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There’s a tunnel in the basement.

Hawk took off to the basement, his instincts telling him to hurry. He didn’t bother to stop for supplies. He could make his own light, if need be.

When he reached the tunnel where he could scent his mate, he found Cullen and Corbin with him, so small and fast in their dragon forms.

The tunnel is blocked, Cullen said after zipping past him.There’s been a cave-in.

Let me try to move it! Corbin also squeezed by him, claws on the rocks, his earth energy pulsing around them.

Corbin looked back at him.I can’t.

Move out of the way.Hawk didn’t think he could shift in this tight space, but his power wasn’t dependent on his form any more than the trips’ were.

He focused on the rock, finding the heat inside it, which there always was. The fire that had created it was always still a spark in the earth. Always. Rocks exploded into shards, and he protected the other two from them with his body, half shifted and ready for anything.

More rocks are falling.He could hear Cosmo. The mental voice seemed weirdly confused and off-center.I have to take the twins. I have to run. There’s more rocks falling.

This wasn’t going to work.We have to find another answer. This isn’t going to work. I’m causing more cave-ins.

All right, we’ll go the other way. They had to have gotten in some way. You just have to go find them.Corbin nodded once, firmly.And we can get the rest of the dragons to help. The boss will help there. Their dads have to be frantic. Come on, let’s go.

Hawk followed without a question, racing behind the trips, and as he left the house, he shifted to his dragon form so he could fly after them, calling all the while to his mate.

Cosmo! We’re coming. Where are you?

I don’t know! We’re running. I’m bleeding and the twins are scared.

They flew straight into an ant hill of hysterical dragons, all calling out and searching for the lost children.

When they saw him, they roared.

He roared back, because no one was keeping him from his mate, and Cullen flitted in front of him, easing everyone back. Making it clear he was there with Cullen and Corbin, he thought.

You need to stay still as soon as you’re safe. I’m coming for you.He started examining the rocks and crags that rose sharply behind the houses for a way in.

Please. I’m a little worried. I don’t have water…

We need to gather food and water. They don’t have any.He snapped it at Corbin, who wouldn’t get his feelings hurt, and who could coordinate with the dragons already here. Then he found a place to get into the mountain and had to shrink himself to zip inside.

He ran as if the hounds of hell were after him, and he heard Cullen following and reporting back to Corbin about where they were, how far they had gone. It got tight in places, but Hawk just muscled through, following his instincts and Cosmo’s calls.

Two dragons he didn’t recognize traveled with him. They didn’t get in his way, for which he was eternally grateful, because his mate was down here, hurt, pregnant, and lost.

One of the dragons had to be the father of the twins because he could hear the panic in the roars echoing through the mountain.

The other dragon was just fast.

Large.

Focused.

Together, any boulders or obstacles they found they shoved out of the way, clearing a path.

We found it. We found the pool of light that the kids were talking about.

Good, good. I’m glad.He wasn’t sure what that meant, but it didn’t matter. Cosmo sounded happier.

What is this pool of light?