Werewolf Hunting

Disclaimer: See almost every other chapter before this one and you eventually get the basic idea.

X'andirth: Boewyn would like to thank every one of you who has reviewed.

Boewyn: Thanks!

X'andirth: Wasn't that nice? Now – Onwards Ho!

Chapter Twenty Four: Discovery

"Well this has got us a... WHOLE LOT OF NOWHERE!" Boewyn shouted, scaring birds out of the trees.

"Al, I really must applaud your sense of direction this is fantastic."

The two men stared at a large expanse of stone. Boewyn leaned back slightly and then leaned back a bit more till he could see the top of the cliff they stood below.

"Very nice indeed, although I fail to see how this helps"

Moody was positively fuming.

"We must have walked to wrong way" he admitted grudgingly.

"You think? No! We were meant to come here, it's symbolic. We can now officially sink no lower. Especially no lower than the base of a cliff."

"We'll spend the night here, then head back the way we came"

"Groovy" Boewyn announced, still trying to look at the top of the cliff, he leaned back a bit further and then overbalanced, landing on his rear. He sat there for a while looking around with interest before falling onto his back and staring at the sky.

Moody grumbled and stalked towards the cliff cursing under his breath.

"HEY, LOOKIT!" Boewyn shouted, Moody spun and looked at Boewyn who had one arm pointing at something above them. Moody looked up.

"That cloud looks like a three-headed dragon!" Boewyn declared.

Moody sighed and closed his eyes, silently wishing for peace.

"Al" a voice whispered suddenly in his ear, causing him to jump three feet into the air and draw his wand, accidentally poking Boewyn in the stomach. Boewyn carefully pointed the wand elsewhere.

"I'm gonna go explore before it gets dark" he informed the Auror cheerfully.

"Good for you" Moody replied sarcastically.

"I know" Boewyn replied then made his way along the cliff face disappearing into the trees.

Moody watched him go a scowl on his face.

"I hope he gets eaten by something"

---

Moody was staring at the steadily darkening sky when suddenly a face appeared in his field of vision. He sighed glumly, it was back...

"Al, you gotta come see this" Boewyn's face was alight, a massive grin on his face. Moody had a feeling that if the hunter had a tail, he would be wagging it.

"I don't 'gotta' do anything" Moody snapped

"Yeah, you do" Boewyn retorted

"NO!"

"But it's really important!" Boewyn whined

"I swear you are getting more childish everyday" Moody was agitated by Boewyn's behaviour, even more so than usual. Boewyn moved behind them and shoved Moody hard,

"Move it!" He ordered

Moody sighed and gave in. He didn't have the energy to argue with him.

"Fine"

"Goody!" Boewyn bounded off the way he had left earlier. Moody sighed and tailed after him, grumbling and cursing under his breath.

Finally he came to an area which had the trees cleared for a 3 meters out from the cliff-side. Boewyn stood in the middle of it.

"Well?" he questioned irritably, "What's so special about this place?"

"Nothing really, nothing at all" Boewyn replied nonchalantly.

Moody simply stared at him.

"Please tell me you did not drag me here... for nothing." Moody was trying his hardest to remain calm.

"Of course not! What kind of person do you think I am? I know your blood pressure isn't up to that sort of act"

Moody ground his teeth together. There was a long silence

"Well" he finally snapped

"Oh, right, yes, of course, the thing, right, yes" Boewyn walked over to the cliff face then turned to face Moody.

"And, abra kadabra!" and he stepped back right through the wall.

Moody jaw dropped then moved over to where Boewyn had been only seconds before.

"It's like the entrance to platform nine and three-quarters, he murmured as he reached out to touch the wall that was there and his hand slid through. (his left hand, mind) He drew his wand and carefully stepped through preparing himself for the worse. Nothing happened. He looked around wand raised, it was dingy in there so his lit his wand, shining the light around the rock walls. It revealed the other side of the wall to be a small cavern of sorts, devoid of anything but rocks. Boewyn was squinting down a tunnel that was right in the middle of the far wall.

"What do you suppose this place is?" Moody whispered as he came to stand up with Boewyn.

Boewyn reached out and covered the tip of Moody's wand with his hand, dimming the light being emitted.

"I'm not sure, whatever this is this isn't natural."

"Man-made" Moody muttered softly.

