Gregor and the Prophecy of Destruction - a Gregor the Overlander fanfiction

Chapter 12

A/N: Yes, it's been a while. I've been busy with school and stuff. But school's out now, so I can update more often! :) Anyway, enjoy the story, and don't forget to comment and vote!

"Boots!" Gregor shouted, running up to her and wrapping his arms around her. He kissed her forehead and stroked her curly hair. "What... what happened?"

"I taken in the night by the rats," Boots replied. "They make me sit in jail."

Howard was at Temp's side, worriedly examining his body for wounds. "He's barely breathing."

"Temp come visit me!" Boots said. "We pway together and he fight rats! We go for ride!"

Gregor held her closer. "Are you okay?"

Boots nodded. "Me like Temp! We fwiends!"

"I know, I know." Gregor walked over to Nike and placed Boots gently on her back.

"We both pincesses!" Boots exclaimed as she held on tightly to Nike. Nike nodded and smiled, but she was obviously worried about everything.

"I'll be right back. Don't let her out of your sight," Gregor said before rushing over to Howard and Temp. Temp's legs twitched, but he was barely alive.

"He's hurt," Howard told Gregor. He rolled Temp onto his back and examined the large slashes of rat claws on his stomach. He was bleeding, but the blood wasn't red. It was colorless.

"What happened, Temp?" Howard whispered. Temp weakly clicked out a message, too tired to speak in English. Howard listened carefully. He must have learned how to speak Cockroach while Gregor was in the Overland.

"As soon as he found out Boots was missing, he ran to this place with another cockroach called Notus. They traveled together to rescue Boots because she's their princess. Once they came here, Notus sacrificed herself so Temp could get in. The rats were coming after Boots, so Temp put her on his back and fought as best as he could. He managed to fend off a few of the rats, and that's when we got here," Howard explained. "Temp needs medical attention. We have to get him back right now."

"Yeah, let's go," Gregor agreed.

"What about him?" Howard asked as he looked down into the pit, where Ratriff was desperately trying to get out.

Ripred scoffed. "We'll leave him, of course."

"But he helped us find..." Gregor started to say, but was interrupted by Ripred.

"Don't even start with that, boy," he sneered. "He's the Bane's son. Twirltongue's son. We can't let him go!"

"But..."

"No buts," Ripred said firmly. "Let's go."

Without another word, Howard, who held Boots, and Temp got onto Nike's back. Gregor decided he would be fine on foot as he watched Nike struggle under the weight of Howard, Boots, and Temp. And there was no way Ripred would let him ride on his back.

So Ripred and Gregor walked on foot while Howard, the sleeping Boots, and Temp silently flew on Nike's back. Nike offered, on multiple occasions, to let Gregor on her back, but Gregor said no. He didn't want Nike to suffer any more than she already was, both emotionally and physically. She had just lost her best friend, too.

At one point, some rats attacked the group, but Ripred easily stopped them. He was clearly the best fighter that Gregor had ever seen. He admired Ripred, but would never tell him that. He wondered if Ripred admired him. Probably not.

When Gregor had left the Underland, he thought he'd saved it. But he was wrong. And he was still the Warrior.

It drove him crazy.