Chapter 12

Everyone was asleep. Gregor probably would've been, but something was keeping him awake. He could sense that something was near, he wasn't sure what, but nevertheless, it prevented him from sleep.

He lay on his side, facing the boat that was floating on the river, tied up to a rock. He felt Boots curled up to him, her little chest rising and falling. He could hear Lizzie tossing and turning next to him. When she had came to yesterday, she had been very affected by shock, but was otherwise, miraculously okay. Howard had sedated her with something to numb her mind and dampen her shock, but he had not wanted to give her anything to induce sleep, for fear that she would not be able to wake up and tell them if something started hurting. So now she slept restlessly beside Gregor, and at the foot of Hera, who was sleeping right over her on Gregor's instruction.

Despite the someone or something that he sensed watching them, nothing happened. He was beginning to consider going back to sleep now. After all, Ripred was on watch just ten or so feet away, and Gregor always felt safe with the rat on guard. And he really needed some rest…

Wait! He had heard something behind him. He did not dare turn around, it was best to let whatever-it-was think he was still asleep, and if it tried to attack or whatever, jump up and use the element of surprise in his favor.

Nobody else seemed to have heard it, nor had they woken up, or so Gregor thought. But, at another noise, Ripred's head flicked around, and he hissed into the darkness,

"Who's there?" He growled quietly. But whoever was currently standing a few feet behind Gregor didn't seem to be scared. In fact, it chuckled softly.

"Ever so protective of your little group, Ripred," Whoever-it-was spoke quietly. Its voice was sleek and feminine. And somewhat familiar. Ripred apparently recognized it, though.

"Smoketail!" he hissed. Gregor's eyes widened in recognition. They had run into Smoketail during the Bone of Bane quest, in the Gnawer's land. And she had apparently asked Ripred to be her mate, but he had turned her down. But what could the rat possibly be doing here?

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ripred voiced Gregor's thoughts. Gregor heard Smoketail move closer to the big gray rat.

"I have to tell you something." She spoke softly, in her misty, tantalizing voice. Ripred paused.

"Come in here. I don't want any of them waking up." He said, and stepped quietly over to the stone wall, where there was a large crevice that led to a small cave. They had discovered in the previous day.

The second the two rats disappeared inside, Gregor scrambled quietly but quickly over to the crevice. He felt a little guilty about eavesdropping, but he couldn't help but be curious.

He didn't make it over in time to hear Smoketail's full announcement, but he caught her say the word 'pups'.

"What?!" Ripred hissed, rather loudly. Gregor heard Perdita stir behind him, but thankfully, she didn't get up.

"You heard me."

"And you're sure they're…" he paused, "mine?"

"Of course, Ripred. It's obvious. Who else's could they be?"

"Oh, no. How could this happen? We never…" there was a pause, as Ripred thought. Then he groaned. "Damn. I'm an idiot."

Gregor thought he heard a short snicker from Smoketail.

"This is disastrous!"

"Disastrous? Well, maybe to you, but I don't mind one bit. And I'm the one who has the hardest part of the job."

"Smoketail, I don't have time for pups! There's no possible way I could handle being the representative for the gnawers, the peacemaker, and a parent to them all at once. It's not possible!"

"It is for you." Smoketail said quietly. "You know that's not why you're resisting. There's something you're not telling me."

Ripred sighed. "It's dangerous for us to be together, Smoketail. You know what I get myself into. And…I don't think I could stand if something happened to you, or them…because of me."

And then he muttered something so softly it was inaudible. But Smoketail must have heard, because she laughed softly, but not mockingly.

"That's what I've wanted to hear."

Ripred just grunted gruffly. Smoketail kept speaking.

"And I don't mind a bit of danger."

Gregor heard her start to shuffle out of the cave, and he practically leapt back over to where he had been sleeping. Seconds later, he heard Smoketail bid Ripred farewell and vanish down the tunnel in which she had came. Ripred stared hopelessly after her, groaned softly, and then settled down again. Gregor decided to recap what he had just heard.

