Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane (Underland Chronicles, #2)

by Suzanne Collins

“Hey, Temp,” Gregor said to the cockroach. “Next time, do you think you could tell me before you run off with Boots? You freaked me out.” “Hates us, the Overlander, hates us?” asked Temp. Oh, great, now he’d hurt the roach’s feelings. They were so thin-skinned. Well, thin-shelled.

Solovet crossed to the rats, signaling Ares to land as she went. She surveyed the invaders stonily. “I have just sent eleven of my ranks to the hospital.” “Oh, I barely scratched them. I was just giving them a little live rat practice, and I think we both have to admit they need it,” Ripred said with a significant nod.

Nobody made him feel safer than Ripred…when he wasn’t wondering if the big rat would kill him.

“Fo-Fo, too loud!” she said, tugging on one of his wings. “Shh, Fo-Fo!” “Fo-Fo? Fo-Fo? I am he called Photos Glow-Glow and will answer to no other name!” said Photos Glow-Glow.

“I let you go off for one day, and look at the trouble you get into,” Luxa said. “I bet I know somebody else who’s in trouble,” Gregor croaked with a smile.

“I cannot go back,” Luxa said with satisfaction. “It is too far now, and Aurora and I would most surely perish in the deep.” “Yes, you timed that nicely,” said Mareth. “I know,” said Luxa.

“Shh. Too loud. You like Fo-Fo,” he heard Boots say. “It is Photos Glow-Glow!” said an offended voice in the next boat. “Oh, be quiet, Fo-Fo,” said Twitchtip, and Gregor had to pretend to cough to conceal he was laughing.

Boots’s feet pattered up by Gregor’s head. She leaned over, looking upside down at him. “Hi, you!” “Hi, you,” said Gregor. “What’s going on, Boots?” “I do toes. Whew! I do bekfast. Two times,” Boots said, holding up four fingers. She squatted down and pressed her nose into his forehead so their eyes were blinking at each other upside down. “I see you,” she said. “I see you, too,” said Gregor. “Bye,” Boots said, and trotted off to the other end of the boat.

But she knew, anyway. “Ripred was right about you. He said I couldn’t judge you like I would other humans.” “That’s interesting. Because I think Vikus said something similar to me about Ripred,” said Gregor.

“Do you think we should try to wake him up?” asked Gregor. Luxa shook her head. “He has the rest of his life to mourn her.”

“You could not save her, Howard. None of us could,” Mareth said gently. Gregor could almost see it, the whole weight of Pandora’s death coming down on Howard, crushing him. The Underlander dropped his face into his hands and began to sob. It was heartbreaking to watch. Boots went over and patted him on the back of the neck. “Okay. You okay. You okay, baby,” she said soothingly. This was what they said to her when she was upset. Her sweetness only seemed to make Howard cry harder. Boots looked over at her brother. “Ge-go, he cry.”