Frustrated, Diana sat at the entrance of the hideout, impatiently waiting for any sign that Batman and the others had completed their task, and were ready to proceed with the next step. After being forced to sit and wait in hiding with Superman because they were 'too valuable to put at risk,' she angrily paced back and forth, muttering objections to herself, her tail tensely flitting to and fro as she walked. "This is insulting," she grumbled to herself as she looked out at the dense foliage and forest outside. "We should be out there helping them. We are just as useful and have every right to join them," she continued, shooting a heated glance at Superman, "we are warriors too. And at the moment- while we are like this," she paused and studied Superman's muscular legs and paws, before shifting her attention to her own claws, "We are just as useful, if not more so, than they are!"
"Which is why Batman wants us to wait here," Superman replied calmly.
"So you agree with his decision?" Diana asked accusingly.
"No," Superman quickly replied. "But I do understand why he made it. Believe me, I'm tired of all of this too, but, Bruce wouldn't leave us to wait here if he didn't have a reason. He was right when he said you and I are of highest interest back there. It was already established that Lex knew what he was doing when he turned us into animals. He knew what kind of profit he'd make from each of us, and Batman knows it too. He told you to stay here, because he knew you'd be safe-"
"-I don't need to be protected," Diana snapped. "We Amazons are warriors, raised and trained in the art of combat from the time we are born. I can fight for myself!" She shouted, insulted by Superman's demeaning suggestions about the situation. "They left here hours ago. If those men did take Flash, how do we know they haven't killed him already? They could have found Bruce and John too; it doesn't bother you that there could be a chance that they might be in danger?"
"I'm not saying that at all. But I trust that if something goes wrong, we'll know," Superman said confidently as he stood and followed Diana to the shelter's entrance. "If something were to happen, I'm sure we'd get some kind of alert. John would've been back here by now to warn us if something was wrong. If not him, then Flash could easily find his way back and lead us to the warehouse," Clark explained as he continued to list the possible ways that the others could alert them of danger. "If all else fails, I'm sure we'd here from Bruce," he continued, listening out for the familiar sound of a husky, baritone howl. "We just have to be patient-" Just then, Clark's nose picked up on a familiar scent, directing his attention out towards the surrounding woods. His nose leading him out of the hideout, with Diana curiously following behind him, Clark alertly scanned the area.
"Kal, what is it?" Diana asked, confused and studying the focused expression on her friend's face as he alertly sniffed the air, his eyes narrowed and his ears shot forward in response to a soft rustling sound that, she too, could now hear.
"It's Flash!" Superman replied, leading the way through the woods towards the source of the sound. "And Lantern."
"I can smell them too!" Diana said once she too had sensed their teammates. Within a few feet, the four friends finally met in a small clearing among trees.
"Great!" Flash sighed gratefully, at the sight of his friends. "We were just coming to get you guys. Let's go-" he said hurriedly, as he and Lantern turned to lead the way back to the warehouse.
"What's going on?" Superman asked as he and Wonder Woman obediently followed behind. "Where's Batman?"
"Is everything okay?"
"Yeah," John replied reassuredly. "He sent us to find you two."
"Bats is looking for the computer," Flash continued. "He's probably contacting the Watchtower as we speak. Guess he figured it'd save time if we brought you guys back now," he said confidently, while leading the way back to the warehouse. Quickly, the team raced through the forest, weaving through trees and leaping over puddles, stones, and fallen logs. Diligently, they pressed on, before Diana suddenly stopped short.
"Diana?" Superman inquired, concerned by the suspicious look in her eyes. "What is it?" Silent and still, Diana searched the area, her eyes darting back and forth as she looked and listened for any signs of activity.
"Something's not right..." she said as she slowly took a step forward. Stealthily she moved forward, the others cautiously following her lead, as John glided slowly overhead.
"What do you mean?" he asked, unsure of why she'd stopped them so suddenly. "I don't see anything-"
"-That's just it," Diana quickly replied, "It's too quiet... A few feet back, there were birds, rabbits, animals out in the open; and now?" She asked, drawing everyone's attention to the eerie, almost abandoned silence of the area. "Something about this isn't right."
