Cat followed Kass up the tunnel. The ceiling was gone so they could stand upright now but the slope was steep enough that the occasional hand was required on a rock. As they got to the mushroom field Cat saw that they weren’t as close as they appeared near the bottom. She should be able to carry Amanda through without too much problem.

But once they reached the cave exit she realised it was exactly as Kass had said. They had made it out of the cave alright. The problem was they were still half way up a grassy cliff face. It was a similar steepness to the one they’d had to come up earlier, only this one didn’t look quite so solid, soil and loose rock would make it a much riskier climb. On the other hand, there was the occasional tree growing out of the rock that would provide some aid. It looked like they were only 20 or so metres down from the top. Below was a different story, looking more like 60 to 70 metres and then a bunch of dense bush.

Cat knew the other side of the hill was easier to get up and was the side they ultimately wanted to be on, making getting to the top much more appealing than going down, and given they had enough rope all they needed to do was get one person up there.

“That’s not so bad,” Cat remarked.

Kass glanced upward with doubt and Cat realised she was likely less enthusiastic given she was likely the one who was going to climb it. It didn’t need to be that way though.

“I can climb it,” Cat offered.

Kass shook her head.

“We can tie you into the rope.”

Kass nodded but her expression didn’t change. It was doubtful the rope would do much. It wasn’t a climbing rope, meaning it didn’t stretch to soften a fall, and they didn’t have draws or cams so any fall would be a hard one. Better than falling the full distance down the cliff but still not pleasant or safe. If she’d had a choice she would have preferred something steeper if it meant she could have something more stable.

Cat turned to look back into the cave and it seemed a lot darker all of a sudden. Initially when she’d emerged into the light it had felt so bright but now she was getting used to it. They were in the shade on this side of the hill but the sky was a clear blue, promising a beautiful day. Looking out she could see trees for miles. Somewhere in the distance she knew there was a road but all she could see was more hills and trees. She wasn’t sure, as she looked down the valley if the trees hid the road or if the hill did. To the south the hills turned into mountains but they were close enough to a false peak that she couldn’t see the tops. She hoped that wasn’t the case with the 20 metres they saw directly above them now.

“Shall we get the others?” Cat asked.

Kass opened her mouth in hesitation. Eventually she replied. “I wasn’t sure if we should get a rope set up here first. Where they are is sheltered and safe.”

“I don’t think it matters if our plan is to get out of here today.”

Kass nodded. She didn’t bother mentioning how long it was likely to take them to get back to the car. Cat had likely just meant up and over the hill today. That said, as much as taking it easy would be good for Amanda, getting out would be even better.

“How far do you think we’ll get today?” Kass asked.

Cat glanced back up at Kass briefly before turning back to focus on her foot placement among the mushrooms. “I was hoping we could reach that spot where we camped. And then out completely the next day. It’s going to be a lot of work, two big days but...” Cat trailed off.

Kass nodded. “It’s better we get out fast.”

When they returned to the others Indi looked up with a worried expression. One look at Amanda told them what she was worried about. Amanda had her eyes shut, she didn’t even open them at the sound of her friends approach. Her red hair was plastered to the side of her face with sweat.

Cat frowned, Knelt down and placed a hand on Amanda’s forehead. The woman was cold and clammy to the touch.

At Cat’s touch Amanda opened her eyes and tried to pull her head away. “I’m fine,” she groaned, then pushed herself upright rather than leaning back against the rocks.

“You might best poker face in Little Rock, but your body’s response doesn’t lie,” Cat replied.

“Yeah, well there’s not much you can do for me right now,” Amanda replied.

On that Cat agreed so she held out a hand and offered her shoulder for support as Amanda got to her feet. Once up Cat turned, still letting Amanda hold on to her for balance, and offered her back.

Once more she carried Amanda on her back. Seeing the morning sun had bolstered Cat’s energy and she found carrying Amanda through the mushrooms was much easier than carrying her up a cliff face.

She sat Amanda down on the grassy ledge outside. The woman looked around in amazement at the view. “I don’t think I’ve ever been quite so happy to see the sunlight,” she remarked.

Cat turned back to check on the others.

Kass came next, leading the way and showing Indi the best paths through.

Kass bounced like a rabbit from spot to spot, moving almost too fast for Indi to keep up. She was managing though, just.

Indi jumped more like a bear than a rabbit, almost falling over a couple times but the look on her face suggested she was almost enjoying it.

That look changed very fast when one rock she placed her foot on suddenly rotated.

Cat watched, unable to do anything, and feeling frozen as Indi toppled down right into a large pile of mushrooms.

Luckily, Indi’s first reaction was to shield. This gave Cat enough time to yell, “don’t drop your shield.” She’d seen Indi fall enough to know that her next reaction, once she was past the falling stage would probably be to drop the shield.

Kass turned at Cat’s shout.

Indi was mid-fall frozen in air, feet just touching the rotated rock. She was stuck. There was no way she could stand from there and to drop the shield meant falling face first into the mushrooms.

“Get out of the cave,” Cat commanded to Kass and she leapt forward to come to Indi’s rescue.

