[center][h2]THE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXYY[/h2]
[b]IN[/b]
[h2]RAMBLE ON[/h2][/center]
[hr]
The air in the cave was stale and damp, with more and more humidity as the four of them moved deeper into the bowels of the planet. The warm, wet air led Thor to believe that there was plenty of fresh water beneath the surface of the rocky planet, which made sense. The surface had no water, so it had to have its stores below for habitation suitability. The heat could also be used for geothermal power depending on the strength. It was a good spot to set oneself up, at least when they weren't being hunted by ravenous space insects.

"So what do these things look like?" Rocket asked as he kept his eyes peeled on the walls around them. Thor had told the group that the creatures enjoyed using rock faces as camouflage. Rocket, who could see better than the rest in the dark, was tasked with spotting them if he could. 

"Like a Bolovax roach, only bigger than a guy," Star-Lord shrugged. "And with huge teeth. You'd be an appetizer."

"At least until I blew myself out of his stomach with these things," Rocket patted the weapons on his belt. "Ain't no one eatin' me without a fight."

"I am Groot," the living tree nodded. 

"They are fast," Thor warned his new ally. "You may not have the chance."

"You managed to get away carrying all those muscles," Rocket shrugged. "I think I'd be okay."

The four of them shared a nervous laugh as they traversed the slick, metal platform that made up the floor of the mine, which was still in its infancy. The passage was dimly lit with green, glowing orbs lining the handrail they walked beside. The walls of the cave, assuming they weren't lined with the alien creatures, were black, with luminous blue-green streaks running through them. Rocket and Peter had explained that the ore, when refined, was an important additive to fuel for their ships. It kept the engines from exploding, which Thor figured was quite important for space travel.

"Hm," Peter said as he closed his face shield. "My scanners are picking up life. Looks mammalian. Might be some of our settlers."

"I am Groot."

"Yes, tree," Thor smiled up at the plant alien. "Some of them are indeed alive."

"Guess I owe you one hundred credits, Quill," Rocket groaned.

"Never in doubt!" Peter chuckled in victory.

"Keep your eyes sharp," Thor warned his friend. "The creatures may be leading us into a trap."

But as they traversed deeper and deeper into the cave system it was clear there was no trap coming, at least not imminently. Nothing but foreboding, rocky passage after foreboding rocky passage. Quill said that every step brought them closer to the life forms that were still on the planet. While it should have given Thor a thrill, he felt a pit growing in his stomach. There was something wrong here. He felt like he was trespassing on some forbidden ground. If that was the case, it wasn't a surprise that the settlers would meet a horrible fate. They would have been destined for it by just coming here.The three of

"We're only a click away from the signal," Peter warned them. 

The four of them crept carefully towards an opening that seemed to glow with a red light, very different from the green light they had seen up until then. Entering, Thor and the group were completely taken aback by what they saw.

Six of the settlers were cocooned on the wall of the rockface, their insides splattered on the floor of the cave. The room reeked of death and fear, as if their dying moments had been trapped in the cavern. 

"Oh god," Star-Lord shook his head. "We were too late."

"I am Groot," the tree sounded just as despondent. 

"What kind of person could have done this?" Rocket's fear was palpable. This surprised Thor. The small creature's detached nature was a defining feature, and being shaken like this was enough to prove the scene's grisliness.

And Thor saw something that proved that some sort of otherworldly for was at work. On the back wall of the room, in the middle of the bodies, was an ancient rune that Thor had not seen in ages. A crude face, one side painted in white, the other in black, with pointed ears was drawn on the cave walls. The site sent a pang of fear rolling through the son of Odin's body.

"It's not possible," he muttered to himself, taking a few steps back from the drawing. "It cannot be."

"Man he's really freaked out about that graffiti," Rocket muttered to Groot.

"No time for that," Peter warned. "We got movement in that rock shaft."

"How many of them?" Rocket asked, spinning his guns in his paws, ready for a fight.

Quill paused, "Just one. Coming toward us slowly."

"A scout," Thor growled. "Let us avenge the settlers. We will leave none of these beasts alive."

The four of them dropped into battle stances, ready for anything that might come. They heard the scratching in the rock tunnel as the creature approached, scrambling over the rocks to get to them. It continued to get louder as it approached.

But what came through wasn't an insectoid. It was a little girl. Long, dirty black hair hung over her teal-green face, and striking blue eyes stared back at the four of them full of fear. She was small, no longer than eight if Thor had to guess. Malnourished as well. It looked like she hadn't eaten in days.

He motioned for her to come closer, "Come out, young one. We aren't going to hurt you."

"You wont," she said hauntingly. "But they are coming."

Thor spun to look at Quill, "Multiple movement signs! Shit! More than I can even keep up with."

"BRING 'EM ON!" Rocket growled, full of blood lust. "I've got a shot with every one of their names on it!"

"I AM GROOT!"

Thor scooped the girl up, who didn't struggle in the slightest. The four of them spun and sprinted back from where they came from. As their foot falls started to be drowned out by the clatter of exoskeleton-covered legs hitting rocks, the metal floor creating the floor of the mine gave way, and the five of them were thrown into complete darkness.