It took an hour to walk to the entrance to the canyon. The morning sun burned our backs as we made our way over the hot rocks. Stump and Chorizo stopped dead in their tracks as we walked up to the ground level of the canyon.
"Uh...you guys go ahead, we'll stay here," said Stump. Chorizo nodded. Kinski and I exchanged glances before looking back at the two short gunslingers. "Vhas' vrong?" Kinski asked. Stump looked away and Chorizo began shifting his two ammo holders across his chest. I stared down at them, trying to read their expressions. They seemed nervous about going into the Prairie Dog Territory. I turned my huge head to the canyon. Sunlight poured down through the long passageway to the end where the prairie dogs lived.
I couldnt blame Stump and Chorizo for being nervous. The prairie dogs were notorious for their thirst for action and killing trespassers. Especially gunslingers. Kinski didnt have to worry since the prairie dogs knew he was a good guy. Stump and Chorizo would most likely be dead if they took another step.
With that, Kinski shrugged and climbed up onto my back. "Fine, ve'll be back," he said. With that, I spread open my enormous wings and took off down through the canyon. "I hope ze prairie dogs can help us, zat last var veally killed a lot of zem. Oh! and Kaliah! ve git to see Kaliah again, jes?" asked Kinski, leaning his head down over to me. My eyes widened. Kaliah! I havent seen her in a long time! I had almost forgotten about her. I missed her.
I flapped my wings harder, swerving around colossal, column like rocks and huge boulders. Kinski gripped my mane tightly but seemed to enjoy it. He laughed, then slowly lifted his arms up and let the rushing warm wind smack against him. His limp ears flapped past his face. I smiled as I saw him at the corner of my eye. It always made me happy to see him happy.
Finally, we got to the end of the canyon. A couple prairie dogs were out and some were taking off and riding their bats. I landed and lowered my head. Kinski jumped off. A couple prairie dogs turned their heads over to us and gasped in surprise. "Kinski! Banshee!" they cried at once. Instantly, the hill billy prairie dogs came up to us and nearly suffocated us in their stench. Kinski smiled a wide fake smile, holding back his screams as they slapped him roughly on his deformity. He looked like he was on the verge of exploding, but he was able to keep it under control.
"How hassit been?" asked one. "Wha's goin' on in Dirt?" asked another. Kinski held his hands up. The prairie dogs took a step back and waited for the huncback to reply. "Ve need to speak vith Balthazar...ve 'ave a problem back in Dirt," Kinski said. The prairie dogs all went silent. Something about hearing a problem in Dirt made them look very uneasy.
"H-he's inside...wh-where the bats stay..." said a prairie dog with a nick in his ear and a couple ammo holders strapped across his chest. Kinski looked up at the home where the prairie dogs lived. His legs began to shake a little, but he covered it up by walking forward to it.
I followed after him.
We walked through one of the entrances and was immediately engulfed into the darkness. I stopped when I realized that only my head could fit through and not the rest of my body. I screeched to Kinski, who stopped dead in his tracks and turned to me. "Vha's-? Oh," he said, realizing, then he looked down at his furry left hand which was holding my grey dress.
He smirked and tossed it to me. I caught it with my teeth and walked backwards out of the doorless entrance and went behind a huge section of the carved home and transformed back to my normal size and changed back into my grey dress. I jogged back over to the entrance and stopped next to Kinski who was still at the entrance that led into the darkness. His legs were shaking a bit again.
"Are you ok?" I asked him. Kinski flinched, but didnt say anything. His eyes were hidden behind his bangs, so it was hard for me to read his expression. He was afraid, but he didnt want to admit it. My eyes trailed down his arm and to his twitching furry hand near me. I reached up and held his wing. Kinski looked down. I smiled up at him. He smiled a small smile back. With that, we both entered into the dark entrance.
Our eyes adjusted to the darkness and made our way through the tunnels and down to where the bats lived. Around us, we could hear groans and sounds of whispering. The prairie dogs were still sleeping, or just starting to wake up around us. We walked past them.
The tunnels opened up and we found ourselves in a huge cave like room full of bats. Hundreds of bats were seen sleeping upside down on the ceiling with the stalagtites and the others were flying around or walking on all fours on the ground. Shafts of light poured in from the holes in the dim cave. Kinski and I squeezed past all the bats who were bigger than both of us combined and made our way through the cave, looking around for Balthazar.
