I'll Be Dog-Gone (28)

I'll Be Dog-Gone (28)

Sweetiepie Parrot -- The mini longboat plied the waters...

of Horror land. They were dank and murky and smelled bad.

"Longboat ahoy!" Sweetiepie called from up in the crow's nest.

The mini longboat pulled up alongside the real thing and the animals climbed aboard, even the fake Louie the Lizard.

"Where is everybody?" artickitten asked.

*We will search the boat. I must find the mistress.* Thor telepathed.

So they searched the boat but found no one. Even the dogs in the hold were gone. Artist's familliar, Nata the wolf was gone too.

"Where did everybody go?" kitten asked. "I don't like this much."

"Neither do I." sighed Sweetiepie. "We'll have to go looking for them I guess."

"How are we gonna do that?" kitten asked.

"As luck would have it," Sweetiepie said, looking at Elvis. "We happen to have our own bloodhound along."

"Hey, yeah!" kitten enthused. "Find 'em Elvis."

<Ok.> Elvis said as he sniffed around.

He sniffed all over the boat and it took awhile.

<Um, the dogs and Nata went that way.> he said pointing in one dierction.

<Most of the humans went that other way. And something else was with them, something that smells bad.> he whimpered.

*Where did my mistress go?* asked Thor.

<She went down there.> Elvis said, pointing over the side. <She was following Artist and something else, something that smells worse than the bad things.>

"Ok." Sweetiepie said. "Who do we follow? The dogs? The crew? Or the red haired bimbo and the jerk?"

Raven-Kat -- Rae turned the corner,

Raegun clenched firmly in her hands, muttering a Grounding mantra. The sight that met her eyes shook her out of her trance.

Sweetie-pie, Louie, Thor, kitten, and poor long-suffering Elvis were looking around the deck in confusion. And they were wearing pirate costumes!

"Gentlemen!" Rae calls, stepping into view. "Kitten."

"Rae! Thank god!" Sweetie squawks. "We thought they'd taken everybody."

"Almost. I was spared, and Raegun was safe in the galley."

"I don't appreciate you having left me behind, by the way."

"You look like drenn." Sweetie observed. "What happened to you."

"Sunny and I were bonding." Rae looks at Sweetie. "Good to see you again. Okay, here's our situation: Artist was carried off by vampires. Sixth opted to go after him."

Sweetie made a rude noise.

"The others were taken as a group, possibly by the Phantom's people. I'm not really sure. We can, however, track them." Rae stares at the others and makes a quick decision, knowing she'll regret it later. "I'm going to need help."

"Is this about us being cannon-foder?" Sweetie asks slowly.

"No." Rae shakes her head. "No, I need every advantage I can get. I need your help."

"Okay." Sweetie said. "I'll help."

*But my Queen!* Thor moaned.

"Can take care of herself." Rae said gently. "I need you now, Thor."

"I'll help." Elvis shivered. "I'll do my best."

"You'll do very well indeed." Rae smiled reassuringly. "Kitten..."

*I want to help! Let me at 'em!*

"It will be very dangerous, kitten." Rae picked her up and looked her in the eyes. "You could get hurt."

"Yes. There will be pain, probably. And you are very young. No one will think less of you if you wish to stay safely on the boat." Rae plucks that ridiculous eye-patch off of her face. "It's up to you."

*I go where my friends go.*

"Right, then. Let's do this." Rae says.

"Angels and ministers of Grace defend us." Raegun says softly as they pick up the trail.

SunAeryn -- Sun woke to screaming and yelling

"What the frell!" Sun said as she tried to get up. She found that she was chained to the floor. Legs and arms chained. Sun tried to break free...but damn, she was sore, the "bonding moment" with Rae had been a lot tougher than Sun would ever admit to anyone. Sun could hear Kara yelling and knew that the screaming voice belonged to Jila.

"Kara. I'm hear, can you hear me." Sun yelled and waited. Sun didn't want to use her telepathy just yet...it could freak them out more.

"Kara! Shut up! I can hear you." Sun attempted again. It was to dark to tell if they were in the same place.

"Sunny, is that you?" Kara asked, sounding just a little scared. "Where is that screaming coming from?"

"Kara, I'm chained to the floor, but I think I can get free. The screaming is Jila, I'm pretty sure. She was freaked out when Rae and I started fighting...I think this pushed her over the edge...when I get free, I'm going for her, then I'll come get you...but it's to frellin' dark. I can't see a frellin' thing." Sun added. She had calmed down enough to try again. Sun pulled hard on her right arm...<<<CRACK,POP, CLANK, CLANK>>> Sun had managed to pull the chain up out of the floor, and her shoulder out of it's socket.

