Hello Again and welcome back!! This is the 3rd part of my First story If you haven't Read part 1 or 2 to please Fallow these links
part 1 http://www.furaffinity.net/view/17039016/
Part 2 http://www.furaffinity.net/view/17052930/

Thank you so very much for reading!!

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Not long after that the sun started to set, casting dark shadows in the drifts. As it faded behind the horizon Kitty and her team got more on edge.The feeling of being watched took hold of them. Kitty brought her tail close to the ground and gripped the P90 just a bit tighter, her eyes narrowing in hopes of cutting through the dark. Cass, beside her, seemed to feel the same way. She tapped his shoulder and switched to night vision, then watched as he lowered his head and cocked it just a bit to hear better. They moved toward the old campsite left behind by SG8. The signal did not seem to get stronger but every few minutes a pulse would let out and spike for just a moment.

“Im not sure if this thing is malfunctioning or just picking up strange readings. It’ll get a spike and then it drops.” Kitty said as she used the device to slowly sweep the area from left to right. As she turned to the right another spike hit and the needle on the device shot up and held before lowering back down to 0. “Let's head this way and come around to the south side of the old camp.” They turned to the shoulder and walked a ways. It wasn't long before Cass stopped them. Kitty’s ears perked up as she heard the reason for his stop. A slight crack echoed faintly around them followed by a low groan. Kitty and Cass halted all movement and listened cautiously. After several tense minutes of holding their breath and not daring to even twitch a tail they decided to continue on. They scanned the horizon but saw nothing and no movement had caught their animal senses, so very quietly Kitty started forward once again. “Jeez, Cass, I feel like we’re being watched, and I swear I keep seeing shadows moving, but when I turn to look there is nothing there. This planet is getting to me, though I hate to admit it!” Kitty’s tail flicked in agitation as she picked up her pace at the buzz of her sensor. The energy spike was off the charts and it felt as though the air itself had stopped moving. Before she could call to Cass to come check the readings she heard another crack. It rippled bone deep with a groan that had her leaning forward to stay on her feet. Just as quickly there was nothing under her as a rumble shook the area and the snow and ice under her gave way.

Kitty screamed in surprise as she fell down through the hole in the ice. Her tail and limbs thrashed in hopes of catching something to hold onto, but all she found was empty air and snow. With nothing to hold on to she arched her back and twisted, lining up her back and arms to roll once she hit the bottom. As she slid she could see a blue glow coming from below and moving toward her quickly. Tensing herself, Kitty put her arms out and pushed herself into a roll at the bottom, coming up in a crouch. The room seemed eerily dark but a strange glow surrounded the area.

She flipped off her night vision and began taking inventory as she scanned for threats. P90 still attached on strap, bow still slung over her shoulder, arrows scattered. Kitty looked around the low hanging cave. The blue glow came from the distance, columns of snowflakes and ice hung from the ceiling. She could nearly stand but it would be tight for the others. She heard the whine of her energy sensor to the left of her and glanced at it, afraid to move too far with all the snow and ice scattered around her. The face of it glowed yellow faintly as the needle pulsed. The energy was much stronger now and she could feel it pulling at her as if it was a physical being. The power rose and fell and she noticed the blue light followed suit, also rising as falling, almost like a beacon. Carefully, she raised her arm over her head and unhooked her bow. Grasping it like it was a walking stick she poked the snow to the left of her then took a step where the bow hit solid rock. She tested again with the bow and took another step. It was a slow process but also a safe way to find stable ground over to her sensor.

Her radio crackled on her shoulder, breaking the silence. She reached up and tried the receiver, changing the frequency, but only managed to get more static. Grabbing the sensor and using her bow again she made her way back to the area she dropped into. Looking up she could see where she fell from. A 40 foot drop and she could see Cass leaning over the side. She gave a quick wave. Her radio crackled again and Cass’s voice came through, too choppy and broken to understand. She was either too deep in the ice or the energy pulse was disrupting their radios.