A bunch of bats shouldered past us, causing us to break away. I tried reaching for him, but felt myself falling backwards. I bumped into something dark and furry and turned my head. "Oh, I'm s-" I stopped and looked up. It was a huge, scruffy black bat with visible scars all over his body. He glared down at me with dark red eyes and bared his fangs. I took a step back in fear. The dark male bat snarled a warning and loomed over me. I backed up. Just then I heard my name from behind the hulking bat.
"Banshee!"
I took my eyes off the male bat and slightly tilted my head to look behind him. I gasped in excitement. "Kaliah!" I screamed and took a step forward. The huge bat moved in front of me, blocking my path and growled. My eyes widened in horror, and took a step back. Kaliah appeared right next to the monsterous bat and gave him a playful shove.
"Soltus, dont be so mean. This is Banshee, my friend," she said. The huge bat, named Soltus, stared down at Kaliah, then silently nodded and backed down. I sighed with relief and came up to Kaliah. Kaliah and I hugged.
"Its been so long! how are you?" she asked.
I opened my mouth, but then heard my name bahind me and turned my head. Kinski came staggering out from nearly being suffocated to death by all the bats shouldering their way past eachother to the other side. Kinski came up to me and sighed heavily, then noticed Kaliah.
"Hi...Kaliah..." he said between breaths and raised his hand up halfway, then back down and rested on his knee. Kaliah smiled to him, then gave me a smile and flickered her eyes from him to me. I blushed and looked away. Soltus glared down at Kinski, who looked up and took a step back. Suddenly, I heard little sounds behind him.
"Attack!" one little voice yelled.
Suddenly, two little dark colored bats swooped out from behind Soltus and came flying toward Kinski. Kinski turned, just as the two little bats came at him. "Aahh!" he screamed and fell backwards and collapsed on the ground with a loud thud. I took a step forward to help him, but then couldnt help but smile. Kinski tried swatting the little bats away as they climbed around him and tugged his droopy ears with their mouths.
"I call eating his ear!" yelled one.
"Ow!" yelled Kinski as he grabbed the one biting his ear by the scruff of the neck and pulled it off him. The other attacked and licked his face. "Hey! ha! stop!" he cried out laughing, but then stopped when he felt a strange pain in his right hand and looked down. The other was now teething his hand. Soltus watched, and a small smirk formed on his face. Kaliah turned her head to the little bats attacking Kinski and frowned.
"Kids! get off Kinski!" she screeched.
The little bats stopped playfighting with Kinski and flew off him. Kinski sat there on the ground. He stuck his tongue out in disgust and wiped his saliva covered face with the back of his sleeve. I couldnt help but laugh, but then watched as the little bats flew over to Kaliah and landed next to her. My mouth dropped open in shock. "Y-you...have kids?" I asked her in disbelief. Kaliah smiled as Soltus' huge head came down next to hers and nudged against it.
"Yes, they are our kids," she answered with a smile. My eyes widened in surprise. I was amazed.
Kinski got up and stared at the bat family. He lowered his head down next to mine, "Zey are 'er kids, jes?" he asked me in a low voice. I nodded. Kinski nodded, then his eyes widened in surprise. "congrats," he said looking up at Kaliah with a small smile. Soltus frowned at Kinski, even though he didnt know what he said.
"We say congratulations. You have two wonderful kids," I said smiling politely and translating for the bats. Soltus stared at Kinski and I, then seemed to relax a bit, seeing that we werent a threat to his family, but still had his dark red eyes on us.
"Thanks," he said in a deep low voice.
Kinski and I watched as the two little bats began playing with eachother and biting each others ears. I realized that one was a boy, and the other was a girl. The boy had a scruffy look to him and looked a lot like his father, but had his mother's rich brown eyes, and the girl had a sleek dark grey almost black fur and looked like her mother, but had her father's hard red eyes. "What are their names?" I asked. Soltus and Kaliah exchanged glances before looking over at me. Kaliah shook her head.
"We didnt give them names. We dont have to. That's what our masters do," Kaliah answered.
"Oh," I said. I didnt realize that they didnt have to; whereas the more "evolved" animals, the ones who stand on all twos and wear clothes, we are losing that sense and instinct, so names become very important. I wonder if thats how my little clan was. My clan was beginning to evolve, so we became our own group, away from the other bats. The kids looked over at us and observed us with their huge brown and red eyes.