"Frell, that hurt." Sun muttered

"What? Sun what happened?" Kara asked, sounded worried.

"Nothing, Kara I'm fine." Sun said, dragging in a breath, then holding it and <<<SMACK, POP>>> slamed her right shoulder into the wall

"Sunny, what's going on. It sounds like some one is hurting you." Kara yelled, Jila's screams had gotten louder.

"Kara, I'm fine. Now I am any way." Sun told Kara, as she finished freeing herself.

Sun reached into her fannypack, hoping that whoever had snatched them hadn't noticed it.

Sun was able to pull out her occulars, she switched them to night vision and looked around.

"Damn, this is a huge cave." She thought as she looked around, trying to spot any one. She finally saw Kara and the rest of the gang...some on the wall, some on the floor, all chained down.

"Just you wait til I catch that Phantom. More importantly, his wimpy hench men." Sun muttered as she made her way over to Kara. Sun broke Kara free, handed Kara a small blow torch.

"This should help you free the others. I don't see Jila in here...she must be somewhere else. I'm going to find her. STAY HERE WITH THE OTHERS until I come back with Jila. Here's an extra flash light, but don't waste it. Don't know how long we'll be here. I haven't seen Rae, 6thy or Artist, so I'm sure one of them will be looking for us." Sun told Kara before heading towards Jila's screams.

*Pandora? Damn it dragon, stop manifesting her fears, I know she's scared. I'm trying to help her...lead me to you, please* Sun tried to connect with Pandora, Jila's small dragon.

*Great, try to calm her down...I'm on my way.* Sun smiled and started running towards Jila and Pandora.

Sun had to plug her ears as she got closer to Jila, man, did she have a set of lungs on her.

"JILA! IT'S ME....SUN. Oh, for the love of Chilnack, do shut up!" Sun tried. Sunny thought back on the rules of surviving HorrorLand that Rae had given them...what one would help in this situation? Sunny tried shaking Jila, nothing...Jila was lost in her own mind...the fear she had was consuming her.

"Jila, snap out of it!" Sun said.

"Jila, I'm sorry, but I have to shut you up..." Sun said, before <<<WHACK!!>>> headbutting Jila

Sun looked at the scared little Pandora, *Sorry, but she needs to calm down. I hope I won't have to do it again* Sun told Pandora, picking up Jila and Pandora and heading back to the others.

Sun laid Jila down, gently.

"Sun, what happened?" the others asked, looking at Sun like she had done something horrible.

"Look, she wasn't helping...she's lost in her own fear, in her mind...she couldn't even see me. I don't think Pandora can help her." Sun said sadly. "I had to do something...if we had left her screaming like that....how would we be able to try and escape?" Sun added, walking away to think.

IQ120 -- Once all the Scoobies who had been....

...kidnapped by the Phantom, had found each other they began assessing the situation. Sun had several bruises, most of which she had gotten from Rae while 'bonding'. Jila was unconscience, because Sun had headbutted her. Everyone else was pretty much OK, except for IQ, who was sitting in a crouch and scratching the back of his ear with his right foot.

"IQ, what are you doing." asked Kara.

IQ looking up and said, "one of those things bit me!...and it itchs."

JilaCosa -- On quiet kitten feet it came....

The nightmare. The one Jila hates worst of all. The dream starts as it always does, Jila is in a very large, old house. It belongs to a friend, a relative, she's househunting, she's a child at play. It never matters but the dream always turns out the same. Further and further she walks/runs/plays through the old house. Up stairs, down hallways, past room after room. Soon enough she finds herself in a room that is filled with dolls. Boy dolls, girl dolls, porcelain (mostly) and plastic, American Indians, Orientals, blonds, redheads, brunettes, every size, and shape, and all are dressed differently. They sit on the bookcases, the chairs, the couch, the bed, everywhere. Jila loves dolls and she could play in this room forever or just sit and examine each and everyone.

As she walks around the room checking out the dolls, Jila notices that the dolls are also checking her out. Just like the picture that used to hang in her room when she was small, it was only the eyes that moved. The eyes followed her no matter where she stood in the room. The eyes were the only thing that ever moved. The eyes.... stop it! stop it! She couldn't leave the room. All of those glass eyes following her every move. NO!

