Thank you all sooo much for your kind reviews. I'm glad to say that I haven't needed my marshmallows yet. Next chapter coming soon to a web page near you!
=^..^=

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Malone, Roxton, and Veronica returned to the cave just as the sun was setting. Between them, they carried more than enough fire wood to get them through the night. Challenger had already returned, and was waiting for them.

"That should last us for awhile." Challenger noted.

"We definitely won't run out of firewood tonight." Malone agreed, flashing that boyish grin of his.

"Has Marguerite come back yet?" Roxton asked.

"No, I haven't seen her. Or Keira for that matter." Challenger replied.

Roxton looked concerned.
"The sun will be down soon, they should be back here by now." He spoke.

"I'm sure they'll turn up eventually." Veronica assured him. "Marguerite knows how to take care of herself."

"Don't I know it." Roxton muttered.

~*~*~*~

"Roxton, where are you going?" Malone exclaimed.

The sun had been down for at least an hour, and there was still no sign of either Marguerite or Keira. Roxton had practically leapt up from his spot at the fire, and was grabbing his riffle.

"It's been too long. Something must have happened to them." Roxton insisted.

Veronica got up too.
"He's right. They should have been back a long time ago."

"I'm going out to look for them." Roxton announced.

"I'm coming too." Veronica insisted. "Two pairs of eyes are better than one."

"I'll go too." Malone volunteered.

"No." Roxton argued. "You and Challenger need to stay here and watch the cave. Incase they come back."

A soft chuckle rose from the mouth of the cave, drawing the explorer's attention.
"Worried about little 'ol me?" Marguerite asked innocently.

"Where the hell have you been?!" Roxton demanded.

"What do you care?" Marguerite challenged. "I'm back, aren't I?"

"You had m.." Roxton hesitated. "You had us worried sick."

"I can take care of myself Roxton." Marguerite snapped. "I'm not a child. No matter what you might think."
She had mumbled the last bit, and Roxton had to strain to hear her.

"Where is Keira?" Challenger asked, interrupting the couple.

"I don't know. I left her with Roxton." Marguerite looked around. "She isn't here?"

"We thought she was with you." Malone sighed.

"We'll be back as soon as we find her." Veronica announced as she and Roxton left the cave.

"Good riddance." Marguerite muttered as Roxton disappeared into the night.

~*~*~*~

"How long do you think it's been?" Malone asked.

"Not more than an hour." Challenger assured him.

"I should have gone with them." Malone sighed.

Challenger glanced over to Marguerite, who sat on the other side of the fire. She kept stealing glances towards the entrance, trying to see past the wall of shadows outside of the cave.

"Looks like you aren't the only one who wishes they hadn't stayed behind." Challenger chucked.

"I heard that." Marguerite spoke, turning her heated gaze towards the professor.

"I know why I'm worried about them, but why are you, Marguerite?" Malone wondered.

"Please! I'm not worried about anybody." She rolled her eyes.

"Could it be that Ms. Krux might actually enjoy Lord Roxton's company?" Malone gasped dramatically.

"And what of you?" Marguerite demanded. "You're moping around here like a little lost puppy that's been left behind while it's master goes out for the day." She laughed. "Such a good little boy for Veronica."

"Cut it out, both of you." Challenger told them. "Veronica and Roxton know how to take care of themselves. If anything had happened, we would have heard the gun fire."

"Well I'm not waiting around here any longer." Malone exclaimed as he stood.

"What do you think you're doing?" Marguerite demanded of him.

"First Keira disappears, then Veronica and Roxton. You aren't just the slightest bit worried?" Malone answered her question with one of his own.

"I think you've read one too many adventure books." The heiress quipped.

"Do what you want, but I'm going out to find them." Malone said as he grabbed his riffle.

Marguerite stood up with a forced sigh.
Malone regarded her.
"Someone needs to keep you out of trouble." She explained.

"I'll stay here, incase any of them return." Challenger offered.

The two nodded, and made their way from the cave.
"Be careful." Challenger called after them.

~*~*~*~

"What do you think happened to her?" Veronica asked.

"I don't know. I didn't think she would have been able to get that far, but there still isn't any sign of her."

Roxton sighed as they stopped for a break.
At first, her trail had been easy enough to follow, but somehow they had lost it.

"We're not going to find anything tonight." Roxton spoke. "We should just head back to the cave, and try again in the morning."

"Maybe you're right." Veronica agreed reluctantly. "I just don't like the idea of leaving her out here alone all night."

"Neither do I, but.."
Roxton was cut of as a loud noise echoed through the jungle.

"Gun fire." Veronica exclaimed. "It came from over there."

~*~*~*~

"You do know that we've been traveling in circles, don't you?"

Ned turned to Marguerite, who stood with her hands on her hips, not moving.
"No we haven't." He insisted.

"You know how good my sense of direction is, and I say we have." She argued.

Before he could reply, Marguerite whirled around, and whipped out her gun.
"Did you hear that?" She asked quietly.

"Hear what?" Malone answered, just as quietly.

Somewhere in front of them came the sound of snapping twigs.
"That." Marguerite insisted.

The two made their way silently towards the noise, and discovered a clearing. In the middle of it stood Keira, who seemed to be quite busy making out with some guy.

"What the hell.." Marguerite exclaimed as she fired her gun into the air to get their attention.
Keira whirled around to face them, her eyes wide.

"So, this is what you've been busy doing?" Marguerite demanded as she stormed out into the clearing. "You had us worried sick you little.."

"Who's you're friend?" Malone questioned, cutting Marguerite off.

"His name is Altais." Keira replied. "We were to be married."

Altais bowed slightly.
"Keira has told me how much you have helped her. I cannot thank you enough for watching over her." He spoke.

"What is going on over here?" Roxton exclaimed as he and Veronica stumbled into the clearing.

"Keira's been too busy to notice it was getting dark." Marguerite explained, her voice slightly frosty.

Keira's cheeks reddened noticeably.
"I didn't mean to worry any of you." She said softly.

"Let's just get back to the cave before Challenger comes looking for us." Veronica suggested.

~*~*~*~

"I was supposed to meet Altais in this cave yesterday. So, when we got here and there was no sigh of him, I got worried. I had to know if he was all right, and I didn't seem to be needed around here, so.." Keira shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sorry if I worried any of you."
They were all back in the cave by this point. Gathered around the fire to hear just what had happened.

"After all we've done for you, you're keeping secrets?" Marguerite demanded. "What else aren't you telling us?"

"*You're* getting mad at me for hiding something?" Keira exclaimed in shock. "You've got to be kidding."

"I don't need you getting me killed." Marguerite snapped.

"Why can't you just admit that you were worried?" Keira snapped back. "Human emotion isn't a weakness!"
Marguerite glared at her before she stormed away for the second time that day. Keira sighed, and Altais squeezed her hand.

"It's getting late." Challenger spoke finally. "Why don't we try and get some sleep. We have a long day ahead of us."


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Next chapter will be very M/R, because I know I haven't really had any of that yet. But, don't worry, it will be worth the wait. In the meantime, don't forget to review. It'll only take a minute, heck, not even. The more reviews, the more M/R fluff I'll put in. I know the story isn't so great, but review it anyway, lol.
Dai stiho
~CrimsonCat~