Ratslaying contest

>Use more of your mad Capoeira skills to kill the remaining flankers then while the phoenix keep more rat from comming, take the precious pelt and fro,nt teeth from your prey.
>jump on your trusty steed and start riding east to the nearest rat hunter lodge to collect pay and rest.

You swiftly break the necks of 4 more rats by the violence of dance. You try to believe there is a lodge waiting for you. But you remember the rules of the contest, though you do not remember entering it:

YOU AND THE RATS ARE PLACED ON AN INFINITE FLAT FEATURELESS PLANE WHERE YOU WILL DO BATTLE. YOU WIN IF YOU KILL ALL THE RATS, THEY WIN IF YOU DIE BEFORE DOING SO.

There will be no lodges.

Back on the horse where they can't reach you

Regardless, you collect the 10 rat corpses you have accumulated (including that which emanates Light and Flame - you quell the fire against the surface of the void), extricate yourself from the rats, and mount your Light Steed in preparation to leave behind the Swarm. You suffer 0 additional rat bites as you do this.

Move the bird a little down and to the right so it looks like it's diving on something.

April Phoenix drops its dying prey into your waiting arms, then dives down and grabs one additional rat in each talon.

>Phoenix: I dub thee, April Phoenix.
>Mr. Phoenix: Make a wall of fire to protect Mr. March from getting hurt by the rats.

The Phoenix then vanishes into the grey ether of your world. It leaves behind a cloud of smoke which briefly screens you from the Swarm. You command your Light Steed to flee the site of combat, and ride for a length of Time. You can see the Swarm following in the distance behind you, but it is noticeably slower.

AVOID DYING PLEASE