"Yellow eyes," said the girl in a small shy voice as she stared at me. The little boy bat nodded, then looked over at Kinski. The boy bat smiled.
"Bunny," said the boy grinning.
Kinski gave a blank expresion, obviously not understanding. The two bats stared up at Kinski with awe, it was almost as if they have never seen anything like him before, and yet knew what he was. The boy's tongue flicked out in a sort of bloodthirsty way. Kinski took a step back, and instinctively touched his gun in its holster.
Soltus didnt like that one bit and loomed over the hunchback jackrabbit. Kinski went low in fear as Soltus stood over him in a threatened way. I took a step forward and held my wing up to Soltus as I grabbed Kinski's gun.
"I-it's ok...it's o-ok" I said in a shaky voice as I moved the gun away and placed it over near a shiny glittering stalagmite that was as tall as me. Soltus stared at me with an unreadable face. Then he turned his head away and looked down at Kaliah, who was watching the kids play.
I walked over to Kaliah as Soltus walked away and laid down a good distance from us, but still had his red eyes on Kinski. Then, the two bats attacked Kinski again. Kinski jumped and tried running away, but got tackled down again. Kaliah and I couldnt help but laugh.
"Ah, they both have their father's spirit," said Kaliah. I looked over at Soltus. Their father's spirit? So he was a fighter, a warrior. I would hate to see him very angry. I gulped nervously at the thought and looked back at the two bats. Kinski gradually loosened up around the kids and began to laugh as he played with the kids. I smiled and watched him. Kaliah looked over at me with a smile on her face.
"So, I see you two finally got together," she said.
I blushed and looked away. "Oh, yeah..." I said. Kaliah continued to smile. "Are you guys mates yet?" she asked. I felt my heart skip a beat as I watched Kinski try to chase the kids as they flew around him. "wh-what?" I asked. Kaliah stared at me then laughed. "Oh, sorry. I mean, have you two thought of that marriage thing?" she asked.
"uh...no...no we havent..." I said. Kaliah's smile disappeared. "Why not?" she asked. I sighed and shrugged. "I dont know...I dont think...I dont know how Kinski would feel about it..." I said as I watched the girl land on Kinski's shoulders and wrapped her wings around his neck. She stared down at his deformity.
"What's this?" she asked her brother. The brother just shrugged as he flew out of the way from Kinski's grasp. They seemed to like Kinski a lot for a strange reason. They didnt see him as a threat, just something to play with. Kinski seemed to enjoy playing with them as well.
Kaliah smiled again and nudged me.
"I'm sure he wants to ask ya, but he's just too nervous you'll say no. Soltus didnt ask me to be his mate until the ninth full moon," she said as she gazed over at Soltus dreamily. "He's such a big softie once you get to know him."
I found that hard to believe, but I just nodded my head.
I watched Kaliah and Soltus' kids jump on Kinski from behind, causing him to fall to the ground. He landed on his stomach and laughed. "Ok! zat's it!" he said playfully as he got up and grabbed for the kids. The kids screeched and laughed as they flew away.
Suddenly, I had almost forgotten why we were here in the first place. "Kaliah, where's your master? We need to speak with him," I said. Kaliah looked at me. "Why? What's wrong?" she asked. I gave her a short summary about Brim and Luminite coming to the town to help us, and Blor taking over the town. Kaliah's eyes widened in horror. Soltus looked over at us with concern. His red eyes stared at Kaliah, then he got up.
"What's wrong, Kal?" he asked in a deep low murmur.
Kaliah looked up at Soltus, then over to me. "He's over here," she said and began to walk on all fours toward the direction where Balthazar was. Kinski and the two kids stopped playing and looked over at us. Kinski got to his feet. The kids held on to him and sat on his shoulders as he came up to me.
"Vha's vrong?" he asked. I began walking, "Kaliah is showing us where Balthazar is," I said. Kinski began to follow me, but then stopped when he realized that the kids were still on him. He reached up and tried pulling them off but they wouldnt let go. Soltus noticed this and glared at the kids. Instantly, the kids flew off Kinski and disappeared behind Soltus.
