Disclaimer: "Happy Tree Friends" is a copyright of Mondo Media

[I know, it's been a while (again). Hope this chapter worked out for the long wait.]

Happy Tree Friends: Camp Sanguine

Chapter 07 – Claws & Nails

Disco Bear's pleads and wails went unheeded as he watched the campers arm themselves with 'special gloves' – metal claws (for boys) and nails (for girls) glinting eerily in the firelight. Flipqy and Eclipse were more than excited when their 'goody-two-shoes' allowed them to take over…under the strict condition they wouldn't harm anyone else.

"Come on, guys – this isn't funny!" Disco Bear pleaded, "Get me off this thing!" As if to prove it, he pulled and struggled at the ropes typing him securely to the cross-shaped log; his arms were spread wide on either side of him. He also happened to be placed right in the middle of the blazing campfire, erected upright on some platform. 'At least I'm not too close,' he thought, watching the flames leap beneath him.

Looking up, he whimpered as the camp staff approached the excited campers. Everyone wore black hooded robes, obscuring their eyes and slightly trailing along the ground. The camp staff looked more like shamans as they're adorned with skull pendants around their necks. He noticed Cro-Marmot wasn't with them…or so he thought; the ice-encased caveman was suddenly was suddenly there the moment he blinked.

"You've been through this before, right?" Splendid asked Shifty, "What exactly is this 'ritual' about?" The fedora-wearing teen grinned maliciously and explained that anyone misbehaving is going to 'shed some blood as atonement for their deeds'. "And what the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Splendont inquired, sharing his brother's confused expression. "You'll see…" Lifty replied, clanging his claws together as though he's sharpening them.

"Fellow children~!" Pop announced creepily, "Tonight, we shall witness the punishment of one of our own." Turning to Disco Bear, he asked, "Camper, how do you plead?"

"Not guilty! I swear! I promise not to peek at anymore –" he objected, silenced as Mole slapped his cane across his cheek. Flipqy and Eclipse snickered as some blood dribbled from the fresh cut. "Witnesses…" Pop continued, "What say you about him?"

"Guilty on the count of indecent conduct!" the involved campers replied. "Proceed with the task at hand," the camp director replied and nodded to Lumpy, who began pouring fresh lemon juice onto the campers' armed gloves.

"AAH!" Disco Bear screamed agonizingly as each camper began jumping over the flames and leaving stinging deep cuts, slashes and scratches all over his body, fresh blood staining his clothes a deep crimson. Flipqy jumped onto and balanced himself on the platform. "This is for staring at my sister…" he snarled before aiming his claws directly at those frightened orange-yellow eyes. The insane teen soldier then glanced at the 'shamans', smirking as they nodded in approval.

SLASH!

The afro teen screamed his loudest as Flipqy clawed out his eyes, going one at a time and ripping them straight off the optic nerves. "Quit sniveling – you know you'll be good as new by tomorrow," Lumpy yawned.

'Ugh, that's sick!' most of the campers thought as they watched Flipqy pop one of the eyes into his mouth and chewed as though it's candy. "It's a little chewy and salty…" he noted as he jumped down, "Eclipse, want some?" She shook her head and said she's got another treat in mind; hopped onto the platform. Her golden-eyed brother shrugged and tossed the other eye into his mouth, enjoying everyone else's grossed-out expression.

"Open wide~!" the golden-eyed girl purred, punching Disco Bear's stomach with one fist and grabbing his tongue with her free hand, hooking her metal nails into the saliva-covered flesh. "Splendid, could you cut it off for me~?" she asked sweetly, baring her canines as she grinned.

Said blue hero shrugged and did what she asked; yelped along with some campers as Disco Bear screamed and cried while blood gushed out of his mouth and eye sockets. Splendont picked up a stray twig and handed it to Eclipse as a makeshift skewer. "Don't encourage her," Splendid muttered under his breath, growling as he received an indifferent shrug as an answer.

Eclipse hopped down and began roasting the tongue over the campfire while the rest of the campers resumed slashing away. Within seconds, Disco Bear was nothing but a dead, fleshy skeleton. "Try some – I wanna know what it tastes like to you," she offered, giggling as Flipqy nibbled a sample.

SHRIEK!

Flippy and Moonlight came back to their senses thanks to Flaky; turned to the direction the red-haired girl's shivering finger was pointing to. "Whoa!" the green-and-white twins yelped as Disco Bear's corpse began to twitch. His movements started becoming more violent, snapping himself free of the ropes and landing with a loud THUD on the ground, followed by his bones making a distinct CLATTER.

