Hey guys! Here's the new chapter. So far no one has had any ideas for my competition, but I think you guys will come up with something. Remember the ones I like will be in the story.

Rapunzel thought that all animals were sweet, she was wrong. I mean Pascal, her chameleon, was small and cute, but what she saw definitely wasn't. The next room was a den, full of large, black, red eyed dog like creatures. Their teeth looked like they were really sharp, but then she hadn't seen anything very sharp before, save her kitchen knives. Their paws were the size of her dinner plates. At first they didn't seem to notice the big four. But slowly all the heads turned to the intruders. Rapunzel counted them all, there might be a trick to this too. There were eleven of them. Maybe more in some side tunnels she could see.

The tunnels, there tons of them. If they could get past the hounds how would they find their way through this? She looked around frantically for the next door. She saw it high up the wall to the right. She hoped that there wasn't sixty tunnels they had to go through to get to it. Rapunzel had been so lost in her thoughts she hadn't realized that Hiccup had gone in front of the group and reached his hand out.

"Hiccup." Merida hissed, "What do you think your doing?"

"Experimenting." He replied.

He made his way toward the hounds carefully, when he got close he reached into his vest and pulled out a small knife. He had a weapon? What did he think he could do with it being so small? He put it on the ground and pushed it away from himself.

"Hiccup are you crazy?" Jack whisper shouted at him.

"Trust me." Hiccup was two feet away from the closest hound. Who had been growling before, now was gazing at Hiccup with curiosity. Hiccup's hand was almost to its nose. Rapunzel was starting to think these things might be friendly, then the thought was snuffed out.

There was a blood curling howl from far ahead of the big four. A twelfth hound, bigger than the rest, emerged from one of the tunnels. Its fur was unkempt and matted. Its claws were long and chipped. Its eyes were a darker red than any Rapunzel had ever seen. It terrified her. She immediately grabbed Jack who was next to her. He put a protecting arm around her shoulders. Though the comfort it gave her didn't last long, because the rest of the hounds changed at the sound of the cry. Their eyes turned the same deep red.

Hiccup, not being an idiot, jumped back as massive jaws snapped at his head. He grabbed his knife and regrouped with others.

"Just for the record, that wasn't my fault." He stated.

"No one said it was." Jack said.

"Just making sure."

They made a defensive semicircle (mostly around Rapunzel). Jack in the middle, Merida on the left, and Hiccup on the right. The hounds closed around them. Rapunzel didn't know how they were going to get out of this. They were out numbered four to one. She didn't count herself, she would probably make it worse. She didn't even have a weapon, she was completely useless. Mother would have never let this happen, had she been here. How crushed will she be if I don't come back? Rapunzel panicked. She picked up a rock by her feet, it was better than nothing.

"Rapunzel, when I tell you to go for an empty tunnel and hide until we take care of these things." Jack instructed, "Hiccup you go with her."

Hiccup looked like he wanted to protest, but knew it wasn't the time. He nodded. He took hold of Rapunzel's wrist and gave her a reassuring smile, silently saying she would be OK. She was grateful for that.

"One, two, THREE!" Jack leaped out striking first, sending a blast of ice at the hounds. Quickly followed by Merida, her arrows were streaks in the air. One impaled itself into a hound and dissolved into shadow, the hound on the other hand was hardly damaged. Rapunzel didn't get to see what happened next. Hiccup dragged over to a deserted tunnel. There was a small boulder a few feet in, they went behind it. Hiccup gathered a couple more rocks and placed them in front of her.

"Stay here and don't move." He told her.

"Wait aren't you going to stay?" She pleaded.

"Well those two aren't going to be able to finish those things by themselves." He looked her in the eye, "We'll come back for you."

"Promise?"

"Promise." He ran out of the tunnel. Rapunzel could hear all three battle cries. She pulled her hair close to her. Suddenly she thought about her hair, they still didn't know what it did. How would they see her if they found out? Would they try to take her back to their time? No, they were her friends they wouldn't, especially Jack. He was like her after all, different. Hiccup was too nice to hurt her. And Merida? Sure she was rough and tough on the outside, but she was sweet on the inside, Rapunzel could tell. She was drawn from her mind by the sound of scuffling down the tunnel. She scrambled to her feet and grabbed the biggest rock she had.

It appeared to be some kinda goblin. It was only two feet tall. With a large twisted nose, pointy ears, and yellowed teeth. Its arms dangled to its ankles. It had brown tattered pants. Rapunzel couldn't tell if they were brown from dirt or if they were made that way. When it spoke to her, its voice sounded like it was gargling acid.

"Don't be frightened, I won't harm you."

"Who are you?" Rapunzel demanded. She held the rock back ready to throw. She hoped she looked threatening.

"My name is Jeroboam. I am a forgotten creature of the Halls of Time."

"What do want from me?"

"Only to warn you."

Rapunzel lowered her rock. To give her a warning? About what?

She raised her rock again. "What warning?"

"About those you travel with."

Rapunzel felt concern swell up in her. "Are they OK?" She looked out the tunnel. She could see Merida perched on a rock ten feet above the ground, her bow singing. Jack was flying back and forth between two points, blasting ice as he went. Hiccup for the most part was being live bait. Running in circles, and keeping the hounds focus off Jack and Merida. There were only seven hounds left. Her friends didn't look hurt, they were fine.

"There's nothing wrong." She sighed.

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

"You don't know them. Anything they say about their past could easily be a lie. How can you trust them?"

"They're my friends."

Jeroboam snorted. "You've only just met them. It takes years to make a true friendship with someone. Who's to say they won't kidnap you? Especially once they find out about your treasured hair.."

"How do you know about my hair!?"

"I once worked in the halls! I helped with the care of the Time Stream. I know about your life Rapunzel of Corona."

Corona? That was the kingdom that she and mother lived within the borders of wasn't it? It didn't matter, this thing was saying that her friends weren't trust worthy. They were, weren't they? Sure she hadn't known them long but they were nice. They were nothing like mother said the world was like. But still, what would they say about her hair? Would they try to take her, or worse, cut it? They might be horrible, selfish.

"No!" She looked Jeroboam in the eye. "They wouldn't."

"Come, you must see it. They can't be trusted-"

"They are trustworthy." She interrupted, "You are not." She hoisted her rock high in the air, doing her best to scowl. "Go."

"Really-"

She leaned back. "Go."

"As you wish." He scuffled away.

"Hey Punzie!" Jack called out. He walked into the tunnel, "We got rid of those things, but we don't know if there's more we need to get...Hey, you OK?"

"Oh yes." She turned around to face him, "Just lost in thought I guess."

"OK, good, because we should be leaving."

They walked out of the tunnel. The only noise was Merida scolding Hiccup about coming out of the tunnel and not staying with Rapunzel. They're my friends. Rapunzel smiled, They would never hurt me.

"How do we get outta here?" Jack wondered.

"Up there." Rapunzel pointed to the door.

"OK let's try this again." Jack mumbled. He took off for the door. He landed right next to it. He pushed down on the hour hand, as it opened he flew back down and said, "OK who's going up first?"

It was difficult for Jack to fly while carrying someone, but he managed. He carried Rapunzel first, then after much persuasion Merida, and finally Hiccup. Merida had laughed at how awkwardly Jack had to carry Hiccup. Rapunzel giggled a little but felt bad for the boys. When they were all at the door more howls could be heard echoing through the caves. Rapunzel shivered, she was glad they were leaving.

"Let's go." She said.

They did.