"Batman did warn about there being traps all over these woods," Flash suggested. "There's probably some nearby."
"Can you smell anything?" Superman asked as, he too began to scan the area and sniff the air.
"No," Flash replied negatively. "If there are any out here, they've probably been here long enough to have their scents warn away; rain, dirt, other animals passing through, I can't pick up on anything out of the ordinary," he continued, as the team slowly followed Diana and gingerly snuck through the woods.
"Then, we have to be careful," Superman advised, remembering the bear trap Batman had deactivated the night before, and the damage he warned it could have inflicted. Cautiously, they continued through the clearing, gradually growing closer to the other side. As they came nearer, the returning sounds of birds chirping, and squirrels scampering through the trees, assured the League that they were approaching safe ground. Stepping through a small pile of leaves and twigs, one of Diana's back paws innocently flipped over a leaf and revealed to John - still gliding overhead- a dormant bear trap, laying in wait, jaws open as Wally calmly approached!
"Flash, look out!" he shouted as he swept down from the sky and frantically flapped his wings in Wally's face, deterring him from taking another step. Once out of harm's way, he looked down and saw the lethal trap.
"Whoa, thanks GL," Flash exhaled gratefully. Staring down at the fully exposed trap, everyone warily walked around it and looked back at it, still shaken.
"Hera, help us," Wonder Woman sighed as she looked around the forest and back to her friends as Superman prepared to resume their mission.
"Okay, everyone stay close and stay on your toes. Where there's one, there's bound to be more," he said as he studied the earth beneath his paws and then looked over his shoulder to address Green Lantern, standing on his back. "John, keep us posted on anything else hiding on the ground," obediently, John nodded and jumped down from Clark's back and landed at his side. "Fly ahead, you can give us an aerial view of the area. We may not be able to smell these things, but, from above, maybe we'll still be able to see the-" suddenly Superman was cut short by the sudden sound of snapping metal and a painful cry! Startled, Wally and Diana-like John and Clark- were completely caught off guard and watched in disbelief as a huge steel trap sprung up from the ground! Four large, rusted panels of barred steel shot up from the ground in a long t-shaped pattern, swiftly entrapping Superman and Lantern together in a large cage, before anyone had the chance to blink an eye! Still frozen in a senseless state of fear, Diana watched helplessly as the elongated, angled extension of the fourth panel flew up and over her friends' heads, before slamming shut over the opening of the trap, locking them inside.
"John! Kal!" Diana shouted as she and Flash leapt toward the cage and anxiously asked if their friends were alright.
"Superman?" Flash shouted in concern when his friends didn't answer. Shaken, Clark slowly stumbled to his feet within the tight confines of the trap and immediately assured his friends that he was fine before directing their attention to John, who lay dazed against one of the bars, his right wing hanging open, revealing several deep gashes made by the cage as it snapped shut. "GL!" Wally exclaimed when he saw his friend's injuries.
"We'll get you out of there," Diana assured as she leapt atop the cage and studied its large steel lock.
"Don't worry about us," John replied, a slight waiver in his voice as he tried to fight the pain. "You two keep going."
"Hey man, we are not leaving you guys in there!" Flash snapped as he slipped his paw into the cage and tried to reach his friend's injured wing.
"No, John is right," Superman said directly. "You and Diana have to get to the warehouse and help Batman contact the Watchtower. We'll figure a way out of this," he assured as he looked at the warn and rusted bars of the trap. "You guys keep going."
"We're not going to leave you behind," Diana said firmly. "We all have to go back, together. We can't send for help if you two are still trapped in here-"
"-But if you two don't go and help Bruce, he may not be able to reach the Watchtower at all," Superman countered. "Then we'll all be stuck!" He paused and looked his teammates in the eye as he gave the final command. "Flash, you can lead Diana back to Batman. Help him reach the Watchtower. Lantern and I will catch up," he ordered, urging Diana and Wally to obey. "Go. I'll take care of this." He said sternly as he noticed the worn hinge pins holding the cage's structure together. Following Superman's gaze, Flash quickly studied the cage and nodded obediently, albeit reluctantly, leading Wonder Woman back to the warehouse to find Batman.