He got into a defensive stance as the dark shapes flew towards him - well, mostly dark. White fungus cut through the dark fur on their bodies and it took Anubis to realize that these weren't just bats. They were much larger, much deadlier, and he realized he might have made a mistake.

Well, it was too late to run now. They were swooping low, getting ever closer and as they dove, Anubis sucked in a huge breath and held it, squeezing his jaws shut.

They were on him in an instant and he could feel their claws slashing at him, sliding off the inky frills that protected his body. Mushy white was pressed into his face and panic laced through his body. He didn't want to be infected, not unless it was under his own terms!!

From his body, as the last of the thick protective fungus burst, a thick, potent cloud of spores exploded out of his fur and into the air around him for the dragonbats to breath in. The same spores he'd used to knock out the crystalwing, that he commonly used to make his subjects fall asleep. He could feel a burn in his chest as he held his breath longer and longer, but it was critical that it worked now - one breath of this strong of magic would probably knock him out in a second.

The bats attacking him slowed. Faltered. It was good that Anubis was holding his breath: for they had been on him and now first one, and then the other went limp, sliding down with drooping eyes to the rock floor.

Within seconds he was safe--for now: both bats unconscious at his feet.

But--even if he avoided his own spores--it told of another danger, now. He had alerted the Hive to his location. They would not stop coming. He had, undoubtedly, jeopardized the chrysalis he guarded. If he were lucky, the Hive might not notice it when they came looking--but Anubis...

If he remained, they would find him.

@Anubis

He stood stone-still, eyes squeezed shut, feeling his heart pounding loudly in his chest, getting louder and louder as his brain screamed for oxygen. But, at last, the feeling of claws sliding against the oil on his skin faltered and went quiet, the thump of heavy bodies on either side of him signaling the end of the assault.

His eyes snapped open and he gasped, sucking in a breath at last, although careful not to breathe too deeply, lest he knock himself out with his own spores. Already he felt vaguely light-headed from what he had inhaled, but that didn't matter right now. What mattered was that he ran.

In that moment he wasn't thinking of the chrysalis or his experiments or whatever he thought he'd been trying to do with Aati. Right now he cared about getting out of this alive and safe. He had fucked up. He should have never tried any of this, at least not in the middle of a cave completely infested with millions of Mother's eyes!

Without even a glance back at his cave, he took off running, barely paying attention to where he set down his paws, intending on getting the fuck out of this cave before they came for him again.

*exit