A frantic cat

Jane squinted as she stared into the dark corner. She **** her eyes to try to pick out shapes in the darkness. As quietly as she could, the young woman pulled at the sword by her side, beginning to stealthily unsheath the blade. She took a quiet step forward still scanning the corner with darting eyes. She quietly shifted her weight and took another step forward.

A small shape launched itself from the corner toward Jane's ankles. She yelped and pulled her blade from its home. The steel cut through the air and nearly into the creature. The sound of yowling and hissing finally penetrated Jane's ears. She pulled back sharply on her weapon as her mind registered that the small blur was a scared cat with matted fur.

The animal scurried off into the darkness and Jane lowered her blade to her side. She breathed deeply to calm her nerves and then promptly hacked and coughed at the horrible scents that permeated the catacombs. She quickly subdued the urge to retch and allowed her heart to slow back down from the encounter.