Cat reached Indi in a matter of seconds, did a quick look behind her to check that Kass had listened.

Kass had moved as far away from them as she could and still see. She opened her mouth as if to say something and held up one hand but Cat shook her head guessing that suggestion was going to involve telekinesis. With the mushrooms it just wasn’t worth the risk. Cat had another plan.

Standing next to Indi she commanded, “drop the shield and I’ll catch you.”

Indi wasn’t sure but she was also very low on energy. She was going to drop this shield eventually, no point in waiting and using up what little energy stores she had. She gave a nod and dropped the shield.

Cat caught her easily but what she hadn’t counted on was the movement of Indi’s feet.

As Indi fell and Cat caught her, her feet moved forwards, kicking several mushrooms as they did.

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Cat hadn’t predicted it but she reacted as fast as any regular cat might. “Hold your breath,” she instructed right before she took her own advice. Uninclined to get any more spores on their clothing than was necessary she still watched her foot work but she made some trade offs if she felt speed was more important. For the first little bit she was so focused on picking Indi up and throwing her over her shoulder in a fireman’s carry that she moved her own foot right into another group of mushrooms.

Indi gave a yelp as Cat threw her over her shoulder but quickly remembered Cat’s advice about breathing.

Once Indi was over her shoulders Cat moved swiftly through the field of mushrooms. Kass flattened herself against the outside wall as Cat moved past her. Cat was intent on being a little further away from the cave. She put Indi down a couple of metres from where Amanda was watching with concern.

“Don’t get too close,” Cat warned the other two. She took a seat next to Indi who was breathing fast.

“Slow down,” Cat told her grumpily, worried that the woman was going to give herself an asthma attack or breathe in any extra spores that might be on them.

“Indi,” Amanda said in the firm kind of tone that was intended to draw attention.

Indi looked her way, her chest moving in and out in large heaves.

Amanda met Indi’s panicked eyes, giving what she hoped was a reassuring look.

“You’re okay, just relax, breathe with me.” Amanda spoke slowly all the while maintaining eye contact and keeping a calm expression on her own face.

She tried not to look at Cat’s face behind Indi least Indi turn around and see the worried frown as well. She moved her hands in a gentle motion in time with her own breathing so Indi could see and follow.

Indi nodded and eventually her breathing slowed to a normal pace and she leaned back against the cliff.

Next to her Cat hit at her own leg with the side of a closed fist, as if trying to wake her leg up.

“Do we need to do anything about possible spores on their clothes?” Kass asked warily keeping her distance.

No one had explained to Amanda what had happened but if she hadn’t guessed already Kass’s question more than confirmed it.

Amanda shook her head. “I think brushing them off would just make things worse. Same with getting your shoes off. It’s breathing them in or swallowing them that’s the issue. Skin contact should be okay.”

Indi moved her jaw out and then in a circle. “Everything feels weird.”

“Don’t hit your legs Cat, you’ve probably got a bunch of spores on them,” Amanda told her.

“I feel like they’ve fallen asleep,” Cat replied in frustration. “You know that feeling when you can’t stop shaking your legs?”

“Restless leg syndrome?” Kass offered.

“Yeah, it feels like that except I can’t move them. Much,” she added the last bit as she managed to shift her leg a few inches over but looked at it as if it weren’t her own anymore.

“I feel like my whole body’s been to the dentist or something,” Indi added, her voice sounding a little slurred.

Kass gave a small giggle at that and immediately covered her mouth as if she hadn’t meant to.

Cat looked at her darkly but Indi joined in with a laugh of her own. “This is so weird.”

Cat turned her glare on Indi but then looked past her at Amanda’s expression and her glare disappeared replaced by worry.

Amanda’s face was impassive and unreadable. Did that mean she was worried?

“How long does this last?” Cat asked, pleased to find her voice was still mostly normal, even if her face did feel kind of fuzzy. Indi must have received a larger dosing of the spores.

Amanda had concentrated look on her face now and Cat could almost swear there was the hint of a smile forming. Cat would have been annoyed if it hadn’t first made her feel relieved.

“It can last quite awhile,” Amanda replied slowly. “I wasn’t sure how much of a dose you got but it kicks in pretty fast so you’re probably alright. Can you move?”

Cat nodded, finding she could if she tried hard enough. It was like shifting lead though. “It’s weird, moving’s easier when I don’t try and do it.” she added.

Amanda nodded.

Indi knotted her eyebrows. “I can move but I can’t feel anything.”

“That doesn’t seem like a paralytic,” Kass said. “That seems more like...” she trailed off not entirely sure what it was that it seemed like just that it wasn’t that and the symptoms reminded her of a drug someone had once slipped into her drink.

Cat eyed Kass. “I can still climb I think but I’ll probably want a belay from the top.”

Kass nodded and took a deep breath, then looked up at the cliff face.

“I can belay you from down here,” Amanda told Kass.

Kass looked around the ledge with a frown. “You belay from down here you’ll just get pulled off if I fall.”

