Max followed the others as they worked their way through the forest. As the sun rose further into the sky, the group became more awake. They talked, and laughed, as they walked. Ahead of them, a hill rose over the trees, it's rock face smooth and speckled with gravel and other stones. The trees started to clear as they got closer. 

"You think we'll see Steve?" Comet asked. 

Jessica rolled her eyes "No, probably not" She replied.

"But he was spotted around here recently" Comet said. 

"Just because he mines all the time doesn't mean he'll be in every cave" Jasper replied. He walked ahead of the others, carrying two pick axes on his back. "That's just a rumor anyway. Why would he bother coming here?" 

"It's too close to other people for his tastes" Tim nodded. "That's why he stays in nature. And caves" 

Max rolled his eyes but stayed quiet. His friend's bickering was usual, and something else had caught his eye. An old rail system was buried under the tall grass. The iron of the tracks looked rusted, and many of the boards were overgrown and rotting away. None of the others seemed to notice they were walking on them. Max stalled behind, staring at them curious. 

"Max!" Jessica called. Max jumped surprised and quickly ran to catch up. 

"Sorry" he mumbled, looking off to the side at the tracks again. "I just- saw something" 

"Was it shiny?" Comet asked with a grin.

"You do seem to be attracted to shiny things" Jasper grinned. 

"Maybe that's why he's attracted to Jessica" Tim smirked. Jasper tripped over a root and turned to look back at the group.

"Don't talk about my sister like that man!" Jasper said, staring at Tim. Tim only grinned back and walked past him. He pat his cheek as he passed. 

"The truth with everything always comes out eventually" Tim said haughtily. 

Max rolled his eyes, even though his cheeks felt like they were on fire. They stopped finally when the trees were all but gone. Around them wild flowers bloomed and the grasses were taller than even Jasper. Ahead of them was a large, dark, gaping opening to the cliff face. 

The group stopped and stared at the cave. Curiosity and fear coursed through each of them. Tim was the first to walk forward, and disappear into the darkness like a shadow melting into the night. 

"What are you guys waiting for?" Tim called back. He appeared again, and Jasper walked forward, lighting the torch he brought. 

"Nothing. Just checking the time" Jasper replied, though his voice shook a little. 

Max followed him in, and looked around worried. A sense of unease worked it's way up his back. 

"Are you guys sure this is a good idea?" Max asked as he followed Jessica into the cave. 

"Of course" Jasper replied. The torch lit a circle around him. "Just cause your parent's don't let you out often doesn't mean everything is dangerous"

"Caves are dangerous though" Comet replied. "the mobs that live in them are more than happy to kill you. Actually, they'll go out of their way to do that" he grinned.

"Stop it Comet" Jessica said. Comet grinned. 

"I heard Zombies roam in packs" Comet continued. "And they'll just tear you to pieces. Skeletons? They'll shoot you with so many arrows you'll be a pin cushion" 

"Stop Comet" Jessica said, more forcefully. Max's eyes went wide. 

Comet continued as he walked backward. "And then there's creepers. Oh, those guys are nasty. They sneak up on you, with no warning. At least you can hear a zombie's groans and a skeleton's clinking bones. With a creeper, you don't know they're there until it's to late and you hear it's hissing. Then, there's just a crater where you used to be" 

Tim snuck up silently behind him, and grinned. He started hissing quietly. Comet jumped three feet and let out a less than manly scream. 

"I told you to stop" Jessica smirked. She walked past with Max, and patted Comet on the cheek. He only glared, reluctant to follow yet not wanting to leave the torchlight. 

"The one's we really need to watch out for though are endermen" Jasper said. "Those things will really mess you up if you look them in their eyes"

"I heard they could eat you whole" Tim added in a monotone voice. The others stopped and stared at him as he continued into the darkness. 

They continued through the cave, walking deeper and deeper into it. Jasper left a trail of torches, to help them find their way out again. The cave was eerily silent, and the group didn't see any mobs as they went. 

"This is so weird" Jasper muttered. He held his crossbow close to him, an arrow already notched in it. "Where are all the mobs?"

Comet shrugged. "Maybe they're not awake yet"

"They're nocturnal" Jasper said. 

"Oh" Replied Comet "Well maybe they fell asleep then" 

Jasper rolled his eyes and continued on.

Max looked around worried. The further they went, the closer he felt they were getting to something. It felt like a ripple of electricity pulsing through him, getting stronger as they went. He didn't like it. 

Eventually they stopped. Ahead of them was a cave in. Rock and gravel were piled up on each other almost all the way to the ceiling. 

"Alright, I think it's time we start digging" Jasper said. 

He set his pack down, and pulled out two full sized pick axes. The others joined in and as one they started chipping away at the stone, working their way down to create an opening.

Tim was the first to break through. His pick dropped to the ground with a clatter. 

"Guys" He said, "Come see this" 

Max stood back at the bottom of the now smaller rock pile. He knew what was on the other side already. The others stood at the top, and stared down at the other side. Their mouths hung open in awe. 

"It's- It's a-" Jasper stuttered.

"It's a nether portal" Jessica finished. Slowly, she walked down toward it. "Tim, hand me your lighter" She said. Tim fished it from his pocket, and threw it down to her.

Max hurried up the pile and slid down the other side. "Jessica d-" He started, but he was too late. She walked toward the towering obsidian frame, and held the small flicker of fire to the stone. 

With a rush, the portal opened. Max felt his heart sink into his stomach. He had a bad feeling about this.