissi snapped, trying to banish the images from her own mind. The light had improved marginally, and she could see Renedwen's form suspended near her, caught near the edge of the web. "I'm coming for you now." Swiftly she moved in, side-on. Sword ready in one hand, with the other she reached for Renedwen and slid her arm around her waist. The web's supple cling wound about her arm and shoulder and fastened to her skirt, but she swung at the rest of the threads with her blade.

Hastily she cut away the web above and around Renedwen until she could slide down to the floor of the tunnel. Still keeping a trim grasp on the other woman, Lissi pulled and cut and worked the two of them loose. As they stumbled from the branch tunnel they met with Carthor's party, including Brander with Gilly. Lissi explained hastily; unsurprisingly, no one was inclined to investigate the turnoff further. The two women followed them back toward the safer discovery slowly. Lissi held the taller woman closely, feeling her tremble, speaking softly and reassuringly, trying to calm her down.