text: [Themes: Science Fiction, transformation, changing environment, telepathy]
  
  > Look around
  The woodland here is quite unlike the west side of the canyon. The trees are short and gnarled and look quite unhealthy: they are also very close together and visibilty through the tangled branches is poor. Despite the gloom, the undergrowth is thick, with ferns, tall grasses, and less identifiable plants filling the space between the tree trunks. The forest sweeps east up to the rock face above and south as far as you can see through the trees.
  
  Bushes of the thorny aromatic plant grow profusely.
  
  You can feel peacefulness from the south.
  
  > go to the south
  The ground here is steep and rocky, but still covered with scrawny trees. The canyon wall rises precipitously to the east; there's a band of wet rock, and water oozes out and forms in a little pool before trickling down the slope to the river which you can just make out to the west. All you can see to the north and south are more trees.
  
  Bushes of the thorny aromatic plant grow profusely.
  
  The lemur is sitting in one of the thorny bushes.
  
  You can also see four bundles of aromatic leaves here.
  
  The lemur blinks.
  
  > Go west
  The river's in the way, and foxes can't swim.
  
  The lemur stares solemnly at you from out of the spiky bush.
  
  > Go south
  The river is narrow and rocky here, and the river churns noisily between the boulders. Trees come down to the water's edge on both sides, and twigs and dead leaves spiral dizzyingly in the vortices. The woods are fairly dense here and seem to go on in all directions.
  
  > go west
  The ground rises to meet the canyon wall to the west here, and small trees are scattered across the slope. There is very little undergrowth, lending the woods an airy, garden-like feel. The trees get denser to the north and east, but space opens out to the south.
  
  You can feel contentment from the north.
  
  > Go west
  You can't go that way.
  
  You sense contentment changing to irritation from the north.
  
  > Go south
  Part of the canyon wall has fallen here, forming a huge bank of sandy rubble. This looks like it used to be part of the rabbit warren you can see to the south, but this section has been abandoned. Part of the mound has begun to be colonised by the woods that extend to the north. You can see the river in the distance down to the east.
  
  The bank doesn't look very stable and is full of partially collapsed burrows.
  
  You can feel peacefulness from the south.
  
  > Dig
  You scratch about a bit, but you're not really built for digging.
  
  You sense peacefulness changing to caution from the south.
  
  > go south
  This little grassy hollow half-way up the side of the canyon looks like it's been colonised by rabbits. The tough grass-like ground covering has been dug away and the sandy soil underneath is full of burrows. Down to the east the view over the Mother Tree is spectacular, much better than it was from the top; you can probably climb up to the west. The slope steepens and becomes impassably steep to the south, but the warren continues to the north.
  
  There are burrows everywhere.
  
  Eyes seem to be staring at you from out of the burrows.
  
  > Dig
  You have a very strong feeling that the rabbits are more dangerous than they look. That's probably not a good idea.
  
  > kill the rabbit
  They're all down the burrows.
  
  > go burrow
  You're too large to fit.
  
  > Go north
  Part of the canyon wall has fallen here, forming a huge bank of sandy rubble. This looks like it used to be part of the rabbit warren you can see to the south, but this section has been abandoned. Part of the mound has begun to be colonised by the woods that extend to the north. You can see the river in the distance down to the east.
  
  The bank doesn't look very stable and is full of partially collapsed burrows.
  
  You can feel caution from the south.
  
  > take the flowers
  (first dropping the bundle of aromatic leaves)
  You quite like the flowers where they are.
  
  > go south
  The flat river valley here isn't as wet as the marsh further south, and has bloomed into an astonishing wildflower meadow. The flowers are all strange and alien, of course, but the air is fragrant and peaceful. The only sound is the gentle noise of the river to the east. Off to the west the ground begins to rise up to meet the canyon wall, while forests dominate the north.
  
  You can see a bundle of aromatic leaves here.
  
  > Go west
  Part of the canyon wall has fallen here, forming a huge bank of sandy rubble. This looks like it used to be part of the rabbit warren you can see to the south, but this section has been abandoned. Part of the mound has begun to be colonised by the woods that extend to the north. You can see the river in the distance down to the east.
  
  The bank doesn't look very stable and is full of partially collapsed burrows.
  
  You can feel peacefulness from the south.
  
  > Go west
  You can't go that way.
  
  You sense peacefulness changing to caution from the south.
  
  > Go north
  A massive slab of rock has fallen into the woods from the canyon walls to the west. It is halfway sunk into the turf and looks almost sculpted. The canyon wall looms over you from the west. The woodlands parallel it, running north-south, although the canyon steepens to the north. Water glints between the trees to the east.
  
  The huge boulder towers over the surrounding trees.
  
  As you approach the deer gallop off to the north.
  
