Descendants: The rise of red

The Bandersnatch

The tall, dark figure advanced slowly, its glowing yellow eyes fixed on the group, exuding a palpable sense of menace. Bridgette and Red exchanged a tense glance, aware of what they were about to face.
"It's the Bandersnatch..." whispered Red, trying to stay calm, but the fear in her voice was obvious.
Bridgette nodded, clutching the Lillium Nocturnis petal in her hand, her brow furrowed. "It's not a creature you can reason with. It's dangerous."
Naveen, unfamiliar with the creature, looked confused. "The Bandersnatch? That name doesn't sound so threatening..."
"You're wrong," Bridgette interjected in a low voice. "That beast is one of the most dangerous in Wonderland. It's a large creature, with a powerful chest, agile forelimbs, and a long tail with a tuft at the end, but its most dangerous feature is its poisonous claws."
The Bandersnatch drew closer, its fangs gleaming in the moonlight, and its massive, pale, and bristly fur-covered body moved with an unnatural speed for a creature of its size. Its low growl vibrated the air around them.
Red immediately assumed a defensive stance. "There's no way to talk to him," she said, drawing out a silver blade. "It looks like a teddy bear, but it's dangerous. Right, Teddy?"
The creature paused for a moment, its burning eyes scanning each of them, assessing them as prey. Then, without warning, it lunged forward, aiming straight for Bridgette with a savage roar.
Bridgette raised her arm to shield herself, knowing she couldn't stop the beast alone. But at that moment, Chloe, who had been holding back until then, stepped forward. Without a second thought, she leapt in front of Bridgette.
With a roar no one expected, Chloe grabbed the Bandersnatch, stopping it mid-air with surprising strength. The creature's claws scratched Chloe's scales, but they couldn't penetrate her skin.
"Chloe!" shouted Red, shocked, as she watched her friend repel the monster's attack.
Chloe didn't reply, focused on protecting her friends. With a decisive blow from her tail, she pushed the Bandersnatch back, making it stagger for a moment. The beast roared in rage, surprised by the strength of its opponent.
The Bandersnatch tried to rise, ready for another attack, but Chloe gave it no time. With impressive speed, she lunged at it again, pushing it back to the ground. The earth trembled under the weight of the two, but Chloe kept fighting with determination, giving it no respite.
Bridgette and Red watched the scene in disbelief. Despite the curse that tormented her, Chloe was using her new form to defend them, something they had never imagined.
"Is she winning?" Naveen murmured, surprised by Chloe's incredible strength.
"I don't know," replied Bridgette, her gaze fixed on the battle. "But I don't want to just stand here watching, I've never liked being a spectator," she said, joining the fight between the two beasts.
The Bandersnatch attacked again with even more fury, trying to overwhelm Chloe with its weight and gaping jaws. Its venomous claws gleamed as it tried to grab Chloe, but she, with incredible agility, dodged it—just as her father had taught her in fencing—hitting it with her tail.
The blow was devastating. The Bandersnatch staggered, but it didn't give up. It stood up again, roaring, and lunged at Red with even greater violence. Chloe grabbed it, blocking the assault with her claws, and the two found themselves face to face in a fierce, desperate struggle. The Bandersnatch's fangs tried to bite Chloe, but she pushed it back, forcing it away.
The ground beneath them trembled from the weight of the two. Chloe seemed like a force of nature, a primordial beast fighting to protect her friends. The Bandersnatch, wounded, lunged at her again, but Red responded by driving her blade into its back, causing it to collapse to the ground with a thud.
The beast, stunned and wounded, let out a heart-wrenching and angry cry. The creature's yellow eyes darkened, and finally, it decided to retreat like a helpless kitten. With one last menacing glance at the group, it turned and disappeared into the trees, leaving only the sound of its heavy steps behind.
Chloe stood still, panting, watching the spot where the Bandersnatch had vanished. Then she slowly turned to her friends, her breath labored but her eyes full of determination.
"Chloe... I never thought I'd say this, but you've officially become my idol," Red muttered, cautiously approaching her. "You saved us."
Chloe nodded, but couldn't speak. The weight of her curse was consuming her, and it showed in her exhausted posture.
Bridgette stepped forward, her face serious. "We don't have much time. Her transformation is accelerating."
Red nodded, worried. "We need to get to the Lake of Mirrors and find the second ingredient before it's too late."
With Chloe still shaken from the battle but determined to keep going, the group set off again, knowing that every step could bring them closer to another danger.