Monster (Cartoon Cat x Reader)

Cat and Mouse

A pair of wary black eyes peered out of the doorway, glancing back and forth down the gloomy hallway. A second pair of grey eyes joined them shortly afterward. After a moment, the two teenagers determined that the vacant hallway was safe and stepped out into the open.

Maria still looked weak from her injuries as she limped out behind Gabe. Her face still had an unhealthy pallor to it. Every so often, her hand would jolt to her side as her injuries protested to the movement. Sweat dripped down her face from the painful exertion, dampening her blonde hair and leaving a dark patch on her blouse. Gabe glanced back at her, worry evident in his tensed face.

"We can still wait to move on-"

"No-! No..." Maria hissed, pushing past him into the gloom. Her hand clutched at her bandages. Her knees shook, threatening to give out at any moment. "We have to keep moving. That thing might come back... and we still need to find Jamie and Jack and Markus..."

The boy didn't seem to agree. "Maria," he hesitated, uncertain whether or not to voice his thought aloud. "What if the reason that we were able to stay in that nurse station for so long... and why we haven't run into anyone else in our party yet..." He froze at the icy glare she leveled at him.

"I know what you're going to say. Don't." 

Gabe swallowed thickly, opening his mouth again to speak. She interrupted before he got even a word out. "I'm not denying the possibility that they've also been attacked. But don't you dare tell me that they're dead!" Her voice cracked, followed by a whimper as another wave of pain coursed through her body. That rebuttal had been too loud... too forceful. They couldn't afford drawing unnecessary attention to themselves right now. She took a deep, shaky breath to calm herself.

"Gabe... I appreciate that you're trying to acknowledge the potential reality of the situation." Her voice was calmer this time, though still obviously strained. "But we can't give up hope yet. If there's a chance that they're still alive in here somewhere..."

He nodded, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. It was a welcome feeling, especially against the cold that seemed to permeate these endlessly twisting halls. "I get it... I wasn't trying to suggest that we abandon everyone." He spoke softly, soothingly. Maria took a second (considerably steadier) deep breath. Her eyebrows had furrowed into a worn, worried expression that made her look much older than her mere sixteen years. 

"I know," she mumbled wearily as she cast an uneasy look down the hallway. The intense gloom and austere monotony of the walls made for a strangely terrifying feeling that was equal parts claustrophobic and agoraphobic. It was too contained, too neatly tight of a space. And yet the lack of hiding places and the sheer length of the hall made it feel too open, as if something large and black and predatory could come barreling towards them any minute. 

"Come on... we should get moving," she continued softly, "I don't want to be here when that thing shows up again."

Instead of the expectedly quiet reply from Gabe, a different voice answered. A distorted, high pitched voice speaking in a timid cadence. "T-that would be recommended. The Cat likes p-playing with it's food."

Maria and Gabe both screamed, spinning around all at once. The creature yelped, backing up several feet down the gloomy corridor until it again blended in with the surrounding darkness. Gabe's hand on her shoulder tightened to an almost painful hold, his knuckles turning white. She didn't comment on it - mostly because her breaths were coming in panicked gasps and her injuries were stinging even worse than ever thanks to the sudden movement. 

A large pair of cartoony white eyes with large black pupils stared at them from the darkness. Unlike the creature from before, this entity's eyes were downturned in such a way that typically portrayed shyness or sorrow. Maria could almost visualize those eyes belonging to a cartoon puppy - one with it's ears pulled back as a low sad whine left it's mouth. Of course, this thing was much bigger than any puppy. Like the monster from before, it towered above them in height and seemed to fill the space. Unlike the monster, though, it seemed to be actively trying to make itself seem smaller and less threatening... or maybe it just didn't like taking up space. "Shhh... shh shh shh... please don't scream..." the distorted voice whispered urgently. "It'll hear you if you're too loud. I'm not here to hurt you. I promise."