Look Before you Leap
Frosty grumbled quietly to himself as he held his forehead, stumbling out of the bushes. His tail bristled, flicking with annoyance as he watched a deceptively spry mouse drop his skateboard and hop on. The mouse stuck his tongue out at him before zipping away on the concrete path, humming to music on a pair of headphones. The cheetah's forehead was throbbing, a trickle of blood dripping from one of his nostrils. His stomach growled as he wiped the red droplets out of his fur, reminding him that he was starving still.
"Stupid mouse, smacking me in the face with a skateboard," he muttered.
It had not been a good hunt for the white cheetah. His day had begun poorly, after he pounced a somewhat pudgy, albeit much shorter otter with rather unusual tattooed markings. The otter had dragged Frosty into the water after he was pounced, then attempted to devour the startled cheetah. Fortunately, he managed to slip out of the otter's grasp and make it safely back onto land. Unfortunately for Frosty, that was only the first of a long series of failed attempts.
The next incident involved a protective white fox that had rushed in, after he attempted to devour a silvery raccoon with a leg brace and a pronounced limp. He'd figured the boy would be an easy catch. Just as he'd started to work the boy's head into his jaws, though, he was tackled by the fox and given a particularly nasty jolt of electricity from some unknown source. The fox left him with a firm warning and another jolt of electricity that left him tingling for some time, whisking the disoriented silver raccoon to safety.
It had taken Frosty some time to recover from that encounter, but he was a stubborn cat, and a hungry one at that. After a long rest he'd tried again with an attractive-looking kitsune, but the result was less than favorable. After pouncing the boy and pinning him down, some unseen force physically threw him off. It was as if a massive gust of wind had been targeted at him to blow him away from the boy. He had been quick to get back on his feet, but was surprised to find that the kitsune was nowhere to be found. The fox had somehow vanished entirely.
The most recent encounter was Frosty's low point, however. He'd spotted the mouse skating along the pathway, and had ambushed him when he stopped at a water fountain for a drink. The punk mouse looked like he would be an easy catch. However, a punch to the gut, followed by a skateboard to the face, proved otherwise.
Frosty rubbed a paw over his forehead, his head throbbing as he felt a thick lump that was rising. His nose was still dripping, staining his white fur reddish pink. Thankfully, nothing was broken, though the dull pain in his muzzle lingered. He would likely have a pounding headache to look forward to.
Frosty sniffled lightly as he wiped his muzzle, making his way over to the nearby drinking fountain. He leaned down as he turned on the fountain, running cool water over his muzzle. He reached up to rub his paw through his fur, the water running pink as the blood rinsed out. He sighed quietly, watching a few scarlet drops land in the water and form long webs as the water washed them into the drain.
The cheetah exhaled noisily as he stepped away from the fountain, gazing over the expanse of the city park around him. His belly gave another soft growl to remind him of his dilemma, his eyes scanning for potential meals. The trouble was, most of the park's occupants were either well above his ability, or too publicly visible to attempt to snatch away.
Sighing heavily, the feline moved toward the nearest park bench and flopped down. He muttered quietly, his eyes continuing to idly scan his surroundings. Nothing seemed to stand out to him, though. His ears perked as he heard footsteps approaching, glancing to his left to spot a hyena jogging along the path. He was tempted to leap off the bench to pounce the smaller male, but his throbbing head effectively deterred the idea.
He watched the male pass without incident, his eyes following the hyena as he padded quickly over the pathway. The male followed a bend in the trail and disappeared behind the trees, the sounds of footsteps fading. Frosty sighed to himself as he lowered his head, resting it in a palm. His fingers kneaded softly over the thick lump, attempting to massage away the dull pain that lingered from the assault.
"I'll kill that mouse, if I see him again," he muttered to himself.
Frosty sighed heavily and pushed himself up from the park bench, but wobbled for a moment as a wave of dizziness swept over him, his vision going blurry and dimming considerably. He quickly reached out to rest his weight against the bench until he regained his senses, shaking his head gently. He took a deep breath to help fend off the haze, breathing slowly in and out until the dizziness passed.
