We know the drill by now human rat

Art of Frost by: DogInATuxedo!

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Soon after leaving the elevator, the three rats found themselves in an air duct, a pulley system above them with rows of meat hooks carrying wrapped up slabs of meat.

Frost crinkled his nose, his red eyes narrowing as he watched blood drip down from one of them as it passed by. Some of the meat smelt rancid, making his shake his head with disgust.

Patch and Trinket stood ahead of him, his (ughhh) 'cousin'... Trinket's soft plush fur a whisker length away from the runty white and black rat. "If we get on a hook, we can go where ever the meat is being taken to. I'm go first in case there's any danger."

Patch scampered to a sack of meat that had fallen off, climbing onto it. Blood made the paper gushy and wet, and Frost noticed how the male's ears went back in discomfort. Trinket followed behind him, but stopped in front of the bag.

Frost knew she hated getting dirty, whether it be just a sudden fling of dirt on her or the slightest bit of dust on her, she'd spent an unfathomable amount of time cleaning herself.

A silver hook rocked back and forth as it went down the air duct. Once it was close enough, Patch jumped and grabbed onto it, his hind paws and tail dangling below him.

"Be careful," Trinket muttered, waiting for the next hook to jump onto. Patch was carried away, leaving Frost with the small tan rat. His ears pinned back. He could easily take her out right now.

No, no... she wasn't the one he had to get rid of.

Frost walked to the nasty stepping stool, watching Trinket jump and be carried off by a hook.

He soon joined them, catching his own and followed them upwards. He clung onto the metal, the wind whistling from a large fan somewhere in the boat below them.

Frost looked below as the hook carried him throw a hole in the wall, seeing a large pile of meat sloping down. The small figures of Trinket and Patch being seen from above. Patch looked up, before flicking his tail to Trinket, as thought dismissing something.

'If he tells her, I'm not gonna have much choice in my actions."

Frost let go, falling down to the meat below, landing on the disgustingly squishy, bloody paper. His underbelly was wet and stained slightly.

"Gross," he muttered, wiping off his fur. The other two started ventured further in, Trinket seeming to be resisting the urge to just get the nasty, drying blood off of her fur.

"Come on, there's a door this way, I can see light!" she called back. Frost craned his neck to see, spotting the small light up ahead Trinket talked about.

Patch hurried after her as Frost scaled down the meaty mountain, following after them. There were a large amount of carts in the next room, cold radiating off of them as the three passed by.

They slipped under all the carts, the sound of other rats greeting their sensitive ears. Trinket slowed down, calling the other two over with a flick of her tail.

Frost crept to her side, his red eyes watching what was ahead of them. Two rats stood, both males, one a brown rat with a darker hood and a marbled silver.

"Man, I never thought they'd leave us alone-- I mean, did you see the way Wrecker threw that pot at me?" The brown rat said, his large ears pinned back as he spoke.

"I hope Big Guy comes and give us something different then the usu'," the marbled spoke, shaking out his fur.

"Yeah, same here, good food is good food though. We could come back later, come on, let's go," the first said, turning and padding off to a rat hole in the side of the room.

Frost looked over to Patch and Trinket, noticing the way the smaller rat flattened her soft fur. What was all that about? What was up ahead? After a few more minutes to make sure the coast was clear, the three crawled out from under the cart.

Patch stood up, looking around. The wall they had previously thought was a door was actually an open window. The scent of fresh food filled the air, reminding how hungry they were. They hadn't eaten anything for maybe a whole day and a half now, too busy trying to move forward and solving small puzzles.

Trinket came underneath the window, spotting another rat hole. "C'mon, this way," she whispered loudly, crawling in.

Frost let Patch followed her lead before he followed behind them, bright light filtering the room they had just entered. He had a hard time squeezing in, but made it through nevertheless. The mouth watering scent of vegetables and fruits made their stomachs growl as they looked up the towering wall of food.

Patch went over to the shelves of food, climbing up. He grabbed a carrot, tossing it to the two down below.

"Might as well eat, can't save lives on an empty stomach," he joked, taking a bite from a piece of bread he had found.

Trinket smiled, taking a bite of the carrot on one end as Patch went down ate from another side. Frost didn't eat with them, rather grabbing a small sack of seeds for himself. The three silently ate their fill, not wanting to accidentally attract whatever 'Big Guy' was.

After a few more food items now having small nibbles of food taken out of it, the three had set off, Patch taking the lead again.

Once they exited the room with the the shelves of food, the sound of something being chopped made them flinch. They slowly entered the room as quietly as they could, heads low as they were greeted with a large monster.

He was large in size, a wrinkly face and girthy hands holding a sharp meat clever. He had a weird poof of white fur on his head that stuck straight and and curled at the top like a mushroom head. Around his body was a white uniform, a section of the fur hanging around him.

His muffled breathing could be heard, the noise nasty sounding to the ears. The stench off of him was horrendous, like he hadn't had a good grooming in years.

