Author's Note: I felt like i wanted to say even if im busy in reality which that affects my time in writing, i hope this doesn't seem to go off from what i originally wrote in prologue of TCB. First of all, english is not my native language... and second i'm trying my best to write as best as i could regardless of grammar mistakes but you get the idea of details anyhow.
The story itself seems to be quite painful to write but obviously i ain't going to hurt the characters much to a point where everyone dies, cause wtf! Courage and its cast were one of the most childhood memorable chars i've encountered and i hate seeing them suffering in a hostile wasteland just like Mad Max had it rough.
For the purpose of dramatic entertainment, don't be scared or expecting the worst already. As a fan myself, i have a warm heart for every character out of CTCD cartoon regardless of their horrific situations keeping up the same mood.^^ Continuing on.
TCB: Chapter 8: Salvation Or Damnation
...
[Now Leaving -Nowhere Ruins-]
...
Few hours later, it was turning dark. Night time emerges.
Not only our wasteland heroes have failed to find something to eat from their last location before leaving Nowhere, but the Courageous Brigade was having a hard time finding a proper path to get around these lava streams still flowing left and right far away from the volcano. They were fearing if they'll reach a dead end unexpectedly. Cause driving straight into the stream would end their journey.
Dehydration will hit them eventually since they were running low on water. Especially when the atmosphere was still hot boiling, the brigade weren't going to give up just yet. As for fuel, they had enough for the road.
Courage on the other hand, was struggling to not let illness get the best of him, even though his inner raging emotion won't let him die either. Somehow the dog felt like a stick ready to snap. His will was telling him to drink some more as he was panting with his tongue out. But his mind was telling him to save some more. Sweating like crazy while driving, he wouldn't be surprised if he would faint from too much heating stress.
His entire body was giving up, his pink fur looked worse than a kitchen sponge and he was all dirty like the rest of his friends, hungry, tired, devastated and now on the urge of passing out. His expression remained the same as a very upset hound trying to finish an objective he never thought he may attempt to achieve. The sight of freedom and recovery. Courage felt like he was going nowhere. So much stress was pouring on the whole team, making themselves wish for a well deserved peace in the end. But for how long?
"Hehehe... Your precious Muriel is waiting for you!" The dog began to hear things in his head. Courage shook his head attempting to not faint.
"...leave me be." Courage muttered, just so his friends won't hear him.
Obviously he was losing it. The contact with reality became a challenge for the poor dog as he kept hearing whispers coming out of his mind. Either his raging demon side was trying subdue the innocent personality of his by deluding with wrong assumptions about his owners, or... forcing Courage to let insanity take over him permanently in order to devour anything nearby, including his friends.
'...you're gonna have to do better than that.' Thought Courage. 'My memories aren't gone. And i know Muriel wouldn't want me to hurt anybody.'
'You already have.' The whispers coming out of his ear felt like somebody was truly living inside of his head carving his brain out.
'You think you can let that dead mutated mutt incident slide?' The demon asked.
'What makes you think that old meatbag would forgive you for such a thing?'
'... i feel like i'm talking to myself..' Courage thought more. '...please. Leave me alone..' Feeling the urge of knocking his head harder with his fists since he had enough hearing his own self talking, the dog didn't noticed that he couldn't keep a straight line down the road. His friends already took notice of Courage's unusual behavior.
It was unwise to let Courage think of having the power to drive the van in this condition. Computer and Shirley already saw the look of Courage's eyes. Pain, hunger and rage waiting to be triggered. His pink paws were very tight to the steering wheel as if he was about to lose it. His expression was unchanged and determined to help his friends out of this place in one piece at least. Hopefully to reach the next abandoned city or village they seek.
"Courage." Shirley called. "Maybe you should let Scarecrow handle the driving." Since she doesn't know how to drive, the medium won't let Computer do that road madness again. She felt like letting the pink dog rest.
He shook his head and didn't replied. Courage was driving still, not listening to whoever tries to calm him down. He stops panting not taking his eyes off the road.
