The Master was growing impatient, this was taking too long. Yes the snow made it difficult but not impossible; he could still feel the Doctor through their bond.

They were losing time through being over cautious and he was about to tell Jack as much when it hit him.

He cried out and fell to his knees as the bond between him and the Doctor was ripped apart. A few moments later Ashena and Seska cried out and went to their knees, much to the consternation of those around them.

Jack was the first to react and went down on his knees in front of the Master. "What's wrong?"

"No...please, Eresh'ala."

Jack frowned; he knew that was the Doctor's name in Gallifreyan...had something happened to him?

He got an answer of sorts when Ashena and Seska started to cry. He grabbed the Master's shoulders. "Master, what has happened?"

The Master looked at him and said. "He's gone."

Jack blinked. "He's regenerated?"

"No...he's gone...he's dead."

For a moment it looked like the Master was going to fall apart, but his face hardened and he snarled."

"They killed him...murdered him."

He stood then and looked at his children. "Get up, the both of you," he snapped.

"Master..." Jack began but was cut off by him.

"Shut up freak. All deals are off, this is about blood vengeance now. I will work with you until we find his body and then we are finished. Hunt them if you want, but don't get in my way."

Jack wasn't having that and snapped back. "Do you think you're the only one who cares about him...loves him!"

"A pet's love for its owner," the Master sneered and shoved Jack away.

Jack shoved back and snarled. "I want revenge as much as you, but going after them when you're this angry will only put Jakaar at risk!"

That stopped the Master. "Dear Rassilon...he must have seen them murder him."

"Let me help you," Jack said softly. "We'll find his body together and burn him together and then we'll hunt them down...together."

The Master blinked and then nodded.

Jack gave him a half-smile and turned to Gwen and Ianto. "Send the men back, we have to do this quick and quiet."

They didn't argue, too shocked at the news that the Doctor was dead and along with Jack ushered the men away, leaving the Master and his children to their grief.

In a cage a small cried for his mother, not understanding that he was never coming back...all he wanted was the warmth and safety of his mother's arms.

White Coat listened to his property's offspring as it cried but felt nothing...why should he, it was just an animal crying for the thing that gave life to it.

It had been a blow to lose his property but still he had the offspring and he would have years to train it.

He dearly hoped that it had the same propensity to insanity as its mother...no matter if it didn't, the right training would ensure it.

His only regret was that he hadn't been able to take his property's carcass with him; he really wanted to find out how it had reproduce as it certainly hadn't been female and he would never be able to prove his theory that it had had been some form of hermaphrodite...well internally perhaps.

But no matter, he could always come back for the female; he was after all very good at genetics.

But that would have to wait...no doubt he would have the wrong sort of company as whatever telepathic or psychic bond there was between his property and its mate would have been severed when it died and he would have his hands full of an avenging male of its species.

He said to his commander. "Do not make camp tonight, press on, we may have company very soon."

Jack took the first watch, which was easy now there were only six of them.

He'd heard sobs coming from the Master's tent...for all their bravado, Ashena and Seska were still children and the shock of losing the Doctor, they're mother must have been beyond horrific.

He went back to his watch and was spooked by the cry of a lone wolf, but it was far away. He jumped when the Master s voice spoke.

Didn't thing there were any wolves left."

Jack looked at him, his eyes were red from crying...not that he would admit to it.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Yeah," the Master replied. "You know, we'd been friends since we were two or three years old...more than friends by the time we'd finished the Academy. But he grew tired of the rules, like me and he stole a TARDIS and ran, leaving me behind and then I left. I was angry with him...for lifetimes and then the Time War came and well..."

Jack knew the rest of it, painfully well.

The Master cleared his throat and said. "We should get an early start, the snow will cover a body quickly."

Jack nodded and the Master left then.

Jack looked out into the snow...had it taken the death of someone they both loved to stop a war...perhaps.

He desperately wanted to break down and weep, but tears would have to wait.

He was running, running so hard, the monsters snapping at his heels. His feet slipped and slid on the icy surface of the tunnel and his only hope was the growing light in the distance.

If he could reach the light, maybe the monsters would stop.

He pushed himself forward and burst into the light of a cavern. He skidded to halt when he saw what was ahead; he tried to back-pedal but the snarls and howls of the things in the dark stopped him.

He was given no choice and he was forced forward, into the thing ahead and it surrounded him and all he could do was scream as he felt like his blood was on fire.

He woke with a start and then began to panic for real...he'd been buried alive.

With a cry that was a mix of fear and panic he began to claw at the sides of his grave and as he did any sanity he had shattered.

He crawled out of his frozen tomb and fell to the floor and began to convulse and once again light began to pour from his eyes and mouth.

But this time he didn't pass out, this time he stood and the light retracted but stayed in his eyes and they glowed with unearthly power.

He'd been buried as a Time Lord but he emerged from the grip of death as something else...something that every living thing should fear.

Eresh'ala- Doctor