I'm so happy to have such amazing reviewers. And yes, I know, I'm a total hypocrite for basically promising to update more often and then waiting for almost two weeks. My deepest apologies and I will most definitely update at least once a week when able. These past weeks I haven't really had a lot of access to my computer, odd right? Anyway, ILOVED your plot suggestions and some of them will probably happen. If you've got anymore, or anything else you want to mention, just leave a review. Your reviews totally inspire me to continue and the more reviews, the more likely a new chapter will be posted sooner. Anyway, sorry for making you read so long. Enjoy!

Gregor relinquished his slow pace for a burst of speed as fear raced through his heart. "BOOTS!" he screamed. Luxa repeated the motion screaming for Hazard and Temp. They ran to the edge of a gigantic hole and struggled to an abrupt stop. About fifteen feet in diameter, the hole had jagged edges made of rough brown stone and seemed to stretch into endless oblivion.

"You guys are already underground! How far down can this go?" Gregor yelled at Luxa.

"I don't know! Boots, Hazard, Temp!" She screamed into to the darkness, exasperated and confused.

The three screams still hung in the air, a never ending echo.

"AHHHHHHHHHH" Hazard fell, seemingly to never stop, Boots in front of him, Temp behind.

Faster and faster they raced down, all afraid to get a hand or foot hold on the cave walls because of the sharp, jagged rock that they imagined jutted out from the sides in sharp points. The air was becoming warmer, moister, and the roaring of a waterfall could be heard, but Hazard couldn't locate it because it seemed like it was coming from all around. He knew they were going to hit something soon, whether it be land or water and he squeezed his eyes shut, preparing for a fatal impact.

Whoosh

A jet of air hit him, propelling upward again, and Hazard was thankful for the hot air. Air rose from beneath his falling feet over and over again until he was disoriented and couldn't tell whether he was falling or rising. He watched as Boots shot above, faster than he or Temp because of her light weight. This gave him an idea.

Luxa and Gregor had pulled it together, she regaining her royal composure and he decided to look at it from a warrior's point of view. Both were contemplating and talking back and forth to one another, coming up with and getting rid of ridiculous solutions, when Lizzie came from behind them.

"Do you think Nike would be able to fly down and catch them?" Lizzie asked, sparks of hope igniting in her eyes.

Both Luxa and Gregor hadn't come up with something better and neither could crush the hopes of the girl.

"We can always try." Luxa said, meaning to smile, but she was so worried. Hazard had once been like a brother to her, but as the years had passed, she felt of him more like her son, even though that was impossible. Without a mother himself, he had taken to feeling that way towards her and she just couldn't stand the thought of him dying or being lost forever.

"Nike!" Luxa yelled. The bat swiftly came down and Luxa explained the plan.

God, this is all my fault. Not even a day into the journey and Boots is could already be dead. Gregor felt like smacking his forehead in frustration and stupidity. He shouldn't have let her run ahead. He thought back to the rats and himself that had gone to eat fruit and the 'fruit' had ended up attacking them, resulting in the loss of a life. I should have been more careful. What's Mom going to say? He took a deep breath and put his heart and head into trying to figure out a way to save them.

How far down are we? Hazard's plan had been a fail. He had taken off his shirt and put it over his head like a parachute. It had swept him up, yes, but it they were so deep he had only gotten up high enough to see the pinprick of light caused by Gregor's flashlight and Ripred's torch that marked the cave's mouth. He and the other two just continued to be blown up and to fall back down, one step forward, one step back.

Hazard didn't know anyone else had joined them until Nike was underneath him, telling him to hold on. Next, Boots was swept up and onto the bat's back, but she seemed to be unconscious, so Hazard gathered her up and sat her in front of him. Last came Temp, who seemed rather uncomfortable, not being able to hold onto anything. They zoomed back up, the world a blur around him, and when they finally shot out, they couldn't just stop, so they rocketed high into the air and Nike's breath caught in her throat.

"Guys," She yelled down, "I think you should see this."She swooped downward and landed with a soft thud on the ground.

Boots was awake now, but cowering in fear. The world dark all around her, she decided she didn't like this place and tears pricked at the corner of her eyes. She couldn't move she was so scared that she might fall into the hole again. When she had been falling, before the air had begun to push her up again, she had seen the past flash before her eyes, and a single name she just couldn't shake. Ares.

"Oh Boots." Someone was hugging her and she felt small drops of cold where tears hit her shoulder. Boots sat there, still too stunned to respond, eyes cast on the ground. The person pulled away and lifted her chin so she was looking in her face.

"Boots?" Lizzie silently pleaded with her to respond in some way, say she wasn't hurt, collapse into a heap of sobs, smile and brush it off. She searched Boots' eyes until she found the tears streaming down her face in the dim light. "Oh, sweetie; come here." And she pulled her little sister off Nike's back and held her in her arms until she began to cry into Lizzie's chest. She rubbed her back and spoke comforting words softly.

Luxa had spoken to Hazard, he was fine. They had hugged. Gregor summed up that they weren't real touchy-feely-mushy-gushy people. He smiled, relieved that everyone was safe, though still curious as to what Nike was going to show them in a few minutes. He walked towards Luxa and put his arms around, feeling her stiffen then relax in his hug. He smiled down at her and she gave him a half smile back. "I'm sorry I freaked out on you earlier. I was just scared and worried and-" She cut him off. "It's okay, you're forgiven." And this time she gave him the whole smile. Gregor leaned down and pressed his lips to Luxa's, but it only lasted a moment.

"Hey lovebirds, get up here; it's important." Ripred said having just gotten off of Nike's back. Luxa blushed; even in the dark it was easy to tell through her translucent skin. Gregor just scowled at Ripred, grabbed Luxa's hand and smiled at her, and got onto Nike's back.

They rose fast and Gregor and Luxa were still in bliss from their short kiss. But as soon as Nike began to just hover they noticed the problem. The whole ground, as far as they could see, was riddled with huge and small holes.

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