The Adventures Of Mint & Coco

20: The Pack of Sharp Claws (Mint)

I shiver; my neck cramped in discomfort. I try to sit up, but there's no room. I reach my hand up and feel a velvety ceiling just inches above me. Where am I? Everything is pitch black and cramped. There is a pillow underneath my head. I shiver, thinking, am I in a- "A grave?" someone laughs, "That's correct." I growl, wanting to get up but I can't. "Who are you? Why have you put me in here?" I ask, panicked. "This is your future, darling. It's your coffin." I attempt to shove the top up with all my strength, but it isn't enough. I lower my arms panting. "I'm going to die?!" I screech. There is a loud ringing zooming in and out of my ears. I cover them, but it doesn't help. "Everybody dies at some point... But for you and your friends...soon," the voice speaks. I have my eyes closed, and red flashes brightly. The fear of what I might see when I open them engulfs me. But I force them. I am no longer in the coffin, no, I'm at a graveyard, and there are 5 gravestones. I approach one, my whole body shaking. It reads: 'Coco'. I resist screaming, putting faith in the hope that it can't be true. I walk slowly and scared to the next one: 'Shadow', next: 'Kona', next: 'Niko'... and lastly... I stand before my grave. 'MINT' is written in all caps. I cover my mouth, stunned. Falling to my knees I scream, "This isn't true! Stop messing with me!" Tears are streaming from my eyes. "This is your fault! YOU did this! Don't you see?! THEY DIED BECAUSE OF YOU!" the voice taunts me, "Stupid girl!"
I sniffle, standing up and running. I don't know where I'm going but I run as fast as I can. Thoughts and discernments flow through my mind like water out of a faucet. "I didn't do that!" I scream.
Suddenly I'm somewhere else. Inside my thoughts. Last night... I told Kona everything... and... he told me to trust him. Is he here? I struggle to turn my head, the cramp in my neck cracking. I blink my eyes, trying to make out the figure lying cold on the branch beside me. "Kona?" I say, my voice hoarse. I lay my head back down. Why am I so tired? I... I need to rest... Something flashes behind my eyes. Something dark. Smoke-like fog travels through the trees facing me, and I see a face. Coco...? I hear a scream, like a murder, and blood runs down her cheeks. What's happening? Am I hallucinating? I can hear wings bat, and an image of a pendant flickers past my eyesight. Two pendants... One an arrow, and the other... a mint leaf. What is going on? I can feel my heart beating like a drum, and I try to stop this nightmare. I sit up, but something pushes me back down. "Kona... help me..." I choke out the words, but it feels as if I can't talk... like there are thorns in my throat. I am pulled back into my thoughts, and I see a scar... on something... on someone. Who? It is replaced with Niko, the one who led Coco to believe I was evil. I see his pendant, it glows until all of a sudden it turns to ashes. And then I see mine, it is broke in half. Like a broken heart. Set beside it is Shadow's pendant... a bat. Bloody red light shines in its crystal eyes. Is someone trying to tell me that I'm doing something wrong? This dream can't mean anything, right? I look down; Coco's pendant and my leaf pendant are both throbbing, and sudden shadows overhang the horizon. A sharp stinging noise erupts from the pendants, and lightning strikes from the sky... destroying the shadow. But I can still hear something... "Stop! You're all wrong! Darkness is coming. Combine and destroy..."
"Your destiny awaits..."
I gasp, sitting up. "Make it stop... make it stop!" I scream, hoping someone will hear me. But instead, something grabs me by my waist. "Mint! You're okay, it's just a dream!"
I hear Kona's voice, but instead I see a shadow, and a face grinning with lifeless eyes. The voice... It's his voice! "Beware..." he says. Again I hear it. "Mint! You're okay, it's just a dream..." My eyes are widen in shock, and I can't stop screaming. "Mint! Your destiny awaits!" The shadowy figure screeches at me. My eyesight goes black, and I can feel myself falling. Will I ever wake up?

"Mint! Please wake up... You have to wake up!" I hear a blurry voice, and for the first time, when I blink open my eyes I see real life. Kona stares me in the eyes, looking down at me. His hands are wrapped around my waist, and I reach down to push them aside. I sit up, my mind full. Kona is crouched over me, and his yellow eyes gleam with fear. I feel myself dripping sweat, and Kona passes me a handkerchief. I wipe it across my forehead, and let the breeze calm me down. "Kona, what happened?" I finally question. He sits beside me, sighing. "Mint... you've been out for more than 24 hours," he answers, brushing his bangs aside. "No way!" I gasp, not believing my ears. "I don't know how Mint... but, you've been unconscious for almost three days. Kona leans forward, staring into my eyes intensely. "What happened Mint? Are you alright? You fell from the tree that we were in, and then I could hear you... You've been screaming... and I have been... well... Shadow and I have been worrying." I feel my heart racing, and I run my fingers through my hair. "Kona, where are we?" I notice the unfamiliar surroundings. "We're almost there," he replies. I stand up, and brush the dirt off my ripped jeans. "Almost... where?" I ask, looking around. Kona sits up. "Almost at the Pack of Sharp Claws." He answers. "Wait... how did I..." Kona's ear tip twitches. "I carried you..." he says. I don't say anything after that. It is real? But I thought she was lying...