The smaller packrat blushes while the other one doesn't do much. But then a third packrat walks unto Claire, offering another sword...another sword that was painfully familiar.

When Lin let's them down, they're both grinning from ear to ear. They jabbered at both of them and patted their hands. Then, with a sharp bark from the leader, they turned and faded into the tunnels. The small one looked back once, his eyes bright in the gloom, and then they were gone.

She had taken the sword hesitantly, looking down at it with a heartbreaking expression. She suddenly unsheathes her sword and puts it in its place. Weaving another sheath on her other hip she sheaths her sword, she nods, wiping her eyes and looking forward with a cold glare.

Kerri stares at them impatiently.

As they followed the walkway, which turned from stone to iron grating, through the giant maze of clockwork. They found a twisting iron staircase and followed it up to a trapdoor, which opened with a ringing bang.
Nothing. The room they stared into was empty, save for the enormous boiler ovens that glowed red and filled the air with hissing steam.

He growls again.

Clanking footsteps could be heard. Several figures entered the room, short and stocky and dressed in bulky canvas suits like firemen. They wore breathing apparatus that covered their entire faces, a pair of tubes snaking from the mouth to some kind of tank on their back. They stomped among the boilers, pinging on them with wrenches, checking the numerous pipes and valves. A large ring of keys dangled from each of their belts, jingling as they moved

Unhesitatingly, he lunges at the nearest one.

She grabs him, holding him to her chest. She hisses into his ear, "Would you stop it?! Not until we know the true threat, save your energy!"

The workers didnt converse or speak to one another, being too caught up in their own work. One broke off from the rest of the group, which paid him no attention as he wandered off into the steam. He bent to check a hissing crack in the metal

He growls.