Chapter Seventeen: Challenge

On the Mysterious Island, Chomper limped to where a hot spring was, knowing it'd sooth his aching body. Ruby was by his side the whole time, hand placed to his hip. A large pool of water lay before them, steam rising from it. Tiredly, Chomper went and dipped into a large one, moaning and sinking down.

"Wow, warm water, like back in the caverns." Ruby found a smaller one, slipping in and melting with sensation of relaxation. "Reminds me of the warm mud Tria took us too, remember that."

Chomper grinned. "Yeah, I lost my first tooth and thought I was gonna die."

"Oh, I almost forgot about that. Tria sure gave Mr. Topps an earful after she found out he tricked you." Ruby leaned against the warm rock, looking her injured friend over. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I survived a massive earth sake."

"We'd been through so much." She placed her chin in her hands. "I look forward to spending more time together."

"You sure about that? I mean, you're not afraid to die?"

"No, death is a part of life, one can't exist without the other. But know this, whether it's the air I breath now or my last, I'll always chose to be with you."

"If my body can hold up, I'll never stop fighting to protect what we have."

Once they finished soaking, they went to their sleeping spot. That night, Ruby lay close and listened to Chomper's beating heart. With each breath he took, her head rose and fell. Able to doze off, she treasured their possible last night together.

The next day, Ruby woke and saw Chomper was already awake, eyes fixed to the land path. There, the fastbiters, along with Red Claw, Screech and Thud, crossed the land path. Ruby patted his head, assuring him he'd be okay. "You can do this Chomper, I'll believe in you, even if you don't have faith in yourself."

"Your words motivate me, but it's you who give me a reason to fight." He bent over and pressed his head to her's. "No matter what happens today, I want you to know how much I care for you."

"I care for you too." She lifted her arms, embracing his large head. "More than you could possible imagine."

"All right, remember that place I told you about before?" Ruby found herself by tall grass with flowers that smelled horrible. Chomper gave her a nervous look, patting the grass with his tail. "It hides scent, so, you should be safe here while I face old Red Claw."

"Okay, be careful." She gave his cheek a tender lick, walking to sit among the flowers.

Chomper rose to his full height, leaving her behind, knowing she'd be safe there. When he reached the shore line, he saw Red Claw and the past came back in a single blink. How his parents fought Red Claw, were taken down and left for dead, a younger Chomper nuzzling by their bodies and mourning them. Now, he was older, was ready to face his enemy. In a short time, the pack formed a circle, Chomper standing across from Red Claw.

While she said to stay hidden, Ruby rubbed to try and mask her scent, leaving to catch up with Chomper. It must've worked, for he never even noticed her. Behind a row of brush, she saw it all, watching from afar.

Red Claw rolled his shoulders, loosening up. "So, little bitter, I'll give two options. One: Lay down and accept death. Two: I fight you and kill your little meal, then slay you."

"She's not food, she's my friend, no different than Screech or Thud."

"Don't make me laugh, comparing those grass guzzlers to the likes of us. We are the superior being, stronger, built to rule. All fear us, quake when they see us."

"Don't you want to be liked for who you are rather than feared?"

"Words spoken like a true coward." With a snort he cracked his head. "If you're anything like your weak parents, this won't take too long."

Chomper moved, seeing Red Claw eye him up. In a quick move, Red Claw made the first strike, going to try and bit Chomper, who drew back. Still tender from his wounds, he wasn't too fast, unable to block a scratch to his leg, causing him to drop. Down, Red Claw jumped atop Chomper, the pair rolling over and over. In a mesh of claws and teeth, it was hard to tell who was winning.

Ruby held the rose up, looking at it while the pair fought. "Chomper you can do this, beat him, I know it."

Chomper found himself pinned under the heavier Red Claw, able to keep him at by with his right leg. On his back, Chomper placed both feet on Red Claw's belly, pushing up for all he was worth and sending Red Claw sprawling through the air. Twisting his own body, Chomper was up and going in for his attack, able to grip Red Claw around the throat, cutting off his air. Red Claw gasped, kicking his legs violently to free himself, knowing Chomper had the upper claw.

Before Chomper finished him off, he only head-butted Red Claw, stepping back. "Get off my island and don't come back or threaten my friend ever again, or I will kill you and won't hold back."

"Pathetic, you had the chance and threw it away. What kind of sharptooth are you?"

"The kind who knows who he is and won't change to please others." Chomper uttered, walking away and seeing the pack part like waves for him to pass.

"No, you're dead, that's what."

Red Claw got up and went to attack from behind, only for Chomper to squat and hold his arms out, Red Claw walking right into the sharp talons. Flesh pierced, Chomper kept steady while Red Claw was in shock, gasping and gurgling up blood. With a yank, Chomper stood back and let the body fall, landing with a thud while clouds of dust floated up from the corpse. The fastbitters were in awe, glancing from the dead Red Claw to Chomper, who was now the most feared sharptooth, gaining their respect and also fear.

"So, anyone else wish to challenge me?" Chomper asked, seeing them back down.

Screech and Thud were the first to pay their respect by bowing down, the others following. Ruby saw this and ran to Chomper, getting the feeling she no longer had to worry about the fastbitters. "Chomper, you did it!" Throwing her arms across him, she nuzzled him. "I knew you could."

