The action! The biggest chunk of this is the fighting, although Moondream (Michelle) is off on a different side of the quest. Chad, Catrina, Rebecca, Dash, Raw Hide and Konall are all left fighting their own battles. Of varying challenges.

It took some routing through the character's histories, and more than a little creativity on my part, but I managed to come up with wave after wave of different monsters to throw at them! At this point, they're all separated, although some of the heroes come together to join forces. There's also my trademark massively oversized paragraph of battle. ;)

Not surprisingly, it's a massive piece, bigger than the first part even. Dig into it- it's a GOOD read!

--------  

Dash could hear Catrina yelling at him in his mind. "Come on, you big baby. Tough it out!" But Dash had always relied on avoiding damage he couldn't take. This time they'd caught him by surprise. No chance to dodge. "Is that an excuse I hear?" Catrina's voice in Dash's head chastised. "Tough it out. If you're so good at dodging, dodge that!"

Dash's eyes could hardly comprehend as the outline of the biggest of the PALADINs. He could hear Catrina's voice echoing from his imagination (or his memory; Dash wasn't sure which) better than he could the startled cries of the birds fleeing around him. Still, something urged him to roll forward. The motion that carried him under the massive club formerly speeding towards his skull somehow simultaneously served to disorient Dash slightly, and also bring his senses back into sharper focus. Dash, through half conscious thinking and half instinct, lashed out at the closest knee, taking one of the foes down and making sure they knew he wouldn't be waiting for death to claim him.

The others were all over him. Fortunately, Dash had a few tricks up his sleeve. Reaching for a random concealed pouch in his seemingly nearly-pocket-less outfit. Dash pulled a small magical, wooden fire chip from it's hidden location. Dash let the inherent magic ability in most living creatures from the Kingdom of Loathing's areas ignite the chip as it flew through the air between him and the nearest assassin. It was slightly more effective than flash paper, and hit hard enough to sting, but not burn.

Wondering if it would be proper protocol or just plain weird to thank Catrina for acting as the voice in his head after this was all finished with- if they survived, Dash forced himself to his knees, and drove the butt of his broadswords Bad Beats, into the bread basket of the first PALADIN to get near Dash. He then brought his fists, clutching Bad Beats like an axe handle, up into his jaw, sending the smaller PALADIN member's body flying through the air, already unconscious.

Although he despised having to use lethal force, time was running out. Dash put his conscious constraints aside, running a blade into yet another attacker. Two down, two to go. The largest of them, along with the leader of the group. The leader seemed especially furious, howling with rage.

"Attacking a member of PALADIN in self defense! Violation! Killing a member of PALADIN with an unapproved weapon! VIOLATION!! Existing without a permit! VIOLATION!" The thick veins on the monster sized PALADIN member's body seemed to glow and vibrate at the leader's furious words.

The brute yelled out, "PALADIN SMASH!"

Dash charged at it, intent on running it through clean. It swatted Dash's sword out of his hands mid charge. Dash glanced over, watching his sword land between the feet of a couple familiar looking over-sized Blocktorocks. They reeked of low digital menace.

Dash cursed and caught a boot swung at him. He pulled hard, uprooting the leader and dropping him on his back. "I don't have time for this! Let me through. I'll use lethal force if I have to."

They roared in response. The other one drew it's club above his head, and brought it down towards Dash. Dash dove toward, driving his shoulder into the larger enemy. It stunned him, driving him back. Dash felt a rock the size of a watermelon try to bury itself in his back with agonizing results as he did.

Dash felt his legs go numb, even as he used his momentum to take the over-sized brute off his feet, twisting and throwing him down. Dash turned, only to be caught by the broadside of a fist. Dash staggered back, blocking another attempt. The over-sized PALADIN brute snuck up from behind, grabbed Dash, and threw him backwards. The air rushed out of Dash's bodies and lungs in a painful explosion.

He screamed as Dash fell to the ground. "Killer! Your blood shall satisfy the seals tonight, you evil seal abuser!"

Dash was too stunned to dodge. His eyes winced shut, as he braced for an impact that never came.

