Allans P.O.V.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE IS'?", Bolt yelled through the speakers when I informed him about the situation. „HOW COULD YOU LOSE HER IN THE FIRST PLACE?"

My eyes were filling up with water. Oh great. Now I was going to cry. That's the last thing I wanted to happen. Why do I have to be so sensitive over everything? Yet again, I messed it up, so I guess my reaction had a point.

„I- I'm sorry, th- the alpmare made pr- problems!" The white shepherd stopped shouting, but was nowhere near cooling down. „Do you at least know if she's ok?" I looked over at the display over the seemingly sleeping cat. 'Heart rate: Fast' and 'Blood pressure: High'.

„She's scared, but alive." Bolt sacked to the ground and coverd his eyes. A little while passed and he said: „This is all my fault. I knew something bad was going to happen!" - „Do you want to come out?"

NO! Not while Mittens is still in here!" Suddenly Mauser stepped forward. „It's not your mistake Bolt. This creature messed with our computers! You have nothing to do with this." - „You know what? You're right! It's not my fault!"

The light brown boxer started smiling in a comforting way. Bolt looked at him and stood up. „IT'S YOURS!" Mauser almost tripped on his own legs while stumbling backwards. His smile was gone.

What do you mean?" - „If YOU wouldn't have come to us and asked us to help YOU out, WE wouldn't be in this dilemma!" The situation was about to escalate, if it wasn't for my sister to step between the two.

HEY! While you two are fighting, Mitten is still out there and-" - „Mittens." - „What?" - „Her name is 'Mittens' not 'Mitten'." - „Whatever, we need to find her! What you're doing won't help her in any way!"

The other two were silent. Then Bolt sighed. „I guess you're right. We should go now." Suddenly his head snapped to the camera. I don't know how it looks like, but they definately know where it is, and that I can see them.

Allan, can't you roam around and track anything?" - „I'm afraid not Bolt, since this is an emulated d- dream, the only parts where something is going on is in a small r- radius around other dreamers. I am bound to your location." - „Alright. Let's not waste any more time then."

Mittens P.O.V.

I was horrified. Everything around me was dark, making spooky sounds and generally creepy. „Ok Mittens... If you could survive the allies, then you can survive this. Just start walking and everything will be ok..."

I told myself to move, but I just couldn't! It was like I was glued in place! I felt like crying at this point. Completely alone, having no idea where to go, and worst of all: For the first time in a long one, I wasn't with Bolt.

Together we could have easily made this, he would tell me not to worry, and I wouldn't worry because he would be with me. This time however nobody could comfort me, nobody could protect me, or peek around the corner while I was keeping an eye behind us.

Everything I knew was that I would never want any kind of adventure with the Skulls EVER.

Suddenly I heared a crack behind me. I threw my body around to look at a dead end. No possibility of going this way. „H- Hello? Is anyone there?" No answer. „I'm n- not scared of you! Just come out and I will spare your life!"

A deep growling sound came through the air, almost like laughter. „I'm serious! I've got my claws! If you want to live, then show yourself!" The cave laughed at me again.

Then, a ghostly whisper flew through my head saying: „But you don't have any!" My entire body refused my brain and I just rolled myself into a ball. „You don't have to lie to me, Mittens!" - „Wh- who are you?"

You know me too well!" The voice cracked. „Mittens? Are you here?" I snapped my head up. Out of the fog came a familliar dog. „Bolt!" - „Mittens!" He found me! I almost fell down as I was running over to him, but when I was in clear line of sight, I stopped.

He was looking to the ground. „B- Bolt? Are you ok?" - „Yes Mittens. I am very good actually! I can now finally do the thing that I always wanted to do, from the first time we met!"

I slowly walked backwards. Something wasn't right about this! „Do you know the only kind of good cat?" I bumped against a wall. „Bolt you're scaring me!" - „The only good cat, Mittens..."

He lifted his head and revealed two glowing red dots for his eyes. „Is a dead one." Out of nowhere the white shepherd threw himself at me. I screamed and jumped away. He missed me by a millimeter.

I had no time to think about what was happening, all I knew was that I had to run. Very fast and very far. „There is no hiding, cat!" I realized that it was the alpmare trying to scare me, granted, it worked, but still, hearing threats from Bolt directed at me was hurting me more than he could physically hurt me.

AND THERE IS ALSO NO RUNNING! YOU! CAN'T! ESCAPE! ME!" I ran faster than I thought I could run. Never in my life was I this fast before. I had to find the others as quickly as possible!

(The actual) Bolts P.O.V.

„MITTENS? CAN YOU HEAR ME?" Nothing. Again. For the eleventh time in a row. Allan left a few minutes ago, he said he had to equip Zeta and Rhino for a mission. I was definitely not fond of that idea.

We were walking down a straight corridor. It was a pretty long one too, with only a few corners or other tunnels here and there. „How far could she be? I mean we were supposed to be in the same area, she can't be on the other side of the cave, can she?"

„Maybe... But I have no idea how this works. You would have to ask Allan about that." I yelled her name out again. Still nothing. Suddenly we heared a strange noise. It came from the wall next to me.

„What was that?", Mauser asked while stepping away. I heared a crunching coming closer. Out of nowhere a gigantic worm shot out of the wall, with a round mouth opening and closing on its front. Lucy jumped back and screamed.

The thing hissed, and slithered on the ground towards me. My initial reaction was to get into a fighting position, but before it could hit me it slammed on the floor. The gatling guns on Mausers multicoat were smoking as they came to a rest.

„Whoa... thanks man..." - „Hey, you would have done the same thing if you were in my positon." We stepped closer to investigate the body, but Lucy just stood back, completely grossed out. It looked like an ordinary worm, just bigger, and it had a round mouth with big teeth all around.

The hole that the worm came from was almost perfectly circular, and reached deep into the stones. „What is this and why is this?", Lucy screamed from behind. „It seems like a snake or a worm of some sort..."

„I h- hate worms!" My head snapped up. „Hold on! Do you fear them? Are you afraid?" - „Of course! These slimy, fat, chewing things are disgusting even in their normal size, but THIS is just a whole new level!"

„Didn't Allan say the alpmare uses our fears against us? If this is what Lucys part is, what else is going to come?" - „I have no idea. But imagine the terror that Mittens is going through right now!"

I chuckled and turned away. „This is the one thing I'm not worried about. Mittens isn't afraid of anything!" - „Hm... not even losing you?" I stopped and turned around. „Oh... my god."

Fun fact in a not so fun situation: When I prewrote some of this chapter I got a review from Wooling Mations saying: „I wonder how BOLT is going to take it in he'll propably get angry at Mauser", and at this point I already wrote exactly this part. You can't imagine how much that made me laugh. Also, huge shoutouts to Advina, a big help and inspiration here. That's about it, goodbye und schönen Abend noch!