"We're safe Ruby, no one can harm or come between our friendship now."

"Besides, anything that smells that bad can't taste very good." Screech commented to Thud, who held his nose and nodded.

The fast-bitters left the island, vowing to leave it be, that they would not harm the fastrunner so long as she was by his side of course. Chomper and Ruby stood, seeing the pack cross the path and vanish from sight, leaving them alone once more. Ruby leaned against Chomper, sighing with content. That evening, they again snuggled, Ruby stroking Chomper's muzzle, hearing his soft purrs. When she woke, it was odd, for Chomper hod gotten up and left her side. He probably went to see if any bodies washed ashore, another way he got his fill. Rubbing her arms, she got up and went to nibble on some greens. If was nice to know they no longer had to worry about Red Claw or the fast-bitters disturbing them. Then it hit her, what was she going to do, stay on the island with him, or return to the Valley?

Her parents were back there, along with the others. But they all seemed to be living their own lives, while she felt frozen, alone. While he didn't say, yet she knew deep down Chomper understood such feelings, given he was rejected, not only by plant-eaters, but his fellow sharpteeth. She had her family, friends, while he had no one. No one to talk to, to laugh with, or cry to.

"Ruby?" Came Chomper's voice, Ruby turning to find he tried to clear the blood from his body leaving a few scratches here and there. "I have something for you."

"Okay."

"But first, place this around your eyes." In his one hand was a large leaf. "I want it to be a surprise."

"How will I get there is I can't see?"

"Easy, I carry you."

"But your back-"

"A few cuts can't kill me, Ruby." He lowered down, waiting for her to climb on. With a sigh she got on, wrapping the plant over her eyes, hanging onto him. "You, all right?"

"Yup, yup, yup." With a laugh, she felt him move, finding it rather neat to rely on her other senses, sound, touch, even smell.

Where they went, she couldn't say, only knowing they reached it when he came to a halt. She was able to get down, holding her hands out to feel what was around her, bumping into Chomper, who took her hands in his own, guiding her.

"Can I take this off yet?"

"Not yet, a bit farther now."

"That smell, I know it, somehow."

"All right, you can remove it." Chomper stood in front of her, wanting to see her reaction.

With the leaf gone, Ruby felt her breath taken away, seeing a massive number of sweet bubbles. They were everywhere growing in abundance, more then she could possibly imagine. The very sight brought tears to her eyes. "Oh, Chomper, it's wonderful."

"Happy starday, Ruby. I wasn't there for your past stardays, so, hopefully this will make up for it."

"It's wonderful." Ruby said with a trembling voice. "When my family and I lived in the Mysterious Beyond, it was rare for us to find sweet bubbles. Thank you."

"I'm sorry Ruby, I didn't mean to make you cry. I know you're not with your family-"

Ruby threw herself into him. "If anything, you are the greatest I could hope to find on my starday."

Chomper felt himself melt at her touch, uncertain what to say. Maybe he did know, but wastoo scared to admit it aloud. "Oh, Ruby, it was you who brought joy back into my life. Ever since I left the Valley, it felt like a piece of my heart had been ripped out. At the time I didn't fully understand what it meant, but I know now. It was you, you who held my heart, kept it safe and pure till we reunited again. Now, it beats hard and stronger, because of you're in it."

Tear welled and streamed down her face. "Chomper." She whispered, burrowing into him. "I want to stay with you here, if you'll have me that is?"

"Ruby, I would want nothing more than to share this territory with you. This is yours, everything that is green and lush, all of it is for yous."

They spun round and round, Ruby unable to believe how lucky she was to have an entire island of food to herself. An endless supply of sweet bubble, why she saw a glimpse of the life she could have. There she was, laying, relaxing and enjoying the warm day. Chomper her sexy sharptooth, close by, holding a cluster of sweet bubbles for her to eat at her leisure. Yes, that was what she wanted. Ironically, Chomper had a vision of his own, pampering her and honestly sharing the same idea. Long and short, the pair were gleeful, seeing peddles fall like snow around, filling the air with a lovely fragrant. For a moment there was no fear, only warmth and affection shared between them. That evening, they lay awake under the night sky, talking about days gone by and what lay ahead.

"Ruby, if you chose to stay here, how will your parents feel?"

"I think they'll understand."

"There's something I should tell you."

"What's that?"

"That I lo-" He stopped, sitting up to sniff the air. Brows pressed together, he got an uneasy sense. "We're not alone."

He rose and went to the forest, Ruby getting up and following him. "It can't be a sharptooth, right?"

"Might be a challenger." Chomper said, knowing being at the top came with a price. "Everyone and their brother will want that title, especially if they find out it's me. Chomper, the wimpy sharptooth."

"They don't really call you that, right?"

"Yeah, they do, along with other names I shouldn't repeat."

Suddenly, Ruby cried out, feeling a set of hands grab her from behind. "Ahh, let go of me! Chomper!" Ruby cried, thrashing and fearful of who it was.

"Ruby, get away from her!" Chomper shouted, storming toward her to help her. Whoever it was, he wouldn't hold back, for they were on his turf, trying to harm his friend. "Stand down or else!" What happened next would take him by surprise.