BY THE TIME TOM REACHED his friends, Pony was in a furious battle with the beast. Hopper was dragging an unconscious Cabal back from the fight. He handed him to Gravid, who deftly lifted the large elf in his arms and carried him further away beyond the debris. The two nether beasts rolled across the tunnel floor in a blur of claws and fur. Tom heard Pony scream and dove into the mix, claws flashing. He managed to get on top of the creature and sank his claws deep into its throat. Pony lunged at its chest, as it rose to full height attempting to dislodge Tom. The force of Pony’s impact sent all three of them flying into the tunnel wall. Tom held firm to the beast, despite the jarring impact. As he pulled his claws free of the beast's throat, blood sprayed into the air, he’d sliced an arter
