A/N: First look at the Pack guild! Humans can't stay out of trouble.

I don't own Chaotic.

Takinom was quick to herd Holly out of the castle and into a large Dread Tread, but it was Chaor calling the shots. They stopped at different houses and apartments, picking up different warriors and apparently researchers along the way. Those who hesitated or dawdled were snarled and snapped at by Chaor, or even thrown in headfirst. Then it was off to the Underworld-Danian border.

Holly fidgeted with her knife sheath, glancing around at her compatriots. There were Eximiar, Lyssta, Chargola, and Swassa. Rothar was by the vehicle doors with a little green Creature named Ulmar, Zalvar, and Nivenna. Several uniformed soldiers rounded out the rest.

Holly looked at the driver's seat, where Chaor himself was driving, Takinom behind him with a map. A quick glance through the slanted windshield suggested that if they were to wreck, everyone would either be dead or severely injured. Holly gulped and gripped her knife hilt tightly. She may have her mugicians, but she wasn't keen on seeing if a tank wreck would give her internal bleeding.

"You got any idea what's going on?"

Holly snapped her head to the side to see Swassa and Exemiar staring at her.

"Excuse me?" she instinctively asked. Eximiar nodded his wolf-like head toward Chaor and Takinom.

"Usually they tell us what the mission is. Not this time. Something is going down, and while we'll follow orders, I personally would like to know what we're facing so that I can get back to my squad," he explained.

"We saw Takinom herding you in here with us," Swassa picked up. "You were in the castle when they got the news. What's really going on?"

Holly glanced around, seeing everyone else staring at her. Rothar in particular had a concerned look on his face. Holly quickly peeked over at Takinom, who was still giving Chaor directions. She leaned in closer to the others and whispered, "Look, I don't know the whole story, but I was giving a report to Takinom about my memory progress when a guard came in and said that a village was being attacked by beasts. I was just unlucky to be there, Takinom dragged me with her, and now I'm here."

The others were staring at her. Holly shifted in her seat uncomfortably. Finally, Nivenna whispered, "Beasts? As in plural?"

Holly nodded as Eximiar shook his head incredulously. He said, "It doesn't make sense. Multiple beasts? We're in the Underworld, even our beasts don't like working together!"

"What did they do to piss them off?" Swassa hissed. "It's common knowledge to never attack more than one beast!"

"They shouldn't be attacking beasts in the first place," Nivenna hissed back. "Our researchers have discovered that if you leave a beast alone, they will do the same. Just like any Underworlder."

"Weak research if you ask me," sniffed Ulmar. "They should have captured their specimen to take apart later."

Holly and the others turned to look at Ulmar, giving him dirty looks. Of course, the effect was ruined when Chaor suddenly slammed on the brakes. Holly felt herself slip from her seat, a small screech escaping her as everyone else tumbled out of their seats as well. Her back hit the back of the vehicle before her front was slammed by Swassa, Lyssta, and Chargola. A collective groan rose from the pile-up as Chaor called, "We're here! Get moving, and brace yourselves! The elders of this village say that it's not pretty."

Holly wriggled away from the pile of warriors who were grumbling about the rough stop, dusting herself off as soon as she was free. She then hauled Rothar to his feet, asking, "I thought you were getting ale?"

Rothar grunted as he stood up, saying, "That idea went up in flames as soon as Chaor tossed me in here."

Holly huffed in agreement as the back doors opened up, sending the unlucky few who were unable to stand quickly (including Ulmar, ha!) to tumble out. Holly swung down gracefully from the Dread Tread, quickly scanning the area. A few boulders, flat fields, livestock pens, but no town from what she could see. Must be the other way, she thought, turning to head to the front of the Dread Tread.

"My lord! My lord! Thank the Cothica you made it!" a voice cried out. Holly rounded the corner of the Dread Tread just in time to see a little old Creature with a Staff of Wisdom hobble up to Chaor. The old Creature continued, "We were worried you wouldn't be here in time! Please, this way, and watch your step."

"What did you lot do to get those things all riled up?" Chaor growled as he followed the elder. The elder shook his head vigorously.