“no. … no…No… NO….”Jila comes out of her unconscious state like a swimmer with no remaining air, FAST! “NONONONONONONO!” She rolls over sideways, scrambling to get out of the room with the dolls but instead crashes into the legs of the other Scoobs in the flashlight lit cave. Her breath comes quick and sharp, a tightness grips her chest, and her heart is full of fear. Some of Scoobs reach down to grab her so that she can’t her herself or them. Still yelling “No, No, No ” she swings her arms around madly trying to fend off the helping hands.

“Damn it girl, Stop that!” Ragnar growls as he grabs Jila by both arms, yanking her to her feet, and wrapping his arms around her. Jila struggles wildly against him.

“Frell, I thought I had this stopped.” SunAeryn walks over to Ragnar and Jila, and slaps Jila soundly on both cheeks. Jila stops her screaming and struggling immediately. “You can let her go now, Rag.”

As Ragnar slowly releases Jila, she slides out of his arms to sit like a ragdoll on the floor. Soon she looks up at Sunny.

“You didn’t have to hit me so hard.” Jila says, sounding just a bit childlike, and rubbing both cheeks. “And why do I have such a headache.”

KaraS -- “Ask Spyral, let’s see what he’s got...

in his wing." Kara suggested.

Spyral looked in his wing and pulled out a first aid kit and a bottle of flavored spring water.

"Sorry." he shrugged. "That's all I've got in the water department."

Then he pulled out a heavy duty flashlight and a couple of decorative handheld lamps shaped like old time candle holders.

"They don't shed much light but they ARE atmospheric." he said. He passed these items and some granola bars out to everybody.

Jila was looking more closely at IQ's ear. Fur was starting to grow out of it.

"You know." IQ said. "I just had the strangest urge to chase cars..."

Kaybe0 -- Oh boy,

thought Kaybe, as she saw the changes in IQ. "Guys, shouldn't we find some sun, as quick as we can? I don't know what to do for IQ, but, I know that it can't be done here, and I also know that not near as bad of things happen in the sunlight, as they do in the darkness." "Kay, I don't know if these wounds can wait till we find some light." said Kara. "But, we do need to get out of here fast", said Mouse, "Before... "Bwaaaaaaahahahahahahahahha" echoed through the walls. "Oh boy" thought Kay again. "Quick! We must hide!" said Ragnar in a loud whisper. But, where. Everyone looked around them to assess the situation. And then Kay had a thought. "Artist, can you create an illusion to make us look like the rock walls? At least we will blend in with our surroundings and make moving around easier."

JilaCosa -- “Artist?” Kaybe asks but no answer.

"Artist?" "Artist?" "Artist?" voices quietly ask but still no answer.

"Was Artist with us?"

The lights from the flashlights make crisscross patterns around the room looking for ArtistStudio.

"Please," Jila says "I can't get Chryse's bandages on straight if you don't leave me one flashlight."

"Oh sorry." a voice says from the other side of the glare by Jila.

Just then, Jila notices her own torn and bleeding wrists. "Oh dear." she says feeling a little woozy. "I think I'm going to need a little help myself." Soon a small group gathers around Jila and Chryse, and the bandages on the two ladies are quickly finished. "Anybody else?"

Meanwhile, footsteps can be heard, possibly from a connecting corridor.

"Out with the lights, Quick! Ok, no Artist, great." Sunny frowns. "Plan B. Everybody get back to where you were chained, and try to look like you've still got your chains on, until we figure out what's going on."

ArtistStudio -- The fog is light like day and begins to

boil away somewhere in the distance as Sixth follows Artist's trail. The sound of hundreds of tortured souls screaming beyond their death is somehow even more chilling from a great distance. Sixth's hackles raise at the sound.

Suddnely she is able to see what Artist sees - an illusion cast from a great distance directly onto her retina. Dozens of vampires shriek - commanded somehow to take Artist prisoner and unable to flee from their task - bent by some terrible will.

Artist is glowing like the sun and each vampire that approaches is shredded by the light. Some of the creatures are more powerful than others and Artist creates spheres that glow like small suns to chase them about - entering their bodies. The shrieking of the dying undead is unimaginable. Bones that should have turned to dust centuries long past do so swiftly - more than a hundred vampires have fallen to the light.

There is no doubt in Sixth's mind why the vampires want the illusionist - he is by far the greatest threat they have ever faced.

