A week passes, and we finally start settling into the warehouse. The fish smell doesn't seem quite as bad as it had before… we find some places to eat… Life seems to be taking a turn for the better.

Until a knock comes from the door to the warehouse, and I look up from the crates I'm inspecting.

"Who's there?" I call, and dozens of filthy rats swarm into the warehouse. Everyone lets out a collective shriek as they began biting at us.

"Macavity wants your territory, kitties," the largest rat rasped, slashing at my cheek. "What Macavity wants, Macavity gets!"

"Not in this case," I retort, gritting my teeth.

The fight drags on, and time seems to slow down and speed up at varying intervals- a highly unnerving effect.

"Jems!" I bellow, looking for her. "Jems, where are you?"

"I'm here!" she replies from across the room. She deals with the wharf rats one at a time, carefully picking them off. I quickly turn back to my own opponent, satisfied that she can take care of herself.

I don't know how long we've been fighting; all I know is that the rats eventually take off as suddenly as they arrived.

"Is everyone okay?" I call shakily.

"Yeah," five voices reply.

But there's one missing- one immediately noticeable, because it suddenly feels like I'm being torn in two…

"C-Cori?" my sister whispers, a grotesque gash splitting her side open. Her blood spills out onto the floor, staining it crimson.

"Tanto!" I shriek, rushing over to her as she collapses. "Tanto!"

She gives a small, sad smile as she clutches my hand.

"I'm dying, Cori," she murmurs softly. I have to strain to hear her.

"No, no, we'll get Jenny, or Jelly, or-"

Tantomile cuts me off.

"It's t-too late, brother." She squeezes my hand tightly as tears stream down my cheeks. "Be strong… for me?"

"Of course," I whisper, just as her grip slackens, and I feel her slipping away into nothingness…

… oh, Bast, what's that noise? I think as I hear someone screaming at the top of their lungs, like their heart is being ripped out, piece by piece.

Then I realize something- it's me screaming like that.

~BGBD~

I'm not happy with how the fight scene came out. I'm rather happy with the tragically angsty death scene, though… I just wish I could've made it longer.

I really, really hate writing fight scenes.

Like, I despise it.

And I suck at fight scenes.

Badly.

And I'm just going to end this angry rant now, before it gets longer than the actual chapter…