Moving Along Remastered

Chapter 14: The Opposition

Moving Along Chapter 14: The Opposition

"Ziro, come on, wake up!" I shook the passed out wolf. The whole world was going to shit. Explosions and screams could be heard outside, the kind that you remembered every night before bed. I tried to ignore them as I did everything I could to wake him. "Please, I need your help to-"

A shadow fell over us that made my fur stand on end. I looked over my shoulder at the creature that towered over me. Its great yellow eyes glared hatred into mine that were full of terror. Dark green ridged scales lined its body that looked smooth to the touch right up to its tail. Though dressed in dark colored pants and a tight fitting crew neck, it had no shoes over its taloned feet, both of which had a sickle toe that tapped the tiled floor in a threatening manner. The raptor leveled his rapier to my muzzle, which I stared down its point, my heart hammering in my chest.

Everything in me froze in place. I couldn't move a single muscle, though, every bit of me trembled. The raptor licked his lips excitedly at his easy prey, then readied its blade to impale it right between my eyes. Still I watched as though held in place by an invisible force, feeling the call of my scimitars in my paws that only needed my command to materialize. Yet I still stayed motionless as the raptor thrust his blade forward. All I could do was shut my eyes so I wouldn't see it coming.

The sound of cold metal piercing into flesh followed by another flesh rending sound rang in my ears. A fierce snarl boomed in the kitchen and something fell with a loud thunk. When I opened my eyes, the body of the lizard laid at my knees in two pieces, green fluid pooling against the grout. Drops of red fell against it as well. Standing protectively in front of me, Ziro held his great sword in a defensive position. He panted heavily for breath and each time he did, more red fell into the pooling lizard blood. From behind him protruded the silver point of the rapier as it vanished in the next instant.

"A-Atticus," he managed to say before collapsing sideways against the table, smashing through it entirely.

"ZIRO!!!" I screamed out and rushed to his side. Blood poured out from the puncture in his chest where his heart would be. "Ziro no no no, you weren't supposed to do that. It was supposed to be me, I- I was just so scared and-" the black wolf's half lidded eyes made no acknowledgment as to what I was saying. "Ziro??" No response. "ZIRO PLEASE!!"

No, this couldn't be happening. It just couldn't. Tears welled up in my eyes as I begged, "please, you've gotta tell me what to do! How can I fix this?! How can I save you??" Still the wolf remained motionless except for his shallow breathing which grew slower and slower. I was losing him. Just like I'd lost my parents. All because I didn't fight the raptor when I should have. My inaction had killed him.

'No,' a surge of rage at myself made my fur bristle. 'Your continued inaction will kill him.' I couldn't let this happen. I wouldn't. There had to be something I could do. Anything. Maybe the basement? There'd been an entire lab down there. Surely there was some medical equipment.

My burning determination spurred me onward. Grasping from under his arms, I dragged him to the long flight of stairs down and grunted in frustration. Maybe some of Kurai's strength could help me here. I took a deep breath and hefted him onto my shoulders.

God he was heavy, but I stayed strong. Blood soaked into my shirt that stuck to my neck. I just closed my eyes and imagined I was carrying a bag of rice. Odd analogy I know, but believe me it helped. I slowly walked downstairs while making sure to handle him with care. After a few deep breaths, and several flights later, I was nearing the bottom. Automatic lights of some kind were turning on, much to my appreciation. I didn't hear any signs of the deer Tony, so he must have left while I'd been dreaming..

When I got to the bottom of the steps, I propped Ziro against the wall. His black fur made it hard to see his wound when I lifted his shirt up to examine it. Matted bloody fur was my only indication as to where it was. Behind me, a soft siren went off with a robotic voice that announced, "critically injured patient detected, please take to the nearest service pod."