The Seeker from Above: A Gregor the Overlander Fanfic

Chapter 20

Previously...

Andromeda took off, snagging the raft in her claws as she left the tunnel. Almost immediately, they were lost from view.

Gregor, Stella, Ares, Orion and Twitchtip turned and headed into the tunnel without a word.

.

.

.

Guided by what she remembered of the Labyrinth before her nose was injured, Twitchtip led Gregor, Stella, Orion and Ares through the maze. Almost at once, the tunnel began to divide. Some paths led to intersections that branched off into four or five directions. Others twisted around like a corkscrew so that it took ten minutes to cover the distance you could've walked in one if the path had been straight. As they moved farther into the maze, the tunnels became even more unpredictable. A narrow passage they could barely squeeze through would suddenly open onto a huge cavern that in turn would lead to an obstacle course of boulders.

It was hardest on the bats, since most of the journey had to be made on foot. They hopped along, fluttering, taking tiny, rapid bat steps in the tighter passages and opening their wings with relief when they reached a larger space.

There were no rats. "They must have witnessed your sister's fate," said Twitchtip. "The gnawers think they have defeated you, and the Bane is safe. But eventually one will get your scent, and then the fight begins."

They drove themselves forward for about an hour, then stopped to catch their breath.

"You can remember all this? Just from what you smelled from the Tankard?" Gregor asked Twitchtip.

"Well, that, and the fact that I'm more familiar than most with the Labyrinth. I lived here for about a year after I was banished," panted Twitchtip. She was not doing well. The bandages on her nose and tail stump were soaked with blood, and her eyes had a hot, fevered look.

"Banished? Like, chased out?" Asked Stella.

"Yes, I was driven out," said the rat.

"I thought you lived in the Dead Land," said Gregor.

"Not at first. I hid in a cave down by the Tankard. The rats never came there because of the serpents. It wasn't ideal, but it offered more protection than the Dead Land. Then one day I dozed off gathering mushrooms and a patrol saw me. I had to run, and the only place left to go was the Dead Land," said Twitchtip. "I didn't speak to a soul for years. Then I realized there was another rat around."

"Ripred," said Ares.

"He let me stay in his nest sometimes, if he was gone. You've been near there. It's where you first spoke to him," said Twitchtip. "Now he has a whole band of rats. But I can only stay, he says, if I help you find the Bane," said Twitchtip. "Otherwise, I'll be on my own again." This fear seemed to rouse her. "We have to keep moving."

Stella remembered the rat who had fortunately stumbled across her on his way to the humans. He had a good sense of humour; she knew Leo would've liked him. Too bad she was going to die in the jaws of the Bane.

Ripred had saved her, and now the Bane was going to kill her. To be saved by a rat, and then killed by a rat. Was Ripred the only good rat she knew? Apart from Twitchtip of course. The other rats didn't seem nice when they were hurtling boulders at them.

Twitchtip began to stumble, and Stella could see she was about to give out. She lost her footing one last time, fell on her belly, and did not get up.

"Twitchtip!" Stella exclaimed. She squatted down beside her and so did Gregor. Twitchtip's breathing was rapid and shallow.

"I can't go on," she said. "It doesn't matter — I'm at the end of my scent map, anyway. Ahead, the path splits in three directions. Your guess is as good as mine," she said.