It wasn't long enough for both Dawson, Grace, and Basil to hear an eagle's cry, an owl hoot, and a scurrying squirrel around them.

"Go back now!" yelled the squirrel. It's a female red squirrel that was running and yelling. "Go back! You two mice, run!"

Basil went to the squirrel.

"Wait, you could give us directions," he said plainly.

"You need to run! She's on her way here!"

"Who?"

"The eagle! Mommy's very angry!"

"And I need to ask you a couple of questions."

"Didn't you listen? The eagle's coming! Someone stole her baby!"

"Who has?"

"I don't know but I don't want to."

"Did you see a mouse around here recently?" Basil asked undeterred.

"Yeah, earlier," the squirrel answered, while panting. "But you guys better get out of these woods. The eagle's coming!"

"But where is the lady?"

"I don't know. The hills? But I do have something from the mouse lady. She had these."

The squirrel held out a few matches showing them to Basil and Dawson.

"So you have seen her," Basil pointed out while taking the matches and placing them in his coat pocket. "Where is she?"

"I told you, I don't know."

"You're lying." Basil knew already judging by the squirrel's eye twitching and the slight laugh.

"No, I'm not," the squirrel laughed.

No one was expecting it that Basil held the squirrel by the neck and pushed her down to the ground, and asked harshly, "Tell me the truth or I'll push your head in the dirt! Where is Katherine Meadows?!"

"Okay, okay! She's here in the woods! She took off after the eagle came back. It was her who stole the egg! I don't know why but she went to a cliff."

"Which cliff?"

"The one that's close to the eagle's nest. Ow!"

Basil let go of her and he took off. Dawson and Grace stared at Basil astounded but they followed him further into the woods. Before they did, Dawson said to the female squirrel, "I'm sorry he did that to you."

"He's mean," said the squirrel.

"He only needs some therapy to calm his nerves."

"Dawson!" he heard Basil shout. "Come on!"

"I again apologize." Dawson had to run to catch up to Basil especially since he had a young girl to watch that she held him behind.

They ran through the forest going down a muddy pathway. The trees were next to it giving the mice a clear path and an easy trek. It wasn't only easy for Dawson; it was also for Basil. He didn't have much leads but for the fact that Katherine Meadows is at the cliff near an eagle's nest. He'll have to go further into the woods, far away from the park where they could've found her instantly and not be in this dark forest. At least it got Basil away from the sight of clocks and the memories that came to mind, but the thought of being alone and the chills on his spine, due to the cold temperatures, was enough to remind him of Big Ben. He breathed hard as he walked further but he at least stopped to let Dawson and Grace follow up with him.

"Come, come, Dawson," he told him.

"How much further?" Grace asked. "I'm getting tired."

"Just follow me."

The memories must fade so he can work but a part of Basil wanted to return home where he knew he's safe. There's still the thought that Ratigan's men could try to finish him, fulfilling Ratigan's plan. The good thing about that is that all of his thugs were arrested, just not Basil's thoughts. He ran further and further knowing eagles would reside in the heart of the woods, away from humans. They were far away from the park but Basil looked behind to make sure. There were only Dawson and Grace following him but not that far was another mouse, a mouse in a fine red tuxedo and brown fur.

He's stalking us, not putting his full trust in me.

Knowing there's a way he could lose Albert, not wanting to tell Grace, Basil had Dawson and her to follow him around many tall trees and zigzag through them, going off the pathway.

"Basil, where are you doing?" Dawson called from behind.

"Discombobulating," Basil replied. "Just follow me."

They traveled through more trees and pass the tall grass and bushes until Basil lost sight of Albert. He outwitted him that Basil smirked in evil joy. If only he could do that to Ratigan's thugs that would make him happier. He kept walking not caring for his sore feet.

"Look! What's that?!"

Grace's yell was enough to surprise both Basil and Dawson since the forest became quiet; hardly any bug nor bird were making a sound.

"What?" Dawson asked.

Grace pointed to Basil's right side to a clearing where Basil saw the sight of a car, a mouse sized steam car and it had a flat tire. Without hesitation, he ran to the car with the other two trailing from behind. It was just then there was a clash of thunder.

CRASH!

"Where did this come from?" Dawson wondered after jumping from the sound, talking about the car.

"Mrs. Katherine Meadows," Basil suggested as he studied the car. There were many dirty spots on the side of it due to the car driving on the wet mud and the cushions were slightly ruffled. "She got out of the car just as she crashed into the woods and took off on a run after being bombarded either from the eagle or a different predator."

He read more of the car with a wide smile.

"The car was struck by many twigs due to the flat tires and there are scratch marks on here, from a bird. An eagle. She was attacked by the eagle and made a run for it."

"Is she still alive?" Grace asked immediately.

"Yes, she is," Basil replied after noticing the footprints on the mud. He followed them away from the car.

The footprints came to a tree where there was an opening inside it, big enough for a rabbit or badger to fit.

"This is where the eagle resides its nest," Basil announced. "Mrs. Meadows stole the egg to have her revenge upon the bird that almost killed her. But why would she choose the eagle to fight? Was it her own troubles with her husband? Does she favor Grace over him? There's a wedding ring residing here at the stump." He picked it up.

"She's not proud of her marriage. That's why she ran away and why she went missing. She took a wrong route. Right now, we have to find her before she makes more mistakes. The squirrel mentioned a cliff. We're by it and a tree. There'd be more around here. We're getting close."

The rain started to fall upon Basil, making him wet. He only ignored it searching around for more clues. There were more footprints but were leading away from the tree and to his left.

"This way, Dawson," Basil said to him. "We need to follow these footprints. They're from Mrs. Meadows and we cannot lose them."

Basil kept his eyes on the prints knowing Dawson and Grace are behind him.

"I'm tired," said Grace while leaning against Dawson. "And I'm getting wet. It's raining."

"I understand that," said Dawson to her. "But we must find your mother. Stay with me."

"No, Dawson," said Basil interrupting them. "Leave Grace in the car. We'll come back for her."

"But Basil-"

"She'll be fine."

At least Basil was thinking about her that he knew Grace wouldn't last long in the soaking rain. No child is like that. He watched Dawson set Grace into the car and had her huddle to the steering wheel and was covered by the top cover of the car, so the rain wouldn't fall on her.

"We'll be back Grace," Dawson said to her as he started walking away.

"Don't leave me!" Grace yelled. "Don't!"

"We'll be back. I promise."

"Don't!"

"We'll come back for you. It's okay."

"No, don't!"

"I promise you we will return."

"Come, Dawson," Basil told him impatiently, since he was losing sight of the footprints, due to the heavy rain. "Come."

"Don't leave me alone!" Grace begged again.

"I said again, we'll come back for you. Just stay here. You'll be safe."

"Dawson, come!" Basil yelled again to him.

Again, Grace begged and Dawson reassured her but Basil ignored her pleas and looked down to the muddy ground. The prints were almost running out and puddles were forming in them that he started walking, up to running. He heard Dawson catching up after again comforting Grace.

The prints lead all the way from the edge of the cliff, away from the car. They stopped until there was no more and also a large shake. Almost as if something big was coming its way to the mice. From a nearby puddle, it shook due to the large vibration. More shakes came that Dawson said,

"What is that?"

Something wasn't right. Usually eagles don't cause a big shake and neither would there be any humans out here in the middle of the night. What was making that sound? It could be a bigger animal, possibly a bear or a wolf. Not a bird.

Anyway, Basil looked down to the ground that the footprints were gone. There was another shake but he tried to ignore it.

"Basil, do you know?" Dawson asked him.

"Look around if you see more footprints," Basil told him.