Jake wasn't sure what to do next. Look for the sword, or check out the Terinans and see why they were here in the first place? He couldn't be sure.
Thankfully, Ithiell caught his worried gaze.
"They are not normal Terinans, I can assure you that now"
"How do you know?" Rachel narrowed her eyes at him.
"Because as part of the peace treaty, the Terinans swore to never set foot on earth again. No normal Terinan would want to knowingly break that treaty"
"Then... what are these guys doing here?" Cassie asked, her voice turning into a hushed whisper.
"Yeerks?"
"No. From what you have told me, these Yeerks need a certain size ear canal to enter through. The Terinans ears are too small for the Yeerks"
"Then... what?"
"Well, believe they are one of the bands of rebels we... Rtaia and I... have been hearing about for a long time. Apparently there were a few of them who didn't like the idea of 'peace'"
"Do they know about the sword?" Amanda looked worried.
"No. At least, I don't think so"
"So... what now? Go after the sword, or go check out these Teri-whatevers" Marco asked, looking at Jake. He was still clueless.
"Look, how about me and Mandy go and check out the Terinans? A quick look, just to see what they're up to, and we'll meet up with you guys a little later" Jade suggested, looking at Jake, then at Ithiell. Like she couldn't decide who to ask...
"Well, what do you think?" Ithiell asked, turning to him.
"Well... it sounds like a good idea. But... I really don't know how to handle these guys like you seem to" He replied honestly, shrugging his shoulders.
"It's ok. We'll be back before you realise we're gone" Amanda assured him, and soon, there were two small brown fruit bats where the two girls once were.
"Keep your thought-speak open, ok? We want to know if you get in trouble" Ithiell instructed them, and one nodded.
(Will do. You just find that sword, ok?) Jade said as they flapped to gain altitude, then flew off into the far left tunnel. The moment they were gone, the others trudged into the right tunnel, which slowly became more spaced as they walked. And what started as a low ceiling, slowly became higher, and soon Jake could walk standing up straight.
He cracked his neck a little, walking along beside Ithiell and Ax, with the others right behind them.
"Ask Rtaia how far way from the sword we are" He instructed Ax, feeling weird about taking control of this situation. He felt like Ithiell should be leading them, not him. And yet... the Chanaiben seemed almost calm about it as he walked along. Like he didn't mind taking orders from a human.
Definitely not like the Andalites he thought with some relief as Ax relayed his message.
(Ah. You are approximately a hundred and thirty five metres from its current location. It is... not embedded in the rock, I can assume that much from my scans)
"Well that tells us a lot" Robert muttered behind them, as they kept walking along.
(You will come to two more tunnels. Do not go down the left... for I fear that may lead to a steep drop and a dead end. The right is the tunnel you should follow) she continued to guide them, and he saw Cassie cringe a little at the idea of such a steep drop.
He was just about to say something to reassure her when he heard Amanda's thought-speak voice fill his head. He realised that their form of thought-speak could travel further than theirs could.
(Okay, we see them)
(Or sort of a sketchy picture of them) Jade corrected.
"How many?" Jake asked, and Ax relayed the message.
(We can barely hear you, but... I'd say there's about ten, total) Jade said.
(Okay, we're doing what bats do. We're hanging off the rock, not far from them)
(They're ignoring us... well, that's a good thing)
(They're just standing there! I don't know... wait, they're talking!)
There was a short silence before Amanda said anything again. In this time, everyone had stopped.
(No... I can't understand them, but they're all pretty angry. One just vaporised another one)
(No, I think you're wrong. They're looking for something. Maybe it's the Gbar sword... I don't know. They're all frustrated, that's all I can tell)
"Maybe they're lost" Cassie suggested. Tobias relayed her words to them.
(No, doubt it. If they were lost, they'd have probably started blowing this place to bits by now. But we'll hang here for a little while until we know for sure) Jade said, and Ithiell indicated for them to all start walking again.
"Will they be all right there?" Rachel asked, surprising Jake.
"Yes. It's a recon mission only, and those two are good at it" Ithiell said as they came to the divided tunnels, turning right to avoid the big drop.
"We might not be able to communicate with them soon, you know that" Robert pointed out, bringing up the rear.
"Well, maybe we should all become bats too. That way the two of you will be able to communicate with them" Cassie suggested, and Jake agreed.
"It beats wondering around in near-darkness and tripping over your own feet" Marco added with a little sarcasm in his voice.
Soon, they were all bats, echolocating their way down the tunnel, covering much more ground than before.
(Rtaia? How far?) Jake asked her, and her faint voice replied not long after.
(Not far, around ten more metres... I can barely hear you, are you all right?)
(Yes, we're just far away) Ithiell responded for them.
