Tales of Raiverin: Mayflower

Chapter 7

"Mr. Sainoa, please, I don't wanna stay here anymore..."
"Well, I'm not letting you out there until the sun is up. It's too dangerous, Lana."
"Stop calling me that! My name is Ant!"

Leon hissed, getting in Ant's face and revealing his fangs. "Oh, well, I can take you to your parents if you hate me that much."
The kitten shrieked and fell back, nodding quickly before dropping his head.
"Ant." Leon spat, "Such a stupid name, why can't you remember? Your name was so pretty, like the sun, not some filthy bug."
"My father named me Ant! I... I like this name!"
Leon didn't face him, only turning his head and grinning widely, beginning to scratch at his arm. He hummed menacingly as he broke the skin, a gentle stream of blood started to trickle down his arm, pooling around his paw.
"Oh, how clumsy. Imagine what I could do on accident if I did this to myself." He whispered, licking his paw clean. "Such a dirty taste, I hate it. Oh, by the way. Who is your father?"
"Wh-Why do you care?"
"No reason, I just want to see if you know who you are."
Ant hesitated to answer, his voice quivering as he tried to respond. "My father is... Ashton Mayflower..."
Leon hissed once again, shoving the kitten, and sending him tumbling into a rock.
It had only been about four hours, but the kit was covered in scrapes and small wounds.
"Ashton Mayflower!? Don't even joke about that! How do you know about him? Did he tell you about me?!"

Ant blubbered a few words out, shakily standing up and shifting uncomfortably. He shook the dirt out of his fur, small droplets of blood fleeing along with it.
"I don't even know you! He never told me anything you!"
"Lying brat! Ashton would have told you everything, he'd brag about how you'll surpass me!" Leon shrieked, forcing Ant back to the ground. "I won't let you! I'll show you how strong I am, Lana!"
Ant hissed, scratching at Leon's chest. "I'm not Lana! My name is Ant Mayflower!" He shouted, squirming away from the larger cat. "Get away from me!"
"Did he tell you that I don't exist?"
"What?"

Leon giggled excitedly, starting to shift and hop like a hyper kitten. He gripped his ears, pulling on them to contain himself. It was as though he was dancing. His stifled laughter made a repeated "ki" noise, it scared Ant beyond belief. He had never seen someone so deranged before. Leon opened his mouth, blood dripping from it. The Ragamuffin continued to hold back his laughter until he could no longer, letting out a long and wheezy cackle.
"I don't exist, Ant! None of this exists! I was created by the Gods!"
"We all were..."
"No, no, no! You don't understand, Raiverin made me to find you!"
"Who is that- no! Don't tell me, just leave me alone!"
Ant ran through Leon's legs, moving as fast as he could possibly go. As always, Leon caught up to him in what felt like half a second. Leon grabbed him by the scruff once again, throwing his head and letting the kit helplessly fly through the air. Ant could feel the impact fracture something in his arm, staring at the dirt as Leon slowly stepped toward him. He was petrified, he didn't want to die... but he couldn't move. The scar above his eye was killing him, it burned as dirt nestled into the wound. He wanted to swat it away, to do anything.
Leon's tail flicked playfully as he approached the kitten, laughing softly to himself as he moved sporadically. He was ready to show Lana how strong he'd become.
"Hey, I'll make it quick, okay? I'm sorry for hurting you, but you've gotta learn to listen."
He whispered, grabbing the kit and opening his mouth, his fangs directed at his throat.
Ant quivered, feeling Leon's breath against him. It felt desperate, hungry, malicious. It was horrifying.

"What the fuck are you doing?!"

Leon flicked his head, seeing Paris and Cricket standing a few feet away from him. They stared at one another, all four frozen for their own reasons. Paris began to approach them, yelling and berating Leon... but the Ragamuffin heard none of it. He simply started to think.
"Words... a construct created by the mortals. Why does he speak to me like this? Why's he giving me that look? Why can't I hear him? Oh, I see. He thinks I'm like him, mortal. A being with morals, something that should know better than this. Sorry, Paris, but you couldn't be more wrong. I used to understand, but suddenly I don't feel like I'm with you. I don't feel like a mortal anymore." He slowly dropped Ant, taking glances between the injured kit and the furious cat approaching him. A wave of a feeling he did not understand encased him, sending him into a panic.
"What? No, what is this? Why do I... feel so bad? Why am I getting emotional? Why am I getting so upset at the words of someone so beneath me, of someone so inferior?! You don't know what I could do to you, Paris! Why do you speak to me like this!?"
He stared into Paris' eyes for a moment, taking one last look.

In a single blink, Leon was gone.

All that remained of his existence were prints that led far away from the site, and Ant's shivering body.
Paris quickly picked Ant up, handing the kitten to his sister.
She began to lick at his wounds, fear in her eyes while she didn't make a sound.

"Cricket... that was the creature."