♧Its Power◇

Bootstrap cackled and said, "You're going to regret ever trying to stand in my way ya lowlifes." His toothy grin made Lark more fearful, but Milo stood his ground. Milo growled and the boulders flew at Bootstrap. In an instant, the hyena jumped and slammed the boulders into the ground with his paws. "That all you got, kitty cat?"

Milo muttered, "If I was in my own body, you'd be dead." In a flash, Bootstrap ran up to Milo and went for his neck, but Milo dodged and dashed away from him. Bootstrap said, "You're pretty speedy, ya bastard. But I'm still going to win." Milo created more rocks and started firing them at Bootstrap. He dodged most of them, but a few of the rocks hit and pierced through Bootstrap's skin.

Bootstrap growled and said, "Enough of this." He ran up to Milo, but he started running in a circle. Suddenly, a black smoke started to appear. Lark shouted, "Be careful Milo! That's Dark magic!" Milo tried to jump away, but an unknown force pushed him down. Soon, he was encased in darkness with Bootstrap nowhere to be seen.

Milo heard his cackle in the seemingly endless void. "Let's see how well you handle my dark power." His voice echoed and it made Milo even more confused. Milo created a shield out of rocks and thought. Though, Bootstrap was making it hard to think with echoing unknown voices and pawsteps. The one thing Milo noticed was that the pawsteps were getting closer and closer.

A sudden fear began to grow inside of Milo. His whole body started shaking, and his claws stayed unsheathed. He heard his cackle, but it sounded like Bootstrap was right next to him. Bootstrap laughed as Milo swung his claws at nothing. "Silly cat. Don't worry. I'll-" All of a sudden, Milo swung around and scratched something.

The darkness immediately disappeared, and Bootstrap was right in front of him. Bootstrap had a scratch on his left eye now, and he looked angry. The hyena said, "You're going to pay for that. A very slow payment." Bootstrap pinned Milo onto the ground and dug his long and gross claws into Milo's flank. Milo couldn't help but screech loudly in pain.

Bootstrap said, "Heh. You're mine." Suddenly, a small rock hit Bootstrap, and many more did afterwards. He growled and dug his claws deeper into Milo, making the rocks suddenly fall midair. A blood curdling cry arose from Milo because he hasn't felt this kind of pain for a long time. Suddenly, a peice of the floor was thrown at Bootstrap. Lark shouted, "Leave him alone!"

Bootstrap turned around and said, "A hero, huh?" Lark knew he didn't have time to let him speak, so he kicked more extra floorboards he grabbed at Bootstrap. The hyena tried dodging them all, but he got hit again and again. Bootstrap shouted, "Enough! Prepare to die, fox!" He got off of Milo, and Lark shouted, "Come at me!" Milo shouted, "No! Lark, run!"

In a heartbeat, everything changed.

"Wh... what's happening!?" It seems that Blaze is back in his own body, and he's now face to face with the giant hyena. The tips of Blaze's ears lit on fire, and he shouted, "Hey! Who are you!?" Bootstrap said, "You must be deaf. I already told ya my name, but if you insist." Blaze growled and said, "Nevermind. I just know that I have to beat your ass."

Bootstrap started laughing, buy immediately stopped when Blaze's paws lit on fire. Bootstrap said, "A fire user, eh? You're so much more valuable then the dumb water clan chief." Bootstrap tried to grab Blaze, but Blaze quickly moved out of the way and shot a fireball at him. Bootstrap said, "You're much more entertaining than before. Before you were frozen like a lost pup."

Blaze muttered, "I know. The damn coward can't take care of himself... wait..." Bootstrap said, "What was that? I can't hear you when you're mumbling, scaredy cat!" That made Blaze furious. He shouted, "Oh yeah!? Follow me you bastard! I'm going to show you a piece of my mind!" Bootstrap bulked up and said, "With pleasure."

Blaze immediately ran down the stairs with Bootstrap close behind. Bootstrap was trying to hit him, but Blaze was more agile than he was. Blaze was going down the last stairway, and as he predicted, ice was slowly spreading up the stairs. It was cold, but Blaze had to deal with it. When Blaze got to where the ice was, he jumped up and Bootstrap tumbled down the stairs in surprise.

He stood up, but his paws were already getting frozen by the dark blue ice. Bootstrap growled and said, "A trap, eh? First time in a while... however..." Bootstrap surrounded his paws in darkness, and with ease, he started walking back up the stairs. His paws weren't getting frozen anymore, nor did he slip on any of the ice.

He looked up at Blaze with a blood hungry look, and shouted, "You're going to do better than that!" Blaze shouted, "You have got to be kidding!!"