(Oh, all right. The sword... it is in another cavern. Larger than the one you...) Jade and Amanda's panicked voices broke through Rtaia's.
(Oh man. The Terinans are looking at us funny...)
(I think they're... ahh! Look out!)
(They shot at us! Oh jee... hey! Now they're chasing us! Man, they really must hate bats!)
(Are you all right? Are either of you hurt?) Ithiell asked.
(Wow! Oh, no, they're just... Amanda, left!)
(Ahh! Oh oh oh.... that was too close!)
(Amanda!) Ithiell cried.
Oh no, things had just turned ugly. Jake knew... another mistake...
How could I let this happen! I let them go... could've...
(Rachel, Ax! With me! Maybe we can...)
(No. The Gbar sword is your main worry. Robert and I will assist the girls. After all, we have handled the Terinans before) Ithiell assured them, sounding slightly panicked himself.
(Can you trust him?) Jake asked Ithiell privately.
(When worst comes to worst... definitely) he replied before the two fruit bats changed direction, flapping frantically back to where they'd come from.
Now it was just the Animorphs... alone... and he had to...
They kept going, with Rtaia's voice growing fainter in their heads. Soon, they reached another cavern. She was right, this time, it was bigger. And a strange unnatural light seemed to glow from the rocks, illuminating the cavern just enough for human eyes to see. They demorphed as they heard the other's though speak cries in their heads.
(Oh oh! They burnt my ear off!)
(Keep going, almost to the...)
(Ahhhhhhh!!)
(Amanda!)
(No! It's all right! I can shape-shift under the water of the cavern, you just keep going)
(You sure?)
(Of course I'm sure! Go!)
(Guys, we're on our way!)
(Too late. Amanda's down and I'm leading them down another tunnel, away from you guys!)
(Wait for us, then we could...)
(Yaaaah! They got my foot! How did they... but I'm not...)
(Hold on! Tell us which tunnel you...)
(Ummm, I don't remember!)
(Well that really helps us!)
(It kind of happens when... hey wait a second. I lost them! Guys, they might be...)
(Ah! Thanks for the warning!)
(We're going down the tunnel they came out of! Hold on!)
(Amanda! Where...)
(Right behind you. Let's see if they like to play with big kitties...) And that was all they heard as they stood next to one another, and for a few precious seconds Jake forgot to even breathe.
"Oh man, that sounds bad" Marco muttered looking up at Jake. The strange luminescence cast eerie shadows on his friends face.
"I know, but it's there fight now. They can take it" Rachel assured all of them, stepping further into the cave to investigate it.
(Rtaia, can you still hear me?) Ax called out to her in thought speak.
(Yes... but barely. The sword should be in the cave you are in. On the other side of the entrance) she instructed faintly.
They moved forward, all of them looking around for the thing that looked like a Samurai sword. Then came the others...
(Hey guys, I can't find you!) It was Jade's voice.
(We're a bit... busy at the moment. We're trying to find a place we can turn around and fight. Amanda's right behind us... but she can't do anything just yet) Ithiell.
(No! I mean I can't get out of this tunnel! It's like someone keeps turning me around the wrong way or something... uh oh... yaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!)
Beside him, Marco and Cassie flinched.
(Jade!) Ithiell cried. No answer.
(Jade, what is it?! Are there more of them?) Came Amanda's shrill voice. Jake's heart stopped then. He knew.... Another wrong decision...
"Here it is. At least, I hope it's it" Rachel said grimly, pointing to a slightly mud encrusted box, thin and long enough to hold the sword. It was wedged between the rock wall and the floor.
(The sword in the stone) Tobias mused. But Jake knew he was trying to keep them all focused on the task at hand. But no... Jake could only see the mistake of letting the others go off alone...
I should have let Ithiell take over! He knew what he was doing! Why did I have to...
FWAPP!!
Ax's tail blade hit the rock, slicing it in two and dislodging the box from the place had been wedged into. Marco picked it up, looking a little haunted.
"We've got to go help them Jake" Cassie said, worry in her voice.
"I know... but someone has to..."
(I will take it Prince Jake) Ax offered, taking the sword box delicately. Far off, they heard the other three calling out to Jade, as well as dodging blasts and trying to fight back.
But Jake had a better idea.
"If we can get one of those Terinan weapons, maybe we can destroy the damn thing for good. Ask Rtaia..." But Ax was already relaying the message to her.
(Yes, I do believe a high level energy blast could destroy it. But you must take careful aim and hit it dead in the centre) Rtaia warned, sounding a little annoyed.
"Okay" He said slowly, thinking hard. If I get this wrong again...
"Ax, you take the sword and tag along behind us. Everyone else, go wolf. We need to move fast if we're gonna catch up to the others in time" He said to them, praying they wouldn't be too late to save them.