Snippet #2026509

Zabu managed to free himself from one hagfish long enough to fling his attacker off, but not before it whipped its head, quick as a blink, and struck, sinking serrated fangs into his forearm, and withdrew the instant the Rith'na vaulted from the wall. He landed in the water with a deafening splash and plunged into the icy depths, barely registering the lacerating pain in his arm when he hit rock bottom, jarring every bone in his body and crushing several hagfish beneath his weight. Tasting water tinged with brine, he drifted toward the surface and found himself afloat downstream with the slow-moving current, his feet no longer touching down, though, for the moment, he seemed to be leaving the serpents behind, that is, until he felt warm liquid running from his arm into the water, and the high-pitched screeches of ravenous hagfish echoed louder and louder in the cavern as they honed in on the scent of fresh blood.