Mntui looked up startled. For some reason she hurried to catch up with the snake-man. What else could she do? It was true that Saleh stated she needed to do as he said but why? Couldn’t she just run away? She could but why? Where? Should she go back to her tribe she would be just a danger to them. And wouldn’t the Shadows come after her? Yes, they probably would. She never thought they existed. The shadow people were only myth, a thing to frighten children to do their chores… Apparently this was the truth.

As they left the room they entered a narrow passage looking more natural. It looked like a cave not something made by hands. If fact there was enough room for them to walk side by side yet Mntui decided not to catch up totally with the man. She walked behind him and she was not told to do otherwise.

They turned sharp on the next crossing. A few white ant-like creatures walked pass Saleh. They had a hard bone like exterior and enormous jaws. Mntui was taken aback by their presence as they were big as wolves. They turned their heads towards the woman moving it left then right as if thinking on whether to attack her or not. The animals made a weird clicking sound rubbing their jaws together.

“Calm yourself, and keep walking” Saleh turned around. He was a few meters away as he wasn’t bothered by the creatures presence. “They are trained not to hurt us. But they only go on about their business if you do the same.”

“Bonesplitters…” Mntui whispered just letting this one word out in terror.

The creature stepped closer still making that nervous sound. Mntui backed away. For some reason she glanced to the elder Shadow, who was giving her cold, murderous look. She turned away. Away from her new master, away from the dangerous creatures and started to walk forward.

They continued from one passage to an other ever leading down. But only because of Saleh, he seemed to know where they are going. The whole thing was a labyrinth made up by natural tunnels and others made most likely by the bonesplitters. Where there any rooms around like the one in Mntui woke up? Probably. But they were hidden by the sharply turning corridors. Or the bone piles.

Bone piles? Mntui looked up as he saw the first broken skull on the ground. Just to realize the remains of the skeleton were every where. Were it even one complete skeleton scattered on the floor? She’d rather not think through that guess. In the end she didn’t had to. As more and more bones laid around while they went on. It was now clear they couldn’t be part of just one. Not to mention they were white as chalk, chewed clean.

By the time they reached the outside world the moon was shining bright in the middle of the night sky.

Mntui looked upon the landscape in awe. They were somewhere between halfway from the top and the bottom mountain. Well it was nothing compared to the Highlands bordering the western parts of the tribal lands but it was sure intimidatingly tall for her. And not to mention the eerie white stones it was made up. As if the mountain itself knew what its insides were hiding.

“Bone-White Rock…” Mntui could only speak the name of the place. She was so taken aback by the fact making full sentences proved difficult to her. Puzzled she tried to ease her mind beholding the beautiful forest below them. The moonlight made the leaves look like silver. It made the whole sight looking like stunning sea of silvery shades mixed with deep dark green.

“A correct observation” commented Saleh then started descending on the steep side of the hill.

“Wait!” Mntui shouted but after a few moments it was clear Saleh will do no such thing.