#do I need a better name for a cat villain than Serena. yes.

[el-wumps-sometimes]

Chrumblr Whump Day 2: Kneeling

(Character is a Redwall OC. I am currently working on just snippets of character things since I can't imitate Jacques's style well enough for my own liking.)

Bell kept their head down as their captor paced around them, flicking her tail side to side. “Well,” the hooded cat said eventually, coming around to stand in front of the small mouse. “This one will have to do.” She settled one large paw on Bell’s shoulder and looked down with glittering eyes. “So, what do you say, mouse?” Bell opened their mouth, but their voice had deserted them. The terror was coursing through their veins. Where was Ruskin? The figure laughed. “Aw, this one’s terrified,” she said to someone in the trees behind the small camp. She patted Bell roughly. The blow almost sent them tumbling backwards. She laughed at their attempt to keep their feet, and grabbed the front of their tunic. “I think that means you’re coming with us, now.” Bell tried to pull away as she started pulling them along, breaking free of her strong grip suddenly and stumbling back. “No,” they tried to say, but the word died in their chest again. Helpless rage clouded their vision as they turned and ran—straight into another figure rising out of the darkness and tripping them with an extended spear pole. Bell curled, trembling, as the large squirrel stepped out of the darkness, looming over them. “Looks like you picked up a feisty one, eh, Serena,” he sneered, kicking at Bell with a footpaw. “Shut up,” the cat one snapped. She grabbed Bell by one arm and hauled them upright. The mouse went limp instinctively, hoping that Serena would drop them, but she held them upright until finally, Bell relented, and kept their feet under them. In the darkness, a bird called. “We need to go,” the squirrel muttered. “Before this mouse’s friend comes back.” Serena waved a paw. “I know, I know. Just a minute.” She stared down at Bell. “Kneel,” she said eventually. Bell didn’t move. Ruskin had to be coming. He shouldn’t have been gone in the first place—they remembered falling asleep curled up against him. If they could delay— “I said kneel.” Serena set a paw on Bell’s shoulder and forced them down. “Good mouse. Now, look at me.” She tipped Bell’s chin up with her other paw, forcing them to meet her glittering, dancing eyes. “You won’t resist me now, will you?” she asked. Bell swallowed nervously. Their eyes darted to the side, and Serena hissed. “Look at me, mouse.” Her voice hung in the air, sickly sweet. “Your friend won’t be coming back.” They met her gaze again reluctantly. Their voice finally caught a foothold in their chest. “What did you do to him?” they whispered. She laughed. “Nothing at all,” she said lightly. “But you know, sometimes young squirrels his age, they just… vanish.” Her eyes seemed to get bigger, and Bell found that they could not look away. The paw was heavy on their shoulder, trapping them just as surely as the eyes. From where they were kneeling, there was nothing they could see, other than the cat and her cloak. Everything was massive, looming. The trees around seemed hushed. The cat seemed to be growing bigger, her eyes filling Bell’s vision, then their mind, until even the thought of running was pushed away. Eventually, Serena laughed a dainty, tinkling laugh. “There’s a good mouse,” she crooned softly. “Now, you’re coming with me.” Bell nodded faintly, and in a daze, got to their feet, and followed the hooded cat through the woods, away from their camp.