Page 22 (1/2)

Chapter 22

Gregor turned the sword at the last second, driving it into the stone wall of the cave with such force that the blade snapped off near the hilt and clattered to the floor His teeth rattled at the impact

He fell back from the cave "Boots?" he said hoarsely But he kneasn't Boots's voice There'd just been so in it that was so like how Boots had sounded when she was upset, the pitch, the distress, and the way she'd break that word into two long syllables "Ma-maa!"

The chamber reeled around his head Where was the Bane? What was that white furry thing a few yards away? Because it sure wasn't soor forced hiht into the cave Huddled against the wall, shaking in fear, was a small, white rat Suddenly it allwas known about the Bane, why it had not taken over the rat kingdom, why it had not attacked him It was only a baby!

Still, it was the Bane He was supposed to drain its light His blade had broken off, leaving a jagged daggerlike weapon in his hand It would be so easy to kill the creature in front of him Butbut

"Ma-maa!"

But it sounded just like Boots!

"Oh, geez Oh, geez," Gregor said, and tossed aside what remained of his sword He knelt down and reached out his hand to pat the thing "It's okay You're okay, baby"

The rat shuddered in terror and pressed back against the wall, wailing its head off "Ma- to hurt you," Gregor said soothingly "Ares!"

He shouldn't have shouted He'd scared it again, and noas sobbing

Ares scampered out of the last curve and wobbled into the chamber "What is it? Where is the Bane?"

"In here," Gregor said, gesturing to the cave "And we've got a probleht to the death, and noas completely disoriented "What is the probleor He leaned down and scooped up the baby rat in his arrown cocker spaniel One day it probably would be ten feet tall But today, he could pick it up and rock it He turned to show Ares

"What is that? That is not the Bane!" said Ares

"Actually, I think it is Or at least, it's a baby Bane," said Gregor

"I do not believe it! That is sonawers to lure us into a trap so that they may destroy us!" said Ares

"I don't think so I mean, look at its coat How or

"None Save this," said Ares "But perhaps it is not a rat! Perhaps it is a mouse they have captured and used to deceive us! I have seen white or examined the baby, but he was no rodent expert He held it up for Ares to inspect "You take a look Is it a nawer," said Ares

"So, you think there are thite rats?" said Gregor

"Yes No I do not knohite rats at one tihly improbable Itto do with it?" said Ares

"Well, I can't kill it, can I? I or

"Aha! I doubt that arguor had never seen hi around the chaitated that he bu!" said Gregor The bats never bu

"Can you blame me? I amwe aredo you have any idea what you hold in your aror

"Yes! Yes! The Bane! The scourge of the Underland! The creature who may well cause the extinction of fliers, humans, and countless others What we do at this moment determines the fate of all who call the Underland home!" said Ares

"What ah its head? Look at the thing!" The Bane wiggled out of his arms and ran for the tunnel "Hey! Wait a or chased the baby rat through the corkscrew curves and out of the tunnel What he saw made his heart ache

The little white rat was trying to curl up in the curve of Goldshard's neck "Ma- no response, it pawed frantically at the dead rat's face "Ma-s behind him "So, that's it She was its or had to stop for ato say, 'Don't kill my baby'"

"She must have been desperate to keep it from Snare He would have taken the pup and raised it to do his bidding," Ares said quietly

Blood was staining the baby's white fur Its cries were piteous As if that wasn't enough to deal with, Ares's head whipped up

"How or

"A dozen, at least," said Ares "You or bit his lip He couldn't decide Everything was happening too fast He needed more time "Okay, okay," he said He bounded over and lifted the baby into his ar it with us"

"We are?" Ares said, as if the thought had never crossed histo kill it, and I'or

Ares shook his head in a combination of exasperation and denial, but he offered his back

Gregor grabbed his backpack in one hand, threw a leg over Ares, and settled the Bane in front of him "Okay," he said "Let's run like the river"

As Ares lifted into the air, a dozen rats galloped into the cone They took in the dead bodies, the bat, the baby in Gregor's arms

"The Overlander has the Bane!" shouted one, and the whole pack ild, howling, leaping into the air, slashing at the invaders with their claws

"Hold on!" said Ares Of the dozen tunnels that led out of the cone, about four were big enough for Ares to fly down He dove for one, and they were off

It was like the or hated those rides, but they were nothing co around in the dark, with only his flashlight bea out at his and one hand while he kept the other arm wrapped around the baby

At one point, when they were darting around a cave barely evading several sets of snapping teeth, Ares cried out, "Use your sword!"

"I don't have it! It broke and I left it back in the cave!" said Gregor He hated du on Ares, but what could he do?

Ares twisted sideways and made it into a tunnel with the rats hot on his tail

The baby rat had given up crying "Ma-h-pitched alarm shrieks "Eek! Eek! Eek!"

"Make it stop, Overlander Its voice carries great distances Every rat in the maze can hear that the pup is threatened!" shouted Ares

Gregor reh doors, down hallways, you could even hear her on the elevator when you were coned her baby cry so it would travel Must be the same with rats

At first he tried to calht have helped if they were sitting soround, but it was useless here in this night its back and head, but that didn't work, either Gregor's human voice and touch and ss to the rat Finally he et a hand into his backpack and pull out one of the candy bars He ripped it open, broke off a piece, and stuck it into the baby's wailing mouth

There was an "Eek!" of surprise, then a s sound, and the Bane was consumed by its first wonderful taste of chocolate

"More!" It was so weird to hear the rat baby talking, but it was "More!" it said again, just like Boots would have

Gregor popped another piece of chocolate into the little rat's obbled up The Bane seeiven it chocolate It relaxed a little, back into his body, which made it easier to hold on to

"You think we're alor said as they swept out of a tunnel

"See for yourself," said Ares

Gregor shone the flashlight around the place they'd just entered Lying on the floor were Goldshard, Snare, and the third rat "No! What are we doing back here?" he gasped

"Perhaps you should try navigating!" said Ares What with hi pretty worthless in general at the or could tell the bat had lost patience with hior

"It is our scent, Overlander," said Ares "They track us with such ease I cannot lose theor "Maybe we can trick the from bloodhounds had fooled them "We need to confuse their noses" But hat?

Gregor ripped the bandage from his arm It was soaked with blood and pus and ointment "Fly around the cone, Ares! I need to touch the top of every tunnel"