"Behind you," Artist says and suddenly the vision vanishes. Sixth whirls to see two enormous dogs leaping toward her - not dogs - wolves! Warewolves!!!

The first of the beasts is suddenly broght to the ground by Nata = Artist's wolf - leaving the other to Sixth...

Sweetiepie Parrot -- Picking up the trail....

Raven_Kat and her animal pals scrambled down off the longboat and waded to the shore. Looking back at the longboat from the shore, aground on the sand bar and half obscured by the spooky mist of Horror land was a strange experience.

<It looks so spooky.> kitten shivered.

"Yeah." Sweetiepie said. "It really fits in with the decor here."

"Let's get our minds back on buisness shall we?" Rae said, studying her tracking device.

<They went this way.> Elvis woofed, pointing left, down the coast.

"They went that way." Rae said, pointing left down the coast.

"We've got a concensus." Sweetiepie remarked. "Shall we???"

As the group headed off down the coast they did not, at first, realize that they were being followed...

KaraS -- Artist sweats as he incinerates...

the vampires. He knows something the vampires don't. He can't create real sunlight. He can only create the illusion of sunlight. His light isn't killing the vampires, they are doing it themselves. If they figure this out there is little he can do to protect himself.

Then Artist's fears are brought to life. One vampire approaches, unaffected by the blinding light he casts. Artist stares. This vampire has no eyes. He can't see Artist's light and thus, is not affected by it. But he can smell Artist and hear the beating of his heart. Artist turns and runs for his life.

But vampires have super strength and speed. The blind vampire is on top of him in an instant. Artist ducks and dodges. The vampire, amused by the game, lets Artist pull ahead, then dashes forward to tug his sleeve, pull his hair, or tweak his ear. Artist know that his lifespan can be measured in the amount of time it will take the blind vampire to grow bored.

Then, destracted by his fear, ArtistStudio stumbles into a pond. The water is scummy with algae and things even less savory. The gluelike mud pulls at his feet. The blind vampire laughs.

"How far can you go now?" he asks. "Where can you flee that I can not find you?"

The vampire throws back his head and howls with laughter.

Artist slogs across the pond, tripping over dead branches and getting stuck in underwater brambles. He is wet and shivering, chilled to the marrow of his bones.

Then he feels something grab him from below. Underneath the fetid water, something has ahold of his ankle. Then another hand(?) grabs his leg. A weed covered arm comes up and grabs him by the shoulder, dragging him down into the swamp...

Mouse2000 -- On the floor,

Mouse takes a moment to slip her handy-dandy Swiss Army knife out of her pocket and holds it in her closed hand. The floor was getting REALLY cold and she really didn't like this situation. Poor IQ was rapidly turning into something resembling a dog, and Jila, Kaybe, and Chryse seemed to only a couple notches away from being petrified. But there was no sense in not being prepared if that was possible.

Mouse was glad they hadn't gotten to her in the "what scares you the most" game, because it would probably take too long to explain that particular problem. As they heard the footsteps get closer, she whispered to Spyral, "Angel...got anything useful in that wing right about now?"

Raven-Kat -- “Did you hear that?”

Raegun hissed as they walked.

"You're getting paranoid." Rae responded grimly.

"No matter how paranoid you are, you aren't paranoid enough."

"Oh, brother..." Sweetie muttered.

"There's nothing on the monitor." Rae assured Raegun. "You're just a little keyed up and hyper... No big deal."

"He will still pop the bad guys, right?" Sweetie asks.

"Damned frelling well better." Rae stepped around a puddle. "Wait!"

"What? What is it?" Sweetie asks.

"I told you I heard something!"

"SHUT UP!" Rae and Sweetie yell together.

"I've got movement." Rae announces, staring down at the scanner. "They're being moved!"

"No clue, but the group is being moved. Look." Rae shows Sweetie the screen. "Double-time people! We can not lose them!"

Unnoticed in the shadows, a pair of glowing eyes watch...

Lurkingghost -- “Where’s ‘Ghost?”

Sorry I haven't been around much. I've been so very busy lately, and I've lost track of myself.

Mouse2000 -- Mouse wonders

how they ever got a cage that would hold Ghost, but there she was, floating in what looked like a large birdcage, and she couldn't get out. Mouse thought that chains were good enough for the rest of the group, but Ghost, being a ghost, would float right out of them. Those bars must be magic.

As the footstep got louder, Spyral quickly pulled out a small crowbar and laid on it, hiding it from view. He figured that when whoever came to get them found that they were already unlocked, it would be their best bet to take them by surprise, and maybe then they could overpower them.

