Cat and Mouse

by Zephyr Spark

Chapter 5 The Trap

This wasn’t the first time Spike saw his life flashing before his eyes. There was that time when he was falling after that transformation, running from the Sombra’s magic with the crystal heart he was sure he was a goner, those times he went time jumping with Twilight definitely put his existence in perspective. Only thing different this time was all the little things that happened leading up to this moment. All in all, it wasn’t a bad life. He was almost satisfied with it. He just wanted a little more time with his friends. He never really got to tell Rarity how he felt.

Far above, Garble screamed. Spike couldn’t tell what he was saying. He didn’t care. He was more concerned with what was beneath him. The darkness was going to give way to solid ground sooner or later. Spike closed his eyes and grit his teeth. He miscalculated. This was it.

Suddenly, he stopped falling. A powerful updraft steamed from the crater below. He hadn’t miscalculated. The wind was right on time. Now, he was soaring upwards, ascending like a rocket. He zoomed past a stunned Garble, aiming towards the gap in the ceiling. He opened his arms and soared across the winds like a kite and tumbled directly into the gap. The impact with the floor knocked half the air from his lungs, but he staggered to his feet and stumbled ahead. Outside the howling wind abated, replaced by Garble’s wing beats as he approached the gap. Unable to enter the small crevice, he unleashed a cloud of flames in frustration. Fire nipped Spike’s tail as he stumbled, weighed down by a heavy ache in his head. Garble’s blow had left him so disoriented that standing on his feet was hard enough.

“Come on, Spike!” Garble’s voice echoed from the entrance, “I’m about to end this little game of ours!” Spike lurched out of range from Garble’s fire and collapsed against the wall. Now that he had a moment of peace, he clutched his aching head and felt a nasty bruise forming on his left temple. The mere effort of inhaling was strenuous as the intake of air chilled his entire body. His lungs struggled to breathe after his almost fatal fall. His rapid heartbeat drummed in his ears and rocked his chest.

Finally, his heart calmed somewhat and breathing was less tiresome. Being relaxed did not reinvigorate his body to keep running. Having this moment of respite made him reluctant to even consider running. He laid his head against the wall and nearly closed his eyes. It would be so easy to fall asleep. Just the thought was so tantalizing.

Suddenly, there was a sound louder than a jackhammer beneath his feet and Spike howled as a vice grip force crushed his right leg. A red, clawed hand broke through the floor and clamped down on his leg. Adrenaline pumping through his body, Spike struggled to free himself, slashing and biting the fist with all his might. The claws gripped him tighter and the pain doubled as he was dragged towards the hole. He dug his claws into the dirt in a futile attempt to escape.

Then he noticed a rock the size of his fist a few inches from his grasp. Spike reached for the stone, his muscles extended so far they screamed in agony. His index and middle finger could just graze the rock and he worked the stone into his hand. In one swift motion, he turned and slammed the red hand with the stone. He was rewarded with Garble’s shrill cry and a loosening of the fist. Spike brought down the stone again and again and again until finally the hand was too swollen to hold on. Spike crawled away on his hands and knees.

He pursed his lips in thought. His right leg felt like powder, grinded to dust. In this state, he wouldn’t be able to escape the tunnel to solid ground before Garble struck again. His eyes flirted about for a solution until he noticed several stones on the ground. Spike scooped them up and dumped them into his knapsack before removing the scepter, still covered in its cloth. Using the staff like a crutch, Spike lifted himself. He threw a stone a few feet from his position.

After a few moments of silence became a minute, Spike began to question this plan. Then, a red fist broke through the ground where the rock landed and groped about. Spike tiptoed to Garble’s searching hand and placed his knapsack over it. Immediately, he latched on the bag and tugged. A second, swollen fist broke through the rocks and grasped the bag. Spike released the knapsack that had served him so well. With no resisting force, the hands pulled the rock-leaden bag directly onto Garble’s face. The red dragon shouted in surprise and lost his grip on the wall as a shower of rocks pelted his head and his chest. Spike glanced through the hole his fists had made and saw the dragon tumbling into the abyss. Several feet below his wings extended and he steadied himself. Garble looked like he was trying to make sense of what just happened as he spit out a broken tooth.

The abyss beneath flooded with a powerful updraft and Garble’s wings caught the full brunt of it. With panicked screams, he went careening out of control, unable to navigate the wind with his clumsy wings. The wind pushed him violently towards the tunnel where Spike was sheltered. Spike cleared the ground as Garble burst through the ground and his head slammed into the ceiling with jarring force.

Garble slumped over onto his chest, his arms, legs and tails trapped beneath the floor, as his eyes wobbled. When he saw Spike’s purple form, he seemed to regain some control. Still he could only watch in a daze as Spike hobbled away leaning on the staff for support. When the dragon vanished from sight, Garble felt his strength returning. With a guttural roar, he dislodged his body from the hole. Digging his claws into the tunnel floor, he snaked across the rocks with crippling pain and blind fury on his mind.

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Using the staff to support his mangled leg, Spike staggered into a cavern. The bursts of wind ebbed to a small flutter, the light of day shone through a cave mouth a few feet away. He glanced at the staff in his hand. Somehow, the white cloth still covered it from sight. Aside from some caked dirt smudging the edges, it retained a regal appearance. Spike’s temple and leg throbbed. Every part of his body hurt. He couldn’t even recall the origins of several aches. Nevertheless, he trudged to the cave mouth.

Unfriendly talons grabbed his tail and sent him flying against the wall. He crumpled to the ground in a broken heap. Struggling to lift himself with his hands, he clutched the staff as Garble’s blurry figure drew near. He was lifted again over Garble’s head and thrown onto the ground with a deadening thud. Body wracked with pain, he still struggled to stand even though it was no longer possible. Garble wrapped his talons around Spike’s throat and shoved him into the ground. He raised his fist and struck Spike face. He struck again and again and again. Each time brought him greater satisfaction as Spike crumbled under the abuse. Garble remembered what he came for and stomped on Spike’s hand. The staff fell from his hand and rolled onto the ground. Garble released Spike, who lay immobile, and touched the fabric with awe. He seized the staff and thrust it over his head in triumph.

“Finally,” he gleamed, “finally it’s mine.”

Comments

[KaptainKuddles]

is all I have to say

[Zephyr Spark]

7630920 Next chapter is coming soon.