KuliKuli slipped under the parted window, struggling to squeeze her furry body through and yelping as she fell on her feet. A quick scan revealed an empty room, devoid of any friends she was hoping to find. She changed into her humanoid form and looked out the window, spotting the growing crowd of soldiers exiting the tavern, watching them shout and engage in frequent chatter through a blend of drunken stupor and camaraderie. Some were falling over, leaning onto one another while others were huddle in smaller cliques, gossiping or sharing jokes and memories.
"So there I was, a torch in one hand and me trusty dagger in the other, searching frantically all around me lot. No one in sight, nobody there even when I checked the door. It was closed and locked."
"Ah yes, must be dat sleep paralysis demon."
"Why are you so certain?"
"Well when's the last time somebody other then you was breathing heavy in your room, much less went in willingly?"
"Hey!" Their friends erupted in a chorus of laughter, slapping each others back and pointing at the poor bloke as he wished he had his helmet on to cover his embarrassment.
KuliKuli gasped and spun around, hearing footsteps approaching by the squeaking of the floorboard. She could hear someone panting from behind, groaning as if they were out of breathe. Soon the door knob started to wiggle around, and the frightened Nekomata pressed her paw against the window as she decided it would be safer to flee. But something caught her attention by the way her cat ears twitched, picking up a familiar voice mumbling and slurring their words. Then her eyes widened as she recognized Felix respond to her in an attempt to comfort her, telling Reta that everything was going to be fine.
Felix looked up once the door swung open, carrying Reta in his arms as she leaned her head against his chest. Her face carried this red blush, not out of shyness however as she smelled of something sweet and familiar. KuliKuli hurried them inside, closing the door behind her and wrinkling her nose.
"Wine?" She asked as Felix placed Reta down in bed.
"Yea, she may have had too much." He explained, grabbing a few pillows to elevate her head and chest. "Where is everyone?"
"I don't know, I just got here."
"There's something you should know." He said, unable to look at her as he kept his gaze on Reta while touching her forehead. "I found a man down there, he was talking to her."
KuliKuli sunk to her knees, looking over Reta as he helped lifted her knees to get her more comfortable. "Well, that's okay. Did she make a new friend?"
He sighed and closed his eyes, keeping his head down. "I think he purposely got her drunk because he knows a lot about us."
"Like what?" She asked nervously while looking at him. "Oh no."
"Forgive me." Reta mumbled, curling up on her side and looking at them with half open eyes. She didn't look well. "I was careful to avoid any de~tails, but hic! But... "
"He knows about your name, he asked about you. He spoke about you like he knew you."
KuliKuli stayed silent, tending to her friend and kissing her forehead as she rubbed her back and sat beside her. Felix didn't know what to say, he was just as lost as she was.
"What was his name?"
"Perdilius." The weight of his name left a sinking feeling in her, as she clutched her chest in disbelief. She was temporarily out of breath, her body covered in this eerie feeling of a cold chill as if death itself had embraced her from behind with welcoming arms. Felix noticed the sweat forming on her brow and the way her body trembled as if winter had arrived. He sat next to her, pulling her into his arms as he stroked her and kissed her shoulder. "Hey, I'm here. We're here."
"I know," Her voice cracked as she swallowed, feeling a heavy lump in her throat and finding it difficult to breathe. "His name is familiar, that much I know. Oh gods, this is it isn't it? And my family? Even Janette is gone, and you said he's here now? Felix, there are so many men out there, all wearing that flower. I don't know what to do, maybe you were right. It was wrong to fight, we should have stayed hidden instead."
"We fight, remember?" He held her close, squeezing her as he closed his eyes. "It would never work to just hide. There was a comfort in that, a feeling of being in control. It felt better to just close your eyes and pretend everything is okay... but we're here now."
"But where? I don't know where they went, they were suppose to stay here and now they're gone. You don't think?"
"Let's not think that right now, please." He pleaded, hugging her tight.
Reta squirmed and opened her eyes, looking at the couple holding each other in a warm embrace.
"Agh, b~baka?"
"Hm?" Felix raised his head, locking eyes with her.
"Janette and the young one, they left not too long ago."
"Syri?" KuliKuli pulled back, turning to her friend. "You saw them?"
"Hai." She shook her head yes, reaching down as her fingers grazed KuliKuli's paw. They spent so much time together yet only now did she realize how soft her fur felt under her fingertips.
"Then there's a chance they're safe." Felix insisted, although his eyes looked uncertain. He raised his eyes as he thought of something, then shortly he wiggled his nose and closed his eyes. KuliKuli watched as he sniffed the air, putting their shared abilities to work. She followed his action and soon they both locked eyes once they recognized the scent.
"That's them!" KuliKuli hopped to her feet, her nose leading her to the window. "They left the room not too long ago."
She gasped and looked at the door just as footsteps running up the stairs could be heard.
Bang~Bang~Bang!
"This is the one, they should be here." Someone said, clearing his throat and raisins his voice. "By the order of Father Perdilius, you are to open up this door at once and bring yourself in for questioning."