"I'm the evil seal abuser. He's the dirty low down sneak thief. Get it straight." Dash's eyes opened up to the very welcome sound of Konall Bearsmasher's voice. Dash opened his eyes, just in time to see Konall slicing through the brute with a long sword. Which didn't look quite so long next to Konall's 6'3 inch frame, by the way. Bearsmasher picked the brute over his shoulders with a grunt of effort, and let himself fall back, smashing the PALADIN between Konall's head and shoulders, and the ground.

As he got up, the other one starred at the two, wide eyed, and immediately took off. Konall started to say something to Dash but instead sneezed.

The Blocktorock fired a lazy shot at Konall, aiming another one of those over-sized rocks at him. Dash reacted with blazing speed, catching the moving projectile as it passed, causing it to careen to the side and just barely miss Konall Bearsmasher.

"Thanks," Konall said, sputtering on a cough. It took aim at the Blocktorock with a massive bow and arrow. Ya know, that eight foot one we saw in his second appearance for this mission. Yeah- that one. "What the hell is wrong with your smell?"

Dash watched as the Blocktorock, casually waiting for it's next shot to build up, proofed into digitalness after the shot from Konall. Dash retrieved Bad Beats, grasping it's hilt far harder than he needed to. "I don't know. What's wrong with it?"

"I don't know," Konall shrugged, suppressing a sneeze. "You just have an ill wind about you. You haven't been hanging with those idiots at the hippie encampment, have you?"

"Close," Dash answered. "But not quite. Now if you're done grilling me on where I choose to spend my time, we've GOT to find a weakness in this dragon."

"It's just you reek. I mean, no offense and all."

Dash starred at him, with a sour expression.

"Hey, I said 'No offense.' But you're . . ." Konall sneezed again. "You're making my sneeze. Gotta be hippie. Anyway, you're right. Dragon. I heard a few interesting tidbits on it."

"Oh?" Dash responded.

"Get to that in a minute," Konall answered. He pointed to a group of Dyspepsi soldiers, all of whom had ominous formations of smoke around them, and another of Dash's old enemies- the masked spider worshiping Lucky-Anas. There was only one of them, but one was usually enough of a challenge. "Is it just me, or is this island really crowded lately?"

Dash parried a Dyspepsi who charged at him with a Cloaca Cola Knife. Heh. Irony. A swift kick to the midsection dispensed the soldier. "Gotta be the dragon's doing."

"Sixteen meat for figuring out the obvious, Dash." Konall shuddered visibly, seeing more smoke gathering in the distance. It was too reminiscent of his nightmares lately to be a coincidence. This was getting absurd. It seemed like every time he cut into an enemy with his haxxor or long blade, another two or three popped up in the distance. He'd realized some time ago familiar enemies from his past were somehow seeded into the groups of enemies. He just wasn't yet sure why or how.

Dash parried off another attack from the last standing PALADIN, only to be nailed by a massive, meaty club from behind. Dash's world turned black for painful seconds. He felt Konall shove him aside, and heard the slice of a sword- Dash guessed a longsword- catch nothing but air. When Dash's vision finally cleared, he could see Konall starring down someone nearly as tall as that beast Raw Hide. Dash's mind clicked immediately.

The bronze wing tipped helmet, tionger furred vest, the ebony blade, and the unkempt, unwashed beard made it clear Konall was starring down a mighty Viking warrior. There was also his novelty shirt that read, "Kiss me, I'm a Viking."

Dash moved in to help, but Konall was having none of it. "Stand down, Sebastian. This one's mine. He's one of the crew responsible for the destruction of my home village."

Dash turned his attention to holding off a group of Hissers.. water squirting snakes capable of doing serious damage, despite the absurdity of their power. (Dash figured they must be another one of Catrina's natural enemies, at his guess.) As Dash hacked through the annoying enemies, he turned to ask Konall, "I thought you said smut orcs destroyed your village."

"No, that was the attack I lost my family in," Konall answered, already tired of talking and ready to get to revenge. "This was a previous attack, where all of my family survived. Except for my grand uncles Vladlico and Vlalladin, I mean. Anyway, I want revenge!"

Dash had to twist his body, ducking under, over, and around high pressure beams of water. "Alright, have it it then."

"Will do!" Konall let his rage focus into the whole of his being, drawing power from it. He let the sights of the burning remains of the local grocery, blacksmith, school, libraries, and novelty store fill his memory, filling him with rage. (Alright, the school and library burning didn't actually enrage him much at the time. He was kinda young at the time. Plus, it got him out of that late paper, and overdue book. The rest of it, however? Totally pissed young Konall off!)

