The stone floor lay cold against my face and I feel alive. My eyes open to a green light. I lay awake.

Pushing my palms hard on the ground, the floor slowly got farther and farther away. Then suddenly, it got very close. A harsh thud reverberated through my nose and forehead, and I tried to regain my balance on my still weak arms. In the end, I quieted on the canvas and waited for the pain to ebb away. Insistently, the headache hummed.

The green light filled the space.

A few strides away, a large gem hung in the air, motionless. Emanating and pulsating green, it mesmerised me until the light seemed to weave through the air and my eyes burned from staring. Subduing the blended haze of sleeping and waking.

I dragged myself away from the stone as the headache intensified and rubbed my soft head, running my fingers through fur.

Something soft.

I felt at the same time pained and blissful. Comforted and unsettled, altogether pleasant but unfamiliar. It was unclear to me where this feeling came from. I looked at my pink claws and rubbed the grey fur on my arms. Slowly, and much more steadily, I got up on my feet. The green gem drew my uncertain gaze again, and as I turned around to look at it, my tail balanced me slightly, keeping me from falling over this time around. As its naked skin pressed against the cold floor, the hairs on my fur coat rose with a chill.

‘You’re the first to awaken,' spoke a deep voice like grinding gravel. It hung in the air like a foul smell.

'What?' I looked around, searching.

'You’ve awoken, I said.'

'I don’t understand? Where are you?'

'A minute or two ago, I'd say.' The monstrous voice said, unmoved by my disarray. 'If I were you, I’d steer clear of the liquid leaking from that menacing stone.’ The voice rumbled and I felt a strong urge to... do nothing. I felt safe although confused. Curious even, and followed the advice of the stranger, I looked back at the gem. Right under the floating stone lay a green puddle, vibrating to the crash of slowly falling drops of emerald.

‘Come closer, so we can talk. Don’t be frightened of me.’ The monstrous voice beckoned me away from the mystery goop. Something in his voice made me feel assured. A familiar scent, barely recognizable, but there, gave me direction in my confusion. Resigned, I followed the voice to its origin. Within the deep darkness, shadows played across walls, obscuring my view no matter how close I came. The darkness moved in the way and led me around like thin veils of smoke. Misleading. Obscuring.

‘Do not be deceived. I am here. This cloak conceals me. For a good reason, I am not pleasant to look at.’ The voice rumbled in a deep bestial chuckle. Bestial... at least, that’s what it felt like. But is that good or bad?

‘It’s fine? I don’t feel like I’ll mind. Not much shocks me, I believe.’

‘You don’t, do you? Well, if you're sure. Allow me.’ It said, amusement thick on its lips. The shadows that concealed its shape faded away to the corners of my vision, revealing a figure that towered over me. Huge and repulsive.

A hulking giant of a rat.

Or an ugly ass bear.

I wasn’t sure how big I actually was, but the way that thing towered over me made me think that I was small.

His big black shape was one thing. But that big maw of thin knives was something else, with its lips curled into a mockery of a smile.

Let alone the four yellow eyes.

It seemed more like a creature than a beast or person, but out of proportion, with small, stubby limbs attached to a fat romp with a giant head. Big as his limbs were compared to my own, they still seemed unable to support the weight of his gross shape. How he supported himself so straightly was a mystery.

His head, at least, seemed in proportion, hunched to the front as he looked down at me with that wicked smile that only belonged on the faces of monsters.

Perhaps more of a grimace.

He was about four times my height, from feeling at least, and five times my width. Not to mention the thick, large, naked tail that curled around him. But as I predicted, the monster's appearance didn’t faze me. Somehow, I felt like it should’ve. This creature could rip me apart. Cut me to shreds with the array of razor-sharp knives edging out of its maw. Despite its immense weight and the knowledge that I could fit into its mouth with ease, the beast remained motionless. Everything about it glowed with death, but yet, it could seemingly not even move.

‘You’re fine.’ I said, and the creature smiled a toothy smile, showing two rows of sharp fangs. ‘What are you?’

‘The same as you. As are those six.’ The monster said as it lifted its meek claw slowly to point past me. There lay the contours of six black creatures scattered across the grey stone floor.

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‘I hadn’t noticed those.’

‘There’s no hurry. They’re not going anywhere anytime soon. Sit with me.’

‘We are the same?’ I asked, and as I took place next to it, a black mist appeared to envelop us. It pushed back the green glow, leaving a sense of darkness around us.

‘Yes.’ It replied coldly.

‘So, what are we?’ I urged.

The sigh that came from its maw sounded like a whirlwind. It bowed its head as if he regretted the answer and told me.

‘We are ratmen.’

‘Yuck.’

‘Indeed.’

Sourly, I diverted my attention back to the little black shapes in the middle of the green-lit dome. ‘Should we wake them up?’ I asked as I scratched my head, somehow still startled to find big round ears there. The monster let out a grunt and narrowed its eyes as if it were thinking.

