The elevator ride took longer than he had anticipated, long enough for his ears to pop four times as they descended and his breathing became ever more labored. Steam hissed by in pipes as they were slowly lowered down into the cave system and the cat began to have a growing sense of claustrophobia the deeper into the ground they went.
He adjusted his collar to make it easier to breathe, “Where are we going?”
“You really didn’t come up this way did you?” Finn asked, sounding curious. “We’re going see the dwarves.”
“Dwarves?” Arnold asked uncomfortably. He had met several different kinds of people who might be called dwarves…but he was hoping it wasn’t whatever Canergak was…if that man even was a dwarf.
The descent came to an abrupt end when they hit the floor and the door popped open roughly. There was the rough sound of boots hitting a metal flooring and it was apparent that several heavy men had entered.
“What happened? Were there other dangers we didn’t take into account?” He paused for a moment and then asked, “And what is this…thing?”
“Whatever it is, everyone should step away,” said another one sounding on edge. “It is not a mundane creature.” Several of the rough men shifted as if getting ready and Arnold extended his claws reflexively while his new protectors tried to calm the situation down.
***
“Don’t tell me they were just like that creepy old man?!” Dr. Maddox shouted from her chair.
“There were differences,” Arnold replied softly. “Minor differences. They demanded I be imprisoned for everyone’s safety.”
dwarves are good for one thing, tossing!