Eat or Be Eaten
Ten

I awake, screaming, clutching my chest with the faint feeling of the knife still there.
I gasp for air, my chest rising and falling with raspy breaths of air. I scramble out of bed and run to the mirror on my dresser, looking myself over.
Same dark hair, same grey eyes, same tan skin with a few chosen scars. Yes, I still look like myself, I thought with a sigh of relief. Only...
My gaze lowers to where the knife had pierced my heart in the dream, my eyes widening to the size of saucer plates.
A small cut rests over my heart, a trickle of blood leaking out, onto my white tank top.
I take a wash cloth from the bathroom and put warm water on it before I start to dab at the cut.
It didn't hurt as much as it had in the dream, but i still winced from the slight sting.
My mind tried to stay on the dream, and no matter how hard I tried to forget, it did.
I knew without a doubt it was Cherry who killed me, but I couldn't figure out who I was supposed to be.
I pondered over it while I bandaged myself up. What had she mean by "You should have chosen me over her?" I don't know. I was only certain she killed whoever it was and was going after the other girl next.
After rinsing the wash cloth, I head back to bed. And stop dead in my tracks.
There, laying in the center of my bed, was a small black and silver stripped kitten. At first I thought it was Shadowfax, until I saw the bright silver mixed in. How odd, she looked exactly as I do when I shifted.
She was just laying there, her long tail swishing back and forth over the covers of my bed, her big purple eyes watching me as she purred.
I take a small step toward her with my arm extended. "Here kii kii." I softly call. Her head tilts and she stands.
She jumps and lands in my arms, her tiny head running against my neck. I sit down and pet her while she continues to purr.
I laugh at feeling the tiny vibration of her body against me and lay down, petting under her chin.
I drift to sleep with her curled up on my chest and thinking about the dream.

***

I awake again several hours later to the sound of Ivy screaming.
I race out of bed and down the hall to her room, where Ivy stands with a chair pointed at a large black and gold cheetah, which was swiping its claws angrly at her.
I stand beside her, blinking. My mother, father, Lily and Shadowfax walk in and freeze. I hear my mother gaso in astonishment.
Shadowfax, accompanied by the kitten from last night, pushes eeveryone and go to the cheetah. Shadowfax growls warningly at him and then turns to my mother, who nods.
Shadows eyes go yellow when he turns back to the kitten and over grown cat. The cat turns into a kitten and sits on Ivy's bed, licking his fangs.
We all turn to my mother for an explaination.
"It appears Shadow's cousins have come to live with us. In fact, they're your new guardians." she confirmed, looking from me to Ivy.
"If he's my guardian, why'd he attack me?" Ivy hisses.
My mother laughs. "He's a playful little thing, that's all. You startled him when you screamed."
My new "guardian" walk over to me and nudges my leg. I bend down and pick her up, scratching behind her ears.
"They each look like the animal you turn into. After spending time together, you'll be able to access eachothers thoughts. It's a bond no one can break. But be careful. If something happened to you, it'll also happen to your guardian. And vis versa."
I nod, laughing as she wraps her tails around my wrist as I hold her in my arms. "What's their names?"
"You have to give them one, sweetling." I nod again as I think of one, and smile. "Tigretta." She meows her approval.
"Well I'm naming mine Hellwise. He looks like a demon from hell ands acts like one too." she said as she pets Hellwise hesitantly.
He roars happyily, playfully biting at her hand.
We leave them alone and go get ready for schools.
I get dressed and go downstairs with Tigretta in my shoulder bag, her small head poking out. I give her a peice of fish from Shadowfaxes bowl. She hurriedly eats it, almost grinning as me in affection.
I grand an apple, my wallet and car keys, and head to school.