Dashboard Computer quote. "I'm sure his twit of a friend has done a lot getting us to this point, but this doesn't seem to be the time to switch drivers. Unless you like to stop by and get out for a lava bath, by the way you're about to head off-road, twit."
The pink hound began to growl. Courage knew this would be a huge mistake letting the machine drive this time, cause the vehicle was already running in between two lava streams, but due to dog's condition this affects also his driving concentration.
Courage's eyes were now angrily hooded, head turning red and sweating. Avoiding each river of flames. However in his mind, everything went all broken thoughts. Like how he couldn't save Hunchback's pet Terry, the image of his death was now stuck in his mind. And from that he couldn't help but wonder if he was starting to lose all of his heroics. It became a huge burden. He was supposed to save lives, not losing them! From that depressive thought, he was blaming on his condition and besides that, he accepted the fact that even if he would've saved Hunchback's dog, they obvious had no clue how to cure a permanent mutation.
His stomach was also growling like a tractor demanding food no matter what his brain was telling. Shirley's expression shown full worried with her eyes focused on Courage. She red his feelings, therefor she leaves him be. Knowing how Courage had all the rights to remain silent, it wasn't necessarily to frustrate him more with motivational speeches.
Inside the van, Hunchback was treating his wounded leg bitten from his mutated dog after explaining the whole story to Scarecrow. He was fearing that he would limp now when the old man was about to get up. Still, he was holding up with his cane, but his leg was now broken. Leaning on it would result instant pain. Hunchback pulls out of his pocket his pet's collar just to rethink all of the good past adventures they had before becoming a hobo. With that thought it also increased his respect for Courage, after gifting him the souvenir. Bigfoot was starting to feel sad looking at the ceiling. He wants to find his Mommy back and eat countless types of food like before.
All those happy and memorable moments are now shattered like a broken glass, since the apocalypse is now testing everyone's nerves and survival skills. With such a very low number of population reduced, the brigade hardly ever found anybody on the road or on the wasteland horizon so far. Back in Nowhere, not even a mile they drove and they bumped into several enemy camps. It was fairly decent populated but now they cannot turn back just to resupply on food. That would cost time and fuel.
It went good hours straight of nothing since they left already Nowhere and the team eventually managed to pass the lava streams. Hitting down the normal sandy road at last. Even the atmosphere began to cooldown as the vehicle escaped away from the volcano's range of heat.
Seeing this, Courage's vision began to blur all of a sudden. His paws were shaking and he was starting to lean on the steering wheel.. Suddenly he could hear again voice whispers from Rage Demon out of his mind with a slight headache. But these were very strong and hurting words stressing out Courage more.
...
'Join me. Let me cure that cowardly side of yours! You can be with Muriel and the farmer again like before!'
'You won't suffer like this anymore.'
'Think of how much food you can get, as i will guide you through your entire life!'
'Nobody will love you the same way Muriel did. Your pathetic friends are using you for their need... cause they know you're not gonna let them down. They will leave for their foolish lives like before, leaving you all alone in this desert of Hell.'
'You can't hold me up much longer, let me out and i'll show the true meaning of survival.'
...
Did Courage heard that very well? That he will be reunited back with his owners? How exactly since they're both dead? The only logical thought, the dog could think of is if he passes out, but knowing how Rage Demon won't let him die, he would more likely want to erase his cowardly personality. Bringing Courage to an absolute illusion making sure the dog has lost forever the contact with reality. And cursed with a fake image of his normal life back at the farm when his owners were still alive.
The dog simply stated. "No." knowing his real intentions.
A few seconds of silence later, his inner distorted emotion voice suddenly fades to do the unimaginable. Buried already in unreal illusions, Courage slowly passes out even though he was struggling to stay awake and keep driving to seek their next destination.
'Then you'll leave me no choice.' Rage demon whispered.
Poor Courage couldn't think straight now after being manipulated from inside, but he was driving still nonetheless. Hungry and exhausted, he couldn't decide if he wants to cry or go mad raging, but his expression was a very sad one until...
