How are lads? I've got another chapter here for ye now :) Hope ye all like it! My internet connection has been a bit on the shite side recently because of the weather but it's okay now at the moment so I thought I'd update this while I could! Happy reading!

Disclaimer: Not mine.

The digidestineds sat again in silence to eat their food. Their rations were beginning to become scarce and morale was low. They had been unable to contact Gennai since before the river and had been unsuccessful at finding a crest after walking for miles through the woods and countryside. The severity of their situation was starting to hit them.

"Our food supply is running low," said Joe.

Cody looked up. "How much do we have left?"

"Enough for a morning and evening meal tomorrow and...just about enough for the day after."

Tai grimaced. "Well we've survived on little food before we can do it again."

"We could always hunt if we have to," said Sora putting her head on Tai's shoulder.

Joe raised an eyebrow. He always thought something was due to happen between Sora and Tai maybe now it finally was. Nevertheless he chose to ignore it. "Yeah that sounds like a plan," he said as he bent down to pick up something out of his bag.

"Oh my God Joe!" exclaimed Yolei. "Look."

"Huh?" asked Joe. Suddenly he realised what she was suggesting. He unfastened his digivice from his belt and sure enough it was beeping and glowing. "My crest must be near by!"

Tai breathed a sigh of relief. "Well that's good news! C'mon let's look for it."

Tai, Sora, Ken, Yolei, Cody, Izzy and Joe hopped up immediately but Kari, Davis and Matt seemed less than enthusiastic.

"Come on guys," said Tai.

"Well someone should stay and mind camp," said Matt without looking up.

"Yeah and we can't leave Matt on his own," said Davis joining in. Kari didn't say anything she just sat beside Davis playing with the last of her food.

Tai pulled a face. "Well, okay then. Stay safe."

Davis simply smiled and went to put an arm around Kari. "Always."

Tai nodded and went to join the others. "Come on guys, the quicker we get the crest the better."

Tk opened his eyes and for the second time in so many days was greeted with pain as he came to. "Ugh." He was lying on his back in a small ditch and rain was falling down on top of him.

He made an attempt to sit up and check himself over to see what other injuries he could add to the list after his tumble. From the aching hotness on his forehead, cheek and chest he could tell he hadn't gotten far enough away from the hospital when it exploded and had burned his face. The skin on his right hand felt similar and was shiny, red and had several repulsive looking blisters along the knuckles. His jacket was scorched and the material had melted into his skin burning his chest badly. Tk took a deep breath. "Fan-fucking-tastic."

Tk began to peal away the scorched material from his chest, despite his best efforts he knew he was ripping off skin as well. After about five minutes of agony Tk finally managed to tear away all the burned bits of his jacket from his chest. He wiped his bloody fingers on his trousers took a deep breath and decided to look through the bags to see if there was anything he could apply to his damaged skin.

Tk grabbed the bags the doctor had packed. He hadn't really been paying attention when the doctor had been filling them so he wasn't too sure what was in them. However the blond couldn't help smiling after he discovered just how good of a haul he had.

The doctor had packed two tubes of antiseptic cream, burn ointment, a pot of fever pill, two pots of aspirin, a pot of an even stronger painkiller, two pots of antibiotics and several packets of antibacterial wipes, cleanser and bandages. His medical requirements were going to be met anyway and that was only bag one. The second bag which appeared to have been the doctor's own personal bag, contained a large bottle of water, a bottle of fizzy drink, two apples, a pear, a small amount of chocolate and a tuberware box of cold cooked pasta. Tk grimaced this had obviously been the doctor's packed food for the day. Although Tk was happy to have the supplies he couldn't help feel bad at the fact that only a few hours ago the doctor had prepared this food for himself and now he'd never eat it.

Tk applied the burn ointment tentatively to his hand, chest and face and proceeded to bandage up his hand and chest. His face wasn't as sore and besides he had no mirror to see it so he left it clear of bandages. Tk repacked the bags and got ready to leave. For the first time he realised he wasn't actually sure where he was going. He considered heading back towards the city but dismissed that thought. The city was too dangerous he was better off taking his chances with the woods. As he got to his feet and began to limp forward he just hoped he'd find his friends soon. Find his friends before another digimon attack, find them before they began to turn on each other.

