Gregor wasn't sure if he was eating breakfast or lunch. It was pretty simple. There were blocks of food, Gregor recognized as cheese, and round colorful balls that must have been a type of fruit. Gregor was hesitant at first to take the food, he still didn't totally trust the "Underlanders", but after a couple bites he was sure it was ok. Plus, he was too hungry to stop even if he thought it wasn't.

Ripred brought him a bag while he was eating and told him that it was his. Apparently he had brought it down to Underland with him. Having the bag made him feel better. It was a piece of home. His muscles slowly opened the bag. His body still felt sore.

The first thing he noticed was a sword. He took it out to examine. It was almost completely silver, as Gregor turned it he saw traces of other colors. The hilt was made of gold and silver. It felt natural in him hand and he let himself wave it around. A thought occurred to him and he quickly put the sword down. How did he know how to hold a sword. He had never held one in his life, yet when he picked it up… He wasn't sure. When he held the sword he felt like a different person. He looked at the sword again, and then at his waist. The sword would fit perfectly on his belt. He picked it up and put it on. He walked around a little bit feeling the sword against his side. "That's were it belongs" he thought.

With the sword on his belt he felt safer and he returned to his bag. He found some food that looked familiar. Energy bars, snack packs and water bottles. There was also a a flashlight and a couple batteries. In the bottom of the bag were some pictures. Gregor reached down for them but stopped when he heard his name called.

"I see you found your sword" Ripred said now standing over Gregor.

"Yeah, it was in the bag" Gregor said. He saw Ripred smile for a second. Gregor had a feeling he didn't do that a lot.

"Come, I think you have some questions and we have some answers." Ripred said. Gregor got up and followed him over the Luxa and the bats. He sat down on the other end so he wouldn't be too close to them. Ripred sat next to Luxa. Gregor noticed her staring at the sword. She had a strange expression on her face that Gregor couldn't understand. She looked scared and glad at the same time. She gave Gregor a smile and he looked away.

"So" Ripred said "lets make this quick. We need to move out. Ummm, where should I begin? Well we told you about being the warrior and saving your dad. That was your first time down here. I guess we'll start with the second time." He paused and looked at Gregor then at Luxa for help. She stayed silent so Ripred continued. "Well when you got back to Overland, you didn't want to come back down. That would have been ok, except we still needed the warrior. There were more prophecies, so to get you back down, the cockroaches took Boots and brought her down here. You went after her, like we knew you would." Gregor opened his mouth to yell at Ripred, how could they take his sister, but he closed it. He wanted Ripred to go on with what happen.

Ripred told him about the bane and the quest to find him. He went on to tell Gregor about the other three quest. Luxa started to help Ripred more as they went on. Gregor was silent the whole time, letting each word sink in. When they were done everyone was quiet to let Gregor think. He couldn't believe he had done those thing.

Finally Gregor spoke, "I don't get it. How am I down here again? It sounds like my mom was never going to let me back."

This time Luxa answered. "We don't know, Gregor. That all happen in Overland and we were not there. What I do know is that you did come back. You visit almost everyday. You, you were planing to move down here"

Gregor was shocked, but before he asked more Ripred stopped him. "Save it" he told him. "We need to head out or we won't make it to the cutter's land before dark"

Gregor grabed his bag, while the others got ready to leave. It was only when he saw Ripred get on one of the bats that he realized he would have to ride one too.

"Gregor how would you like to ride, by your self or with me or Luxa?" Ripred asked him. Gregor didn't know. He didn't want to get on either bat at all. Of course he would have to, or they might leave him here, wherever here was. He thought about riding alone, but the thought scared him. He didn't know how to ride one or control it.

That left Ripred or Luxa. The rat or the human. Ripred had been the one who seemed to be giving Gregor the most information, but the rat didn't seem like someone Gregor would want to sit with. Luxa looked human. She hadn't talked to him much, but Gregor felt more comfortable with her. 'I'll go with Luxa" he said. He turned and saw her smile a little. "Come Gregor I'll help you get on" she said.

Riding on a bat was difficult for Gregor. He hated heights and held on tight to the bat. Luxa on the other hand was calm. She sat in front of him and leaned down to talk to the bat.

"Gregor, don't hold on so tight" she said as she laughed. "Here" she said "Hold on to me and loosen your grip on the bat. You won't fall." Gregor did as she said and found it was easier to stay on. "See" Luxa said as she rest her head against Gregor's shoulder. The moment she put her head down her laughter stopped. She quickly put her head back up and said sorry. They both sat in silence.

Gregor went back to looking in his bag. There wasn't much left, except the photographs. Gregor pulled them out. They were all stacked up nicely with a rubber band around them to keep them together.

The first one was his family all together. It was taken recently he noticed. He didn't remember Boots being so big. He also noticed that his dad was there. They were telling the truth he thought. He did find his dad.

The next pictures were of different member's of his family. In all the pictures everyone seemed to be really happy. It'd been a long time since he remembered being happy. But, then again, he didn't remember a lot.

The last couple of pictures were people he didn't know, or didn't remember. There were pictures of rats, bats, mice, cockroaches, and humans. He recognized Ripred in one of them. It looked like the pictures were from a party. He saw his sisters and parents in some of the pictures. They were at the party too.

The last picture was one of him and a girl. It was the only picture of him, other than the first family picture. He glanced up and saw Luxa talking to the bat. He looked back down at the picture. It was her. She was the girl in the photo. It looked like it was taken at the party too. He saw they were dancing and that he looked happy. More than happy. Luxa looked happy too. Gregor started to smile looking at the picture. He might not be able to remember being happy, but seeing this picture told him he was, and it made him happy looking at it.

Gregor thought about showing the picture to Luxa, but decided not to. He put it in his pocket instead and put the other back in his bag.

"So do you know where we are going?" he asked Luxa. She turned to him.

"No, not really. Ripred knows. All he said is that we are going to the cutter's land" she replied.

"Who are the Cutters?" Gregor asked.

"They are ants. Before the cave collapsed, you and Ripred saw cutter's in the cave. That's why we go to there home, to find out what they were doing there" she said.

"Oh" Gregor replied. They were both silent for the rest of the ride. Gregor noticed that Luxa kept touching a ring on her finger.

Gregor was almost sleep when he heard Ripred call that they were landing. He looked down and couldn't see anything. As they flew down his hand grasped his sword, ready to attack.