"Who in the ruddy Ibal Islands are you?"
The high, squeaky voice made Rain's spine fur prickle rigidly. He leapt around, his legs tense and ready to bolt.
The storm had halted. He was on a grassy slope that stretched on for miles.
"Wait, I'm not on Ferran!" he shrieked into the scorching air. Ferran didn't have that much grass, let alone grass that went on for who knew how long. Frightened and tense and jumpy, he rounded on the grey doe. "Where am I? Who are you?"
"You're on the mainland."
"The mainland? No, no, no, no!" he cried desperately, "They'll hunt me down and kill me!"
"Wait, they'll kill you? Who are you?"
"The Council! I'm Rain, one of the rats of the prophecy! If they find me, they'll murder me because they don't want the secret getting out." Rain spat, his gaze traveling over the long glittering sea. He couldn't even see Ferran.
"What prophecy?"
"I can't tell you." Rain said quietly. His mother had said never to tell anyone.
"Just do what the prophecy says," Fever had told him calmly. But, in a low tone, she had added, "Not that you ever will."
The other rat glanced swiftly at the sky. "Almost daybreak. I got to go. Bye, creep."
Rain observed her as she left. He felt lost in this world. In Ferran, he knew every single turn, river, cliff, and mountain. Now he'd have to watch his back. His enemy would know where to hide and where to attack. He wouldn't.
"Wait up!" he called, springing after her. Only then did he realize she was a Dragon rat, but she didn't seem to have grown in all her flight feathers.
The other rat ran faster, darting into the mountains not too far ahead. Oh, crud. What if she's part Earth rat too? I could never keep up with Ash when I was training with him on Ferran! He dashed after her, but as she rounded out of a cave, she knocked a pile or rocks askew. They piled into the exit.
Rain glanced around. He was trapped.