"'Twas not us, my lord. 'Twas them." Holly had been following a few steps behind while others like Eximiar and Chargola had rushed ahead only to stop abruptly. Holly glanced at them curiously before noticing that the main street of the village had lumpy sheets everywhere. Holly's breath caught as she noticed a hand peeking out from under a sheet, and suspicious red stains were pooled over.

"A squad of the Traitor's men came, looking to rob us, most likely," the elder explained. "We had our Battlegear ready, but then they came at us screaming. That's when the beasts came in and starting attacking."

"How many of your village were killed?" Takinom asked.

"None, my lady," the elder replied, walking down the street. "A couple of bites and scratches, trying to keep the traitors alive for questioning, but nothing life threatening."

Holly gulped as she followed behind, wincing at the feeling of squishy earth between her toes. She dared not think about what it could be. She started to tune out what the elder was saying, looking around the village. There were at least ten dead, their limbs scattered around and cover with towels and wash rags. A couple looked like their chests were caved in by something heavy. Probably a bear shifter, Holly thought to herself. Damn. This place is a bloodbath."Swassa, Eximiar, see where these beasts came from!" Chaor barked out. "Nivenna, talk to the injured! Ulmar, bite impressions!"

Holly snapped back into reality. She had work to do, whatever it is.

"Where are the children?" Takinom asked the elder as Chaor continued to bark orders.

"In the schoolhouse, with the teachers," the elder explained. "It's hard to keep up with toddlers while trying to find lost pieces."

Takinom nodded and called, "Rothar! Holly! Over here!"

Holly trotted over, Rothar next to her. Takinom ordered, "Go to the school, interview the teachers. See if they saw anything."

"Yes, my lady," Holly and Rothar said simultaneously. Takinom nodded and turned back to the elder. Holly took it as a dismissal and turned away, looking down the street for the school.

"C'mon," Rothar said. "I know where the school is." With that he began to walk away. Holly followed and asked, "You know where the school is?"

"Yeah. Couple of solans back, had to help take care of some bandit issues," Rothar explained.

"Well, at least one of us knows what to do," Holly sighed in relief. Rothar chuckled.

"Who knows? Maybe talking to the kids will jog something in that head of yours," he joked, rubbing the top of her head playfully. Holly growled lightly at her hair being mussed with and batted at the Minotaur lightly.

They instantly sobered when they saw an uncovered body near the school. Holly knelt down, looking at the deep gashes and bite marks, before realizing something.

"They didn't eat them," she said. Rothar made a confused noise. Straightening, Holly explained, "This one has all these bites and cuts, and his guts are spilling out, but there's no muscle missing, and near as I can tell, the beasts just spilled his insides. His organs look like they're all there."

"Strange," Rothar muttered, peering closer. "Looks like he's missing a hand too."

"Maybe they haven't found it yet," Holly mused before looking to the school. "Or maybe someone can tell us what happened to it."

"Let's see," Rothar said, walking up to the school's door. A couple of sharp knocks and the door opened to reveal a harried Creature with a calamity of screaming and wailing. Holly was shocked when the Creature said, "Oh, thank the Cothica, you're here! Calm the kids down, will you?" and grabbed her by the wrist, dragging her inside.

"Hey!" Holly yelped, turning just in time to see the door slam in Rothar's surprised face. She growled and broke the hold on her wrist. The teacher turned to her scowling, and began, "Now, I don't know what you city girls think but there's no need to get hyster-"

He didn't even get the chance to finish before Holly's fist met his nose. He screamed as blood came gushing out of his now broken nose just as Rothar busted in the door. Holly huffed and grabbed him by the few hairs on his head and hissed, "I am not a nanny. Is really how you want to treat warriors of Chaor? Just because I'm female? Because all you're going to get is worse than what I just gave you."

The teacher whimpered as Rothar grabbed him by the shirt and threw him into a tiny chair. He snarled, "Sit your ass down."

Holly turned to Rothar and said, "I'll talk to the kids. You deal with...him... and the others?"

Rothar snorted and said, "I don't know how much you're going to get out of those kids, but I'll negotiate here."

Holly peeked inside a room full of older children, who had pencils, ink pots, and paper everywhere. She grinned.

"I think I have an idea."

A couple of hours later, Holly was the proud owner of over fifty children's drawings and a couple recollections of what happened during the attack. Rothar wasn't able to get much from the teachers.

