The Young Warrior: A Stroke Of Luck

by Melody Song

Attack

“Idiots.” Pharynx grumbled to himself as he left the Hive, storming out into the open fields. He had just spotted some of his recruits goofing off when they were supposed to be training.

“Please go on patrols with at least one other soldier, Pharynx, you know we’ve been hearing about some strange activity at the border.”

Thorax’s words echoed in Pharynx’s mind as he headed to the forest at the edge of their territory. He just scoffed, stomping into the woods.

“I’m the General, I should be able to decide if I feel like taking backup. It’s not like those idiots would be useful anyway, they’d just end up shooting their own hooves if they ran into trouble.” he grumbled, not noticing the sudden rustling of the vegetation behind him. “Then again, I suppose bait would be useful.”

As Pharynx contemplated the pros and cons of going back to get a soldier to join him, a shadow-cloaked figure watched him from afar. Finally, Pharynx paused, realizing the forest had gone quiet. The only sound in the green was his own hoofsteps, as even the wildlife had gone still. Something wasn’t right. He pricked his ears and looked around cautiously, baring his teeth.

“Whoever’s out there, show yourself.” Pharynx hissed, but nothing moved. He glared around, releasing a threatening snarl.

A rustling caught his attention at last. He growled and lunged at the movement, only to fall straight through a bush and land hard on his stomach. Pharynx groaned, standing up again, then looked down to see what had made the noise. It was a chipmunk.

Pharynx facehoofed, mentally scolding himself for not thinking. “Who am I, Thorax? Since when am I this paranoid?”

Pharynx sighed and turned away from the chipmunk to continue on his walk. But right as he was about to take a step forward, something sliced through the trees and cut into his shoulder. He let out a hiss of pain and surprise, stepping backwards and staring in the direction the object had gone. An arrow had become stuck in the tree behind him.

Pharynx’s ears pinned to his head as hissing suddenly erupted from all around him.

The forest was no longer silent.

Unreformed changelings, rogues, crept out of the undergrowth from all around him. Some flew down from trees while others shifted back from disguises of rocks and bushes. Normally, Pharynx would not have backed away from them and just charged straight on. But this time – and he hated to admit it – there were too many. He’d never be able to fight them all, especially if they charged as one like swarms were supposed to. Pharynx still stood his ground after allowing himself a step backwards from surprise.

“Stay back.” Pharynx warned, his antlers igniting. “I will not run.”

The rogue changelings gave no response, other than more hissing. Pharynx glared, putting on a snarling expression to rival Chrysalis in her prime. His eyes went wide and threatening, focusing on them in an unbending, fixated stare. His mouth opened to show his teeth, still somewhat sharp fangs glistening. Pharynx’s stance mimicked his expression, straight and tall with one hoof raised, his back legs tense in preparation to spring at a moment’s notice.

The rogue changelings, to their credit, didn’t show any fear. But oh, could Pharynx taste it. The bitter wash of almost suffocating fright covered the swarm like a blanket. And he drank it all.

Fueled by the utter terror he himself had caused in their numbers, Pharyrnx lunged. The rogues barely had time to react, only managing threatening hisses before Pharynx knocked into the ones directly in front of him.

The fight began, and Pharynx felt the world slow down. He reacted faster than he usually could, his eyes scanning over the battlefield. Somehow, he could see everything. Every possibility.

If he hit that group, the others would rush to take over, allowing him to skid around and come at them from behind.

If that other group charged in one direction, he could swerve and hit them from the side, knocking them into the stragglers.

Those two changelings seemed to be the leaders, if he took them out he could easily assert dominance and scare the rest away.

So he did.

He went for the first two groups he saw plausible wins from, and then headed for the ringleaders. But before he could get there, he paused, struck with a sudden thought.

He seemed to be moving faster than logically possible, but was somehow maintaining his focus and gaining the ability to see every action before it happened. Only one creature he knew could do that, last he checked.

Unfortunately, the moment Pharynx paused to consider this, time resumed its normal flow. He fell to the ground mid-leap, misjudging the landing and crashing into the earth. One of the leading changelings seized the opportunity provided, and quickly sunk their fangs into his shoulder blade.

Pharynx gasped out a hiss of pain as he felt the venom coursing through his veins. He staggered as he tried to stand, forelegs buckling under his weight. Pharynx scrambled up and snarled, blasting the changeling backwards with his magic. They let out a cry as they were launched into the trees, but noling else looked threatened. Pharynx panted, struggling to focus as the venom took effect.

Something stabbed into his hind leg and he cried out, stumbling again. A changeling jumped onto him from behind, and Pharynx felt them bite down on the back of his neck. He collapsed to the ground, strength already dwindling due to the first venom-filled bite, antlers sparking weakly as he struggled to get up. The rogue changelings converged on him, but Pharynx managed to force himself to his hooves, and with an almighty roar, he tossed most of them off.

Pharynx stood on trembling legs, panting, surrounded by rogue changelings. The unreformed lings struggled to get up from where Pharynx had tossed them, too dazed to move. The beta changeling managed a slight grin.

“Rogues zero, Pharynx… more than zero.” He slurred, the venom numbing his body from antler to tail. Despite the numbness closing in, Pharynx still attempted to charge his magic enough to fire a shot.

Suddenly, a dagger that glistened with some kind of black fluid came flying out of the trees, so fast that Pharynx didn’t even have time to react. The blade stabbed directly into Pharynx’s side, just under his carapace. The beta changeling staggered and collapsed to the ground at last, the magic gathered at his antlers releasing, firing off into the air before fizzling out uselessly.

Pharynx lay on the ground, head falling as he finally accepted defeat. As the rogue changelings began to converge on him, he managed to open his eyes just briefly, to get a good look at his attackers. Unable to hold his eyes open, Pharynx allowed himself to fall unconscious, hoping his death would at least be quick.

Strangely, Pharynx thought he saw a flash of gold just before his eyes could close completely, triggering a jolt of energy inside his mind. But before he could raise his head to try and get a closer look – and he couldn’t lift it if he tried – he passed out.

Comments

[HerrHauptmann]

Oooooh this is going to be exciting. What are these unreformed changelings doing here. Can't wait for the next chapter.

[Melody Song]

11909689
Consider your wish granted lol! (I update it on Tuesdays)

[HerrHauptmann]

11909698
Bruh I just finished this chapter that was either good planning on my part or dumb luck. Yeah, dumb luck sound more realistic.