Neither Dash nor Konall noticed the sudden ominous gathering near cluster of Knollish Hampple trees.

Dash sliced through a pair of Hissers in one shot, and barely avoided a high burst of greyish water, letting it slam off the shield of Konall's viking opponent. Quickly strapping his spare weapons to his back and arms, Konall thrust himself forward, intent on bringing the haxxor down through the head of his opponent, and thus bringing a quick end to the battle. It wasn't to be, however. The Viking blocked, and brought his longsword at Konall, who ducked under with surprising speed. Avoiding being split in half always had a way of getting Konall to hustle. The Viking pressed his slight advantage, swinging manically at Konall. Dash backed away from a Spidarkk's silk web attack just in time to have to dodge out of the Viking's mad charge at Konall. Dash took the opportunity to drive the edge of his sword into the Viking's spleen as he passed, doing a hot wad's worth of damage, and setting Dash up to slice through the remaining Hisser. Poisonous, foul smelling water exploded every way. Even as Dash did this, his attention was caught as Konall cried out in pure agony. Dash couldn't afford to look away, yet. Hoping whatever pearl Konall was in could wait a few precious seconds. Dash had his own worries. A pair of Moblinos had flanked in front of Dash, seemingly from no where. They looked tougher and redder than the average Moblino, with thick, veiny, amber muscles flexing under the loose mongoose skins they wore. Stealing a glance behind him, Dash realized Konall was fighting off not one, not two, but three Viking warriors now, and doing an admirable job, despite the fact he was sprouting a fresh and very painful looking wound on his shoulder. Dash sighed, and turned to help. Mistake. Something slammed a shield across Dash's skull from behind, sending him careening forward. Realizing the rogue class disco thief Dash was in danger, Konall cried out, and slammed his haxxor so hard into the shield of the nearest Viking warrior (who had a very stylish "Leet Village Looter" shirt on), that the young warrior toppled over backwards into his own Viking comrades. Konall avoided the others, coming to Dash's aid against the muscular, unknown opponent standing over Dash, only to find himself barely able to avoid a slash from a Moblino's pocket knife. As it was, it caught Konall across his arm. Konall cried out in pain and furry and prepared to dispatch the Moblino. Unfortunately, that left the Spidarkk the perfect shot at Konall. A sticky substance covered Konall's sword arm.

"If you've got something to pull out of your sleeve, Dash, now'd be the time!" Konall cried out, as Dash forced himself to his knees, somehow desperately blocking out the white lightning of pain shooting through his head, erupting from his skull itself.

Dash didn't have the energy to think of a snappy reply. What energy he did have went into avoiding the knife wielding Red Moblino. A kick to the reinforced midsection of the deep south enemy hardly staggered it. Dash was hardly able to summon enough energy to physically spar it off. The other roared, and the pure force of the roar left Dash and Konall holding their ears, momentarily helpless. Dash vaguely recognized the attack that had almost ended his life on a few occasions. Normally, the creature would only be able of doing it once or twice per few minutes. This one roared it's head back, at exceedingly high agony to itself, and roared a second time. It's allies, as was usually the case, seemed virtually unaffected by the roar.

"Shut UP!" Konall cried out without much effect! Dash looked up towards the screaming Moblino, who was already half grey in Dash's eyes. Dash and Konall were helpless.

Dash starred in disbelief as a small tree suddenly flew by his eyes, taking out both Moblinos and what looked like a parody of a Knob Penguin Elite Guard Harem Chef in the process.

The scream went dead in the air, as, Dash figured, the creatures themselves had. Dash and Konall uncovered their ears, still dizzy but no longer helpless. Konall said something as he returned to fighting, but Dash couldn't quite yet understand.

"Speak up!" Dash ordered, loudly. "Ears are still ringing. Nice move with the tree."

Konall thumped the side of his head in a vain effort to get the ringing to stop. "I have no idea what you're talking about. That wasn't me?"

"It wasn't?"

The two looked up as a familiar, over-sized body swept into view. "Captain CAAAAAVECHAAAAAAAAAAD!!" With a mighty roar, the (not exactly) unknown eight foot giant rushed forward, wielding a massive wooden and stone club. He swung, taking the Moblinos and a Viking down. The enemy stood stunned, as Chad adjusted the Leather Gimp mask, pulled his shiny new black boots up, and started unleashing his own version of a reign of justice upon the enemies.