So Smoketail was having Ripred's pups, and apparently Ripred wasn't happy about that, because he had never agreed to be her mate in the first place, and he thought it was too dangerous for them to be together. Gregor had a feeling it was because he was afraid that something like what had happened to his previous mate and their pups would happen to Smoketail and his unborn pups. It was all so confusing! And to top that all off, Gregor just couldn't imagine Ripred as a father figure in the first place.

"I know you're awake, Overlander."

Gregor nearly jumped out of his skin as he heard Ripred's voice pierce the darkness. He had been stupid to think that the rat had not been able to smell him. He rose up a bit and looked toward the gray gnawer, who still looked beyond frustrated.

"How much of that did you hear?" Ripred asked.

"Um…all of it." He admitted guiltily. Maybe eavesdropping hadn't been the best of ideas.

Ripred groaned. "I just don't know what to do about all of this." He muttered, and began to pace the area. Gregor was surprised; he had expected the rat to ream him out or something.

"Remember what you said to me once?" Gregor asked. Ripred scowled.

"I've said a lot of things to you. And perhaps you should take more notice of them!" he hissed, but sighed. "But what was that bit of knowledge I gave you that I'm probably going to regret giving once you've had your say?"

Gregor looked at the rat. "'There are only a few good things in life. Don't pretend this one isn't happening,'" He quoted. Ripred looked thoughtful.

"Well, maybe I should take my own advice, in this case," he said, only half-joking. But suddenly the rat's face was inches away from Gregor's, and his lips were pulled back in a snarl.

"You tell anyone about my conversation with her and you'll be dead faster than you can say 'rager'. Got it?" he growled. Gregor nodded quickly, and Ripred moved away and went back to his spot at the front of the group. St that precise moment, Howard stirred, as did Nike and Nyx. Gregor knew the rest of the group would be up soon.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"What about the prophecy?" Apollo looked confused. But Persephone still had to put a few more pieces of the puzzle together before she confided in him.

"A bit of the river, bit of the sea…that could be this pool we have here…and if that's true, then this is what needs to revive Luxa…but she is not sick…at least I do not think so…but revive could also mean rescue…but how can the pool rescue Luxa? I do not know…oh, but this has to be the answer…it must be…" she babbled, mostly to herself.

"Will you please tell me what is going on?" Apollo asked irritably. Persephone sighed, still deep in thought.

"Have you heard the prophecy yet?" she asked her friend. He shook his head. "Well there is a line. In the second stanza. It's almost exactly what you said. 'A bit of the river, a bit of the sea, will revive the one if it need be,'" she quoted enthusiastically.

Apollo thought for a moment. "The one…is that Luxa?" he guessed, looking at Persephone.

"Yes. We think so." The black and red bat confirmed, sweeping her eyes around the large cavern. "And if what you and Marina were saying about 'the inherited' is true, then I have got a feeling that we really do need to bring her here."

"You are probably right." Apollo nodded. "But what do you plan on doing?" he asked.

"Well, first I have got to get back to the others."

Apollo was silent. Persephone scowled.

"Apollo, this is the part when you're supposed to be at least a bit chivalrous and offer to come with me." She rolled her eyes in frustration. Apollo sighed.

"Do you think I have not wanted to come back? I have. But I could not just leave Marina here after all she's done for me. She cannot go back to the Tankard, because her kin are angry with her. And she cannot make it to the river from here; the tributary is too shallow for her," he said.

Persephone thought for a moment. But in a minute, she had her mind made up.

"Then we will just have to help her get through the Tankard," she decided determinedly. Apollo's eyes widened.

"Can we do that?"

Persephone nodded. "Yes. We can. I'm sure of it." She gave a yawn. "But first, we must sleep."

Apollo flicked his large bat ear in agreement. Persephone pressed herself close to him, enjoying the warmth of the friend that had been lost to her for so long.