Leone spun himself around, faced with three angry cat girls jumping onto him from different angles. Raising his right arm, he met Syri's cws as they cshed with his bde. Wielding his short sword with his left hand, he managed to graze Dimyri's cws aside, feeling the breeze as her arm swiped just out of reach from his waist. However, KuliKuli changed into her cat form and slipped between his legs. He felt her presence as she grew back in size and her cws dug into his armor from behind.

  "Hrrnnnn!" He grinded his teeth, eyes widened and heart racing. With a flick of his wrist, he dropped his short sword and grabbed Syri's arm, hurling her toward her sister to free him from their onsught. Dimyri swept her leg, tripping the hunter and sending him to his backside. She pounced as he attempted to grab his weapon. Startled, Leone made a grab at her wrists instead, holding her back. His eyes stared at his sword that y a foot from him, but her tails brushed his weapon aside. Snarling, he pnted his heels to her chest and kicked her off him. She bounced off a tree and groaned.

  His safety was short-lived as he was attacked by KuliKuli, but not before he recovered his weapon. Sparks arose as he met her swings with his steel sword, stepping back with every cw strike she would attempt on him.

  Ching-Ching-Ching!

  Just then he felt himself bump against a tree, pinning him helplessly against the cat girl. She met his sword with a backhand, sending it flying from his grasp. Panicked, he raised his arms, using his arm braces to shield against the next few strikes. He flinched with every blow; she hardly gave him a moment to think as she wielded her advanced speed against him. Baring the risk, he crossed his arms together and spped her paws away, granting him a brief window to retaliate.

  He swung his hands down in a chopping motion, striking her from both sides of her neck. KuliKuli mewled in pain but persisted with a raised knee to his groin, only to be met with metal. Thankful for his armor, Leone felt a cold sweat run down his face as he grabbed her wrist and flung her from over his shoulder. She nded into the waist-high grass, sinking out of sight with a soft oomph!

  But he was not ready for her sister to hug his leg and sink her fangs into the exposed area of his joint, biting him like if he were a snack.

  "Uhnn!" His fingers twitched as he fell to his knee, struggling to pry Syri off him. Instinctively he raised his hand as the damp environment made it easy for him to use magic to surround his palm with an icy touch. Just one strike would be enough to free him and possibly leave her face coated with ice, a dangerously lethal attack given the cold temperature they were fighting in. Her eyes widened as she saw his hand turn blue and the swirl of magic keeping his attack idle, waiting for him to hit back. But he looked at her frightened eyes as she closed them tight waiting for him, and he hesitated.

  "Damn it." He muttered, closing his fist and dropping the magic from his palm.

  "Get away from her!" Dimyri cried out, running to her sister's defense. She leapt toward her, pnting a solid kick with both legs to send him rolling across the mud several feet from her. Wasting no time, she pounced onto his back and pinned him down, scanning the dent marks that KuliKuli left on his armor. The area held strong, but she aimed to test its endurance, striking his backside two times.

  Leone dug his hand into the mud, scooping out a handful and flinging it to her face. She yelped and backed away from him, wiping the grime from her eyes as he stood up and searched for his weapon. His sword rested against the roots of an aged tree, but as he retrieved it he saw the shadow of a cat girl descend onto him. He dove headfirst, grabbing his knees to his chest and rolling away. When he recovered, KuliKuli chose to stand back and watch, waiting for her sisters to recover and stand by her. They faced off in silence, all three girls knowing to spread out and surround him once more.

  The Hunter kept his sword in front of him, bracing himself as he pnted his feet apart. He searched his belt with his other hand, feeling around until he felt relief as soon as he found the right tool.

  KuliKuli dove in headfirst, facing him as she ran on all fours. Waiting until she was close enough, he whipped his hand around and spun the snare over his head, sending it veering to her. It wrapped around her wrists and ankles, binding them together as she clumsily toppled over her back and nding to her side. Syri dove in for his legs again, but he jumped just as she slid past him. But he was ill-prepared for Dimyri who grabbed his shoulders and dug her heels into his back, using her weight to force him falling back to her. Using their momentum, she sent him flying backwards, crashing onto a low hanging branch that knocked the wind out of him.

  She turned back to her youngest sister. "Go help with Kuli, I'll hold him off!"

  "Got it!" Syri affirmed, running over toward KuliKuli.

