It soon became apparent that the path we were on was the correct one. The air in the tunnels started to become moist, and soon the floor was replaced with stone steps rather than packed dirt.
We were finally going up.
The stone steps were made of rough-hewn stone, but were solid and even as any steps I had ever climbed. I was really having my preconceived notions challenged. Then they all came crashing down. Well, not crashing so much as slowly spiraling to a bumpy landing.
*"water ahead, and enemies"*
The water part was obvious, the steps were becoming wetter and wetter as I climbed, but it wasn't until Smoke's warning that I became aware of the faint tell-tale "Sniff sniff, grumble grumble" that constantly accompanied the surface Gorf. I stopped and carefully covered my glowing button so I wouldn't give my position away. Moments later Father and Uncle Zon caught up. I was surprised that they weren't still arguing, but maybe I shouldn't have been. Uncle Zon knows well enough the lessons of noise discipline. After all, he was the one who tried to teach them to me. Sadly, the reality of being chased through the forest by Gorf was what actually made the lesson stick.
Please nobody tell Uncle Zon that.
I pulled the no-see-me from my pack, and started to slowly started to creep my way forward when I felt a hand on my arm.
"I thought you said those things didn't work when you're moving Tandy." Uncle Zon whispered.
"They don't really - not very well anyway." To tell the truth, I have enough experience with sneaking around Gorf that I probably would have been fine sneaking up the last few steps without the no-see-me, but having the no-see-me might give me a little extra advantage and only a sucker doesn't use every advantage they could get. Anyway, the no-see-me couldn't make anything worse, so no downside.
"I'm just getting it ready in case I have to freeze."
Surprisingly, Uncle Zon let me go.
I climbed the last few steps to the top as quietly as I could manage. Not perfectly silent as Smoke, but I guess it was quiet enough. I wasn't grabbed by a Gorf anyway, and any time you aren't grabbed by a Gorf is a good time in my book.
The top of the steps opened to a large, dark - but not completely dark - cavern filled with an underground lake. There were a few steps down from the opening, probably to keep the lake from overflowing down the stairs and into the caverns below, and a small landing. Then water.
I could see what looked like sunlight filtering in from across the water where it looked like there was another way out of the cavern. I stopped and held as still as I could when I saw a particularly large Gorf standing on the shore across the lake. I wasn't really afraid, because there was a whole lake between me and the Gorf, and Gorfs don't tend to be strong swimmers, but I didn't want to tempt it with a tasty morsel... me!
The Gorf was easily the largest I had ever seen, and to my surprise he was waded out into the lake. Not like he had seen me and was coming after me though. He was peering into the water as if he were looking for something and seemed to be completely unaware of my presence. I almost gave myself away by laughing when he slipped and fell in with a giant splosh! While he was flailing around and crawling out of the water, I took the chance to return down the stairs to Father and Uncle Zon.
"Well, now I know why it was called the Water Gate." I reported in a whisper. Father smiled and looked relieved. I hated to do it to him, but just as he was about to start talking I cut him off, "But, there is no way we can get out this way right now because there is an enormous Gorf in the way."
I went on to explain the layout with the lake-filled cavern, and the large Gorf on the other side blocking the way out.
"I'll go keep watch on the Gorf while the two of you think of a way out of this." I said. It's so nice being a kid and being able to pass the hard problems off to adults. In the mean time, I returned to the top of the stairs with my no-see-me to watch the Gorf as he once again slipped and fell into the lake. Whatever he was looking for, this particular Gorf seemed to really be obsessed by it. I don't think I have ever seen a Gorf quite so dedicated to anything.
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