The Mercenaries

Chapter Four

Ellie heard footsteps on the cold, stone floor. She slowly opened her eyes. It was still dark out. The flames of the candles on the wooden table were dimming.

Pricking her ears, hope sparked in her. Detective?

"Ellie!"

Ellie's ears flattened and she felt small. The angry, aggressive voice was all too familiar. Definitely not the mysterious, handsome lynx she had met yesterday.

She remembered who it was. An all white, male cat stood above her, glaring down at her with pure white eyes.

"..Hi, Blank.." She whimpered.

Blank, the white cat, curled his lip and snarled. He raised a paw and batted at Ellie harshly, sending her rolling to the wall across the room. As his paw hit her side it became white, purple, and orange. Only his paw, though, for about a second.

Ellie's back hit the wall, feeling her spine collide with the stone. She quickly turned to hide her belly, lashing her skinny tail and staring wildly at Blank.

"You weren't HOME tonight. WHY WERE YOU HERE?! DID YOU CHEAT ON ME?!" Blank snarled loudly, his shout echoing.

"No! No! Blank, not at all!" Ellie blurted out, shrinking against the wall. "Please don't hurt me," she pleaded.

"I can't trust you," Blank growled, attempting to swipe his claws across Ellie's eye.

Ellie ducked, wincing at the horrible sound of Blank's claws scraping the wall.

Blank hissed and lashed his tail. "GET UP!"

Ellie kept her head ducked, slowly lifting her body off the floor.

"You are coming home. I'll NEVER let you leave AGAIN!" Blank screamed, right in Ellie's ear.

Ellie held herself against the wall, cringing at the pain in her ears. "O-Okay. Y-Yes, Blank."

Blank narrowed his white eyes and stood up straight, puffing out his chest. His gaze was cold and emotionless, even unforgiving. He turned, tail still lashing. "Let's go."

Ellie, trembling, followed Blank out of the temple. Her mind lingered on her misery and sadness, but she knew she could never leave Blank. He'd kill her.

But her green gaze soon rested on the forest across the clearing, a few meters away from the tunnel. She knew she was faster than Blank.. She didn't even realize she had stopped walking and stood there, staring into the brush.

"ELLIE!" Blank shouted loudly, right in her face.

Ellie flinched, then made a quick and reckless decision. She stared Blank right in the eyes while trembling, then turned and ran into the trees.

"GET BACK HERE! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!" Blank screamed aggressively, sprinting after her while tearing up the grass with his sharp, strong claws.

Ellie wheezed while running, dodging trees and other plants here and there. Her tail allowed her to curve, and thank goodness that she was rather energetic. Taken over by terror of Blank catching her, she kept running, running running, like it was for her life.

Maybe it was.