The cheetah's stomach let out a mighty growl, causing Frosty to whine. His belly tightened into a knot for a moment to remind him of how empty it was. He had to find something to eat soon. He didn't want to face starvation, despite how poorly his attempts to hunt had treated him already.
Frosty's ears perked when a nearby rustle in the bushes caught his attention. His head snapped quickly in the direction of the sound, though he didn't see anything at first. His eyes scanned the area, but turned up nothing. Perhaps his hunger was beginning to get to him. Was he just imagining things? His ears remained at alert, listening intently for any further signs of movement. The only sounds that reached him, however, were park goers enjoying themselves.
Just as Frosty began to leave, there was a flash of motion in the nearby bushes. He turned in time to spot a shaded figure moving rapidly through the underbrush. The shrubs shook violently as the creature moved hastily toward the tree line, chasing something unseen to the cheetah. Despite the potential danger, the cheetah's curiosity got the better of him. He moved away from the walkway to pursue the unidentified creature, his tail flicking with feline inquisitiveness.
The motion stopped abruptly at the edge of the forest with the shrill shriek of a small rodent, the bushes shaking heavily before growing still. Frosty paused for a moment, his eyes gazing intently at the spot where motion had ceased. He couldn't peer through the thick shrubs from his position, so he decided to move closer. He crouched down a bit and crept toward the disturbance, his ears flicking as he actively listened.
Frosty could hear soft rustling in the bushes ahead of him, indicating that the creature was still there, likely enjoying a hard-earned meal. Perhaps he could enjoy one of his own. He crouched lower as he moved stealthily, hoping to get a glimpse of the creature. If nothing else, he was curious to see what had caused all the commotion.
As he moved in closer, the sounds seemed to all but stop for several moments. The concealed figure seemed to be oblivious to his presence. The cheetah paused for several seconds, watching and waiting. He was hoping the creature would move out of the bushes, so he could get a proper look at it.
The feline's eyes caught movement in the bushes, and something poked out moments later. He lifted his head, spotting a small, grayish colored ball or fuzz floating just above the top of the bushes. It seemed to be hanging in the air, attached to nothing. The cheetah pushed forward a few feet, making out the vague outline of a thin strand leading down into the bush from that soft, grey puff.
"Moogle!"
There was an abrupt rustle in the bushes as Frosty's outburst startled whatever was hunkered down in them. The cheetah immediately crouched low to the ground, raising his rump in perfect feline form. He wiggled his hips as his muscles tensed, followed by a quick bolt of motion as Frosty vaulted into the bushes.
The cheetah dove headlong into the thick shrubs with a noisy crash of breaking limbs. The feline's paws stretched out in front of him to snatch up his victim, diving down onto the unsuspecting creature. There was a piercing shriek as he landed on his intended target, knocking the pair out of the bushes entirely. The two creatures slid across the grass before coming to rest next to a large tree at the edge of the forest.
Frosty grinned smugly at his successful capture. He seemed to completely forget the morning's repeated failure as he rested his weight down on the creature. He didn't anticipate what came next, however.
"Oi! Wot the 'ell!"
The voice from beneath his paws was scratchy, and ground on Frosty's ears in a thoroughly unpleasant manner. The cheetah nearly dropped his catch on that alone. His empty stomach encouraged him to persist, however. The creature writhed beneath him, attempting to throw the cheetah off. Much to Frosty's surprise, the small "moogle" was quite strong.
The cheetah purred to himself as he finally gazed down to get a look at his catch. The skin beneath his facial fur went pale when he saw what he'd pounced.
"What in God's name is that?" he shrieked.
Frosty leapt backwards as if his catch had spontaneously burst into flames. This allowed the disoriented, confused creature to roll around and face him properly, shooting him a thoroughly disgruntled stare. Frosty fell backwards onto his rump as he stared into the creatures multi-hued eyes. As he scanned over the creature's body, the confusion and shock grew. The creature seemed to be some horrible amalgam of other species. A mess of blue feathers on the chest and shoulders, brightly colored red wings, a long, striped tail, and most notably, the unusual sets of appendages on the monster's waist.
