“Are you sure there’s no way around?” Apolonia asked Phoebe, rearing back slightly away from the bridge. 

“Yep! This is the only way to get where we’re going.” Phoebe answered with a cheerfulness that did nothing to assuage Apolonia’s anxiety. “I’ll go first and let you know if there are any loose boards or anything you should watch out for.” 

That made Apolonia feel a little better, but not much. She still probably would’ve preferred if they just decided to go somewhere else, see a different part of the dungeon. To be honest she almost would’ve preferred to just leave and go back to the surface then and there. 

But surely she couldn’t give up just like that. She’d made the decision to try her hand at adventuring, and she needed to at least see it through. 

Phoebe looked at Apolonia expectantly as she spent a moment mulling the issue over. 

“Okay,” Apolonia said at last. “You first, please.”

“Sounds good!” Phoebe smiled, turning and beginning to make the trek across the bridge. Her step was sure, but cautious. She tested each board before putting her weight on it. The bridge swayed as she walked. Apolonia watched with wide eyes, afraid to blink in case something happened at any moment, until at last Phoebe had crossed safely to the other side and Apolonia breathed out with relief for a moment until she remembered that now it was her turn. 

“Okay!” Phoebe called out. “Now you go!” 

Apolonia took a deep breath.

“Okay…” 

She tried to follow Phoebe’s example, testing each board before stepping on it, trying to concentrate on just moving forward. Don’t look at the worn, fraying ropes holding up the bridge, don’t worry about how much farther there is to go, just keep walking. She took deep, steady breaths.

“You’re almost there!” Phoebe called out, and Apolonia looked up at her to find that, indeed, she was close to the other side of the bridge. She smiled, and Phoebe smiled back. A few steps later, and Apolonia was home free. She shook out her mane.

“Please tell me we don’t have to cross that again on our way back out.”

Phoebe gave Apolonia a sympathetic smile.