"This is the right room, isn't it?" Boreal asked.

Deathbringer quickly unfolded his map.

Please, please don't make me have messed this up. He begged internally, while doing his best to maintain a cool, none concerned look on his face.

"It should be." He said. 

"You messed up didn't you?" Boreal glared at him.

"Well if I did it's because of this stupid map, which you found. So no. You messed up."

"That's rich. You're a NightWing. You should have used your "awesome" powers to see into the future."

"If I could do that I wouldn't even be in this castle in the first place. Anyway, I didn't mess up, we're in the right room. See that mat over there? There should be a trap door leading down into the dungeons."

"How do you know that?"

"Aphrodite did some snooping for me and- What?"

The IceWing was eyeing him. "Are you getting all romantic with her?" He asked suspiciously.

"Excuse me?"

"Well it's just that you two seem kind of interested in each other."

"You must be blind as well as stupid." Deathbringer said. "The only reason she's involved with us is so she can get us the keys. Besides, I'm in love with someone else."

"Yeah?"

"Are you in love with her?" Deathbringer asked.

Boreal's eyes widened briefly, then narrowed.

"It's just because you seem kind of interested in my relationship with her. Are you sure you aren't jealous?" Deathbringer did his best to hide his grin.

The IceWings's chest swelled rapidly.

"I would no more fall for a woman like her than I would for a thieving fox like you!"

Deathbringer stared at him. "Why on earth would you fall for me?" He asked.

Boreal seemed to realize what he's said and rapidly checked himself, letting out a breath and shaking his head. "Whatever. She's just not my type."

"What is your type then?" Deathbringer asked.

Boreal looked away. "Not her, that's what."

Deathbringer shrugged. "Fair enough. Shall we go then?"

"We might as well."

The two walked over to a large square of carpet near one corner of the room.

The room itself was not that large. It had a bed, a desk, a book shelf, and a chest. Not much to look at.

They pulled aside the carpet, and stood for a moment, looking at the trapdoor underneath.

"This seems like a trap." Said Boreal in a tight voice. "Do you think it's a trap?"

"I don't know," Deathbringer admitted. "But we're never going to find out if we don't see for ourselves."

He reached down and dug his fingernails into crack separating the door from the floor and hefted it open.

The moment that the first few pricks of light feel into the dark area, there was the sound of hundreds of tiny feet hurrying within.

"Yuck. This place is full of mice- hey, what are you doing all the way over there?" Boreal turned to face Deathbringer who now stood in the corner farthest away from the trap door.

"My god, you're scared of mice aren't you?"

"No." Deathbringer hissed through clenched teeth. "I just don't like them."

Boreal's hand snapped inside and then pulled out, a wiggling mouse dangling from his fingers.

He approached Deathbringer with a manic grin on his face.

"Don't you dare," Deathbringer said, trying to hide the frantic note in his voice.

"Keep it away from me! Take one step closer and I will cut off your hands and make you eat them!"

Boreal stopped and doubled over with delighted laughter.

"This is amazing," he choked out. 

"The amazing NightWing assassin is scared of mice! It would be worth eating my hands if I could see your reaction after stuffing this thing down your shirt!"

"If you don't give a damn about your life then by all means give it a try."

What might have resulted if at that very moment the sound of three pairs of feet hadn't been heard is not something of which would be best to describe.

The two men froze and waited.

Luckily the footsteps began to fade and it soon became clear that they we're not intended for this room.

When they were completely gone, Deathbringer nodded to Boreal and they both crept back to the trap door.

Deathbringer had to steel himself and shuddered as he heard once again the flurrying sound of hundreds of tiny feet, but soon they were both inside.

When the door was closed, it was pitch black.

They had to feel their way alongside the walls.

How long had it been? 

Deathbringer couldn't help but wonder after what seemed like hours of endless darkness and cold stone walls.

A strange yet altogether familiar feeling of terrified elation shot through his body.

Only now did it finally sink in.

They were leaving.

He would see her again.

With these thoughts to spur him on, he picked up his pace, careful not to trip and make a fool of himself.

Suddenly the passage ended and Deathbringer was pressed against something hard.

He pushed down his feeling of panic that was aroused by the sudden possibility of being trapped, and pushed against the strange thing blocking his way.

"Why have we stopped?" Boreal's voice was loud in his ear.

"There's something blocking the way. Here, help me push it."

There was an awkward sound of shuffling as Boreal felt his way over to Deathbringer's other side.

Together they pushed against the object, and in one surprisingly clean motion, it fell away.

A blast of fresh air hit them and they just stood and breathed for a moment.

Then shapes began to become clear in the dark.

Cages.

They had reached the dungeons.

"We did it." Deathbringer said, relieved, though he knew they were far from safe.

"Did you have any doubts?" Boreal asked.

"Er . . . no."

"There you guys are, I was starting to get worried."

Boreal gave a surprised yelp and Deathbringer jumped backwards as a new voice reached them.

"It's me, Aphrodite."

They relaxed.

"Here," She held out a lantern, which illuminated their surroundings.

"Thanks. Boreal, do you know where this person we want to rescue is?' Deathbringer asked the IceWing, who frowned in thought.

"I recognize this fellow over here," He said pointing at a sad looking SkyWing to their left.

"So somewhere to the East."

"Are we going to split up?" Aphrodite whispered.

"No way. Once we find this person we'll want to find our way out as soon as possible. You lead the way Boreal."

They walked around, peering into cages for once again, a seemingly endless time before Boreal gave a cry and lunged towards one of the cages.

Inside was a very thin, very sick looking IceWing.

Boreal clutched at the bars of the cage.

"Frost Bite!" he called.

The IceWing slowly opened his eyes.

He looked confused for a moment, then he gasped and crawled over to where his friend stood.

He climbed shakily to his feet and reached his pale hands through the bars to grasp Boreal's.

"Boreal?" He rasped.

"It's me. I'm getting you out of here!"

"I can't believe it-"

Boreal grabbed the other mans face in his hands and brought his mouth up.

Then they kissed.

Deathbringer stared at them for a moment in a state of complete and utter bewilderment before he realized what was happening.

Oh.

Aphrodite gawked at them, and Deathbringer could see that she was about to say something.

He clamped his hand over her mouth and shook his head wordlessly to signal her to remain silent.

They let the two share an intimate moment.

Then Boreal pulled away and faced Deathbringer with a strangely beautiful fire in his eyes. They burned bright and blue and for the first time, they looked alive.

"Do you have something you want to say?" He challenged.

"No." Deathbringer answered. They stared at each other, and though no words were shared, they both knew what the other wanted to say.

Their eyes said "I respect you."