Alone

Dream

~Tonoko's P.O.V.~

I woke with a start, my heart racing from my dream. Every time I try to sleep I'm awaken by nightmares, so I don't get much sleep most of the time.

Every time it was the same, I would wander around looking for the exit to this place but my heart would stop before I could reach it. I didn't want to that happen, I couldn't let that happen, though I don't know how I'd be able to stop that. Deciding that I had spent enough time laying around startled by my dream, I stiffly rose to my paws and began to walk through the everlasting darkness. 

Walk. That's all I ever did. The pads of my paws had grown hard, and calloused from being worn and rubbed raw so many times. Though it was painful, it had to be done in order for me to keep going. I needed to escape this place before my heart began to slow. It is my one and only dream. What I would do once I accomplish it, if I accomplish it at all, I had no idea. I figured I would cross that bridge when I got to it so there was no need to plan so far ahead.

Trudging through the shadows I've grown so accustomed to, I nearly slip on a steep hill. I steadied myself and began to inch my way down the slippery slope. As I reached the end of the hill I gave a sigh of relief, at least I didn't slip again. Suddenly, I stepped in something uncomfortably wet. Leaping backwards, I frantically shook my paw, trying to fling off whatever I stepped in while cautiously crouching down to sniff the strange thing.

'I can barely smell it... How strange.' I thought, bewildered that my nose nearly couldn't pick up the light scent.

It doesn't smell bad... And my throat is rather dry... Oh well, why not, I mean I don't really have anything to lose do I? I bent my head and lapped at the puddle, shivering as the cold liquid slid down my dry throat, chilling my insides.

'This is great!'

Excited by my new discovery, I mentally cheered. Now that I knew what this felt and smelled like it could help me learn where to find more things like this.

I happily continued my search, feeling much better than I had earlier.

-Time Skip-
~Third P.O.V.~

Tonoko sat and curled his long tail around his paws as he rested his weary legs. He sighed and fully lied down, looking crestfallen. He wondered if he would ever escape this lonely life, or if he would just reside in solitude until his end arrived. Heaving another defeated sigh, he softly shut his eyes hoping to catch at least a few minutes of sleep. When suddenly, a large crashing sound echoed throughout his cave causing him to instantly leap to his paws and face the direction where it sounded. Rocks and pebbles rained from the ceiling as Tonoko sped off towards the sound. As the tiger ran, parts of the ceiling had begun to collapse, leaving destruction behind the adrenaline filled tiger. Another crash sounded.

'What's happening!? Is this place collapsing?!' He thought as he ran in a panicked frenzy.

A large hole appeared where the sound was coming from, far ahead of Tonoko. The gaping cavity crumbled open and the large, frightened male feline skidded to a stop.

'What is this..? What just happened? Is that... Is that light?'

End of chapter 2