Rory didn't have to wait long for the rain to start. He'd no sooner closed his eyes than the first drops began to fall. The tree he was under didn't provide much shelter but he didn't mind; the rain was warm and gentle. He tipped his head forward, letting the drops run down his neck and back. The water coursed down his arms, washing away the sweat and grime from his dash through the jungle. After a moment he leaned his head back to catch some in his mouth, letting the water pool before swallowing. The burning in his throat eased and he repeated the process several more times.

He realized as he swallowed for the third time that the rain water tasted different. The water from the sacred fountain had tasted fruity. The Doctor had said that something in the water triggered Rory's telepathy. He'd thought the effect temporary and yet, two nights and a day later, Rory was still telepathic. The fruity flavor hadn't been as strong in the water from the village fountain or the underground stream but it had still been there. Was that why he was still telepathic? But, if that was the case, why wasn't Amy telepathic too? For a moment he wished he could ask the Doctor, then he shook his head at himself. He'd run to keep Amy and the Doctor safe; he couldn't put them at risk just to satisfy his curiosity.

Thinking of Amy and the Doctor made Rory sit up a little straighter. He'd run without any thought but getting away. Now that he was here, what did he do next? If he stayed where he was they were bound to find him. He could see a trail of broken branches and mashed plants leading away from his tree. He could keep moving, taking more care to hide his traces, but where was he going to go? He could feel the rush of adrenalin that had spurred him on fading, leaving him with leaden limbs. He felt hopeless and exhausted. I can stop for just a minute, he told himself. Just a minute. He tipped his head back against the tree, closing his eyes against the rain drops.

Amy and the Doctor are a few yards ahead of him on the trail. They are laughing, bubbling with excitement. Amy looks back, motioning for Rory to catch them up. She beams at him, nudging the Doctor. The Time Lord glances over his shoulder, smiling broadly when he catches sight of Rory. They are both so eager but Rory doesn't share their enthusiasm. His feet seem to grow heavier the further they go and he can feel butterflies forming in his stomach. He knows something is wrong. Amy and the Doctor are oblivious to his fears. As his steps slow, they seem to move faster, almost skipping along the path.

"Rory, come on!" Amy calls, turning to look ahead once more. Rory tries to call out a warning but his mouth won't move. He wants to hurry, to catch up to Amy and the Doctor so he can stop them, but his legs won't move faster. They are nearing an opening in the jungle and he can feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. Whatever is in that clearing is evil.

Amy and the Doctor go on into the clearing. Rory's reaches the end of the trail and cannot move another step. He stands at the edge of the clearing, unable to go forward or step back, and stares out into the opening. There are a half-dozen gently-sloping mounds of ground. Amy and the Doctor are a few yards away, moving up the closest hillock toward a large boulder which rests at the top. Rory tries again to call out and this time his mouth works.

"Amy! Doctor! Come back!" His friends look back at him, still smiling, and the Doctor waves for him to come forward.

"Isn't it interesting?" he calls. "Come join us, Rory!" He doesn't wait for a reply, turning away and continuing toward the boulder. Rory's skin is crawling now and he feels sick. Amy and the Doctor get closer to the boulder and their steps slow. Amy glances back at Rory, her smile fading.

"Ror…" she begins, but she doesn't finish. A cloud of black mist is emerging from the boulder, billowing toward Amy and the Doctor. The Time Lord turns, his eyes wide in alarm, and he pushes Amy toward the clearing's edge. He tries to follow her but the cloud reaches him. He opens his mouth to scream, but no sound comes. The cloud swirls around him. He stands in its midst for a second and then he dissolves, turning to ash or mist and merging into the shadowy mass. Amy shrieks and starts to run, but the cloud is around her, absorbing her just as it did the Doctor. Rory screams, helpless to do anything but watch as the cloud sweeps toward him.

Rory woke with a start, his heart hammering. He was slumped against the tree, his head tipped back against the trunk. The rain had stopped and his wet clothing clung to him. The sun was still hidden behind clouds and the steady breeze continued. He shivered, feeling chilled both by the damp air and the memory of his nightmare. He knew if he closed his eyes he'd see the Doctor dissolving again and Amy's scream seemed to echo in his ears.