As the creature eyed him, the anger of being ambushed seemed to fade into an unsettling grin. Frosty clambered backwards as the stocky beast moved in his direction, pushing himself up against the bushes.
"S'not nice ta pounce when I's eating," the creature hissed at him in that grating voice.
"S-sorry," Frosty muttered in response.
The unusual monster moved closer to Frosty, prompting the cheetah to attempt to back up. The bushes resisted his attempt, the branches crackling as he tried to force his way through with his back. His heart rate picked up noticeably as fear crept over him, watching the monster advance. Within moments the horrifying creature was nearly in his lap, perched over him and sniffing curiously. Frosty could scarcely breathe as the small monster took in his scent, glancing over his shoulder to look for a gap in the bushes.
Things only got worse as the monster grinned, seeming to approve eagerly of Frosty's feline scent. The beast's tongue flicked out to scrape over the cheetah's neck in a shameless slurp, leaving a glistening trail of slime on his spotted fur. The drool glimmered in the sunlight as it soaked in, matting down the soft fuzz.
"Nabbad," the creature grunted, licking over his mandibles with that slimy tongue. "T'ink you'll be good food."
Frosty nearly fainted at the creature's bold statement. He whimpered loudly as he flipped himself onto his belly, scrambling headfirst into the bushes. Branches snapped and tugged at him angrily as he forced his way through. The creature was right behind him, however. Frosty landed hard on his stomach as he was tackled, pinned down beneath the surprisingly strong chimera.
"Scree's g'na eat ya, cat," the creature growled, leaning down to snap at the cheetah's neck.
Frosty was quick to avoid the bite, twisting himself to the side. The creature, who had identified himself as Scree, had openly informed Frosty of his intentions. He wasn't about to stick around to find out if the small monster was serious or not.
Frosty attempted to tug and twist himself away from the monster with some difficulty. Despite his diminutive size, the creature held a surprising amount of strength in his limbs. It wasn't quite enough to overpower the slinky cheetah, however. Frosty reached out and dug his claws into the soft earth, then tugged himself forward as he kicked firmly. The blow from his toned legs sent the monster tumbling backwards, giving Frosty enough time to pull himself through the bushes.
"Ey, knock dat off," Scree snarled, scrambling toward the feline quickly.
The chimera dove into the bushes, arms outstretched to grab Frosty's legs. Frosty's progress was halted when he felt the monster wrap himself around his limbs, tugging sharply to pull them free.
"Get off!" Frosty snapped, attempting to kick Scree a second time.
This time, the monster was ready for him. Scree waited until Frosty's leg lashed out at him, rolling to the side. He then pounced onto the cheetah's leg, squeezing the feline's knee between his claws as he lunged in to bite him. His mandibles gaped as he bit down firmly on the cheetah's spotted thigh, sinking his fangs deep into the cat's pelt. Frosty yowled as he felt the sharp pierce, the fur on his tail bushing out like a bottle brush.
"OW! You son of a bitch!" he shrieked.
Frosty's free leg pulled back then kicked the monster squarely in the forehead, dislodging those fangs from his leg. Scree hissed loudly as he bounced out of the bushes, but this time he wasn't as quick to pursue the cheetah. He turned and pushed himself to his feet, grinning nastily as he watched the feline pull himself free of the bushes.
The cheetah's thigh burned where the monster had bitten him. Something had been injected into his leg, but he wasn't sure what. He pulled himself away from the bushes and stood up quickly, his heart racing as he glanced back. Strangely, the monster didn't seem to be pursuing him. He didn't pause to consider why as he rushed forward.
With each step Frosty took, he could feel that burning sensation spreading through his leg. The heat immediately around the wound gradually gave way to intense tingling. He could feel his leg stiffening up as he tried to run, but he forced himself to continue. He wanted to put as much space between himself and the beast as possible.
Instead of running through the more populated areas of the park, Frosty pushed himself toward the trees. He was familiar with the forest around the park, and hoped he could lose the chimeric thing in the woods. He remained conscious of the sensation spreading through his entire leg now, as well as up his side. It was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain his pace with each passing second, beginning to limp noticeably.
