In the Belly of the Beast :: Choose Your Own Adventure

[Sanara]

[> Turn the wheel beside you...]

The wheel hardly squeaks at all as you turn it, catching you off guard. The cats below you don’t even hear it, and they definitely don’t seem to notice you’re the one turning, so you turn some more, making sure to turn it until it stops turning all together! You feel a sense of pride swell in you, and you run to the edge of the hole to see your handy work!

What you see is nothing short of a horror movie. Water is spewing out of a pipe on the far wall, causing a torrent of water to drain out into the room. Already the cats and your sister are lost to the swell, and a large whirlpool is forming as the drainage can’t keep up with the fountain you have unleashed. Several wooden boxes bob along in the pools spiral, but you see neither hide nor tail of any feline and are more than sure you ended their lives, bad or good.

Your sister is no more.

[> Game Over.]

[Sanara]

[> Throw the rocks at your feet...]

You take in a big breath of air to gather your courage, and pick up the largest stone you can find. You pull back, and then launch the stone out of the hole and hurdling towards the cats below. Moments pass before a sharp pop rang out through the concrete room. All four cats below you yowled in surprise, but you were too busy collecting more rocks and sending them raining down on the cats below.

With each stone you inch closer and close to the edge. Having not seen the cats the first time you threw the stone and shocked all involved, you were curious and also filled with a protective rage. Once you were finally able to see, you were finally able to aim, and began pelting the cats with the stones.

Twig was the first to notice the rocks were concentrated on the cats and looked up to you for only a moment before turning and bolting into the darkness that lay behind the broken barred pipe. You wished, only for a moment, that you could have followed, but the rocks at your feet were quickly disappearing.

As you look around for any way out, you notice the other side of the concrete room with a square hole a lot like this one. You could reach it with a short, incredibly dangerous stroll over the pipe that spanned the room. The cats below you were recovering from their stoning but had yet to notice you, so it was now or never.

Carefully, you begin to pick your way across the pipe, keeping yourself low against the curved, gritty surface. If you were lucky, the cats below wouldn’t notice you, and that helped you continue to scuttle along until, at long last, you paws touched the solid ground on the other side. At that point, you took off, running away into the darkness.

[> Continue...]

[weegeestar5]

[> Continue...]
You continue to run - no matter how much the scenery changes around you.
It's only when your brain registers the significantly lighter that you stop running - but that's mainly from you immediately tripping over your paws. Fearfully, you spin around - but see no sign of the other cats behind you. Perhaps they gave up when you exited the tunnel. You sigh in relief.
You take in your surroundings for the first time, and... They're strange.
There is a large blanket of bright blue above your head - the sky, the rats called it. Under your paws, there is a coarse green plant that has taken over the landscape.
Your belly is a knot of anxiety - you don't know where Twig is, after all! You just hope she's safe.

It occurs to you that you have to decide your future.

You can't go back to the pipe, you know that. The Twolegplace is not on your mind either - after all, you're sure that's were those cats must've came from.
At your left, you see a group of cats in the distance. You feel wary - of course you do, there were cats trying to kill you minutes before!
At your right, you see a rusty-coloured creature, that has a long snout and fierce eyes. Your instincts tell you to keep away from it, even though you have never encountered such a creature.
Of course, you could always slink away and try to live on your own. But you know nothing about survival.

What will you do?

[> Go to your left - to the group of cats in the distance...]
[> Go to your right - maybe you can sneak around the creature...]
[> Slink away into the shadows...]

[weegeestar5]

[> Go to your left - to the group of cats in the distance...]

You're desperate for help. You don't know how to hunt, how to fight - anything. You can only hope these cats are far friendlier than the others.
Maybe they're like Twig.

You slowly approach the group - ears down and tail low, ready to bolt at any second. There is a silver tabby tom with large, friendly eyes; a ginger tabby holding her head up proudly to the sky; two smaller cats - white and brown and white and black - were snickering amongst themselves; and a black and white cat was gathering... plants? Okay, weird.
You decide to try the two smaller cats first - they look about your age, after all.
Luckily, the two older cats perk up, and suddenly tear after a rabbit that had popped out of a tunnel.
"Hey," you whisper; trying to keep your voice from quivering.
The white and black tom snaps around; eyes immediately lighting with hostility.
"Who are you?" He snarls, "this is not your land!"
You begin to back away - regretting your choice.
"Wait, Sheeppaw! They only look to be apprentice-aged," the she-cat meows; stepping in-between you and 'Sheeppaw'.
"Apprentice age or not, they're still on our territory," Sheeppaw huffs; though his fur was beginning to flatten.
"I'm Rat," you decide to say after a period of silence; supposing that yes, that is your name.
"You look like you've been through a lot," she meows sympathetically; nudging your filthy pelt and skinny frame.
You simply nod. No point giving them loads of answers, right?

Before the discussion can continue any longer, the two older cats reappear; carrying the large rabbit between them. The silver tabby immediately dashes towards you; eyes wide with concern.
"Oh, goodness, kit! Are you alright?" He meows concernedly; sniffing your pelt for injuries and yowling for the cat gathering plants.
"They're called Rat," the she-cat meows, "they seem to have come in the direction of the Twolegplace."
The silver tabby nods. "Would you like to come with us, little one?" He offers, "even just as a temporary stay - you look like you need some good food and a rest."
You don't know why, but you nod.
You can see Twig in the silver tabby's eyes.

[> Go to Duskclan's camp...]

[weegeestar5]

[> Go to your right - maybe you can sneak around the creature...]

You decide that the creature is safer than the cats.
You figure you can easily sneak around it. That's until you step on a twig. Being unaccustomed to life above ground, it didn't occur to you that you would have to muffle your footsteps.
The creature swings it's head around to you - eyes narrow and vicious.
The creature advances on you; snapping at your frail body.
You swipe feebly as it's teeth connects to your tail - setting your body alight with pain.

You know you can't fight back.
Your options are to call out for help, or flee as fast as your tired legs will carry you.

[> Call out for help...]
[> Run away...]

[weegeestar5]

[> Call out for help...]

You yowl out for help as the fox continues to attack you.
This is the end, you think.
Suddenly, four blurs shoot out from the edge of the hill and charge towards the fox. Your eyes widen in surprise as they use calculated attacks against the creature - slashing at it before darting back before it's jaws can snap at them.
With a howl of fury, the battle is over - the fox fleeing over the hill.
You can barely stand up. You watch as a black and white cat begins to sniff at your wounds, meowing something to the others, before they pick you up gently and carry you... Somewhere.
You just hope they won't hurt you.

[> Be carried to Duskclan's camp...]

[weegeestar5]

[> Run away...]

You decide to flee for your life - who knows if any friendly ears are listening.
You focus on going as fast as possible. As fast as your paws will move across this unfamiliar terrain.
You focus on this so much that you don't notice the roots before you trip over them. You tumble down and hear the rapid pawsteps of the fox catching up to you. It's rank scent in your nostrils is the last thing you can smell, beside your own fear scent.
You look behind you and you know it's all over now.
It doesn't take pity on you.


[> Game over.]

[weegeestar5]

[> Slink away into the shadows...]

You decide it's better for you on your own. Even if you can't hunt.
Your paws are sore and your belly yowls for food. You wander aimlessly, wondering where exactly you will end up.
You can't find a place to settle - one den belonged to a large black and white creature, the other one's entrance collapsed unexpectedly [thankfully there was another exit]. You manage to find scraps to survive on.
You picture yourself - flourishing, surviving.
You have to, or else you have nothing.

But do you ever learn to hunt?
...
You don't.
The cold takes you away one night.


[> Game over.]