Lilly, the New Overlander.

The Voyage

"Lilly, Lilly you need to wake up!" Owen said, shaking me awake. I quickly sat up and looked around.

Luxa and Ripred were quickly packing things up. I could hear a scratching sound coming from all around. But I wasn't sure if it was an echo or if we were being surrounded. I jumped up, bringing my blanket with me. I ran over to Luxa and handed her the packs on the floor. Soon we had everything loaded onto the bats and Luxa shoved me up onto Nike. I was surprised when I saw her push the rude rat, Ripred, up behind me. He layed flat on his stomach because he couldn't fit his legs around Nike.

Owen jogged over with the sword I used last night. He handed it to me and looked me dead in the eye. "Trust your instincts. Nike will know what and where to go. Just, be careful okay?" He said, concerned.

"I will." I said before he went back over to Dathees. Luxa and Aurora took the lead and they put Nike, Ripred, and I in the middle. We flew off quickly and I noticed that Luxa kept turning around as if she were paranoid of someone or something, coming up behind us. Ripred complained and whined the whole ride. When we finally landed right next to a stream he was the very first one off.

"Sweet, sweet land!" he said. I climbed off Nike and pulled some of the packs off of her to help her be more comfortable. Luxa and Owen were doing the same thing. The bats went off to scope out some of the land around us while we all sat and rested.

"So what was that back there? Why didn't we just stay and fight?" I asked them.

"Those my dear were the bad Gnawers. They were coming by the hundreds on all sides, so there is no way we could have fought them off. Not even I could have defeated them." Ripred said, treating me like a child. The bats came back then, looking absolutly exhausted.

"You three need to rest. Tomorrow we will enter the dead lands and make a rescue plan. Owen make a fire. Ripred, Sniff out the area for any unharmful plants we could eat. Lilly, you can help me get the bats upside down to sleep." Luxa ordered. I could tell she was getting annoyed at the trouble we had been having lately.  We all nodded and I helped her find a thick vine that we could hang them from. We got them up quick and easy and it felt as if I had done this before. 

I sat down by the fire with Luxa and Owen, waiting for Ripred to get back. When he did, he had mushrooms and small little berries that he had put in a basket. We split up the rations somewhat equally. Ripred put up the arguement that since he had to get all of it, he got more than everyone else.

"Any ideas of what we are going to do to get Ares out once we get in? Last I remember, he is the biggest bat out of all of them so it isn't going to be easy." Ripred said as soon as he had wolfed down the food.

"We can't just put him on Nike?" Owen asked.

"No, she wouldn't be able to get off the ground." Luxa said.

"Why don't we just put a net under him and have the bats hold onto it with their feet or whatever." I suggested. They all looked at me like I was nuts.

"Net?" Luxa asked.

"Yeah its like a rope tied together in knots. We could get it under him and them just carry him out." I explained.

"And you know how to make this net?" Owen asked.

"Yeah its easy. If I taught you guys how to do it, we could have one big enough in no time." I said. I had learned how to do that from my dad. He thought that one day it would come in handy.

Luxa went over to the packs and brought me a huge pile of rope. "Is this enough?" She asked, kneeling in front of me.

She seemed like one of those people who loved learning something new. Her eyes were bright and happy, paying close attention as I looped the rope, pushed a strand through and pulled tight. she picked up on it quickly but Owen took a little longer to teach. His hands were too rough and stiff to handle the quick, precise movements. He was trained for hand to hand combat. Not net making.

We soon had a net that both Luxa and Ripred thought was big enough. We rested for awhile before we loaded back up. The bats were happy and cheery again as were we. Ripred had agreed to riding with Nike and I again just because it would be a shorter ride. Though this time, he layed on his back. He wanted to watch for a good place to land.

Aurora and Nike had already seen where Ares is at but Luxa and Ripred want to make a battle and exit strategy. Ripred decided on a high ridge that overlooked the whole area. We sat on the ridge looking over the large land.

"He is being held on the outskirts of the area. It makes getting him easier but there might be some obstacles to get past. They won't let him go easily." Luxa said, peering out at the dark land.

"Are we going to fly in?" I asked. 

"That is what I waas thinking. We will fly in, drop off and while you and the bats get the net under him, we will be fighting whoever might be there." Luxa said. The bats didn't seem too thrilled about this but I was fine with it. I was happy that I didn't have to fight.

"When are we going to go in?" Owen asked. He was sitting with Dathees, rubbing in between her ears.

"Tonight. When most of them are asleep we will go in and take him and leave." Ripred answered. We all nodded in agreement and all settled in for a few hours. I folded the net so it would be easier to unfold when I needed it. I sat up against some rocks and dozed off for a little while.

"Lilly?" Luxa said, slightly shaking my shoulder.  When I opened my eyes, she continued. "We are going to start getting ready."

I got up and stretched out my arms and neck. Owen and Luxa were shoving some immediate necessities into small packs that would fit on someones back. Ripred was sharpening his teeth with some kind of bone again. I went over to the bats and sat next to Nike.

"We are going to be okay, right?" I asked, starting to get really nervous and scared that I might not make it out of here alive. 

"Luxa and Owen and even Ripred wouldn't let anything happen to you. You will be perfectly fine Lilly." Nike said warmly, actually putting her wing around me in a sort of, half-hug. 

"Lilly, could I talk to you for a second?" Owen said, standing kind of awkwardly next to me. I nodded and followed him behind some tall rocks. I stood there waiting for him to say something.

"I know that I don't know much about you and I haven't known you very long but there is a very strong possibiltiy that I may not get past these next few hours. And I just wanted to let you know that I admire everything you do.You are stong and smart and one of the greatest people I know. And if we do get past this battle, I promise that I will do everything to get to know everything about you." He looked right into my eyes as he said all of this but as soon as he was done, he looked down at the ground.

I was speechless. I stood there for a few seconds before I walked forward and fell into his strong arms. Now don't get me wrong here. I'm not some attention seeking whore. I was really needed a hug and I figured he did too. He hugged me tightly and smoothed down my hair. We silently went back to everyone else and started putting the packs on the bats.

Luxa came over to me with a belt looking thing and strapped it around my waist. I noticed that it had a special loop for a sword. She nodded at Nike for me to start getting ready to leave. I went over to the beautiful bat and slowly climbed on her back. I shoved my sword into the loop and set the folded net in front of me. We sat there waiting until Ripred came over to us.

He sat his paw on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes. "I will do everything I can to make sure no one comes near you guys. And after we have him under the net, try to get me up there with you, okay? Luxa won't be worrying about me and Owen will be worrying about you. I don't have anyone on my side." He said sadly.

"I will get you out Ripred. Even if I have to come back to get you."  I told him. He was sad looking and he never did anything to hurt me. What else could I do?