While the three cat girls were left to clean up the mess they made in the kitchen, Felix and KuliKuli followed Janette as she removed the latch and pushed through the front double doors. They found her sat on the doorstep resting her chin on her hand, gazing across the grassy trail leading to her house. 

Phew! What's that smell?" Felix's face scrunched up, pinching his nose. 

KuliKuli stuck out her tongue as the two looked to a clueless Janette. "You don't smell that?"

She shook her head and shrugged, taking a deep sniff in the air. "Just the morning air, what's got you two hissing a fit?"

The pair shared a puzzled look before dropping the matter. When the pair sat by her side, Felix followed her sight and shielded his eyes from the early sunrise, looking across every concealed dirt hole they left scattered around. 

"You don't think anyone will come over, step in a hole by accident and get hurt?" KuliKuli asked, seemingly catching what her mate was thinking. 

Janette shook her head. "Anyone who arrives would be someone uninvited, no doubt."

"You don't get a lot of visitors, do you?" She asked with a friendly smile, jumping into a shaky topic. 

Janette seemed startled by her accusation, stammering and fumbling with her hands before putting on a stoic face. "Yes, plenty of visits. All kinds of friends and family, so many people, yes. Very popular."

"Popular?" Her cat ears wiggled, her intuition catching on to her friends awkward mannerisms. "But Jay, we visit and stay for a night and don't see anyone here."

Felix blushed and waved his hand, signaling for KuliKuli to knock it off.

But her obliviousness knows no bounds. "Wow! You work in your shop most days and come back just to eat and sleep only to do it again. I don't know where you make the time to make a lot of friends too!" 

"Erm, right." Janette sulked, turning away from her feline friend. 

"Anyways!" Felix jumped in with a raised voice, catching everyone's attention, "We managed a full day with no sign of the hunter."

"Right, any plans?" She looked to him, causing him to shrink out of nervousness. "What? You spoke with such confidence about fighting back, I assumed you had built up quite the master plan to beat him."

"I uhh, hey now I was just-"

"What?" She glared at him, "Oh so last night when you two retreated to your bedroom and left me and the scary girl with our new guests, you didn't do any planning for tomorrow? You don't need to answer, I could hear every gasp and sigh through those thin walls. Quite the timing to get some frisky fun time while we wait like a sitting duck."

KuliKuli smiled nervously as did her mate Felix as both their faces turned into a bright red shade of color. 

Janette sighed and dropped the matter, sinking back into her hands. "Whatever. I'm not feeling so hot right now."

"It's rather cool this morning so I'm not hot either." KuliKuli mentioned. 

"Not like that! You two would be lost without me." She stood up in a huff, brushing her legs and walking back inside.

KuliKuli was about to follow when Felix held her tail and shook her head. She raised her paws but he kept a serious look as she reluctantly watched her friend close the doors behind her, only for Reta to brush past her. 

"Baka! It would seem I have been granted another day without this curse, do you know what this means?" Reta barked out, hands on her hips as her fiery gaze fell upon Felix. 

He swallowed nervously. "I hope it means training with Genki?"

"Of course it means that, baka! What else did you-" Her eyes flashed as a subtle grin appeared on her face. "Well, perhaps when you have properly recovered after the previous night."

"Oh geez, you heard us too?" He asked shamefully, listening to his mate giggle behind him. 

Reta sneered and lifted his face with a finger under his chin. "Of course I did, with the way you ravished her the other night, half of the forest could hear you two rut like animals in heat. I too wish to partake in such desires should my needs be met. Perhaps after some rigorous training to set the mood, you could attempt to claim me once more. But first you would need to best me in a duel."

"A duel?" He recoiled back in shock. "You mean a fight? As in us, fighting? With each other?"

She walked closer to him, swaying her hips with each step in a seductive manner as her eyes refused to look away from his. The look on her face once again left him feeling like he was her possession, like a toy that she would want to play with from time to time. Even with KuliKuli by him, it did little to control his mix of arousal and fear by her suggestion. 

"Yes, this morning's training will be a duel between you and I." She turned to the Nekomata. "And to you as well, cat."

"Me!?" She yelped, her tails wrapped firmly around her waist. Her brief look of surprise was soon replaced by a confident grin as memories of their last encounter came to her. "Why, did you want me to send you against another tree this time?" 

"I assure you that I am much better suited for combat with my bare hands as opposed to navigating with clumsy paws." She stepped up to her until they were nearly nose to nose. "And this time I am ready. Should you find yourself ever so confident before me, then why not prove me wrong and take me yourself?" 

"Now?" KuliKuli backed off, skipping in her step as Reta followed her. The pair stepped further from the front door for some extra room outside, with Felix watching between the two. 

"Ehhh, maybe this isn't the best thing to do, Ku-"

"No no, it's fine Master. If Wolfy wants her furry hide kicked in so bad, I can take her. I feel up and ready for action, so why not?" She chuckled, stretching her legs and swinging her arms around. 

