Dungeon Runner (Book 1 and 2)

Stepping Up, Chapter 10

The Bunnyling room was the same as the last time, down to the twitching nose poking out of one of the cover floor tiles, letting them jump out without warning.

"Okay," Jackal said, "last time, we underestimated those fluffing stone things that shouldn't be able to hurt anything. Let's not make that mistake again."

Tibs sensed the Bunnylings running under the floor from one cover stone to the other. The fundamental problem for his team, except Jackal and Khumdar, was that the room was bare of anything to use as cover. Stealth was impossible, which meant his role was that of a not particularly competent fighter. Carina would have trouble with her strong magic, since that needed time to focus, and Mez would have to fire his arrows on the move.

Unlike with the Ratlings, the Bunnylings seemed to know how much of a threat she represented. They spent the entire last battle targeting her, forcing the rest to interfere with their attacks, rendering theirs less effective. She touched her amulet, looking unhappy.

"I will protect Carina," Khumdar said, slowly spinning his staff. Whatever else he'd been up to while away from Kragle Rock, the cleric had become proficient in fighting with it.

"Mez, stay with them," Jackal instructed. "Khumdar can cover you, too. Me and Tibs will do what we can to keep them distracted and at a distance so you can both take your shots."

Tibs drew his knives. There were a dozen Bunnylings within his range, but the room was large enough there could be twice, if not three times that number under the floor. He'd tried to keep track of them the last time, but the fight had deteriorated too quickly into one of pure survival.

He and Jackal stepped into the room as one, and the nose poking out from under the cover tile stilled. Jackal continued walking toward it, while Tibs stopped, attentive. It screeched, and the Bunnylings ran for the closest cover stone, jumping out of their warren.

They were a good head smaller than the Ratlings. Human-shaped bunnies with thick legs, scrawny arms ending with thin hands and long claws. Even then, they looked like they should be easy to defeat, especially after fighting the bigger and more savage Ratlings. But on top of being strong and fast, the Bunnylings were coordinated.

Four ran at Jackal, three for Tibs and six, no seven, spread around the room as more exited the underground warren.

Tibs coated his body with a thin layer of ice for extra armor—he remembered the ease with which those claws cut through his leathers. One rushed at him and Tibs stepped aside, slashing at it. Claws cut his leg, nearly throwing him off balance. He cursed their coordination and his weakened ice as he threw his knife at the retreating Bunnyling. The other was already out of range, joining two more circling him.

They weaved in and out, the retreating one joining them, adding to the difficulty of keeping track of which one was readying for a leap, a feint, or a rush; instead, they came at him as a unit.

He coated his knife in fire as he drew another one, turning as he slashed the first to reach him. He felt claws in his side this time, but it was worth it as one Bunnyling turned to rubble as it landed on the floor, and silver coins rolled away. He stabbed another one, then dropped to the floor, and the jumper flew over him.

Not this time.

He was back to his feet and used his essence to wrap his cuts, stopping the bleeding. The pain still pulsed with each step, and he added earth to the ice, hoping that would compensate for how brittle it was now.

They circled him, and Tibs moved with them, taking in the rest of the fight while not letting it distract him.

Jackal was fighting six, two of them armed with clubs, but the rubble at his feet and grin on his face told Tibs he wasn't in trouble. Mez was firing arrows after arrows, but the Bunnylings dodged most of them, and they were able to maneuver him in such a way that as Tibs watched, the archer nearly fired at Khumdar as a Bunnyling got out of the way of the arrow at the last moment.