The trail wound down, until the way grew steep: smooth, steep rocky banks sweeping downward, the water gathering and rushing in a narrower flow between. It was perhaps an intimidating path, but for a cautious traveller, not a particularly dangerous one.
On a ledge below the mouse had stopped, turned, and was irritably trying--and failing--to chew and pull away the stick now tangled in its chain.
The Eye of the amulet stared at Blackberry, seeming to watch her, waiting.
@Blackberry
The Quillmouse, turned, starting and nearly bolting, but the only way it could have run would have been into the rushing river that culminated in a waterfall just below.
Thankfully, it did not do this.
Instead it turned, whiskers trembling rapidly as it turned, sitting up and staring at the goose. After a moment it settled, and went sniffing among the leaves; it seemed to hold no interest in these. Perhaps another form of bait might attract it more solidly, but for now, at least it wasn't fleeing.
@Blackberry
The goose would indeed have to range back along the river, away from the rock and back to wet soil, to dig up the roots of other plants.
But the roots and dead beetles, combined, seemed more interesting to the Quillmouse; it skittered away but quickly returned, starting in at once with sharp cracking noises on the carapaces of the insects.
@Blackberry
There was a brief moment of silence.
In that moment, two things happened. First, the golden glow faded from the Quillmouse, and it turned, sitting up, stopping its eating--looking this way and that, bewildered. It looked strangely... lost.
But perhaps Blackberry wouldn't notice--because the second change was in her. A swathe of golden light surrounded her, like a beacon, and she felt a sudden anxiety--a hyper-awareness, enchanted by magicka, of the dangers in the world around her.
And oh were there dangers. Out of sight over the rim of the canyon high above, six Eyehook Vultures--not yet having seen her--were waking for the day. She could sense them--not in a direct way; but she would know there was something lurking there, a sense of dread, unsettling, clinging to her.
And there was something up ahead, too, something lurking farther on along the waterway, on Blackberry's side of the flow.
She had a choice, now, as to what to do next. She could rest, perhaps, until night came again, though the glow would surely attract attention. Or she could press on through the Marshes, very visible to predators--or go all the way back through the Crucible, and the Dunes beyond, back the way she'd come. Or there might be another way, should she think of one; Hydra was open to her, for now.
@Blackberry