Battle In the Night

Inside the cave was cooler than outside, and was also pitch black. Some rustling could be heard, and Tolkalee lit a torch giving them a source of light. He turned to look around the cave for a moment, then turned to look at Seth. They seemed to share a silent conversation before Tolkalee turned and began leading them farther into the cave. "The faster we go through the faster we get out, let's go."

Tolkalee stopped at one point, Seth came to a halt as well. A tense silence settled around them, yet it seemed as though both of the guys were listening to something.

"Listen," Seth whispered. Silence followed his words, and it dragged out for what seemed like forever. Something the sounded like wind through the tunnels could slightly be heard after a while. Seth and Tolkalee stood stalk still, as if they were statues.
A drum suddenly sounded somewhere, echoing through the caves. Seth tensed at the sound and placed his hand on the hilt of the sword on his back. Tolkalee's shoulders slumped and he looked about ready to just jump off a bridge. The drum sounded again, this time what sounded like footsteps could be heard coming towards them. "Shit," Tolkalee snapped.

Seth slowly pulled his own sword off his back. "We don't know," he replied glancing at Tolkalee, who was placing the torch down.
"I knew this was a bad idea," he snapped ripping the single wield sword out of it's sheath. The drumming got louder and closer. "Jackson get back to back with Kat, and shoulder to shoulder with me. Kat you go shoulder to shoulder with Seth," Tolk ordered. Seth was instantly back to back with Tolkalee.

Someone suddenly landed right next to Tolkalee, he jumped, practically out of his skin, and swung at the newcomer. The newcomer ripped a dagger out and blocked Tolkalee's sword. "Cool it Tolk, it's just me," the person spoke. A man stepped out of the shadows so the others could look at him. "Well, don't just stand there we gotta get moving. I don't know about you but I don't want to be here when that patrol reaches us."

"I am sorry," the man dipped his head to Kat and Jackson. "My name is Kye. Most people call me Kye the Cave dweller, due to the fact that I live in the caves."

"You really will, if you try to fight these guys. They will put out our source of light and then take you out one by one," Kye explained glancing back at them. "Now, move." He led them farther into the cave.

"We met some years back when I fell into a hole, after getting stabbed through the gut, and I ended up breaking several bones when I hit the ground. I would probably be dead if Kye hadn't stumbled upon me when he did," Tolkalee explained quietly as they walked. Seth took up the rear, and Kye didn't look back to make sure they were following him.

Kye led them through the caves in silence. The only light they had for a long time was the torch that Tolkalee held. Eventually there was a dim light that was filling the cave. "We're near the surface," Kye said coming to a stop. He stepped aside to let the others go past him. "Just follow this tunnel out."

Tolkalee looked at Kye as he walked past. "You're not going to come with us?"
"As much as I would love to," the amount of sarcasm in his voice boiling over. "The people down there are planning another attack and I have to go talk them out of it. Again."
Seth walked past and caught up with Jackson. "So how long have you had that egg?"

"How long was it around before you got it? Do you know?" Seth asked as they reached the surface.

Seth bounced backwards about a foot. "Oh my gosh," he exclaimed, almost falling over. "I thought it was still an egg. When did it hatch?"

Seth shook his head, and glanced back to see where Tolkalee was. "I do hope you remember that we are going towards a war."

"I would argue against that on a normal day, but not right now," Seth grinned. He looked forward and at the sky. "You see that large cloud over there?" Through the branches of the tree's they could see a huge black cloud.