We began making our way through the tightly packed section where all the bats seemed to be huddled close to in the dim cave. It became harder and harder to keep up with Kaliah, seeing that she was used to pushing and shoving her way past the compacted bat groups, whereas me and Kinski were smaller in size and had to keep from falling over and being trampled over.
Kinski started to move farther and farther away from me, then all I could see were huge bat heads in front of me. Suddenly, right when I was going to call his name out, I felt something wet on the back of my neck. I turned around and found myself face to face with a tall, pale brown colored male bat with one brown eye and one ice blue eye. His hair was matted, but I could see a bit of mustle tone in his wings, which had quiltwork patches scattered all over the leather surface. He had a rugged look and wirey hair around his head. He gave me a toothy grin and lowered his head down to mine.
"Well! I've never seen a pretty thin' like you around! Where have ya been hidin?" he asked, chuckling softly.
He lifted his wing and wrapped it around me, pulling me closer to him. I lifted my wings up against my chest and pushed away from him. "I'm sorry, I'm in a hurry to talk to someone," I said and started to walk around him. The male bat smirked as he moved in front of me, blocking my path.
"A hurry? What's the hurry? I'm right here," he said, smirking.
I narrowed my eyes a bit. He was really getting on my nerves. "Please move, I need to go-" I said and soved him roughly, but it didnt really help. "Oh! A feisty one! I like it" he said laughing as he moved closer to me. Just then, a couple bats came up next to the male bat.
"Hey, Cy, leave her alone," said a bat behind him. The bat named Cy didnt seem to hear them as he continued to pester me. He grabbed me, keeping me from moving. "You have freaky eyes... very creepy. You some sort of freakish hybrid bat or somethin?" he asked as his head came closer to mine. I wanted to scream, but Cy's grip tightened down on my respiration system, making it hard to breathe. "Stop it! leave me alone!" I shouted. Other bats began to form around us and watched me and Cy fight.
Cy laughed and grabbed my hair and forced my eyes to look up at him. He ran his long pink tongue along the front of my face. I flinched in disgust and turned my head away, but Cy wouldnt stop. "Cy! stop-!" yelled the same bat as before. "You better shut the hell up, Crash! I aint gonna stop till I git my mate!" he shouted to the bat named Crash. The bats took a couple steps back in fear. My eyes widened in horror as Cy turned his head to me with an evil smirk on his face.
Suddenly a shout was heard and a rock smacked Cy from the side of his head. Cy screeched in pain and turned. Kinski stood ten feet from us in the open circle where the bats stayed a good distance from us. Kinski's bangs were in front of his face. His mouth was curled into a sneer and his hands were balled up tightly at his sides.
"Git yer filthy vings off my girl you shit eater!" Kinski shouted. Cy stared at Kinski as if he just appeared from thin air. Cy growled and flicked his ears back. He gave Kinski a warning look before turning his back and began to pull me away. Kinski picked up another rock and chucked it at Cy's head again. "Hey!" he yelled again. Cy screeched in pain and turned his head back to the hunchback. This time, Cy was really ticked off. Cy chucked me aside and turned to fully face Kinski.
"Stupid deranged rabbit!" Cy screeched. Kinski mimicked the screech back to Cy. The bats on the outer part of the circle began to screech and shout as the two circled eachother in the open circle. Kaliah helped me up and kept me from going to Kinski.
"You cant go out there, he has just accepted the challenge," said Kaliah. I looked up at her with worry. "Ch-challenge? Wh-what challenge?" I asked. Kaliah gave me a look of sadness.
"The two must fight to the death. The one who wins, is the one who gets to have you as their mate," she explained. I gasped and instantly felt sick as I turned back to the two growling males. Cy was ten times bigger then Kinski! It was unfair! The two continued to move around the edges of the ring. Then, Cy came forward at lightning speed toward Kinski. Kinski bared his teeth and instinctively reached down for his gun. Kinski's eyes widened and he looked down at his holster. It was empty.
I gasped. I took it and placed it near the stalagmite when Soltus saw him reach for it! Kinski looked back up, just as Cy rammed into him, causing him to fall backwards and skidded along the hardpacked ground. A couple bats screeched and shouted things as they watched the blood thirsty battle. Kinski groaned as he laid there on the ground. Blood oozed out of his twitching pink nose. A couple bats in the crowd near him helped him up and brushed the dirt off his pants before pushing him back into the ring.