Dash struggled up, exchanged a confused look, then jumped to The Chad's aide.

"Bout time you showed up, Chad!" Bearsmasher called out, tearing the remains off enough of the sticky substance from his shoulder and arm that he could move it reasonably freely again.

"Whaz?!" Chad cried out, pulling his mask tighter over his face, to almost comical effect. "I am not TheChad! Why, I've never even heard of the name Chaderpetski. What a ridiculous name that isn't mine! I'm .. Captain.. CAAAAAAAAAVE. . . "

Bearsmasher cut him off. "Okay, whatever! Just keep fighting!"

***
Rebecca Townsend sheathed her sword, stretching up to her full height and facing her opponent, the one man she had ever feared, the one who had nearly killed her- the one she thought was out of her life for good. “A clean blade’s death would be too good for ye, Lars Townsend! Ye want to break me, come and give it a try!” She readied herself for him “But I’ve got a mind to do a little breakin of me own!”

He charged in, confident of the usual short fight. And a part of Rebecca’s mind did indeed curl up in a ball, scared witless at his approach. But that was the old Rebecca, the one who let others run roughshod over her, who let men abuse her and worse. That Rebecca had only wished to ride out the storm, to come out on the other side battered, but alive. But she had learned. The years with Captain Morgan had taught her that yes, one rides out storms- hurricanes and such. But a little wave like this? One went THROUGH it!

She easily dodged his charge, responding as he passed her with a swift kick to his fat ass which sent him sprawling. She then surprised him as he got up by wading right in and hitting him with a shot to the jaw that proved that beneath those pleasing curves was now a rock hard body ready to defend captain and crewmate at a moment’s notice.

He staggered back, shaken by the blow. He rubbed his chin and looked at her, a new fire coming into his eyes. “Bitch…up until now I was gonna show you a good time. Now I just want to hear you beg me not to kill you!”

Rebecca’s blood suddenly ran cold. He had beaten her many times, yes; in the last few years they had been together it had been almost a nightly experience for her. But even that last night, when he had beaten her so badly that a stranger named John Morgan had to intercede on her behalf to save her life, he had never threatened to kill her! Then her own fires lit, fueling her drive for self preservation, her desire to see a balancing for all those other times. She grinned at him, waving him in. “Then this is goin to be a long fight cause I’m never gonna beg for anything of yers ever again- especially yer mercy!”

Lars advanced, but now as one who knew the fight he was in was not as easy as he had expected. They circled, each throwing small test punches to see how the other would react. Then Lars started the attack in earnest, and although she was able to block the first punch the numbness in her arm reminded Rebecca that Lars had always had fists like sledgehammers.

Rebecca was able to land a few hard punches to the body that Lars obviously felt, but Lars was no slouch either, and she knew her body would be sore tomorrow...if she survived today. Her arms were starting to tire from blocking the worst of it, already she could feel little from her left arm but the tingle of angry, overworked nerves.

And then it happened. Lars was able to get a punch through one of her blocks- a punch that hit her on the chin with stunning force. He followed up quickly, attracted to her moment of weakness like a shark to chum, and before she knew it she was on the ground, with his body straddling hers, pinning her arms down as he pummeled her face with punch after punch, the look on his face showing that at that moment he didn't care whether she survived the beating.

Luckily he was sitting high on her body, with all his weight on her chest and arms. It made it almost impossible to breathe, but it also made it possible for her to reverse this. She rolled her body up, snaring his head in a neck scissors and twisting, bringing him off her body and to the ground. She kept the pressure up, her muscular shins twisting his neck despite his struggling until she felt his neck snap, and his body struggled no more.

She pushed him off her completely, rising and heading after her friends, knowing that in a few moments his body, like all the others, would fade in the mists.

She had to have a word with that dragon sometime....

--------

Fredico Botelnekka had already tried to run three or four times. Raw Hide wasn't having any of it, and dealt out a thrashing to Fred whenever he had a spare moment. Fred's only option was to run and get as far away from this chaos as he could. His hand was blistered from gripping his weapon, a standard issue. He'd hoped to someday learn the ancient secrets of break-attacking from the legendary general of the Dyspepsi army.

