thump thump thump

  Heavy breaths and footsteps fell into a weary rhythm as the cat boy weaved in between tree-trunks, his eyes still half-glazed over from the poison. His ears twitched and flicked, trying to get rid of the faint ringing, which made his steps falter .

    Still trying to escape, are we? My Little Devil. The laugh filtered through the trees, the voice a sweet whisper in his ear. He shook his head and he started to run again.

    A sweet smell began to fill the air, cloying with his nostrils and making the boy grow light headed. He stumbled again, and put a hand to his head. His eyes and nose wouldn’t cooperate. He crouched and ran forward again on his hands and knees, using his sense of touch to guide him farther and farther away from the centre of Nightmare.

    Oh no my pet, not that way. A huge centipede loomed in front of him, black beady eyes staring unblinking him as too-large jaws opened sideways. Little Devil skidded to a halt and fell on his rear, pushing himself back with his legs as far as he could, claws scrabbling against the leaves.

    He could feel her, her dark pressure closing in on his thoughts and heart, making his breaths come shorter and his hands shake.

    No. He couldn’t go back. He forced himself to his feet and ducked around the centipede, dodging the hundreds of legs, his fur on end. The back feet of the centipede scrabbled over his back but couldn’t grip him and in a few seconds he was running away, his tail sticking out straight behind him.

    Run all you can, little pet. I will always be haunting you.

    Footsteps were coming down the path. Little Devil’s ears turned towards the noise and he tensed his muscles. The footsteps stopped, and the cat boy paused, holding his breath. There was the sound of the movement of fabric, the click of a weapon, and then a small sigh. The cat boy resumed his stalking.

    Now now my sweet. What have we here?

    Five years since his escape and still her voice followed him. Five years, of searching for a way out. Five years of moving in circles. Little Devil pushed the voice out of his head - he was getting better at it -  and inched closer.

    The hunched figure’s long, white, ears twitched, and the cat froze. The man turned and looked in Little Devil’s direction, but soon returned to setting up camp. Little Devil smirked to himself. He would enjoy being the predator for once, even if it was such easy prey. He raised his hackles and counted inside his head.

    one, two, three, four-

    He pounced.

    With the reflexes of a cat, the Little Devil was fast. Not only that, he could track fast things. And yet, this.... thing was faster. There was a blur of gold, the slightest whisper of metal, and the cat boy found himself sprawled on the trail, wheezing for breath.

    “I may look like a fumbling fool, but I assure you, I am quite the opposite.” A pair of black boots appeared in Little Devil’s line of vision, followed by the tails of a red overcoat, as his opponent squatted down to take a closer look.

The cat boy took in a breath, trying to clear his head and closed his eyes. Poof. He disappeared; then reappeared a few feet away. The man’s head followed Little Devil, and he stood at his full height.

“I see. Very well done, although I suppose you must be quite dizzy by now.” True to it, Little Devil stumbled slightly, trying to shake away the stars starting to pop in front of him, obscuring his vision.

How dare he.

The rabbit-eared man moved again, less quickly this time, and Little Devil hissed and lashed out with his claws. A rent appeared through the front of the rabbit-man’s jacket. The man sighed.

“Now you’ve done it.” He raised his hand and Little Devil found himself thrown again to the ground. He lay motionless, panting, trying to save enough energy to poof away, but his muscles were protesting any movement, and before he knew it, his hands were tied behind his back, a strip of leather tied around his throat.

“Don’t even think of trying it, kiddo,” the rabbit man murmured, his voice steady, but laced with a threat. “Enchanted leather. You’re not going anywhere.”  Little Devil made a noise, a throaty sound between a purr and a growl. The leather chafed against his fur.

“Now, let’s try for some nicer introductions. My name is Onew, but you may call me Master,” said Onew. Taemin growled back in response. Onew tutted and shook his head.

“Not very eloquent, are we? I suppose you won’t give me your name then. Do you even have one?”

    Hold your tongue.

    When Little Devil did not reply, Onew frowned.

    “So be it. From now on, how does Taemin sound?”

    The cat boy glared at him, tail lashing back and forth. Onew nodded to himself, as if congratulating his own genius.

    “Yes, that shall do.” He lifted a finger and gestured for Taemin to follow him.

    “Come, Taemin. I am sure the Caterpillar will be able to fashion a proper collar for you.”