The blue fire slowly faded away. The wolf looked more like a roast pig with his fur burnt off. Even his robotic enhancements turned to nothing more than molten pools that had fallen to the ground. His eyes were vacant, but he stood firmly in place like a statue.

Nugget glared down at him as she dangled from his clenched jaw. She put her free foot on the wolf's nose, and she pushed oNuggetff of it to try and free herself.

CRUNCH!

"Baw!" Nugget cried out in pain as in a show of defiance, the wolf's jaws clamped down even tighter.

Thump

Nugget slumped onto the ground. Half of her leg was still in-between the wolf's teeth. She was shaking as she bled on the ground.

Nugget worked quickly. She steeled herself, and lifted her stun up. Then, she stabbed her stub into the pool of melted metal that had been the wolf's mechanical leg. The metal hissed and bubbled up as her leg shook slightly.

Nugget pulled her stub back and steam rose up from the metal that dripped off of her. Her body shook for a moment before she stumbled and fell off of her feet. Nugget closed her eyes as she continued to shake.

As something hit Nugget's head, her eyes flew open. She looked down, and to her side was the lower portion of her leg.

The wolf was gone.

The only thing left behind were the molten metal remains of his cybernetic parts.

Nugget tried to stand up, but even though she stopped the bleeding, the pain was clearly too much for her. At least with only one foot to support herself on. And so, she just managed to lift herself up slightly before she fell back down again.

"Bawk!" Nugget cried out in pain again.

But, even as she sat there apparently helpless, nothing happened. No one attacked her.

Nugget closed her eyes, and she slowed her breathing. Slowly but surely her body stopped shaking. She calmed down almost completely.

But then, her head tilted to the side. She turned her head to the side and pointed her beak straight at the giant metal ball. The once proud machine that stood against her. The scientist's greatest invention that was taken down by the chicken and wolf working together. For aome reason, with her eyes closed, that is where she turned.

After almost a full minute, she opened her eyes and tried to stand up again. Her body stumbled slightly, but Nugget managed to stay standing this time. After a few moments, she was standing up straight with just one foot.

Nugget hopped forward towards the giant machine. Bit by bit, she made her way towards it.

A low hum began to reverberate through the ground and Nugget's eyes grew wide. She started to hop quicker and quicker. Something was happening. Something strange.

Broken and beaten, he had lost a second time. Nugget had driven the wolf off of the edge of the world where he fell into the old man's cruel grasp. Now she had beaten him head on. In a contest of raw power, she had defeated him.

The wolf gnashed his teeth together as his body continued to let off smoke from the burns that covered his entire body. Not even his belt or his knife had survived.

With just three legs, and only one eye, the wolf struggled to walk through the ruins of the battlefield.

His mouth curled up in a snarl, and he seemed like he was about to growl. But, he quickly stopped himself and let out a small huff of frustration.

He glanced behind and the giant ball sat motionless in the distance. Nugget was nowhere to be seen, and so he nodded his head as he limped on. He was clearly struggling without his leg, but was managing. He was uncharacteristically calm, and had not just no real killing intent surrounding him, but no real intent at all. Almost like he was walking silently, like a ghost that wasn't truly there.

A low hum rang out under his feet, and the wolf's eyes grew wide. He turned his head back, but nothing had changed.

Nugget couldn't be seen, and the machine still lied there just like before.

But the wolf didn't seem satisfied with that. His ears moved all around as they strained to hear anything. While his eye tried to focus in on different areas near the defeated robot.

Then, a brilliant light shone behind him. "Poor creature," came a soft voice. "You've been through so much."

The wolf quickly spun around to face the voice. Instinctively, he jumped back away from it as he arched up his back.

Standing there was a brilliantly illuminated woman. The same one who talked to Sid across the archway. She held out her hand towards the wolf. Her palm was up and it was obvious she was smiling.

"Come with me, and I can relieve all of your pain." Her voice was like a beautiful song. "Join me, and I can make you so much more than you are now."

The wolf seemed a little less apprehensive with each word she spoke. He looked down at her hand and was about to step forward.

Thoom

As the ground reverberated again, the wolf's ears turned back and his head swung around towards the robot again. He stared for a moment, and then turned back to look longingly at the woman.

He gave her a short stare before he spun around and hobbled surprisingly quickly towards the machine. Faster and faster he sprinted towards the supposedly defeated mech. His ears lied back against his burnt skin as he stretched his limbs out as far as he could for each stride.

The woman pulled her hand back and held it in front of her chest as she watched the wolf speed away. "Such curious creatures. I wonder if their instincts are truly that strong, or if I am merely that unlucky."