Taking the Left-hand Branch

Hesht shouted something in reply, but she couldn't make out what it was. She resumed moving slowly forward. She had gone no more than another five feet, when she was brought up short by a tug on her dress. She tried to look over her shoulder to see what the problem was, but couldn't get her head round far enough without risking overbalancing. It was fairly obvious what must have happened, though, from where the tug was coming. The dress must have snagged on something, somewhere down near the hem. She pulled with her hand at the material of the dress as far down as she could safely reach, but without managing to free it. There was no way that she could risk making the contortions that would be needed for her to be able to reach back with her hand to the place that had become snagged. Nor did she fancy trying to crawl backwards a few feet, which might have helped to free it. That seemed to her as though it might be very hazardous, as she wouldn't be able to see what she was doing.

That left only one option: putting all her strength into trying to crawl forward. Something was bound to give before long, whether it was the twig that she was caught on or the material of the dress. It proved to be the latter. There was a tearing sound, and then she could move freely again.

After getting free, she had no more real problems. Soon she was sliding off the branch into the mud on the far bank. She was safe - albeit dishevelled, soaked, muddy, bruised and grazed, and missing a large chunk out of the front of the skirt of her dress extending up to mid-thigh.

Then it was Hesht's turn.

1. He got across safely.
2. Having seen from Astra's crossing how difficult it would be, he got cold feet. "I c-can't do it" he shouted across to her. "You'll have to go on without me."
3. He got part of the way across, then slipped and fell into the torrent.

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