"Chaor won't be happy with me," he moaned as they left the schoolhouse. Holly turned to him, confused.

"Why? We have rough descriptions of the beasts," she asked curiously.

"Yeah, you got drawings. I got next to nothing because they were trying to keep the kids away from the windows," Rothar grumbled.

"Well, I can tell you what happened to our traitor friend here, and then you can tell him," Holly offered as they passed the corpse, now respectfully covered with a sheet. "And I can give you this."

With that, she pulled a glass jar with a stiff hand inside. Rothar's eyes widened and he snatched the jar away.

"Where did you get this?" he whispered.

"One of the kids. It was still attached to the back of his tunic," Holly answered with a shiver. "Apparently, the traitor tried to use him as a shield against the beasts. Had a knife to his throat, was screaming in some sort of garbled tongue at the beasts. Got his hand bitten off instead."

Rothar gave her a shocked look. "And the kid isn't dead?"

Holly shook her head. "The beasts were going after the traitors. They're the only ones dead, and all the injured to my understanding were in the beasts' way. None of the livestock or dead were eaten. Something isn't adding up."

"I'll say," Rothar breathed, looking at the hand in a jar again. "Though, it could be that these beasts could actually have taste."

Holly huffed in agreement as Nivenna came running up to them.

"Some spies in the Overworld just reported another attack on Van Bloot's people! At Broken Edge!" she gasped. Rothar took off in an instant, leaving Holly behind.

"Hey!" she protested lightly as Nivenna slinked up next to her.

"Ma told me about Master Tobias," she whispered. "I'm sorry for your loss."

Holly nodded in thanks. "He was a good man, a good Master."

"I guessing that these are to be our references?" Nivenna asked, pointing to the children's drawings. "Nothing that your little lightning tome couldn't tell us?"

"Just to keep up the illusion," Holly explained. "My tablet has all the forms that the Pack can take, but from what the kids saw, we're dealing with wolves, hyenas, bears, elk, and either a leopard or jaguar. I think there's more, I'll have to look again."

"Chaor is already talking about squads going after them," Nivenna said as they continued to walk back to Chaor and the group. "He wants the traitors or the beasts found, before the Anniversary. If word got out that they attacked us first, and still going, the Anniversary would be in shambles. No one would want to leave their Tribe undefended."

Holly nodded in agreement. "Right. Hopefully the Pack guild will have a new Master before then."

"And they won't listen to anyone else until then?" Nivenna asked, surprised.

"No. Stubborn and loyal, the lot of them," Holly replied grimly. Nivenna rolled her eyes.

"Sounds like Overworlders," she groaned before they reached the others. Chaor was in the middle of giving orders.

"Swassa, take Zalvar and Lyssta down the south tunnels! Eximiar, gather up the Scorcher Squad and search the caverns! Ulmar, get those bite impressions to your lab! Go go go!" Chaor yelled. Immediately, the warriors jumped into action, scattering and going to all directions. Holly noticed that Chaor was holding the hand jar, Rothar pacing nervously a ways away. Holly couldn't help but get nervous herself. What if the children's drawings weren't good enough for the ruler?

Chaor looked down at her and grunted, "Those the drawings that Rothar said you got from the kids?"

Holly nodded quickly. "Yes, my lord. From the looks of it, we are dealing with several different species of beasts working together, mostly carnivore but I believe a couple of herbivores are there too."

She handed over the stack of drawings to Chaor, who quickly flipped through the drawings and pulled out one.

"Interesting. I would say they were Overworld beasts just by the look of them," he rumbled. Takinom appeared next to him, looking over the drawings as well. Holly waited for them to speak as Rothar stopped his pacing.

"Holly, Rothar, I want you to pick up Illazar and Narfall from Corruptors Gate. Search the caverns near Ravanough Ridge. See if any treacherous slimeballs show up," Chaor ordered, still looking at the children's drawings. "There's a Levitaar that you can use. Get to them quickly."

"Yes, my lord," Holly and Rothar bowed at the same time before turned away. The elder of the village was quick to point them to the Levitaar, and Holly noticed that Rothar seemed a little anxious as they walked to the Battlegear.

"You all right?" Holly asked quietly. Rothar started a little before sighing.

