### 103

With bated breath, you wait for the creature to appear, fearful yet confident that your bow-skill will put paid to the hostile intentions of this malodorous cave-dweller.

The tip of a thin, snaky limb rises from the abyss and glides slowly across the ground towards your legs. Its skin is smooth and dark, like black velvet, and it moves with alarming speed. Suddenly it halts, as if sensing the danger, and draws itself up like a serpent preparing to strike.

If you wish to fire at the snaky limb, turn to 276.

If you decide to hold your fire and wait for it to make the first move, turn to 185.