After explaining to Cyril where they were going, and making sure that Cloud was in good hands, Eden and Petra ventured out to the mountain...where Verona was most likely lying in wait. They quickly sprinted down the two tunnels in silence, focusing on their objective so they could be ready to give the scaly brute living down below what for. Eden skidded to a halt, and opened her mouth to taste the air...right before gagging horribly. "Let me guess," Petra said, "Verona's in there?" Eden nodded, and wiped a tear from her eye. "Uh huh, and I think the Helldogs are too. Remember, all our enemies smell like horse crap." She said. Petra gave a nod, and the two crept out into Verona's mossy lair. It was eerily quiet, despite the sound of their footsteps. It only made them slightly nervous, due to the thought of an incoming jumpscare...but they tried their best to look as intimidating as they could. "Where is he? I thought you could smell him." Petra said. "The nose does not lie, Petra...I know he's here." Eden said. "Verona! We know you're in here, so come out and show us your disgusting face." They suddenly heard a swoosh, and a shadow flew over their heads...directing their attention to a large shape on the other side of the lair. "As you wish...little tigress." Eden and Petra stepped closer to where the voice was coming from, and immediately recognized the green-scaled devil himself. "I thought you would never show up," he said, "but then I remembered that you've been known for trying too hard. And I assure you that this time, no matter what you do...you will not succeed." Eden gave a sinister growl, as her and Petra pulled out their swords...already preparing to fight. "My question is...why are you alive?" Eden asked. "Eden's swords are the most lethal weapon in existence, nothing should be able to survive a stab...let alone a poke from those." Petra added. "I thought I told you, that black star of yours did just the trick." Verona said. "Yeah, but you were dead! It's not like you could just get up and go get it!" Petra said, as the large dragon chuckled. "Precisely. I owe my life to the one who took the time to bring me back...but I have no desire of telling you who he is, as he is now a welcomed member of my army. Speaking of which, I suggest you leave me to my work..." he snapped his fingers, "...or the choice of whether you live or die will be determined by how well you fight." The sounds of chuckling and subtle barking could be heard, and out of the darkness and nooks and crannies of the lair...came the now more powerful Helldogs. They started to surround Eden and Petra, making them back up against the wall. "Oh, right." Verona said. "You must be wondering about the Helldogs' return, I forgot to mention that this new member of my army...offered to bring back another important person." Upon hearing that, Eden sniffed the air again...and forced herself to hold back a gag, as she had recognized a scent that she was hoping to never smell again. Putting her swords back in their holsters, Eden dropped down on all fours and unsheathed her claws...every hair on her pelt sticking up as she growled menacingly. "Eden? What's the matter?" Petra asked. "Grrrr...get ready, Petra." Eden snarled. "One of our worst enemies is alive." There was a short moment of silence, and out of the crowd of Helldogs...came the pack's leader himself. "Alpha Scorchclaw..." Eden said through gritted teeth. "Greetings...Eden, Petra. Didn't think I'd see you again." Scorchclaw said, with a smile stretched across his face. The two both narrowed their eyes, and didn't say another word...letting their anger take over their emotions. In fact, if it were to be nighttime...Petra probably would have transformed into a werewolf. "Look familiar?" Scorchclaw asked. "Just like the first time my pack battled you. But this time, there's two of you...and many of us."
"That's right, girls. You're outnumbered." Verona continued. "With no escape, your decisions are limited." Scorchclaw stepped forward, and stuck his nose in Eden's face. "So, little tigress...what will you do?" The silence in between the question was rather spooky, but Scorchclaw waited patiently for an answer. But then Eden stamped her paw real hard, and let out a massive roar that nearly shook the entire mountain...right before pouncing on Scorchclaw out of sheer anger. Petra gave a battle cry, and shortly joined her partner in battle...and the silence was immediately overwhelmed with sounds of commotion. "Looks like that's my cue." Verona said. He flew out a tunnel in the ceiling, and left Eden and Petra to their business. Eden and Scorchclaw were, of course, at each other's throats...chomping and clawing at any vulnerable flesh. Eden gave a swipe, and raked her claws across the alpha's chest before tackling him and sinking her teeth into his neck. He let out a loud whine, feeling the same intense pain that he felt when Eden first killed him. "Agh! Help me!" He shouted. With that, many pack members rushed in to help their alpha. One of the dogs grabbed Eden's arm and pulled her off him, before a few more pounced on her to pin her down. Petra quickly noticed this, and tried to rush in and help...but was also shortly dog piled by a few of the pack. "Hehehe...well, well, well." Scorchclaw said, pulling himself up off the ground. "Look what you girls got yourselves into. And to make things worse, these dogs aren't going to be the ones finishing you off...my loyal deputy will be." Eden grimaced in pain, feeling one of the dogs increase their grip on her arm...but she managed to force a devious a devious smile on her face. "Unfortunately for you, Scorchclaw, while you were dead...your deputy decided to no longer be loyal to you." She said. Scorchclaw tilted his head in confusion. "What are you—"
"Arrrrrgh!!!!" The alpha was suddenly tackled by one of his own, who Eden and Petra immediately recognized...as Roscoe. He had caused the others to let go of the girls due to surprise, and they scrambled to their feet. "Let them go, Scorchclaw!" Roscoe barked. "That's Alpha Scorchclaw to you!" Scorchclaw barked in return. "Grrr...you've never been my alpha!" Roscoe shouted. "After everything you've done?!?! And it was all to make my life miserable! You killed my mother...AND MY FATHER!!!!"
