Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters! (^.^)
Ripred began to order his band of rats around to form a line of protection. For what, Gregor did not know. But somehow, after the rats had taken position – he found himself in the center of a circle.
Lapblood, who wasn't too far from Gregor seemed like she didn't know entirely what to do. But she took on a fighting stance, her tail swishing from side to side uneasily.
For a moment, Gregor did not think that the spinners were actually coming – but then, out of nowhere, a large grey and brown spider dropped from a tree and snatched up the rat directly to Ripred's left.
"NOW!" cried Ripred, and launched into action.
The first thing the rat's lethal tail came in contact with was the grey and brown spider – slicing it in half directly down the center. Bluish blood splattered over the others, and Gregor received a face full of the gooey liquid.
"Ew…" Gregor grumbled, wiping off as much as he could. Just as he had done this, another spider, dropped down behind Ripred, it's fangs glistening with poison.
"Overlander! Catch!" Howard shouted, and tossed something in Gregor's direction.
The instant that the sword was in Gregor's hands, he could feel a tingle beginning in his fingertips. His Echolocation still worked fairly well, so it wasn't hard to see. The only problem was the distance he was from Ripred.
"Lookout!" Gregor screamed at the rat. Ripred turned just in time to slice the spider in half – in sync with Gregor's weapon, which sliced the same spider into quarters. Blood splattered across both of them.
"I owe you one." said Ripred.
Gregor smiled, and almost as if out of instinct, put his back to Ripred's. That was when the rager sensation took over, and Gregor began slicing through spider after spider. Only when Ripred's tail wrapped tightly around Gregor's wrist did he stop, and the rager sensation vanished.
"Overlander, enough. It is over." said Howard. Gregor came back to reality, and looked around. Nobody seemed hurt – but the group of rats had greatly diminished, and was down to three. The third rat had a large gash in his left thigh, and after reassurance from Ripred and Lapblood, allowed Howard to bandage it.
Luxa was in a terrible state, sitting on a brownish rock. Temp was nowhere in sight. It took Gregor a moment to realize that the rock that Luxa was sitting on was not even a rock at all – it was Temp. Temp was crouched down onto his belly, and didn't seem bothered by Luxa sitting on him.
"He's gone." She sobbed, and covered her mouth with her hands. "Gregor, he's gone."
"Luxa," Gregor tried to sound reassuring. "We'll get him back. FLyfur and Sixclaw too. Ripred will make sure of it."
"What makes you think that Ripred will do anything?" asked Lapblood, coming up behind Gregor.
"Because of your pups, Lapblood." Gregor said confidently. "He would never let anything happen to your pups. Not after everything that you've been through. He doesn't have the heart."
"What do I not have the heart for?" Ripred called, and then scratched behind his ear furiously.
"Nothing, Ripred." Gregor said. Although he had a feeling that Ripred had heard their whole conversation.
Howard, after insisting several times, finally got everyone checked out – but nobody had a scratch on them, thanks to Gregor and Ripred.
"Well," said Howard after a moment, "this is the last time I ever come on a picnic with you guys."
They all laughed uneasily at Howard's joke.
"I suppose that you would like to go after Hazard and the others?" Howard sighed. It seemed to Gregor like a rather rude remark.
"Why would I not go after Hazard?" retorted Luxa.
"Yeah," said Gregor, crossing his arms.
"If you would prefer, Howard. I would gladly escort them to wherever their hearts wish to search." Ripred offered.
Gregor could tell that, by the look on Luxa's face, she had never been more pleased with the rat.
A while later, after Howard had decided to join them Gregor had to ask something that had been bugging him for a while now.
"Ripred? If you're supposed to be the 'peacekeeper', why did you kill so many of those spiders without a second thought?"
Ripred smiled, if rats could smile, and said simply; "Old habit I suppose."
Hoped you liked it! If you have any ideas for a name for that third rat that is without a name... Let me know! 'Kay?! 3