Chapter 6

Cross' P.O.V

The moon shone down dimly on the survivor camp. The occasional flashlight strapped to a pole was the only thing lighting the way. With me, I carried a bag full of food. I headed towards the river, looking around to make sure nobody was watching me, then crossed to the other side and ran into the forest area. Ever since King took over, this place has felt more like a prison then a home. The majority of us had to hide out here in the forest due to King recognising us.

I reached a certain tree, one with the letters 's' and 'm' carved into the bark. Sage and Moon had made a pretty good hiding spot for themselves, but they were never smart about getting there. They led Lucid there constantly without even realising it. Now, their hiding spot had become our hiding spot.

I swung the bag over my shoulder and climbed up the tree, into the well made room that couldn't be seen from below. A treehouse. Inside the treehouse, five people were crammed in the small room. There was Nightmare and his partner, Killer, who sat cuddled up in a corner. Asy was there, simply because we were sure he would either be mistaken for a child, or he would be thrown out for his broken mind. Then there was Error and Ink. Ink was laying in Error's arms with a cozy blanket wrapped around him. He seemed to be asleep. As well as the five skeletons there was an old German Shepard, who played next to Ink and Error fast asleep. The dog I gave Dream around the time he was pregnant with Lucid, Davian.

"Hi, Mr Cross!" Asy chirped.

"How come he's called by his regular name?" Nightmare asked.

"Because I can't think of anything else to call him, Mr Octopus man!"

I had to hold back a laugh.

"Have you got food?" Error asked.

I nodded. Error nodded back and gently shook Ink awake.

"Inky, food's here."

Ink's eye sockets fluttered open. I coughed into his blanket. "Hey Cross..."

My smile faded into a look of concern. I took a piece of fruit out of my bag and passed it to Ink. Ink thanked me and bit into the fruit's flesh.

"Have you got apples?" Asy asked, looking hopeful.

"Yes, yes I do." I took an apple out of my bag and handed it to Asy.

Asy practically ate the thing whole, but he looked as happy as he always did.

"Everything's turned to shit." Nightmare said.

"Careful, there are children here." I pointed at Asy, who giggled because he knew I was talking about him.

Nightmare rolled his eye lights. "We should be doing something about King before he starts killing people."

"He's too strong. We could barely even get through his magic." Error said. Then he looked down at Ink. "But...I do need to get medicine from Sci."

Ink coughed again, his grip falling loose on his piece of fruit. Error took the fruit and tried helping Ink eat, but he refused.

"Ink, you need to eat this." Error said.

Ink shook his head. "I'm not hungry..."

I went and sat down next to Davian. I shook him gently and he woke up, looking up at me as if expecting a command. I took a nice chunk of meat out of a plastic bag, which was in my bag. A bag in a bag.

"Sit up." I said.

Davian obeyed and got to a sitting position. I held my hand out.

"Shake."

And he put his paw in my hand. I smiled and passed the meat to him, which he gobbled up quickly. He then put his head on my lap and I began petting him softly. He purred lowly.

"Adorable. Another Buddy." Nightmare scowled.

I glared at Nightmare. "Don't even. Don't even think about it."

"Oh, I wouldn't. But only because he belongs to my brother."

"Really now. I honestly thought you were heartless."

"No fighting! Fighting's bad!" Asy said.

Nightmare frowned. "Stay out of this you insane freak."

Asy's posture faltered. "I'm not insane..."

I growled. "Apologise, Nightmare."

"Why should I?"

"Will you two stop fighting for five minutes!" Error yelled. "Honestly, I thought we had this all sorted out nineteen years ago!"

Nightmare huffed, turning his attention to his sleeping lover. I glared at him for a few moments, only stopping when Davian whimpered softly.

"It's OK, good boy." I whispered, petting him again.

For a few minutes, the only sounds that could be heard were Killer's snoring and the occasional cough from Ink. But that silence was cut short by an unfamiliar voice.

"Wow, you guys don't seem nearly as well coordinated as what FC said."

We all looked at the unfamiliar figure. He was a skeleton who looked about eighteen. His eye lights were the shapes of golden stars and he had a paint splatter on one cheekbone.