His head gave up, closed his eyes and fainted! Courage fell off the driver seat landing on floor pedals.
"Dog!?" Computer's voice went pitch high as a rocket.
"Courage?!" Shirley screamed seeing the pink hound gave his last strength to stay up but the poor dog was already destroyed physically.
"Stop this vehicle, machine! NOW!" The medium demanded with her paws gripped into fists, and Computer listened. The van pulled over.
Their unexpected delay also triggered the other allies's worries. Scarecrow and Bigfoot got out of the van to see what's going on. When Bigfoot gazed the unconscious pink dog, Scarecrow immediately opened the door like a lightning and picks up poor Courage close to him to hear his pulse.
"He's still alive. But not breathing!?" Scarecrow told hearing Courage's weak heartbeat. Bigfoot already was panicking and fearing of their dear friend fighting between life and death. "What happened!?" Hay-made soldier asked.
"He needs serious treatment as soon as possible! The courageous one couldn't stand this much heat and he refused to listen." Shirley quickly explained and shook her head.
"What can we give him? We only have a few bottles of water left for yourselves." Scarecrow quote.
"Give them all..." the old man's voice whispered. "..To the dog." Hunchback told from behind who came after his friends. His old eyes were pointed straight on Courage laid in Scarecrow's hands.
"A-A- Are you sure?" Scarecrow's mouth dropped, even though he doesn't drink or eat but this will surely waste their resources for every ally to save Courage.
"You heard the old one!" Shirley said in a furious tone waving her paw directing the back of the van.
Bigfoot went himself instead immediately, and picked up every bottle of water they had. Scarecrow was pushing with his bare hands onto Courage's chest harder several times to wake him up but with no prevail.
"COME ON! Courage, you are better than this!" Scarecrow yelled! Shirley was now beginning to shed tears with her paws on her mouth, seeing Scarecrow's attempts to bring back Courage alive. What else could she do without magic? Nobody would've love to witness a friend where its life is on stake.
Hunchback proceeds to ask Computer to do something too but then he remembered the machine could tell about their situational awareness of their current location only.
"Hey! Can't you do... anything!?"
"What else can i do besides moving my wheels and acting as a GPS?" Computer asked.
Bigfoot facepalmed for he couldn't take no more of this, he quickly grabbed Courage and in a weird way he started to do mouth-to-mouth breathing technique. That didn't worked either but it left a disgust taste on Bigfoot's end. He should've thought twice of licking the dirty dog as he begins to rub his tounge.
Few moments later...
Courage was still laid down on the ground with his eyes closed and tongue stuck out of his open mouth. He still had a very weak heartbeat. He was surrounded by his friends attempting to wake him up. His ears could still hear a little bit his allies's cries of despair and arguments for why they cannot bring back Courage on his feet.
"AAAARRRUUUUUUUUWWWWUUUU" Bigfoot howled louder for Courage seeing the bright Moon on the sky not caring anymore if anybody else could hear them, even though they were in the middle of the wasteland.
Everything they gave to Courage hasn't solved anything. They were also about to force the water down in Courage's throat too but that would've choke him so they scratched that option.
No hospitals, no cure, nowhere to seek help, until suddenly Scarecrow decides to get on the wheel himself and starts the engine again instantly. With a desperate tone, he tells his friends to get back inside the van immediately to continue further.
"Come on, everyone. We need to keep moving!" All of the allies with Courage in Bigfoot's arms went back inside and they drove again. Computer however asked in the meantime if they could save Courage somehow.
"Is the dog.. dying? There aren't any hospitals no more and even i cannot search for a nearby location."
"We'll just go and keep praying. You can't do much either besides reckless driving." Scarecrow told while accelerating faster.
"Excuse me. But i assume you are already driving recklessly just like when we chased down the other twits before that church was destroyed." Computer said.
"At least i ain't running into everything in my way. You want Courage to saved, then keep it quiet and update the map!" Scarecrow demanded while gripping the steering wheel.
