28 – A Stealthy ReturnHector’s return to the cave was slower than his outbound trip, mostly because he had to climb his way out of the swampy palus ash woods. Without gravity on his side, his leaping progress from one tree to the next was tiresome work, each bound taking considerable effort. As a result, he had to pause frequently to rest. He’d lean against a tree, trying to remain perfectly still, while he watched for the predatory cranes.Twice, he was spotted by the vicious birds, and twice he decided a fight wasn’t the best move; he used his Shadow Stalk ability to escape. After that, he repeated its use liberally, traveling while cloaked in darkness. When his aura pool ran low, he crouched motionless against a tree and let it recover. By the time he regained the stony plains leading up to the mountain ridge, three hours had passed.By then, the rift’s day-night cycle was trending toward darkness and the creatures stirring on the vast, empty plain were starting to raise a din—howls, clicking growls, occasional barking coughs, and the gut-twisting calls of the hook titans, more felt than heard. Hector crouched there, listening and watching, and resolved to avoid fights if at all possible; every direction he looked held half a dozen threats.He saw more than one reaper slinking along, dozens of lurkers, spine thrashers, flayer cats, and even the long, squirming shape of a pregnant stripe snake. At first, he wondered where all the prey animals were. How could so many predators coexist? Then he heard the hooting pipes of a downed spine-bag, and saw seven or eight different creatures working to rip it open, feasting on the undeveloped spine thrasher juveniles within.The sight reinforced Hector’s resolve to hurry and avoid conflict, so he focused on an outcropping in the distance—one large enough to conceal him—and then he activated Shadow Stalk and ran for it. The aura talent was uncanny in its ability to hide him; he ran (...)