The Night Rider

Chapter 45 - Rift

Hawkins almost did a double take, the unfamiliar voice making Cull jump as he glared down at the smaller Tinker Mole. Gidget was fidgeting with his hard hat, his claws nervously brushing the faded Gadgeteers emblem. He must've been trained by them before defecting to the Gearloose gang.

"Oh yeah?" Cull replied, his attention drifting towards the healer's station.

Gidget's salvaged axe and hammer were strapped to his toolbelt but it looked like he was like a toddler playing house. Hawkins tried to focus on helping Mantis but she brushed him aside. The ninja mole was too cute for him to take seriously.

"I'm a Miner Crafter. Which means I can dig faster than any of my kin combined even through this harsh gravel and gritstone." Gidget explained, the Tinker Moles dialect was a mix of Caldorian and Nocturus.

"So?"

Cull folded his arms, as if uninterested in the shy Tinker Moles plan. But Gidget stood up to the big bad brawler anyways and bombarded him with a seemingly foolproof plan.

"So, with a mix of my uncles Craft and mine along with two Firestep wolves, a Sand Wraith and your explosive power we could at least slow them down. If we use some leftover bomber traps before they hit the barrier....it might give us a chance."

Cull's brain began to whir through each cog in the plan as he tried to get on the same page. Hawkins let the Fire Traited handle the young Tinker Mole as he and Hack worked through healing his injuries.

"We talkin' full trenches or just a few pockets, kiddo? This place is alive and I don't think it'll appreciate a lil' mole like you scrambling about and tearing potholes through its foundations."

The Sand Wraith gaped as Hawkins took a few seconds to mask his genuine surprise that Cull knew so much about the inner workings of Axis. Mantis however scoffed and rolled her eyes to hide her exhaustion and forced herself to hold her Trait firm. It gave Gidget a few things to think about, giving him a grateful smile that he was away from his uncle.

"I can communicate with Axis using Hammerlocke to temporarily gain permission and create a pit trap big enough without damaging the supports. It should be able to react to my Craft in time but..."

Gidget gave a hesitant glance towards the Mediator but Cull latched onto Gidget's need for confirmation.

"What? You like studying grimoires, I like studying demolition projects."

Hawkins' Trait began to dim, his flames finishing to heal the Earth Traited as he simply shrugged at the duo.

"Sounds better than anything else I could've come up with."

Blaize snorted, Hazard struggling to get to his feet as she supported him from the side as he limped forward. Mantis had kept her stance wide and kept shuffling from side to side to limit her time standing still and to conserve energy as much as she could.

The Firestep wolf had corralled Thea and Hazard under the stone shelter, her brother yelping all the while. She chuckled despite herself and teased her brother anyways.

"I think you're getting soft, brother. We got far worse burns in the Bitrfyre wars than you did from a measly puppet."

"Shut up. You try to tell that pup not to be so stubborn." Hazard snapped back, wincing at her sister's rising flames.

Blaize laughed at her brother's stubbornness, following his gaze and quipped.

"Which one?"

The two grinned, chuckling under their breath only for a loud yell to interrupt their conversation.