Kinski staggered, still a bit shaken from the rough impact Cy gave him. Cy laughed and charged toward Kinski again. This time, Kinski dodged out of the way in time and rolled to the other side of the ring. Cy crashed into a couple bats on the other side.
My eyes looked over to the stalagmite that was sticking up just a couple feet outside of the ring. Somewhere near it was his gun. "Kinski! your gun!" I screamed and pointed to the stalagmite across from me. Kinski looked at me, then at the stalagmite. Cy got up and charged toward Kinski again. Kinski sprinted toward Cy. He ducked just in time and kept running toward the slalagmite.
"Git! move!" he shouted angrily as he tried to make his way through the tall bats to the stalagmite. He bent down when he spotted his gun and reached for it. Suddenly, Kinski felt something tug at the back of his collar roughly and was pulled backwards. "No!" he screamed as his fingers barely touched the barrel of his gun and was flung into the air by Cy. Kinski screamed and was sent flying backwards. I gasped in horror.
Cy smirked as he walked back into the ring and caught Kinski by the collar with his teeth and tossed him down. Kinski rolled to a stop and laid there on his stomach. He groaned and held his head to stop the world from spinning. Cy laughed at Kinski and nudged him with his huge nose. Kinski slashed his arm out, which scratched Cy's nose, drawing blood.
The male bat screeched and recoiled from Kinski. The rabbit slowly looked up. Anger filled his eyes. Cy glared at Kinski and screeched. Kinski mimicked the screech back in a taunting way. Cy growled and charged toward Kinski. Kinski quickly got up and moved out of the way, but not fast enough. Kinski felt Cy's sharp teeth clamp down on his arm. The hunchback screamed in pain.
"No!" I screamed and began to move foreward, but Kaliah prevented me from doing so. "I'm sorry, Banshee. This is their fight. You cant do anything. They want you, only one can-" "No! that's not fair! Kinski is already my boyfriend!" I shouted. Cy loosened his teeth from Kinski's arm and looked up at me in slight surprise.
Just as he did, Kinski balled up his free hand and socked Cy right in the face. Cy screeched, letting go of Kinski's arm. Kinski flicked his bleeding arm out of Cy's mouth and jumped backwards away from the huge bat. Cy shook his head and rubbed his face with the back of his wing before turning his head to me.
"That deformed prick is yer mate?" he asked me from where he stood.
The shouts and cheers began to lower. I narrowed my eyes and nodded. "Yes! so stop the fight now and leave him alone!" I shouted. Cy laughed as Kinski's blood dribbled down his mouth.
"Fat chance my little Yellow Eyes. Yer mine."
Kinski roared a battle cry and charged toward Cy as he held his bleeding arm. Cy smirked and simply turned his pale colored head toward the running rabbit and flicked his wing up, smacking Kinski. Kinski screamed and fell backwards. Blood sprayed everywhere, making the other bats screech and flap their wings; enjoying the battle. Kinski landed on his deformity and screamed and twisted on the ground in pain. Cy's ears perked up and he grinned.
"Oh, a weak spot."
"No!" I screamed and began to take a step toward them, but a bunch of bats grabbed me and kept me from going into the circle.
"Don't! You'll just end up hurting yerself and the rabbit," said a bat with a scar that ran across his left eye. I felt tears coming down my face as I turned my head back to the two. Cy was looking at me with a stupid grin on his face; then he turned back to Kinski.
"We'll be makin' love on yer corpse when I'm through wit' ya," Cy laughed. Kinski stared up at Cy as blood gushed out of his mouth. He didnt understand a lick of what Cy just said, but he didnt have to know. He had been in plenty of fights to know what kind of crap talk Cy was telling him. Kinski looked over to me and saw my face, dripping with tears. Then he looked back at Cy and narrowed his eyes.
With that, he spat a good mouthful of his own blood at Cy's face. Cy shrieked and lifted his head up, lifting the weight from Kinski. Kinski got up and gasped for air. Cy fell backwards and landed on his back. Kinski saw the opportunity and attacked Cy.
Just as Cy fell on his back, he quickly placed his massive wings up to protect himself from Kinski's teeth and sharp nails that thrashed violently in front of him. Kinski screamed and bared his teeth as he fought Cy. Gasps and screeches of fear were heard throughout the thousands of bats as they watched Kinski tear into Cy's flesh.
