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

Chapter 10

"Howard!" Luxa called from where Aurora was flying up ahead. Nike accelerated so Howard was near her. They both started talking and pointing in different directions up ahead, as if deciding on the route they needed to take.

"You sure you're alright?" Pandora asked the bat underneath her again. She patted the side of his head.

"Do not worry about me, I am perfectly fine," he boasted. "There is no trouble in carrying you. You are as light as a feather!"

Pandora smiled and rolled her eyes, knowing Pan couldn't see it. He reminded her of Rose so much that it almost hurt at times. She wondered what Rose would be doing at that moment. Maybe she was sleeping... Pandora didn't know if it would be nighttime or daytime in New York City.

They turned into a tunnel, one where torches didn't periodically light-up the walls. They must have been somewhere that was less traveled. Just as they were about to plunge into darkness, Luxa and Howard reached into packs strapped onto the bats and retrieved their own torches, which they lit and held high in their hands.

"How do you know where you're going without the torches on the walls?" Pandora asked, seeing that the torches they held only lit-up a few feet around them, leaving the rest of the tunnel in darkness.

"Echolocation, of course," he answered.

"Oh yeah! I forgot about that," Pandora said, suddenly recalling what little information she remembered from high school biology class. She had never been very good at science but excelled in history. Choosing instead to fill-up her schedule with history, French, and English classes, Pandora had not yet taken a college level science course. "How about Ripred? Can he see by echolocation, too?"

"Yes, every creature can. Except humans; they are the only creature who hasn't learned how."

"Why's that?" she asked.

"Because they are the newest species to arrive to the Underland. They have evolved much since arriving, but they still have a long way to go."

Pandora thought about how different the Underlanders looked -- pale, pale skin, silver hair, and violet eyes -- and wondered how much more alien they could get. She decided not to worry about it because she wouldn't be around long enough to see them evolve.

"I've heard that a few humans have learned how to use echolocation," Pan said. "Like the warrior, for example. Gregor knew how to use echolocation."

"That's... very... interesting." Pandora spoke slower and slower, mumbling the last word. She felt strange... and then panicked because she knew what was about to happen. "Oh no!" she cried. In a state of panic she leaned forward and tried to hold onto Pan, but it was too late.

She heard scuffling and voices crying out over the pain in her shoulder. She tried to scream, but the wind was knocked out of her. A cold nose poked at her cheek and she opened her eyes to find Ripred staring at her in the dim light.

By the time the bats landed, she had managed to take in a small amount of air. How high had Pan been flying when she fell? Howard rushed over. "Did anyone see how she landed?"

"She fell on my back and bounced off. I believe she hit her left shoulder on the ground after that," Ripred said. He backed away to let Howard take a closer look.

"Where does it hurt, Pandora?" He asked.

"They're moving!" she exclaimed.

"Who? Who is moving?" Pan's voice asked from close behind her.

"The stingers! The cutters have overrun their domain," she explained.