Swiftshadow watched in horror as her suspicions were confirmed. The cats body twisted and contorted as it swelled in size. Its muscles swelled and bulged. Its teeth and claws became razor sharp. The cat grew to the size of a tiger. It glared at them with glowing amber eyes.
It pounced with a savage roar. Java grappled it and tossed it to the other end of the room. The group shot out of the archives. The beast twisted and made for another attack. Java wrestled with the beast. Swiftshadow spotted the book shelf next to the archives door. An Idea popped into her head.
"Martin! Diana! Help me!" Swiftshadow began to push against the bookshelf. The two siblings followed her example, "Java! throw the cat in the other room,"
With a mighty heave the man shoved the cat into the room. Swiftshadow, Martin, and Diana pushed the shelf into the doorway. The beast recovered attempted to escape the trap. It managed to swipe a paw out the narrowing gap. Java, unfortunately was too close and its claws carved deep grooves into his arm. The caveman shouted in pain.
The bookshelf covered the doorway trapping the cat inside. It roared and howled from the other side. Java held his injured arm. Diana went to go treat it.
"That was some quick thinking there, Stacy," Said Martin, "You could make a first rate Center agent"
"Uhh, thanks?" Was her only reply. She far too distracted by change in the atmosphere. It was took the towns spooky ambience and cranked it up to eleven. There was something out there something malevolent. It covered Dulsbury in a suffocating blanket of darkness. It made her want to flee, but she couldn't. She didn't want to abandon Wilson.
"Java not feel so good," The caveman was starting to look a bit sick. His body then spasmed. He fell forward and quivered.
"You okay there buddy?" Asked Martin.
The caveman jerked around in agony. His fingers sharpened into claws and his into fangs. Tawny fur sprouted from his skin. His joint realigned themselves with a sickening crunching sound. Boots and clothing burst and tore as his body swelled in size. His eyes opened to reveal glowing amber.
Java no longer stood before them. All there was a cat beast. It gave a menacing growl as it cornered the remaining trio.
Swiftshadow's heart beat rapidly. She could hardly believe her eyes. That transformation was horrifying. She certain that her own transformations were more tame than that.
"Easy there Java," Said Martin nervously, "It's me, you best friend, remember?"
If Java was in there he certainly was not in control at the moment. Swiftshadow had to do something before they were either mauled to death or turned into one of them. There was only one way she could fight off such a beast. That was initiate her own transformation.
"Martin, Diana," She said, "When I say go, you run out of here,"
"What are you planning?" Asked Martin.
Swiftshadow ignored him. She felt for her dragon half and prepared herself.
"GO!" She shouted as she let the transformation take over. The strange feeling of falling apart and coming together again washed over her. Now in dragon form she lunged at java. The two beasts clashed.
Martin gawked. The person he thought of as a cute girl turned into a fire breathing dragon. The two beasts tore into one another as they bit and clawed at each other. A table was smashed into pieces as they brawled. Their battle cries seemed to shake the building around them.
Martin made his way to the exit. He went through his U-Watch and found what he needed. He grabbed the X-Rod and fired the net at Java.
The cat roared in fury as it writhed within the net. The dragon leapt away. Martin could see the nicks and scratch marks on her metallic black scales. Her markings were predominately golden with some red and white. Most notably were red streaks down her muzzle and a white wolf shaped crest on her shoulder.
"You're a dragon?" asked Martin stunned.
"Yeah, I am," The dragon said, "I will explain later. But right now we need to move,"
"Where do you suggest we go?" Said Diana.
"Theres a house on the other side of town where I have a friend waiting. We can be safe there,"
"How do we know we can trust you?" Said Diana.
The dragon gave a frustrated growl. "You can either trust me or end up like him,"
"She does make a fair point," Said Martin.
"Follow me and stay close," Stacy ordered.
Swiftshadow crept around the corner of a house. Her tail twitched irritably. She needed to get back to the Hart house. She kept her claws and fire ready for anything. A cat creature could be around any corner or on top of any roof.
Martin and Diana kept just out of reach of her tail blade. She refused to let either of them fall to same fate as java. She briefly wonder if that was what happened to the villagers. She saved that train of thought for later. She needed to focus.
She looked up to the overcast night sky. No stars or moon to light the way. The only light was from the occasional street lamp.
Her dragon eyes pierced the dark corners. It was one of the many things she'd come to enjoy about being a dragon. Being able to see in darkness that would've left a human blind. That and the ability to possibly out sniff a bloodhound. Cat scent was everywhere. Scent trails zig zagged and criss crossed over one another. She had already identified at least a couple dozen individuals.
She could also smell the fear on both Diana and Martin.
A couple of large cats strode across the street. Swiftshadow froze. The siblings ducked down behind her. The beast ignored them as it continued down the street. It seemed to be head to the centre of town. Swiftshadow could feel a large well of energy in that direction. She desired to avoid it despite her gnawing curiosity.
