Re-l looked at him for a moment and then looked away, pointedly rolling her eyes. She didn't say anything, and wondered momentarily if she was actually becoming immune to comments like that.

The sun was right overhead now, brilliantly illuminating the whole canyon, stripping all shadows away and pinning Re-l like a bug to a rock under the intense hammer of its heat. She sidled warily along the cliff, watching her own feet carefully. When the track narrowed, she pressed herself closer to the cliff wall, gripping it tightly. When she had a good hold she moved her other hand over and let herself shuffle along until she was spread out again. It was slow progress, but it worked.

"There are lots of handholds here," she said. "You should be fine. If it gets harder again I'll say."

Re-l was about halfway across when her foot kicked a pebble, and the rattle of stone froze her to the wall. Terror thudded through her veins, totally unreasonable but nonetheless there. She swallowed tightly, trying to force her hands to move.