"See anything?" asked Tai as he turned over another rock in the hope of finding Joe's crest.

"Nada thing." replied Cody and he and Armadillomon stuck their heads out from under a ditch.

Joe sighed and looked at his digivice again. They were definitely getting closer because its glow was more intense than it had been when they were back at camp. "We're close," he said. "I know we are we just-

"Hey look up there!" exclaimed Yolei pointing upwards.

Everyone craned their necks and stared up at the tall tree. Joe was just about to ask what Yolei was pointing at when he saw it. A gold chain sparkled against the light from the moon, It was his crest!

"Finally," said Tai with a goofy grin.

"Yeah," smiled Joe. "Only how are we going to get it?"

The tree was tall and the branches at the very top where the crest was seemed weak and flimsy. Joe doubted they'd hold anyone's weight even Cody's. However it was worth a try.

"I'll climb it if you want?" said Sora. "I'm probably the lightest.

Sora went to step forward but Joe put his arm out stopping her. "No. It's my crest if anyone is going to do something risky to get it, it should be me it's only fair."

"Okay."

The first few feet were no problem for Joe. There was plenty of grooves in the bark for him to grip onto and the branches were sturdy enough to hold his weight. It was only when he was up about fifteen or sixteen metres that he began to encounter problems. He was aware of the sound of cracking as he began putting his weight on some of the branches and the bark of the tree was becoming slipperier. He gulped and carried on. He was only maybe six metres away from the chain. He could do this.

He knew he shouldn't but the temptation was too great and he looked down. From up here his friends looked so insignificant. Just looking at them made him feel dizzy...

"Joe don't look down! Just carry on! You'll be okay!" Shouted Tai.

Joe focused on Tai until the dizziness went. "Oh... Okay I'll be down as soon as I get the-

Joe squinted his eyes. Something wasn't right. He could see two pinpoint red dots in the forest just behind his friends. It was almost as if someone was watching them.

"Guys watch out there is someone behind you!" Roared the blue haired digidestined.

"Huh?" Tai turned around and was face to face with a robot like digimon.

"ANDROMON!"

"Why if it isn't the chosen children," said Andromon stepping out of the darkness.

Tai looked back up at Joe. "Joe hurry get the crest now!"

Joe nodded and ignoring the sound of cracking wood beneath him began to run up the tree like a possessed squirrel.

"Not so fast," laughed Andromon. "LIGHTNING BLADE!"

The powerful attack ruptured a branch just beneath Joe and caused multiple splinters of wood to shoot into his calf. Joe bit his lip and carried on. He needed to get the crest.

"Armadillomon!" cried Cody. "Digivolve!"

Armadillomon nodded.

ARMADILLOMON DIGIVOLVED TO... ANKYLOMON!

Ankylomon charged forward towards Andromon.

"TAIL HAMMER!"

The attack hit Andromon hard but the android like digimon recovered quickly and prepared to attack again but his focus wasn't on Ankylomon. Instead the digimon was still trying to hit Joe.

"LIGHTNING BLADE"

This time the attack hit a branch above Joe's head and it took all of the young doctor's strength not to fall from the tree. He was almost at the crest. He couldn't fail now.

Ankylomon pounced on Andromon in an attempt to bring the foe down but Andromon easily threw Ankylomon off of himself.

Joe was just under the branch of which his crest hung from but it was still out of his reach. He had no choice he'd have to jump for it.

Joe made a leap for the crest just as he heard Andromon launch another attack.

"LIGHTNING BLADE!"

Joe's hand clasped around the cold metal chain of his crest just as Andromon's blast erupted on the branch it had been hanging from sending Joe hurtling towards the forest's hard ground.

Sure there we go, I'll leave it here for now! 'Til next time, toodles :)