"I wonder where their going?" Whispered Martin. He looked in the direction the beasts headed in. A strange ominous glow radiated from the towns heart. Swiftshadow didn't need to go there to know that it was bad news.
Martin unhindered by common sense snuck towards it.
"What are you doing?" Hissed Diana.
"To find out what that light is," he said as he delved further towards it. Swiftshadow growled. He was going to get himself killed, or worse. She trotted ahead of him and blocked his path.
"You're not going anywhere," She hissed.
"One quick peek," He said as he walked around and edged around a corner. Swiftshadow went after him with Diana close behind.
They turned the corner to see a huge gathering of the cat beasts. There were at least a couple hundred of them. They encircled the fallen tree and the wreck of a truck. Above them floated a girl. She looked like any other fifteen year old from the early eighteen hundreds.
Except she didn't seem entirely human. He hair and dress billowed in a unfelt wind. She was devoid of any colour other than a yellow pendent hung from her neck. It looked as if someone carved a yellow diamond into a panthers face.
The cats were enveloped in a strange aura with seemed to be siphoned off into the pendant.
"We should get out of here," Said Diana.
"Agreed," Swiftshadow as she attempted to nudge Martin away. He remained glued to the scene.
"I wanna see what happens," He whined.
"Seriously?" Swiftshadow hissed.
"I know your there," A etherial voice echoed. The ghosts white pupiless eyes landed on the the trios hiding place.
Panic flooded Swiftshadow's senses. There was know way she could battle that many beasts.
"Run!" She commanded. She prepared the fire within her. The two siblings ran next to her. She could feel the beasts' hot breath on her tail and every corner they turned there was a walls of cat beasts. Swiftshadow could see doneness of glittering eyes from the rooftops.
A fire ball sent the group ahead scattering. Swiftshadow kept a close watch over Martin and Diana. She did not want to let what happened to Java happen to them. Her talons dug into the hard unforgiving pavement. She let loose a torrent of fire at a panther that got too close. She ignored its pained howles.
She suddenly felt claws dig into her back. A large weight toppled her to the ground. The wind suddenly left her lungs. She instinctively bit down on a furry paw. She tasted blood as she felt bones snap in her jaws. The beast retreated in agony only to be replaced by another.
Sharp claws tore at her face. Blinding pain seared across her muzzle. In rage she slashed her tail at the beasts haunches. The reared back. She took the opportunity to escape. She leapt into the sky. she narrowly dodged the claws of another beast.
She quickly scanned the area for Martin and Diana. She quickly found them taking shelter inside of some strange bubble. The cats clawed and pawed at it. Swiftshadow took a deep breath a launched a volley of flame at the beasts. The cats fled the searing heat. Martin and Diana took the opportunity and fled.
Swiftshadow could see house only a couple blocks away. She swooped close to the siblings when an agonizing burning pain seared across her body. She hardly felt herself hit the pavement.
By the time she came to her senses Martin was shielding her with the bubble. Diana sat next to her. The beasts raked their claws raked at the surface.
It felt like someone had stuffed her head with cotton and ears rang painfully. Her muscles ached as she lifted herself to her feet. She was suddenly aware of a strange yet familiar warmth inside of her.
The beasts suddenly backed off. Their glittering eyes formed a circle around them. Swiftshadow felt herself shake in both pain and fear.
The ghostly girl floated before them, "My, aren't you an interesting group. To have lasted this long against my army,"
Swiftshadow felt a growl escape her throat.
"But you wont last much longer," The pendant glowed as a ball of golden light sparked around the ghosts fingers. The energy impacted the bubble and sent it into pieces. She sent another ball at Martin. Diana shoved her brother out the way only to be hit herself.
"Diana!" Shouted Martin as his sister collapsed. Her body began to test and contort just like Java's did. A brown tabby cat beast stood in Diana's place. It padded the the ghosts side.
"Don't fret," Said the ghost, "You'll be joining her soon," She charged another attack. Swiftshadow pounced covering Martins body with her own. A searing agony surged through her veins. She could feel the blood and energon pumping through them. A gentle yet powerful warmth surged up from her chest.
In a moment of fury Swiftshadow launched it right the ghost. A bright silvery fire escaped her jaws and poured onto the ghostly witch. The ghost cried out in anguish. The silver flames consumed her dress as she fought to to put them out.
Swiftshadow quickly got Martin to his feet. A quick burst flame was enough to create a gap for the two to escape. They bolted down the street not bothering to look back. She led Martin back to the Hart house. They fortunately weren't followed.
She helped the boy through the broke window. She was glad that she had cleaned the glass up earlier.
Her muscles and chest ached and her muzzle soar. She could feel herself quivering as she made her way down the stairs. Martin followed closely behind.
"Wilson, I'm back," She said breathlessly, "and I found a friend,"
"Swiftshadow?" A worried voice questioned, "What happened? And why are you a bit more… scaly?"
Oh. Right. Wilson hadn't seen her in dragon form before.