Underland Chronicles: 1 - The Border's Edge (A Gregor the Overlander FanFic)

Chapter 5

"What's your plan?" Ripred asked her, narrowing his gaze.

"I was thinking we could officially ask them to be allies, which I offered to them years ago." Years ago? Pandora wondered how long Luxa had been queen. Was she a figurehead, with a council standing behind her calling all the shots? "And at the same time," Luxa continued, "learn a bit more about them, their land, their positions they would take if another war were to break out..."

"That, my dear Luxa, is exactly what I would have thought to do," Ripred interrupted her speech. Pandora looked around the room at the others. They were discussing business, and Pandora doubted any of them were part of any council. No, Luxa must have been the true leader. "Now then, when shall we get a group together?"

"Seeing as we are on the brink of a war, and the only thing that stands between us and the cutters is our borders, we should go as soon as possible."

"Go? Go where?" asked Pandora slightly alarmed. "Who are the stingers?"

"They are scorpions," Howard explained. "I've seen them before."

Pandora shuddered at the thought; she always thought scorpions looked creepy. She would never dare to get anywhere near one, not even if it was in a cage. "They're not... big like the other animals are, right?"

"Oh, actually, they are bigger."

She gulped. "I don't have to go, do I?"

"Of course, you will be going," Luxa said with a mischievous smile. "I still need information from you."

Pandora must have looked terrified, because Howard put a hand on her shoulder. "You do not have to worry, Pandora. All of us have been on many quests before; you are in experienced company. And the stingers are the kinds of creatures that will only attack if they are the ones in danger."

"Like a shark. Or a bear. Or a robber with a gun," Pandora said, still not convinced.

"Like what?" Howard asked.

"Nothing," Pandora sighed. "If I need to go, then I'll go."

"And what makes you think you are going?" Vikus asked Luxa, his concerned voice being heard for the first time. "Who will lead us if you are off on this journey?"

"Technically, no one should know that I have even left, save the few that are in higher ranks and see me frequently. I would only be gone a few days, a week at most. I think you and Nerissa could handle the decisions I make around here for that amount of time."

"A week?" Pandora asked, panic rising in her voice. "I can't be gone a whole week! I have to get back!"

"Oh, do be so much more thankful you are not gone for a whole month! Or even the length of the last war!" Luxa said, shaking her head.

"You cannot compare two Overlanders," Ripred said, "They all are different."

"There was another Overlander here? When? Who?" asked Pandora, suddenly very curious.

"A whole family, actually," Ripred said.

"Know you, Gregor?" Luxa asked her.

Pandora only knew one person by that name. He was a small kid who used to live in the apartment building. His family had moved away a while ago, when the kids were still young. If he had gone down to the building's laundry room, it was quite plausible he was the one they were referring to. "Gregor? You mean that boy who used to live on the floor above me with his parents, grandma, and two sisters?"

"Yes," Luxa said, her face indecipherable.

"I did, but they moved to Virginia about five years ago, I think." Luxa said nothing, her face still an unreadable mask.

"Who will be joining you?" Vikus asked.

"I believe Luxa and I will be joined by the Overlander, Howard, Aurora, Nike," Ripred said. He suddenly stopped and looked toward Luxa. "We most definitely need Hazard's assistance."

"Yes, I suppose you are right," Luxa agreed. "The only way we could communicate with them last time was when Hazard spoke hisser to them."

"I do not think two bats would be able to hold all of us and our supplies," advised Howard. "Two bats cannot be expected to travel such a distance with four people and heavy bags."

"Then let us go recruit one," Ripred said.