Gregor spent the entire next day with Luxa, Aurora and Hazard. Nike and Temp came too, and they all went off to explore and just have a good day celebrating Gregor's return. Aurora and Nike each carried a large basket. Nike's was filled with food; Aurora's was filled with water. Gregor was curious as to why they needed so much.
"For the gnawers," Luxa explained as they mounted up. "We had made plans to eat lunch with Ripred and Lapblood a few weeks previous. Your return just happened to intertwine with today,"
Gregor smiled, it would be nice to see the old rat again. Even if the only things that came out of his mouth were insults.
Just then, Howard came running up to them shouting: "Overlander! Overlander!" he pulled himself up onto Nike just behind Gregor, and gave him a hug.
"Do you mind if I join you?" Howard asked.
"Not at all!" Gregor smiled, and scooted up higher on Nike so that Howard had more room. Now that Are's was gone, this would have to be the new arrangement. Temp settled on Aurora behind Hazard.
Luxa grumbled something under her breath. But they took off anyway, and soon they were off to a familiar place. They place where they had first met Ripred on their first journey through the Underland.
It took them about an hour to get there. And during that time, Howard, Gregor and Luxa all got caught up with one another. Howard was doing very well in his job at the palace hospital, and had a date scheduled to be bonded with Nike.
Luxa was attending to her duties as queen of Regalia. And Aurora was ever-so-faithfully at her side the whole time.
When it came to Gregor's turn to tell about how he had been. He blushed, and told them about school, and how his friends Larry and Angelina were doing well. About how Angelina had been invited to a summer camp for young actors. And how Larry was just Larry. Then Gregor talked about himself. And how his family hadn't moved, like they had planned to. He talked about his Saxophone, and what his school was like this year. He had just started middle school.
Then, as the hour came to an end, they touched down just outside the cave that smelled like rotten eggs. They settled down, and allowed to bats to rest. Howard took the large basket of food off of Nike's back. And the water bag off of Aurora's.
Gregor sat down next to Luxa and wrapped his arms around her. Howard glared at him for a moment, and then settled down not too far away from them. Hazard came dancing up, and sat on Luxa's lap. Forcing Gregor to let go of her.
They waited for a long while, and then, at last Nike and Aurora lifted their heads. Gregor, Luxa, and Howard got to their feet, in order to greet the rats that were now emerging out of the shadows. There was about eight of them. Ten, counting the pups.
Gregor smiled at the big scarred rat that was leading the pack. Ripred.
"Overlander?" said the rat, looking puzzled. Gregor nodded. "Well, don't just stand there, come give the old rat a hug." Gregor did.
Ripred pulled out of the hug and gestured to a rat and the two pups. "I assume you remember Lapblood?" Gregor smiled even bigger and hugged Lapblood as well.
"These are my pups, Overlander. Flyfur and Sixclaw."
Gregor waved to the two pups. They were about half grown, and were both a muddy brown. They hid behind Lapblood and she shrugged. "They're shy of humans still."
Hazard came over to the pups, and began to squeak at them in rat. Soon the three of them were all running around playing a game somewhat like tag. Only the person who was it had to have a blindfold. Gregor had no idea where the blindfold had come from.
"So," said Ripred, waving for the other rats to make themselves at home. "What's in the basket? I'm famished."
Gregor laughed. He had missed the way the rat had cared more about his stomach than he had anything else.
Howard set out the food and they all sat down to eat. Temp, who had been quiet this whole time, came over to Gregor and nudged him repeatedly. "Hey, Temp." Gregor smiled, and gave the cockroach some food too.
Then, Luxa called for Hazard, and Lapblood called for her pups to come get some food.
Silence.
"Hazard! Flyfur! Sixclaw!" Luxa called again.
Still. There was nothing.
Luxa put her hands on her hips and said; "Now where could they have gone?" Temp scampered over to Luxa and nudged her leg with his head.
She looked down at him questioningly. "Seen them, I have not, seen them." Temp said, standing upright.
"Tried to tell Overlander, Temp has, tried to tell Overlander." There was a moment of silence, out of shock of Temp's words. And then, Nike and Aurora perked up, and looked toward the direction of the cave. Ripred stood too, taking on a crouched stance.
"What is it?" asked Gregor, Howard, and Luxa in unison.
"Spinners," snarled Ripred.
"And not the friendly kind," added Lapblood, sniffing frantically.
Sorry that it took so long to update! I've been busy with school stuff. And had a family crisis in the family. So…. Yeah, hope you liked this chapter and junk...
Also, if you would like me to write another story about another book, or show or game or something, just PM me, and chizz. I'm not good at asking for requests… sorry.