Reflexively, painfully, Polar screamed. A weird rasping came from her mouth and a nauseating gurgling came from the hole in her throat. She tried to breathe; she coughed as her own blood trickled into her windpipe. She lashed out, kicking Amanita across the room and into some shelving. Polar fell back to all four hooves, collapsed onto her stomach and immediately put a hoof to her throat. The veritable waterfall of blood told her it was a vain attempt, but still she tried. Blood began pooling on the ground, warm and sticky.