You Guys Are The Best! 3

"Wow. So we could go down there right now? What are we waiting for? There is no point to sit here if they are just right there! Let's go!" Gregor urged.

"Whoa now come down boy. That is where you go wrong. The spirit lands is said to have many winding tunnels, and that the fire is quite hard to seek." Ripred cajoled.

"Oh. Sorry. Well when can we go?" Gregor asked sheepishly.

"After a days rest. My paws are aching and you do not look so good yourself boy. Don't worry, it will not be too long. We need rest before we start off. It will all be on foot to find the fire." Ripred replied.

After they ate the circle was formed and Gregor lay down with Boots, wrapped in Ripred's tail. Gregor looked up at the sky and began to miss the stars. "Ripred...if you could have anything in the world to come back in the fire...what would it be?" Gregor asked, mostly out of thought.

Ripred twitched his tail and shifted his weight to his other hip, keeping his tail wrapped around Gregor. "Most likely my life...the flood took everything I loved...my pups..my wife." Ripred replied, a hint of sadness lurking in his voice.

"Yeah. What was their names?" Gregor asked cautiously.

"My wife's name is...was..Mistmoon. My one pup, Silksharp." Ripred muttered.

"Some people and creatures I want to come back are Hamnet, Tick, and...Twitchtip." Gregor claimed.

Ripred snorted,"Since when were you and Twitchtip such good lads? I thought she hated you.."

Gregor shrugged,"I just liked her. She was different. I understood her."

Ripred looked Gregor up and down, then rolled over to where he wasn't facing him. Gregor rolled over and hugged Boots close. The next thing Gregor knew is that Ripred shoved a plum in his mouth and nudged him towards Mace where Temp and Boots sat upon the bats' back. Gregor didn't even get time to wake up before he climbed onto Mace's back. He sat behind Boots and took a bite out of his plum. Mareth helped strap Ripred up then mounted his own bat. Gregor didn't have a clue how they were going to pull of flying down the void without Ripred hitting the wall, but he knew that with Mareth they could probably accomplish it.

The group sped into the air and flew towards the ledge. After two minutes of flying above ground, Gregor felt Mace descending. He looked over the bats' head to see the group diving down into the deep, dark canyon. Zues and Zorro flew behind the group with Ripred out behind them. Mace dove faster and faster down into the canyon. Gregor's ears began to pop from the drop of oxygen.

Mace tilted up and stretched out his wings so the currents could catch him. The currents caught his weight and carried him slowly to the ground. He then landed on the bottom of the void, which was moist and cold. The rest of the group gently landed behind Mace. Gregor slipped down off of Mace's back and rubbed his eyes.

"That was exhilarating." Gregor told, his eyes watering.

Boots slid down next to Gregor. "It was like a roller coaster!" she squealed with delight.

"Yes. What fun that was!" Ripred said sarcastically as he rubbed the parts where the seat had cut into his skin.

"Not to me, fun, not to me." Temp said under a shaky breath.

"Well, let us set off then. Fliers, my apologies for the inconvenience but you cannot fly in these tunnels. They be only five feet wide, not enough for the wings to stretch." Mareth noted as he started down a tunnel.

"What of the baskets? The bats cannot carry the baskets as they hop along." Luxa said.

Mareth looked down at Temp and Ripred. "Oh please tell me I do not have to carry a basket. I know I am strong but really...a basket?" Ripred groaned.

"Yes. You and Temp must carry them. You are the only ones who can carry the baskets without stumbling." Mareth said as he unloaded a basket off a bat and strapped it onto Temp's back. "We will carry the water sacks on our shoulders so you do not."

"Oh thank you, how kind you are." Ripred said grumpily as he sat still as Mareth strapped a basket to him.

Mareth un-clipped a few water sacks from a bats harness and threw them over his shoulder, as did Howard, Luxa and Gregor. The bats lined up behind Mareth with Luxa trailing behind them. Gregor stepped behind Luxa with Boots and Temp behind him. At the rear were Howard and Ripred. The tunnel was filled with the sounds of rushing water, though there was no water in sight.

"Why does it sound like water is all around us?" Gregor asked.

"I believe the tunnel we are in is beneath a water fall. That is why cracks are dripping. When we reach the top it may be cold, snug together." Mareth told.

After an hour of walking the tunnel began to slope upwards, then it began to slope to roughly no creature could scale it. The tunnel sloped up and got much wider, to where the bats could fly. Mareth told to load up, this part was where they would fly. Ripred got into his seat and Gregor mounted Mace, followed by Boots and Temp. When everyone was seated the bats flew up the tunnel. It was hard for Mace to fly for the bats in front of him were carrying Ripred and Mace had to slow down every once in a while, making Aurora run into him.

After a while the tunnel filled with light and the group flew into a large cavern with a huge waterfall pounding into a pool of water. Gregor hopped off of Mace's back and ran up to the ledge of the pool of water. The water lay flat a good fifty feet below him. It had an eerie cloud coming from the bottom of the water fall that resembled a fire.

"It's not a fire at all! It's a cloud that looks like one." Gregor explained.

"Yes, but it has warmth coming from it. Could the cloud be scalding?" Luxa asked.

"Could be. I wouldn't want to find out myself. That is up to Gregor." Ripred blurted.

Gregor stood looking down at the water. "So is there anything I have to say...well...before I literally kill myself?" he asked.

"Not that I know of. Maybe recite something that has Ares in it. Then you must stab yourself in the heart, then you and the claw will fall together." Luxa announced.

Gregor closed his eyes and took a deep breath. How could he possibly do this? He was just a kid, why did he have to do it? What if it didn't work? Gregor shook his head, also shaking the worries away. He planted his feet firmly on the ground. "Ares." he began. "I am risking my whole life to save you. It might sounds harsh, but I really don't want to. But you are my bond and you are and always will be in my heart. I cannot let this chance slip away from me. When I plant this sword into my chest, I hope to see you again."

Gregor took the claw out of his pocket. The fur was beginning to fall off from not being frozen. Ripred laid his paw on Gregor's shoulder. "You are a good warrior. Not many would do this. Whatever happens.." the old rat choked out, "I will always remember you boy."

Ripred's words made Gregor feel sick. The light from the cloud danced over Gregor's face. It was so beautiful it made him want to jump into it, even if Ares didn't come back. Gregor took the sword out of his belt. It felt heavier than it normally did. He faced the blade towards his chest, the handle held tight in his hands. Luxa put her face into Aurora's fur as she covered Boots' eyes with her hand. All of the group looked away, except Ripred who looked sadly at Gregor. Gregor took one last deep breath. He then drove the blade deep into his chest. A squeak came from his mouth. Then everything went black. He could see himself free fall into the fire, the claw still in his was like a dream, instead of looking through your eyes, you saw yourself.

Gregor's eyes popped open. He was lying on the ground. In some sort of underwater cavern. He could see the water above him, pounding down, but he could still breath. He sat up, a large gash in his chest was pumping out blood but he felt no pain, just tiredness. Ares' claw was still in his hand. He dizzily stood up and walked into a tunnel. It was like he was in a trance, where his feet moved without his say so. The tunnel was lit by the light of the water. There were carvings of fish in the walls, or maybe they were real skeleton's, who knew. The tunnel led him into another cavern. Gregor stepped into the large round watery cavern. Blood still gushed from the wound, and he fell to his knees. He looked up to see a large, black, flying object.

"Ares." he whispered.