Day 26

I wake up with a wet patch on my chest where Niala drooled on me. Eugh.

She's still sound asleep so I lie still and wait until she awakens. About half an hour later I realize her eyes are open and she's been pretending to sleep for longer than I've been awake! She pokes out her tongue at me.

“I win!” She snuggles closer.

Damn... I waited that long, with my left arm numb from her weight. I leap up, however she is dragged along, landing on her feet. She refuses to let me have my arm back for the rest of the morning, bouncing along at my side. One of these days...

I take my pick, épée and ring-dagger, loading the salvaged leather backpack with the reed bag I created. Niala doesn't let her special ring-dagger off her arm.

The trip to the forest is uneventful, we pass several rats we recognize.

As Mother is about to wander around, grazing on everything she can find I pass the reed bag to her and tell her that if she fills it, she can carry it home and avoid going out for a day or two. I'll be filling my bag as well. I also filled my water bottle at the river in town, so we don't need to go near the river if we get thirsty.

As a result we forage in an area that hasn't been as extensively harvested. While items appear when people enter the room, the things they missed remain. In the areas rats don't enter frequently there should be better quality items to harvest. I'm thrilled when Mother collects several 'high' tier food items.

I have Niala search out the food to go in my backpack, since her skill is better than mine. I stay alert, watching for threats.

A huge scorpion emerges from the bushes. It is about three foot long. I'm about the strike out with the pick when I realize the scorpion is only fleeing in our direction.

As we watch a large form grabs the arachnid by the tail and gnaws it off. It then stuffs the whole invertebrate into it's maw and eats it in moments. The shocking thing is that this predator looks so much like a dark furred rat and is only a size larger. Until I notice the teeth. Fangs. That is not a rodent.

A giant shrew.

We're next for the maw. The beady eyes are watching us.

I intended to talk, but a look at Mother quickly silenced that idea. She's terrified.

I push Niala back and tell her to slowly back away. As she does I drop the pick and pull out the épée. It is probably too fast to hit with a heavy weapon.

I urge Mother back as well, keeping the weapon poised, ready to stab. I keep the ring-dagger loose, just in case.

The shrew circles me, watching the weapon. It emits a scream like rusty nails on chalkboard, then lunges. I slash the point at it, but it hops neatly away to the side and then attacks again from the left. I have to swing around to keep it in view. The damn thing is trying to flank me. If this keeps up, it will succeed. It is more agile than anything I've seen. This is the peak of agility, beyond human. Just as I think the thing can't get more ridiculous, it leaps into the trees and bounds from branch to branch watching me vainly try to follow its movements.

All I know is... it is coming.

I catch it in the corner of my eye. I flick the sword around and stab it under my left armpit with my right hand. The shrew catches the spike in the face, the point creating a gash on the beast's cheek. Fangs tear at my left hand as the sword flies away at the impact.

I spin, dropping the ring around my left arm by holding the arm straight, catching the ring in my fingers. I slam it into the side of the beast as it sweeps past, using my right palm to force the needle deep.

It is torn from my grasp, stuck in the beast.

Even so it bleeds now. It pauses to pull the needle free, making sounds like breaking glass.

I take the pick from the ground and slowly retrieve the sword, holding it in my left hand.

The épée wavers in the air, was the injury that severe? Or is it adrenaline?

The shrew is hesitating. It sniffles and turns to look at the other rats.

I scream in fury.

Damn beast! You want me don't you?! Well come on!

“Come choke on me!” [Rick]

I take a step forward. The shrew pauses and I now have it's full attention... great.

This thing is like a lion or a bear, with grossly over-developed reflexes. Only one way to take it down. Head on with one hit! Anything else and I'll be the next meal.

I drop the sword.

I charge, with both hands on the pick. As I close in the beast squeals that chalkboard scream again, spinning around.

Niala is tossed around, her needle deep in the monster's ass. She'll be dead in a moment as it catches up to her. It is flexible enough to bite her, clinging there.

It stops as I ram the pick into it's neck.

It spins trying to face me, coughing blood in mouthfuls. Bright red blood. Arterial blood.

Got you, bastard. I kick it, pulling the needle of my pick free. It limps back a few steps, hobbling as it chokes on it's own blood.

Moment of truth. It could still turn this around, it is strong enough. Wounded it is a greater threat.

It can't move so fast, it seems to be on the verge of fainting. The blood-loss must be affecting motor-control and consciousness, I cut off oxygen flow to the brain partially. I walk close and slam the pick down like an axe, driving the spike into the right eye-socket as it staggers. It shudders as I tear it's brain apart with a metal spike.

It quivers as I pant for breath. My hand is still shaking. I look at the wound, it doesn't look too bad so why...

I collapse. The wound pulses with agony.

Sonofabitch... venom!

Last thing I remember is being dragged across leaves.

Day 27

…

Day 28

…

Day 29

Ugh...

I feel awful.

I glance at the roof and see I am home.

I see Niala is hugging me again...

She saved me twice, huh?

I don't know why but I feel okay with that.

I leave her sleeping and wait for her to wake.

A few hours later she does, jerking up suddenly as she sees I'm awake too.

“You're better?! Thank goodness!” She hugs me again, tightly. “I was so scared! You were shaking and foaming at the mouth! A few times I thought you stopped breathing like our other brothers, you were so cold!”

I nod, unable to reply as I'm crushed by the grip.

“Can I get you anything?” [Niala]

“Water and food would be good.” I croak.

She pulls out my water bottle and a raspberry impossible to eat in a single bite. 'High' quality, no doubt.

After a good swig of water I gnaw my way through the fruit. Heavenly.

“That's better...” [Rick] “So what happened? I was bitten and passed out from venom, I think.”

“Well, we grabbed your stuff, except the stick thing. It is still stuck in the monster. We pulled you back home. Since then I've been hugging you, trying to make you better.” [Niala]

“How long was I asleep?” [Rick]

“Three days?” [Niala]

She hugged me non-stop for three days?! This sister of mine is an angel...

“You saved me. I would have died, if you hadn't done that.” [Rick]

“I'm just so glad you're all better!” [Niala] “Besides, you saved me first.”

“How about this? We're even.” [Rick] “We make a great team, that monster didn't know what hit it!”

“Sure didn't! Right in the butt!” [Niala]

We both laugh at that.

Later Mother arrives, with my backpack and reed bag full of food. Seems she adopted them once she found how convenient they were.

She seems in a jolly mood, seeing I'm back to form.

We talk for a while and she praises my feat, then scolds me for being reckless.

We go to bed, this time I'm hugged from both sides.

I can understand Mother is relieved and wants contact, but Niala? She hugged me three days straight! Her hug lust has no bounds.

What we learned this chapter:

Sometimes one threat is merely the shadow of a greater one.

Shrews are cute and deadly! Google them! A few really are venomous!

Niala's hug lust is insatiable!

Also... the title is referencing the bite wound (sinister can mean left-handed! Psyche!)