To whom it may concern

Written for Day 21 of the 31_days October challenge. The prompt was: "Scratch marks"


There were claw marks on the doorframe at the back of the Teller's house. It looked sort of like a cat had come by and used it as a scratching post, if the cat was about six foot tall on it's hind legs and had opposable thumbs.

"Maybe Bigfoot needs a manicure" said Dash, sitting on the back porch while the other two examined the damage.

"Werecat," said Simon. "I bet it's a werecat."

Marshall went pale.

"I'm out," he said. "After last time, I'm not dealing with were-anythings."

"What's the worst that could happen?" asked Simon.

"It might bite me!"

"How would you know the difference?" Dash pointed out.

"I don't know," said Mars. "But just when I think it can't get any worse, this town finds a new way to mess me up."

"Nothing's more messed up than the cutie mark," said Dash.

Marshall glared at him.

"It's stopped disappearing when I turn back," he said between gritted teeth.

Dash stared. So did Simon. There was a long silence.

"Wow," said Dash eventually. "That's... wow, I'm really sorry."

"That's how bad it is," said Marshall. "You're not making fun of me. You. That's how I know it's bad."

"Sorry," said Dash.

Mars lay on his side in the grass.

"I'm just going to lay here and die," he said.