By the time Frosty reached the trees, his leg was completely numb, and he was struggling to maintain his upright posture on it. The deadening sensation was beginning to travel through his abdomen and chest, the monster's potent venom moving quickly. Despite his slowing pace, he was determined to continue.
Frosty slowed to a hobbling walk, almost dragging the failing limb with each step. His steps were clumsy, and he could feel his body shutting down. As the venom's reach spread, he could feel his other limbs giving in to the effects.
The cheetah yelped in surprise as he stumbled forward, catching himself with his hands before he face-planted. He tried to pull himself back to his feet, but his legs seemed to refuse to work now. That numbness had completely overtaken his lower limbs, rendering them practically useless. He struggled to at least pull himself onto his hands and knees, but even that proved to be an impossible feat in his state.
With what little mobility he still had, Frosty attempted to use his arms to pull himself across the ground, his lower body dragging through the dirt. He couldn't feel his legs at all, and his arms were quickly giving out as well. His mind was hazing, making it difficult to even think. The cheetah's ears perked lazily when he heard something approaching, grunting as he tried to push himself up to gaze over his shoulder.
Frosty's vision was blurring, but he could make out the distinct figure of the horrible beast approaching, sauntering casually toward him. That bushy striped tail flicked back and forth as Scree licked his mandibles, grinning at the sight of the helpless, immobilized cat.
"Din' t'ink ya'd get dat far," the chimera grinned. "I's g'na make sure 'ya don' do it again."
Frosty's arms collapsed under him, falling heavily into the dirt as the small creature moved closer. He was completely without strength now, unable to even lift himself up. The chimera's efficient toxin had overwhelmed him completely. The feline's ears pinned back as the blurry outline of the monster stood before him, cackling triumphantly.
The feline grunted softly as he was picked up, his limbs dangling uselessly like a ragdoll. His tail sprawled out across the ground like a limp noodle, the tip still and lifeless. His head rolled to the side, his eyes becoming rather vacant as the numbing poison seeped into his brain. His breathing was becoming shallow, the motions barely noticeable as Scree hugged him close.
The creature's mandibles dripped with anticipation as he grinned down at his helpless captive. He didn't begin his meal right away, though. While his toxin was potent, the effects were not permanent. He wanted to ensure that the cheetah wasn't going to attempt to run a second time.
As he squeezed the spotted feline against himself, the small appendages on his sides rose up. A sticky blob of liquid formed at each, seeping into the cheetah's fur and quickly solidifying. He then began to slowly turn the cheetah in his grasp, long strands of sticky webbing clinging to his victim's fur. The fibers were thin and delicate-looking, but in reality were stronger than steel, and would guarantee that the cheetah wouldn't be going anywhere.
In his paralyzed state, Frosty could do nothing to resist. He could barely register what was happening, his vision hazy and unfocused. His sense of direction was so thrown off that he couldn't tell which direction was up. His head bobbed back and forth as he was rotated, falling against his shoulders.
Scree's belly growled softly in anticipation as he worked quickly, the webbing over the cheetah's body pinning his arms to his sides. It began to form a thin cocoon over the spotted frame, binding him from shoulders to hips. Scree's spinnerets worked quickly to form a proper cocoon over the cheetah's torso, binding his arms and shoulders in a thick web of spider silk.
Satisfied that the cheetah was now sufficiently bound, Scree eased the cat away from himself. The strands of sticky webbing separated from those small limbs at his sides, hanging off the cheetah's body. The sticky threads hovered lazily in the air before settling in against the cocoon, gluing down firmly.
"Time ta' eat," Scree grinned at the helpless cheetah.
Frosty could feel sensation gradually returning to his limbs, but his muscles were still far too weak to effectively do anything. It was far too late for Frosty to save himself from the inevitable. His muscles twitched as the effects of the toxin began to wear off.
Scree didn't waste any time. He pushed the cheetah into the dirt, tugging him into a seated position as he loomed over his catch. He licked his dripping mandibles, leaning down to sniff at the cheetah's spotted fur. A few stray drops of glistening drool landed on Frosty's ears, clinging wetly to his fur.
