"It's me, Choo."
"Strange how life goes, isn't it? One day you're king. The next, you're a discarded pawn. Who would have dreamed all those times I laughed at you, and allowed Coyote and others to torment and humiliate you when we were children that I'd one day be reliant on your good grace and decency to save my life."
Ren cut the ropes around his wrists. "Damn, Choo. Only you could be this chatty after being beaten to the brink of death."
Choo Co La Tah managed a bloody smile at that. "Thank you, Makah'Alay."
"For what?"
"Being the better man. It takes a great deal of courage to save the life of someone who wronged you. Badly, at times. Thank you for not holding on to grudges."
Ren scoffed as he draped Choo's arm around his shoulders. "I do hold on to them, Choo. I kill you every night in my thoughts, and wish festering, puss-filled boils on your crotch."
Choo laughed, then winced in pain.
Applause erupted.
Ren froze as Coyote entered the room from a different shaft.
"Look who's p-p-p-playing hero."
Ren rolled his eyes. "How many weeks did you spend thinking up that one?"
"Funny, I don't remember you having the mental ability to conjure such witty retorts. Was that one of the powers you sucked from the tit of your demon bitch?"
Ren smiled evilly. "Oh, I sucked a lot of things from a lot of people." He gently lowered Choo Co La Tah to the floor.
Choo hissed in pain. "He intends to kill you."
"I know, Choo. It's okay. I intend to kill him first."
Coyote arched a brow at that. "Do you?"
Ren nodded as he looked around the small room. "You're screwed now."
"How so?" Coyote asked in that overly familiar mocking tone.
Ren manifested a short throwing spear similar to the one the Avenging Spirit had used to kill him. "You have no one here to change places with." While Ren could teleport, Coyote could only transpose. "I can't really kill myself, and poor Snake ... what was it Father used to say? Beware the cups you drink from as you are likely to fall victim to whatever disease infects those who drink with you."
"Is that what he screamed out when you cut his throat?"
Ren shook his head. "He actually died laughing."
"I can see why. The pathetic can't attack outright. They have to resort to trickery to win."
Now that was hysterical. "I'm not you, little brother. There was no trickery involved. I told him I was going to kill him. Just as I'm telling you. He made the decision to laugh at me, instead of running. I guess stupidity does run in our blood after all."
Shrieking in outrage, Coyote ran at him with a raised club. Instead of manifesting his own, Ren jerked back, out of the way.
"Why aren't you attacking?"
"You lived with me all those years, Anukuwaya, and yet you never once saw me, did you, brother? I guess that's only fair, as I never saw you either. Not really."
Coyote pulled back. "What do you mean?"
"He doesn't fight," Choo said from his place on the floor. "Ren lies low and watches his opponent exhaust himself with petty posturing. Then, once his enemy has exposed his weakness, your brother strikes once with lethal accuracy."
Coyote lunged at him. "You fought the Guardian."