Tanika's eyes flashed, the feeling overwhelming her body made her feel giddy, like she was full of bubbles. Then a flame burst in her palm and coiled around her throwing knife. She didn't hear what the girl had said, her focus was entirely on Travis and the giant creature about to throw itself on top of him. Without thinking she sprinted out across the clearing, darting around and over logs and limbs in her path. She was almost to him. Ahead of her the creature twitched, time seemed to slow. She saw the creature coming down, Travis still obliviously holding up his shield, and a moment of panic overcame her.

[b]"Beanstalk!"[/b] With lightening speed she rammed her full body weight into Travis, knocking him out of the way but leaving herself in his place. She spun away, tripping on her own two feet and dropped to the dirt with a hard thud next to Travis. The creature hit the ground less than half a second later with a boom, only inches from her. She watched a glimmer of confusion in its eyes before it turned to rage, searching half-blind for its missing target. The weightless feeling the mage-girl bequeathed had abandoned her and she was suddenly pitifully aware of her empty hand. [i]I dropped my knife.[/i] There was a vastly growing pit in her stomach. 

Terrified she shuffled backwards in a panic, her entire body shaking from fear. The rat's head whipped around in her direction. Travis was still down by her side, she didn't know how quickly he would react or if he could possibly do anything. She knew she was about to die. She didn't think anyone could move fast enough, not even the runner.