So so so so so so so so so so (x100000000000000000000) sorry that I haven't written in two weeks, but I've been sososososososososo busy lately. But, today, a special review about it being one of my reader's birthday got me to put aside my work for a moment and focus on my writing. ( It is, after all, what got me into my first-choice school [SUNY Purchase!]) Anyways, please enjoy this!

Chapter Twenty-Four

Temperance what exactly sure what she was expecting to happen when they arrived at the meeting place Booth's father had written him, but she had a small list made in the back of her mind, and a surprise attack was only the third thing on the list- right behind being greeted with open arms and, hopefully, hot food, by General Booth's troop. The second being finding them all frozen to death in this icy tundra.

So, being only third on the list, the surprise attack from their enemies came as...well, as a surprise.

But, always prepared, Temperance began to immediately dodge the flying arrows, pulling Wendell's reigns and leading him behind a large boulder, where she allowed him to lie down and take cover for himself. She, herself, jumped off him and reached behind her for her bow, while the other soldiers, who'd followed her example and found cover, did the same, some even lighting cannons to send their way, while Booth barked out instructions.

"Make sure you get a good aim at them! Stay covered so they can't hit you! Bones!" He barked. Temperance turned to him with an annoyed glare, and lifted her eyebrows at him. He took a deep breath and gave her a stony look. "Aim for their hearts." He said, simply, before turning away.

Temperance sighed and turned back in the direction of her enemies, pulling the arrow back as far as it would go and shooting it towards the heart of a man on a horse coming their way, as others followed her example and began picking them off, one by one.

Temperance shot about a dozen more arrows before she finally ran out of ammo. Looking around at the others, she realized that they were running out, as well, and, though they picked off at least two dozen enemies, they were still outnumbered.

This worried Temperance immensely. Not only because they were so outnumbered -she believed that if these men had been at all normal, average-sized men, then each one of her fellow soldiers could take them two or three at a time (even Vincent).

But these men were in no way average-sized. They were GIANTS! Each and every one of them were bulging with muscles all over their bodies, their clothes taught over each and every odd bump and bulge, so they looked like they were merely painted on, instead of worn. And they had more than enough ammo and weaponry to easily kill each and every soldier with a simple flick of the wrist. There was no way they could be defeated, unless...

Temperance glanced over at Vincent, who was struggling with a cannon, trying to light it, and then at one of the large, snow-covered mountains behind the army of men who were running towards them, and it was light something sparked to life in her brain, causing the rest of her body to spring into action.

Temperance stood at once and, dodging flying arrows, ran to where Vincent was struggling with the cannon and matches, grabbed them, and began running towards the enemies, while her friends, and Booth, yelled after her.

"Bones! Bones, what the hell are you doing! Come back here right now!" Booth shouted after her

Temperance ignored her and the many other warnings from her fellow soldiers as she kept running towards the other army men, stopping right in the middle and dropping to her knees in the snow, aiming the cannon towards them, as she fumbled with the matches.

Suddenly, a sensation on her back caused her to to jump, and then Parker appeared in front of her, looking at her as if she were daft.

"What on Earth, are you doing? You're gonna get yourself killed!" He yelled.

Temperance kept fumbling with a match, trying to get it to light. "I have an idea!" she told him, cursing as she dropped the match and looked up, realizing that they were getting closer, their leader, a masked man they called 'Gravedigger' racing at the front of the pack, wielding a sword. She gasped in obvious fright and looked around for the matches, but could not locate them in the piles of snow that surrounded her.

Then, in a moment of panic and utter brilliance, she grabbed Parker, who immediately protested. "Hey! Wait! What are you-"

He couldn't even finish his sentence as Temperance pulled his tail, releasing a fiery breath on the fuse. When she let go of him, he landed on the cannon, smiling because he knew exactly what her plan was.

Or, at least, he thought he knew what her plan was.

Temperance grabbed the cannon and aimed it towards where she wanted to go, which Parker thought was the head of the Gravedigger, but was really the mountain behind him.

As the Gravedigger got closer and closer, the fuse became shorter and shorter, but not quickly enough, because soon the Gravedigger was only a couple of feet away and Temperance was urging the fuse to hurry up.

In the split second that it took the fuse to finally reach the cannon, and shoot towards the mountain, with Parker screaming in outrage, ("You missed! How could you miss? HE WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!") the Gravedigger raised his sword and brought it down across Temperance's abdomen, causing blood to rush and pain to electrocute her entire body.

He laughed and her and raised the sword, taunting her in a deep, husky voice. "Any last words?"

Temperance glanced behind him and smiled slyly. "Avalanche." She practically whispered, staring confidently into the Gravedigger's eyes.

The Gravedigger's eyes widened. "Wha-?" He turned around and his back stiffened as he watched what must have been tons of snow rush down a mountain.

Straight for them.

Another cliffhanger! xD Please REVIEW!

Also, happy birthday to fan, JenE! I hope this was an adequate bday gift!