A massive roar from the mountainside reverberated through the cave, punctuating Pugly's message. Cael jumped to his feet and grabbed his blaster, aiming it at the cave entrance.
"What can you tell us about it? How close is it?" he asked the hairy beast.
"From the sound of its roar, I believe it's a vyrmm. They slither up the sides of mountains during storms and hunt creatures seeking shelter in caves. It's how I lost my mother and siblings. A vyrmm slithered into our cave in the middle of the night. Since I was the runt of the litter, I hid underneath some rocks and was passed over. When I woke up the next morning, I was all alone."
Cael lifted the blaster, and another roar shook the cave. “Will this be enough to deter it?"
Pugly sniffed at the air and raised his bushy eyebrows. "Doubtful."
Midori had dressed during their conversation and was pulling on her shoes. "What about the fire?" she asked. "Will that keep it away?"
Pugly grunted. "I think we're on the verge of finding out."
A deafening roar filled the cave as the vyrmm attempted to claw its way in. The beast was enormous, its shaggy purple-furred head nearly too large to fit through the cave's entrance. Razor-sharp talons gripped the lip of the cave as the vyrmm struggled to pull itself inside. Cael shot the beast in the head with his blaster, but it only roared with renewed vigor.
An overwhelming sense of protection came over Cael as he stepped between Midori and the beast. In that moment, he knew he'd do everything possible to protect her, even if it meant laying down his own life. The Earthan woman had become more andmore precious since the moment she first ran into him, but now he knew without a doubt she'd become the most important person in his life. He wouldn't let anything happen to her, no matter the cost.
"Take Midori farther into the cave. Look for an exit of any kind. If you cannot find one, hide."Hopefully, it will be satisfied with just me.
Pugly snuffed his understanding and herded Midori toward the back of the cave where the walls became more narrow.
The vyrmm's head was practically all the way through, its gaping maw thrashing and baring teeth the size of daggers. Its furry head gave way to a torso of shining scales as the beast pulled more of its body inside. Cael fired his blaster again and again, aiming for weak points in the beast's flesh, but the creature barely slowed down. Finally, with his blaster depleted, Cael threw it to the ground and grabbed four handfuls of torches from the fire. Perhaps the creature's fur would catch flame. He'd just have to get close enough to try without its claws eviscerating him first. He took a deep breath and prepared to charge the beast.
"Cael! Here! Pugly's found something."
Midori tugged Cael's elbow, and he turned just as the vyrmm finally slithered its way inside the cave.
"Come on!" Midori yelled, pulling him after her.
Cael allowed her to lead him back into the recesses of the cave while he swept the burning torches back and forth. The vyrmm evaded the fire and slithered onto the cave's ceiling, its serpentine body clinging to the rock with its four deadly-looking clawed feet. Cael swung the torches in its direction, and the beast hissed at the flames.
"Pugly thinks he may have found an exit. Over here!"
Cael looked over his shoulder to see the pig dog using its front two hooves and snout to push at a pile of rocks. Somestones had already rolled away, revealing a hole in the cave wall almost large enough to fit through.
"Hold this," Cael said, handing two of the torches to Midori. With his two free hands, he pulled aside a small boulder, revealing more of the hole. It was large enough for at least Midori to fit through.
"Keep going. It has to be large enough for all of us," Midori said. She swung the torches toward the vyrmm. The beast had crawled halfway down the cave wall.
Cael pushed aside another boulder. Pugly could now fit through the large hole. But who knew if the tunnel remained that size farther in? Perhaps it narrowed into a dead end after only a short distance. Perhaps they would be as trapped in the tunnel as they were in the cave. The roaring beast lunged down the wall and swiped at the fire. Now was not the time to worry about what ifs.
"Get in the tunnel," he said, taking the torches from Midori. She nodded and crawled inside.
"Now you!" Cael nodded at Pugly.
The pig dog sniffed at the cave and took a step back. "I should confess, I'm not great with dark, tight spaces. Perhaps I should wait out here."
"Wait out here and you're going to become vyrmm food. Get in there! Midori needs you."
The pig dog took a deep breath, gave a curt nod, and plunged into the hole, leaving Cael behind.
The vyrmm roared and dropped to the cave floor, its massive head thrashing back and forth as it drew nearer. Cael thrust the burning torches into the beast's mouth as it lunged at him. The creature reared back for a moment, giving Ceal just enough time to follow Midori and Pugly into the tunnel. He scurried in on his hands and knees, the walls of the mountain swallowing him as he plunged farther and farther into its heart.
The vyrmm scraped madly at the tunnel, but the entrance was much too small for the beast to crawl through. Cael glanced back behind him as the vyrmm attempted to claw its way in. The beast roared, closing off the tunnel in a rain of rocks and boulders in its fury.
Complete and utter darkness filled Cael's senses.
"Midori?" he called out. There was no answer.