A soft whimper escaped the cheetah's lips when the chimera's jaws spread, sending waves of heated breath over his body. The monster stuffed the cat's head into his jaws without hesitation, slurping wetly over the helpless cheetah. By this point, Frosty's awareness of his surroundings was beginning to return. He almost wished it wouldn't, his foot giving a half-hearted scratch against the dirt as life returned to his limbs.
Frosty jumped a bit when he felt the prick of fangs against the back of his neck. He could feel Scree's deadly fangs sinking into his skin, but the effects of the previous dose of toxin still lingered, dulling the sensation. A pleasant calm and warmth spread over him immediately, as Scree injected a mildly euphoric dose of numbing agents into the cheetah's body. These wouldn't leave the cat paralyzed, however. His prey would still be alive and kicking as it was devoured.
Scree growled hungrily around his meal as his jaws stretched over the cat's shoulders, a lunging motion wedging the cheetah's head into his throat. For a creature his size, he had no difficulty stretching himself around the cat's body. The surface of the monster's body seemed to shift and adjust as needed, the hard carapace accommodating the large meal.
Frosty whimpered as his head was shoved down into that slick passage, the heat of the monster's body radiating over him. Despite feeling returning to his limbs, he realized that he couldn't move his arms at all. Something was binding them to his torso. On top of that, though, the new dose of venom was spreading through him quickly, calming his nerves and making him feel oddly cooperative with his situation.
Scree could feel the cheetah settling back down, grinning around his mouthful as he lunged down over the cat again. A deep, rippling gulp stuffed the cheetah's shoulders down into that expanding passage, his mandibles working down over the cocooned feline's chest. He was determined to squeeze the cat down into his gut, and wasn't going to slow down for anything.
The tip of Frosty's tail flicked back and forth lazily as another gulp jerked his body deeper. He could feel the heat of the monster's jaws working over his slender midsection, sending shivers up his back. Each gulp rippled over his cocooned frame, and despite a thick layer of webbing stretched tightly around him, he could feel the kneading motions of the monster's throat against his body. Oddly, the sensations felt surprisingly pleasant. He groaned softly as he heard a distinct rumble from below, the chimera's belly eager to be filled.
Scree almost purred around the cheetah as he reached down, grabbing the cat's webbed hips and tugging them toward himself. Drool was dripping down over his meal, soaking into the webbing as well as the cheetah's fur. With a soft grunt, he heaved the feline's shapely hips into his jaws and swallowed. With the majority of his meal now tucked inside of himself, Scree fell back into a seated position, hefting the feline's legs off the ground.
Frosty's muzzle wrinkled as his head found its way into the chimera's gut, greeted by the heat of the creature's belly. Surprisingly, though, there was no sign of the creature the monster had previously eaten. His feet helplessly curled in the air as his toned thighs began to sink down into the monster's gaped mandibles. Each gulp began to stuff more of the cheetah into the beast's expanding belly, forcing him to curl against himself.
The monster steadied the cheetah's legs as they descended into his jaws, slurping them down eagerly. He nibbled lightly over the cat's knees, each swallow kneading the feline's body possessively. Scree reached up to tug the cheetah's feet toward his jaws, stuffing them past his mandibles greedily. Frosty mrowled from the pit of the beast's stomach at the contact to his sensitive, fleshy pads, though the toxin coursing through his veins deadened the ticklish touch.
Scree slurped over the cheetah's feet once last time before a satisfying gulp drew them back into his gullet. He groaned happily as he felt the cat's slickened body gliding smoothly into his stomach, a few final swallows sealing Frosty's fate. The deed was done. He growled triumphantly to himself as he squeezed his paws over that squirming gut, the spotted feline tucked away deep in his stomach.
Frosty whined piteously at his fate, his ears pinned back against his head. He was curled up uncomfortably in the chimera's gut, slipped around wetly as the creature squeezed over him. He ended up on his back in the fleshy pouch, using his feet to push against the walls as much as he could. His protesting kicks and stretching only drew satisfied crooning from the predator.
