Demon's Genesis

Chapter 10

It was nighttime—the crickets were chirping quietly, but becoming quiet again at even the slightest movement or indication of danger. There was a gentle fluttering sound as a moth flew gracefully into the hand-woven den I slept in. It was a very pretty moth, pitch black with white spots that seemed almost like eyes staring at me. The gentle moonlight sliced into the den through the foliage, illuminating the wings like a beacon.

It flittered around the den. I wondered what it was up to—looking for a place to escape, perhaps? Or maybe just inquisitive as to where it was. I watched it with wide, curious eyes, tracing its journey around the den with my mind. It turned, suddenly changing its course, the winged creature started fluttering towards me.

A worm of nervousness squirmed in my belly. 'Oh come on! You coward, Lloyd, it's just a moth!' I thought to myself, rapidly trying to calm down as it came closer and closer. I screwed my eyes shut, expecting the worst when—

I felt the slightest breath of air pass by my whiskers, and moments later felt the tiny creature land on my nose. Its tiny feet dug into the short, light grey fur around my muzzle, not hard enough to hurt in any way, but just enough so I could feel a strange tickling sensation. I opened my eyes warily, and stared at the tiny creature on my nose with wonder. It was so fragile and small, I felt like even breathing too heavily might break its paper-thin wings.

It turned around to stare at me—and although my eyes were starting to hurt from the effort of going cross-eyed—and I stared back at it, staring into the orb-shaped black eyes that were half the size of it's head.

It started to wander around my muzzle, tickling my nose as its tiny feet felt around for grip. I felt a build up in my nose as my body prepared to sneeze, and the moth must have felt it too, because it took flight off of my muzzle and landed on my forehead, gripping onto the fluffy grey fur tightly.

'Ahh.. ahCHoo!'

My body shook with the sneeze, and I felt movement behind me as my brother stirred.

'Oh dear Thexa, please don't let him wake up!' I thought frantically.

Seconds later he fell still once more, only the slow rising and falling of his chest showed he was still alive. I found myself wishing Pa was here to sing me a lullaby, but unfortunately, he was not, and neither was mother. She had gone for her usual nighttime walk, and Pa had gone night hunting in an attempt to catch a few mice so we wouldn't have to go hunting in the morning.

"Lloyd? What.. what are you doing awake at this hour?"

I turned to the fluffy white and orange tabby, alarm pulsing through me.

'So I did wake him up, oops.'

Although I was nervous he was going to whack me around the ears for waking him up so early, I had to hold back a chuckle at the sight of him. Fur sticking out at all angles, whiskers crumpled, eyes glazed over and half open.

"I can't sleep." I admitted, almost guiltily.

He snorted and rolled his eyes. "Can you ever?"

"You're one to talk!" I retorted, shoving him, "sometimes I wonder if you even know how to sleep—your eyes are always half open."

He sat up and puffed his chest out defensively. His face screwed up in a playful glare. "It's not my fault! I don't know what I'm doing when I'm asleep!"

"Maybe you should sleep with one eye open—oh, wait—"

The fluffy tom elbowed me in the side and I started cackling, my laugh wheezy and breathy as always.
"Shut up, you egg!" his bushy eyebrows were scrunched into a scowl as he glared at me, but even I could see there was a light hearted glow in his dark amber eyes. I kept laughing for a few more seconds before remembering the small creature that was still clinging to my forehead.