Book Two left off with Gregor reading the Prophecy of Blood: a prophecy that calls for Gregor and Boots to return to the Underland to help ward off a plague. But this time, Gregor`s mother refuses to let Gregor return to the Underland ...until the rat Ripred assures the family that Gregor and Boots are needed only for a short meeting, which the crawlers will attend only if their "princess" Boots is present. Gregor`s mom finally relents, but on the condition that she go with them so they aren`t out of her sight. The Underland plague is spreading, and when one of Gregor`s family (cont`d)