Leone reached for his bde and was quick to sweep his leg towards their feet, knocking Na'Vi on the floor. Rolling back and regaining his footing, he drew a breath as his eyes focused on the two Nekomatas helping each other in front of him. He pulled his head back, bending backwards and coming close to losing bance as to evade a sharp swipe to the neck. His eyes widened as he twisted around, dragging his feet and pnting his free hand down to maneuver himself back to his feet.

  Na'Vi and KuliKuli pressed forward, eyes wide with their slit-like pupils focusing on their prey. Squeezing the handle on his sword, he drew his weapon just as sparks shot out when their cws collided with his bde. He flinched but didn't dare close his eyes, ignoring the stinging pain of the cuts they inflicted on his shoulder and thigh. Recognizing their attempt to attack his limbs and thus hinder his mobility, he swung his bde and with a stabbing motion, pierced the air just to graze Na'Vi by her cheek. She felt her heart stop, knees wobbling as it took a second to realize he had the opportunity to remove her from this world.

  Still, he seemed hesitant to inflict any deep wounds, a weakness that she intended to exploit. Allowing herself to fall, she smirked upon watching KuliKuli leap over her to continue the assault.

  By now, constant feral shouting and sound of metal and cws cshing had brought a loud enough commotion for the locals to cautiously step out from their shelters. Many orcs and kobolds shared nervous gnces and muttered in their own nguage, one female kobold gasped and held her mate as Felix and Janette came running down the road with him stuffing his bleeding hand under his arm. They came to a stop upon finding the crowd of Perdilius' followers keeping the girls trapped in their home, watching the hunter confront his pray as if it were some sort of stage for show.

  "Damn it." He growled, eyes scanning around. "I don't see Perdilius anywhere."

  "Maybe we have time." Janette suggested, "If I can just find my carriage."

  Tootsie shifted around from Janette's shoulder with a worried look on her lime green face. "O' dearie me, this does not look well."

  "Any ideas would be helpful right now." Janette asked, only to see Tootsie rub her head in concern. "No, I figured as much."

  Looking down at his red-stained hand, Felix understood that it would be impossible and foolish to suggest fighting their way out. The Nekomata girls were better fighters than him, and Emyri was still recovering from the wounds and bruises she suffered that morning. His eyes lit up when he thought about using Reta's werewolf state to their advantage, possibly letting her loose. But too many factors made that idea dangerous, ignoring the fact that she was drugged by the sleep potion dosage he gave her. Even if they could somehow lead her there, he feared that she would be unable to decipher between friend or foe and create havoc all around the Bck District.

  The number of bystanders and spectators were growing with more words and questions being shared among them. Time was short, they needed to make a move. The pair exchanged a look with saddened agreement, Kershin Market was too dangerous for them to stay.

  "Tootsie, Nihja left my carriage at the Night Dweller's Hub, correct?" Janette asked, "How far is that from here?"

  The fairy rubbed her chin as she gave it some thought, gazing up into the starry night. "Hmm, can't say. Don't recall the steps we retake to go back from here, maybe a ten-minute walk?"

  "Could we ask some of the locals?" Felix suggested, spotting a few orcs stepping away from where the fight took pce.

  He turned his head as a rge green hand fell on his shoulder.

  "You could ask me." Someone answered from behind them.

  KuliKuli helped her friend to her feet, leaning close and whispering, "He can only handle us one at a time. If we split his attention, we could catch him by surprise like before."

  "He has quick reflexes. It won't be easy."

  "That's okay, if you're up for it." KuliKuli asked. Na'Vi found herself grinning and nodding before both girls spread out in a walking pace, slowly curving to either side of the hunter with their eyes locked on. Leone kept switching his focus from one Nekomata to the other, his spare hand quickly shifting to grip his dagger instead. It was clear he was well aware of their tactic as he adjusted his footing to form a more suitable stance for multiple contacts.

  Na'Vi looked past him to match KuliKuli, hoping they would somehow read the others mind and read their coordination of attack. This next bit was doomed to fail, but she kept her hopes up in case it worked by a small chance. "Nityri! Tat~Tat dance, now!"

  "What!?" KuliKuli blinked before her ears shot up upon transting what she meant. She wanted to dance here, right now? "I still don't remember that and now's not the time to dance!"

  Na'Vi swallowed and felt a bit troubled at the response, of course it shouldn't have surprised her for just dropping that to her right then and there. She ran forward and swiped her right paw with the hunter leaning his body out of the way easily. It didn't matter, she found herself besides KuliKuli just as she had hoped.

  "Tat Tat, left, right, right, swing. Right, left, right, swing. Can you remember that?"

  "Uh-errm."

