Setting out early the next morning, Gatomon thought that it looked like the start of a great day. Her spirits were lifted by the sense of freedom she felt, and also because of the sight of Myotismon's castle growing smaller in the distance. Besides arguing Veggiemon into giving her food, Gatomon had also convinced a Mammothmon that Demidevimon would pay him a lot of digi-dollars if he gave her a ride to the beach. From there, she would leave Directory Continent, and head for File Island. "That Demidevimon is going to get what he deserves!" she thought happily.

As the scenery thundered by, Gatomon closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of the wind gently blowing her ears and whiskers. "I never thought that life could be so good!" she thought, oblivious to the fact that a dark shape was gliding silently through the trees alongside them.

Hearing the relaxing sound of water on sand, Gatomon opened her eyes. There was the beach, and as Myotismon had told her, there was also a Seadramon waiting to take her to File Island. "See you later," she told the Mammothmon as she climbed on Seadramon's back. "I just better get my money!" he shouted back. But she was already gone.

Perched on Seadramon's broad back, Gatomon decided it was time for supper. Reaching into her backpack, she found some cooked digi-mushrooms. Knowing Veggiemon's cooking, she cautiously bit into one. "Mm-mm-mm," she said, "he must have had Digitamamon help him with these. I am one lucky digi-kitty!" Finishing her meal, Gatomon curled up in the sun and, belly full, fell asleep.

Gatomon was rudely awakened about an hour later by the sound of "Pulse Blast!", and felt a shudder run through Seadramon's body as the hits impacted. Instantly awake, she jumped up and saw a school of five Dolphmon mercilessly attacking Seadramon. "Leave us alone, you big bullies!" Gatomon growled as they came closer. "Lightning Paw!" she shouted, leaving red streaks on a passing Dolphmon's fin.

"Ice Blast!" cried Seadramon, valiantly trying to fight back. "Gatomon, we're about two miles from shore. Jump and swim for it!"

"What about you?" she cried, "I can't leave you!"

"Jump now!" he thundered, "I'll hold them off as long as I can. Now go, and good luck!"

Feeling his body shake again, Gatomon leaped off Seadramon's back into the frigid water. After swimming for a short distance, she glanced back. What she saw made her shudder. Seadramon, badly beaten by the Dolphmon's pulse blasts, let off a powerful "Ice Winder!", trapping the Dolphmon by freezing the water around them. Then, damaged beyond repair, his body was broken down into tiny bits of data, which then floated over Gatomon's head towards File Island. Unaccustomed to crying, Gatomon attributed the mist in her eyes to the ocean water. "What's the matter with me?" she thought, "I didn't even know him!" Then she turned and swam the direction Seadramon's data had pointed her.

Gatomon, unlike other cats, loved water, and was a good swimmer. But in this freezing water, even she couldn't make it through two miles. She felt her strength leaving her, and knew she was about to die. "At least I won't have to go back to Myotismon's castle," she thought. Gatomon smiled at that, and then, going limp, she slowly sank beneath the surface.

* * * * *

As if from a great distance, Gatomon heard a voice say, "Don't worry, little one, I've got you." Barely conscious, she felt a huge shape under her, lifting her up out of the water. Coughing and sputtering, she lay sprawled on this great being's back. Then she heard music, beautiful music coming from somewhere inside of him. No, it wasn't music, it was singing! It was a mixture of low whistles and hums. Gatomon's fur had started to dry in the sun, and the music lulled her into the sweetest sleep she could remember having since she had been captured by Myotismon.

When she awoke sometime later, Gatomon still felt weak, but she was grateful to be out of the water. She lifted her head and looked around. From her perch on the mystery digimon's back, she could see that they were floating a few yards from a beach.

"Are you awake, little one?" rumbled a voice that sounded like rolling thunder.

"My name's Gatomon. Where are we, and who are you?"

"Gatomon is a pretty name. My name is Whamon, and this is File Island. What were you doing way out there?" asked Whamon.

"I'm on a mission for Lord Myotismon," said Gatomon. Then she told him about the Dolphmon's attack and Seadramon's defeat.

"So you work for Myotismon,do you?" rumbled Whamon thoughtfully, "You're lucky that I found you. You see, Your master, Myotismon, has terrorized us sea creatures as well as the land creatures who refuse to do his bidding. Those Dolphmon are part of the Liberating Undersea Resistance Faction(LURF)."

Narrator(me) breaks in

"I'm sorry, sorry, sorry! I know the name sounds corny(Corny? CORNY??!!! IT SOUNDS LIKE SMURF!!!!!!!), but it was all I could come up with!!"(sobbing)

Gatomon breaks in

"Are you done yet? Get ahold of yourself!!!! Then she turned back to Whamon and whispered, "Why did she have to be our narrator?"

Narrator breaks in again

"I heard that!!!!! And besides, I'm the narrator, and you are the story character. You are supposed to ignore me!

Gatomon comes back in

"Whoops!!!! I'm sorry! I forgot!! Talking to Whamon, she said, "What in the world is SMURF, sorry, LURF?

"LURF is an anti-Myotismon group made up of sea animals. They will stop at nothing to liberate the oceans from Myotismon's power. Those Dolphmon you saw were probably on patrol, and recognized your Seadramon friend as Myotismon's servant." Changing the subject, Whamon asked, "So why are you working for Myotismon? You seem too nice to be his servant".

"That's none of your business!" she snapped. "And those digi-dopes wouldn't get hurt if they would just obey him. It's their own fault!"

"Calm down. I was just asking! Tell you what, if you can give me one good reason, I'll drop the subject," said Whamon.

Gatomon was silent for a minute, then she put her head down and said in a trembling voice, "I have to admit that the only reason that I stay loyal to Myotismon is that I know if I run away, no matter how far I go, he'll find and torture me."

They floated together in silence for a few minutes, then Whamon spoke up. "I'm a peaceable Digimon, and I've never understood fighting, but if you ever need help, give me a holler. I've made many friends among both land and sea Digimon, and more than one of them owe me favors."

Gatomon looked up in surprise. No one had been kind to her since before she had turned into Salamon, her Rookie form. "Thank you, Whamon," she said, tears gathering in her eyes. Then, in a "back to business" voice, she said, "Well, the first thing that you can do for me is to tell me where Primary Village is."

Whamon thought for a minute, then said, "Being a water Digimon, I've never been on land, but I have a friend who loves to travel. He probably knows where it is. His name is Vermilimon,and he lives in a cave in the woods. Look at the tree line. Do you see that little dirt path? That is where he lives."

As he swam closer to the beach, Gatomon jumped off his back and started walking to the woods. As she reached the woods, Whamon called, "Take care of yourself, little one!"

"Don't worry," she said, "That's what I'm best at." Then, turning around, she disappeared from view into the trees at the edge of the beach.