In response to his query, Ehomba assured him that he had no intention of keeping to the corridor for anywhere near that length of time. His sole intention in disappearing into it was to find a means of escape and a temporary refuge from the fire.
“What is this place, bruther?” Within the passageway, voices acquired a deeper cast, reverberant and slightly echoing.
“I told you when I was looking for one.” The herdsman angled to his right. “Careful, there is a bend here. We are in a tomuwog burrow.”
“Hoy, this is a burrow?” Looking to right and left, Simna could see clearly in every direction. The only difference from what he would have accounted as normal was that everything he saw was tinted varying degrees of blue-green. “By Geletharpa, what is a tomuwog? I’ve never heard of such a creature, much less seen one.”
“You will not see one,” Ehomba told him. “Unless you know how to look for them. They are difficult to track, even for the Naumkib. I am considered one of the best trackers in my tribe. There is no reason to hunt them, since they make poor eating. But in times of difficulty, their burrows can provide a place to hide. We were lucky.” He started to slow. “Ah, this is what I was looking for. We can rest here awhile.”
A baffled Simna slowed his own pace to a walk. Try as he might, he could discern no difference in their surroundings, and said so.
As he took a seat and began to unburden himself of his weapons and pack, Ehomba smiled patiently. “Stretch out your hands. Walk around a little.”