Chapter Seven

The Doctor walked with his hands in his pockets as they moved along and breathed hard through his nose. He felt the anger nibbling at his hearts as he looked straight ahead and Sir Didymus and Ambrosius were to his right and Ludo was to his left. They walked onward as the sun moved higher in the sky and the Doctor's eyes grew darker. He swore that Nol was going to pay for taking the two most important…

"No, they are NOT things!" the Doctor whispered.

"Pardon?" Sir Didymus asked.

"Nothing," the Doctor said then sat on a rock and took his right converse off. He rubbed his foot as he looked up at the sky and sighed. "We have to get out of here."

He placed the converse back on when Ludo made a low growling sound then placed his head back and let out a loud cry.

"Here, now, there is no need for that," the Doctor said when the ground shook and the Doctor hit the ground hard. "Or that!"

The ground shook harder when the ground opened up and the Doctor got up. He took the sonic screwdriver out when he pointed the sonic screwdriver at the opening and something crawled out.

"What is that?"

Suda Estralka was covered in black fur with long claws, four legs, one head, two ears, a pointy nose, long whiskers, two eyes in slits, and a small tail. Suda sniffed the air when it blinked and the Doctor saw the black eyes.

"Who called me?" Suda asked.

"Me," Ludo grumbled.

"Ah, Friend Ludo, what can I do for you?" Suda asked then sniffed the air. "Who else is here?"

"That would be me," the Doctor said as Suda sniffed the air and turned toward him.

"And you would be?"

"I'm the Doctor."

"Ah, well, I am Suda Estralka."

"Pleased to meet you. Can you give us a lift?"

"Of course!" Suda said when the Doctor climbed onto the soft fur and helped Sir Didymus up. Ludo placed Ambrosius next to Sir Didymus and the Doctor looked at him.

"Come on, Ludo, climb up."

"He is too heavy for me to carry."

"Oh, let's go."

Suda scratched the ground then ran off and the dust blew from under him. The wind whistled in their ears as Sir Didymus and Ambrosius dug into the fur and the Doctor laughed. The rocks and cliff walls sailed by when Suda came out of the canyon and the Doctor got off. He helped Sir Didymus down when Ambrosius hopped down and the Doctor looked at Suda.

"Thank you," the Doctor said with a bow and Suda nodded. The Doctor watched as Suda ran back into the canyon then turned looking at the dark landscape before them. "Let's go."

They followed as the Doctor started walking and he looked straight ahead.

"I am coming, Rose Tyler, and pity to anyone that stands in my way!" the Doctor thought and his eyes grew dark.

Rose looked at Zeeni standing in front of her and Zeeni had a round dirty face, long tangled blonde/white hair and crystal blue eyes. Zenni looked like she was no more than four years old and wore a dirty pink nightgown. Her feet were bare and dirty and she gave Rose a big smile.

"Hi!" Zeeni said.

"Are you Zeeni?" Rose asked.

"Yep."

"I'm Rose."

"What are you doing here?"

"I was trying to rescue you."

"My daddy sent you?"

"Yes."

"Did you come by yourself?"

"No, I came with a friend, but we.. We got separated."

"Who is your friend?"

"The Doctor."

"I know who that is! Daddy told me about him. He's supposed to be really nice!"

"Yeah, he is," Rose said, smiling when something moaned in the shadows and they looked at the darkness. "What was that?"

"Uh-oh."

"Zee-zeeni?" a voice moaned in the darkness and Rose noticed that it sounded almost childlike.

"Coming!" Zeeni said as she vanished into the shadows and Rose followed her. They walked to the cot under the window high above them and Rose saw the bars. Rose watched as Zeeni sat on the cot and could just see something moving.

"Zee-zeeni?" a soft voice asked again and Zeeni smiled.

"Right here," Zeeni said and whatever it was sat up.

"Where did you go?"

"I had to go say hi to Rose," Zeeni said and Rose could just see eyes looking at her with great fear in them.

"GOAWAYGOAWAYGOAWAYGOAWAY!" the voice shouted when something dived at her and Rose got out of the way. She watched as something crawled on the floor then came into the dim spot of light on the floor and she squinted. Whoever it was had a thin build with long matted hair and pointy ears stuck out. The hair might have been black, but had gray and white streaks and pieces of straw were sticking out of it. Rose couldn't see the color of the eyes from behind the hair, but they were wide and wild and a stink coming from whoever it was filled her nose. The tattered clothing hung down in shreds as whoever it was moaned and was shaking. Zeeni came closer when she held onto whoever it was then looked at Rose.

"It's alright. Rose is nice," Zeeni whispered as she stroked the hair and whoever it was looked at Rose.

"Are y-you sure?" he whispered, giving Rose a doubting look.

"Yes."

"She mi-might have been sent to hurt me."

"I wouldn't do that," Rose said when she walked closer and knelt down.

"Pr-promise?"

"Yeah!" Rose said as she slowly reached out and touched the sticky hair.

"No!"

"It's ok," Zeeni whispered.

"What's your name?" Rose asked.

"Um, ah, I don't know," the voice said then looked at Zeeni. "Zeeni, what's my name?"

"I told you this morning," Zeeni teased.

"What is my name?!"

"Oi, there is no need to be rude!" Rose said then saw the lower lip quiver.

"Don't hurt me!" the voice said then curled onto a ball and shook.

"I wasn't," Rose said softly when she gently stroked the hair back and the eyes looked at her.

"What is my name?" the voice asked softly and Zeeni whispered, making whoever it was smile. "Oh. Right. My name is Nol!"