Amanda repeated the action Kass had taken of looking around the nearby wall. “I don’t think you should climb that without a rope, even if it is a static one. Speaking of, I don’t think we should be sitting under it while you do either.”

Kass nodded. Then glanced warily at the cave. “We could wait for the spores to settle?”

Amanda pushed herself out closer to the edge of the cliff where she could get a better view of the wall. “I think as long as we’re not directly under you it should be fine. Once you pick a line, try to keep going straight up. Pass me the rope.”

Kass gave her a questioning expression but handed it over.

Amanda tied a fist sized rock into a basket she made at the end while the others watched in silent confusion.

She eyed a tree a metre or two up and spun the rock on the rope in circle like a lasso. When she released it the rope went flying up over the solid branch and fell down on the other side.

“Grab it,” Amanda told Kass.

Kass had to jump slightly for it but she manged it easily enough. She turned to look at Amanda, confusion still on her face.

“Tie yourself into that end. When you get to the tree go up on the left then climb on the right. If you fall the rope should hopefully stay over that tree and worse case it’ll pull me up rather than over the edge.”

Kass nodded. She understood now. “Assuming that tree holds. And the rope.” she replied. There wasn’t much they could do about that but this shoudd be good enough. It was the worst case scenario anyway. Hopefully she didn’t need it.

“I don’t expect this rope will snap with your weight, but it’d be a pretty nasty fall either way so try to stay on the wall.”

Kass nodded. “You’d be surprised the forces applied to a static rope, even from a short fall. I don’t fancy trying it, but it’s backup. Along with my telekinesis and Indi’s shield, something should work right?”

Amanda nodded then added. “We should probably move to the other side of the tree.”

Cat groaned and started to shift herself slowly.

Indi also groaned and remarked, “Can someone move me?”

Cat reached out an arm and gave Indi a pull on the sleeve.

“Nooo,” Indi cried as she found herself overbalancing sideways.

Amanda put her fist to her mouth, her eyes were smiling.

Kass was ignoring it, eyes on the wall again. “I was actually thinking the left might be a better line to climb.”

“You think?” Amanda’s eyebrows shot up indicating that she thought differently.

Kass hesitated.

“You do what you think is easier,” Amanda told her, knowing everyone had a different climbing style.

Kass nodded, and indicated she was going to go up the left.

“Does that mean we have to move again?” Cat, who hadn’t gone very far, asked.

Kass gave a nod. “Sorry.”

“You might be alright where you are, maybe come a little this way,” Amanda said.

Kass removed Amanda’s rock and made a similar knot to the one Amanda had earlier. Only this time there were three loops and she put it on like an actual harness.

She looked at Amanda.

“Ready” Amanda nodded.

“If I fall and it doesn’t catch on the tree, just let the rope go,” Kass said as she put a foot on the wall.”

Amanda bit her lip but nodded.

“I can hold the rope,” Cat offered.

“Mmm, because given that earlier incident with the dragon we all know you’re likely to let the rope go when you should.” Kass replied intending it as a joke.

“If I had let the rope go last time we wouldn’t have a rope now at all would we,” Cat replied indignantly.

“It’s fine, I’ve got it,” Amanda told Cat in a voice that warned her to lay off the harsh tone.

Kass didn’t reply, now focused on climbing.

This first little bit would be fine but once she was past the tree it would get riskier. She pushed any thoughts of falling from her mind and focused on keeping a solid hold on the wall and on figuring out what a solid hold was. She planned ahead, sussing out lines and keeping in mind retreat options if she had to as well.

Kass didn’t dance her way up like she might have if she were sport climbing. Instead she took it slow but consistent, knowing she couldn’t rest if she got tired half way up. As she reached the second half of the climb she realised Amanda had been right about which line was better. It was less steep over here but the rock was more crumbly. More than once she had to yell out a warning of ‘rock’ as a huge chunk of the mountain pulled free.

Her heart was pounding as she reached the last few metres and upon seeing the top she switched for a more fanatic style as her eagerness outweighed her caution and fear propelled her upward.

She knew it was poor form and risky but she couldn't help herself. The result was she lost her footing on the last lunge as the rock broke free and went crashing down below.

She made a desperate grab and manged to get a firm hold on some tree roots as her feet failed to find anything but air.

Knowing she had a solid hand she overshot peak panic and shifted back into that calm mindset that was so necessary for survival on the wall. She took a deep breath and pulled herself up, using even her body itself in seal like fashion to help get her up and over the last little bit of the wall. Eventually the ground had flattened out enough that she could roll herself away from the edge.

For almost a full minute she just lay on her back, relief flooding her bones. She allowed herself no longer than that however. Being on the top of a cliff, still tied into a rope that went over the edge wasn’t the most comfortable feeling.

She breathed another sigh of relief as she scouted the area where she was. She was surrounded by nice solid trees and it looked like the ground sloped gently down the other side, giving them an easy way off this hill.

She found the nearest tree and tied a munter hitch around one of its branches. She then tied the end of of the rope off on another branch.

She leaned over the edge and gave the rope a shake. “Safe,” she yelled. “Yell ‘ready’ if you want me to belay.”