"No" Boewyn muttered, "not man. But made by something" He looked down the tunnel again, "Put the light out, we don't want to let anything know we are coming"

Moody obliged quietly, tightening his grip on his wand. He heard a soft click and he could just make out in the darkness the hunter drawing his gun and flicking the safety catch off. They both looked down the tunnel.

"After you" Moody offered politely, if there was anything down there it could eat Boewyn first and he could kill it while it was busy

"Are you kidding? I've seen movies, Al. It's always the stupid guy who gets picked off first. You go, so I can watch your back and ensure that doesn't happen"

Moody rolled his eyes, and made his slow way down the dark tunnel, Boewyn cowering behind him.

They walked for a long time, the tunnel sloping downwards and upwards and sideward, Moody was sure they walked in a circle once. The dark deepened, clinging to the two men as they walked. It had taken a while for their eyes to adjust to the dark but it helped little. Moody held his wand tightly in his right hand and used his left hand to feel the wall next to him. The rock was cold and slightly slimy under his hand several times he felt something furry under his fingertips.

Behind him he could hear Boewyn moving, the soft sounds of him shifting his grip on his gun.

Moody stopped suddenly, Boewyn bumping into him

"What was that?" he hissed

There was silence from Boewyn for a minute before.

"Sounds like shouting?" he guessed after a moment

Moody began to move again, slower than before his eyes trained as far ahead of him as possible. The shouting got louder and louder and a spot of light appeared before them. The light shone into the tunnel and they pressed themselves against the wall to prevent themselves from being seen. They peered around the corner to see another cavern, bigger than the last. Candles flickered around the walls, producing flickering light which cast lengthy shadows along the walls.

Moody's gaze fell on the caverns occupants. His jaw dropped.

Two death eaters stood in the centre of the cavern, their black cloaks appearing darker than they should and their masks glowing eerily in the light. Standing before them was several small rat-like creatures. All of them were wearing helmets with candles in the top.

"Kobolds" Boewyn's voice whispered softly in Moody's ear.

Moody nodded slightly then listened.

"You still haven't paid us!" The biggest of the Kobolds screeched irately.

"You will receive your payment in time!" One of the death eaters snapped.

"We want it now!" the biggest retorted.

"For the alst time, the Dark Lord has noted your assistance and shall..."

"We do not care who or what! We want our payments! If we do not receive them you shall not be permitted passage through here again!" The Kobold was shifting agitatedly from foot to foot, as he spoke. The other kobolds gave screeches of agreement.

The two death eaters drew their wands and pointed them at the leader Kobold.

"Listen you little rat" the second one started but around them were suddenly the sounds of many angry Kobolds. They came out of other tunnels from all sides f the cavern and brandished short spears and swords. Chittering angry the Kobolds advanced on the death eaters, who backed away slowly. The Kobolds forced the death eaters towards a tunnel on the far side.

"Leave now!" The leader demanded, "and do not return until you have our payment" The death eaters left and the kobolds chattered triumphantly.

"Interesting" Moody muttered to himself.

"Uh, Al" Boewyn said suddenly. Moody turned around to Boewyn and found himself facing half a dozen kobolds. He swore.

"Trespassers!" The kobolds screeched as one and Moody found himself being dragged by the short, yet extremely vicious creatures out into the clearing. He looked sideways and saw Boewyn being forced along next to him. Much to his disgust he saw the hunter was grinning.

"Kill the trespassers!" the leader cried.

"Wow... it seems everybody wants to kill us these days, huh, Al."

"Yippee" Moody muttered. He was forced to his knees by the rat-like creatures his arms and legs being held down. A kobold walked forwards and stood before him spear at the ready. Out of the corner of his eye he saw one move in front of Boewyn. He felt pressure on the back of his legs and his head was pulled back baring his neck to his executer.

Around him the kobolds chanted in their own language. Moody felt the spear press against his throat.

He closed his eyes, and waited.

Authors Note: Another late update. Sorry folks. Been busy. Still I have sorta got my assignments done and... now I have no holidays left. Cries

Mwahahaha! Cliff-hanger! Will Boewyn and Moody be saved by some unknown stranger? Will they be killed and the remaining marauders will take their place? Will the cavern cave in? Will aliens abduct them all? Will Remus get super powers? Will giant killer bananas fall from the sky? Probably not! Bananas are too expensive these days!

Wait for the next instalment of Werewolf Hunting! (which should be soon, school goes back in a day!)