Aloft

Chapter 29

The Opossum who was now alone, although it didn't know it, tried its hardest to chomp the shiny insect sized creature. It had already killed two of its siblings and it wouldn't allow it to survive long enough to stab it as well. The silver ball wasn't what it really wanted but to get to the good smell they'd all gotten a whiff of earlier, it needed this thing dead. While it chomped and chomped on the youngest sibling's throat, the tinier silver insect continued to hit it, but it didn't hurt too much. Maybe because of the consistent beating it was taking from the smallest insect, it didn't even realize it had been struck by something harder until another three additional attacks had already landed. Disoriented, it ceased its chomping and tried to turn towards what had hit it so hard.

Another four attacks to the head and the Opossum tried to back away from the dead, now headless corpse. Another four hits and it was dazed, not knowing where the attacks were coming from or where to attack. It had to keep fighting, it needed to feed on the delicious smelling thing. The thought of fleeing wasn't an option as hunger overtook any sense of self preservation. The dead body came to rest on the bottom of the riverbed and continued to release copious amounts of blood. It spread out, completely obscuring the otherwise clear waters. With the fading light of the sun, it was no better than fighting in the dark. The last beast spun its body, whipped its tail about and snapped its jaws at its surroundings over and over as hits continued to rain down on it from all directions.

In its mad fury, its claws managed to connect with something for a split second before whatever it had hit was gone again. The attacks paused briefly before the bludgeoning continued. Attempting to swim to the surface was met with blows from above so the Opossum attempted to swim to shore. If it could get on solid ground and be able to see again, then it could kill these things and eat the good smell. But it couldn't, swimming towards where it knew shore must be only led it directly towards more painful attacks. It needed out but it didn't understand. So much anger and hunger ran through its mind that it didn't even consider letting the current take it further downstream. While it was blinded by blood and clouds of dirt that were kicked up in the battle, the Orbs weren't.

Although the last beast fought ferociously, it began to slow. It had gotten more glancing blows on its attackers, but they kept coming. There must have been hundreds of the evil food stealing insects as far as the Opossum knew. Finally, the attacks were too many, it was too tired, too hurt and its lungs were burning. Something like clarity entered the mind of the creature far too late to matter. Feeling itself dying, it tried to move with the river's flow, away from the blood and dirt. Swimming and clawing along the bottom with all its strength, the last monster made its way into clearer waters. Seeing them for the first time confused and infuriated the beast. Four round and shiny insects were the only other things in the water; not hundreds but four tiny insignificant bugs. A rush of bubbles came from the Opossum as what remained of its too long held breath escaped. It could do no more as it watched the final blows come, muscled relaxed and newly returned vision faded. The creatures' desperate fight for life ended even before the final blows fell.

Alex did everything he could to stop himself from screaming. He held his head so hard that he thought he might crush it as pain surged through him. The pain from the bites were nothing compared to what he was feeling in that moment. He wanted, needed Emerald to focus the Wound Care Aura on his head and forget his bites but the little Orb continues to heal what it felt were the more concerning injuries. The briefest flash of not being fully in control of his Orbs crossed his mind before the searing pain shut out the ability to think altogether. If his body had enough strength, he'd have been kicking his legs furiously. As he was already exhausted from the brief encounter, he just twitched a bit. Time felt stretched as pain bombarded him. Eventually, the pain did subside, but his mind refused to believe it was over for a time. Breathing in ragged breaths, thoughts slowly started to return.