Toxic Grass

[coradrawa]

Feel free to post and give feedback <3

This is going to be a Hazard Cat story featuring my hazards, if you would like your hazard cat to appear in it please let me know via Pm~

Hazard Cats are a closed species and they can be found here;

[coradrawa]

Characters who are featured in the story

Keeya Hida
Koco

[coradrawa]

Chapters

Prologue
Chapter one

[coradrawa]

The dead, twisted trees loomed over a desolate land. Grass greyed with rot as colour no longer existed it seemed. This island, from a distance, was dead. Everything dyed with a grey and purple sheen, and the black volcano looming over the rest of the small island seemed to share any beauty, as water dribbled down its sharp sides into a blue pool of water.
Perched however, on the edge of the water, was a green hazard cat. Her long legs were tucked beneath her as she laid in the cool water, staring out at the dead land with blue and purple eyes. Her eyes were sad, but at the same time filled with longing and hope. This hazard, covered in black scaly armour and delicate blue flowers, was the keeper of this island. She had never seen another of her kind, a hazard, in a long time. But that she did not mind. Her mind was to preoccupied with saving this island, and the residents of it. For the looming volcano was hollow, and its only entrance was guarded by the waterfall and blue pool of water she now laid in. Inside, the volcano was blooming with life unlike the outside of the island. Flowers, green vines, tall trees and creatures of incredibly variety resided in the safety of the volcano, and waited blissfully under the protection of this hazard as she sought to save the outside of the island.

The rest of the island was once beautiful and vibrant with life, but then a disease struck it. A disease twisting the branches of trees into grey knots and sucking life away. Taking away colour. But there was hope. The disease couldn't stand water, and the touch of water either cleansed of the body of the disease, or turned the victim to dust depending on how long the disease had been with them. But, as the island was surrounded by a large ocean, the green hazard knew it would not spread.

Today though was much like any day for this hazard, and she gazed up past the waterfall at the blue sky. The sadness in her eyes dimmed and a smile warmed her features. A purr threatening to spill from her throat. The sky was blue and the sun warm, much like the water she bathed in.

She lowered her head and stared at the water, kneading the dirt underneath her front paws until a dark shadow caught her attention. Her smile ceased and her head shot up to the sky. A bird. A very large, purple and grey bird with many eyes and two beaks loomed up in the sky. Her eyes widened and dread filled her body as she watched the bird fly over the water.

She watched the infected bird fly over the water.

She watched the beginning of the end for the world.

[coradrawa]

A small hazard fae darted between tall flowers. Her brown and amber wings not even grazing the soft petals, as she speedily rushed around the flower field. Today was a special day, such as special day a giddy smile spread across the features of the small and fragile fae.
Today was the day the butterfly eggs would catch, and dozens of thousands of small, vulnerable caterpillars would greet the world for the first time. Koco, the hazard fae, had assisted with caring for the eggs. She helped in scaring off far too curious birds, hungry spiders and other butterflies who wished to disrupt the eggs to lay down their own. Some eggs were unfortunately lost to hungry insects and birds, but many had survived and now show the first signs of hatching. Koco landed on a small daisy, chest puffing up as she breathed heavily from her fast-dash across the flower field. She raised a paw and adjusted her brown bandanna, which had fallen slightly out of place. " So! " she spoke, looking down from the daisy at the large daffodil leaves close by. Many small, green pearls littered the leaves and inside the slightly translucent pearls you could spy a small, long figure moving around inside.
Koco grinned and gently fluttered down to the leaves. Her thin legs occupied the small spaces between the tightly packed eggs as she looked them over. All seemed healthy and ready for hatching. " Perfect ba'ch! " Koco hummed out joyfully, her thick cockney accent present. Gazing around with amber eyes, Koco's grin faded into a confused frown. One of the leaves of the daffodil seemed to have grey-ish and purple-ish veins spreading across it. The eggs on that leaf were grey, dull and clouded so the near-to hatching caterpillars couldn't be seen inside. Koco tilted her head in confusion. " Wha' the... " she muttered, inching closer to the leaf to inspect it. The leaf seemed bloated, and Koco noticed with greater confusion the eggs on this particular leaf were far larger compared to other eggs.
Koco gently pressed a foot onto the leaf, but gasped and quickly pulled her foot away as pain shot through her foot. She glanced at her foot and saw some purple stuff clinging to it. She quickly tried to wipe it on a clean bit of leaf, and in relief saw it come off. " That nasty... " she muttered, looking at the leaf wearily.