He whispered his plan to Mouse, who relayed it to Sunny, who agreed, and passed it along. Now they all were literally "lying in wait".

SunAeryn -- Spy’s plan.....I think..

Sun thinks about the plan that was whispered to her...it sounded like it could work...only one problem...not enough frellin' lights to make it work. Sun looked around the cave with her occulars. *Frell, nothing.* Sun thinks to herself. Meanwhile, the footsteps are getting closer. Sun suddenly thinks of something.

"Pppsst, everyone...I think I might be able to make Spy's plan work. Eveyone that has a flash light, of any kind...hold onto it and a chain. All the chains are connected to each other...under the floor. I might be able to muster enough energy to use the flash lights to blind the bad guys....for a little bit. When I do...get the wounded out first...then the rest of us will follow."

Sun grabs a hold of the chains near her.

"Everyone ready?" Sun asks, getting ready to concentrate all her power.

"Yea, Sun, are you sure this will work?" Spy asks, a little worried. The other confirm being ready.

"Spy, honestly? No I don't know if this is gonna work or not...but you have any other bright ideas?" Sun asks...noticing that the floor and chains are starting to vibrate.

"Now, leave me the frell alone so I can make this work." Sun says.

Jila, Kara, Spy and the others all feel the vibrations through the floor. Jila starts to open her mouth,

"Jila, don't you dare. It's ok...look, the lights are getting brighter." Kara whispers.

The footsteps get closer and closer...Sun keeps concentrating...the lights get brighter...IQ keeps scracthing...

Kaybe0 -- ‘Lying in wait’

the Scoobs all seemed to be holding their breath on one accord. The footsteps stopped, and a door creaked open. They could 'feel', rather than see who it was. Kay's spine crawled. Jila looked ready to faint. Then with, some unintelligable grumbling, the door slammed shut and the footsteps receded in the direction they came from. They had done it! They had fooled them! But, whoever it was, would be back. Waiting a few more seconds to be certain they were alone, Spyral stole a glance at the door. No one was there but them, as far as he could tell, in the darkness. Ragnar and Spyral each helped an injured person to move. Mouse took the crow bar, and a flashlight, and Kay took a flashlight. Moving as fast as they could manage, with IQ half walking and half trotting on all fours after them. They kept going. Instinct, rather than knowledge kept them moving in the direction they were going. They had no idea if this way led out, but, they knew that it was away from where their captors were. Having freed Ghost from the cage, they depended greatly on her ability to not only see in the darkness, but, to go through walls to see if their progress was in vain or not. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of walking and crawling through the tunnel they were in, no one daring to speak, Ghost motioned them to stop. pointing to a grate in the floor, she motioned them to follow her. Spyral and Ragnar opened the grate, and led the group down a ladder. When they reached the bottom, they were in another tunnel. Ghost hesitated, as if not sure which direction to take. Jila remembered that Pandora could read her mind, so there was no need to talk to her. Letting Pandora know that they needed to know which way to go, Jila lifted her into the air. She took off and while they waited for her return, they took a moment to catch their breath and check on the wounds. Still not daring to talk, and wanting to leave their before their escape was noticed, Kay had an idea. Shining the light on herself, so that they would be able to see her, she lifted her dragon pendant up, and motioned the others to do the same. Realizing what she wanted, All the scoobs present closed their eyes, and held their pendants tightly, except for Ragnar who had left his in the longboat. "Guys," said Kay into their minds, as they met together on the banks of the pond. "Where do we go when if we get out of this place.?" "I don't know." said Chryse. "But, I guess we should all run for the nearest and most obvious hiding place, and then we can make our next plan. We must get as far away as we can from here though, and quickly." All the Scoobs agreed that speed and distance were their only chance at this point. Having held her own pendant, Rae became part of the group. "Guys, hang in there," she told them. "The animals and I are trying to find you." Knowing they could not afford to waste any more time, they reluctantly returned to their situation at hand. Pandora was just flying back. With a thumbs up and a smile, Jila motioned which direction the group should take. Moving quickly, they finally see a small light through what seems like a cave. Following it, they emerge into the light of outside. Wanting to shout with glee, instead they headed for the group of trees they saw. Reaching them, they turned and surveyed the place they had just come from. Before they could decide what to do next, however, they heard a growl. Turning at the sound. They saw a group of wolves standing not 20 feet away from them. Clutching the crowbar more tightly, Mouse thought, "This will not be enough to save us." As the growls became more severe, the scoobs looked at each other. What were they going to do now?