"Just worried about the dig site of Kehn-Sep. That's where I'm the negotiator between the Underworlders and the Mipedians," Rothar explained. "Can't help defend it if I'm here and those beasts decide to attack."

Holly winced, guilt settling in her stomach. "You haven't been back? Because of me?"

Rothar ruffled her hair playfully. "I ain't blaming you. I'm not blaming anybody. Cothica, you have been the most fun in the Underworld in a good long while!"

Holly batted at his hand and soothed her tussled hair. "I'm so glad that I provide such entertainment for you all."

Rothar laughed. "I doubt that the beasts will go that far in without getting into trouble. Chaor said that the Overworlders scattered the beasts during the attack, though none of Van Bloot's men survived."

They reached the Levitaar, Rothar taking the driver's seat. He said, "Let's go get the rest of our party."

"Don't these things ever give up?" Illazar complained loudly. Holly rolled her eyes as Rothar and Narfall quickly shushed him. Her hand ached from gripping the hilt of her now extended glaive tightly, and she was more nervous than the first time she was in Gothos Tower.

It had been two days since the first attack. Every nonessential Underworld warrior had been pulled into searching for the Pack guild members who were killing traitors, and while the shifters haven't been caught, plenty of traitors have, alive or dead. Even Chaor was searching, and had the misfortune of meeting with a polar bear shifter near Ice Pillar. From what was heard through other search parties, Chaor bragged that he won, but the bear shifter was able to walk away, so everyone was quietly calling it a draw.

"I mean, they got their revenge, didn't they?" Illazar continued, in a lower volume. "How many traitors do they want? All of them?"

"Shut up, Illazar," Rothar growled. "You'll alert our prey."

"Heard from Nivenna's party that the beasts got another couple of traitors in the Overworld," Narfall whispered. Holly nodded grimly.

"They deserved it. Her sister said that they were using a kid as a shield, like down here, then tossed him into a river," she whispered.

"Can't believe I'm asking about the well-being of an Overworlder, but the kid didn't drown, right?" Illazar asked, trying to look nonchalant.

"No," Rothar shook his head. "They thought they were facing one beast, something that looked like a fluffy Zalvar, and it actually saved the child instead of going after them. That's when the other two beasts got them."

Holly peeked around a corner of the tunnel they were in as Narfall and Illazar processed the image of a wolf as "fluffy Zalvar."

"Cothica. Never thought I would hear 'fluffy' and 'Zalvar' together," Illazar said as Narfall made a noise of agreement. Holly rolled her eyes as she stepped into the tunnel carefully. No traitors here. She stepped fully into the tunnel before looking into cracks and crevices in the walls. The men followed, still talking.

"And smart too, saving the kids before taking out the traitors," Rothar commented. "Who's got the map? We near Ravannaugh Ridge yet?"

Holly's ears picked up noise in a hole near where the tunnel went. Silently, she slinked by it as Narfall unrolled a map and the boys continued to talk. She ignored them, listening for the noise again.

There! Yes, it sounded like panting and rushed footsteps! Talking! About beasts!

Traitors, Holly thought triumphantly, pressing her back against the wall, glaive pointed down by her calf.

"Hey!" she barked at the boys, still hovering over the map. "Quit your all's bitchin' and get over here!"

They stared at her. Holly growled lowly and motioned for them to come over. They finally did, pressing their backs against the wall and Illazar mumbling, "First time I heard that word as a way to say 'shut up.'"

Holly heard Rothar clap a hand to his mouth as the noise grew louder. Voices were calling "Is it still following us?" and "Keep going!" Holly shifted her grip on her glaive, ready to pounce. Finally, a body darted out of the hole, panting, as four more followed. Van Bloot's men collapsed to the ground, panting and not checking their surroundings.

"We good?" one asked.

"That thing got our commander, who's gonna be next?" another panted, hands on his knees. Holly snuck away from the tunnel wall, the boys following her example. Carefully, she got behind the one who said that they had no commander before slashing at his knee. Immediately, he screamed and rolled away, clutching the injury site. Holly slashed again, making a long gash across his chest.

"We're under attack!" one screamed before an Ember Swarm knocked him over. Holly's opponent tried using his Battlegear, but she merely cut it in half, leaving him defenseless. She shifted her grip so that she could hold her glaive like a spear, pointing the sharp blade at his throat.

