"What are we doing here again?" Artemis asked gingerly picking cobwebs from her blonde ponytail.
"We're checking out rumors of Lizard-men in the area." Robin reported dutifully.
"Okay, so say there are lizard men, why would they be in an abandoned mine?"
"It's not abandoned." Robin stated as they came to a stop. He tossed Kid Flash a water bottle. "They started drilling again about a month ago."
"I don't even want to know why you know that." Artemis took a sip from her own water bottle. "We've been walking forever; how big is this place?"
"I believe we are almost to the exit." Aqualad noted.
"Can we rest a bit longer?" M'gann asked, sitting on a large rock. Superboy stood beside her.
Aqualad smiled and nodded.
Artemis and Kid Flash started arguing again; Kaldur stood by in case they needed a referee. M'gann and Superboy began talking in low tones. Robin settled, leaning against a tunnel wall.
Although it was April 2nd and sunny outside it as rather cold underground. Robin pulled his knees to his chest in protest of the damp chill. He leaned his head back against the dirt wall and closed his eyes. Yesterday was the anniversary of the Grayson's death. It still hit Robin hard, even if he wouldn't admit it.
The team didn't even know what was going on. They had all noticed his subdued attitude, but Wally was the only one who knew the reason.
Unfortunately, since he was so busy arguing with Artemis, he wasn't able to stop the bird from falling when the dirt wall behind him collapsed.
A small, cut-off yelp was what alerted them to the incident.
"Robin!" Aqualad called down into the hole.
"I'm okay, guys, and I think I found what we're looking for." his voice wafted back up to them. "You're gonna need to come down here."
"How are we supposed to get down there?" Wally asked, "I don't know about anyone else, but falling is not my idea of fun... "
"Yeah, well it's not my idea of fun either." At his friend's shout, Wally winced, "So be careful."
"Shoot a grappling hook up here and we can slide down it." Artemis suggested.
"Move away from the hole, I don't want to hit anyone with this thing."
The rest of the team complied, backing away. A small silver hook flew up out of the hole and attached itself to a sizeable rock.
"Come on, then." Robin called up when no one came down.
So they did. Miss Martian flew down with Superboy. Artemis, Wally, and Kaldur slid down the thin cable. Robin stood on the edge of a drop off. You couldn't see a foot in front of him. Whatever lay in the cavern they stood before was a mystery. Robin pulled out a special lantern thing that Wally had fondly dubbed the BatLight. It shined a nice ten foot radius.
Everyone else pulled out their own flashlights in case they should need them.
"Okay... What's so special about another cave?" Artemis asked as she dusted off her hands.
"It's not on any of the maps on what should be down here." Robin clicked his wrist computer on. They all crowded around to look. "See? This is where we came in," The young Bat pointed out the spots as he spoke, "And this is where we stopped the first, second, and the last time. This is where he are now. It's supposed to all be solid."
"So... we just discovered a cave?" Wally inquired.
"I don't think so. If it is a cave, someone made it. Look, see those grooves in the dirt walls? Someone has been digging around down here. Maybe the same people messing with the workers.
"Very good, young man." A voice echoed through the dark. The team all snapped into defensive positions. "Tell me, what is your name?"
"Show yourself, and I just might." Robin countered.
A dark chuckle bounced off the walls.
"As you wish."
For a moment, nothing happened. Then a tall, shrouded figure stepped into the circle of light.
"Why do you hide your face?" Aqualad inquired, referring to the hood.
"It is for the same reason you wear masks." The voice hissed slightly at the s's and f's.
"You're the one who's been killing the workers, aren't you." Robin's accusation shocked everyone.
"I am." The answer he received shocked them even more.
"How many of you are there?" the raven haired teen cocked his head to the side.
"I am the last of my family,"
"No, you're not." Robin's voice dropped to ice, "cause I'm the last of my family, and I know how that sits in the heart. So don't insult me. I'll ask one more time, how many of you are there?"
"There is only me, and my wife and two sons here the rest of my family is still on our home planet." The figure conceded after a moment of silence. A clawed hand reached up and pulled the hood away. A reptilian face with three eyes was revealed. "We are the Teladera. We crashed on planet Earth many years ago. Once we realized we couldn't return home, we went into hibernation beneath the surface. We were awoken only months ago, and I needed to get someone's attention. Killing the workers was the best way to get one of the heroes to come. Instead, we got children."
"The drilling woke you up." Robin murmured. "I don't know why you wanted one of the heroes here, but killing people wasn't a good option. We are obligated to bring you and your family in for questioning, and they can make a decision about all of this."
"That is acceptable. I will return here with my family." The Teladera moved to go, but was stopped by Aqualad.
"We will go with you."
The reptile just nodded.
The team followed through the shadowy tunnels beneath the mines. The only sound was the shuffling of their feet in the loose dirt, and a persistent dripping from somewhere in the nothingness before them. They reached a little house that resembled the constructions of the Pueblo Native Americans. Three more giant lizard creatures came out at the father's clicking signal. They communicated amongst themselves for a moment in a strange combination of clicks and gargles. They proceeded to follow the young hero's to the Bio-ship.
"Why'd you immediately start killing?" Conner asked.
"I was willing to kill to return to the rest of my family. Would you not do the same?"
Everyone looked down. They weren't sure.
No one noticed Robin's sorrowful look.
AN: I know I haven't updated anything in so long and this isn't even that good. I'm sorry. I've been battling depression and I just couldn't write anything.
sorry it's short and rushed and awful.
please, feel free to send suuggestions and prompts.