Page 37 of Spike

Entering the clearing, I spotted the two hulking mercenaries dressed in black, their guns drawn.

But what caught my attention was the sight of a raven lying on the forest floor, a crimson pool spreading beneath its motionless form.

Furious, I roared and charged towards the first mercenary. Both turned and fired at me. Pain seared through me as bullets tore into my flesh, but I refused to let it slow me down.

These guys weren't packing silver bullets, a stroke of luck that I wasn't about to waste.

With a primal roar, I barreled towards the nearest mercenary, fueled by adrenaline.

As I shoved aside the mercenary's gun, he began to shift, muscles rippling beneath his skin.

We clashed fiercely, trading blows as I quickly realized that despite their initial appearance of incompetence, this one was skilled.

Every move was calculated, every strike precise. Amidst the struggle, the second mercenary's voice pierced the chaos. "Burt, move! I can't get a clear shot."

Burt, the one I was grappling with, untangled himself from me, and for a split second, I found myself exposed, staring down the barrel of a gun.

Numerous emotions raced through me at that moment, foremost among them was regret.

I wished I hadn't run out of Gray's apartment in a fit of anger to confront Venom.

I wished I had cherished every moment with Gray a little more, knowing now how precious our time together truly was.

If I allowed myself to be selfish, I wanted an entire lifetime with him, filled with laughter, love, and the simple joy of being together.

Nitro would take care of Gray for my sake, I knew that, but still, I hadn't counted on facing death so soon.

Another roar shook the trees, and to my immense relief, I spotted Nitro charging at the second mercenary in his grizzly form.

The mercenary, seeing Nitro's approach, must have quickly calculated his odds and decided it was time to cut his losses.

With a swift turn, he dashed off into the darkness, disappearing into the shadows of the forest. Nitro went after him without hesitation.

Meanwhile, Burt, the first mercenary, came after me again, in his leopard form. The fight was intense, a whirlwind of claws and teeth, with neither of us willing to give an inch.

Burt was capable, I had to give him that, but I was determined not to let him get the better of me.

We grappled and rolled, each of us landing blows and taking hits in return.

Eventually, through sheer determination and a stroke of luck, I managed to gain the upper hand.

With a powerful shove, I sent Burt crashing onto his back, the wind knocked out of him.

As I raised my claws, ready to end this once and for all, Nitro's ragged voice cut through the haze of fury that clouded my mind.

"Spike, stop!" he exclaimed. “I just killed the other one. If you kill this one now, we won't get the answers we need."

For a moment, I hesitated, the urge to lash out still coursing through me. But then, reason prevailed.

With a heavy sigh, I lowered my claws and instead delivered a swift blow to Burt's skull, knocking him out cold.

My gaze remained fixed on the unconscious mercenary and my thoughts trailed to Gray.

After my near brush with death, all I wanted to do was knock on his apartment door and talk to him. But as Nitro tended to the injured raven, a wave of guilt washed over me.

I'd been so consumed by rage that I momentarily forgot about our ally's condition.

"He's alive," Nitro's voice broke through the tension, grounding me back to reality.

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