define('WP_CACHE', true); {"id":87,"date":"2009-03-10T21:35:35","date_gmt":"2009-03-11T05:35:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crossed-paths.com\/logs\/?p=87"},"modified":"2014-02-02T17:28:51","modified_gmt":"2014-02-03T01:28:51","slug":"chapter-9-the-mine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crossed-paths.com\/logs\/archives\/87","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 9: The Mine"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chapter 9: The Mine<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/strong>In Which The Companions Reach The Entrance to Their Destination.<\/em><\/p>\n

———————————————————————————————<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrin says: Days later Soquan pushes at the sheet of ice that has formed at the entrance of the cave. He laughs as he breaks through.\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I got through! We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re outta here!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Catamount says: Jozra gives a whoop. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Wonderful!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00c2\u00a0She hastily packs together their supplies and pushes them up to Soquan, squirming up the tunnel behind them.<\/p>\n

Arrin says: He takes the supplies and puts them outside of the cave before crawling out.<\/p>\n

Catamount says: Jozra soon reaches the exit and pops her head out of the hole.\u00c2\u00a0 She shuts her eyes quickly and backs down a bit. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ouch. I need a second for my eyes to adjust\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin says: He nods and sits, waiting. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Take your time.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Catamount says: After a bit, Jozra ventures back out into the open, blinking against the brightness of reflected snow. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ah\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 the fresh air is good!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin says: He nods, taking a lungful of air. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Aye, it is.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Catamount says: Now Jozra takes her time repacking the supplies, checking on the food situation at the same time. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Looks like we have another four or five day\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s worth of food, if we conserve a bit.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin says: He nods. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153So which way do you want to go?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Catamount says: The ferret closes the packs and hefts one onto her shoulder. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I suppose that depends on how much farther we have to go.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin says: He raises his head, thinking. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Not much longer, maybe an hour, then half a day back home\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Catamount says: The ferret blinks in surprise. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I hadn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t realized it was that close! All right, to the gold I suppose.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin says: He grins and hefts his pack. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153All right!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He heads off along the mountainside.<\/p>\n

Catamount says: Jozra follows closely, ready to lend a hand if needed.<\/p>\n

Arrin says: An hour later or so, he looks towards Jozra. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do you see a cave mouth anywhere?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Catamount says: The ferret peers at the rock carefully. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Not really\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00c2\u00a0 Am I looking for something big or small?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin says: He grunts. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Big if I recall, it was a mine entrance\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Catamount says: Jozra nods thoughtfully. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t see anything here but the rock seems to bend around a little further ahead.\u00c2\u00a0 Perhaps it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s over there?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin says: He nods. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Alright let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s go.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He continues walking.<\/p>\n

Catamount says: Soon they walk around the bend and Jozra grins. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yep, there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s big hole just up ahead.\u00c2\u00a0 That must be it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin says: He grins as well.\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Good.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Catamount says: Jozra pauses at the entrance and sniffs the damp, cold air breezing up out of the mine.<\/p>\n

Arrin says: He looks towards her. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What do you see?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Catamount says: She squints in the gloom. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Pretty dark; though not quite as much as our little cave. So, where do we go from here?\u00c2\u00a0 It looks like the tunnel branches just ahead\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin says: He thinks. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We go into the right branch.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Catamount says: The ferret nods. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153All right.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00c2\u00a0She walks in and takes the right fork.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Seems pretty straight forward for right now. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s getting dimmer though. I won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be able to navigate soon.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Arrin says: He chuckles. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I guess then it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s my turn to lead, eh?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Catamount says: Jozra grins. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yep!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chapter 9: The Mine In Which The Companions Reach The Entrance to Their Destination. ——————————————————————————————— Arrin says: Days later Soquan pushes at the sheet of ice that has formed at the entrance of the cave. He laughs as he breaks through.\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I got through! We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re outta here!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Catamount says: Jozra gives a whoop. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Wonderful!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00c2\u00a0She hastily packs … <\/p>\n