Battle of Bones (Anomaly Saga #5)

41

E flourished her spear in the air. "Let's go get that rascal once and for all," she said, and she took the lead as the group left the house.

"Where will we find the mosswalker?" asked Catricia as everyone except Chaps, who used his unicycle, trudged through the swampy ground. "On moss, maybe?"

"We know where it lives," said River, her voice solemn. "E and I tried to fight it a couple years ago. That's when it got me, too."

"Then I know where it is, too," said Camellia. "We found you both in a cave covered with leaves and vines. That was probably its cave, huh? And then it left when we arrived because it was scared."

E scoffed. "Coward. We'll show 'im we mean business today."

"I can't wait to punch some moss," said Preston. "Seems like it might be fun."

"Bro," said Alf, walking alongside him, "I was thinking the same thing."

"Mosswalkers are a darn joke!" exclaimed Gerald, hopping around gleefully. "He won't last more than a couple seconds!"

"I'll leave the fighting to all of you fine fellows," said Chaps, weaving around the trees on his unicycle. "My pacifist soul doesn't feel comfortable punching moss. Perhaps I will cheer all of you on in the background. If I cheer hard enough . . . I could even rise to the title of 'cheerleader'!"

Joe nodded. "A highly respected position."

"Guys," said Alf, "do you know what cheerleaders are?"

Chaps laughed. "Of course I do! They are leaders of the cheerers!"

"Alright, then."

After another minute or two of travel, the group arrived at the mouth of the cave.

"Looks a little dark," said Catricia. "Night vision time!" she turned into her cat form.

E jumped in surprise. "What in tarnation jus' happened there?!"

"She's the Princess of Kittens," said Preston matter-of-factly.

River crouched down to Catricia's level. "Turning into a cat is a cool power," she said.

Catricia blinked slowly, then turned and trotted into the cave.

"Follow the kitty cat!" Gerald shouted, breaking the silence. The group continued further into the cave.

After a minute or so, they reached the end of the moss-covered den, and there they found the one-armed mosswalker.

"You've come back!" the creature exclaimed, sounding genuinely surprised. "This time with a whole feast! Oh, yes . . . look at the memories in that skeleton's consciousness . . . so many years of experience . . ."

"Shut your silly mouth!" Chaps exclaimed. "Go team! Go and win! Don't lose! Am I cheering correctly?"

At that moment, everything happened at once.

Catricia went for the creature's legs, tearing them up with her claws.

Preston and Alf both grabbed sticks off of the ground and stabbed them through the mosswalker's leafy torso.

At the same time, E charged forward, sending her spear right through the mosswalker's chest.

River threw some rocks at the creature.

Camellia added a few bullets to the mix.

The mosswalker fell to the ground, and Joe kicked him.

Gerald did some kind of strange dance in the background.

The group stepped back from the mosswalker, who was motionless on the ground.

"Woohoo!" Chaps exclaimed. "We won!"

Gerald laughed. "Told you they was fragile creatures!"

E dropped her spear. "I did it," she said, her strange accent gone. "I remember everything."

River turned to face her. "I remember now, too. You know how I told you sometimes I can see into people's heads? That happened when we fought the mosswalker last time. I saw your conversation with Percy before you left to find the door."

E hesitated. "You saw that? Yikes. Now you know my parents named me Eglantine. What kind of a name is that?"

Catricia morphed back into her humanoid form. "A pretty one!"

"Pretty rad," added Alf, and Preston nodded in agreement.

"I had a pet rock named Eglantine once," said Chaps. "No relation, I think."

River put a hand on Eglantine's shoulder. "Are you ready to go home?"

Eglantine nodded. "Let's get out of here. I want to see my family again."

Joe cleared his throat and approached Gerald. "Will you guide us back out?" he asked. "As fun as this has been, I'd like to change into a suit that has not been stained with red water."

Gerald nodded vigorously. "You thought I'd just leave you all here? Ridiculous! I enjoy my solace! Except for when I get to prank people! Let's go!"

The old man practically danced out of the cave, and everyone else followed. Eglantine left her spear in the cave with the mosswalker's body, leaving her old life behind her and returning to what she once knew.

Finally, she was ready.