Tilting her head like a curious cocker spaniel, Tara lifted the sword she had chosen and nudged Willow to the side, out of her swinging arch.

From the darkness, a low growl ran through each of the women, those who still hadn’t realised that half the group had stopped now turned to join their comrades.

“Tara?” Buffy whispered.

Tara shrugged to tell Buffy that she wasn’t sure what was causing the noise but she was ready for it.

Just as Tara was about to take a step into the gloom to confront the, as yet unseen menace, a large dog stepped into the light, its teeth bared as it growled menacingly.

Relief washed over everyone and Tara lowered her sword as nervous giggles filled the air around her.

“Hey pup!” Willow said softly, her own relief evident in her voice.

The dog looked up at her quizzically. It had been doing its best to be intimidating and this peculiar redhead wasn’t in the least bit frightened. Cocking its head, much in the same way Tara had done only moments before the, dog sat down and stared at her.

Carefully, Willow made her way back to the door and held it open.

“Go on, you’re free to go puppy!” She cooed and the dog stepped out from the passage and gingerly made its way towards freedom.

With the momentary, albeit non-exciting excitement over, Faith turned back in the direction she and Buffy had been leading the others. To her surprise, there was no sign of their leader. She glanced quickly over her shoulder, searching each face in the crowd for any sign of Buffy.

Squinting into the darkness, she swallowed the large lump of anxiety that filled her throat before whispering into the darkness; “B? You there, this isn’t funny. B!”

From behind her, Kennedy strode to her side. “Faith, you need to not do that, the girls are freaking enough!” she said in a hushed whisper.

Faith glared at the potential before returning her gaze to the dreary corridor in front of her. Kennedy followed her gaze slowly, her own eyes searching the shadows before dropping to the dusty floor. She nudged Faith gently and pointed at the ground.

Faith looked at the floor in front of her, and then checked behind her. No footprints, no sign of a struggle, nothing.