"Well, I'm sorry to say, Roscoe...your father challenged me, pure and simple. Your mother, on the other hand...was nothing but a little weakling. Saying she didn't believe in all the violence and destruction...I made you deputy because I thought her death would toughen you up. But I guess I was wrong, you grew up to be just like her. Weak! A scared little mutt!" Roscoe flattened his ears, and snarled ferociously at his former alpha's comments. "I'll show you weak! GRAAAAHHH!!!!!" He tackled Scorchclaw, and the two were soon fighting in a thrashing whirlwind of teeth and claws. "Don't just stand there!" Scorchclaw shouted to his pack. "Make sure the girls don't escape!" The pack turned to Eden and Petra, eyeing them with pure hatred...as they pondered on what they should do. "Okay, what now? You're hurt." Petra said. Eden glanced at her arm, in which was bleeding from the wound left by the earlier Helldog. "Just because I'm hurt doesn't mean I don't have a plan." Eden said, giving Petra a reassuring smile. "Follow me!" She sped off to run around the lair with Petra and the entire pack following shortly behind. During this, Petra kept giving Eden confused glances...and she returned them with a look that said 'it'll be fine'. Then, Petra soon noticed that the more Eden ran...she left a trail of some sticky black ooze. Eventually a drop of the ooze formed into a blocky tentacle, and socked one of the dogs right in the face...causing the rest of them to stop rather abruptly. "What? What is this?" Asked one of the dogs, as he poked at the goo. Then suddenly, all the goo left behind by Eden combined into one big puddle and started to rise and form a shape...in which Petra immediately recognized. That's right, it was the blocky, most powerful living pathogen himself...Wither Sickness. "Hahaha! It feels good to be out in the open again!" He said, stretching out his tentacles. "Whaddaya say, Petra, you miss me?"
"No, never." Petra replied, hastily. "Wither Sickness, can you do me a favor, and lend us a hand...or tentacle?" Eden asked, as the pathogen gave a sinister chuckle. "With pleasure, your majesty! YAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!" He sprung up into the air and flung his tentacles in the face of any Helldog that stood in his way, as Eden and Petra fought their way through as well. Eden kicked, punched, clawed, and bit all of her opponents to make sure they stayed down...and wouldn't get in her way as she raced down to help Roscoe. "Eden! Stay back, I got this!" He shouted to her. "Oh, do you, Roscoe?!" Scorchclaw growled, as he continued to wrestle with his former deputy. "No, I'm not letting this mutt you used to call leader beat you!" Eden said. Before she could jump in to help, Eden heard the barking of the rest of the pack...signaling to her that every one that her, Petra, and Wither Sickness had plowed through was back up and ready to fight again. "There's too many of them!" Petra said. Roscoe quickly tossed Scorchclaw away. "You guys go, I'll hold them off!" He said, right before Scorchclaw tackled him again. "Go! Hurry!"
"We're not leaving without you, Roscoe!" Eden said. "Oh, yes we are!" Wither Sickness piped up, grabbing her and Petra. "Time to hit the road, ladies!" With that, the blocky pathogen flew up in the air and out of the same tunnel that Verona exited through...leaving Roscoe to fight off the rest of his former pack on his own.

Five minutes later...

After a few minutes, Wither Sickness came up out of the tunnel and back on the surface and put Eden and Petra down...all of them feeling tired and out of breath. "Now what was that all about?!" Eden said to her minion. "We could've taken them, no problem."
"No, you couldn't." Wither Sickness stated with the most stern look he's ever made. "Two against twenty-five? There's no way I'm letting that happen." Petra nodded in agreement. "I hate to admit it, but Wither Sickness is right. You're hurt pretty bad already, Eden...I don't think we would've been very successful down there." She said. "It's not that bad...but what about Roscoe? If we can't take on the pack alone, what makes you think he can?" Eden asked. "Listen, Verona said that the person who brought himself and Scorchclaw back to life was apart of his army, right?" Wither Sickness asked, as Eden and Petra nodded. "So the Helldogs need to know something about it, that's why I'm gonna sneak back down and try to listen in on any conversations they have. And before I come back up, I'll grab Roscoe and bring him back to you guys. Does that sound good?" Eden took a short moment to think about it, and soon gave the pathogen a nod of approval. "Okay...I trust you, Wither Sickness. But please don't screw anything up." She said. "C'mon, Eden, I'm your minion! It's my job to please you!" Wither Sickness said. Eden chuckled, and flashed him a smile as he briefly flexed his tentacles. "Go ahead and head back to the village, I'll see you there soon." He said. "Stay safe, I guess..." Petra said, as Wither Sickness nodded. "And you too." With that, he shrunk back down into a liquid and slinked back down the tunnel to the lair...as Eden and Petra started to make their way back to the village with hopes high.