The Kingdom

Our certain death was far from our shared thoughts as we plowed into the enemy line of fur and teeth. Saber Cats went flying or were crushed underfoot, while one was gored through by the big female's lower solitary horn.

With a shake of her big head the Trican dislodged the gored wreckage of life and hunted for more. Her feet churned the desert sand in a wide arcing turn as she sought to run down the line of Saber Cats before her.

They ducked out of the way to avoid her dangerous horns and crushing hooves. As they peeled off to the side they pounced and latched on to the big female's flanks as they tried to bring her down by weight alone.

I explored the length of my tether as I ran back and forth across the shifting platform beneath my feet. My sword swung faster than I had ever wielded it and my sharp regret of the moment was that I did not have two swords to wield.

Saber after Saber launched to land on the flanks of the big female. Some fell off to be churned under, but others hooked in with their massive forepaws and held on. I severed Saber after Saber of its forelegs in my bid to keep the Trican rolling forward unencumbered by the weight of the horde.

Occasionally Sabers managed to claw their way up onto the broad back of the Trican to attack me. They came at me with deep chested roars and I hacked away with true savagery, until the back of the big beast I rode ran red with blood.

My footing on the bloody surface became treacherous and I slipped many times, until I fell. My cord brought me up short of hitting the ground, but there were snarling Sabers all around me taking swipes at me.

The big female turned sharp and brought her head to the right and I leapt toward the proffered horn hanging out in space, even as I sliced through my tether with my sword.

I grabbed the horn, but a massive paw slammed into my shoulder and sent the sword flying along with my breath. I held on to the horn through sheer force of will, as my ride brought her head around and charged on as more and more Sabers fought to latch on.

My breath had come back to me and I pulled myself up and over her horns and past her eyes to stand against her neck frill, only to duck a paw swipe aimed at my head. I dodged back up to be met with the snarling visage of a Saber. I let him have my fist to the side of his head with all the strength I could muster.