"We-"
It happened too fast to comprehend. A shape flashed out of the dark and Trouncher was gone. There was a crunch and a sickening scream of pain, and Rimes was able to utter a single syllable-
"-what-"
-before a bulbous, reddish form slammed into his yoh'shii. The tulip bulb (Luigi's brain insisted, searching for a parallel) split wide in a shark's grin of dagger sized teeth and bit down on the fallen rider's leg. It shook him like a dog, tearing through trouser and flesh, Rimes bellowing in pain. Thorned creepers lashed out at the men and animals from the darkness, wrapping around legs and arms. Mario drew his saber with a 'snikt!' and slashed at the groping vines that lashed his arms and chest. Luigi scrambled from the saddle, drawing his own saber, and ran towards the suspended rider. Rimes' eyes locked on him and he pleaded for help, for Luigi to save him. No time to reflect on irony. The young man swung his sword forcefully, trying to remember what T'ao had taught him. The tip of his saber tore a foot long gash in the skin of the 'tuber' that sprayed sap all over Luigi. The plant gurgled in pain and let the mangled man fall on his head, turning its 'head' to Luigi. Rows of tiny, pinprick eyes focused on the ex-plumber and he braced himself for the charge.
"Look out," hollered Glomps.
Two more 'heads' barreled into him from the darkness, knocking the sword from his hand. Winded, he tumbled over the first more accidentally than anything and straight into the jaws of the second. He felt the pliant roof of the plant's mouth and its 'breath' wafted over him, a mixture of blood and sour cucumber. He straightened out his legs and tried to kick his way out of the mouth. Something jabbed him in the side but he was too panicked to care, flailing against gruesome death.
He was spat out like a wad of gum. A yoh'shii clawed at the thing with frenzied ferocity. A red-clad figure dragged him away from flailing creepers.
"Mario…" he whispered. The pain in his side was getting worse.
"Wrong." It was Shriver. He had somehow managed to loose his bonds and guide his mount to the ruckus.
"Help is coming. I won't be here, Lu. You owe me big now. Remember Shriver and I'll remember you."
The shi'geh ran from him with long loping strides and was gone.
"Sh-shit… Mario!"
Luigi staggered back towards the carnage. Men called out for him, for his brother, but he was only aware of the horror before him. Two yoh'shiis were dead, their skins torn open with teeth and thorn, three more struggled in vines, biting and slashing. Rimes was dead or dying. Glomps was running full tilt away from the fight.
And there was Mario. He was terrible to behold, his cloak in tatters, weeping cuts covering his face and arms, his sword flashing like lightning as thunder pealed overhead. They had barely learned to use their blades, and he had abandoned every lesson in his fury. He drove his sword into the plant-thing again and again. Lengths of twitching vines sailed by Luigi as he staggered towards the fray. A dislodged arrowhead-tooth sliced his cheek. He had to help his brother, but he was unarmed and hurt…
Thundering feet heralded the arrival of the riders, ready to save them yet again. They charged the plant, burying spear-shafts in its 'flesh.' With a final lurching spasm, the carnivore succumbed.
Two riders lifted Luigi to his feet and held him fast. The Lieutenant stormed over to him.
"What happened? Explain yourself! Why did you leave the path?!"
"We- we were…"
"Trouncher and his goons attacked us," Mario barked. He strode from the murdered plant, dripping with sap and mud.
"Where is that bastard Glopes? I'll put my fist right up…"
"Don't listen to him! He's crazy!"
Glopes shouted at them from a safe distance.
"They went the wrong way, and we were trying to just, ah, bring them back when they blundered into that mantrap! Trouncher an' Rimes are dead because of them!"
The Lieutenant, bewildered, angry, out of his league, saw the yoh'shii that had carried Shriver.
"Where is the prisoner?"
"Yeah! They were going to let him go! We saw them untying his ropes, an' then they ran into the mantrap there!"
"Liar! You were the ones guarding him!"
Mario tried to throw his sword at the cringing accuser, but the Lieutenant grabbed his wrists. Mario snarled and tried to wriggle out his grasp, more riders coming to their superior's aid. Luigi felt like he was about to go insane.
"Stop it! Don't you believe us!?"
"He's alive!"
The surgeon, Grimwell, broke through the bedlam. Everyone crowded around Rimes.
"Back off, back off! He's… just let the man breath."
Rime's left leg was badly mangled. Grimwell had made a makeshift tourniquet out of a cloak, but it was clear he would not make it. His face was ashen between spores.
"We-we made a mistake, Stars forgive me. Luigi t-tried to save me, Glopes… I can't hold anything 'gainst him now. We w-wanted to-" he gasped, "rough them up fer t-talkin' to the shi'geh. We didn't want nobody to die. D-don't punish anyone; we've suffered enough. Glopes, forgiv'em. Hatin' ain't worth shit in the end."
He refused to say anything more, no matter how they questioned him. Grimwell finally shooed them all away, save Glopes.
"Let him have a moment. I've got to attend to the others."
The surviving animals were thankfully, miraculously uninjured. Mario was relieved to see that Baby was one of them, along with Gnasher and the nameless pack yoh'shii that had carried Shriver. The doctor cursorily looked over Mario's injuries.
"You are a marvel. I'd fear for those cuts otherwise, but they're scabbing over. Lucky that a thorn didn't pop your eye, though… nasty cut on that brow there. Now for your brother…"
He pried Luigi's hands from his side. Tutted.
"You've got a tooth in there. Let me fetch my pliers…"
Luigi watched him rustle through his grubby bag and withdrew a rather tarnished looking pair of tongs. He felt sick.
"Are you sure this is necessary?"
"Absolutely. I can't sew you up with the tooth inside you. You're lucky it didn't pierce anything important as is. Here, bite this."
He bit down on the leather strap the doctor offered him.
"Hold him."
Mario and T'ao complied, pushing down on Luigi's shoulders as Grimwell did his work.
"Jesus," Luigi sobbed. He bucked and kicked; the doctor swore.
"Hold him tighter! Damn fool, you want me to nick something? I haven't even got the tooth out…"
Agony-filled minutes passed before the doctor wiped his hands on his apron.
"Done and done. Stitched up nice and neat, I do say so. Once we get to Rodan's castle I can re-open the wound and do a proper job. And we can get those spores on your hand fixed as well.
"N-no thanks, if it h-hurts like this…"
"Poor soft boy you are, I apologize for lacking alcohol. It is much better to be drunk for this sort of thing."
The four men sat a while, gloomy in that dreary grove. They watched a group of riders butcher the deceased trap, looking for the mangled body of their comrade. Glopes stood by, weeping. Mario snorted in disgust.
"So the tough guy cries, does he? He wouldn't have shed a tear for us, Luigi, after slitting our throats."
The doctor looked at him sternly.
"Mind yourself man. He may be a villain, but he is a First Rider and a companion to us all. He will suffer yet, atop the sufferings he feels now."
"Suffering? He's not suffered until I beat him down."
"Silence Mario." T'ao drew him away from the healer.
"Let me explain. They were cousins, those three, from the same village. They only had each other."
Luigi looked at Mario. Mario looked at Luigi. How could they not feel shame.