"I don't like this place."

Lion-o pulled Snarf a bit more secure on his shoulder as he followed the twins, keeping as close pace behind them as he could.

"I know, Snarf. We don't like it either."

Much as they would have liked to follow in the Feliner, it kept them too far away and with the kind of winds they'd seen so far, it was way too risky. So, gathering what they were able to interact with, which was very little, they set out on foot.

Each step left them feeling violated, sick. It felt like they were trounching over a graveyard, with bodies so numerous the names had all been forgotten.

Pumpers rested a hand to Cheetara's shoulder. "Are you doing alright, Cheetara?"

The cheetah smiled and gave a nod. "Oh, my sixth sense is shouting so much but I'm okay."

"Anything beyond what we already know? That we're in a dangerous place?" Bengali closed the distance between them, Snarfer riding on his left shoulder.

The female cat frowned. "It's hard to say. I definitely feel the dangerous but here, there's also this sense of…sadness, loneliness."

Tygra closed his eyes in respect. "No doubt from all these lost souls whose bodies decorate the sand."

Lynx-o gave a low sigh. "I suspect it to be worse than that."

"Worse?" Snarf moaned. "Snaaaarf, how could it be worse?"

"I hope I'm incorrect." Lynx-o walked slowly, deliberately. "But I do not think these bodies are of people who lived here before."

Tygra nodded. "I agree. There would have been some ritual, some organization to it. These are scattered, chaotic."

Panthro, who had remained silent for some time, said, "You think they're ones who have tried before."

"Tried and failed." Lion-o shook his head. "How many must have given their lives for there to be so many bones?"

Panthro cursed. "Miserable mummy is so old, it must have been in the previous two earths. Before it had to adapt into what it is now."

An odd sense of dread spread like fire but before anyone could comment on what implications this carried, Snarf screeched.

"The bones are moving!"

OOO

The clattering behind them was enough to make the twins turn as one.

WilyKat cursed; creatively. "Great Mother of Jaga!"

The white bones that had littered their path thus far rose up, forming dusty skeletons, with joints that popped and whistled as they walked.

First one, then two then ten and all the while, more and more forming from every square inch of the shore. Front, behind, east, west.

Kit ducked as one swiped out at her, leaping into the air, using her brother's shoulder as leverage.

"Go." The one closest to her hissed, its jaw loosening and hanging from its face as their sharp digits grasped a loose hold on her skirt, tearing her back to the ground.

As she hit, with a painful oomph, sharp bone dug into her hair, yanking her head back so hard, it popped her neck.

The rumbling stack of bones approaching her had a shattered ulna (or maybe it was the radius, anatomy was not her strong point), sharpened to a point.

It didn't take her long to connect the pointed bone and her exposed neck. Wiping her legs about in a move only a flexible small cat could accomplish, she snapped the bones of the creature behind her, snapped her head back hard to shatter the spine of another as she spun to her feet in time to dodge the serrated bone, though it still took a nasty gash out of her cheek.

Her brother was hardly in a position to help her. Darting about trying to avoid direct contact as much possible, he found himself driven closer and closer to the sea edge.

"Go." Was all the wandering zombies would say. "Go."

One lunged for the boy, crumbling as they fell, leaving broken bones protruding into the wet sand.

WilyKat dodged, but this time his ankle caught shattered bone. He tumbled backward, splashing into the breaking waves on the shore.

Pain cut his lungs as suddenly he found himself with extra weight on his chest, enough to keep from the air above. Opening his eyes stung in the salty water but the tightness on his neck was raw finger bones.

Jerking his knee up, it collided with bone, rounded bone. A ribcage, perhaps? In any event, he hit it again, then again before the pressure finally left his torso.

Jumping up, WilyKat leapt over the advancing hoard, landing next to his sister, taking out a lingering skeleton as he did so.

"We gotta get out of here." He took her hand, "They just keep regenerating!"

"Follow the trees to the overgrowth."

They took off together, leaping and darting up the side of the sand dunes and at one point charging straight through a group that managed to slip ahead of them.

Effective, though the shattering of bones was leaving cuts and bruises all over their skin.

How long the chase lasted, it was impossible to tell but eventually the clatter of bones died away, only a gentle whistling of wind remained.

They stopped, hunched over, pulling air into their lungs. With the adrenaline dying down, the stinging of their gashes and the throbbing of their bruises became evident. But, with nothing life threatening detected, all they could do was bite the pain down and move on.

The path following the dead trees was silent and that in itself was unnerving. Almost preferable to have the rumble of skeletons. But there was nothing. Not even a creak of bark or the moan of a breeze through branches.

But why should there be? Kit thought. Even the trees here are dead.

Their feet hurt, their lungs ached but still they pressed on. They began to drag their bodies, more shuffling along than anything else.

Would it be okay to rest? To stop for a few minutes and try to recover?

But she truly had no desire for anything resembling sleep alongside those white trees.

Gradually, greenery started to appear. A tree here. A bush there. Then, as if something out of a dream, the entire path before them was covered in greenery, so full and high, the sky all but vanished. But the branches curled in on themselves, a dark hole leading deeper into the wood.

They stopped just outside.

Little light, if any, could be found as they gazed inside. Occasionally, a set of red eyes would flash amid the shadows before vanishing away. And a mysterious growl that seemed to come from everywhere at once.

But the worst was the cries.

Deep, alien cries. Sobs, really. But the kind of crying where you didn't expect reprieve.

Kit looked at her brother.

He nodded to her though she could see the fear in his eyes. Could smell it.

He cradled his pendant.

She did the same and for a moment, relished the warmth that meant they were not alone.

Was Panthro by her side? Did Lion-o have the sword out to protect her? Was Tygra trotting by her brother's side?

Oh, to hold onto them…for just a moment.

In her pouch, for a moment, her fingers lingered on Mumm-rana's orb. But no. No, she didn't know when they might need it.

Her hands fell on a flame pellet and her brother presented a large stick, wrapped tight in leaves. With a flick of her wrist, fire rose from the torch.

She pulled out the daggers the Warrior Maidens had gifted them, gave one to her brother then slipped her arm through his.

Huddled together, they stepped into the darkness.