Meanwhile Hunchback was looking through his telescope again in search of any possible locations up ahead while Courage sits on Bigfoot's lap still unconscious. Shirley sits next to them in pain and tears. It was pointless now to hold up her emotions like before and keep a straight mind, without any magical item and the medium still struggling to recover even her own self, she let her sadness dominate over Courage's state and everyone else's too. The entire team was now desperate.
Bigfoot muttered something into the dog's ears at least in a way that the big guy truly wants his friend back alive and healthy again. As for our little poor pink hound, only the sound of his heartbeat kept him alive during his "sleep". Their vehicle ran faster as they could, eventually they were no longer able to spot Nowhere behind them, and Scarecrow doesn't seem to take kindly anymore to any hostile guests in their way preventing from saving Courage.
Except for one thing... birds.
One raven flew across the road as they drove, and another one. Scarecrow started to have unpleasant memories while wishing he would not experience the same thing with crows like before. After a few moments, the skies seem to roaming with them until Dashboard Computer spoke, "These pesky ravens just don't leave us alone. Are you afraid of them?"
"Does it look like i am afraid?" Annoyed Scarecrow asked.
"Judging by your sudden turns to left and right every time a raven flies by, i'd say it is quite understandable."
He didn't replied but muttered something instead about cursing himself while accepting the truth.
"Hold up, i detect something strange on the roads again. I hope we're not in a minefield aga- ..." Computer didn't finished quite his sentence when they just witnessed a surprise trap.
Spike strips have popped out of the ground in front of them! Just an inch closer to its front wheels.
That startled the entire team when everyone heard the pop sounds of flat tires. At least the rear wagon wheels were made out of wood, resulting a slight bump over the spikes. Both front tires got flat immobilizing the whole van forcing to stop again.
The brigade went out except for Bigfoot and Courage, seeing now they had nowhere to go without a new set of tires, that left Scarecrow an enraging mood. He punched with full force the ground in frustration while growling.
"What do we do... now?" Hunchback asked very sad.
"I suppose this is where it ends our trip. We'll just wait for these ravens to devour us." Computer told, as they heard the birds croaking.
"You're a foolish machine. How can they devour you?" Shirley asked while looking up in the sky.
"Seeing as i have no spare wheels, being turned into a bird house is what i can expect." The machine told. Hunchback rolled his eyes.
However the birds weren't going to attack them yet. The team watched them up on the sky flying, surrounding them while croaking as if they were making a call. Not a moment too soon a mysterious vehicle approaches in front of the allies from the distance.
"Hey, what's that?" Hunchback asked, he spotted the glooming headlights out of strange vehicle.
It didn't seem to look like one of Katz's goons or MD's wardogs, but it sure had black feathers attached on the back of the rusty car. On its hood it was the same symbol decal the other silver hot rod had when it was blasted to smitereens in that sandstorm. Flames were coming out of their exhaust pipes. Followed by a few other cars heeding the croaking noise. Very distinctive of their faction.
It started to honk on them, making the ravens to fly away from the brigade's van. Courage's friends stood still watching the group of raven bandits approaching them. Scarecrow already risen up his arms into fists preparing the defend their vehicle and their beloved friend suffering. Hunchback and Shirley did the same thing taking out their means of defense they had. Bigfoot stood only in shock hidden inside the van with Courage in his arms expecting the worst.
The bandit vehicles pulled over, in particular the leader in front of the others opened the door and much to the brigade's surprise it came out a medium-sized stranger dressed in a dirty black cloak. With a beak exposed and without hesitation, it pulled out a lever-action rifle pointing straight at the brigade.
Courage's allies remained at their spots not daring to make a move or sound waiting to see if the bandit stranger reacts first. Shirley's eyes were pointed straight on the rifle's trigger while Scarecrow and Hunchback were focused on the stranger's company behind him. Computer of course, didn't had manners to remain silent when he suddenly asked:
"Who are you-" The moment when Computer spoke, his front headlight was blasted by the bandit's rifle. Well, that did it. The team ducked by that shot and Computer couldn't knew that the bandit may not be gentle either.