Reta stared with a serious glare, parting her feet and reaching out with her fingers pressed together and her palm facing KuliKuli. "You can stand back and watch your mate be humbled. But take no ease, you will be next, Felix."

Felix swallowed hard as he stood by, speechless yet waiting for this to end quickly. Despite his pleading eyes, KuliKuli would not be persuaded from stepping down from this challenge. The Nekomata adjusted her stance as she bent down on all fours and raised her butt, looking like a cat eyeing its prey, waiting for the right moment to strike. 

"When you are ready, I would be happy to see if all cats do land on their feet." 

KuliKuli chuckled and wagged her tails, her low growl announcing her intent to fight. Digging her hind paws into the soil, she launched herself off in a dash. She ran by so quickly that her image became a silver blur, and suddenly she appeared before Reta with her paws raised and ready to pounce! 

He winced, waiting for this disaster to end and praying that nobody gets hurt. 

To their surprise, KuliKuli found Reta grab her wrist and twist. In a second, she was planted head first into the dirt with Reta's hand pressing on the back of her head. Her fingers dug into her silver hair for extra grip, and her hand kept KuliKuli's arm stretched behind her, lifting it gently enough to make her groan painfully. Reta didn't look troubled at all, the grin on her face made it clear that she was looking forward to this rematch. 

For a moment, Felix thought that would be it, until he was reminded that a cat girl can use more than just her claws. Two tails coiled around Reta's neck and forehead before pulling back, forcing her to drop her grip as KuliKuli rolled back up on her legs. She rubbed her arm and shot a nasty look across to her, watching her friend fasten her blue hair into a topknot before waiting for her to approach. 

She did not wait for long as KuliKuli ran toward her on all fours, only to jump over her head and spin around to wrap her arms around her waist. But Reta effortlessly dropped to one knee and swept her leg, toppling the Nekomata on her back before she could even get a hold of her. With a loud growl, she tried to pounce on her friend once more, struggling to land anything as Reta evaded her with precise footwork, swinging her body left to right before tapping her paw with her foot, tripping her. For the third time, KuliKuli felt her body hit the ground hard and whined, rolling on her back and rubbing her red cheek. 

Felix hurried to her, helping her up while checking the bruises on her arms and legs. "Okay, you did your duel. Take a breathe and relax before this gets out of hand."

"I would be fighting better if it weren't for that stench in the air." She winced as he rubbed her face, pinching her chin lightly until she brushed his hand away. "Master, I'm fine."

"She's fine, no serious injuries aside from a bruised ego." Reta chuckled as she wiped her hands clean, catching his look before tilting her head for him to approach her. "Your next, Master."

"This is going to hurt." He whined, taking a moment to relax and remind himself of her previous lesson about meditation. Once he felt that familiar tingle surround his hand, he opened his eyes and reached out to her. 

He didn't last, feeling the familiar hurdle of facing a battle he can't win. He found himself collapsed on the floor with her knee on his back, bending his arm back to subdue him. "Aaa~aaaa, okay-okay you win!"

Reta released his arm and offered her hand, pulling his weight and helping him stand up before brushing the dirt off his tunic. "It's not about winning Felix. It's about pinning your enemy in a good hold. You know why I asked you two for a duel?"

"Because you're a sore loser?" KuliKuli whined, sticking her tongue at her. 

"Because it's come to my attention that neither of you know how to fight. Or at least, this one does fight under a peculiar stance." She mentioned, looking to KuliKuli. "I realize that training you may prove to be more difficult than I anticipated."

"Me? Why?"

Felix looked to Reta as he caught on to what she was referring to. "Because she's a cat, right?" 

KuliKuli scoffed loudly, folding her arms and pouting her lips. "What's that supposed to mean, Felix?"

"The way you chose to defend yourself, you prefer fighting with your claws and tails. It should be of no surprise, we fight with the tools we are born with. It was my mistake to believe otherwise.''

"Okay, but it didn't look like it worked." KuliKuli groaned as she rubbed her shoulder. "What gives?" 

Reta raised her brow. "I warned you that I am a trained fighter, I am new to fighting with a cursed body. I am not adept to my Wolf form as of yet." 

KuliKuli lit up at the idea. "Maybe I can teach you a few things, if you don't lose your mind when you go Wolf." 

"Humph! We shall see, the offer to remain locked in the cellar has passed in light of recent events. Come, we have much to learn should we be ready for when the enemy arrives!" 

Felix and KuliKuli shared a nervous glance before nodding in agreement. Reta planted her feet firmly and smiled back. 

"Good. Let us resume where we left off before. Learning to fight is not a process that can be accomplished in one day, but learning to adapt our Genki to subdue and takedown someone with precision can be demonstrated as so. Ready?" 

KuliKuli's ears flicked as she smiled and raised her head to the challenge. 

"Ready!"