Disclaimer: I own nothing! Also, I blame YOU for reading this! It's rated T for a reason, don't get too excited.
Author Note:
Anyways, hello again kiddos :) This will be written mainly in my traditional 3rd person omniscient (ugh, I feel so uncomfortable writing in 1st nowadays) from the Cat's general scope... This chapter was held back by my previous late update and memorial day, sorry bout that, hope you enjoy!
To JustAnotherAnon (the rest of you readers feel free to skip this unless you're really interested haha :P): Thank you so much for really dissecting my work for me, the aspect of writing I really struggle with is the plot and I'm glad you can see past my flowery writing and really tell me what I'm doing wrong. I sincerely love the way you give constructive criticism, without being a total jerk. I'm trying to take all of your musings into account and work with them, I hope I've already taken care of the first review? (Matters concerning the cat will be addressed in this and the upcoming chapters [for the most part I altered his personality so I wouldn't have only heavy-villain archetypal characters in my story, helps with my plot I guess? I know that's a weak argument, haha, but it's the best I've got in that regard. I'll make him more evil for you though :)])ALSO: I'd like to discuss for a bit some of the things I've disagreed with that you brought up in the 2nd review, especially your first point. In my opinion, the feelings Mary has for Ib are a kind of envious resentment with manifests itself as a driving anger. When Ib is a child, Mary is trying to learn from her (to impress her dad) and so forms a tenuous complicated love/hate relationship with her. Also, bleeding into the second comment, this statement nearing the end of my chapter was meant to be bitter; she still harbors feelings of love and sadness over the loss of her father, and can't really let go of that odd friendship she made with Ib. And I'm no good at happy endings, but I'll try and get it closer to bittersweet than full on train-wreck like the last story.
:D thanks again, I love seeing your comments and really appreciate your time. If you have or obtain an account in the future maybe it would be better to discuss this over PM?
Chapter 6:
Once he had settled the body of the young girl down into her blankets of her small, pastel bed, in her dark, tucked away room, the cat decided that it was about time that he left this oppressive house of horrors. He hadn't taken a walk in what felt like years...
The air outside was thin and soft, the sun had set a few hours ago, which left the coolness of the night strong against his face. He shifted back into his previous feline form, it felt much better inside his compact, supple fur coat. He slunk down the main path, the moon chasing him as he broke into a wild dash, a free run for the town. Past the red trail, without a second glance. Away. Away from everything. That was what he needed in that instant. On and on, bounds with his sturdy, powerful legs led him further and further away from that place he was dreading returning to. The lights of the village twinkled endearingly at him, as he approached he heard the common lack of bustle which came around only at night. Somehow, the scene reminded him of days long passed.
Ellen and his contract had been enacted when he was a much less experienced demon than he was nowadays. It was sealed in glistening, fresh blood; which showed up harshly against the white of their skin. It was a soul-pact, not something you just waltz your way out of when you think you've had enough; this was much more... permanent. The previous him had always shook off any doubt with a typical 'I'll always need to eat, right?' he was a demon after all, what was going to change so dramatically for him to not want to eat anymore? And he had loved eating. Ravenous, always hungering for the next pure soul that he could get his dirty, clawed fingertips on. When he ate, he didn't even really taste the lives he was sucking away, not until Viola, that is. Viola... watching her had been, in some strange way, different. He felt such a strong longing to give her hints, to catch her when she fell, to rescue her when she died. It was complete taboo. Ellen only liked taking the bodies of those that had passed through her horrible little maze, her death trap of pain and suffering, without any aid. Only when a soul had been put through strain and wear, would he, in the past, enjoy eating it; so he had followed her down this road of monstrosity, through a dark tunnel with no end in sight. He was starting to feel oppressed now. The walls of that same tunnel he had once felt so confident in were squeezing the life out of him slowly, gradually taking away any will that he had to continue down its winding path. As he crossed into the town, he heard footsteps in the distance, heavy, hard footsteps, like the kind Viola's father had had. A tall, dark figure stepped out into his pathway, a heavy ax held taught against his shoulder. He looked exhausted from a seemingly tough day at work, his back was slumped and his shoulders drooped; but that wasn't all he held within himself, there was a glistening, distinctly human hope. Hope that glimmered bright against his eyelashes, sparkling like the sun in the pure absence of it. Kuroneko stared up at him, his small gold eyes taking in all that hope like a sunbather lapping up the rays.
"Ah! A black cat..." his eyes lowered to meet Kuroneko's. "What are you doing all alone in the middle of town? Dont you have somewhere to be?" Kuroneko shook his head mutely, looking down at the gravel road beneath his paws. "Come along then, I'll get you some food." Kuroneko's ears perked up at that, and he jumped up, following the loggers lazy, large steps towards his quaint cottage, where the bustle of children could still be heard, even at this late hour. Even as a demon, his palette still had room for the occasional piece of human food. He hadn't had the good stuff in forever, let's face it, the cook was a bit too creative. The second the door opened, a chorus of happy screams of 'daddy!' rang out, and 4 children, the eldest of which appeared to be around 9 in human years, jumped on the logger just as he was putting down his ax. "Woah there! You guys have got to be more careful when I've got my ax on me," he affectionately ruffled the sandy blonde hair on their little heads. His wife approached, and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
"I tried to get them to go to bed, but they were dead set on staying up and waiting for their father to get home," she smiled, that same radiating hope reflecting off of her crooked, non-white teeth. "Have you got an appetite? I've cooked enough for 10, at least, that's what it looks like." She giggled.
"Speaking of food, I brought a hungry little guy... eh? Where'd he go? He seemed so excited too..." But Kuroneko was already running, as fast as he could. The sight of so much joy and so much tenderness, such daily acts of common happiness... It was enough to trigger his gag reflex. It hurt to watch anything as superficial as that. He shook his fur violently, as if trying to get rid of the mushy, contagious feelings that had blossomed in his heart from watching such a warming scene. He walked back to the house slowly, his eyes always cast down at the now moonlit pavement. This moonlight is like me, an imitation, something that doesn't push back the darkness even far enough to show his own face. I'm a living lie. I kill people for fun. He shook himself again. When did I start having these uncharacteristic thoughts? Was it starting with Viola? Did she soften me? Maybe it was because her soul was full of those warm, delicate memories that I so love to devour... He really did wonder. If what Ellen was saying is true, wouldn't that mean that Mary doesn't have any of these kind of memories? Just those of despair and darkness? Maybe if I took a bite of hers, I'd get back to my old self...
But then... would it taste good?
I guess everyone needs a bit of a shock to their system once in a while, the age of the specimen might enhance the flavor a bit. He found himself at the site where Viola had been shot earlier this past week. Maybe I should give her a bit of time to simmer... But all thoughts of food left his mind as he noticed something was off. Terribly, horribly wrong.
He took off in a run, shifting human to increase the distance he could cover.
Because Ellen's old body wasn't there.
And no animal would touch that rotten thing.
No animal but him.