"Keep it... quiet!" Hunchback whispered looking at the machine.
"I'm asking questions around here!" The bandit leader finally spoke. It sounded very female.
Even though her black cloak was covered in dirt and sand, her wing holding up her weapon was pretty damaged with ruffled feathers. Her front beak exposed shown battle scars. She revealed herself by letting down her hood and that left the entire team stoned.
It was a little black raven lady with big round eyes and long feathers, carrying ammo belt, giving a cold stare at the brigade not letting down her rifle from their sight. Her teammates also gone out of their cars still looking as if they were out to war running towards Courage's allies. They have surrounded the area pointing with their guns at them from every direction giving the brigade no means of escape. The bandits were dressed almost like bounty hunters.
All of the allies looked at them carefully, until the bird lady spoke again.
"Now you boys tell me..." her voice seems to express a little bit of mercy at first. "Tell me why i shouldn't lay a few bullets right in between your eyes."
Hunchback stood in front with full bravery even though that left his friends in awe while being surrounded.
"P-Please... w-we're not here to cause harm... We need help." The old man spoke with his hands up and Eustace's mask still holding it as well.
"Help?" The bandit girl asked. "You runts barged into our territory, how do we know if you're not some cheeky-eye filthy trash eater sent by Mad Dog?"
"We're not loyalists of that troublesome dog!" Scarecrow added.
The raven lady rises up her rifle and fired in the air. Startled by that shot, she spoke:
"If that ain't the most insulting lie i have ever heard from you... I can shoot you right now, buddy." Her eyes fixed upon Scarecrow while her voice seemed to fit of an old western outlaw.
Shirley thought for a moment and she remembered the hot rod with ravens that were chasing them was blown away back in that sandstorm.
"Actually..." The medium spoke. "It was not by our own hands that your friends were committed into a dangerous mission to chase us resulting their death by the weather."
"That's not what i heard." Her weapon was still fixed upon Scarecrow. "If you varmints didn't drove that wagon of yours in a more menacing way, pushing our..." she paused for a moment." ... children... up in the skies of the all mighty God of Destruction... i would've believed it."
The team set their blaming eyes upon Computer. "Oh, don't you start with me again." The machine told.
"What do you know, is somebody else inside that wagon of yours?" From the bandit's question that perked up Bigfoot still hiding and protecting Courage in his lap. The big guy was shaking in fear which is understandable.
"Does it really matter much to you?" Scarecrow asked.
"Get them." She ordered. The other bandit birds were approaching the vehicle. "If you boys want to live, hand over the loot. Then you can go back where you came from!"
"You'll have to get through me first!" Scarecrow stood in front with his fists angered. Hunchback stands back being afraid.
"Look, we understand your situation." Shirley tries to calm down the spirits. Her paw reached Scarecrow's fist to lay down. "There's no need for all of us to engage in a brawl while our fearsome enemy advances through out the remains of this wretched world. If we were indeed the big stupid dog's henchmen, we would have caused harm to you first before questioning."
Dashboard Computer spoke as well. "And besides that, those children of yours were sucked immediately by the wind storm. All we did was self-defense if we had to avoid any lightning strikes converging on our trip. I thought you birds were supposed to fly? Not shoot and drive?"
"This ain't none of your business, whoever you are. If you can't come on out with your hands up, somebody won't be able to drive either!" She pointed her gun at the vehicle.
"I am the vehicle." Computer spoke.
Time was running out. The brigade had to think faster of how to get past these raven bandits not letting them go further. Courage's life was on stake and all could Bigfoot ever do is keeping Courage warm and safe in his furry lap.
"Is she even got a name?" Computer asked Hunchback quietly.
"Vesha." She answered. "And that'll be the last time you'll ever hear my name, sack of potatoes!" She had a quite mouth on her as well. Unaware that Computer asked but believing that the old man did.
"I didn't spoke!" Hunchback shook his head with his hands up still.
"Do we have to do this the easy way or the hard way?" Vesha asked.
