“Oh…Hades! What do we do, now?” Dick exclaims.
“Wee need tto press on,” Krista growls. “Ourr ggoal is before us… Ther scents of ourr quarry lead onwwards!”
Everyone looks at each other for answers. Rachel stares again at the yawning gap before you all, and gulps. “There’s nothing else for it,” she announces in a small voice. “Ben - we’re going to have to jump!”
“What!? But… But we’ve not done any jumping since we became complete!” you protest.
“Us wweretigers should bbe able to do itt…,” Sigmund considers. “You centaurrs must try, also!”
“What about us!?” Anarosa squeals.
You glance at the three nervous satyrs, then exchange a look with Rachel. She nods.
“Climb onto us,” you offer.
Dick anxiously strokes his short beard. “You don’t mind?”
You smile and shake your head.
“Ben and I were given lifts by Ixion and Themis, when they rescued us from Cedius’ mob. Now that we have both been blessed in their image, it is our turn to act as…mounts,” Rachel declares, echoing your unspoken thoughts.
As one, you both lower yourselves to the ground. Anarosa scrambles onto your equine back, and wraps both arms around your human chest. “Hmmm…,” the satyress purrs dreamily, as she rubs her dark-skinned face against your neck and pats your ab muscles, which have become firmer since your transformation into a centaur.
“I’m spoken for, Anarosa!” you caution her.
“Sorry, amigo! Satyr instincts!” she giggles, as you take several hoof steps back.
“Be careful, Benjamin!” Rachel looks worried.
“I’ll try…” Making a silent prayer, you think about what you have to do. How to time your leap, where to aim for… The sweat trickles down your face and neck, in the cool air of the cave. You hope Marina and Harry survived this…
Let’s do it!
You bolt, pushing hard against the level cavern floor beneath your hooves. Then you leap and fly through the air above the chasm - your heart in your mouth. With a grunt, you land on the opposite rock shelf. Breathing hard, you slow down to a trot, and turn around.
“Can I open my eyes now?” Anarosa’s tiny voice squeaks by your neck.
“Yes!!” you laugh.
The rest of your army are cheering and clapping. Rachel’s smile is radiant.
“That was beautiful, Ben!” she cries out. Dick is mounted on her, ready.
“Thanks! Come on!” you urge them.
Rachel gives herself room - then charges and makes the jump. For a moment, she is an airborne, half-equine angel. Then she lands besides you - gasping, then yelling in sheer joy. Dick quickly gets off her - and kisses first the earth, then the dismounted Anarosa. Taking your cue, you and Rachel share a passionate kiss also.
Sigmund offers to carry Minerva over. Clutching at his fur tightly, Minerva braces herself as the Swedish weretiger flies across the gap, followed quickly by Krista.
Congratulating each other, you all enter the far tunnel and are greeted with a choice of two staircases - both leading downwards. Sigmund sniffs, and leads you down the one where the scent of satyrs, centaur, and fellow weretiger is stronger…
****************************************
More tunnels await you all, but Sigmund and Krista are like racing bloodhounds now - steering you through the maze. Before long, your party discovers another gold-panelled door - this one bearing the impression of TWO hoof prints. Seeing that the prints are wrong for a centaur, Dick and Anarosa position themselves and simultaneously each raise a leg to the door. Their hooves fit perfectly.
As before, a glow from the panel envelopes the ‘key holders’, and then disappears. Still puzzled as to the meaning of it all, your party emerge into another set of maze tunnels.