Story Paws: A Mystical World: Toxics 30

Chapter 30 The Battle The Toxics teemed over the ridge of the hill.

On each side rose the steep mountains.

They looked impassable,

But to Felicity's horror,

More Toxics swarmed through the forests.

They could see the trees moving and shaking as the diseased creatures descended.

A large torrent of water flowed down the left-hand mountain and dropped in successive falls until it becalmed and slid silently along the left bank of the bowl,

Before disappearing into the mouth of the largest cave entrance.

As the black poisonous army approached,

The sight of the proud old Toro,

Standing firm and strong in the centre of the arena which had once been his,

Tightened Felicity's throat.

Her eyes clouded with tears and she blinked them away,

Angry with herself.

Then Reuben was kissing her,

Saying,

Head for the main entrance to the caves,

Stay with Little Green.

And he was gone.

She scanned the wide space.

The guardians were herding the last spectators over the cave hilltops to safety.

Go home,

They growled,

Go home.

We'll deal with these renegades.

Felicity saw the terrified expressions as those left registered the nature of the approaching mob.

But even as the last stragglers were urged away,

For around the bowl came a rion of all sizes and skin colours.

Some were black,

Some pale white,

Some golden,

And some tawny like Reuben.

Their hair streamed out behind them as they pounded into the bowl.

They were running on all fours like cats,

Their huge black and white tails perpendicular to their lithe bodies.

They defied the Tauro and leapt over the huge beasts.

Reuben saw his childhood rival leading the Orion.

Welcome,

Jezaniah.

Now turn around and return home,

He said.

This is not a game,

Jez,

He added.

These toxics are dangerous.

Look.

He spoke as the first line of toxics reached the bottom of the hill.

Their misshapen mouths drooled bile that stained ground ochre,

And their rasps and croaks could be heard above the shouts of the guardians.

Those who'd attempted descent in the forest were falling down the last steep slopes.

They rolled and tumbled,

Bouncing off the tall trees.

Gus stood watching with despair.

He saw the toxic limbs snapping in the frenzy.

What had Aris and Demet done to them?

Pippi now stood on the left forward flank of the grassy bowl.

Her time had come,

But she begged for the new life squirming inside her to wait just a moment longer.

Wolfgang beseeched her to stay close to the river and to the protection it might provide,

But she would not.

Her cubs would not be born for a few hours.

May I have time to see these toxics to their conclusion,

She prayed,

And then curled her lip as her first threatening snarls rent the air.

Wolfgang crossed to the right flank.

Ruben ran to the front and stood between them.

Behind stood Scrat,

Jez and the other Orion.

They formed a shield across the middle of the bowl,

With Georges' huge form dominating at its centre.

At the very back was Gus,

Ready to diffuse the toxics who broke through.

Remember all I taught you,

He muttered as the battle commenced.

Since Sib's death he'd instructed them in the art of spine warfare,

And they all carried the healing balm in their pockets.

It would save their lives,

But nothing could spare them the excruciating pain of the venom.

Little Green ran to the cave entrance.

Can we stay here until Ruben and the others get away,

Felicity asked,

As she caught up with Little Green.

Felicity,

I'm sorry,

Arras is not with them,

Have you noticed?

I suspect he's heading directly for the old route.

He sacrifices Demet and the army to achieve his aim.

Arras will destroy the route.

We must try to reach it before him.

But Phoebe's instructions were clear,

Little Green,

Said Felicity,

Frowning.

We must all three go to the route together.

Little Green took a deep breath.

The noise of the initial clashes of spine and hoof and claw were loud.

The anger and violence unsettled her aura.

She knew this fight must take place.

The time for talking was over.

The toxics would not listen.

They had to be controlled before they destroyed all that held their old world together.

She let out her breath slowly and with it returned calm thoughts.

She looked down at Felicity and Felicity noticed her eyes were of the palest blue.

Felicity,

She said quietly,

Have confidence.

Reuben will catch up.

The route is an imminent danger.

Sometimes you must simply jump.

Looking at her dear,

Kind friend,

Felicity knew she was right.

Arras was wicked and she agreed with Little Green that he probably resorted to devious tactics to achieve his aim.

She took a long last look at the bowl.

There was no hope of seeing Reuben.

There were Toro charging and tossing toxics.

Toxics fighting each other in their mindless confusion.

Orion soaring over the heads of everyone with their jointed limbs and somewhere in there,

She thought,

Were Wolfgang,

Pippi,

Scrat and Reuben.

Gus ran from side to side at the back like a tennis player,

Taking a long shot.

And as the toxic broke the ranks,

Gus would grab him and corral him in an enclosure the guardians had set up.

If they hadn't been so monstrous,

Felicity would have found it funny.

The captured toxic stood immobile and confused as they peered through the high woven fences.

So she followed Little Green and together they stepped up to the guardian.

He stood,

Nostrils flaring at the toxic attack on the horizon.

Stay back,

He warned,

Glancing down and his eyes narrowed with anger as they did not.

Let me pass,

Toro of unknown generational descent commanded Little Green in her firmest voice.

