Carver took the sewer route to the lair. Without her legs, she was slower than usual, and it would be too easy for a vampire bat to find and intercept her if she stayed above ground. Plus, with all the commotion in the square as the town noticed the countdown change, there was a good chance even the sewer dwellers wouldn't be down and about to interfere. She paused just long enough to snicker at the sound of thunder, then made a mad dash across a particularly deep area. Her vines enjoyed the nutrients in the muck, but she definitely didn't want to give it time to seep into her cage and onto her things.

She slithered up through the trapdoor and into the lair. Diving behind a suitably sized piece of furniture, the pumpkin creature gave a couple of light raps against a wall with the tip of a vine. Anyone else might simply assume it was the local rats and oversized beetles moving about, but the tricksters would recognize the rhythm. 

[i]All clear?[/i]

She didn't think the Pumpkin King had beat her here, but he did have long legs and a more direct route to take than she had taken. She wouldn't risk hollering if she didn't have to.