41 - 1 - Guts and Burn

"Hhhhhrrroooowwwwrrrr!" I roared.

He faltered and I lunged forward. Missed! His tail broke free and he slashed!

And carved a hole in my underbelly!

I watched, stunned and helpless. Those were my guts, spilling from my body! I froze up for one instant too long. He pushed me down onto pipes that . . .

Tsssssssssss!

<AHHHHHH!>

My fur was smoking, my flesh scalded!

Adrenaline cracked through my chest like a whip. I was up again, face-to-face with a Yeerk-infested Hork-Bajir.

I had one more chance with this guy. This was it. And suddenly the vividness of the scene seemed to recede.

Don't get me wrong. My guts were still spilling out of my belly. Exhaustion still pressed on my shoulders like a granite slab. But I was in a new zone. It was him or me.

Claws bared, teeth flashing, I leaped.

WHAM!

Heaved him into the wall.

WHAM!

Plowed him into the concrete. His skull hit hard.

WHAM!

His tail dropped. His eyes went lazy, then rolled up into his head. He groaned weakly and slid down the wall.