Kitty cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled up to Cass. “I’m good. No wounds. Get Zhai and Corin. Will need rope to get out.” The snow leopard looked around, taking in the space and area. “Have Zhai stay up there to guard with you. Send Corin down,” the cat added. Cass gave her a salute then disappeared from sight. Sitting down in the snow pile and curling her tail around her middle to help keep in some of the heat, she waited. Her eyes grew large as she watched the room begin to glow a soft blue color from the light shining at the far side of the cavern, bouncing off the ice stalactites hanging from the ceiling. Behind her was the long narrow tunnel created from her fall and the only place she could stand upright. She had to hunch down to move into the stalagmite room. About 30 feet away she could see a tunnel heading around a corner and down. The light reflected off that corner from farther down in the cave.

She felt relaxed sitting in the cool snow, and she found the cavern to be quiet and peaceful around her. Always at home in the snow, she sat and waited for her men to return while listening to the quiet, earthly hum of the planet's energy and watching as the blue light pulsed on and off. It wasn't too long before the heavy beat of wings came from high above her. The snow leopard smiled to herself and thought “He’s gonna be pissed this time.” She stood up and turned around, looking up the long tunnel to the surface.

“Kitty! Are you alright?” Zhai called, followed by the heavy foot falls of the rest of her team. One by one their shadowed bodies came into view at the edge of the tunnel.

“Yes, I’m fine. Cats land on their feet you know! I'm positive I've found the way to the source of the energy and pulse we have been feeling. I’m not altogether sure the energy and the planet’s hum are one and the same though.” She called up to the men, and glanced around again before addressing them further. “Zhai, Cass, you stay top side and keep an eye on things up there. Corin, you're with me. The cavern is small and you and I are the only ones who would fit through it. There is no telling how small the other tunnel could get.”

“Fine by me” called Cass. “Looks too cold for my skin. I’d be better up here pulling you guys back up than you trying to haul my ass back up anyway.” As he finished talking he tied one last knot in a thick rope before tossing it down the tunnel. The end he tossed down had a large noose tied into it. When it was time to pull them up they would slip it around their shoulders and under their arms so Zhai and Cass could haul them up. Glancing back up top she saw Corin slowly work his body over the side. His strong hands took hold of the rope, wrapping it around one thigh and over his foot as he slowly lowered himself down. Cass and Zhai held the rope up top. Once Corin was comfortable on his descent he started moving quicker, almost sliding down the rope. Once he was about five feet from the bottom he did a controlled release and landed on his toes. Barely a single speck of snow shifted. “Can’t beat a husky who knows his way around snow and ice.” Kitty thought.

"Check your gear. Follow in my steps so we don’t find another hole or cause an avalanche." Kitty picked up her bow once more and shouldered her pack, waiting for Corin to do the same. He tightened his pack on his shoulders and double checked his P90 making sure it was secure under his arm, leaving his hands free for any crawling or climbing. Once done he nodded to Kitty that he was ready. The cat nodded back before looking up to the rest of her team. "Radio contact is down. If you don’t hear from us in an hour wait another hour before getting concerned. We have no idea how deep this trek will go."

As Kitty turned to go Zhai called down to her in an irritated, smart ass voice. "And I’m sure your sense of direction will lead you right back here, right?" Cass snorted beside him then tossed down a second rope. "Lets leave a breadcrumb trail in case you two get lost and the two of us need to come save your furry hides"

Kitty raised her hand in a loving gesture to her mate before turning into the small cavern. Zhai was a brat, but he was also right. Half of the time right and left were all the same to her. She grabbed the rope and tied it to the pillar of ice closest to the tunnel where a stalactite and stalagmite met. At half a foot around the solid ice would have no problem holding the rope as they made their way through what could quite possibly be a labyrinth and a trap. Kitty passed the rope to Corin who took up the spot at her six. Together they made their way to the other side of the cavern to the tunnel that pulsed blue light.

Continuing to use her bow to check the firmness of the icy floor, Kitty and Corin slowly laid out the rope. After a slow trek that seemed to take longer than it actually did, they reached the tunnel on the far side of the cavern. It twisted downwards into a long hallway before turning left in a sharp arch.