  Narrowing her eyes, Dimyri growled and made a dash toward the hunter, brushing his shin just as he stood up. She slid along the grass, kicked off from the tree, and met him in front with a blow to the face. Bewildered, Leone felt a trickle of blood run down his nose as he stepped back. She closed the distance, changing tactics as she ducked and rolled to the side, kicked at the back of his leg forcing him to his knee, then swung around to strike him in the head with her heel. He blocked it with his arm brace, grabbing her leg and sending her off the side with a swing. But Dimyri recovered, nding on all fours like a proper cat and rushing in. Leone raised his sword, blocking her cw strike for his chest, but buckling with wobbly knees as she struck him at the exposed joint around his waist. She ducked under his reach, cut off his belt then rolled back to keep distance between them.

  Leone was startled by her, recognizing the look of determination in her eyes. Syri cut her sister loose, both of them rejoining the fight and surrounding him. He bit his lip, eyes dancing from one cat to the next.

  Dimyri chose to attack first this time, sprinting on her legs like a human would, but catching him by surprise as she opted to jump over him and climb on the tree instead. It left him open for a blow to the chest by KuliKuli, then a tackle from the side by Syri. Dimyri fell over his shoulders, her paws ready to strike. Feeling overwhelmed, Leone grabbed her wrist before she could strike and sent her crashing against Syri, knocking the pair away. KuliKuli swept her cws upright, grazing his chest and scratching his cheek. He flinched, dropped his sword and grabbed her wrist. She hissed as a gust of light swirled around her, and he felt her wrists slip away. She changed back into her cat form to escape his hold, growing back and cmping her paws together over her head. She swung them down, nding them atop his head and forcing him to bend.

  He coughed loud, drool running off his mouth, eyes dazed as he was stunned by the attack. She took advantaged, peppering him with blows to the chest and face with her cws retracted. When she nded a tenth blow to his cheek, his eyes fred with a seething look as he snatched her arm and dug his knee into her chest, leaving her gasping for air. He pointed at his sword on the ground with two fingers, concentrating until he summoned the magic to surround the item, then using wind magic he balled his hand into a fist and caused a brief gust of air to uplift the sword, trapping it in his grasp. Now he spun them around, pnting her against the tree instead. She continued coughing loudly, catching her breath and feeling the cold steel against her backside.

  "Enough of this." He argued, keeping his sword away. "Tell them to stop this nonsense and stand down."

  Growling, KuliKuli flung her head back and struck his nose, sending them both back several steps. Spinning around, she swung for him as he ducked, then jumped back from her next strike. Another duck, then he closed the gap and stepped on her foot, forcing her to lean onto him as he pushed forward to embrace her, his sword aimed for her chest.

  She gasped, eyes widened with fear. But the attack never came, just a slight sting on her abdomen. Looking down, she saw that he barely poked her enough to draw a tiny red droplet.

  He stepped back, keeping his sword in hand. His chest pte was riddled with cw marks, and his arm braces were badly damaged. His cheek had three cuts to them, and his silver hair was a mess. He was bleeding from his leg and hand, and he winced in pain as he rubbed the back of his head.

  She shook her head, determined to prove a point. With a heavy sigh, he stood ready as she swung her leg for a kick, only to sp it away with his hand.

  She growled and swung the same leg, and he blocked it with his palm. "Damn it, fight me!" She demanded, swinging her arm for his head. He ducked, stepped back and blocked another leg kick. "Fight me! Fight me!"

  He swung forward, dug his leg down and met her with a jab to her stomach. She folded over, coughing as he stood back for her to recover.

  "It is my job to retrieve you, not to fight you." He expined, keeping an eye on her sisters as they stepped in to help her. "I don't want to fight you."

  "Why?" KuliKuli wheezed, clearing her throat as she stammered back to her feet. She met him with a gre, wiping the spit from her lip as she caught her breath. "Why are you even helping a man like him?"

  Leone's eyes widened at her question, unsure of how to respond. "I... it's my job."

  "Even if it means hunting down a couple of cat girls like us? What did we do to you?"

  "It's nothing p-" He hesitated, choking in his response. Feeling a lump form in his throat, he stepped back from the trio and weighed his words in his mind. "My emotions mean nothing to the contract that binds me. As a Hunter, I am under Oath to swear loyalty and uphold my end of the contract to protect the people."

  "Why us?" Dimyri asked, staring into his eyes. "Do you know what makes us so special to him?"

  Leone looked away. "That is of no concern to me."

  "Do you know why we are this special?"

  Leone closed his eyes, his face twisted with discomfort. "Be silent. You are Monsters, the reasons behind your capture are second to what you... to what you are."

  Their attention veered toward the oncoming sound of horse hooves and groaning wheels as a wagon was being dragged toward their position. KuliKuli felt a weight fall from her shoulders, smiling as Na'Vi had arrived. Dimyri and Syri both shared a cheerful grin, with Syri even bouncing lightly as her tails wagged behind her. But when KuliKuli looked back at the hunter, her heart turned. He didn't seem shocked or worried, rather saddened. His eyes fell off, staring at the ground like a child being scolded by his mother. When the wagon arrived to them, Syri skipped toward the back.