  > climb the Boulder
  You jump and scrabble, but are unable to get a purchase on the boulder.
  
  You sense a new feeling of annoyance from the north.
  
  > Go north
  The trees here are stunted and wiry, and the steeply sloping ground is showing its rocky bones through the thin grass. The canyon is spread out below you: the lake to your east, the woodland covering the lower slopes, and the green dome of the Mother Tree far to the south, now shrunken by distance. The canyon ends not far to the north in a tumble of fallen rock.
  
  As you approach the deer gallop off to the north.
  
  > go to the north
  You are perched at the very north-west tip of the canyon, where the slopes disintegrate into a tangle of smashed rock. Wiry, heather-like grass grows between the gaps between the boulders, and there are even a few trees. Below to the east is a maelstrom of white water at the head of the river; to the south, the slope begins to flatten.
  
  Tiny multicoloured birds dart back and forth on the cliff face above you.
  
  As you approach the deer gallop off to the east.
  
  > take birds
  They're far too far above you.
  
  You sense a new feeling of annoyance from the east.
  
  > take the grass
  You quite like the grass where it is.
  
  You sense annoyance changing to irritation from the east.
  
  > take the rocks
  That's hardly portable.
  
  > go to the south
  The trees here are stunted and wiry, and the steeply sloping ground is showing its rocky bones through the thin grass. The canyon is spread out below you: the lake to your east, the woodland covering the lower slopes, and the green dome of the Mother Tree far to the south, now shrunken by distance. The canyon ends not far to the north in a tumble of fallen rock.
  
  > go south
  A massive slab of rock has fallen into the woods from the canyon walls to the west. It is halfway sunk into the turf and looks almost sculpted. The canyon wall looms over you from the west. The woodlands parallel it, running north-south, although the canyon steepens to the north. Water glints between the trees to the east.
  
  The huge boulder towers over the surrounding trees.
  
  > Go south
  The ground rises to meet the canyon wall to the west here, and small trees are scattered across the slope. There is very little undergrowth, lending the woods an airy, garden-like feel. The trees get denser to the north and east, but space opens out to the south.
  
  > go north
  You were wrong: the view is terrible from here. Outside the canyon there is just barren, sandy wasteland, with the occasional scrubby plant, stretching away in all directions. There are mountains on the horizon, but there's no way you could survive out here long enough to reach them. Down to the east the oasis of the canyon is mostly hidden behind the terrain. There is a rise to the south, near where the land stops.
  
  You can feel peacefulness from the east.
  
  > Go north
  The lake nestles under the cliffs at the edge of the canyon, so that the east side is a sheer wall rising out of the water; but here on the west side the ground slopes gradually so there is a wide shore of pebbles and rough sand. Mats of grassy plants form little green islands here and there, some under the water. Beyond the beach, unkempt woodland rises up the west side of the canyon, while far to the north, at the head of the canyon, there is a distant skein of falling water as the river tumbles down the cliff into the lake.
  
  Scattered along the waterfront are some splintered fish bones.
  
  You can feel contentment from the north.
  
  > look at the bones
  They're old and bleached the sun, and look well-gnawed. There's quite a lot of them.
  
  You sense contentment changing to irritation from the north.
  
  > Go north
  The river pours out of an aperture in the northern wall of the canyon and tumbles down through a snarl of fallen rock before flowing into the lake, to the south. The noise of rushing water is everywhere. The eastern shore is a sheer rockface, but the western shore is a rocky slope that rises to meet the canyon wall in the distance. Some trees hug the edge of the water.
  
  Water pours around, through, and over the massive pile of boulders. There are nooks and crannies and vortices everywhere.
  
  The water swirling in one large rock pool in particular catches your eye.
  
  As you approach the deer gallop off to the west.
  
  > look at the pool
  Water's pouring into it, but there doesn't seem to be any exit. There's a raw-looking scar on the north side where the ledge used to be, making the sides even steeper and more impassable and you're pretty sure that foxes can't swim.
  
  You sense a new feeling of annoyance from the west.
  
  > go to the north
  There's no ledge there any more. If you really wanted to you could jump in, of course.
  
  You sense annoyance changing to irritation from the west.
  
  > Go south
  The lake nestles under the cliffs at the edge of the canyon, so that the east side is a sheer wall rising out of the water; but here on the west side the ground slopes gradually so there is a wide shore of pebbles and rough sand. Mats of grassy plants form little green islands here and there, some under the water. Beyond the beach, unkempt woodland rises up the west side of the canyon, while far to the north, at the head of the canyon, there is a distant skein of falling water as the river tumbles down the cliff into the lake.
  
  Scattered along the waterfront are some splintered fish bones.
  
  You can feel contentment from the west.
  