"Surrender," she ordered. The traitor looked over at his battling companions, saw that they were losing horribly, and held up his hands in defeat.

"On your belly," Holly ordered, raising her glaive barely an inch. He did with great difficulty, and Holly raised her glaive completely as she reached behind her back. The manacles they had grabbed while at Corruptors Gate were pulled out, and she started clapping them on his wrists.

"You have the right to remain silent," she began roboticly. "Anything you say or do will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed...to...you..."

Holly trailed off as she felt eyes on her, and she turned her head to see the boys staring at her. "What?"

"What was all that about?" Illazar asked scornfully as his prisoner squirmed. Holly felt her heart plunge to her stomach as she realized what she had been doing. Crud, she thought angrily, carefully keeping her face blank.

"What was what all about?" she asked back.

"That whole 'right to remain silent' speal," Rothar replied, a confused look on his face. Holly blinked at him a couple of times before fixing a confused look on her face.

"Huh. Don't know," she said, carefully making sure she sounded mystified.

"Never mind that, we got a runner!" Narfall yelled, pointing with one hand at the remaining traitor heading upwards in the tunnel. Holly jumped at her chance get out of a very uncomfortable talk.

"I got him!" she cried, taking off after him, glaive in hand.

"No, wait! Holly!" Rothar called after her, which she promptly ignored.

Her feet pounded the earth, heel to toe, heel to toe, slowly gaining on the last traitor. They were going upwards, and her calves were burning from the strain. Holly blinked in confusion as the tunnel seemed to be gaining light. She gritted her teeth and pushed the thought back, focused on obtaining her target.

"You won't get me, human!" the traitor yelled over his shoulder. Holly's heart nearly stopped at that, almost causing her to trip on a rock. They know, they all know. Stupid Skithia!

She growled and grabbed the rock that nearly tripped her, throwing it wildly. Combined with her Mugic-strength, it embedded itself into the tunnel wall, sending a spray of rocks and dirt down on the traitor. She ran after him again as he ducked away from the falling debris.

The light was getting brighter. Holly ran harder as the tunnel opened up to it, and the traitor wasn't stopping. He made it to the light, which swallowed him up. Holly put on a burst of speed, following, only to hiss and skid to a stop as the light blinded her. It took a few good blinks before her eyes adjusted, revealing green. Holly gaped at all the trees and grass surrounding the bowl-like structure of the mountain she was standing on, the sky a pinkish-blue, signaling that it was almost mid-morning.

"Inferno Gust!"

Holly snapped back from her gaping at the beautiful landscape to see flames leaping at her. She merely stood still, letting the flames lick over her skin. They kind of tickled.

"Damn it!" the traitor cried before running again. Holly gasped as he took a leap over a ledge before hearing a thump. Holly ran over, peeking over the edge to see the traitor had landed on an outcropping of a sheer cliff and climbing down as fast as he could.

Holly growled to herself; her mugicians made her stronger and impenetrable, but she didn't want to test it with a three hundred foot drop. Guess I'm gonna have climb after him, she thought to herself, sticking a leg over the ledge to follow.

"No!"

Holly yelped in surprise as strong arms dragged her away from the ledge. She twisted her body around to see Rothar holding her back, concern in his green eyes. She began to struggle to get out of his hold.

"Rothar! What are you doing? He's getting away!" she yelled at him.

"You're not following him," he growled. "Too dangerous."

Holly snorted and finally managed to break free from his grip for a second before he wrapped his arms around him again. She tried to elbow his throat to let her go, but he blocked it easily.

"He's a traitor! We have to catch him!" she protested.

"The Overworlders can get him! I won't let you go! What if you lose your memory again?" Rothar snarled. Holly growled at him when Illazar interrupted.

"Forget the Overworlders, look!"

Holly frowned at the colorful Underworlder before following where he was pointing. She couldn't see what he was pointing at before a part of the rock face moved. Her blood ran cold as she realized that a snow leopard shifter was on the same cliff she was about to climb... and stalking the traitor.

"Get back up here!" Rothar roared down to the traitor. Holly winced at the volume in her ear, but called down as well.

"Come on! Come back up!" she called desperately. The traitor looked up at them, a sick grin on his face, and shook his head before continuing to climb down.

