The cat’s gaze was unsettling, almost too intense. It didn’t blink, didn’t move, just stared at them with unnerving stillness. The air around them felt thick, like something was pressing in from all sides. Iroha’s hands were shaking, and she instinctively reached for Minju’s arm. “What is it doing?” Moka asked, voice trembling. “I… I don’t know,” Iroha whispered, stepping forward. The beam of her flashlight flickered as she pointed it at the cat. But the light seemed to dim when it touched the creature’s form, as if the cat was absorbing the light itself. And then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the cat blinked. Slowly. Its eyes narrowing into slits. Tap. Tap. Tap. The cat’s paws began to move. But instead of walking naturally, it seemed to slide across the floor, dragging its feet as though it were being pulled. The hairs on the back of Iroha’s neck stood up. She wanted to scream. She wanted to run. But her feet felt frozen to the ground. Jingle. The soft bell sound again. But this time, it wasn’t just one bell. There was many of them. From the dark corners of the hallway, several pairs of eyes flickered to life, glowing faintly. And then more cats stepped into the light, way too many. They moved silently, like shadows. Their collars jingled softly, one by one. Iroha’s heart raced. "W-What…?" The cats surrounded them, walking in perfect silence, their eyes fixed on the girls, never blinking. The room felt colder. A deep, unnatural cold. And then, the low sound echoed down the hall again: shff… shff… shff… Something was dragging. Something behind them. Iroha turned sharply, her flashlight trembling in her hand. At the very end of the hallway, hidden in the shadows… something moved. It was tall, thin, and wraith-like, with long, spindly arms that scraped against the walls as it approached. It wasn’t human. Iroha wanted to shout, to warn her members, but the words wouldn’t come. All she could do was back away slowly, her legs stiff with fear. She could hear the cats behind her, their jingles growing louder, almost insistent, as the shadow thing crept closer. The shadow moved faster now, sliding across the floor. No feet, just long, twisted limbs reaching out toward them. Suddenly, the lights flickered on again, blinding them for a second. The cats disappeared in a blink. The shadow was gone. The hallway was silent. Still. Iroha’s breath caught in her throat. “Is… is everyone okay?” Yunah’s voice cracked. No one answered. All they could hear was their own breathing, too loud in the heavy silence. The air felt heavy, like something had just passed through them, a presence that lingered, even now. As they finally turned to leave, Iroha’s flashlight caught something on the floor. A small, black collar. With a tiny, jingling bell.
Quick Vent- THEY LITERALLY REMOVED MY SOOBIN FANFIC WTH?!
