Poem 8

There was red in the blue

In front of me as the fish

Continued circling, their

Stained jaws snapping.

All that was left of the

Human who healed me

Yesterday was a skeleton.

The skull was cracked.

I stood idle as faces

Morphed into genuine

Fear around me, the

Other humans staring

Wide-eyed and stiff.

My gaze became

Unfocused as I reeled

Back, uncertainty

Clouding my vision.

Now, three of the humans

Have unexpectedly died.

Which humans can I trust?

...

I tread across the water's

Gate, tadpoles hiding under

Rocks inside the stream.

Copper had mentioned

A healer that often

Passed through here.

My search lasted until

The last light of dusk

Faded, the stones and

River scorched black.

The night was a curtain,

Unveiling shadows and

Turning the sky dark.

I slept on the branch of

An oak tree, moss brushing

My red-stained fur until

Dawn broke through and

Shed hazel from the sky.

There were no stars that

Night, as if some burdening

Fate had seized the world.

I trekked back to the

River and found that

Healer laying across

The rocks jutting out

Of the water, their

Fur drenched and

Doused in bitter red.

The fish had bitten

Off the decaying skin

Underneath the water.

I tore my gaze away.

As I ran, I passed by a

Badger whose claws

Were badly stained.

I decided that red

Was a foul color.

...

Two days had gone

By and the humans

Noticed my absence.

I was avoidant when

Death was around me.

Copper knew that well.

I shook my head to

Get a steadier grip

On my fickle thoughts.

I opened my eyes after

They had fluttered shut,

Whiskers twitching as

A breath was blown out.

Violet eyes stared back.

I scrambled away from

The human, faltering

Until I recognised him.

He smiled brightly.

"Hey lavender,

Long time no see!"

I blinked, ears no

Longer flattened

Before stepping

Closer and nosing

At the pale hand.

...

That was when

Another voice

Broke the quiet.

"You gave the

Cat a nickname?"

I met a burning red

Gaze and froze up.

Red in the blue.

A gentle hand was

Quick to rest atop

My head with clarity.

"Yep, sure did!"

The violet eyes were

No longer a wildfire,

Just a soothing flame.

He cleared his throat.

"Lavender, I want you

To meet Gonta- he's

Very nice, don't worry.

Wouldn't harm a fly!"

The human snickered,

As if there was a joke

Laced within his odd

And cryptic language.

There was a steady

Rumble that grew

From my chest as

Another hand showed

The sign of trust.

Palms opened.

I could trust these

Two humans.

...

I stepped into the

Vacant house, a

Brooding silence

Hanging in the

Still, rotten air.

My ocean eyes

Were shielded,

Heart sinking

Like stones in

Dark water.

The hallways

Reeked of ashes

And dried blood.

It wasn't long

Before I found

The source.

Every aching

Limb in my body

Tensed even more.

My voice was

Near silent.

"Copper?"

♡

Character Key (Based on Eye Color):

Violet- Kokichi

Red- Gonta