Ugh…GROWL…

"This wasn't supposed to happen," Shifty whimpered, stepping backwards along with everyone else as the 70s-styled zombie shuffled and lumbered towards them. Flippy suddenly groaned and lurched violently, feeling his stomach twisting and turning on the inside. "Kya!" Moonlight yelped as the skewered cooked tongue started wriggling wildly as though trying to get off the twig. She threw it away, watching it being picked up, torn free and shoved into Disco Bear's mouth; re-attached itself with some disgusting SLURP sounds.

The zombie teen then blindly felt along the ground, its emaciated fingers landing in Flippy's vomit; grabbed two handfuls mixed with soil and shoved them into his eye sockets, cackling as grainy puke eyes materialized within them.

"Campers – head into your cabins and lock yourselves in!" Pop ordered, "Lumpy, Mole – you're coming with me!" He then picked up a frightened Cub as everyone made a mad dash to safety. Disco Bear the Zombie began following them at a rapid pace, groaning and growling wildly.

The reanimated monster roared furiously as he pounded the girls' cabin door; the occupants let out a chorus of high-pitched screams and shrieks. The boys could see Moonlight and Flaky trying their best to keep the door shut as the wood has splintered in several places and the lock had already broken seconds ago.

"They're not gonna make it!" Flipqy's voice echoed, "And as much as I hate to admit this, but they need our help." Flippy couldn't help thinking that maybe his alter-ego at least had some sanity himself, but was suddenly interrupted as a loud CRACK cut through his thoughts. "NO!" he yelled as the Disco Bear zombie barged in while the girls locked themselves in the bathroom as a last resort. "What are you doing?" Toothy demanded as Flippy unlocked their cabin door, "Pop said –!"

"Fuck what he said!" Flippy yelled, "The girls are about to be zombie chow!" Lifty, Shifty, Splendid and Splendont followed as soon as the teen soldier yanked the door open and rushed to the scene.

GROWL! CRACK! SHRIEK!

Flippy performed a wolf whistle; successfully grabbed the zombie teen's attention. "Over here, you fatty meat-bag!" he taunted. Infuriated, Disco Bear roared and charged directly towards his new target…only to stand confused on the spot as Flippy was suddenly air-lifted by Splendid. "NOW!" both boys ordered in unison.

Lifty lit a lighter while Shifty used some hairspray (he grabbed it from Disco Bear's locker some seconds ago) – the twins created a makeshift flamethrower and began torching the screeching monster. The pain was intensified by Splendont's laser beam vision and eventually, the 'zombie' was a useless pile of ashes on the grass.

The moment Flippy had his feet placed back to the ground, he was greeted by a surprise hug from Flaky. The on-lookers couldn't tell if the pair is blushing or not as her red hair seemed to hide it. "A-Are you okay?" he managed to choke out, earning a quick nod – followed by some almost inaudible sobs. "Ssh…it's alright," he whispered, hugging her close.

A jealous Nutty angrily walked up and separated the pair; threatened Flippy he'll hurt him if he touches his girlfriend again. "You mean ex-girlfriend," Flaky huffed, shoving the candy-addicted teen so hard he stumbled and went SPLAT in some mud.

"AAH!"

"Splendont!" Splendid yelled as he watched his brother desperately trying to shake off an unseen force. The red hero yelled agonizingly as something bit and tore off a huge chunk of his neck; blood gushed down his shirt like a mini waterfall.

The ashes then seemed to float by itself and 'wrap' around his invisible opponent, materializing into an ash-covered Disco Bear. His eyes glowed fiery-red and there was a peculiar dull aura around him; growled and cackled demonically as he continued feasting on Splendont. "Get him off me!" the victim pleaded, feeling his strength drain away. But no matter how hard the others tried, the re-animated Disco Bear couldn't be pulled away even if they worked together.

Just as he started attacking, he suddenly stopped; shoved his prey away and whimpered agonizingly as he clutched his head. Nearby, Pop was mumbling a repetitive Latin chant while Lumpy and Mole were clanging charms in an ancient exorcism ritual; Cro-Marmot appeared to be holding up some orb on the top of his ice cube. Once it was over, Disco Bear the 'ash zombie' crumbled and seemed to disappear into the ground.

"What…" Splendont panted, "The…fuck…was…" He didn't manage to finish his question as he fainted from major blood loss. Splendid rushed over to check his brother's pulse, biting back a sob as he felt nothing.

"He'll come back by morning," Lumpy reminded; told everyone should get some sleep as it was already quite late. As they all headed back to their cabins, Flippy happened to glance behind him and caught two glowing white dots fleeting through the trees.

'Is there something out there?' he wondered, 'Or am I just seeing things?'

If only he knew…