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They closed the distance between them and the opening very quickly. She could hear the beast behind them, feel it's hot breath and foul stench invading her nostrils. They'd made it into the small space just in time. The creature reached it's long clawed arm in after them, grasping at the air. It cried out in fury and frustration that they'd gotten away. The two Phelis didn't stop moving, crawling towards the back of the opening. The only light was the soft glow coming from deeper within. It looked as if the glow was coming from a pool of water at the back wall. Pixie stepped up to the edge of the water and peered in. It was so clear and shimmered with the glowing light. "It looks like we're going swimming," she said, eyeing the water nervously. "I think there's a portal under the water." She looked over to him. "I hope you can swim."

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"I'm not thrilled about it either," she snapped. "It's either that or back out there with Mr. I Want To Eat Your Face." She followed his gaze. "What are you looking for?!" Her voice was shaky, scared. She was starting to get a little panicky because what if he was right? What if it wasn't water, wasn't safe? Then what would they do. She'd led them in here with no way out now.

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"Well yeah, of course he wants to eat more than our face- that's not the point." She swished her tail frantically. "Ok, let's see if the water is safe." She stepped up next to him, watching, waiting for something or nothing to happen.

Mr. Eat-Your-Face was still outside the hole. They could hear his growling and scrabbling as he wasn't giving up trying to get to them. Dirt and small pebbles fell and dust blew towards them as his breath stirred it up. He was trying to make the opening bigger. Pixie looked back at the entrance to see him, his eyes glinting in the purple glow. He was only able to get one arm through the hole, and peer one eye through the gap. He was big, VERY big. He could probably eat them in one bite with those sharp teeth or tear them apart with those nasty claws. "Hurry," she whispered to him.

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She watched him as he let the stick go and then watched stick as it fell. It looked safe. It seemed to disappear into the purple light. There was no way to know for sure if it was a portal or just a glowing rock but she had to have faith in the celestial that they had somehow found a way back. This place, wherever it was, was not safe for them.

The ground shook as the creature outside was now charging and ramming its shoulder against the opening trying to make it bigger so he could get to them. "I think we've ran out of time to decide. We gotta go." She said as she put her paw in the water. It was freezing. She cringed and gritted her teeth. "See you on the other side, I hope." With one last look behind her at the scrabbling claws of the creature, her eyes met with Kairos's. "Big big breath and don't stop swimming. We go together like before. You count this time. " She stepped closer to him, her shoulder against his.

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Just as the word exited his mouth, Pixie felt the walls of the small cave shuddering and dirt and pebbles showered down on her. The beasts claws raked through the air, inches from her tail. She turned to swipe, her own sharp claws connecting with the flesh of the beast's hand. It didn't deter it for long. It gave her a tiny second she needed to dive into the water, barely catching a gulp of air. Her mind racing she looked up and saw the claws reaching over the edge of the pool. Blood dripped into the water, clouding the view. She quickly turned and swam, pushing as hard as she could with her legs towards the bottom. She caught sight of Kairos just before he reached the purple glow and then he was gone.

She was right. She almost opened her mouth to scream in victory but caught herself, and quickly followed behind him.

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A moment later, she tumbled into the alley from where they had left. Kairos was calling for her and walking in circles looking for her. She had somehow ended up in a dumpster, trash and rotting food all over and around her. She groaned loudly. "Ohhh, yuck." She lifted her paw where a nasty brown liquid now stained her fur. "I don't know what's worse. This or that hell-scape we just escaped."

She stood in the dumpster, trying to keep her balance. "In here!" she called, hoping he had heard her. "A little help please?" She was wet, cold, annoyed and now smelly, but most of all relieved to have gotten out of that awful place. She waited a moment to see if he'd heard her.

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She could barely hear him, but heard his question. "Dumpster!" she yelled. She moved around and tried to get to the edge and raised up on her back legs, front paws stretched upwards. She might be able to jump and reach the top but unsure, she decided to wait. She kicked her back foot against the wall of the dumpster to make noise. "Over here!" she called.

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She looked up at him, glad to see him. "Oh thank the Celestial." she whispered. "I can't get a good enough footing to jump," she called to him. "See if you can find a board, or a crate or something to stand on." She remembered there had been some crates near the back door of a nearby shop. "Maybe try the shops." She looked around inside the dumpster to see what might be useful in there. Nothing but lumpy trash bags and rotting food. A large rat ran out from under one of the bags and caused her to jump. "Hurry!" she called.

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