So this was an Eraser… Well, I think one word describes it: Ugly.
It was… almost human like body-wise, but a really bulked-up human. Coarse, wolfy fur grew out of the forelimbs and head. The head itself was wolf-like, with a pointed muzzle and yellow eyes. The muzzle was filled with sharp, pointy teeth. Um, not the picture of inviting…
These things were definitely not the little pink things on the top of pencils.
And these non-pink things were launching themselves at us at a high speed, snarling ferociously.
And so, the fight began.
Jeb and Dylan dove into a corner of the kitchen rather fast. This corner happened to be right behind me. Dylan was going to take me up on my promise to keep him safe. And Jeb was going to join him. Lovely.
Either way, one giant ugly Eraser flew at me. I could see wings folded on its back.
These non-pencil-toppers seemed like they would be harder to fight than the M-Geeks.
I was right.
I ducked barely out of the way and kicked it to move the direction of its force. It rolled over and growled at me. I snarled back, unsheathing my claws.
I heard it snicker, saying, "Here, kitty, there's a good kitty." I was huffed. In other words, for those of you that don't speak Spark, I was angry and frustrated at him.
But it leaped at me again, claws and hands extended. It had claws on its fingertips. Weird.
I dodged, but not enough. One claw raked down my jawbone, and I cried out in pain. Good golly, it hurt! I twisted around and raked my claws down its face in response. I don't know whether cat or wolf claws hurt more.
This was not working, not working at ALL. These things moved quickly and naturally, as well as unpredictably. I kept getting scratched.
Just as I was about to jump at it again, a second Eraser joined the party. I backed up until I was nearly on top of Dylan and Jeb. I had to think, fast, because this was not good.
I wasn't strong enough to defeat them. My claws and speed wouldn't do enough. The Erasers were a lot bigger and stronger than me. This wasn't going to end well unless- WAIT! I HAVE AN IDEA!
The Erasers came closer. Meanwhile, in the background, I saw Gazzy leap into the air brandishing a mixer threateningly.
Looking again at my opponents, I saw that one of them got a sort of twisted smile on its face. "There's a good little kitty," it barked/growled.
I smiled back, stepping away from Dylan and Jab a bit. Mine was filled with deadly anticipation. "I know I'm a kitty," I purred back, tensing and preparing for my new technique I had thought about, "but don't you know that cats don't take orders from humans, let alone dogs?"
The Erasers growled at me, preparing to spring. I shot, "Please don't be alarmed," at Jeb and Dylan before turning to my adversaries again. I grinned, showing my teeth, and transformed into the form I was most comfortable in after Africa: a Utahraptor.
Ironically enough, the Colorado/Utah-ish area was home to the Utahraptor once. In other words, where I was now.
My muzzle elongated, I grew much taller, though not big enough to touch the top of our very high kitchen ceiling. My tail grew longer and stiffer, perfect for balance, and my clothes faded into my skin. By this time the green scales had formed, and by the time my short transformation was done, I was showing off a large set of very large and pointy teeth at the Erasers.
I think Dylan screamed in shock behind me. Whoops.
Throwing back my feather-crested head, I snarled at them. I couldn't roar, roaring was for tyrannosaurs, not the elegant raptor. One of them blanched for a moment before throwing itself at me with its partner.
Fight as a different form was odd for me, although I adapted quickly. Grabbing one in my jaws and spinning around to whack the other worked pretty well.
It didn't work quite as planned. The one I was trying to grab was too heavy, and I dropped it quickly. The other one thudded into my side, clawing me. I spun around and rolled ninja-raptor style, squishing him under me.
I got up and faced the other Eraser, who had noticed Jeb and Dylan and was stalking towards them. Jeb placed himself in front of Dylan, preparing to fight.
He didn't need to. I used my powerful hind legs to jump high into the air, high enough that I nearly touched the ceiling, and came crashing down able to rake my long toeclaws down its body.
It worked like in the movie! The Eraser was down very quickly. I kicked it away, and launched myself at the second one snarling and using my front limbs to slash it open. Another one down.
I turned and saw a few last Erasers fighting various members of the flock. I attacked the one that was fighting Gazzy with my hind foot again, slashing it once across the belly and then biting its neck hard enough it was snapped. Gazzy shot a grin at me before going for Nudge's Eraser.
