The Adventures Of Mint & Coco

11: Welcome to The Realm of Time (Mint)

I blink open my eyes. All I can see for miles is darkness. I realize that when I shrink, I turn into a cat.

A literal cat.

And my pendant activates it. It scares me, but I try to use my new muscles.

I struggle to my paws. My claws won't sheathe from fear. Wind howls, and blows me back down.

What's going on? Where am I?
I feel bareness and emptiness on my neck.
"Huh?" I meow.

Where is my leaf pendant?

"Finally... You're awake," someone comments behind me.

I spin around in terror. "Who's there?" I screech.

Curtains are lifted from the side of the room, and bright moonlight filters through; blinding me and making me turn away.

I see something crouching on the window sill. A tail stretches from above and wraps around my mouth.

"Shh... no need to fear..." an ominous voice says.

Shiny blue eyes appear in the darkness and linger in my surroundings.

I shudder. "Who is there? What do you want with me?" I speak as confidently as I can.

The figure crawls into the light, revealing a slinky black cat.

"If you really want to know... ask yourself this: What are you? Why are you? And when did you?" speaks the anonymous creature.

What?! Cats can talk here? Maybe not. Maybe he's like me. A mutant. Only if I can talk too...

I flatten my ears and dare to speak, "What the heck is going on? And how can I? Nothing you say makes sense."

The mutant chuckles, "You are what I am, and I am what you are; together we will be one."

I squint my eyes. "But so is my best friend. Why didn't you capture her as well?"

The stranger giggles, "I know that."
I slit my eyes even more. "How..?" I question.

He circles me, his extra-long tail flicking in every direction.

"Because I'm the one who turned you into this," he says in a dark manner.
I shiver.
The mutant grins, showing his sharp teeth. I tremble; all I feel is cold wind blowing my fur the
wrong way, making me feel alone.

"Tell me why you captured me!" I unsheathe my claws.

He steps up to me. "You'll know soon enough," he states.

I growl, "Who are you?"

"My name is Shadow and I am a cat mutant as well. I may seem bad but... it's only because-"

I cut him off as I start thinking random things.
Something about this mutant made me feel safe.

What?! How? This guy is obviously bad...

I finally notice his pendant. It is shaped like some flying creature... maybe a bat. But with diamond shaped eyes that are the same color as his.

He begins to grow, his pendant throbbing as mine had done. He sits in a chair, staring at me.

I finally realize that I am in the shape of a cat, and he is in human form, kind of, as I usually am.

How is he communicating with me?
He is wearing black clothes, and he has all black fur. His black hair is chin length and super fluffy.

He sighs, "I have something that I've needed to do, something that means a lot to me."
He stops talking to pick up and hold on to his tail tightly against his chest; his kitty ears folded back. "If don't do it, I will regret it forever. I already can barely live with myself..."

I nod. "I can sympathize how you feel... but capturing me? Scaring my best friend? Couldn't you just ask for help? I have some friends who could. They are bird mutants so they can fly," I tell him.

Shadow snarls. "This has everything to do with bird mutants, and I hate them!" he spats, "They... they did something." He twirls the fur on the end of his tail, looking more nervous and troubled.

I cock my head, showing interest. "What? Did they hurt someone?" I question, feeling his pain.

Shadow takes a deep breath, his black ears drooping sadly. "Yes... an entire generation. They killed my tribe of cat mutants.
I have tracked down humans, and lured them into this world so they can help me. So I transform them to cat mutants... The reason you all of a sudden grew cat ears, and all of a sudden you can transform to a cat is because the night you first arrived here, I saw you and your best friend resting and I gave you a formula; the DNA of a relative of mine. That's why I captured you. So you can help me! I had forgotten about your best friend... There could be others, but I can't travel alone if I was to search for them."

I gasp, "Oh my god... you... you changed me?"

Shadow nods, smiling.
"Welcome to the Realm of Time."