Once they got something to fight, his nerves actually seemed to calm. At least they were fighting something physical- they were surrounded by Cloaca Cola troops and Spamburglers, the natural enemy of multiple class entities on the moons of the Kingdom.

The latter? Neither Raw Hide nor Fred had ever seen them before. Nor had they seen the wide assortment of other enemies they briefly encountered. Still, seeing Raw Hide tear through them was, in a twisted, sick, dangerous way, inspiring to Fred. The power and brutality of the giant. . . He plowed through a Wooden Knuckle with little problem, turning to a Bzoo sorcerer as it teleported behind Raw Hide. Raw Hide simply turned with breath taking speed, and nailed it with a meaty fist.

Raw Hide's not immune to damage, but right now, he was raging. He tore through hordes of Doomdanku Scrubs, Vzail zoombies, and the armored, flying, knife wilding, fire throwing Helliosaurusions. The latter proved to test Raw Hide's mettle more. Then there were the magic gangster member the Tskulls, the jive talking Slang Golums, and moon eve-beasts that were quite more of a challenge.

It was, as stated, inspiring to Fred, who began to willingly throw his support into the battle, sapping at enemies, and using the sapped mana to power up his knife and judo combo attacks.

Even as Raw Hide choke slammed another Tskull to hell, Raw Hide heard a familiar voice over the general confusion and murmor of battle. Raw Hide let out a low growl, even though his voice was already strained from battlecries.

The enemies here seemed to be endless, and a few of them quite powerful. Raw Hide had yet to even get close to the damnable dragon. And this voice. A voice that sounded as both an echo from beyond the grave, and the voice of doom. Combined with a certain, annoying whine.

"Traitor!"

Raw Hide did his best to ignore a solid punch from a slow movin Slang Golum, leaving Fred to dispatch it with a Dyspepsi Lite cola grenade, as Raw Hide slowly turned around. Sure enough, it was him. The one who's arm Raw Hide had mercilessly broken in their fight.

Shara was the love of his life, and this was his father. An unwanted reminder from Raw Hide's previous life.

From the life of Calador the Selfless.

Calador the Selfless is his birthname, but in the mind of Raw Hide, Calador died with most of the village the day Raw Hide was born in an effort to claim his true destiny of power and wealth.

The father seemed bigger than Raw Hide remembered. He also seemed to show no signs of injury. Anywhere. No signs of a broken arm. Just faded war scars Raw Hide knew he had the day he met Calador, all that time ago.

"Surprised to see me, traitor?! I've got more surprises in store for you! You were never good enough for my daughter, and you were never good enough to beat me!"

"History says otherwise, pal!"

Knowing better than to interrupt this, Fred, along with most of the other random enemies watching. As the two seemingly vicious, unstoppable forces of nature plowed into one another.

--------

Fate twisted events sharply.

Raw Hide threw his might into this battle, expecting to end it far quicker than he had last time. After all, he'd broken the man, and his family, and most of the village years ago, and Raw Hide is infinitely more powerful than he was when he was that weakling Calador.

Last time, he'd foolishly abandoned his weapons, as had most of the villagers, and Raw Hide's former self, in their desperate, naked, unthinking hatred of each other. It'd always worked to Calador's favor- hand to hand combat. Their hatred was nothing more than a mild sense of betrayal, combined with an unknowing ignorance towards the danger Calador had come to represent.

To him, the battle represented his first step to his awakening, and his eventual rebirth as Raw Hide. This time, Raw's opponent was wielding his mighty sword and bucklar shield. Sure, they came from the discount bin at Vik-Mart, but damned if they weren't effective.

Damned effective.

Something was wrong with this picture. He gave no signs of his arm having ever been broken before, and he seemed younger, tougher, bigger, faster, and even healthier than he should be.

"You're pathetic! You were pathetic then, you're pathetic now, and the only thing URGH" His sword bounced off Raw's, knocking Raw Hide's sword to his side. Raw Hide kept his grip, but had to backtrack under the furious assault. "The only reason you won't be pathetic in the future is, you're going to die TODAY!"

"What?" Raw Hide blocked a powerful swipe of the sword and counter attacked. The father of the girl he once thought he loved jumped up and away. Raw Hide growled. "Gonna bore me to death, old man?"