Cy's wings were instantly shredded from Kinski's sharp nails and Cy's muscles in his wings were instantly teared and went limp at his sides. Kinski sat on Cy's bleeding chest, laughing like a maniac. Cy was pinned on his back, screaming for help and thrashing his head side to side. None of the bats helped Cy. Most of them flew away in fear of Kinski.
Kalah and I gasped in horror at the sight of Kinski. He had cracked.
"I'm gonna go git my master right now!" said Kaliah as she flapped her wings and flew away. A couple bats tried to come up to help Cy, but Kinski roared and thrashed his clawed hands that were covered in Cy's blood at them; making them run away in fear.
Cy kept thrashing, which irritated the hunchback. He saw it as a game and watched Cy's head shake before making his move. At lightning speed, Kinski's head shot toward Cy's and bit down hard onto Cy's right ear. He whipped his head back up in a heartbeat, and ripped the ear clean off. Cy screamed in agony and flapped his destroyed wings wildly before letting them flop back down.
Kinski shook his head with the ear in his mouth, spraying blood on the crowd of bats. He laughed hysterically and pulled it out of his mouth. He stuck it on the side of his head as if it was his own ear and grinned down at the screaming male bat. I felt myself frozen to the spot in horror at the sight.
"Haha! Vhat? Vhat did ya say?" he teased over Cy's constant screeching. Kinski laughed as he flicked the ear in front of Cys face before chucking the juicy fleshy ear at Cy. Cy stopped screaming and stared down at his bleeding, detached ear on his blood caked chest in horror. Blood gushed out of the dark hole on the side of his head.
Kinski grinned a wide, psychotic grin at Cy's terrified face and brought forth a spine chilling cold laugh. His eyes were wide with insanity behind his matted bangs. "Zat is vhat ya git fer tryin' ta take my girl," he said. Cy trembled and whimpered. Blood dribbled down Kinski's mouth. His tongue flicked out and licked it up. "Yer blood taste good..." he said, grinning, blood seeped out through his rotting teeth. Cy's eyes were big.
"Kinski!" I screamed and found myself moving forward to the psychotic rabbit. Kinski instantly stopped when he heard his name and turned his head to me. Before I could say anything, a group of prairie dogs were already coming to the scene. "What the hell is goin' on 'ere?!" asked Balthazar as he blindly was led by Kaliah. Balthazar stopped and sniffed the air. "Blood! I smell blood! what happened here?! Someone tell me!" he yelled and slammed the end of his walking stick down on the hard packed ground.
No one spoke.
Just then, a priaire dog made his way through the crowd and gasped.
"Cykis!" screamed the prairie dog as he came running to the wounded bat drenched in blood. "Cykis? What happened? Why is he bleeding?" asked Balthazar. The prairie dog who owned Cy didnt say anything as he fell to his knees next to Cy. Cy screeched a weak, pathetic screech as he lifted his head to his master. The prairie dog lifted his bat's head up to him. He gasped at the sight of the huge gap where Cy's ear once was. Blood bubbled out from the black hole and dribbled onto the prairie dogs hands "W-who-?" started the prairie dog, but then stopped when he spotted Kinski.
Everyone stared at the bloody rabbit in horror. Kinski stared back. The insanity in his eyes seemed to gradually lift away as they slowly flickered down to Cy. He gasped and stared at the bat. Kinski jumped off and slowly backed away from the bleeding bat. He expression seemed to slowly change as he stared at Cy in horror. His breathing quickened. "Vh-vhat...?" he breathed out in horror, then he looked down at himself. Blood was all over his body. Cy's blood. Kinski gasped loudly and began to panic.
Kinski looked back up at the horrified priairie dogs and remaining bats. Then he turned his head to me. His eyes were wide in fear and shock, as if he had no idea what occured and now was just waking up. "I...I..." he started, but continued to falter. Balthazar had his head toward Kinski's direction. He seemed outraged. "Kinski, what the hell were you thinking?! Why did you attack Cykis?!" he screamed. Kinski turned to Balthazar. "I...I didnt k-kn-" he started. "It's not his fault!" I stepped in. "Cy was wanting me to be his mate, but-" "Enough. Why are you two here?" Balthazar asked harshly. There was a dead silence in the air before I spoke again.