"It was a dream," he whispered, drawing his knees up to his chest. "Just a bad dream." He kept repeating the words, trying to calm himself. He was just getting his breathing under control when he heard Amy's voice again. He jerked up, his heart hammering in his chest. He wasn't just hearing the echo of a dream, he was hearing Amy. The Doctor's voice joined hers and he realized they were coming closer. He sprang to his feet, scanning the jungle around him. He didn't know where to go and if he started crashing through the undergrowth they'd hear him. What he needed was a place to hide.

Most of the trees around Rory were impossible to climb but there was one a few feet away with a low-hanging branch he could reach. He ran to it, hauling himself up and beginning to climb. It wasn't easy. Water dripped from rain-sodden leaves and his feet slipped on the damp bark. He kept going, working his way up until he didn't think he could climb any further. He braced himself between a branch and the trunk and looked out at the jungle below. The leaves on the other trees obscured much of his view but he caught a glimpse of Amy's red hair. They weren't far from him now and he knew he needed to shield his thoughts. He closed his eyes in concentration, trying to imagine a force-field surrounding him.

When Rory opened his eyes, Amy and the Doctor were beneath him. They were wet from the rain and the Doctor was unsteady on his feet. Amy was close beside him, ready to reach out and catch him. Noora was a few steps ahead of them, moving toward the tree where Rory had sat. She crouched in front of it, putting a hand on the ground before turning back to them.

"The ground's still dry," she said. "He was here during the rain."

"Can't you sense him?" Amy asked. She sounded anxious and Rory felt a pang of guilt.

"I thought I did a few minutes ago," the Doctor replied, turning slowly to study the jungle. He swayed and Amy caught him.

"You need to sit down," she said.

"He's… disappeared," the Doctor murmured, ignoring her. He straightened up and continued his turn. Rory stared down, feeling relief course through him. He hadn't been sure his attempt to shield his thoughts was working. His feeling of relief increased when Noora confirmed it a second later.

"He's hidden his thoughts," she said.

"But he can't," Amy protested, her voice rising in pitch. "You tried to help him before and he couldn't do it."

"Apparently he can now," the Doctor answered, and there was a note of pride in his voice. "Good for you, Rory," he murmured. He swayed again and Amy caught him.

"It's not good and you are sitting down," she said firmly, steering him toward the tree Rory had sat under. The Doctor didn't protest as she helped him settle against its trunk. The bandage around his head was slipping over one eye and he pushed it back with a grimace. Rory could see red on the bandage covering his arm. His sense of relief vanished, replaced by fresh guilt. The Doctor should be resting in the TARDIS medical bay, not chasing him through the jungle.

"He can't have gone far," Noora said.

"How do you know that?" Amy asked.

"The ground is dry because he was sitting here during the rain, and the rain only stopped a short time ago," replied the Doctor, sounding tired. He started to tip his head back against the tree but stopped abruptly, turning to stare at the trail Rory had left. "There's something…" He fell slient as Loora and Roona came in to view. Roona walked up to Noora, gesturing toward the path she'd just taken. She was obviously agitated. Rory felt his heart start to thud.

"What's happening?" Amy asked, looking from one blue woman to the other.

"There are mad ones coming," Noora answered, and Rory felt his stomach twist. The Doctor looked up from his seat beneath the three, his face pale. He started to move, grimacing as he put weight on his injured arm, and Amy leaned over to help him. Rory turned away, staring out across the jungle. He saw a flash of blue and caught a glimpse of tweed moving toward the others. The mad ones were close. He could hear Noora below, saying something about running. Amy was protesting. Rory looked down at the branch he'd used to climb up. He didn't think the Mullettes could reach it, but maybe with his help they'd be able to get up into the tree. He started down, calling out as he went.

"Amy! Doctor! Over here!"

"Rory?"

"In the tree," he panted, continuing to move down. He reached the lowest branch to find the whole party staring up at him.

"What are you doing up there?" Amy asked.

"Come on," he said, ignoring her question, "we can hide up here." No one moved and he made an impatient noise. "The mad ones are close. You have to hurry." Noora studied him for a moment before nodding. She waved the other women forward with her. Amy and the Doctor came after them.

Getting the Mullettes up into the tree proved easier than getting the Doctor up. Once they were in the tree, the women proved nimble climbers. They moved up easily, leaving Rory and Amy to help the Doctor. They were half-way to the point Rory had watched from when the mad ones emerged from the trail. Everyone in the tree froze, hardly daring to breathe, as the blue men came to a stop.