  > go to the south
  A haphazard but substantial dam has been built across the river out of logs and fallen trees. Water pours through the many little gaps to form a delta of pools and runnels, before joining back together into the main flow of the river, which disappears into the woods to the south. Upstream of the dam to the north there is a substantial lake, but everywhere else, all you can see are trees. The river looks crossable, to reach the east side of the canyon.
  
  The grisly remains of the dead beavers are scattered among the rocks.
  
  Some fish flap about in the pools.
  
  > Go east
  The woodland here is quite unlike the west side of the canyon. The trees are short and gnarled and look quite unhealthy: they are also very close together and visibilty through the tangled branches is poor. Despite the gloom, the undergrowth is thick, with ferns, tall grasses, and less identifiable plants filling the space between the tree trunks. The forest sweeps east up to the rock face above and south as far as you can see through the trees.
  
  Bushes of the thorny aromatic plant grow profusely.
  
  You can feel peacefulness from the south.
  
  > go south
  The ground here is steep and rocky, but still covered with scrawny trees. The canyon wall rises precipitously to the east; there's a band of wet rock, and water oozes out and forms in a little pool before trickling down the slope to the river which you can just make out to the west. All you can see to the north and south are more trees.
  
  Bushes of the thorny aromatic plant grow profusely.
  
  The lemur is sitting in one of the thorny bushes.
  
  You can also see four bundles of aromatic leaves here.
  
  The lemur gives you a suspicious look.
  
  > Go south
  Nestled in the south-east corner of the canyon, the terrain here sweeps up from the river to a low pass through the canyon wall to the east. Through the dense trees you can just make out the green dome of the Mother Tree far below to the south-west.
  
  Bushes of the thorny aromatic plant grow profusely.
  
  You can also see a dead fish here.
  
  You can feel peacefulness from the north.
  
  > go southwest
  It's too much of a drop.
  
  > go south
  The desert abruptly drops away on two sides here: to the west you can see the green dome of the Mother Tree a few hundred metres below, and to the south the incomparably vaster drop down to the sea of clouds below. The cliff continues east as far as the eye can see. The wreck of the Semiquaver is poised at the edge.
  
  The shuttle's main hatch is tightly closed.
  
  > go west
  Nestled in the south-east corner of the canyon, the terrain here sweeps up from the river to a low pass through the canyon wall to the east. Through the dense trees you can just make out the green dome of the Mother Tree far below to the south-west.
  
  Bushes of the thorny aromatic plant grow profusely.
  
  You can also see a dead fish here.
  
  > take the fish
  Taken.
  
  > Go north
  The ground here is steep and rocky, but still covered with scrawny trees. The canyon wall rises precipitously to the east; there's a band of wet rock, and water oozes out and forms in a little pool before trickling down the slope to the river which you can just make out to the west. All you can see to the north and south are more trees.
  
  Bushes of the thorny aromatic plant grow profusely.
  
  You can also see four bundles of aromatic leaves here.
  
  You can feel peacefulness from the north.
  
  > Go north
  The woodland here is quite unlike the west side of the canyon. The trees are short and gnarled and look quite unhealthy: they are also very close together and visibilty through the tangled branches is poor. Despite the gloom, the undergrowth is thick, with ferns, tall grasses, and less identifiable plants filling the space between the tree trunks. The forest sweeps east up to the rock face above and south as far as you can see through the trees.
  
  Bushes of the thorny aromatic plant grow profusely.
  
  The lemur is sitting in one of the thorny bushes.
  
  The lemur scratches itself.
  
  > throw the fish at the lemur
  You lack the nerve when it comes to the crucial moment.
  
  The lemur just stares into space for a while.
  
  > take the leaves
  (the aromatic bush)
  (first dropping the dead fish)
  You gingerly take a mouthful of leaves, avoiding the thorns.
  
  The lemur languidly picks up a some small insect of some kind, stares at it for a while, and then pulls the legs off before throwing it away.
  
  > throw the leaves at the lemur
  (the bundle of aromatic leaves at the lemur)
  You lack the nerve when it comes to the crucial moment.
  
  The lemur just stares into space for a while.
  
  > jump
  You jump on the spot, fruitlessly.
  
  The lemur seems to find something very interesting under one armpit.
  
  > Dig
  You scratch about a bit, but you're not really built for digging.
  
  The lemur bounces out of the bush, shoots up a tree and leaps through the branches to the south.
  
  > Go upward
  You can't go that way.
  
  You sense a new feeling of peacefulness from the south.
  
  > enter bush
  That's not something you can enter.
  
  There's a loud rustling of leaves as the lemur swings up from the south, runs down a tree and dives into the spiky bush.
  
  You sense peacefulness fading from the south.
  
  > kick the bush
  That wouldn't achieve much.
  
  The lemur just stares into space for a while.