Dropped Stitch

The Satan Pit

[@2D3D4D]

Benny woke up drenched in sweat. He gazed around the ward of Nereida's ship and sighed in relief. His dreams couldn't chase him here. Well, he hoped so.

He got up and limped around the ship. His leg throbbed, the dull pain reminding him of his previous injuries. "I don't have time for this," Benjamin said aloud. Thankfully, nobody replied.

Benny limped over to the stairs and planted one foot firmly on a step. He pulled himself up with the rail, and put his other foot on the next step. The dull throbbing in his leg had quickened and bloomed into sharper pain. Ignoring it, Benny pulled himself up again.

He repeated this until he collapsed onto the landing where the crew slept. It was empty, of course. Everyone was above, keeping a lookout for pursuers. Groaning, Benjamin dragged himself to his feet, wincing as the stitches in his injured leg tugged at his flesh.

You will never save your friends. The whispery girl's voice said, making the little hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He suddenly felt cold.

"Get away from me," he growled.

No reply. Benny kept moving towards the square of light up above.

[$^$]

Winter stared down the pure white wolf, his eyes wide with terror. He backed up a few steps, holding his hands up in what he hoped was a friendly, non-hostile way, and got ready to flee.

To his surprise, the wolf sniffed the air. She cocked her head to the side, and took a step closer to Winter.  She sniffed him again, then breathed out, wafting the odor of meat towards him. Then she turned around and picked something up from the ground. Two somethings, actually.

It was Ananda and Cassi. Winter gasped, and the cold little voice from before nearly took control. But before it even could, the she-wolf dropped them at Winter's feet.

Take your pack and leave. A voice penetrated his mind. Looking into the wolf's dark eyes, he nodded and shook them awake, making sure that they stayed quiet. Winter helped them to their feet, signaling them to be quiet, and the three walked out of the clearing where the wolves were gathered, back the way Winter had come.

Once they were safely away, Winter whispered, "How'd you end up sleeping near a mama _?"

"We were trying to find you," Ananda replied. "I had only the general idea of where you were, and we accidentally stumbled upon the wolves. I do not remember after that."

"I do," Cassi whispered, her voice hoarse. "They knocked you out, Nan-"

"Please do not call me that."

"Okay... They knocked you out, and then... I don't really remember, but I think we were carted to their home and watched over. I think that they could smell Winter on you."

"Take your pack and go," Winter echoed. "They thought you guys were my pack."

"We are your pack," Ananda replied fiercely, taking his hand. Cassi nodded.

Winter grinned. "Okay then. But who's the alpha?" He'd meant it in a joking way, but when Ananda answered, she looked totally serious.

"You, obviously."

There was a long silence as they walked away.

"I was joking," Winter said at last.

"Oh," Ananda replied, a blush coloring her cheeks. "Well, I still think that you are our alpha." She lengthened her stride, sending her a bit ahead of him.

"Hey, wait up!" Winter exclaimed, half teasing, as he and Cassi struggled to match the deerkind's fast pace.

[Fandom+ (1)]

[Listen to the song during this portion!~ ]

Rayl reappeared, looking almost scared. "You have a deal," she said.

Andesine turned to face the death course.

Somewhere, a cannon sounded, and he took off. First up was a wall of flames guarded by a low row of rocks. If he caught fire, he would definately become a lava elemental. He thought of teleporting, but discovered that the floor was made of wood. He couldn't teleport here.

Deciding to risk it, he leaped through them. Patches of his sweater caught on fire, but he rolled as he landed, putting them out. He had just enough time to check himself for sparks when the cage fighter he'd seen earlier rushed him. Ducking the initial rush, Andesine thrust his fist into his opponent's abdomen. That punch should've stopped his momentum, but the musclebound man just grunted and grabbed Andesine's arm, slamming him into the floor. With a grunt, Andesine shifted, becoming a rock, until the cage fighter didn't have a hold on him anymore. Then he expanded again as the man tried to pick him up, landing on the other guy's hand. He heard the nauseating crack of bones, and the fighter yowled in pain. While he was distracted, Andesine dashed past him and lept through the second wall of fire. His sweater caught fire.

Patting it out briskly, he continued. Next up... oh joy. The path diverged. Two paths promised whirling blades and more firewalls.

Lyra probably would've laughed at that and called him a computer virus or something.

Andesine shook his head. No time to be distracted, he told himself firmly. Just choose one. He headed down the right path, which seemed like a good choice at the time. At least, Andesine hadn't seen any signs of lava.

He dashed down the center, realizing too late that he'd actually chosen the hardest path- every deadly trap here was hidden, and triggered seemingly by his movement.

He lost part of his sleeve to a spike trap, and nearly got squashed twice. But he'd nearly made it to the finish.

He was only yards away from the red canopy that signaled the end of the gauntlet when the floor gave way under his feet. He fell, twisting in midair and scrabbling at the steep cliff face in a desparate attempt to get a handhold. At last, he felt dirt under his fingers and vanished into it.

His electrons floated in a fuzzy cloud, and as he tried to mold them into a more purposeful shape, Andesine sensed lava nearby. Gathering his electrons in further still, he extended his senses. Where was it?

It was on all sides, he discovered. And fast approaching. There was only one way to go-up. No doubt the liquid rock he sensed was a pack of Mortign. They were once rock elementals, but had become Magma, and their bitterness led them to try to turn any rock elementals around them.

Andesine raced towards the surface, erupting into physical form just in time to break loose the floorboards surrounding him. He clambered to the surface and ran. Behind him, the floorboards curled and turned to ash as the Mortign followed him out of the earth. The leaped at him, burning and shriveling whatever they touched, trying desperately to catch him.

Adrenaline spiked, increasing his speed to the max. In a last desparate attempt, he crossed the finish line. One of the Mortign followed, springing at him with a victorious yowl, its flaming fingers directed at Andesine's wild eyes.