The black trees rose like huge monoliths, their lower halves devoid of foliage and coated in a sticky black substance. The air hung heavy with the rank aroma of rot and decay. In the midst of this forest Kataryna stood, staring up at the violet sky, obscured by twisted tree branches. She felt very lost, lost and alone.
There was a rustling in the branches above and she startled at a flash of delicate pink and powder blue, too fast for the eye to track. She crossed her arms against her chest, as though that would protect her from the elements.
The flash came again and she blinked and whirled around and then something dropped to the ground behind her. She turned again, to find a strange cat-like creature gazing up at her.
Lost in the woods, little girl, it said, although its words were not words and its eyes had no pupils. It darted around behind her again, a pink and blue blur.
"Not lost," she replied, turning once more to face it, "just a little… misplaced."
Lost, the creature cackled, zapping around her again and back again, all alone and far from home. You know not what dark paths you must tread, little girl. The trees shook and groaned and dark green leaves floated down, clinging to her hair and clothing.
"Very well then," she replied, "who are you and where am I?"
I am he who'll chase your shadows and torment your dreams, was the beast's enigmatic reply, and you are in the Land of the Lost, where good is gone and beauty rots.
"I'm dreaming," she replied, realisation suddenly hitting her, although how was it she could smell the rot? Dreams had no scent.
Dreaming? Life's a dream, little girl - life's a scream. And when you scream in your dream then nothing's ever as it seems. He continued to dart around her so that she could face him for no more then a second or three. His constant motion was starting to make her quite giddy. You didn't get giddy in dreams, did you just? She was beginning to feel frankly quite confused with his riddles and rhymes and the way he danced around the truth.
"What are you called?" She asked.
Some call me Grim, others call me Grimalkyn, I am he who never sleeps but in your dreams, I fly and leap. And with that he leapt away. With nothing more obvious to do, Kataryna followed him. It was not easy, yet not as difficult as she might have originally suspected. Every time she was just about to lose him altogether she'd catch a quick glimpse of blue or pink. It did not take a huge leap of cognition to determine that perhaps he was guiding her.
She had never heard of a Grimalkyn before, but his eyes seemed oddly familiar, the glowing blue, almond-shaped eyes. She had seen them before - but where? The trees clustered together further and dark tendrils hung from them, clutching at her, snaring her as she passed. Their touch chilled through her clothing and fur as she weaved her way between them. The footing became treacherous and the ground slipped and slid beneath her feet so that it took most of her concentration to stay upright. Several times she was sure the Grimalkin had escaped her view entirely, but just as she was about to give up in despair, he would appear again, a flicker of tail here, a glint of those piercing blue eyes there.
The ground turned to mulch beneath her feet and she sunk up to her ankles with every step. She did not look down, but focused her eyes before her. Something told her that if she were to look down, she would regret it. The vines dangled about her, caressing her with every step. There was no way to navigate around them any more. A great weariness settled in her bones and her head seemed to be filled with feathers. She staggered, and almost tumbled backwards when the Grimalkyn's face materialised before her, the glowing blue eyes boring into her own.
We're here, he said.
"Where?" She wanted to say, but the words evaded her. She looked up, over the feline creature's head and saw a Door. It was unusual in that it was not anchored to anything, and whilst it was touching the ground (something for which she was rather grateful) there was nothing around it but a few stunted and deformed trees several feet away.
When you chase the rainbow? The Grimalkyn said, you meet your fate - so come on little girl, will you open the gate?
Kataryna stepped towards it. There was something familiar about it to, the slightly scraped paintwork, the small, shiny lock, the round knob. Yes, she had seen this door before.
She reached out, clasping the door handle, and turned it. Her expression of apprehension transformed to one of intense puzzlement as a broomstick toppled out, slowly, almost majestically, and she tumbled upon the carpeted floor. From her supine position, she gazed to meet two slowly fading blue eyes.
You must come for him. The voice was so faint, she could have imagined it.
He needs you.
And then nausea overwhelmed her and her head sunk to the ground.