‘No, six confused ratmen sounds like much more chaos than I’m prepared to involve myself with. They might snap at you if you touch them. Who knows?’

‘That’s a no then.’

‘Indeed. In actuality, I waited for you all to wake up. Would you care to join me?’ It asked, and I blinked.

‘It’s not like I’m doing anything else.’ I said as I shifted about, uncomfortable on the cold stone.

We stayed quiet after that. It rumbled as it breathed and the rhythmic growling soothed somewhat as I looked around the room again. The space seemed somewhat dome-like… almost perfect, actually. The green gem hung perfectly in the middle of it, held in the air by a rock formation.

I was shocked again.

There appeared to be an exit across the domed space, behind the green-glowing stone. But it was blocked off. I picked it out clearly now, seeing perfectly in the dark with the little light provided. A big furry butt and enormous tail stuck out of the wall. There seemed to be a giant rat stuck in it. Seemingly dead, lying perfectly still. Without even a twitch every now and then.

I turned with big eyes.

‘What is that?’

‘Oh, that would be mother.’ It replied casually.

‘Mother?’ I exclaimed.

Then I heard a groan from the group of black shapes and saw one of the bundles of fur twitching. We both turned our heads at once, intending on a potential awakening. There was an intensity to our stares. I could hear our breath catch as we saw one of the shapes move for a moment. Then again, a few seconds passed, but the rat didn’t rise. We both let out a sigh, and we looked at each other.

‘Stupid, that can’t be our mother.’ I stated frustratedly. It scraped his throat slightly. Which, to me, sounded like running a blade across a stone wall.

‘I’m aware. I will explain when the rest is awake. I enjoy a good monologue, but not seven in a row.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean I understand our predicament, but will not explain it seven times. That must be clear.’

‘Wait… you know we are in a predicament? Do you also know who we are?’

‘Yes, like I said. All in due time. Let’s say it is an odd situation.’

I would argue that, but suddenly a soft groaning came from the little balls of fur. The monster and I perked up again to stare intently to see one of the black balls starting to move. It shuddered a bit, and we watched with nervous anticipation. The little black rat twitched, very slowly sat up and with obvious effort, stretched its back to let out a squeal of a yawn… then lied back down again?

We released a disappointed sigh.

Then the bundle sat up at once, not wasting time before standing up fully, wobbling back and forth with limb arms along its sides. It frowned confusedly, looking forward to the stone before noticing us. Its fur was black except for a white spot around its right eye. It was cute, adorable really, not at all like the creature besides me.

‘th blu frb.’ It mumbled. Widening its eyes at the lack of vocal control. It flexed its jaw a bit, seemingly preparing the muscles for speech and tried again after noticing the other bodies lying about. ‘The fuck's this?’

Next to me, I heard a strained groan, which drew the attention of the little rat who looked our way with huge eyes.

‘The fuck are you?’ It demanded as it started at us, not minding the shadows that were supposedly hiding us away.

The big monster began to explain what it told me except this time it seemed less welcoming. Perhaps because it didn’t expect to be seen through like that. The growly voice rumbled with low anger.

‘I understand it must be weird, little one, but all you need to know for now is that you should stay away from the green liquid under the stone. Now, you might ha-’

‘You don’t call me little, you neckless cunt for face.’ The rat interrupted, a voice so high that it could be anything but a girl. My rude sister, I suppose. She then threw a disgusted glance at the green ooze puddle as she passed it on her way to us. This seemed to have disgruntled the monster. Anxious, I opened my mouth to speak, but closed it immediately.

‘Everything will be explained when the others wake up, so just stay quiet for now.’ The monster demanded, spitting through its still grimacing maw.

The girl squinted at us with contempt, visibly thinking. She smiled like she thought up something clever.

‘You’ll tell me when they wake up?’

‘Yes. Let them sleep for now. We don’t know how they’ll react to being woken.’

The girl looked at the small black balls of fur nodding with cunning, seeming to think it through. She looked back at the creature.

‘Nah.’

‘Nah?’ The creature’s smile wavered slightly in confusion.

Nah,' she said again, shrugging. With a swift turn, she walked towards the nearest rat and kicked it in the sides so hard that the little shape cracked audibly. The rat spat and gasped on the stone ground, curling up in a ball while coughing up in panic.

This lady was scary.

‘Oh, don’t be a baby.’ She sneered at it, and proceeded to wake the other four up in a similar fashion.

In no time, the cave was echoing with a chorus of ‘Owowow’s and ‘Whyyyyy?’s.

The big guy muttered in an annoyed voice.

The violent rat then turned towards us. Leaving some hurling rat behind her. Demandingly, she pointed behind her, where the rats continued to whimper. She pointed at the green glowing stone.

‘And now tell me. What. The fuck. Is this?’