Mary Jane's Last Dance

[Substitute Author]

As Keane watched the scene unfold before his eyes, a strange mixture of horror and amusement washed over him. The blindfolded cat with the weird name was disturbing, but it was certainly satisfying to watch both Matukhana and Venril be looked over in favor of Rath. Whatever a Chivkis was, it was enough to make the fox and stoat eye Rath resentfully.

Though, the feline couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed at the ferret for readily agreeing to follow the eyeless beasts without even discussing it with anybeast first. The group began to file after their strange hosts, heading deeper into the cave, which to Keane meant only one thing: they weren't getting out of this place any time soon. Was he the only one that cared that they were trapped underground with a bunch of lunatics?

Turning, he discovered he wasn't the only one that had hung back uncertainly. That squirrel, the one that hated everybeast and wanted to attack after the cave-in, was having some heated discussion with the slightly more sensible dormouse that had suggested the truce. Keane's ears swiveled in their direction, picking up snatches of their murmured conversation.

?...Leftenan', I dinnae agree...?

?...only thing we could've done in this situation...?

?...just 'ave us in chains again once we're oot...?

?...risk we have to take...?

Sailpaw fell silent, and Keane quickly averted his gaze when he realized his eavesdropping had been noticed. ?'Ave yeh got somethin' t' say t' us, laddie?? the squirrel growled.

?Er,? Keane thought, searching for some adequate excuse. ?Just that we're going to some feast now, and you're going to get left behind if you don't hurry up.?

Sailpaw rolled his eyes. ?Weeeeeel noo, aren't we the bearer o' obvious tidin's??

?Come on, Captain, let's just go,? Bellona said.

They disappeared down the passage, leaving Keane alone in the dark. Though his sharp eyes could make out objects around him fairly well in the gloom, the cat was not at all comfortable with their decision to extend their stay in this utterly creepy place. The wildcat felt absently in the pockets of his coat, pulling out a small pouch.

Well, if they really were in for the long haul, he might as well do something to make it more bearable.

It took a moment to take effect, and Keane, in his haste to feel less creeped out by his surroundings, had emptied the remainder of the pouch in a trice. A stupid mistake, of course, and he should've known better. He knew the right dose, he'd instructed countless beasts on it, told them time and time again to wait because it took a moment to take effect, but the smell, the intoxicating smell had filled his nostrils when he loosed the drawstring, and it was irresistible.

And then, all at once it took over, and he found he didn't care. In fact, he didn't care about much of anything anymore. Maybe that's why he took it all in the first place; it was becoming difficult to remember. Suddenly there was no end to the possibilities in this cave, and he just had to explore them.

Keane's eyes flickered, pupils dilated, his tail fluffed out and twitching from side to side endlessly. The feline bounded down the passage, heart hammering madly, mewling like a playful kitten and stopping every once in a while to rub his fur against the rough rocks jutting out from the walls of the cave. They felt so good on his itching back!

A movement up ahead caught the cat's attention, and he dropped onto all fours, crouching low. It was that squirrel and dormouse. They hadn't noticed him. Oh, that miserable squirrel was going to get the shock of his life. It was going to be hilarious. Biting his lip to hide a snigger, Keane stalked closer and closer to the pair, his legs tensing, waiting for the right moment...

He sprang.

The momentum bowled Sailpaw over, Keane pinning him neatly to the floor. The squirrel weaved a vast aural tapestry of curses, struggling to remove the cat's bulk while Keane growled playfully, cuffing him about the head with a paw.

And then, something was wrong. The dormouse rushed toward him, and then did a nimble hop-skip back, something dark glistening on her paws. A metallic scent stung Keane's heightened senses and he forgot about the squirrel, rolling to the side and smacking his head painfully against the rock wall. Pain. He remembered it now. But it wasn't just in his head, it was all over. He looked down, his own knife handle protruding from his stomach, dark blood pouring out around it.

The sobering truth took a moment to sink in, but when it did, Keane howled in an agonized rage. His head cleared, and it was all coming back now. Pain. He'd seen a game, and all they must have seen was a growling cat attacking them. Pain. They did exactly what he would've done, or tried to have done, were the roles reversed. Pain.

The dormouse was eyeing him now, no trace of pity or emotion in her eyes as she watched him go limp. The squirrel was snarling something at him, but he didn't bother to listen. As the cave faded away, Keane could only hear one thought drifting through his mind.

He could control others, but when it had really mattered, he couldn't even control himself.