The tunnel was small, barely high enough for him to crawl along on all fours. The floor was smooth, as though well–traveled, but the dirt–packed walls were rough and uneven; occasionally a small jutting rock snagged at his much–worn spacer uniform. All around him was total darkness, and he again wondered at the wisdom of this move. If he were to corner the stoney in this tunnel it might turn on him and attack, herbivore though it was.
He bumped his head against a wall in front of him and realized belatedly that the tunnel made a slight turn to the left and sloped downward at a gentle angle. There was a very faint spot of grayish light far ahead of him. He wondered whether it was an optical illusion, and continued on more cautiously. The spot grew as he approached, proving it was genuine.