"Seriously! Climb back up!" Holly called down again, her heart pounding. She had seen the Pack hunt down Coral Fighters before, but this Creature was sentient. She had seen men murdered for power, revenge, money, but for some reason, she felt sick about this shifter taking a life.

"Where's the beast?" she asked Illazar hurriedly as Rothar ordered the traitor to come back up again.

"Almost on top of him," Illazar said grimly. "I can't even get a good shot at it from this height. He's done for."

Holly could only watch in horror as the snow leopard shifter finally stopped stalking the traitor and made its presence known with a hiss. The traitor looked up in time to let out a short scream before the shifter leapt. Holly couldn't see much after that, as Rothar decided that she was too fragile to see the kill and covered her eyes. She could still hear the thumps of bodies hitting rocks and the crack of bones being smashed. Then it was silent before the raspy roar of mournful victory echoed off the mountain walls.

"Cothica. I think I'm gonna be sick," Illazar said, sounding weak.

"Me too," Rothar agreed, and took his hand from Holly's eyes. She blinked at the harsh sunlight assaulting her eyes again before the sound of vomiting reached her. She looked over to see Rothar and Illazar hunched over a couple of rocks, and quickly looked away as her own stomach tried to rebel. Instead, she looked down to see the broken body of the traitor, dead, and the snow leopard shifter limping away. It turned and looked up at her, making eye contact, before nodding solemnly. Holly gave a little nod in return, and the shifter ran into the lingering mist.

"Guys," Holly called over her shoulder, "the beast is gone. Do we need to retrieve the body?"

"Probably should," Rothar said as he finished vomiting. "Just to deliver the ashes. Unless we ask the Overworlders."

"We still have our new prisoners and Narfall," Illazar reminded them as he took a drink from his water skin. "We'll contact a different party for the retrieval and take who we have to the Pits. Chaor will want our report too."

Holly straightened up from her crouch, wincing as her knees popped. "Sounds like we have a plan then. Let's get going. I rather not be here if any Overworlders show up."

Rothar and Illazar both grunted in agreement before heading back down to the Underworld. Holly looked down at the mists, slowly breaking up under the sun, hoping to see the shifter again. The mists kept their secret, and Holly followed Rothar and Illazar to be swallowed up by the Underworld.

The Dread Tread's metal seats were freezing her butt. Holly's teeth were clattering loud enough that the other Underworlders in the vehicle were giving her weird looks. She glowered at them the best she could, but the effect was ruined by several layers of wool and a blanket that she had bundled around her.

They had been traveling for a day now. Two days before that, the Pack disappeared and the attacks stopped. Holly and Takinom figured that the new Master had finally been sworn in and called all the shifters back to Chaotic, and thus allowing them to travel. So now, they were able to make it to Glacier Plains for the Anniversary, and Holly was silently cursing the Overworld for being so cold. The Underworld had spoiled her with its constant heat.

Holly looked over at Rothar, perfectly comfortable in just his breastplate and shorts, and pouted. Why couldn't she had been blessed with fire magic instead of indestructibility? Actually, no, she was fine with her magic, she took that back, Cothica! But the cold was going to kill her faster than a heart attack in Gothos Tower.

"How are you still cold?" Rothar hissed. "You basically stole all my body heat last night!"

Holly growled back, "I don't remember any attacks, which means that I have no way of keeping myself warm! And I did not! Just enough to warm my toes."

"By sticking them behind my knees!" Rothar grouched. "And then, somehow, your hands found my neck!"

"You. Are. Warm," Holly hissed. "How is that my fault?"

The other occupants groaned in exasperation. Nivenna said, "You two have been griping at each other this whole trip. Stop it, or I'm separating you two the rest of the trip."

Holly and Rothar growled and grumbled, but they stopped needling each other. She personally wasn't about to give up her personal space heater, no matter how ineffective he was being at the moment. She wasn't sure what Rothar's reason was; the Minotaur could care less about whether or not he sat next to her.

"We have less than five numas until we reach the memorial site," Chaor called from the front of the Dread Tread. "No matter what, I expect you lot to behave yourselves. Anyone who doesn't gets to spend two weeks in the Pits."

Holly felt a chill go down her spine, and she was sure that others felt it too. No one would dare disobey Chaor if he was threatening with the Pits. And since this was a solemn ceremony, with some of the more serious Underworlders, she doubted that trouble would happen...from them.

