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((Oh didnt know he stood up. Also the stick is in my arm, as in im impaled by it.))

Hering a noise and scuffle behind him, he didnt even make the swing. He knew what the noise was.

"No!"

And just as nothing even happened, Ambrose stood up and started walking towards the village.

Nicholas leaned forward and offering his paw-hand out to Malic, he tried to smile as pleasantly as possible, but with fangs that was made difficult. “It’s okay, I won't bite or anything, I promise he also said this as gently as he could, he remembered his promise to himself, to try and be nicer in general.

Whoa, Nicholas had seen people with phobias before, but this was extreme, he’d never seen someone with such an irrational fear. He sat himself next to him in the exact same way cats do with their fore legs supporting them, if it where it not for his clothes, anyone would have mistaken him of a very large cat.

“I don’t want to hurt you” he said, still trying to sound gentle “You were talking to me just fine until you found out I was a cat” he watched him shake back an forth for a moment, waiting for a response. Nothing. He leant forward and wiped the sweat of his forehead.

“See?”

Picho stood up, sand falling from his mask and robe. He reached out to grab malic.

"HEY! Snap out of it Chief!" he yelled, the mask distorting his voice slightly.

Ripping off his mask to be able to shout louder.

"BIG MAN! Get over here! This guy is going into shock!"

Malic's arm went up in defense, then he stopped once he realised it was Picho. He stared at the bloke as if just woken from a dream, no a nightmare, yet he knew this had all really happened

He sat there out of breath, thoughts re-gathering and taking control. People probably thought he was over reacting, but the fear of the cat man had mingled with the fear of becoming like him and the bird girl. Trapped, isolated from the outside world and from family and turning into some sort of freakish monster. As if dying from cancer wasn't enough torment.

The shock of discovery and only a few hours sleep had taken it's toil, any other time and place he would've acted differently, still frightened but not terrified. New emotions pushed their way to the surface. One of them was shame.

"I-I know" He breathed, his face flushed red and he looked anywhere but at the feline. He felt sick, dizzy and sticky from sweat, sea and sand. Malic did know Nick wouldn't hurt him, as he knew all cats wouldn't go out of their way to attack him, but no matter how many times he told himself this, he would still cross the street upon seeing a cat in the path. A lifetime of fear was not so easily dismissed.

From the corner of his eye, he saw the lad come closer, but Malic forced himself to stay there, every muscle tensed, fought against wanting to get up and run far away as he stared at his shoes intently, biting his bottom lip so hard that he swore he could taste blood.

The night sky was starting to lighten, the sun making an appearance and chasing the shadows of the night back into the corners of people's minds. Malic's demons were still lurking on the edge of his own mind, not as easily subdued.

He shook his head slowly at the command, eyes still fixated on his shoelace, but completely aware of the two figures next to him.

"I-I can't." It was barely above a whisper. He never before had a reason to confront his worse fears, never had a need, so it was left to fester like an open wound. His fingers closed around the soft sand, the place where he was touched on his forehead burned and itched.
It's all in my mind. Fight it!
But he had no will left to fight, no strength to confront his phobia. He felt and probably looked pathetic.

"I-I'm sorry."

"I-I didn't ask for your help." He spat weakly, anger bubbling to the surface, but he wasn't angry at Nick, he was angry at himself for being stupid and letting his fears win, angry at feeling helpless and most of all, angry with being trapped on this island where everyone around him were turning into animals and at Dr. Moreau for tricking him here, using his weakness as a lever.

The brush of the tail startled him, with a sharp intake of breath his arm jerked as if ready to hit out, but stopped against his chest. Worried eyes with knitted eyebrows stared after the frightening feline, maybe in defiance to his phobia or making sure the cat was really leaving, his expression was unreadible between the two.

A sigh left his lungs, a hand covered his eyes then migrated to his mouth as his elbow leaned on one knee. The waves broke onto the sandy beach.

"I'm such an idiot and a coward." Never before had he felt such terror since he was a kid, and that was only due to nightmares he had long since forgotten, and now, he hated himself and so did Nick.

Phoenix turn around as picho called out to him, but only his head. Did he know what would happen already? of course not. He was just bored with the situation.

He waited till Nick passed him. then began to follow. Never once did his expression change. An not once did he even pay attention to the stick that was still stuck in his arm.