This was certainly strange, especially to Koco who lived her whole life tending over plants and insects. Never once had she, in her life, seen a leaf become this colour. Unless...
Koco's fur shot up and she shook in slight anger as a possible explanation dawned on her. A disease! A disease affecting her plants and insects! But where did it come from?! And why now?!
Angrily, Koco hissed and spat at the leaf. " Diseases! C'ming 'ere and ruinin' my plants! " she angrily spat, anger filling her pupil-less eyes. " An' affectin' the youngin's! " she angrily muttered, her angry gaze becoming sad as she looked at the purple and bloated butterfly eggs. " 'Ah best get someon' to 'elp sort this out... " she muttered, shuffling backwards in preparation to fly off. However, a large shadow going over the plant caught Koco's attention. She ducked and looked up, fearfully believing it may be a bird. Yet instead, it was a grossly large butterfly. Or what Koco thought was a butterfly. The insect had large, jagged wings which seemed tattered. Thorn like objects projected from its back and had many legs, far too many legs. The butterfly landed on a leaf next to Koco, and she watched with horror as she noticed the purple and grey-ish tendrils wrapped around this creature. Koco's muscles were stiff, and she watched that where the butterfly stood, those purple and grey-ish tendrils appeared and spread across the leaf.

" Wha' the... " Koco muttered before screaming in surprise as the butterfly lurched at her, legs reaching forward in an attempt to catch the smaller creature. Koco jumped away, and watched with horror as the butterfly nearly tumbled off the edge of the leaf. The butterfly righted itself, and charged once more at Koco. Koco didn't however want to stick around, and she quickly jumped into the air and spread her wings. She flew harder then she ever had before, and soared up into the air away from the butterfly. Unfortunately, her attention was caught by the harsh sound of beating wings. Glancing behind her, Koco spied the butterfly getting closer and closer. Usually, Koco was the brave one in any situation, but this was different. Something had to be horribly wrong for her to be attacked by a butterfly, one of the most docile things to exist!

Koco darted between grass and flowers, but with dread could still hear the butterfly fast approaching. She neared closer to the tree line, the point where the forest began. Koco saw a leg from the corner of her eye, and darted away before it grabbed her. So close, the tree line was close now. If she could just get to it she could disappear into a crack in the tree bark, and the butterfly hopefully wouldn't follow.

Another leg neared Koco and she dived down, the butterfly pursuing her still. Koco's wings ached terribly, and her heart was working over time. The trees were just there, just a little closer.
Koco screamed as she felt some crash into her, sending her down to the ground below. When she fit the floor she was winded, and watched with horror as the butterfly slowly approached. She knew it was relishing her fear, going slowly as to taunt her. Telling her she can run, but the butterfly would catch her once more.

Koco glanced at the tree-line. It was so close, if she made one last sprint she could make it. She knew she could. Koco got up from the floor and sprinted along the ground, no longer flying. Her wings ached far too much. She heard the butterfly's wings speed up, and she begged for safety. She finally reached the trees, and crashed through a mess of roots into a wooden, small cave.

She breathed heavily, eyes wide and watery with un-fallen tears. Her chest heaved up and down with harsh breaths, and her wings relaxed against the ground. She tensed up again when the butterfly appeared, long legs trying to reach through the gap to seize Koco. Koco shuffled further back, and after awhile she watched with large relief as the butterfly gave up, and flew back to the flower field.

Koco squeezed her eyes shut, tiredness from the stressful chase suddenly hitting her as she fell into a deep sleep. However, one question remained in her mind.



What just happened?

[Ranger of the North]

Mark! This looks interesting and exciting! o.o