Lemurstar's Prophecy (book two)

Chapter 8

"Help! Help me, please! Oh, thank you!" Lemurkit's paws trembled. The muck had pulled her all the way down to her belly, sticky with warm, oozing bloody mud.

The shadow moved closer, cruel and beady red eyes boring into her like knives. Lemurkit's smile faltered when she saw glinting teeth and claws, sharper than a hawks talons. Lemurkit felt a shiver up her spine. Her body was submerged up to her shoulders now, she had to take the risk.

The shadow was moving closer still, and she could see blood everywhere... She stared up at the shape in fear, her heat thumping.

"P-Please help me..." She whimpered. The cat grinned evilly, his eyes boring into her. Was he enjoying this?

"You pathetic kit!" His voice was tough and gravelly, stern and guarded with distaste. The cats teeth were stained permanently pink with blood. Reaching down, he tugged violently at her scruff until she was pulled loose with an ear splitting squelch as the blood-mud tried one last time to suck her up. The shadowy cat trotted away, still carrying Lemurkit and making no move to release her.

"Thank you..." She whispered, still trembling. The cat ignored her. They trotted throughout the red mist, weaving between trees and muck pools such as the one Lemurkit had stumbled upon with ease.

Suddenly the mist parted. Through the stench of blood, Lemurkit could barely smell other cats, but mostly the overwhelming scent of fear. The shadowy cat brushed past the bushes into a clearing filled with fierce cats, and beside each one was a tiny kitten, hogtied into place with vines. A sitting duck... The cat carrying Lemurkit sprinted to the end of the line of terrified kits, and nodded to another trio of scary cats. They hurried over.

Lemurkit looked up at the cat carrying her. He set her down near the end of the line of kits and tied her down, then nodded to the other cats. They moved to the start and Lemurkit heard pleas of fear, begging for mercy. The shadows were moving down the line, killing each kit. Suddenly a soft paw touched Lemurkit's fear ridden shoulder and shushed her.

"Lemurkit, go fulfill your destiny! Go!" The starry she cat urged, and Lemurkit felt the vines disappear. She stared, wide eyed at her. The cat pushed her. "GO!!"

Lemurkit ran as fast as she could, but the shadows were chasing her. She weaved blindly through the mist, tripping desperately away from her attackers. She could just imagine the claws of the shadows boring into her hips and tearing her to pieces. She felt tears of fear run down her eyes, them she stopped. Dead end.

She turned to see the cats circling her. She closed her eyes and uttered a desperate prayer.

"Silly kit, StarClan can't help you here. You're crow-food!" The leading cat growled, and the cats leaped at her, and everything was dark.