You abandon the rope and race for the tunnel. It is large, round and smooth, similar to the tunnel you used to first enter the cave, but you know better than to think it might be a way out.
The lizards chase you for several moments, but then quickly give up. You continue running, in case there might be more of them behind you that you can't hear over your own heart pounding, while scanning your light ahead to spot any in front.
As you run, a lizard appears from a hole in the floor you did not even notice and tries to lunge at you. You're close enough to reach it before it can actually jump, and you land a solid kick under its jaw. The creature flies back, but your momentum causes you to slip, and you tumble down the hole it came up from.
You roll down a steep, gravel slope, curled up in a little ball to protect your head and organs from anything sharp or especially hard. The spinning makes you dizzy and nauseous, but you tumble to the bottom safely.
As you wait for the dizziness to subside, you listen. You can hear the sound of running water, you can hear the lizard you kicked much higher up the shaft coming after you, and you can hear what sounds like the creak of stones. Opening your eyes, you appear to be in a hatchery . The room is warm and dozens of nests line cracks in the wall. A smelly substance you can only guess is lizard poop covers the floor.
The stone is definitely creaking. There is only a single column in the room, and it's worn and thin. Cracks play across its surface and the ceiling above. You remember entering a cavern once with an older, more experienced spelunker who told you to get out fast. You want to do that now, but there's also an urge to knock out the support column and take out the pursuing lizard.