The Dread Tread continued rumbling forward, Holly slowly retreating into her mind by the vibrations put out by the Battlegear. She had searched half of the west section of Gothos Tower, turning up empty. Where could that damn Van Bloot hidden their Contract? In the east wings? In-between the books of the library, wherever that is? Under the floor, like she was doing with all that she had taken from the Tower so far? Where was it?

It was the squealing of brakes and the lurching stop that broke Holly out of her thoughts. She blinked as the back doors to the Dread Tread were opened, letting in blinding light. Holly held up a hand, trying to shield her eyes from being blinded, slowing her down and causing her to be the last to leave the Battlegear. When she was finally able to see without getting too blinded, she gaped at what she saw.

Glacier Plains was not pure white as she expected, but light blue with white dusting it. Flat with the occasional ice cropping, the wind howled over it, threatening to rip the blanket out of her hands and push the hood of her parka back. Holly hissed as her ears were assaulted by the cold, and it took some struggling to get her hood back up.

Something bounced off the side of her head, landing in the snow. Holly looked around wildly before realizing that someone tossed a pair of dark goggles at her.

"You better put those on," Rothar advised, putting on his own pair of goggles. "This place can burn out your eyes if you're not careful."

Right, Holly thought. Reflective glare from the sun. Carefully, she placed one foot onto the ice, testing it. Her foot didn't slip, and she placed her other foot down, holding onto a door handle for balance before reaching for the goggles. That was when the ice decided to make its treacherous nature known.

Holly yelped as her legs went out from under her. Her grip on the handle prevented her butt from being bruised. The goggles went flying from her frantic kicking, landing neatly on one of Rothar's horns. He gave her a deadpan look as he plucked the goggles off.

"Really?"

Holly growled, "I don't know how to deal with this stuff! I can't remember if I've been here!"

Rothar shook his head and took tiny steps to her, hauling her to her feet and making sure that she was stable before letting go. Holly felt her face flush in embarrassment as she took the goggles from him. Putting the goggles on provided instant relief to her eyes, and she sighed as the light reflecting off the snow dulled down. Then she realized that she and Rothar were being stared at by the others.

"What are you lot looking at?" she snarled, and immediately waddled away, following Chaor's giant boot prints in the snow. She refused to think about how ridiculous she looked, waddling around all bundled up, blanket discarded in the Dread Tread after her slip.

Which was the reason why she nearly lost an eye on Chaor's back spikes, bumping into him. It was a near miss, and she realized that they were almost to a cluster of domed tents. She could hear panicked voices, but peeking around Chaor's large body didn't reveal the cause.

"Now what caused this?" Chaor said. Holly looked down to see what he was looking at and felt her jaw drop.

"Holy sh-" she cut herself off, remembering that she was in the presence of her leader.

"Takinom flew ahead, you can cuss," Chaor said gruffly. Holly glared at him and said primly, "I prefer to save my cussing for something serious."

"This isn't serious?" Chaor snorted, waving his hand at the sinkhole in front of him. Holly shrugged her shoulders before frowning. There was something next to the hole. She knelt down carefully, not wanting to fall, as the rest of their party came up.

"Cothica," Nivenna breathed. "What made this? This isn't natural!"

As the other Underworlders began to speculate what could have caused a sinkhole with smooth sides and no apparent cracks or fissures, Holly was investigating what was next to it.

Tracks. Lots and lots of tracks. All of them were big, at least the size of her hand, and all different. Some were easily recognizable as wolf and bear tracks, but it took her a moment to remember lynx and fox. And the middle of the mess were a couple of human boot prints. Holly felt her stomach tighten nervously, her mind racing on how to cover her people. Why did they have to be so careless?

"Chaor!"

Holly's head shot up at Takinom's shout. The demoness was hovering just above them, her wing flaps messing up the tracks. Hopefully she'll mess up the boot prints, Holly thought grimly, seeing the distressed look on her face. Maybe cover us for a little longer.

"What is it, Takinom?" Chaor called up to his lady.

"Someone stole the Sword of Khy'at!" Takinom called down.

Cothica dammit.

A/N: Did you like it? I need motivation, leave a review on what can be improved!