"Who are you? How did you find us?" I asked.

"How long were you standing there and how'd you get in without us knowing?" Error added.

"M'name's Palette." answered the stranger. "I found you 'cause I followed the sound of laughing and arguing and the light up here sticks out like a sore thumb."

Nightmare and I exchanged looks.

"I've been here, hm, maybe five minutes? And I was unnoticed 'cause I'm super stealthy!"

Asy examined Palette. "OK, 'Palette', if that really is your name."

"It is."

"OK. Just wanted to clarify, I really like your name!"

"Thanks, bud!"

Nightmare jumped to his feet and walked right up to Palette, his tentacles raised and ready to attack. Palette was intimidated by the suddenness of it, but he stood his ground.

"What the hell do you want?" Nightmare asked. "I don't lie. I know when someone's lying."

Palette raised his hands. "Bud, I'm not the enemy! I work with-"

Nightmare growled and shoved Palette out the door and down the tree. Palette's cry of surprise was cut short, I thought he died hitting the ground.

"Nightmare! You didn't even give him a chance!" I yelled.

"He just really pissed me off."

"Cross!" called a voice from the foot of the tree.

I peeked out the tree and saw Dream holding a very shaken Palette. Lucky, he wasn't at all injured.

"Hey Dreamy." I said. "Thanks for catching the kid."

"You're welcome."

Dream climbed up the tree, Palette followed close behind but hid from Nightmare when he reached the top.

"So Nightmare, care to explain why kids are falling from trees?" Dream asked.

Nightmare grumbled something, crossing his arms stubbornly. Dream sighed and sat down next to me. I held his hand and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"So Palette, could you please repeat what you were going to say before Nightmare threw you down the tree?" I asked.

"I was going to say that I'm a friend and I work for FC." Palette answered.

Nightmare suddenly went silent, which was a miracle.

"You work for FC? How is she?" Dream asked.

"She's fine. I think she's going to bring all your kids back. But before they can get anywhere near here, we need to get King off his throne." Palette sighed. "So far, it hasn't been very successful. I can't even get inside."

"Did you come here alone?"

"Yep. Just me. None of the others are as sneaky as I am, so I was the only one who could get inside the wall undetected." Palette smiled. "But that shouldn't be much of a problem now! I heard all about you guys and how you helped FC get here! Surely you should be able to help me, right?"

I looked down. "Sorry, kiddo. None of us can get anywhere near King. We're too recognisable."

"Oh..."

Palette huffed and hugged his legs. "Great, I'm going to let FC down..."

"That's not necessarily true." Dream said. "King doesn't know our children. Lucid and Goth were old enough to be left here and they have access to that area. Perhaps they can help us."

Palette brightened up. "Really? That's fantastic!"

Someone called from down below. "Hey! You guys up there?"

"Speak of the devil." Error called back. "Yeah, come up!"

"OK!"

That was followed by the sound of rustling leaves, then someone poked their head through the door. It was Goth.

"Who's this?" he asked.

"This is Palette. He's been sent by FC to, lets say, dethrone King." I explained.

"I, uh, that's right!" Palette confirmed.

Strangely, Palette suddenly seemed nervous. There was a light yellow and green blush on his cheekbones.

"I see." Goth smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Palette. My name's Goth."

"I like that name!"

"Uh...thanks."

"Hey Goth. Do you think you can get a complete map of the different levels of the wall? Including King's room." I asked.

"Of course. I should be able to get that by tomorrow night."

We were interrupted by Ink entering a coughing fit. Error hugged him a little tighter and looked as worried as ever. He gently pat Ink's back until his coughing died down, but Ink's hand showed specks of blood and bone marrow.

Error sighed. "If I don't get his medicine from Sci, this sickness is going to become fatal very soon."

Ink whimpered quietly, clinging on to Error with the little strength he had.

"Where is this 'Sci'?" Palette asked.

"He's been confined to his lab and is being forced to do experiments for King." Nightmare said. "The guards at his door won't let anyone close."

"I think I might have a way of getting in!"

"And what exactly are you going to do?"

Palette smiled an over-confident smirk. "I'm going to be super sneaky."