LO Round 1 - 7 FINAL

In a swirl of smoky feathers it was gone, just like that. I felt cold as ice although sparks still shot out from my claws. I looked dizzily at Streakaris, who had been slowly advancing the entire time.

"What's wrong – seen a ghost?" She coughed in rage. I looked at her and the drops of blood collecting on the ground.

"No…" I said slowly. The wound on my neck was numbing the right side of my body. I'd have to sew it up later.

"Then get ready you asshole!" She leaped through the air, yellow sparks flying in every direction like little shooting stars. I swung my pipe and missed, striking the ground and sending a shiver up my arm.

A crackling blast hit me on the side and I tumbled backwards, smacking my head against the wall. The world around me was spinning. My chest rose and fell in ragged breaths, but I forced myself to stand. I left my pipe on the ground.

Streakaris charged, tail and whiskers ablaze, and I did the same. I felt as though time was slowing down as we closed the distance between each other. I focused all of the energy I had left into my left arm, pulling it back into a spring-loaded punch. I saw the glow of a yellow crystal on her forehead. Tempting me. Calling out with its feeble light.

We were close. Inches apart from each other's faces, her whisker brushed my cheek softly. And then there was contact. My fist launched forward, carrying all the energy I had left in my weakening body. I heard something that sounded like a scream. Then there was searing pain, all over. Was I screaming? Flashes of the smoky bird consume my vision and I can't seem to get back to reality. Was I…dying?

Hah. Like hell I was.

Grabbed back into the world by an unseen force, I found myself staring up at the sky. It was gray now. Swelling clouds moved sluggishly overhead, threatening to unleash a downpour at any second. I noticed the incredible lack of feeling in my arms and legs. I couldn't even wiggle a claw.

Panic seized my chest as I realized that the race was still on. Or had it been over for a long time now? Karma probably found us all laying on the ground and high-tailed it to the tower hours ago. I had no idea how long I'd been laying on the ground for. Some animal was going to find me any second now and –

"Jeth?"
A voice. I think I knew that voice. No, I definitely knew it.

"Jeth, I thought you were dead!" Scales, fur, and a pink bow. It was Karma.

"Nnnnngh." I groaned.

"I thought for sure you were done in by Streakaris, but I had my doubts, since…" She nodded her head to the left.

There lay my opponent. Her dark fur was streaked with vibrant blue blood. Yellow shards lay scattered around her face, like golden slivers. Her chest did not rise nor fall. The siblings had been diminished.

"We can probably still make it if we hurry." Karma said, looking up at the menacing sky. "I think you need medical attention, and fast." She looked at me and paused for a little while.

"What, do I have do drag you?"

I attempted a shrug.

"Crap. This is going to be a long night." So Karma began dragging me through the jungle with her teeth dug into my scarf, practically strangling me. I thought my head was going to pop off and roll away. But even though I couldn't feel any of my limbs, even though I was dragged over endless rocks, even though she accidentally let my head drop, and pulled me up the longest flight of stairs ever imaginable; I somehow managed to feel a little bit grateful.

Okay, a tiny bit grateful.