  "Hey, you came just in-" Her smile dropped, her ears falling back as her pupils dited and her body trembled.

  A heavy foot stepped down, followed by a white robe wrapped around the figure.

  Dimyri rushed in and held her sister's arm, backing away as Perdilius smiled from ear to ear. Two of his soldiers hopped out behind him, carrying a wounded Na'Vi between them. Her paws were tied together; she looked wounded with a few cuts on her arms and fastened around her neck was a peculiar colr with engravings on the material. It differed from the colrs that the other Nekomata wore.

  "As," Perdilius sighed happily, his hand hovering over Na'Vi's head and drifting down her body. "My pets discovered this trespasser attempting to rob us of our horses. Do you know the penalty for thievery calls for the dismembering of their hand?"

  "Perdilius, stop it! You don't want her, you want us!" Dimyri shouted.

  "Quite right, beast. I care not for the well-being of this creature, best to not test my patience. You've had your chase, and it costed you. Your clutter is gone, your building burnt to ash."

  "You call us monsters." Syri hissed.

  Hearing this, he raised his arms in an apologetic shrug. "I admit, my actions may seem unorthodox to the likes of you. Whatever may be-ith the costs, you lot have been a pest. But be grateful, for your lives will be put to better use."

  KuliKuli winced, feeling the scar at the back of her head throb at his presence. "Just what the heck did you do to me?"

  "Ah, you do not remember? I have you thank for all of this." He grinned, raising his hand to her. "You were the one who led me to your clutter. Not that it was coincidental, I had kept my eye for you. But your curiosity proved most fruitful to my mission. It took several days for men of science to discover how your kind operate in here." He tapped the side of his head.

  "What?" She frowned, stepping back as the Nekomata they fought before crawled out of the wagon behind him.

  "Thanks to you, these creatures listen to me." He emphasized, chuckling as the two cat girls MiMi and VeeVee stood at his side.

  "Vee." Dimyri stared in shock, holding Syri to comfort her. KuliKuli stepped back with a terrified look, her paws shaking uncontrolbly.

  Perdilius stepped forward. "Either you come to me of your own free will, or by force. Honestly, there's no need to fear. Your lives will be remembered in the future for making this nd a better pce. You should be honored."

  "That's some honor." Felix announced his presence to everyone's shock, stepping into view from around a tree. He held his arm, the knife being present as one of the soldiers flinched upon seeing it.

  "Ah, the cat's mate." Perdilius cpped his hands together. "Delighted that you could join us. I warned you what would happen before, you did not listen. Have you finally come to your senses?"

  As if on cue, Raz stepped out of the wagon with a leash in hand, accompanied by two guards pointing their spears toward a hidden figure. That figure stepped out into view, with two more spearmen behind her. They all froze in shock as Norowa Reta was escorted forward, coming to a stop between the two Nekomata. She had returned to her hybrid form, coming across as a wolf girl with her paws, ears and tail stuck to her humanoid look. It was the same appearance as the night they had first met.

  Her mouth was gagged between her teeth, keeping her from biting. Once her eyes fell upon KuliKuli and the others, they lit up with recognition, and her tail gave a little wag.

  "The wolf is in my care, but I can propose to you a trade." Perdilius tussled Reta's blue hair, ignoring her growl and irritated look. "Fair is fair, is it not? To see you risk your life for monsters like them, and a monster like this one. I am doing the very same. I learned that actions require sacrifice, and I've come to know you more, Felix. You're a noble one, honest and a hard worker. Surely you would give anything to keep your friends and loved ones safe. Would you give your life for them? Would you put your life at stake for what you believe in?"

  "Would you?!"

  They turned around, drawn to Emyri as she faced them with folded arms.

  Leone's eyes widened in shock. Emyri met his look, a brief glimpse before facing off with Perdilius. "Would you give your life for your loved ones, Perdilius?"

  Perdilius smiled back, his men exchanging nervous looks as they recognized her.

  KuliKuli and her sisters stepped over toward Felix, watching the scene unfold.

  Emyri stood her ground, chin up with no show of fear in her. She did not shiver from the icy touch on her nude surface, did not beg for the lives of her loved ones, her confrontational stance had something else to dispy. Leone kept his ground as well, his feet never shifting backwards or forwards. The girls and everyone else stared at the lone Nekomata with the same expression and thought in mind, just what was it she was pnning? She must have something in mind, or this really was a brave facade to pull.