Rain's fur was prickling, the flame-ridden air was making him sweat. He took deep breaths, sucking in and out in the dark, mulling over his predicament. He was blocked by the rocks that the female Dragon-Earth rat had knocked away and lodged into the exit. The only exit, he thought, panicking. Would he die in here, all alone? No, don't think about that, he told himself sternly, like it would help. Of course it didn't.
After a little while, he told himself to man up, or rat up, in this case. He stretched his wings out, his wingspan was over 10 feet, and he felt the stone walls with the tips. He pulled a wing around gingerly to feel the top, and came to a conclusion. It was a soft-rock cave, made of dirt and occasionally rocks. He could tunnel out.
Scoop, push, scoop, push, he said to himself, scooping up dirt with one paw and then pushing his body through the small hole it created. Continuing this process for about five minutes made a large enough hole for him to wiggle through. When he managed to, the free plain was a welcoming sight
It allowed him to see what this new world was really like. A burned and charred path, cut through brown grass that was wilting, lead up to a shimmering blue castle somewhere in the distance. He knew enough geography to know he was standing in what was known as the Hellhole, where the Flame Rats lived.
"A group of evil Flame Rats known as the Ignei live in the hottest part of the Hellhole." he said to himself in a whisper, as if to refresh his mind. Flame Rats were by nature evil, and usually, if even a rat of another species joined them, their former powers were eradicated and given the flame power.
I need to get out of here, he thought, and started to run the charred path. He could see the Earth-Dragon rat's paw prints easily, and he followed them gingerly. His paws were burning as he galloped up it.
"Yo!" said the girl rat he had seen earlier. "You got out!" She was older than him by at least a few years. She was soaring above him. Maybe his prediction about her flight feathers was wrong after all. She sneered at him with malice.
"Go away," said Rain. "I don't know where I am and I'm scared, okay?"
The girl rat had a surprised look on her face and dropped now to him. "I'm Felicity. You?"
"Rain," Rain said.
"Rain? That name was banned a long time ago. When were you born?'
"5 years ago."
"Oh, then the name was banned after you were born. Oh well. I'm a Dragon rat, like you! That's cool. I don't know too many Dragon rats. Have you started flying yet? It's really fun, it's like..." she paused, but kept talking. Rain was beginning to dislike her motormouth, but he let her keep on.
After a while, she said she had to go and she did, to Rain's relief. "Oh, uh, Felicity, wha is the big blue castle over there?"
"That's the Cataracta castle! The Mermaid rats live there. You can go there for directions, Mermaid rats are very friendly." Felicity said, her red pelt gleaming. "See you around, Rain! Welcome to the mainland!"
Rain nodded, and began climbing the trail up to the Cataracta.