“Ready for this?” Kitty asked Corin. The excitement of exploring the cave caused her pulse to race and her breath to puff out. She loved caves. The deeper they went, the more she felt attached to the worlds her team visited. An ice cave was even better.

“Oh yeah! Lets do it!!” Corin let a couple coils of the rope drop to the ground and followed Kitty as she started to walk. Pretty soon the snow gave way to pure ice. The ice felt solid under their paws, but they took it slowly going down the hall, being careful not to move too quick and slide. They reached the bottom of the hall and saw that the tunnel turned left and went up slightly then back down again in a smooth arch. The tunnel itself was perfectly round. Even the path they walked on raised up on the sides. “You know, if I didn't know any better I’d say this was an Indy trap!” Corin said in a worried voice as he glanced around.

Kitty stopped short and felt Corin bump into her tail. Turning to face him, she smoothed the hair in her tail as she asked him, “What in the hell is an Indy trap?” She flicked her tail before turning back around and starting to walk up the arch, marveling at the smooth walls around her and running her paw over the slick surface.

“You know!! Indiana jones! The scene where the large round boulder chases him through the temple. These halls feel like they were made for it!” Corin said following right behind her, his excitement making his voice rise and breath puff. He carefully dropped a few more coils of rope as they reached the top of the arch.

Kitty laughed out loud, the sound soft and relaxed. The snow leopard was happy and at peace in this strange world. If she had thought about it, she may have realized that it was a little strange considering they didn't know what was coming at the end of this tunnel or what dangers they would face, but they didn't seem to care. “I really doubt anyone set up an ‘Indy trap,’ as you call it. Doesn't look like there has been any life on this world. Too cold for most. Even our fur barely keeps out the cold, but if you're worried, you keep watching for rolling stones.” Kitty chuckled as she made her way down the hill. The path was much steeper than the first tunnel and got a bit larger the farther then went down. Suddenly she heard a yelp behind her and felt a thud on the ice. She turned just in time to see Corin sliding down the hill behind her.

Kitty's eyes grew large as she tried to move out of the way, but Corin’s feet tangled with hers and took her down. Together they slid down the hill farther into the cave. As Kitty worked to right herself in hopes of coming to her feet at the end of the journey, she started to laugh and giggle. Corin laughed along with her. The tunnel took a sharp turn and they yelped as the slide dropped a foot from under them before carrying them farther along. As the blue pulse guided them down the tunnel through the twists and turns, on the surface Zhai and Cass could hear the faint echo of laughter. They looked at each other with unease and readied their gear.

Kitty and Corin tried to slow their descent using their paws and guns, anything they could think of to help. The tunnel got progressively wider and the hill finally started to flatten out. Suddenly they were falling over the edge into a soft mountain of snow. The cat saw what was about to happen and straightened her legs and crossed her arms over her chest hoping to be prepared for whatever lay just under the snow. Corin wasn't so lucky and flew over the edge, twisting in the air and landing in a half flip on his back with legs in the air.

Trying to climb her way out of the thigh deep snow, Kitty glanced around the small room they had landed in. The room itself was about ten feet wide by ten feet across and curved to the right down another hallway on one side. The pulse was brighter down that hall but even when the light waned the room kept its blue hue.

“I think we have nearly found the end of the trail now!” Kitty said, pulling her leg free of the snow and bending over to grab her bow. She strapped it to her shoulder before grabbing Corin’s arm and dragging him upright. He came up fluffed. His poor fur was coated in snow making it puff out and sparkle.

Kitty doubled over, holding her middle and roaring with laughter. “Oh Corin, you silly pup.” Corin just glared at her without even trying to knock the snow from his fur, but it wasn't long until he was laughing with her and they both worked on clearing the snow. “All right come on, let’s check out where this leads, but I’m all for that slide again!” Kitty wiped a tear from her cheek as she turned towards the new path. The hallway curved slightly to the right before them, but came to an end. They came to the entrance of a room just barely big enough for them. In the center of the room there was a small, round pool of water in the floor.