Patch lead them under a small table not that far away, hiding under the shadows of it. The monster straighten up, walking past them to get something from a side table. Trinket's breath hitched as the thing came over to them, standing right in front of their noses.

"Gordon's gonna have my head if I don't get done, dear oh dear..." he mumbled, going back to the station. He turned suddenly, looking to the doorway on the opposite way they had come through.

"Oh, no, I forgot the stew!" He stormed off quickly, nearly jumping down a small set of stairs.

Trinket poked her head out, spotting a hole in the wall. "This way," she whispered, running to get to the entrance.

Patch and Frost hurried after, the former of the two looking out to where the monster had left. The whole room was filled with metal equipment, a large stone fire pit towards the middle of the wall.

There was too much stuff to fully take in, and they were in too much of a hurry for him to get though it all. They came through the hole, the room opening up more.

The room was filled to the brim with cooking equipment, the rats looked around for their next exit. Patch pointed toward a large gray door, barely seeing the lock on it. "There!" He whispered.

Trinket nodded to him, looking over to where the monster had gone. He made noises of distress, seemingly sad as he looked at the giant pot of vegetables and boiling water.

"Now look at yourself, Rams, you done goofed..." he mumbled, setting the pot on a stove top to keep it from scorching anymore.

He filled another large pot with what was in the first, setting it on the fire pit. The monster made a few more noises, but they couldn't really make out what it was.

"He looks sad," Trinket muttered softly, "we should help him."

"Help him? Trinket, how are we gonna help him?" Frost asked with a small hiss, looking over to her. She looked up at the ceiling, Frost's gaze following. Rafters and boards on top made a series of connecting walkways, some even right above the pot on the fire pit.

"I have an idea," she said cheerfully, turning back and going through the hole one more. Frost sighed, looking to the other rat.

"We're gonna be throwing stuff in the pot, aren't we?" Patch muttered.

"I'm not, you can if you want to," Frost said.

***

Trinket came back with as many ingredients she could carry. Parsley and basil leaves in her mouth, one arm filled with carrots and pea pods, the other carrying a very small potato. Even her tail was dragging along a small hunk of cheese.

Patch helped her and took the potato and carrots, while Trinket took the cheese and other ingredients. "How are we gonna get up there though?" Patch asked.

"I d'ink I saw a open cu'bo'd over 'dere," Trinket muffled, motioning to the the other side of the room. Patch looked over, spotting the white cupboard across from them.

With a nod, they dropped down to the floor from the table they had previously been standing on, quietly making their way to the opposite side. They slip under a prepping table to help avoid being seen.

Once out from underneath it, they carefully trekked up a small set of stairs. "Almost there," Trinket whispered, trying to keep the potato from knocking her off balance as she tried to carry it.

Once up, they looked to the other end of the connecting stairs, spotting the cabinet. Frost hid in a corner not that far, watching them with an unamused gaze.

Patch lead the way, stopping when ever they heard the sound of footsteps. Eventually, they made it to the cabinet.

"I'll climb up halfway, you pass the food up," Trinket said, placing the pea pods and leaves down so she could climb.

She jumped up, digging her claws in and pulled herself up to the top, having an over look at the kitchen. She let out a small squeak to confirm everything was okay.

She flicked her tail, signaling for Patch to go ahead and toss the ingredients up to her. He took the ingredients and began tossing it to Trinket.

They did it again for the pea pod and cheese, before being left with the small potatoe. Patch took it, heaving slightly as he lifted it up, struggling to throw it.

Eventually, all of their ingredients were up on the rafters, the two rats included also. Carefully, they rolled and carried the goods along the thin wooden boards, coming to a board right above the boiling pot of water.

"Alright, pass me the things," Trinket whispered. Patch reached, taking the carrot, passing it to her, which she promptly dropping it down into the large pot below.

He passed her the cheese, soon followed by the basil and parsley leaves being tossed below, as was the pea pods, and all that left was the potato.

Patch rested his paws on it, pushing it along the small walkways. It was heavy, too heavy for him to carry and not fall down with, so they left it near the back.

The potato carefully rolled, making its way to the end of the plank. With a final pushed, it rolled over, falling into the pot below.

It landed with a loud 'Plunk' noise into the hot water. Patch looked over, not noticing the steam coming from the pot making the boards slick underfoot. Suddenly, he let out a loud squeak as he slipped off, falling down.

"Patch!" Trinket squeaked loudly, the small white and black rat falling into the hot broth of the stew. The rat let out a loud cry of pain as the water burned him.

The scream alerted the monster, who came charging over to the pot, taking a wooden spoon and lifting the drench rat from the hot water.

"Dear, oh, dear, I'm so sorry! Are you okay, little one?"

Patch looked up, his skin still stinging from the boiling heat. His eyes met the monster's, letting out another cry, this time from surprise and fear.

"Oh, dear, oh, dear!" he muttered loudly, "it's okay, I'm not gonna bite!"