Scree wobbled over to the nearest tree, turning to flop himself down against the trunk and lay back. He sighed blissfully as he licked over his mandibles, whisking away any remaining traces at the feline. His belly gurgled lightly around the cheetah as it squeezed him, a satisfied expression painted over the chimera's face. He sighed lightly, pushing against his gut to feel the spotted feline squirming inside.
Frosty whined quietly as the predator teased him, feeling the pressure of his hands pushing against his body. He pushed back with his feet, trying to find any way out. He knew that his situation was hopeless. Now he knew exactly what his prey felt every time he enjoyed his own meals. As the monster's belly gurgled again, the walls kneaded over him firmly.
An eerie blue liquid began to seep from the fleshy chamber around him, dripping down onto the silk cocoon that covered Frosty's torso. The fibers glowed ominously as the walls continued to secrete the glowing slime. Frosty tried to wiggle around to avoid contact with the slime, but the more he squirmed, the more thoroughly coated his body became.
A pleasant warmth spread over Frosty's body as that glowing blue fluid soaked into his fur. There was a brief tingling sensation as it made contact with his skin, and then nothing. His flesh became completely numbed wherever the slime came in contact. Frosty blinked as he watched the silky webbing around his body beginning to melt away, forming a milky white layer of slick goo over his body. The cocoon melted away and settled into the pit of the creature's stomach, mixing with the gathering fluids.
Frosty breathed a sigh of relief when his arms were freed, pushing his hands firmly against the walls to join his feet in an escape attempt. Despite his best effort, though, there didn't seem to be any noticeable way out. He whined softly, gazing down at the glowing pool rising around his curled form, that thick slime coating most of his body now.
Scree licked his lips as he felt his belly beginning to go to work, rubbing his hands back and forth over the bloated gut. It wouldn't take long for that unusual slime to break down his feline prey. The cheetah would be little more than nutrients for his ravenous body in no time.
Frosty whimpered loudly as he noticed clumps of fur beginning to fall out. That slime was acting fast to claim its occupant, prompting him to struggle harder, fighting the calming effects of the toxin that Scree had injected into him before he was eaten. He was wearing down quickly, however, and didn't have much energy left to continue. Frosty could only watch helplessly as those clumps of fur fell into the gathering slime, dissolving away rapidly in that deadly pool.
The chimera grinned smugly as he felt the victim's struggles wearing down, knowing the cheetah wouldn't hold out forever. The cat would have to give in sooner or later. As his stomach diligently worked, he closed his eyes and lounged against the tree, patiently waiting for his meal to digest.
It wasn't long before the feline finally gave up, his body lacking the energy needed to struggle. With a defeated sigh, Frosty curled up and hugged himself tightly, burying his head against his knees. He couldn't feel that blue slime working efficiently over his body, but he knew it was happening. His fur was falling out in larger clumps, exposing the cheetah's skin.
"''Er ya go," Scree purred to his gut, feeling the cheetah give up. "Melt 'ike a good cat."
Scree rubbed firmly over his gut as the feline inside began to soften, his bloated stomach beginning to shrink a bit. There was a final squirm from his victim before the cheetah grew completely still, succumbing to the effects of digestion. A soft rumble gurgled from Scree's belly, followed by a burp.
The monster relaxed lazily as his stomach continued to shrink over time, the unusual slime in his belly fast and efficient. Everything that it came in contact with was broken down, leaving no waste. As the cheetah continued to digest, grey spots began to show up on the chimera's hips, distinctly similar to the spots that covered the cheetah's lithe body. The spots gradually darkened the more his belly shrank.
Scree stood up after some time, patting his gut softly, having returned back to its normal shape. The remains of the helpless feline were still noisily gurgling in his gut, but it was time for Scree to find his next meal. He stretched his legs and grinned, admiring the new addition of the cheetah's spots. His legs seemed to have new vigor to them, donated unwillingly by his spotted meal. He could feel the cheetah's strength rippling through them, and was eager to give his new addition a try.
"T'anks for the food, cat. I's g'na make sure ya get put ta good use," Scree said, rubbing his gut as he set out to find dinner...