"W-we came for y-your help. B-Blor the demon h-has taken over our t-town and w-we need-" "Me an' my family aint helpin' ya," snapped Balthazar. Kinski and I gasped. Balthazar growled. "After what Hunchback boy just did...I dont want you two around 'ere any more...I'm sorry; but you just crossed the line! That boy almost killed a bat! I dont want him around, knowing that he might hurt another one." "Kinski and I gasped in shock. "N-no-" started Kinski.
Balthazar interrupted him as he turned his head toward me. "Ya shouldve known he would do somethin' like this. That boy is psychotic. What the hell were ya thinkin' of bringin' 'im 'ere?!" he shouted at me. "Ya should've kept him locked up bef're lettin him hurt one of our bats-" "It wasnt his fault! Cy tried to-" "Silence!" yelled Balthazar. The whole place went quiet.
Balthazar turned to Kinski's direction and pointed his walking stick to him. "You are banned from this place! I dont ever want to hear you around here ever again!" he yelled. Kinski's eyes widened as he stood there, shaking like a leaf, covered in bat blood. Then Balthazar pointed his walking stick over to me. "I want you two out of my home now," he commanded. "B-but-" I started. "Leave!" yelled Balthazar. I turned my head over to Kaliah. Kaliah stared back at me with wide eyes.
Kinski and I were banned from the Prairie Dog Territory...
...
We walked out of the carved out home of the prairie dogs and out into the blinding sunlight. Kinski had his head down low. The blood was dark and dry on his clothes and hair. He was quiet as we walked.
Tears ran down my face in frustration as I fast walked ahead of Kinski. Leaving the territory on foot. Why did this have to happen...? Why did Kinski have to lose it and go crazy? A voice asked in my head. Because he cares about you. He was protecting you from Cy, said another voice in my head. More salty tears ran down my face and I quickly wiped them away with the back of my sleeve.
Now we were without an army. Blor had won. He was going to win-
Just then I felt that something was wrong and turned around. Kinski had stopped. I took a deep breath and sighed as I came walking back to where he stood. "Kinski? Are you ok?" I asked him softly. Kinski still had his head down. Then he slowly wrapped his arms around me and buried his face in my shoulder. "I'm sorry..." he said in a low voice. He felt horrible for what he did. He shook as I wrapped my wings around him.
"It's ok...it's ok..." I said, smoothing his hair. Kinski continued to shake. "I...I didnt...mean to...I...just got...angry...and...ze bat...ze bat vas...taking you..." he continued saying. It wasnt his fault for what he did. Kinski had every right to keep Cy away from me...but Kinski broke the rules. He shouldnt have gone too far and now here we are. Banned from being in or even near the territory.
"I...I'm sorry...is all my fault..." he whimpered. I hugged him tighter. "No. Dont say that," I said. Kinski moved his head from me and looked down at my face. "But it is. Ve dont 'ave an army. Balthazar hates me now fer vhat I did...Is all my fault!" he said, raising his voice as he stared at me from behind his bangs. His eyes were wide and full of guilt. "Now everyvone is gonna die...all because of me..." Kinski said as his voice went low and he collapsed to the ground. He buried his face in his arms as he sat there.
I fought back the tears in my eyes and knelt down next to Kinski. Kinski didnt look up at me when I touched his shoulder. "Kinski..." I started. Kinski didnt move. I wrapped my wings around him as we sat there under the baking hot sun. "These things happen...We'll figure out another way..." I said and rested my head against his.
Kinski and I sat there in silence for a couple minutes. Just then, we heard strange flapping sounds. Our heads lifted up and we turned to look behind us. Around thirty or so bats came flying out from the prairie dog home and toward us. The one leading the group was Soltus. The group landed in front of us. Kinski and I got up and stared at them in confusion. Were they here to hurt Kinski? I tightend my wings around Kinski's waist. Soltus took a step forward.
"I was amazed to see Hunchback do something so brutal like that, especially to Cy," Soltus said in his deep, low voice. My eyes widened in surprise. Soltus was amazed by Kinski's action? Kinski lowered his head. "Vhat did he say?" he asked. I whispered what Soltus said to me. Kinski's eyes widened and he looked up at Soltus. Soltus stared down at Kinski and nodded his head before turneing his huge head to me.
"Me and my group never liked Cykis," he answered. A bat with white eyes came up next to Soltus and grinned, revealing a row of sharp jagged teeth. "Yeah, I was so glad to see Cy get what he deserved!" the bat laughed. A couple other bats nodded and said a couple other things at once. Soltus flicked his right ear, instantly, all the bats behind him went silent.