The bandit girl then stood in silence looking at Shirley and thought for a moment about what the medium just said earlier, she rises her broken wing up for a halt. Her bandit comrades stopped from reaching the brigade's van. She then gave the brigade a moment for a proper conversation.
"But i suppose.." Vesha spoke. "You all don't look like belonging to Mad Dog." The raven lady rises an eye brow inspecting the brigade. "What are you all doing in our patch anyway?"
"We were just passing by." Scarecrow told. "We didn't even know this is your territory, and we have a friend that is seriously in need of assistance." He points the back of the van referring to Courage.
"Where are we then... if you could be so kind... to lower that... boomstick?" Hunchback barely asked with his hands left up and shaking seeing the rifle in her hands.
"Elsewhere." Vesha answered the village name. "You varmints aren't very far from our settlement. "
The team felt relieved for a second.
"Still. Doesn't mean you boys could be bird eaters like that skinny red cat trying to go easy on us, huh?" She gave a very suspicious look on her eyes towards the team.
The brigade really wanted to advance forward but with the raven bandits in their way, it was hard to convince them that they weren't really the bad guys. Inside the van, Courage still was laid unconscious, his heartbeat was still weak but for how long will it go without breathing, it was only matter of time before a miracle strikes upon everyone of them.
"I've been fooled once, there won't be a second time." Vesha told. "And i have absolutely no time to deal with dirty varmints invading our homeland." She reloads her rifle.
"Please..! We're sorry!" Hunchback sits on his knees begging.
"I suppose you bird bandits don't negotiate either without bulletspraying." Computer told.
"Wise words, wherever you're hiding, partner." The bandit leader told. "Time for all of you to meet your maker."
Shirley stood calm, looking straight into Vesha's eyes. This time the bandit was losing her patience showing a bit of anger in her eyes. She could tell she was only defending their homeland but no means of shooting anything else except for goons from MD or Katz. The reason why, is because her broken wing was twitching. Yet she was now believing that the brigade were Katz's spies.
"You will not shoot us." The green medium told.
"Oh i will!" The bandit replied.
"Are you serious?!" Scarecrow asked Shirley.
"Look at yourself, you foolish child." Not only she called the bandit like that, but the brigade left their jaws dropped expecting a warzone happening after Shirley's speech.
"Would you consider wasting your last means of defense and protection on helpless survivors like us just to fulfill your enjoyment or trying to rise up some morale?" The medium asked.
Vesha softly growled. She felt insulted but at the same time she was about to discover her wrong doings.
"Miss medium!" Scarecrow called her out quietly before anything can go south from here.
"We have no loot." Hunchback added. "That evil dog... took everything from us!"
"Only pain is cursing through your veins and fear shines upon your ruffled feathers." Shirley told. "You may lay that bullet on whoever you like. And more likely becoming one of the big stupid dog's company by their side. Is that what you want?"
"S-Shut up! I ain't scared of you!" Vesha barely spoke while trembling.
The other raven bandits were looking at them each other stunned by those words of wisdom, and confused at the same time whether they should attack or not. Their leader on the other hand, was shaking uncontrollably and sweating not knowing what else to do beside pulling the trigger. Vesha didn't want to be like MD either but anyhow shooting now one of Courage's ally would dishonor their tribe and rising bad karma.
She was about to shoot the medium square in the head, until suddenly Bigfoot came out of vehicle.
Everyone was now watching Bigfoot walking slowly to join his friends outside surrounded by raven bandits. Poor Courage was still in his hands but the big guy's expression was somehow changed. He wasn't scared anymore. The other allies were thinking what was he even doing? He was supposed to remain inside and protect Courage. But Bigfoot was giving a serious look on the bandit girl still shaking with her weapon.
A small growling grin can be seen on Bigfoot's face, until he opens his mouth wide-open and roars the hell out of the entire area surrounding him. It was insanely loud that the ground began to shake. Still not even that woke Courage up, but the brigade had to plug their ears, while the bird bandits screamed in both terror and regret.