"The fuck kind of demand is that? Step aside." Someone else said, pounding their fist profusely on the door. "Open up! You have ten seconds to comply or we'll get in ourselves!"
"Son of a bitch." Felix muttered, looking at Reta as she held his hand.
"Go, baka. Don't let a drunken dummy like me hold you back."
"I~" He looked up at KuliKuli as she shook her head.
"No, we're not leaving you all alone here!"
Bang!
Another hard pound over the door. Time was short.
"I swore to protect you both." She reminded them, whimpering in a soft voice as she relented, leaning back into her pillow to accept her fate. Her eyes felt heavier as her drowsiness began to overwhelm her, finding the room to be spinning for her.
"We are not leaving you alone..." Felix sighed and gave his mate a nervous smile. "She won't be, I will stay with her."
"What! You can't be serious-"
"This isn't the time to argue, they're coming! You can slip through in your cat form so go, get out and find your family."
"But Felix-!"
"I'll be safe. We're in this together, remember? Go follow their scent, track them down. You'll figure something out, I know you will." He smiled while holding onto Reta, caressing her cheek as she had drifted away into sleep. "Please, go."
"Felix..." KuliKuli felt her eyes swell up with tears, her legs shaking like jelly as her voice started to quiver. "P-Please, there has to be another way."
"What are you doing!?" Janette cried out, shrieking as she watched the Hunter stuff Syri into a bag. He glared back at her, his icy cold look alone kept her feeling little in his presence before he casually walked down the stairs. Three men were waiting for her, stepping around numerous chairs and tables as they approached her with a look of familiarity on them. An unfortunate presence as Janette felt the situation around her turned grim upon recognizing who they were.
It was the three men from before, the ones who intimidated her at Farmer's Den. Yohan and his two lackeys, Larson and William.
"You left before we could inspect you properly." Yohan muttered, accompanied by William and Larson as they stepped around her. They had removed their helmets when confronting her, making this interaction more personal amongst them. "We were so close too, since back at your shop. I had a feeling there was more to you."
"More than just a round peach." Larson added, walking around her. His presence was perhaps the most frightening, he was the largest in size compared to the other three, she estimated that he towered over her by two heads. He scratched his stubbled chin, puckering his lips briefly, his two bulky brows squeezing together as he snorted phlegm and turned his head to spit.
William stood from the opposite left side of her position, glancing over the balcony a nightly breeze made his center parted bowl cut hair wave. Judging by his baby face and thin physique, he looked to be the youngest of the three. She recalled him behaving as the intel to Yohan, the reporting to the leader of their group the first time they all met.
Yohan stepped out from a table shade as the moonlight revealed his ugly face. From their previous encounters, he didn't look bad from his brown eyes, strong body, dimple chin and his brushed up receding hair accentuated by a sharp widows peak. He scratched his dark hair and leaned over their table, his fingers clasping on the edge as he looked down at their finished meals.
"Looks like you two had a nice dinner, shame that. If I had known you would bring me this much trouble, I would have let Larson question you." He chuckled and shook his head in disbelief as Janette watched helplessly until he lifted his gaze. "You know I was quite the looker, bit of a charmer. I could have my way with the ladies if I fancy myself in the mood. But when your in my boots, you've hardly the free time to charm your way into a woman's panties. Night workers are easier, faster and to the point. Offer them coin and they'll make sweet love to you as if we were married. Funny thing that, because after out last tussle your fuckin' cat left me with this!"
He didn't seem too pleased as he pressed his stubby finger into the scars imprinted across his cheek and brow, exclaiming through gritted teeth. "You fuckin' see this? You fuckin' see this shit? I got scratched! I got clawed in the fuckin' face! People look at me in disgust now, escorts are taken aback now! One of them even rejected me because of your fuckin' broad!"
He flipped the table over as the kids belonging to the nearby family began to cry, clutching onto their mother's dress for comfort. The parents scooped up their kids and ran out of the balcony, frantically hurrying down the stairs leaving a number of puzzled bystanders frightened by the situation they were in.
Yohan noticed Janette's eyes darting between the other witnesses, spinning around to point at them. "And you fuckin' lots best be leaving right fuckin' now! Any of ye interfere best know that this bitch is being punished for aiding and hiding a Nekomata, a damn Beastkin! Now turn around and leave us all the hell alone!"
They nodded and raced toward the stairs, leaving Janette with her heart sinking in defeat as she realized just how alone she was now.
Larson was creeping closer toward her, trailing his hand over the balcony rail with a grin on his bald head. "Been lookin' forward to this since I first laid eyes on you."
"Yea, whatever." Yohan snapped his attention toward William. "Keep watch over the stairs, I'm feeling charitable today. Lars, go on and have your fun but leave some for us after."
Larson chuckled and stepped in as Janette held her breathe. She spun around and planted her leg over the balcony, looking over at the nearby rooftop. She prayed that she could make the wide jump from their, and kicked herself off the rails.
