Barely a moment after the words left his lips, a thick mist of darkness rose from the ground, swallowing the wild cat's corpse.
It pumped into the body in heavy waves before receding after a few seconds. At first, no change was apparent. But Ulric could feel it, a connection was forming with the wild cat.
Then it was finished.
The wild cat jerked upright. Its eyes snapped open, no longer crystalline orbs brimming with life, but pure, soulless darkness.
Slowly, it rose to its feet.
The sudden movement drew a sharp yelp from both girls. They stepped back instinctively.
One moment the wild cat had been dead. The next, it had risen again. For Amber, the confusion ran even deeper. She had clearly felt its life force drain away until nothing remained.
How was this possible?
They only stopped backing away when they noticed the mad grin stretching across Ulric's face.
