TINY CAT PEOPLE: THE MAZE TRIALS

[skinstealer]

As you watch the limbs peeking out of Rhyker's massive hand flail, you feel an ice cold sensation go down your back-

That's a person.

 

How or why Rhyker has another TCP in her grip is beyond you, and you're not sure you want to find out the hard way...

...but that just means their life is in danger right now, too.

SEE: T...try going on your belly!
SEE: I-it'll be safer!
 

She gives you a look of frustration in response. It's clearly not what she wants to hear, but...

RHYKER: Okay. I'll try.
RHYKER: Ughh. I can do this.
 

She recomposes herself anyway, pulling the critter in her hand to her chest between her arms as she begins to excruciatingly inch forward. Her head lowers to the path, seemingly embarrassed - but at least she's past the halfway point.

...At the next corner, she lifts her head again. Her chilling stare pierces you.

RHYKER: ...Why are you looking at me like that.

 

You notice Leti has its mouth covered, but is saying nothing.

SEE: J-JUST
SEE: WORRIED
SEE: JUST WORRIED
SEE: DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT
SEE: I'VE GOT THAT COVERED
RHYKER: Worried? Covered? What?
RHYKER: Is something wrong?
 

Her head shakes and lowers again.

RHYKER: Nevermind.


 

LETI: Uh-
LETI: Might... might be difficult to... crawl through the whole thing.
LETI: May want to stand up. I think. Maybe.
SEE: T-this is slower, but it's less risky!
 

You force yourself to avert your eyes from the TCP held to her chest.

SEE: Less risk is good! Great, even!
 

Her arms stop at the corner, the contradicting sides clearly tripping her up.

RHYKER: Is there a difference between risky and difficult?
RHYKER: I'm getting mixed messages here! Which one should I do?
 

By now the snake adjacent to you is looking concerned.

LETI: RHYKER. RHYKER PLEASE STAND FOR-
LETI: THERE'S... NOT ROOM TO DO THAT LYING DOWN.
 

You flinch at its stern tone, immediately deferring.

SEE: M-MAYBE JUST LISTEN TO LETI-
RHYKER: Fine! I can get up!

 

 

Rhyker rises onto her knees, but stops, seeming kinda lost. It's not easy to find a place for her hand on this narrow of a beam...

Especially not with a passenger. One of her arms is wrapped around them, obviously trying to obscure them from view. Her cageyness doesn't unsettle you any less.

You are trying extremely fucking hard not to stare at this point.

When you can't help it, though, you sneak another glance in, and Rhyker has managed to wobbily rise to her feet--

 
 

 

Your mind stops for a moment, your whole body locking up. You're mortified to see her whole body sway off-balance to one side.

But she steadies, now side-stepping around the corner. Her body faces towards the pillar and away from you, obscuring her passenger from view. You can clearly see, however, her arms squeezed very tight against her body.

You can only imagine what they're going through right now.

 

 

She reaches the switch eventually, struggling to pull it towards herself with her foot. Her vision scopes out the entire pathway that she just came from.

RHYKER: I really hope I don't have to go the entire way back.
 

As the lever's pulled, the lights above Rhyker and Leti's elevators turn green- you can only assume that yours does as well.

...unfortunately for Rhyker and her "companion", nothing else changes.

Looks like she's gotta do it.