"We heard that you need help back in your town, so we decided to help you," answered Soltus. I couldnt help but smile. We had an army. Kinski stared at Soltus, then at me blankly. "Vhat did he say?" he asked again. I turned to Kinski excitedly. "They want to help us!" I said hugging him tightly. Kinski's eyes widened. "Z-zey do?" he asked. I nodded. "They loved how you took care of Cy and want to help us!" I said. Kinski broke into a smile, realizing what was going on and hugged me back.
Just then, Kaliah and the two kids appeared. "Soltus! What are you doing?!" Kaliah screeched as she came up to her mate. the two kids flew around their mom before going over to us and landing on our shoulders.
"Did Bunny really kill Cy?" asked the girl bat as she stared down at Kinski's face. I shook my head. "No, he almost did." I looked back up to where Kaliah and Soltus were. Kaliah looked concerned for her mate. I knew what they were talking about. Kaliah was worried for Soltus to be leaving her and the kids to go out and fight. Soltus wrapped his wings around her and gave her a passionate lick on her cheek. Kaliah hugged him back.
"Just...promise me you'll come back in one piece," she said. Soltus smiled, which really surprised me. He looked like he never smiled. "Dont worry. I will."
With that, they moved away from each other. She came up to us and hugged me, then Kinski. "Be careful" she told me. I nodded. Kaliah smiled a sad smile as tears welled up in her eyes. Then she turned to her kids on our heads. "Come on, kids," said Kaliah. The boy and girl bats groaned. "We wanna help daddy fight," said the boy bat. Kalaih's eyes welled up with tears, but she shook her head. "No...not till yer older," she said with a small smile on her face, but I knew she was just saying that. The kids turned to us.
"You going in the war with daddy?" the girl asked. I nodded. The bats looked over to Kinski. "Can he stay here?" they asked in usion. I smiled a sad smile and looked over to Kinski. "...I wish I could say yes," I said. Kinski looked at me. "Huh?" he asked. I stared int o his hazel eyes. "You think you could stay out of this war?" I asked him. Kinski gave me a look. Obviously that was a no.
I looked at the kids and shook my head. The little bats gave us sad looks with their huge eyes before taking off. Kaliah followed after them back to Soltus. The kids hugged their dad. "Bring back a skull for me," said the girl. Soltus smiled and hugged Kaliah one last time.
With that, Kalaih and the kids took off back to home. I noticed the look of sadness in Soltus' red eyes. "You could just stay," I said, looking up at Soltus as he watched his family fly away. Soltus looked down at me, then shook his head. "No, I want to fight in this war. I haven't fought in a war in so long." Then he turned back over to the prairie dog home. "And I want to keep my family safe from this Blor if he ever decides to come here to take control..."
Soltus turned his head to the group behind him and lifted his wings. The group copied. Kinski and I watched with huge smiles on out faces as the bats took off and flew over our heads down through the canyon. I transformed into The Nightmare. Kinski jumped on and we took off after them.
...
Stump and Chorizo gasped in shock as a swarm of bats flew over their heads. They turned their heads and saw us land right in front of them. Kinski waved to them. "Ve got our army!" he said excitedlyand laughed. He seemed to have instantly forgotten that he was upset. Stump and Chorizo exchanged nervous glances after seeing Kinski covered in blood; trying to not imagine what he might have had to do in order to get the army...hoping it wasnt as bad as it looked.
"Bats?" asked Chorizo as he pointed to the bats flying over us. I nodded. Kinski nodded and well and began to snicker as he waved for the short gunslingers to climb on up. "Jes! now le's go an' kick some ass!" he said excitedly.
Ok! I'm back! sorry about the long wait. I was busy with school :( Hope you enjoyed the chapter :) sorry about the bloody gory scene...but, compared to Adelilah's chapter 50 in Snakes With Guns, Kinski attacking Cy is NOTHING!
Dont read Chapter 50 of Snake with Guns! It's scary! I had to watch over 30 youtube kitten videos in attempt to forget all that I have read! Though, it was a damn good chapter! :)
Anyway, so hope you enjoyed. The next chapter will be up possibly next Friday or Saturday, depends on school :P Have a nice day!