Together, we drove the rest of the Erasers away. Shifting back into human form, I had to grab the counter for support. I was exhausted. Two transformations, one into and one out of a Utahraptor as well as fighting fatigued me.
While I was gasping for breath, Dylan came over to me. "Spark?" he asked tentatively, "Are you okay? Was that… thing really you?"
I looked at him tiredly. "Yeah, I can shape-shift. That was a Utahraptor you saw, a type of dinosaur. It drains my energy though," I panted.
He stared at me for a moment before helping me up from where I had slid to the floor. I was barley able to walk, though, I was so tired. With Dylan's support, I wobbled over to the rest of the flock.
We all were a little injured, a little bloodied. Nudge was holding a wing awkwardly (I think she'd sprained it), and Gazzy had a few scrapes and slices on his arms and face. He held a mixer that had bits of flesh in it (ew, ew, EW!) and looked quite pleased with himself.
Iggy had black-eyes, and Angel a few scratches. But nobody seemed to be dying, I was in the worst condition, but I'd live.
"Spark? Are you okay?" asked Angel worriedly. I smiled at her.
"Just tired. I'll be fine."
Jeb came over then, holding a first-aid kit. He looked us all over and opened the box. "Let's get you guys treated," he said.
"What about the bodies?" asked Gazzy.
After we disposed of those, tossed into a convenient canyon that was right by the front of the house, we were treated for injuries by Jeb.
While Iggy was being healed, he turned to Gazzy. "By the way, Gaz, about my mixer…"
Gazzy stood up defiantly. I stared at him in horror. "You mixed someone to death?!" I asked shrilly.
Gazzy looked smug. "I adapted under the circumstances."
… No comment…
I ended up being last in line, after Iggy. Jeb was just starting to clean the deep gash on my jawbone when I heard wingflaps. Max and Fang.
I turned to see them alight on the ground and step into the ruined kitchen. "Holy –censored-," said Max, shocked at the damage, "What happened?"
"Erasers happened," I replied. Talking made the jaw-gash bleed again, as it had just stopped a moment ago, "and not the little pink kind."
"I thought they were all dead," said Fang, checking a smashed cabinet closely.
"So did we," responded Nudge, slightly coldly.
Max flinched slightly from where she was examining Angel. Jeb stood up to clean my wound again.
"It's nice of you to care," started Iggy, rising from the chair that was still beside the table, "seeing as you didn't care enough to stay. Or to depart from your dear Fangy, whom you seem to be staying with 24/7 now."
Max slowly stood, anger flushing her cheeks. Iggy didn't stop there. "Face it," he continued, "you weren't there when we needed you. You and Fang care more about each other than the rest of us."
"What? That's crazy!" Max yelled back, "It was chance!"
Angel stood now. "Unless someone saw that our two main fighters left," she said solemnly. Everyone froze, even Jeb who was still fussing over my wound.
Max started to reply, but Angel cut her off. "Look, you guys care more for each other than you do about the rest of us." She was referring to Max and Fang, not our Alpha alone, "And we just saw how dangerous that was now. It's time for you to move on, Max, time to leave the flock. Fang, you too."
We stared at her in stunned silence. "Move on?" choked Max, "Leave!?"
"Yes, leave. Go anywhere, start your own little flock, we don't care. Just go," said Angel icily.
Max stumbled backwards, disbelieving. "H-h-how about we take a vote, to see who thinks what about this. All in favor of me and Fang leaving, raise your hand." Obviously she didn't expect us to vote her out.
Angel's hand raised quickly. Iggy followed suit, and Nudge, albeit a bit hesitantly, raised hers too. Gazzy did so also, after a quick look at Angel. Dylan was shaking his head in shock, and Jeb was frozen.
It was left to me. I had to admit, Angel was right. You couldn't approach just Fang or Max now. It was annoying and potentially dangerous. I slowly raised my hand.
Max backed away like she'd been faced with an angry lion. She walked out the door and took off. After casting a single look at us, Fang went after her.
Nobody moved until a single, frustrated, angry, sorrowful, heartbroken, way-too-many-adjectives-used-here-so-I'm-going-to-stop scream from Max ripped through our ears.
And so, another chapter finishes. Hope you enjoyed it!~