Scarlett's Redemption: rise of a new moon

Chapter 4

|| Chapter 4 ||
☬

It was dark. The sky was pitch black, and a few trees stood to the right. Scarlett blinked up at them, and counted. There stood four in a staggered line, with two being closer together than the other pair. Another tree positioned itself just a few lengths away, an odd swirl to it. Then, even further in the distance was a broken tree, scorched, with the top half missing. Suddenly, a dark liquid began pooling from between the splinters. It began gushing and it rushed towards the trees and consequently toward Scarlett.

Her eyes widened. She was frozen, unable to move herself. Her panic quickly bubbled up as it drew closer. Just as it collided into the bases of the trees, the black feline finally broke free from being stuck in place and whirled around to run, stumbling a bit. Picking herself up quickly, she ran and ran and ran. Hauling it across the earth, everything seemed to fly past quicker than she could process. But she could feel this dark flood chasing her.

"Slab!" She cried out frantically. "Louisa! Somebody help!"

Her chest felt tight.

"Khan!" She pleaded.

But no one was around.

At the end of her rope, the next name burst out of her helplessly as she shut her eyes tight. "DAAAD, HELP ME–!"

"Scarlett..."

Her eyes snapped open. Looking ahead, a familiar figure sat ahead of her. Her eyes widened and then stung along with her heated face. "Dad..?" She whispered breathlessly and kicked it into overdrive to dash the rest of the way. As she drew nearer, she saw the warmth in his icy blue eyes and quickly collided into his fur, suddenly a kit again. A scared whimper wriggled in her throat. "Where did you go!?" She hissed angrily, eyes squeezing shut again, not wanting to let reality return.

A deep, quiet chuckle rocked in his throat as he crouched down, embracing the kitten. "I'm sorry, darling. I had to be a little preoccupied."

"Why?" Her voice cracked. "I'm so confused and lost, I–" Her throat lumped too much to let her speak further, burying herself further into his dark fur.

A tail wrapped around her. "It's a little complicated," he murmured, his scent enveloping her. "It wasn't in my plans, either...but I missed you." Crying into fur, Scarlett's body shook. Scourge sighed softly, his voice barely a whisper. "You've grown so much, too...don't cry..."

"I can't not cry," she croaked, just barely getting around her own choked up throat. "I was supposed to have a dad...I dunno where Mama went...Slab's confusing me...a-and I have Louisa, but she's...hurt..."

Scourge sighed softly. "She'll be okay again soon. But unfortunately...I think you have a journey of your own ahead of you, my love..."

"What?"

Blinking open her eyes, she saw the liquid had pooled up just behind her, and they were somehow on a rooftop again. Her fur bristled fearfully. "Be brave, Scarlett..."

"Wait, no–"

"Until I find you again."

"Dad, please!"

A white paw pushed her towards the edge gently but it was somehow impossible to fight back. "Remember, I love you."

"I can't do thi–"

The liquid suddenly reached up and quickly plunged her into its depths. She scrambled to fight against it and try to surface but she couldn't. It pulled and tugged her further and further away until suddenly she forced to the surface. Above her were the trees, now in a circle and all around her. Her breathing was gasping and labored, feeling a sense of dread hit her in the chest. Two trees on either side cracked and popped as they moved and suddenly twisted around the tree next to it.