But the remaining five fingers continued to crush her. “Unhand my commander.”

Sprite went to work on another one, pushing hard with the heels of her hands, slowly loosening this one’s grip too. But it was no use. She couldn’t suck in another breath. Soon, her insides would be crushed and she would loose all control and consciousness.

Then Rex appeared again, bounding rapidly through the potholes and pavement craters, leaping and grasping the thing’s arm. He crushed it in his grip, twisting each hand in opposite directions and then pulling the two apart.

Sprite fell to the ground again.