XVIII - Return to Humanity

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As soon as the noise dissipates, America clutches onto Russia tight enough for Russia to release his hands. America shakes, and his foot twitches, soaking Russia's stomach with blood. Russia ignores the sinking feeling it causes.

Russia ignores the smell. Instead, he turns and snarls at reptilian eyes watching them. Puffs of steam rise from their maws. Russia's eyebrows furrow. One of them opens its mouth and it bellows with steam. Russia's ears twitch and he jumps to the side.

A blast of water rockets past his ankles, leaving behind flattened, brewing foliage. Another puff of steam sends him to the right, where he scrambles onto the steaming leaves. The ground leaves his feet pulsing with pain. He scrambles off.

He could almost imagine the sizzling of his feet.

"God fucking damn it!" Russia exclaims.

His feet throb at the cold air. A shout brings his attention back to the teens, and he watches in horror at Florida flipping around a blast of water.

"Don't let it hit you!" Russia demands.

"It's a blast of water," Texas argues, confused, "it don't look like it's got much force to it."

"It will burn you!" Russia shouts, narrowly jumping away from another stream. America squeaks.

Texas shouts in alarm and ducks, hand on his hat. Brazil yanks Alberta away from another rocket of water.

New Mexico pulls Ukraine to the side and Florida leaps over the stream, landing on the creature behind it. South Carolina shrieks.

A huge, swinging talon nearly catches Russia's head. Russia dives to the ground. America stiffens, burying his face into Russia's shoulder.

Russia scrambles on his hands and feet, leaping around and narrowly dodging the boiling lasers. He runs forward, sinking his claws into the soft ground like cleats.

He yowls in anger and lands on the back of one of the creatures. It looks like the one from before, though now Russia could actually get a better look at it.

It looks like an oversized lizard. Its scales are sharp and dig deep into Russia's hands and feet. Its feet are adorned with sharp talons that try to slash Russia's legs.

It thrashes under him, rubbing its sandpaper skin against Russia's skin. The dark greenish-brown plates soon turn red with Russia's blood.

Its mouth opens. Its gasping catches Russia's attention.

Gurgling sends Russia into a panic, and he clamps the thing's mouth shut with his hands. Its beady eyes stare at him and it begins to roll, trying to get him under it.

"Jump off!" Florida shouts, "Now!"

Russia scrambles back. Alabama shouts and jumps on top of the thing, straddling it.

"Sippy!" he shouts, pinning the creature.

Russia spins back to the action and his breathing stops.

A large, hooved thing towers over him from 5 meters off the ground. Its mouth has too many teeth. Its face is long and emaciated. Its front hooves seemed to work as crab claws. It grabs North Dakota and South Dakota screams in terror. Its back hunches and it shrieks.

The sound is a poor mockery of America's whistle.

Russia claws at the trees, jumping between them before racing past the thing's feet.

'I have to take it down!'

America groans, his hands shaking.

"DAK!" Ohio screams, his arm extended.

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