He screamed an unearthly roar and charged at Raw Hide, mowing past Raw and sending him sprawling to the side almost without effort. *Unexpected,* Raw thought to himself. He rolled to his feet. Screaming with a rage of a thousand flat colas, Fred, to the surprise of everyone including himself, jumped on the back of Raw's vicious opponent.

The opponent discarded Fred with a vicious, ruthless, nearly evil ease.

Raw Hide couldn't believe it. That cowardly, worthless miserable .. . . sacrificing himself to help Raw? What a suc- hero. "What a hero," Raw said aloud, sarcastically.

Raw Hide carried a great deal more in his outfit than you'd expect him to looking at him. He knew he needed to do something out of the ordinary to get the upper hand on this monster. Fortunately, he'd kept the ridiculously over elaborate ninja weapon he'd found on the icy peaks of the Kingdom, along with a few other random goodies he was keeping in a simple, burlap sac tied to his thigh. (No sniggering, Catrina.)

Fred wasn't through by any means, either. He rushed at the enemy, knife in hand, intent on burying it in the heart of his enemy, and then, if the proper respect wasn't shown, in the heart of Raw Hide. Then he'd figure how to get home and -

Maybe he'd done a little too much figuring and a little too focusing on the enemy, as Fred's attack was effectively used against him. The enemy ducked down, grabbed Fred's body, then stood up, flinging him over his shoulder towards Raw Hide.

He was just standing up. Even as he flung Fred toward, this overpowered, almost ghostly visage of Shara's father brought his sword into the ready position, already moving forward. Time seemed to slow down in Raw Hide's mind, just has it had in his training, when he'd met that certain level of zen.

He knew what he should do. Catch Fred, drop him, albeit roughly, and counter attack. It left very little chance of failure. Raw Hide had very little doubt it would fail.

Unfortunately for Fred, Rawe didn't consider Fred's life to be worth that minor chance of failure.

Therefore, he lashed out with the ninja weapon, burrying it in Fred's body, twisting it violently, and sending it back towards Shara's father.

Caught between the two, Fred screamed out in mortal horror. This freak, this traitor had sacrificed his life to this monster. His broken, bloodied, battered body was enough of a distraction to Shara's father that Raw Hide was able to lash out, and burry the ninja weapon deep in his throat. He wasn't even to able to scream as the fire and ice of the firey hot katana sliced through his chest, throat, and midsection in carefully executed, inhumanly brutal movements.

As he fall, Fred tried to push himself to one foot, half succesful, as he spit at the ground Raw walked on. At least, now Raw Hide could find a medical encampment for Fredico Botelnekka.

"S- s. . . " Fredico could speak, but barely. "Sir, don't take the time to. . . . get me to the medical camp," Fredrico protested on noble sacrafice. "Don't know. . . . if I'll . . . . make it, anyway."

"Oh, you probably would have," Raw Hide replied coldly. Then he casually grabbed the fallen enemy's very own sword down, through Fredriko's back and chest, pinning him to the ground. "But who needs the contradicting voice when I tell my enemies how I have slain my greatest rival on my own?"

He watched Fredrico gasp his last air, and mouth the question, "Why?"

"Why not? I mean," Raw Hide shrugged, not caring if Fred was still alive to even hear it or not. "You knew this job was dangerous when you took it, Fred."

Raw Hide saw the body flickering in and out of existence even as he turned to find the dragon and claim his glory and victory.

As he walked out, the body winked in and out of existence. It suddenly stopped, and the body remained behind, glowing and eerie white color.

The voice of Calador the Selfless echo'ed from the glowing corpse, sounding like a very echo of the past.

"Raw Hide has killed his conscious, I see. Let us see how he fares when he faces his soul- and then his judgment."

***
Catrina hurried along, although her heart wanted to turn back to help her newfound friend. Michelle also kept giving glances back the direction they had come, finally speaking her mind to Catrina. “Shouldn’t we help her? I mean, he looked awful mean and stuff…he gave me some real bad vibes!”

Catrina was so tempted to agree with the hippy, but knew she couldn’t. Primarily it was because she had to get Michelle to the Dragon, but there was also a matter of honor involved. “Becky said this is her problem, she made it a personal fight. If we attempt to interfere with her, even on her side, it not only dishonors us, but her as well.”

