Page 8 (1/2)

Chapter 8

"Ah, here you are at last," said the rat idly "By your reek we expected you ages ago Look,

Fangor, he has brought the pup"

A long nose poked over the first rat's shoulder It had a friend

"What a tidbit she is," said Fangor in a smooth, rich voice "I will allow you the entire boy if I may have the sweetness of the pup to , but he is more bone than meat, and she is such a morsel," said Shed "I find myself quite torn by your offer Stand you, boy, and let us better tell your stuffing"

The cockroaches had been freaky, the bats inti back on their haunches, they were a good six feet tall, and their legs, array fur But the worst part of all was their teeth, six-inch incisors that protruded out of their whiskered mouths

No, the worst part was that they were clearly planning to eat Gregor and Boots Soor knew better Even the regular-sized rats back home would attack a person if they were helpless Rats preyed on babies, old people, the weak, the defenseless There were storiesthe hoersthey were too horrible to think about

Gregor slowly got to his feet, retrieving the torch, but keeping it down at his side He pressed Boots back against the cavern wall

Fangor's nose quivered "This one had fish for supper Mushroorain, and just a bit of leaf Now that's flavorful, you ed on stewed cow and cream," returned Shed "Not to mention, she is clearly or knehat all the fuss about bathing had been If the rats could detect the handful of greens he'd eaten hours earlier, they must have an unbelievable sense of smell

The Underlanders hadn't been rude when they'd wanted hi to keep hi to evade the desperately that they'd find hiive hi hiive the roaches no time By "time," did the Underlanders simply mean more life?

He brushed off his clothes and tried to adopt the rats' casual banter "Do I have any say in this?" he asked

To his surprise, Fangor and Shed laughed "He speaks!" said Shed "What a treat! Usually we get nothing but shrieks and whimpers! Tell us, Overlander, what makes you so brave?"

"Oh, I'or "Bet you can sain "True, your sweat carries ed to address us"

"Well, I thought you or

"I like hior

"I like him, too!" choked Shed "The huor"

"Oh, Shed, how is that to be? It would entail er," said Fangor

"Andprey is a great pity"

"A great pity, Shed," said Fangor "But without remedy Shall we?"

And with that, both rats bared their teeth anda trail of sparks through the air He held it in front of hi his face

The rats pulled up short At first he thought they were afraid of the fla more They looked stunned