Chrono and Tifa were speaking with Alya after the feast. It had been a great event, and everyone was relaxing. Red was speaking with Lucca over her latest theory. Zack and Frog were practicing with their swords. Magus and Vincent were watching everyone else. Each keeping a wary eye on the other. For some unknown reason, they distrusted each other a lot. Barret and Cid were arguing over something. No one bothered to find out what. Yuffie was trying to convince Nadia that she'd only borrowed her bow to look at it. Nadia was trying to get it back. Cait Sith was trying to read someone's fortune. But no one seemed interested. P
Tifa was getting very upset. "What do you mean there's no way over there! Cloud's over there. Their has to be a way over their!"P
Chrono shook his head. "I can't believe the mountain tops are that cold. We'll try to go over if there's no other way. But she's right. We have to get over the mountain. Otherwise, we can't stop them."P
Tifa was getting angry. "Who cares about stopping them! I want to find Cloud. I'll head over there myself if I have to!"P
Red and Lucca, who were the closest to the group, headed over. "Chrono! Relax. There has to be a way over. I mean, if that creature can get over, so can we."P
Red looked at Lucca. "Theoretically, that should be true. However, it may be that there's a method only open to those with specific abilities. Cloud, Sephiroth, Sephiroth, Jenova, and Dragon Shadow all share a certain amount of Jenova. That appears to allow them to do things that normal humans are incapable of."P
"Alya no understand. You talk of strange things. You stop, or me head go boom."P
Keno came over to the group. "Keno know of way. Caves."P
Alya looked up at Keno. "You know of caves. Only one ever come back. Many go in."P
Chrono looked surprised. "You mean to say there's another way to get to the other side of the mountain?"P
Keno nodded. "Through cave. Me show in morning. Sleep now."P
Chrono nodded. "Ok Keno."P
Tifa was clearly annoyed, but she said nothing. The group entered the various huts they'd been lent for the night. Some, like Red and Vincent preferred to sleep outside.P

CENTER* * * * */CENTER
P

The nest morning, the group met outside of Alya's hut. Keno was there too. P
"Alya say bad idea. Many go in. Only one come out."P
Red shook his head. "It should be colder inside the caves than out. It may be safer to go over the mountains."P
Keno shook his head. "Caves warm. Very warm. Some say we go live there."P
Lucca thought for a moment. "If there are underground lava flows, then they must warm the caves up. It would make sense, in theory. In which case, it would be a lot warmer going through the caves."P
Chrono nodded. "Fine. We try the caves. If they prove to be impassible, then we go over ground. Ok?"P
No one said anything. Tifa took that as an agreement to Chrono's suggestion. "Ok then! Let's go."P
Tifa began to run towards the mountain. Others began to follow her. Chrono shook his head. "And I thought you were bad, Nadia."P
Nadia laughed, and followed the others. The soon reached the base of the mountain. Keno looked up, then began climbing. The others followed, some easier then others.P
"That's my tail, not a rope. Please remove your hand from it."P
"Dang it Barret! Where'd you learn to climb?"P
"Sorry Cid. It ain't easy when ya only got one had ya know."P
"Tis not good weather for frogs."P
"At least I'm warm. Even if I am dead last."P
A few hours latter, the small, exhausted group reached the cave. Only Keno and Alya seemed ready to move on. Alya turned to Keno. "Keno! You go back to village. If me no return, you chief."P
Keno argued. "Me know of cave. You stay. You chief. It wrong for you to be in danger."P
"Alya help friend. Keno go. Alya say so. Alya chief, Keno listen."P
Keno turned, defeated in that instant. He turned, and began climbing back down the mountain. Alya turned, and walked a little way into the cave. "We rest here. Then we move. Ok?"P
The others nodded, and began to climb into the cave. They'd all moved into the cave, and were about 25 feet from the entrance, when a rock side sealed the entrance. At the moment, the others were too tired to worry. Most of them fell asleep. They never even noticed the shaped moving towards them in the shadows…