Pushing passed the pain, Patch jumped down, landing on the floor with a harsh 'thud'. The monster went to reach down to pick him up, but let out a noise of surprise as a creature jumped down from above.

Trinket jumped down from the monster's head, landing next to her companion, helping him get to his paws. The two ran to get under the prepping table, Patch wincing with each step on his tender paws.

"No, wait, please!"

The two bounded up the stairs as the monster started to give chase after him, running around to the other set of stairs and jumped onto and over a box full of wine bottles. Trinket dropping beside him, the two ducking to hide themselves.

The monster stopped before he could crash into it, looking around and between the crates.

"Please stop, you'll wake him up and then we'll all be in trouble!"

He reached over, a large fat paw an inch away. Trinket reached up and bit his paw, making him yelp in pain.

"Ow!"

"Aye! What's going on here? Why you pups messin' with Big Guy?" Patch looked up from their hiding spot, right by the box with the wine bottles.

It was the brown and marbled silver rat from earlier. The brown one glared at him, his fur bushy with anger. "Keep making so much racket and Wrecker is gonna wake up and make the rest of the day a living nightmare!"

"But he was coming after us, all we did was try to help him--"

The marbled rat spoke, stepping forward. "Big Guy ain't gonna hurt ya, he's nothin' but a big pushover."

The monster, Big Guy, rounded the table, much to the two's dread.

"Hey, Big Guy, over here!" The brown rat squeaked, waving his paw to catch his attention.

Big Guy turned at the squeaking, sighed in relief as he saw the two familiar rats. "Fluffy, Brownie, I'm so glad you're here, could you try to calm these new little guys down and get them out of the kitchen, please?"

He looked down, noticing the two rats and carefully motioned to them. He frowned and looked worried, a small whine escaping him.

The brown rat, Brownie, smiled, giving him a nod. "Can do, chief."

Big Guy smiled happily, the marbled silver, Fluffy, spoke up, squeaking loudly to get their attention, "Ayo, pups, it's okay, he isn't gonna bite."

Patch and Trinket watched with wide eyes, but slowly did as told. Frost looked out from where he had been hiding the entire time, watching them.

Trinket walked closer to them slowly, her ears pinned back with uneasiness.

"Who are you two?" She asked.

"I'm Brownie, and this is my brother, Fluffy. This here is Big Guy, the only person here that likes us."

Big Guy smiled, seeming relieved about the two rats coming out from their hiding spots. "There, safe and sound. Sorry for scaring you all. A-are these new friends?"

Brownie shook his head, before turning to the two younger rats. "Where you pups come from?"

Patch spoke up first, limping over to them. "We're from the Lower Levels. I'm Patch, and this is my friend, Trinket, and over there is her cousin, Frost."

"Lower Levels? What you kids doin' in the Midsection then? It's dangerous without an adult or guide," Fluffy said, blinking his green eyes.

"We're looking for my other cousin, Six. Have you seen a strange yellow furred rat about this tall run by?" Trinket asked, standing on her back legs as she described the other.

Brownie shook his head. "Nope. No body like that has been though here in a long time. There was this monster girl who tried to escape a few years back, but she got caught by Wrecker."

"Wrecker?" Droplet asked.

"Big Guy's brother, nasty man, likes these things called cigarettes that have a horrible smell to them. He's asleep right now. If you'd like, we could take you to the end of the Midsection," Fluffy offered.

Velvet looked reluctanted, but nodded. "Please, it would help us a lot."

"Right, let's go off then! Big Guy, could you help us out?" Fluffy asked, before running in a small circle around them.

Big Guy looked for a moment, before seeming to understand them. "You little guys want out? Sure, I can do that. I got the keys," he said, before pulling a small ring of them from his pocket, walking over go the metal door that had been locked.

The rats followed him, and with a click, the lock came undone. He pushed the door open for them. "You two take care of them, okay? When you come back I'll have some goodies made for you."

Brownie and Fluffy nodded, before motioning for the two to follow them thought the next room. Frost followed a few tail lengths away. Big Guy smiled and reached to pet the white rat, only to stop when Frost growled at him.

Past this point was the Upper Levels, where the pipes ended. They were already half way to their goal.

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Finished - Oct. 25th

Not much to say, but I hope you all liked it!

I decided to try and switch it to mostly Droplet to help give him and Splash personality, but I didn't do as good of a job as I thought.

Hope you all enjoyed!

Take care!

* Updated Jan. 1st, 2021 *

I'm on a roll, woooooo

Anyways, I don't have a lot to say, besides the fact this is nearly 3000 words. Not a lot happening here, but I think the next time we join up with Velvet and the others, I might it might be more exciting.

I hope you all enjoyed, and if you did, please don't forget to revote and comment, and I'll see you all next chapter.

Take care!

* Edited May 11th, 2021 *

Finally did the Ratitoulle (?) scene, it was fun to write.

Hope you all enjoyed!

Take care!

* Edited Sept. 30th, 2022 *