Fangs and Feathers

Chapter 2

Carmi's pov

" Nico!" I yelled at my cat. "Really? It just HAD to be Osaku to put on your tie, didn't it!?"

Nico meowed softly, like he was saying, yeah? Whatcha gonna do huh?

I liked to imagine Nico was talking to me in a secret language only we spoke, even if I really couldn't understand him.

Osaku laughed and bent to the ground to allow Nico to jump off her arms. "Well," Lydia giggled. "to be honest I'd choose Osaku to put a tie on me too..."

The others laughed, and I began to pout. Nico's like my brother! Wouldn't you want your brother to choose you over your best friend?

"Ding dong!" a voice called from downstairs.

"They're here!" I squealed as I ran to the stairs.

"Hi Jaito," I ran past quickly, hearing him faintly say "Hi Mrs. Kasai." Which of course cracked him up.

"Shut up!" I hissed.

Then I saw Darian. He was hanging up his helmet on the banister.

"Hi girly." he smiled. "Happy Halloween!"

I probably looked stupid, standing there stupidly, but I couldn't help it! Darian is just... Darian.

"Now that we're all here," Luna said. "Let's get dressed up!!"

~~~~~

"Wait up!" I squeaked. The clop-clop of my boots wasn't helping me sound dignified!

Nico and I decided (or rather I gave him two options and he chose) to go as gothic vampires. Luna of course rolled her eyes, but who cares?

"Look at all these cars!" Jaito watched the flash of cars in all colors of the rainbow.

I crossed, trailing behind Osaku. Then a sudden pain hit the back of my leg, and a sharp shriek pierced my ears. As I clutched my leg, I stumbled clumsily onto the sidewalk.

A collective gasp traveled through my group of friends.

And the cars stopped.

People got out of the cars.

And I saw my tiny warrior lying on the ground.

"No!!" I shrieked.

Darian tried to hold me back, but I was already in the road.

"Nononono," I repeated, like a broken record, or an annoying song on replay.

I sat beside him, and a weak meow escaped from his mouth. Blood slowly trickled from his back, and I noticed his left set of claws were red.

I looked on the back of my leg.

Blood.

"Nico!" I cried. He purred softly. I laid his small, black, furry head on my good leg and kissed it.

No, I should've been hit. I...I could dodge it, maybe fly over the truck. He was a mortal cat, he had no protection!

I lifted him up, and he whimpered. I carried him to Lydia. If anyone could see if he was really dying. She could see if his spirit was lifting.

But she was silent. A single tear slid down her cheek. Lydia lowered her head.

Darian took off his hat and followed. Soon the last meow left Nico, and his pulse slowly died down.

And that was my tiny warrior's last battle.