Lexx immediately turned and reactivated the door. Both rushed through the door the moment it had stabilized. Lexx emerged in Chel's room and quickly bolted down the hallway to the living area.
In the living room, Drift bounced to his feet with a chirp and scuttled around the side of the couch. The sound of Lexx's heavy footsteps had startled him. Swiftpaw was a little more in command of his senses and turned his twitching ears in Lexx's direction.
"Swiftpaw! Drift! We need to go now." Lexx stopped in the doorway and urgently urged the pair of Dice to follow him.
"Why?" Swiftpaw turned toward Lexx and extended his forefeet in a casual stretch.
"Now!" Lexx snapped.
Drift scurried around the edge of the couch and past Lexx's feet. Swiftpaw sighed and followed in a less deliberate trot. His stomach was full of something called popcorn and he felt lazier than usual. He yawned, his twin tails swishing slowly behind him. Lexx turned and lightly kicked at Swift's rump, hurrying the fox along.
Lexx walked past Chel in the hall without a word. She followed them back to her room and watched as the trio passed back into the door.
'Calm down, Chel - it's not that bad.' Chel worried *text missing* her lower lip. 'Nobody has shown up yet. Lexx just can't come here anymore. It's too risky. We can meet on the island.' The door wavered as it destabilized, then began whirling in on itself. Tonight's going to be a long night. I need to hide the plate and necklace better and make sure that Kip understands he's not to be seen.'
Chel worked through what she needed to do quickly, but it did little to settle the growing pit in her stomach and the knot winding its way through her throat. She didn't like seeing Lexx go.
