⚡️-REWRITTEN ELECEED ALTERNATE UNIVERSE-⚡️

CHAPTER 5: "ADVENTUROUS?" "RIDICULOUS."

"Monster cat? What do you mean?" Jiwoo raised her eyebrows innocently. "Huh-"

"Stop." I interrupted. Jiwoo halted next to another short alleyway that was pitch black. I could tell something was definitely in there, and it was certainly watching us.

"Mr. Kayden-?"

"Shush," I said again, concentrating on any sounds of movement coming from the dark alley. Jiwoo noticed me staring at the alleyway, and she turned to look at it as well.

Silence.

I know something's in there... I can sense it. I don't know if it's a new instinct I have now that I've taken the temporary form of a cat or not... but that seems to be the case.

I can tell that whatever is in there waiting for us is a cat... yet there's a heaviness in the air... whatever is in there certainly isn't just some normal cat.

A low growling broke the silence as Jiwoo and I glanced at each other.

A... cat? Crept out toward us slowly into the light. "W-what is that?" Jiwoo muttered.

"A tiger?" Jiwoo asked. "No, it's a cat," I replied.

"But look at the size... he's chonky... and huge! He has to be a tiger." Jiwoo said confidently.

"No, it's a cat. I can tell since I'm a cat now."

"Well... Cats and tigers are related, aren't they? Maybe you're just sensing a tiger."

"Are you calling the Great Kayden's judgments wrong?"

"Yes."

We both stared at each other daringly for a minute longer. "Let's take a paws and calm down. You know, try and stay paw-sitive."

"Puns? Now?"

"Also yes." Jiwoo grinned and gave me a thumbs-up and a wink.

Another vicious growl interrupted us. We turned to the cat as it lunged at us. "RUN!" I shouted.

"AAAAAHH-!" Jiwoo bolted around the corner just as the tiger cat skimmed her coat with its long sharp claws.

The tiger cat at her heels, she leaped in an attempt to dodge a swipe at her feet.

"Ouch!" Jiwoo yelped as she lost her balance and slammed into the side of a building. However, instead of smashing my face into the wall, she managed to shift her body just in time to keep me safe from the impact. But I could tell with a hard slam like that to her arm, she would definitely have a nasty bruise.

"You good?" I said in concern. "Good enough..." Was her only reply as she started to bolt again.

Something about the rhythm of her running sounded different, and her feet dragged.

She turned another corner, but as she swung around, she tripped on her foot, causing her to fall.

It was then that I noticed the back of her feet was bleeding rather heavily. I didn't know that cat actually got her...

"Hey, Jiwoo!" I turned my fat body around to face her, as she lay on the ground flat on her back, half-conscious. She mumbled something inaudible. Dang it.. she must've hit her head...

"Jiwoo!" I lightly shook her face with my ridiculously fuzzy paw. "Jiwoo, come on...! Now isn't the time..." I grimaced as I glanced behind me. I could tell the cat was getting closer by the second.

"Jiwoo! Stay awake!" I started shaking her like crazy.

I glanced behind me again, just in time to see the cat's head peering around. Crap!