ignite ➝ Doctor Who¹

XIV

"It must've crawled away to die."
— The Steward, Tooth and Claw

Tears pricked behind Penelope's eyes as she ran away with the Doctor down the corridor, away from where the beast had come from.

They had found Rose, and also a werewolf. And had it not been for Penelope, the Doctor would still be crushed under part of the cage that the beast threw at them earlier. The idiotic man was so enthralled by the wolf he had forgotten to move so she yanked him out the way and back out of the room.

Running back to the dining room, the Doctor locked the door behind them. Robert immediately started shouting for the Queen, who had been left behind earlier with Reynolds.

"Your Majesty? Your Majesty?!"

"Sir Robert? What's happening? I heard such terrible noises." Penelope gave a quick glance towards the Queen before going to stand by Rose's side, making sure she was okay and checking her over.

"Your Majesty, we've got to get out. But what of Father Angelo? Is he still here?"

"Captain Reynolds disposed of him." The ginger girl didn't like the way she said that, or the absence of Captain Reynolds himself, but she didn't question it, instead focusing on the Doctor, hoping he had at least a half decent idea of how to get out.

"The front door's no good, it's been boarded shut. Pardon me, Your Majesty. You'll have to leg it out of a window." She saw the appalled look

"Doc-" She shook her head, realising her mistake just in time. "James. Please don't scare the people any more than they already are." He gives her an apologetic look, distracted by Robert.

"Excuse my manners, Ma'am, but I shall go first, the better to assist Her Majesty's egress."

"A noble sentiment, my Sir Walter Raleigh." The Doctor gave a heavy sigh, walking back next to Penelope and putting an arm around her shoulders. He's had enough of them both now, wishing nothing more than to be back in the TARDIS with Penelope and away from the building.

"Yeah, any chance you could hurry up?" The accent that Penelope had started to adore stopped, and she whipped round to face him, before she can tell him, however, Robert opened the window and went under fire. The Doctor pulled Penelope down, keeping her near the floor as he got up and looked outside.

"I reckon the monkey boys want us to stay inside." The Queen gives a regal version of what  Penelope can only distinguish as a scoff.

"Do they know who I am?" The Doctor helps up Penelope now that he was sure the outside threat is over, and keeps hold of her hand, walking over to the Queen.

"Yeah, that's why they want you. The wolf's lined you up for a biting." The woman looks between the two, from the Doctor's vaguely annoyed expression to Penelope's sympathy.

"Stop this talk. There can't be an actual wolf." A loud howl sounded from outside the room, the Doctor felt the worried squeeze from the girl next to him and he knew that he had to get her out. The protective flare up pulled the whole group of people out into the corridor, running from the beast that made the howl.

The wolf smashed through one of the walls or doors behind her - she didn't turn to look - and the Doctor pulled her along a little closer. They were getting closer to the library when Reynolds stopped, shooting at it, causing it to retreat. There was some talk about the Queen's property that Penelope missed, keeping an eye on the end of the corridor, unbelievably nervous.

The next thing she knew, the Doctor was pulling her into his arms, away from the horrid screams of the man behind her. Roberts orders the door to be barricaded. The Doctor looks up from where he still held onto Penelope, who shook slightly from the screams that were where she once stood.

"Wait a minute. Shush, shush, wait a minute." There was a single howl and Penelope pulled her face from the Doctor's chest.

"It's stopped?"

"It's gone, listen." He turns to face Roberts, trying not to let go of the girl in front of him. "Is this the only door?"

"Yes." His face blanched, "No!" Everyone in the room rushes to barricade the other door. Rose stops everyone, walking up next to her two friends.

"I don't understand. What's stopping it?"

"Something inside this room. What is it? Why can't it get in?" Rose starts talking to the Doctor and Penelope steps away, needing to sit down for a moment. She's been surrounded by too much death and given too little time to grieve. She was brought back when the Queen stood next to her.

"I'll not have it. No, sir. Not you, not that thing, none of it. This is not my world."