Author's Note: Nre-fa'o, readers! We all know that Kingdom Hearts is a game of crossovers, but there's no rule that says the crossovers have to be strictly Disney or video game. So love and kittens to anyone who knows what world Pouncequick is from. Goodness knows that it's obscure as hell since the book is over twenty years old.
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter
Chapter 1 – Cat Scratch Fever
Leaves rustled in the evening breeze, but Pouncequick lay quiet amongst the soft forest loam. He breathed in the earthy smell, suppressing a shudder as memories of days trapped underground rose. But those memories were for a time long past, and an empty stomach reminded him of the present.
Patience, however, would provide a remedy. Pouncequick watched the Squeaker hole and waited. Though he'd once been as impulsive as his face name suggested, time and experience had mellowed him. He'd even shed the excited squeak he'd used to make. It startled the prey, and Pouncequick would rather have a full belly than boundless excitement.
Stillness settled over the forest, and Pouncequick lifted his head to scent the air. Reports at Firsthome told of strange creatures appearing in the forests – creatures that did not hunt, but attacked with abandon. Furtive whispers among the Folk spoke of living shadows and fear of Hearteater's return. Few of the folk ventured far from Firsthome, with only the bravest going out to hunt. Pouncequick's path, however, had taken him beyond those forests, beyond the Grumbleroar falls, and into Ratleaf Forest near the remains of Vastnir Mound. Pouncequick wanted to discover the truth of these creatures, and if they were Hearteater's progeny, then Vastnir would be from whence they emerge.
Though the air was alive with smells, Pouncequick couldn't detect the scent of deep caverns that followed Hearteater's children. But something strange did lurk upon the air. Pouncequick lashed his ghost tail in agitation, unable to identify the strangeness.
Once, Pouncequick's tail had been a long beautiful plume, but he'd lost it in the caverns of Hearteater's lair. Even though he could no longer look upon it, though, he could still feel it. And a ghost tail had its advantages. For when it lashed, it did not rustle leaves and frighten prey. And losing his tail had been a small price to pay, for with that loss Pouncequick had found his tail name.
The strange scent teased at Pouncequick's senses again – a smell of decay reminiscent of Hearteater's caverns. It was a scent of wrongness like that which had lingered around Scratchnail and Nipslither. But where they'd at least smelled slightly of cat, the only familiarity Pouncequick detected in this new scent was only in the scent's wrongness.
Then Pouncequick saw them. They seemed a part of the shadows, and only the fact that they moved told Pouncequick that they were more than shadows. Carefully, Pouncequick began backing away. No Squeaker would be worth tangling with unknown beasts. A twig snapped beneath his paw, the sound impossibly loud in the silence. The shadowy lurkers jerked around to glare in Pouncequick's direction, their eyes gleaming yellow in the darkness.
As the creatures began to move, Pouncequick could see that they were M'an-shaped, though smaller than M'an. They walked on two legs, like any of Ninebirds's descendants, but they lacked even the small bit of grace that even M'an were capable of. As they lurched into the light from Meerclar Allmother's eye, Pouncequick saw that they bore brilliant red claws.
Only one other species had ever had red claws – the loathsome badger-cats of Hearteater's Clawguard. For Pouncequick, this was confirmation enough that the shadow beasts were born of Hearteater's power.
Pouncequick ran, with the creatures in pursuit. They made no attempts at stealth, clanking as they chased. Listening to track the creatures, Pouncequick fled. As long as he could hear them, he could avoid them. Ahead, Pouncequick spotted a thicket of brambles. He darted amidst the thorns, biting back a yowl as they dug into his skin. But still he moved deeper, hoping the brambles would dissuade his pursuers.
A hand grasped at Pouncequick's fur. Hissing and spitting, he whirled in wild circles, ignoring the thorny cuts he received. A shadow creature fell to the ground, this one of a different sort than the ones Pouncequick had first seen. This one seemed more of a shadow than the others, as though it were darkness made flesh.
The creature lunged back to its feet quicker than Pouncequick thought possible. As it made a grasping lunge, Pouncequick took off again. One of its claws slashed across Pouncequick's face, but even that never stopped the cat.
Pouncequick shot out into a clearing and stopped, panting for breath. He could only hope that he'd shaken the creatures from his trail. But those hopes were dashed as darkness swirled in the air and shadow creatures dropped down. Fur bristling, Pouncequick hissed at the monsters.
"Go away!" Pouncequick shouted in the Common Singing, but either the monsters didn't understand or they didn't care, for they surrounded the cat. And yet, to Pouncequick's knowledge, every sentient creature with the exception of M'an spoke the Common Singing. Even Hearteater's monstrosities had the gift of language.
"Hunt-brothers," Pouncequick said in a second attempt. "I meant no trespass upon your territory." The creatures' only response was to close in, taking no note of the Common Singing.
Since the shadow creatures were beyond reason, Pouncequick decided to strike first. He leapt at the nearest creature. His grip held strong as his nails dug into dark flesh. He bit, sinking his teeth in up to the gums. A rush of cold filled Pouncequick's mouth, instead of the taste of hot blood. Still the little cat continued to savage at the larger creature.
Another of the creatures pulled Pouncequick off of its comrade. Wisps of darkness clung to his claws as he was yanked away, but Pouncequick didn't pause to consider what sort of beasts shed darkness like a snake does its skin. He squirmed in the grip of his captor, still fighting for his life. And, yet, the shadow beast seemed not to feel pain from Pouncequick's attacks.
More creatures surrounded Pouncequick, grasping onto his limbs and immobilizing him. One of the red-clawed creatures neared, bobbing back and forth as if dodging an attack Pouncequick could no longer execute. While the others held Pouncequick still, the red-clawed one placed its paw against Pouncequick's chest. For a moment, the nails rested scarlet against the cat's pale fur.
Then the nails began pressing against and through the skin. Pouncequick's mouth opened wide in a silent scream. Though he felt no pain, the seeking chill that followed the claws set the cat to writhing. When the beast pulled its claws back out, it held something bright and shiny. Pouncequick wanted to see more, but he was tossed aside like a broken doll, and the beasts vanished.
With the last of his strength, Pouncequick managed to turn his head so that he could stare at the Allmother's eye overhead. It was only halfway open, and Pouncequick lay still on the ground, his own eyes nearly closing in imitation. He expected that soon his spirit would soon be rushing up to join the Allmother in the sky.
Because his gaze was cast to the sky, Pouncequick didn't see the darkness at first. The darkness flowed up around Pouncequick's body, tendrils twining first around his paws. Another curled around his neck. "Allmother! Protect me!" Pouncequick pleaded as he became aware of his plight.
No aid came, however, and the darkness flowed over Pouncequick's body. His last sight, before the roiling darkness overtook him entirely, was of the bright moon overhead. Then the darkness swallowed him, churning and swirling like a living thing.
When the darkness faded, no trace of the little cat remained.