The next step Breccia took wasn't a solid one. Her foot went down...and kept going. She plummeted down a steep slope. Morice followed with Nessa in tow.

It was a quick descent and they landed on a patch of sharp rocks. Grumbling and swearing like an angered sailor, Breccia picked herself up on shaking arms. Another cough spell hampered her as she pulled tiny pebbles from her palms.

"You okay?" Morice shuffled around for the lighter.

"Be better if I could see."

The search was for naught in the end. With the lighter found floating in a small puddle, their only form of light was rendered moot.

"Your transceiver still have battery?" Breccia question was hampered by another cough.

"I've got a bar, but there's no reception down here." It suited their needs well enough. Flipping it on, they realized they'd fallen into a shallow chasm. It led deeper into the cave, a fact that troubled both. It was possible to climb out, but upon every attempt, they slid down the sides. "We either freeze to death or suffocate. Take your pick."

"There's still a breeze coming through the passage way." Breccia said, scrambling to pull Vanessa up along side her. "It's best we keep going...as soon as you get off my leg."

"I'm not even touching you."

"Then what's-" She stole her friend's phone and shined it down, discovering a nest with several, speckled eggs. Of course the mother, a grounded Zubat, was none too happy and let out a frightful hiss.

Breccia hurried to her feet first, regretting so when her head hit the low handing roof. "Hurry over here, careful not to step on anything."

"It's a Zubat. What's it gonna do, bite me?" Morice paused when he noticed the light from his phone glowing brighter. It was when he turned to the screen to him that he realized it wasn't coming from his transceiver.

"Move!" Breccia pushed him further into the cave as a blast tore after them. Akin to an explosion, the beam propelled from the creature's maw, leveling the area above their heads. They stumbled down further into the catacomb when the path began to crumble. It fell in on itself and prevented them from tracing back.

"What the tell was that?!" Morice had Nessa over his shoulder. He wiped a cold sweat from his brow. "Don't mess with mama I guess."

"Did you see the way it sat there? Like it's wings were broken."

"We can wax poetic about it later. Lets get to dry land before my fingers fall off."

"Yeah." Breccia's soaked boots nudged something, causing her to instinctively jet out a hand to stop the man behind her.

"What now?"

"An egg." She collected it in fragile hands. "It must've fallen down with us."

"We'll fry it up later, can we go now?"

Breccia gave a scowl fitting Morice's insensitivity. "Give me your pack." Morice had a fanny pack that he had, up to that point, forgot he still had on his person.

Tossing out a few empty candy wrappers and a can of mace, the egg was nested in a cushion of used napkins. There was no way they could place it back from where it came. If they made it out, maybe someone from the lab could place it in an incubator

The trek continued, each step heavy and each minute bringing more discomfort. Nessa made no noises of attempts to move, and after turning to another narrow passage, Breccia's health took a dive. The coat about her shoulders did little for the rest of her and when she took a breath in, she was met with a haggard cough laced with blood.

"Hang in there." Morice did what he could to comfort her. When her legs buckled, he was able to slip an arm around her and hold her upright. "If I had the strength to carry both of you, I would."

"I'm fine." Breccia's voice cracked like the ice under her feet. She knew it wasn't, indeed, fine, but she had little choice in the matter. "Look ahead." She pointed a quaking arm. They both saw a splash of faint light at the end.

Approaching, the outside breeze hit them and filled them with relief.

When they limped through the opening, they were met with a silver land of pure snow. On the horizon, a jitney broke the plain, it's headlights reflecting the cold, uncaring sun.

"Just in time." Morice managed, heaving a labored breath.

"Yeah..." The lights and colors began to blur as Breccia unhooked the pack from her jeans. After handing it to her friend, her legs slid free. She coughed, spewing red spittle on the ice before the world faded away.