Vesha gasped. She dropped her weapon. The other bandits laid down their weapons as well. They were looking straight at Bigfoot like he was some sort of idol.
"I...I... This... This can't... This cannot be..!" Vesha barely spoke with eyes widen in shock. She drops herself on her knees. Bigfoot remained frustrated and still growling but his loud roar meant that he desperately needs to help Courage and get a move on.
"It's the Guardian himself! Our true protector!" Vesha vouched for Bigfoot. Bowing down with her wings on the ground.
The allies were now confused about this but it seems the bandits knew well the big guy. "Guardian? What do you mean?" Scarecrow asked.
Vesha quote: "This all mighty creature with big hairy feet and furry beard that rises terror upon anybody who seeks our demise, our true protector, who scared off away the red feline's wretched goons when we were in highly danger, gave us the skill to defend our homeland from those enraging mutts, he.. is ... your friend!?" She gets up from bowing and feeling now sorry.
"Okay, she is crazy now." Computer quote. "Shush!" Scarecrow shushed him.
Vesha gets closer to allies especially Bigfoot "H-How could this be?" Her eyes were fixed now on Courage. "I d-don't understand. You protect dogs too?"
"It is what...we're trying to explain." Hunchback told. "We're not evil." And Scarecrow added "And we'll never be, nor betraying anyone."
Shirley continued "You may stand with the conclusion that every dog or cat is bad, but of course there are those who aren't willingly to live under oppression or become a savage."
"So we now are asking you this." Computer added as well even though that left Vesha stunned like a rock "Can you bandits leave us alone so we can think of how to get a move on?"
The raven bandits along with Vesha stood a few seconds in thoughts until their leader looked again on Courage and Bigfoot in which she firstly hesitated to speak but in a way of apologizing for the ambush and rude behavior, Vesha told...
"You're not going anywhere, varmints."
The entire brigade except Courage gasped and screamed "What!?"
"...not with this bucket of bolts." She described their vehicle in bad condition.
"Hey!" Computer felt insulted.
"Come with us. If you still need help to cross over The Jaw." Vesha turned herself around pointing her wing in the horizon west side of Elsewhere.
"The Jaw?" Computer asked.
"You all want to head over to Mad Dog, right?" The bandit lady tells more about their current land in danger. "You see, we tried ourselves trying to break The Jaw held by those dirty wardogs always hunting us like we even look delicious to them!"
"What is The Jaw?" Scarecrow asked.
Vesha sighed "The gates you have to pass to reach Bulletown. They have more intel about what you may looking out for in these wasteland parts. But i don't guarantee they may be accurate. Some dogs are lying bastards! We tried to even fly over them but boy oh boy... these suckers do know well about aiming.."
That explains her wing wounds. It seems the gates are more controlled of an elite type of wardog enemy.
"I never seen a pink dog before like that." One of the raven bandits told in the background after looking at Courage.
Shirley told "Now we are in serious need of a place to stay before we can go again. If what you have told is true we can't move like this." Other allies nodded. "Do you have... space for us?" Hunchback asked kindly.
The bandit leader whistled. Her comrades came with their vehicles ready to hook their van out of the spike strip trap. "Ouch." Computer felt the pointy hook attached to the front bumper. Every raven bandit returned back to their respective yet oddly looking vehicles made out of scrap to return back to Elsewhere.
Before Vesha and her companions could start dragging the brigade's van she quote "I gotta say, you varmints do look like you got some decent survival skills." The allies on the other hand, looked on each other devastated more than optimistic of how far they made.
"FOR OUR GUARDIAN!" She shouted for Bigfoot. The bandits shouted after her. But the big guy hardly cared about them. Poor Courage was every ally's best concern. The pink dog's condition seems to be lifted up a little bit, he was showing signs of heavy breathing. Hardly even inhaling air but his heart was still pumping thankfully.
"Get you boys back into your car! We'll pull you from that!" Vesha yelled, and the allies listened.