Kaybe0 -- Warewolves

said IQ in as human a voice as he could muster. "The sun is going down. They are coming out now." He, himself was fast turning into some sort of creature.

Sixth Sense Dreamer -- 6th stared....

from her place at the edge of the swamp as Artist was sucked under the murky water. The vampires that were left hovered over the spot that the illusionist had disappeared.

6th slowly drew her swords, but paused as the vampires spoke:

"Our master will be most pleased."

"Shall we return or follow? The swamp creatures might need our help in delivering the man to our master."

"If this one escapes, our master will..."

The vampires all shuddered as one.

"Follow. We cannot afford to let this one slip away." the blind vampire said, and without another word it slipped into the murky water and disappeared down into the swamp. The other vampires began to follow, when 6th stepped out of the shadows.

"Hello, bloodsuckers." she purred, as the vampires whirled on this new 'prey'.

"We suck no blood." one hissed as the others snarled at her. "We feed on the souls and power of others."

6th narrowed her eyes. So THAT'S why Artist fell prey to these beasts! Power vampires must have thought it was Thanksgiving dinner when they caught Artist's scent!

"Well," she said, an evil grin spreading over her face. "Come take a taste of me and MY power." She held her swords out, crossed in front of her chest, crouching down in anticipation.

The nearest vampire laughed. "Little metal sticks? Your toys can't hurt..." his words were lost as 6th flicked out one arm and lopped off the vampire's head. The sword in her hand sizzled, glowing with an unearthly fire that matched the glow off the pendant around her neck. She watched the vampire's body fall to the ground with a sickening thud, satisfied that the pendant indeed did what it was supposed to do, protect the wearer from harm, and amplify any weapons to enable them to win in battle, no matter what was required. 6th could have used her bare hands if she hadn't had any weapons, but she figured that would be a bit messy.

Slowly she looked up from the dead vampire, it's body crumbling to dust at her feet. Her eyes were the only things that moved as she looked at the remaining vampires.

"Oh yeah, just little metal sticks. They won't hurt you. But the sunlight imbedded in their blades might be a bit more painful." she grinned again, all teeth, and stalked forward. The vampires were backed up against the swamp, with no where to run but down the hole Artist had sunk into.

A few of them tried, but out of 15, 1 made it down. 6th, her boots scattering vampire dust from the pile of bodies, looked down into the murky water the last vampire disappeared to.

*Frell. Now they'll know I'm coming.* but she wasn't worried. Confident in the amulet's protection, she tucked it into the front of her armor, so it wouldn't get torn off in a fight. She didn't know what waited for her in the water, but she figured it wouldn't be just vampires.

6th sheathed her swords, took a deep breath and jumped feet first into the water, her hands resting on the hilts of her swords.

Down into blackness she sank, then felt her feet come into open air. She shoved downwards with her hands, and tumbled out into a dark tunnel. Faintly she heard sounds from deep down in the blackness. 6th drew her weapons, the blades of her swords rippling with a blue fire. Then she trotted down the tunnel, the light off her swords guiding her way.

Raven-Kat -- Rae and the animals headed...

down the coast after their kidnapped friends.

"They're being moved." Rae said, looking at her scanner. "We should head this way."

<But the trail heads that way.> Elvis woofed.

Everybody looked around in confusion. Which way should they go?

"You're tracking where they have already been." Rae told Elvis gently. "I'm tracking where they are now."

"But how do we know if we can get to them if we track them by direction?" Sweetiepie asked. "A lot of good it will do us if we end up standing on top of their heads while they are under ground. If we follow the path they took we could find the door more easily."

Suddenly Rae jerked and grabbed her pendant from under her shirt. Holding it, she closed her eyes.

"They've freed themselves." Rae said finally. "We'll track them with the scanner and meet up with them up ahead."

So, following the readings on Rae's scanner, the little group took off inland.

KaraS -- As the werewolves approached...

IQ started to growl. His change into a wolf started to accelerate and soon he stood on all fours, a fierce growl coming from his furry, sharp toothed snout.

"Move out of our way brother." one of the werewolves said.

"These are my pack." IQ said back. "You get them over my dead body."

"If you insist." the werewolf said.

The werewolves moved closer...

Raven-Kat -- Heading inland....

Walking along a high-way, Rae's group encounters a sign: Now entering Amityville, Trans. Pop 673