Of a Flock

Chapter Fourteen

Although he was worried what Quackity would do to him, Dream still couldn't stop the yawn that escaped his mouth. In the dim lighting of a couple of torches, he saw that Purpled was as stiff and pale as a statue, while Puffy paced around, her mind buzzing with things to think about. And he himself was bored.

The cool stone walls surrounded them like a cage, and Dream felt himself itching all over to get out of the hole and scramble to the top, where Quackity would be stealing his win. His way out of the game. Although he didn't want Purpled, Punz, Puffy, or Niachu to still be stuck in the game, he knew that it was important for him to get out of the game first because he was a chick.

He was used to running, not sitting. When the hunters came after him, his response was to flee and get as far away from them as he could, not hide and hope they pass over.

But then again, it wasn't like he could just sit and wait for them to walk away. They somehow always knew where he was, always knew what direction he had been running in, and where to find him. So, really, his only choice had been to run.

Dream wasn't quite sure what Puffy would do, but he felt reassured that she would protect him at the worst and stand by his side.

Purpled was definitely a fighter. Dream had literally just witnessed him laugh at the dragon when she tried to kill him. There was no doubt about it that, when a challenge came up, he would stand his ground and fight back. Plus, with his enchanted sword and an obvious lack of fear, he had a pretty good chance of winning.

So why—He grit his teeth and ground his right leg into the floor. He wanted to ask so badly. It was on the tip of his tongue, just waiting to explode out. It must have been something in his past, Dream decided. Like trauma, or a bad memory. Maybe Purpled might be over exaggerating about how evil Quackity is, or maybe Quackity was a literal monster? Whatever had happened between them, he wanted to know, and not knowing the answer only made him more determined to figure it out.

Dream sighed, making both of the people stuck in the square room with him look up. "Are you okay?" Puffy whispered, glancing around like she expected somebody to leap out and attack them.

He nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine." He paused. "Just . . . for how long will we be sitting here? We won't know when they get rid of all the end crystals, and they'll for sure know that we're hiding from them after getting rid of three.

"I just want you guys to be safe!" Puffy said, taking a hold of his shoulder. "I messaged both of your guides, and they're trying to get into the End as fast as possible."

"Don't they have enough resources?" Purpled asked, fixing his gold hair. "Or what's keeping them?"

She inhaled. "Other teams. They keep having to fight for their numbers. Other people are done with the Nether too and they are also trying to get into the End, complicating their entry. But I know both of them. They're fighters and they're good at their job. They'll be here soon."

"Niki knows we're here?" Dream asked, shifting. Puffy nodded.

"Of course. She's just not out of the maze yet. We did good, climbing straight up."

Purpled crossed his arms and stared at the ground. "Honestly," he started, the flames from the candle flickering shadows on his face, "I don't feel safe just sitting here. Quackity will find us eventually. He knows that we're hiding, and he also knows that we won't allow him to just win when we're already here."

"Well, what else can we do?" Puffy stressed. "We're in the End, trying to kill the dragon and win the game but now we can't because somebody stronger than us is also here, trying to do the same goal."