The wind shifted for a moment, and Catrina let out a low growl which caused Michelle to jump nervously. Catrina spoke quietly to her. “Moondream, I’m going to stop up ahead, and I want you to keep going. Head for the Dragon, I’m sure he will protect you.”

Michelle looked at Catrina, then looked around quickly. “Is there someone out there? Someone who’s going to attack you too? Is this another one of those honor things, wanting me to keep going?”

Catrina had to smile at that. “No, kitten, it’s not that. I know there are dangers ahead and I’d rather have you still with me until we reach the Dragon. But the greatest danger is here now, and would take great pleasure in killing you before he attacked me.” Michelle blanched, her head looking around sharply for this enemy, then nodding and hurrying on down the path. “Becky and I will follow as soon as we can!” Catrina called after her, although a part of her was in doubt of that.

As she saw Michelle disappear down the path, she breathed a sigh of relief, unbuckling and removing her sword belt as she did so. “Okay, monster, she’s gone now.” She spoke in her native Feline. “Show yourself and let’s get this over with!” She turned to the direction his scent had come from, just in time to see him spring from the brush, fangs and claws fully bared, crashing into Catrina and knocking her down.

They hit the ground together, wrestling each other, fighting tooth and claw, doing their best one to kill the other. Catrina’s hatred of the male she had known simply as Him fueled her fighting, the memories of that first and only fight between them in the Pit, and the resulting humiliation by him, drove her desire to see him fully out of her life and back to the Dark Ones who sent him to her in the first place!

Catrina felt his claws gain purchase in her flesh, tearing it, she felt her blood begin to flow. She snarled with the pain, giving Him as good a clawing as she got, both their furs and the surrounding ground slowly turning reddish as the blood soaked in, the fur matting to prevent further loss.

Catrina broke, retreating a bit to rest and regroup. If her opponent had thought it was a moment's weakness, however, he found out how wrong he was as she batted his head several times on his approach, clawing his face badly. He roared, and struck her in return with blows that made her head ring. They stood toe to toe now- like boxers in the ring- half punching, half clawing at each other's head and body, their roars deafening and continuous.

Catrina cried out as one huge right hand collided hard against her ear, she staggered, seeing stars as a second punch sent her down, landing unceremoniously on her face in the dirt. She began to get to her knees, but suddenly remembered what had happened the LAST time she had done that, and rolled to her back instead.. Just in time to see his huge, muscular body pounce, claws and fangs bared, with blood in his eyes- HER blood!

There was nothing to do for it, no time to truly react. Catrina did the only thing she could do, puling her legs up to her belly, bracing all four paws outward, all claws expressed. She braced for his impact, and when it came rolled through it as he slid off, digging her claws in and causing grave damage to him. she came up on top, punching and clawing at him, roaring with the ire of all the humiliation he had caused her, then, finally, plunging down with her open jaws, closing about his throat, her sharp fangs, piercing skin and muscle, artery, vein and finally cartledge. She the moved convulsively, ripping his throat out, his last roar dying with a satisfying gurgle.

She spat out his throat- not knowing if he had seen her take it, as she had promised during that first fateful fight, but content in the fact that he was without a doubt out of her life for good! As she rolled off him, panting, gathering her strengths to continue the trek...she heard a rustling in the bushes down the path from where they came.

She rolled up into a crouch, although she hardly felt ready to fight again. The blood loss had been staunched, but the stiffness and soreness of her beaten body had already begun to set in. But she could at least give whoever it was a good scare, perhaps drive them off.

She growled menacingly as a figure entered the clearing, only to cut short as she recognized that figure as being Rebecca. Catrina stood, slowly, stiffly and walked toward her friend- who walked just as stiffly toward her. As they met each looked the other over, and Catrina smiled. "Girl...you look like something I coughed up earlier!"

Rebecca's smile was just as broad as her friend's. "Ye don't look springtime fresh yerself, lass! Where be Michelle now?"

Catrina nodded, turning to point at her opponent’s body and the path ahead. "I sent her on ahead when he...." She sighed as the body slowly faded away. "The thing that scares me is...I'm getting used to that." Rebecca could only nod in reply, as Catrina retrieved her sword belt, and strapped it back on. The pair then headed off after their friend, each supporting the other on the way.

End chapter 2