[ @BILL. ]

No. No, he wasn’t supposed to be here.

Whisperkit stared at the dark trees that loomed overhead, seeming to trap him within this miserable place. He knew where he was, without even having to think about it. He’d heard plenty of tales about it. He just never thought he’d actually be here.

A figure entered his line of sight. A cat. A monster. His ears flattened against the back of his head, his mouth went dry, his tail curled around his flank as he stared, terrified, at the monster towering over him.

But, wait. Monsters couldn’t talk. Could they?

“Monsters can’t talk,” he managed to rasp out in spite of his heart hammering against his ribs. And then, again, “Monsters can’t talk. You- You shouldn’t be able to talk.” The monster, this beast, that had prowled his nightmares for moons, knew his name. And it spoke. “How- how are you talking?”

[ @BILL. ]

His breath seemed to catch in his throat. Seemed to grow larger, started to squeeze, started to suffocate, until he realized he had been holding it and finally let it go in a quiet woosh of air. He'd been waiting for the monster to attack him again, like it had in the elders' just those past couple of moons. But it didn't even move to touch him.

"G-get away from me," he managed to finally choke out past the growing lump in his throat, taking a step. "Y-you hurt me. You hurt my sister. You hurt Snailkit. Maybe you're not a monster. Maybe you're just a cat. But you're here, and that has to mean something." He paused to swallow. "I don't want to be here. Don't want to see you. Whatever apology you might try to come up with - I don't want it. It isn't going to mean anything. What you did? Can't ever be fixed with words."