"Not too rough, you hear me?" Computer told after feeling his front bumper being now pulled over until Vesha didn't matter to her as she hit the gas, pulling the brigade van in an instant. "Ugh! Why do i even bother?"
The convoy of raven bandits were driving in a formation with Vesha as the leader of the pack while behind her was the tow truck driven by a bandit with the brigade van attached to it, behind them were the rest of the bandits covering the sides and rear as they all were going to Elsewhere.
The courageous brigade obviously had no idea of how would be the hospitality offered by a pack of wild raven bandits or how Elsewhere would look like. Maybe they're living in tall trees? The allies were discussing inside the van and felt really nervous and tired as well.
"Do they really know you, big guy?" Scarecrow asked Bigfoot, but he shrugged.
"Maybe... cause of how you went far away from your home, you might have somehow helped them without intention." The medium tells her thoughts she remembered what Courage told them about him.
"I don't think it is even wise to trust these birds." Computer told.
"We have no choice either." Scarecrow told.
"If we need to reach the big stupid dog, these bandits are our only option. Besides, the courageous one needs more help than we do. If anything would go bad for us with that child of a bird, we either run away or getting shot at. But after i examined her emotions towards Bigfoot, i think these bandits would need our help as well more likely." Shirley told.
The medium's statement never went lost. The fact that these bandits offered to help the brigade would more likely turn into a thing the other way around too. Given the fact that Vesha may have looked very rude from the outside, she only did that to defend their home, but now seeing Bigfoot's return after the apocalypse, Vesha could probably share everything they have with her idol, allowing the brigade to recover themselves. And with hopes up of receiving about what they know about these parts of these wastelands could help the Courageous Brigade survive even more.
Hunchback felt like he had a headache and was starting to lean down on his cane. "Oooooh.. hope we get... some food."
"Hang on Courage." Scarecrow whispered placing his arm patting the dog's head. "We'll get through this." The other allies look at him as well especially Bigfoot not letting go of Courage from his arms. What fine and overprotective this big monster is.
Meanwhile...
Somewhere, M.D's Territory
Very... very... far away... ruins of outnumbered destroyed villages or cities can be seen until the smell of blood and flesh were dominating the air of this horrific land, the skies were truly dark red and black with lightnings and thunder booming over Mad Dog's citadel built exactly at the center of the meteor crash crater.
Heavily guarded by the best high-ranking dog officers and wardog mercenaries controlling each part of the city. This was like Heaven... or Hell for every race of vicious dogs liking to let their rage take over and devour every prade they would find or invade the city. Biting first then ask questions later.
The citadel layout was like a fortress with at least six guard towers while at the front gates, heavy cargo transports could come in and get out. Around the citadel was an acidic green lake with radioactive serpent skeletons swimming around the fortress. The never-ending barking of angry dogs can be heard from miles away within Somewhere's range.
Heading over to Mad Dog's lair we can hear sounds of an enraging mutated dog, punching over and over the walls and barking like crazy.
"Grrrr..." M.D. growled. "Where... JUST WHERE!?" The wardog lord almost pulled out his throne in fury. Until eventually he tries to calm himself down a bit, but that was hard without Bunny's heart next to him."I should've had Bunny by now! Over hundreds of places destroyed and still NOTHING!" He rests back on his double-bed of luxury but still in bad shape due to signs of clawing, punching and biting.
His bedroom looked more like a war was going on, Mad Dog doesn't seem to find his truly peace on Earth until he proclaims what's is his. Never thinking of giving up on his search for Bunny. A wardog officer knocks on his door. "Sir!"
Mad Dog paused from his raging and answered "WHAT?!" The officer gave him a letter. MD looked a bit concerned about it. He snatches the letter and closes the door. He sniffs it and opens the envelope. On the letter...
...it revealed about Nowhere being liberated and the huge number of casualties...
His sharp nails pierces through the letter shredding it to pieces while growling. His blood was boiling through his massive fists.
Howling louder it sounded like a furious thunder startling every personnel and survivor slave around the citadel.
THE END Of Chapter 8.