A Cat in the Catacombs

The dust still hung in the air like a palpable shroud, coating the inside of any open mouth with a chalky wash of residue from the unbridled destruction that still vibrated back into the underground caves below. The surreal transformation of the promontory labrynth from bright, immaculate halls into dark, dusty tomb was an alarming sign, a sharpening of the senses for all Beasts who ventured so far from the sanctuary of their last barricaded defensive. The debris was scattered as wide as the fourth hall, far removed from the entry point the invaders had made. They had advanced as far as the seventeenth hall, almost to the end of the confounding maze, and encroaching the actual heart of the Battle Beasts infrastructure. In a last desperate attempt to halt the invasion, the Battle Beasts brought down the roof and walls and buffered the last five halls with the rubble, and sealed off the descending tunnels that opened into the core of their base. Twenty-five days passed, and the Battle Beasts had taken full account of what was lost, including inaccessible terminals, soldiers that were missing, and inoperable vehicles and armament. On the fourth day of the attack, after once again compromising their fallback position, they had received a communique from Rhino, informing the beseiged beasts that he and ten others-- Ram, Cow, Hawk, Mouse, Lizard, Camel, Squirrel, Hippo, Horse, and Toad--had managed to flee to an outpost along the northwest border of their claim. He said one of their possible avenues from here would be to start up a comet hopper and investigate the heighliners in orbit over their planet. Maybe they could offer some clues into the origins and intents of these mysterious attackers. The message was received by the remaining war council, consisting of Leo, Panther, Pointer, and Rooster. Bullorn, as well as a few others, had been badly wounded, and Beaver and Colonel Bird remained among those who were still unaccounted for.
Rhino gave some insight as to the whereabouts of the missing. "The assailants did manage to capture several beasts, from what I could see during the battle. I saw Giraffe subdued and captured, as well as Moose. It's possible they got Tiger and the Colonel." Many similar rumors had surfaced among the interred who had been on the field during the battle. There were reports of the advancing legions wielding collapsible laser weapons, much like the Beasts own armaments. A few were said to also carry shields, and ride armed chariots into battle. Most disturbing were the claims that the enemy commanded energy forms disturbingly similar to theirs. Elation and fear melded together, and the intensity of it could be felt throughout every corridor; every Beast understood the prospect of another race like themselves. And the unprovoked aggression terrified them all.

A tense pause that did nothing to mask the grim relief felt between the council members preceded their decision. "In light of this information, I stongly support your plan to launch a reconnaissance shuttle. The captives may even be in one of those frigates." White Leo spoke for the council on this matter. A small band of eleven beasts was not enough to do damage or repel the attack, and any attempt to return to the main base would lead to their capture.
This was the last they'd heard from the outside. Even the attacking army had ceased their assault on the blockaded hallways. All seemed quiet...exactly like a tomb...
Moonlight spilled through the gaping hole punched through the prominent wall of the labrynth, setting everything in the hallway aglow. Through the sensors attached to mini-sentinels, the Battle Beasts determined that the usurpers had set only a skeleton guard to patrol the base, while the rest of them must have regrouped far abroad to plan another attack. Panther hadn't hesitated in volunteering to scout the outer hallways. Someone needed to gather random, possibly useful information on whether there were any open pathways to other stations, possibly commissary stations or communication lines. Maybe even find a route to a perimeter gun post. That would give them a definite advantage of surprise, if the council decided to launch a counter-offensive. Now, Panther was crouched around the left corner from the prominent hall, waiting for the seachlight posted outside the base to complete it's revolution, which would give him just enough time to sprint across the opening. On the right side of the circular labrynth, Panther was hoping to find some open hallways leading to some good news.
A thermoscan by the sentinels had detected at least four patrolling warm bodies, but Panther saw no one as he peeked around the corner to see if it was safe. This was his chance; he was going to make a run for it. The last sliver of searchlight was extinguished by the darkness, and Panther began his sprint. Legs pumping fiercely, teeth grinding from the sheer determination not to be seen, he had almost made it across the far end of the aperture, when up ahead, something turned the corner...

Edited by Viperfish, 22 October 2004 - 12:43 PM.

A single heartbeat held within itself an entire universe, as Black Panther froze in motion and frantically weighed the options for his next move. He was caught and killed many times in that instant, each depending on the minutest miscalculation. Scaling the skewed walls would prove fruitless, and turning tail to escape would only invite pursuit. There was the breach...exposed in the open, he could make a run for it, and probably head in the direction of Rhino's camp. Panther needed no second examination of this thought. He would be hunted game, with the pursuers in his wake, following him to his own grave and the graves of those still abroad, holed up in the northern reaches.
Open combat remained as his only means of survival, and by the dimmest chance he could overcome this behemoth he now measured with a leveling stare, but it would have to be done quickly. He couldn't allow the monster one second to recover. His adversary was large, and exo-skeletal, like his own commrades Crab and Spider. It's gait quickened at the first realization, but now Panther could now see that he moved slow and plodded heavily. All his advantage was in his obvious strength--Panther just had to evade his grasp.
The monstrosity charged, and Panther sprinted forward as he came within reach. A million vital calculations flashed through Panther's mind, and at the estimated moment he sprung. A leap, his left leg kicking upwards swiftly, a twist--and with his precise execution, his opponent incapable of reacting, Panther landed lightly on his right foot, slightly behind and astride of the beast. Still spinning, he twisted his left leg around and connected with the creature's middle back. This move put some distance between them, affording Panther the time to brandish his spear. Stunned and infuriated, the brute wheeled around. Too close...damn...I'll be overcome by his size alone...
His uncanny feline senses were all that could buy him the advantage he needed. He crouched, still exposing his back, and gripped the spear with both hands. Sensing a moment of hesitation from his enemy, Panther's mind stamped this thought onto his tensed muscles:
He's confused...he'll start lashing out predictably, attacks alternating from both sides...Another breath, and Panther deflected a spurning kick from his opponent's right leg, immediately moved to intercept a crushing blow from his grappler arm. His spear tip darted left, the butt darting right, protecting the huddled figure at the behemoth's feet. Caught by surprise as the enraged beast lunged forward, Panther barely managed to bend back to avoid a crushing embrace, and raise his arms, clubbing the ogre between his eyes, sending him reeling.
Returning to his crouched position, a glint suddenly appeared in the corner of his eye, eminating from the creature's right hand. Panther had less than a second's time to disarm the creature before he activated his laser rifle. His paws tightened on the handle of his spear, and in an instant he had the triangular grip of his weapon slipped over the wrist of the giant. He wrenched the weapon back against the trapped arm, and leapt straight up. He planted both feet squarely behind him, exploding against the massive chest behind him. Figure and gun seperated immediately, and Panther heard his opponent's body crash to the floor, just as he himself landed, face-down, his arms pressing against the dirt. With a deft cartwheel move, Panther plucked his weapon off the ground and righted himself to face the writhing lump he had reduced from rampaging enemy, to battered behemoth.
Two resounding sounds from behind, so unnatural amid the settling dust and grunting gladiators, scattered Panther's thoughts and confidence: one, the whirr-click of a charged laser rifle; followed by a low, gravelly voice that seemed to echo and resound all the way into Panther's suddenly hollow chest. "Don't move. I wouldn't think twice to cut you down, scum."