Chapter 13: The Dark Intruder

"Kinda chilly," Starlight remarked. She glanced up at the sky. Liberty noticed it was darkening, and it was covered in clouds, like it was going to rain.

"Yeah," said Malroy in agreement. Wind blew through the area, giving Liberty chills. "We can't be out here too long. Or else we'll get really cold."

"You don't say," Ekaj chuckled.

"What will be out here though?" Starlight commented. "It seems way too cold..."

"There's bound to be something," Malroy assured her.

"We'd better hurry up. I'm getting cold," Liberty muttered.

"And then we have our little sunshine over here," Malroy chuckled. Ekaj joined in, and Liberty shot Malroy a glare.

"Sense anything?" Starlight asked.

Malroy smelled the air. "Rabbit nearby," he said. "And a few other things."

"Then let's head for it," Starlight said. "Malroy, you lead."

Malroy nodded and started walking a bit more to the left, Starlight following quickly and Ekaj and Liberty walking close behind.

"Hopefully you can hunt as good as you fight," Ekaj chuckled to Liberty.

Liberty gave Ekaj a small nod but nothing else.

"How do you think Lucky's doing?" Ekaj ventured.

"As good as any member of the young," Liberty muttered.

"But Alista didn't seem to like him all that much. I'm worried he may not fit in," Ekaj pointed out.

"He'll be fine. And even if he doesn't, he can live. You don't need friends to survive," Liberty insisted.

"Liberty," Ekaj said, suddenly sounding full-out serious. "Lucky has only had his mother his entire life, and his mom abused him. He needs at least someone."

Liberty glanced at him but didn't respond.

"It's up ahead," murmured Malroy. "I'll let you get it, Starlight."

Starlight flashed him a smile. Oh, Lifebreeze, Liberty thought with a scowl.

Sure enough though, a rabbit was not too far ahead. It was among the fallen trees, where Liberty had found Lucky before.

Starlight began to sneak forward towards the rabbit, who wasn't at all aware that its life was in danger. She kept making her way forward stealthily.

Suddenly, something leaped out from the trees. It screeched out and darted past the rabbit and tackled Starlight pinning her, screeching and making all sorts of strange sounds.

The creature was pure black, black as a shadow. It had a canine-like body and a long tongue that flicked around as it hung out of its mouth, and had bits of fire-like stuff coming off of its back.
Starlight screamed out in fear and Malroy crashed into the clearing. "Starlight!"
"What is that?!" Ekaj yelped as he ran after his brother, Liberty following to inspect what was going on.
Liberty watched as Malroy stood in front of the creature. "Get off her!" he snarled. He lunged at the creature and slashed his claws across its flank, but strangely it did no damage at all. In fact, the creature only turned and looked at Malroy, and made a deeper hissing-spitting sound as its bright eyes locked on him.
"Get it off me!" Starlight yelped, kicking at the creature but to no effect.
"It doesn't seem to get hurt by anything!" exclaimed Ekaj. "What do we do?"

The creature then released Starlight and she quickly got to her paws, shaking in fear as she looked at it. The creature's long tongue licked under its eye and hissed-spat once more. "G-Get away!" Starlight yelped.

The creature then shrieked and darted at Starlight with incredible speed, almost moving at a blur. It seemed that as soon as it had moved, it had bitten down on Starlight's shoulder.

Liberty looked, and for what felt like the first time she was full of fear. Where the creature had bitten, there was black liquid oozing from her body. Starlight screamed out, her scream almost sounding like that of the creature's.

"STARLIGHT!" yelled Malroy, running forward to her as the creature darted off at a great speed.

"What's happening to her?!" Liberty demanded, running forward to look at the injury. 

"We gotta get her back!" Malroy cried. "Starlight? Are you okay?!"

All that came out of Starlight's mouth was a maddening screech of pain that filled Liberty's ears. Make stop! She yelled in her head to anyone who could hear.

Malroy quickly supported Starlight from one side with his shoulder. "Ekaj! Get the other side!" he said.

Ekaj supported Starlight's other side and they began to guide her back, as fast as they could. As Liberty followed, she started putting things together. Campbell told us about shadow creatures before she died, she realized. Campbell was right all along...

Author's Note:

Whatcha think is gonna happen to Starlight?

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