The Seeker and the Annihilation of the Underland: A Gregor the Overlander Fanfic

Chapter 8

Previously...

Stella was so distracted in the thoughts of getting lost in the tunnels, that she wasn't looking where she was going.

THWACK! She bumped into something soft and furry. When she regained her balance and stepped back to find out what she had bumped into, she saw the looming shadow of a rat in front of her.

.

.

.

Stella dropped her flashlight and stepped back into Leo in surprise. Her infrared vision clicked in instinctively. She could make out the rat's full body; it was a good six inches taller than her. She could see the major arteries and veins in the rat's body that pulsed bright red. The rat's heart was beating in a dark red.

"Woah," Leo whispered, looking at the shadow in front of them. Stella's flashlight had dropped near the shadow, revealing a hind-leg.

"Stay calm, guys," said Gregor. He was standing next to Stella, gazing at the rat's shadow.

Stella remembered the rats and humans were at peace. But she still felt unsure. She breathed out, calming herself, making her infrared vision slip away. She was back to looking at the dark colours of the cave.

From behind her, Leo lifted his flashlight over her shoulder, revealing a squinting six-foot rat.

"Drop the light," the rat hissed in an annoyed tone. Its voice was high-pitched; Stella thought it must be female. The rat looked at Gregor and a look of realisation crossed its face. "Warrior?"

Gregor nodded, "Yeah, that's me." He lifted his flashlight so that it was pointing up at the roof of the tunnel. His face was dimly visible. "Who are you?"

The rat was silent for a few seconds, then it said, "Flyfur."

"Flyfur... I've heard that before...." Stella muttered.

Gregor spoke up, "She's Lapblood's pup."

Stella knew she'd heard that name before. It was a very vague memory though. She had to go back six years; back to when they were in the middle of the jungle, looking for the cure for the plague. She had heard Lapblood and Mange whispering about their pups: Flyfur and Sixclaw.

"Ohh," Leo sounded like he'd remembered something. "The rat who went with us to find the cure for that plague."

"Yeah," Gregor confirmed.

Flyfur looked Stella, "You're the Seeker? I have never met you before."

Stella nodded, "Yeah. You were a pup when I last came."

"Everyone is expecting your return," said Flyfur.

"Why, Flyfur?" Stella asked. "What's going on in the Underland?"

Flyfur scratched behind her ear with her paw, "My mother told me it was about the cutters."

Stella remembered that the cutters were ants. She had fought them in a battle to claim the Starshade — the cure for the plague.

Gregor seemed alarmed, "They're attacking Regalia?"

"Queen Luxa can tell you more," said Flyfur. "She knows what the cutters are doing."

"Flyfur," Leo started. "Can you help us get to Regalia? We're sorta lost."

Flyfur turned around and got on all fours, "I will show you the way."

Stella picked up her flashlight, and they followed Flyfur down a series of twisting and forking tunnels that seemed to go on forever. She could hear the occasional squeaking of a mouse or the skittering of claws on rock. At one point, Stella doubted if the rat knew where she was going.