The green was lifeless.

It seemed an odd observation to make but WilyKat was convinced there was no other descriptor that suited. The canopy was so overgrown and so thick that not a sliver of light came through. He and his sister were limited to what they could hear, smell, touch. The light from their torch gave such a limited circle of sight, as if the forest ate every molecule of warmth it found.

If there was ever a place that suited being swallowed by a nightmare, it was this place.

But back to the green.

The leaves he could see, while spread wide and full of life, seemed to be dead all in the same manner. The green was dull, wilted. And as they passed underneath them, the greenery seemed to shrug away from the light

"Where do we go?" His sister's voice hummed near his ear and even then, it was hard to make out. The Black Forest sucked away any sound.

Pointing his torch ahead, he frowned. "I can see the end."

WilyKit followed his gaze and yes, she could make out a spot of light far in the distance. Miles away, if she was to wager a guess.

The forest seemed to crowd closer as they walked. She pulled her sibling toward the left, easing their feet away from the welcoming solid path.

"Kit?"

She shook her head. "When Mumm-Rana gave me her guide, she said to stay to the right or the left, but not on the path itself. And out of the trees."

In unison, they glanced up but it was like facing a black hole. Even with their cat vision, they could only make out the faint shadows.

Something crouched just above their heads, the branches dipping under the weight. But despite their efforts, they couldn't see—

A shriek, a scream.

Blood exploded from above, splattering both their faces. A weight tumbled and landed with a thud in their path.

A large cat of sorts. Panther-like but with exposed legs of bone. Teeth had overgrown, protruding through the upper and lower jaw when the mouth was closed.

A large chunk was missing from the head and pieces of brain dropped to the floor.

Both twins had seen death before. They knew the cruelty of nature but also the necessity of it.

But this….

No animal dropped to carry away its prey. No pack of animals defending its territory slunk away.

It was violence for violence's sake.

WilyKat felt bile bubble up in his throat but swallowed it down. Nothing to draw attention to themselves. He saw out of the corner of his eye his sister bite into her hand to hoedown a scream.

Then, gingerly, as silently as they could, they slipped forward, keeping the path to their left. The shadows above them followed.

OOO

"Snaaarf! How could…"

"Shh," Lion-o shushed him, almost out of reflex before remembering nothing they did carried weight here. No voice, no movement. They were invisible, unable to help but likewise, unable to hinder.

"Snarfer, Snarfer, no one can hear us, Lion-o."

"Yes, yes, you're right. I'm sorry Snarf." He gave his friend a tight hug, pulling him close to his neck. "I can't blame you for reacting like that."

"It's needlessly cruel." Pumyra had knelt next to the slain animal. Being a healer, her mind automatically went to anatomy and bodily response. It wasn't something she would ever lose. "They didn't even eat the poor thing. And this wound was dive to inflict pain, as much pain as possible."

Tygra closed his eyes. "The evil here is tangible."

Cheetara agreed, wrapping her arms tight around her body. "It permeates the air. Even in whatever realm we exist, it seeps through."

Panthro frowned, "Barely any life here to speak of and the ones that are here are corrupted."

Lynx-o tilted his head, his ears twitching. "Listen."

Quiet settled over the group, aside from their breathing. But all they could ascertain was the movement of tree and branch.

Bengali voiced his frustration, "What is it Lynx-o?"

"These lands are full of life," the old lynx said gravely. "But dangerous, violent life." Held his palm open indicating the fallen creature before them. "I deeply feel this poor creature is only a taste of what lives in here."

Snarfer shuddered, "That's bad news. We can't even see past our noses, Snarfer, Snarfer! And you don't have your braille board, Lynx-o."

"No," he agreed with a shake of his head. But I don't need my braille board to know we are not alone in these trees. Not by a long shot. Perhaps you all cannot hear them but I can."

"Then tell us, old friend," Panthro asked, a hand to the older Thunderian's shoulder, "what do you sense?"

Furrowing his brow, Lynx-o focused, his ears twitching with sounds all but silent to the others. He tried to picture as much as he could from what information he obtained—weight, speed, size. For some, it was simple, for others not so much.

"I sense many great predators. Like this one but greater. Larger in number." He pointed upward. "They scale within the branches. They stalk through the ground all around us."

The group of Thundercats immediately looked about. With their attention now focused with something to look for, they saw it—

The disturbed undergrowth, the broken bits of bark, the smell of a metallic tang that could only be blood. The way the mud sank too deep to be just mud and mulch.

The slither of serpents. The distinct growl of large canines. The near silent bounce of the canopy from large cats. The low caw and moan of birds that were shadow over shadow.

A large clap of thunder was the only warning before the pouring rain. While they couldn't even see the sky, the cold water found its way through.

Icy, far more cold than any weather should have contributed. As if it should have frozen but something kept it liquid.

Snarf whimpered, "The poor kittens will catch their death in this, mrrr,"

The branches above them shuddered and something dark and heavy bounded forward, in the direction the twins had headed.

Snarf buried his face in his hands. "Unless something else finds them first."