I will not.

You're unauthorised.

He looked at Felicity out of his small,

Shrewd eyes.

She stepped past Little Green and said,

I am Felicity Isabel Penfold and I have travelled from another world.

Behind us is an army of demented vegetation whose aim is to enter this cave.

If they succeed,

The old world will be destroyed as you know it.

Your only hope,

She was now flushed with rage,

Is to let this stipple greeness and I pass.

Or beg mercy from the ancients,

The strata and the aquatics who all risked so much to help bring her here today.

The mighty beast tipped his head sideways.

He was a highly skilled guardian but his training had not allowed for this.

He looked at this tiny,

Fuming creature and the shining cloud of aura that surrounded the fine stipple greeness.

Then contrary to his training,

He let them pass.

There,

That was easy,

Said Felicity.

As she spoke,

The rocky ledge underneath her crumbled and she plunged into the roaring riverfall as it cascaded down a hole into unseen depths.

Reuben faltered as he wrestled with the toxic.

The trick,

According to Gus,

Was to grasp their two longest forward-facing spines.

Once you had those firmly controlled,

The others couldn't pierce you.

They could scratch you though,

He thought.

His arms were numb with the venom that had entered.

He was also in constant mind contact with George,

Scrat,

Wolfgang,

Pippi and Nathaniel.

The aim was to subdue the toxics and steer them into the corral.

Gus would heal them later.

Looking at their demonic,

Spitting faces,

Reuben knew his task was great.

Avoiding the spitting acid was particularly difficult,

Especially since their mouths were so irregular.

His hesitation just then cost him a large gob of acid spittle on his neck.

Ah,

He exclaimed as he grabbed the toxic.

He ducked and swerved its oral missiles as he pulled it out of the field.

Along the side,

Guardians were erecting more corrals.

He threw it inside.

What had just happened to Felicity?

He'd heard her call in his head.

He tried to mindshare,

But another toxic launched at him.

Where was Demet?

If he could subdue Demet,

The worst would be over.

These toxics had forgotten how to think for themselves.

Starved of normal reasoning and old world energy,

They were automatons.

It broke his heart.

The nearest creatures began to gibber in their revolting language.

Demet landed on him.

As he pulled the evil leader off,

The agony in his shoulder rendered him speechless.

Stupid,

Stupid Orion,

Screamed Demet.

To think you can stop Arras and I.

Where is Arras?

Said Reuben as he used his good arm to fend off the monster.

Demet closed in for the fatal puncture,

His two long spines dripping their black toxins.

In the caves,

He screamed with delight.

In the caves,

And you will die knowing you failed.

Demet was quivering with insane excitement.

Reuben held out his hands.

End me then,

Demet.

End the quest,

And the route,

And the old world.

Demet launched,

And in that instant Nathaniel charged him from the side.

Demet had missed the Toro approaching,

So intent had he been on his prey.

Nathaniel groaned in torment as he continued to hold the vicious toxic down with his feet.

With great caution,

Reuben grabbed Demet's spikes,

And together they pushed him into the corral.

Demet's fury howled across the bowl.

Gradually,

The other toxics stopped moving.

The chant of anger that ran through their minds from Arras and Demet was fading.

They allowed themselves to be rounded up,

And their crumpled faces seemed no longer wicked.

Just confused,

Thought Scrat,

As he helped with the shepherding.

Reuben found Pippi and Wolfgang near the river.

Pippi was dying.

She's fought with the courage of a queen,

Said Wolfgang,

As he licked her wounded body.

By her side lay a litter of tiny cubs.

They climbed over each other in a furry tangle to reach her milk,

But their mother lay on her side,

Eyes clouded and panting.

No,

Thundered Reuben,

This will not happen.

It cannot.

It does not balance.

She has fought for the world.

He was sobbing without shame.

And her cubs will thank her for it one day,

Said Wolfgang.

I will ensure it.

The others came running up.

George had given instructions to the guardians,

And he,

Scrat and Gus had come to see what had so upset Reuben.

They all gathered round.

No one unscathed,

But only Nathaniel seriously hurt,

His legs barely functioning now.

There is someone who can help,

Said George,

As he gently snorted on the muzzle of the beautiful Luparta to assess her condition.

He breathed in her sense.

There was life yet,

And with life comes hope.

She's too weak,

Said Wolfgang.

He'd watch her give birth,

Barely conscious.

His grief shrouded him like a thick fog.

He could not see their faces.

To discover the joy of this amazing female at an age past which such hope should have been possible.

His love for her was private and untouchable.

His pain at this moment was beyond anything he'd experienced in all his years as a prime warrior.

He could barely breathe,

But someone was licking his face.

Wolfgang,

Said Nathaniel,

Let her ride on my back.

I know of whom George speaks.

I will take her there.

It will finish you,

Nathaniel,

Said George.

I am the strongest Toro ever to exist,

Said Nathaniel,

With traces of his old arrogance.

George looked at this brave,

Fine,

Young Toro,

And his heart swelled with pride.

Yes,

Nathaniel,

My son,

He said,

I believe you will.

You