4
You vault onto the dead tree, using your Staff for support. Hauling yourself to the top, you reach out and grab the thick branch of a Giant Azawood. Your chest contracts with pain every time you draw breath and the humid, fetid air clings to the sides of your throat. Slowly and painfully, you climb the tall tree while the columns of insects march relentlessly towards you, their pincers gnashing and clacking in crazed fury.
Grimly you ignore the savage pain of your wounded leg. Looking up you gasp with dismay, for a line of Cave Mantiz has somehow gained the branch above your head. Those behind are nearly upon you, and in desperation, you clamber along the nearest branch. The further you crawl along the narrowing tree limb, the greater the swaying of the branch as it bends under your weight.
You turn to see a line of insects scurrying along the branch towards you: there is no escape. With one last effort of will you use all your remaining WILLPOWER points in an attempt to clear the branch of the Cave Mantiz.