But a rough hand grabbed the back of her dress, pulling her back as Larson turned his back to the rails and pushed her to the floor. Glancing to her left, she could see the young one named William raise his brow before looking away, holding a heavy crossbow in his hands as he looked down the stairs.
"All clear, have at it." He said, with Larson laughing in return as he pinned her down and climbed on top.
"No, get off me! Get off me!" Janette slapped and scratched at his arms, panting and kicking away as his overwhelming weight kept her pinned to the ground by sitting on her waist. She shrieked and squeezed her eyes shut as his shadow loomed over her. "STOOOOOPPP!"
"AAAGGGGHHHHHH!!!!" Larson screamed his lungs out as a sharp pair of blades sunk into his neck and shoulder. He tried to reach back but his broad shoulders and heavy arms rendered him unable to grasp at whatever impaled him. Both Yohan and William were startled, staring widely behind the man.
His reddened eyes grew wide and his fingers flexed, the vein on his forehead throbbing as he felt those swords pull from him before hearing a sexy voice whisper to him through bloodied fangs. "What's wrong, big boy? I thought you were in a mood for fun."
It was Emyri who had discovered Janette in time, catching the hulking man off guard by biting into his collar where his chest plate couldn't protect. She kicked him away as he tumbled on the floor, squeezing his neck wound and kicking around, shouting in pain. Ignoring him, she pulled Janette to her feet before pushing her back, her eyes fixated on Yohan as he ran to grab his spear.
"Croc o' shit William, the fuck did I ask you to do!?"
"She must have come from the balcony, sir."
"Fffffuck! I don't care anymore, I've had a shit week." A demonic snarl began to form across his scarred face, parted by his tongue licking his lips. "I recognize this one, those heavy tits and wide hips. You're their mother, yes?"
Emyri flaunted her brown fluffy hair while sticking her hip out. "Good to know that I can still turn heads at my age, but I don't aim to please scum like you. Hehe, was that my daughters work? I'm so proud of her, I'll need to thank her after I'm done here."
"Right, as if we didn't just capture that little shit." Yohan sneered, adjusting the spear between his clenched hands. "That Hunter is serving her up to Father Perdilius as we speak. We'll be sure to let her know her mother dropped by to entertain us."
Emyri's eyes flashed wide upon hearing that news, she looked at Janette for confirmation when she dropped her head in shame. Now, Emyri said nothing back, simply parting her feet as her claws appeared from her fluffy brown paws.
"Ooo, seems Mummy didn't like that." He looked to his friend banging his fist into the ground before picking himself up. "Ye good, Larson?"
"That monster bit me!" He whined, pressing his bloodied hand hard over his wound as he coughed up a bit of blood. "She fuckin' bit me!"
"Going to do more than that." Emyri stated in a soft voice, her cat ears picking up on the click of William pulling the bolt into position before aiming it from behind her.
Her tails each curled up around the legs of two chairs, swinging them behind her in time to deflect his bolt after he took his shot. Yohan charged forward, thrusting his spear toward her chest as she spun like a ballerina, landing a backhand as he stumbled a few steps away with blood on the floor. He winced and raised his hand to cup his ear, seeing blood on his palm as Emyri kept her cold stare on him. Janette tiptoed aside, her hands grabbing onto the balcony rail as she backed away from the fight for her safety.
"RRRRAAAAAAWWWWW!!!!" Larson shouted in his battle cry, jumping behind her with a raised fist and swinging it down to bash her. She was too quick, seemingly dancing around him before standing several feet away with blood dripping from the tips of her claws. The heavy man fell on one knee, feeling the stinging pain of numerous claw marks across his waistline and shin.
Yohan cautiously jabbed his spear around, looking back at William and not daring to strike until he had readied his crossbow again. But Larson was furious, he was not one to take a beating lightly especially by someone he saw as beneath him. He tried to catch her by surprise, spinning around to swing his right fist followed by his left, again and again and again. Yet Emyri didn't bother to even look up at him. keeping her eyes on William until his finger itched. Once he shot again, she slipped under Larson's arm and used her tails around his legs to stumble him on his knees before pushing his body into the bolts direction.
K~Ting!
The bolt bounced off his chest plate with Larson shouting in fear, holding his side where the bolt would have hit. "What the fuck, William!?"
"I-I'm trying! She won't hold still!"
"Both of you be silent!" Yohan ordered, dropping his spear and retrieving a dagger from his boot. He winced and shook the stinging pain away from the newly added claw marks across the other side of his face. "She's just a beast, a broad! Get yer shit together and focus god damn it!"
Emyri breathed in, keeping her icy glare pinpointed on the leader of their pack, waiting patiently for them to make their move.
A few blocks away, Leone slipped into an empty alleyway as a shortcut to retreat with his prey in his bag. Halfway through the alley he froze, his eyes growing wide in surprise through that dark hood keeping his face mostly hidden.
"Well, there's a face I didn't think I would see again." He commented, as he was face to face with a Nekomata.
KuliKuli stood her ground, furious and growling, baring both her fangs and her claws through tearful eyes, knowing the sacrifice she had to make to escape and track down her sister.