  "Just watch me!" She called out before pushing KuliKuli hard just in time to evade the hunter's sword, swiping the air between them. Leone quickly regained his footing and kept his stance as both girls stood up with the adrenaline flowing.

  'You have to do this right, please don't screw up.' Na'Vi thought to herself, sharing a worried gnce to her friend.

  "Right, here it goes!" She inhaled before breaking into a quick sprint towards him. Leone flexed his arms and gripped his sword wielding it in front of him with both hands and a steady aim. Suddenly she steadied her feet to stop her momentum and leaped to the left, nearly hitting her head but fortunately managing to roll and nd on her feet again as Leone's eyes followed her. From behind he could hear several bystanders gasp as Na'Vi charged forward on all fours, causing him to turn around fast to swing at nothing as she too dashed to the left and away from close combat.

  Her heart racing, KuliKuli stumbled a bit before running on her hind legs to his right, swiping at his shoulder. The hunter spun back and managed to block her cws with the steel of his bde, however he could hear the Nekomata now behind him moving in before feeling a sharp sting to his back. Flinching, Leone focused and swung his bde to push KuliKuli away right as Na'Vi had moved to his right, kicking up small dust clouds as both kitties' were moving with quick speed. He reached for the dagger in his belt just as one Nekomata swung her leg to strike the back of his knee, forcing him to kneel forward. Facing her, he was met with another swing of the leg from behind to nd a strong blow to his left cheek, unching him to nd roughly and roll over dirt once more with a metal clink of his sword sliding several feet from his grasp.

  "Keep at it, kick his butt!" Dimyri cried out to them from the doorway. Even the surrounding group of men were beginning to look nervous seeing the hunter struggling.

  The people around them were sure to keep a fair distance away as Leone kicked his legs up high and with his hands on the floor unched himself to nd on his feet, breathing hard. He still held the dagger in his hand, realizing his sword was close to one of the nearby fruit stands with the owner tucked behind his wooden counter. What surprised them was when he tucked his dagger away and inhaled deeply before exhaling at a steady pace.

  Na'Vi was the first to move, closing the gap and shooting her paws at him with a left and right swing pattern. He was evading at first, then raised his arms to block with his elbows before catching one paw of hers and pulling her towards him, side stepping and pushing her unto the ground with force.

  "Hey!" KuliKuli cried out before leaping forward and rushing him on all fours. He tilted his head, popping his neck and raising his leg up high to avoid her swipe to his shin, then swinging around to kick her in the butt and helping her rejoin her friend eating dirt behind him.

  "Kuli, Na'Vi! Keep up the dance!" Dimyri shouted as her sister Syri approached her.

  Syri looked at her with puzzled eyes.

  "The dance?" She asked as KuliKuli and Na'Vi both got back on their feet, exchanging a nod and running towards him together.

  "That silly dance they call Tat~Tat," Dimyri chuckled, "Watch one compliment the other as they swing and thrust in a way that reflects their bond. Never thought she would remember."

  "She remembers?" Syri looked over and watched with that in mind. Leone was trying his best to catch one and swing her to the other to maintain both girls on one side, but he could tell they were poking forward in sync with each other. Just as Leone would step forward to reach for KuliKuli's paw, she would jump back and Na'Vi would attack him from behind. Both girls were doing a steady job of keeping pressure on him and leaving a multitude of cuts around his body, his growing temper was proof of their effectiveness at that. One would swipe and retreat as the other swiped back, left swipe, right swipe, right swipe, then a swing around him to keep him struggling to focus.

  Left, right, right, swing. Right, left, right, swing.

  "Yes, they call it Tat~Tat." Emyri smiled proudly as she watched her two girls dance and toy with him. Leone was showing his teeth as KuliKuli cut at his thigh and leaped back for Na'Vi to cut his shoulder. He wasn't gaining any footing, and their synergetic movements were keeping him trapped with no way out.

  "Let her have it, hunter!" One of the followers raised his weapon in a cheer.

  Thinking fast, he let Na'Vi cut his back once more before spinning to face her, knowing that the other would move in for the attack. In perfect timing, she saw him fall to the floor before sweeping his leg over the ground beneath her, tripping her forward and falling on top of her friend. Leone jumped in quickly to grab KuliKuli's paw from behind in an attempt to keep her pinned, causing her to yelp in pain. This hold works well for most people but was an oversight from him, as he failed to account for the tails she had wrapping around his neck and eyes. The muscles in them flexed and pulled him back hard, just enough for KuliKuli to turn back and thrust her foot to his chest, kicking him back hard and into a wooden bench behind him, breaking through it.

  Na'Vi narrowed her eyes onto him and pounced over her friend, with the hunter looking up in shock. He sunk down into the floor for her to pass above him, kicking at her stomach to send her flying into the opposite house filled, sending a few loose bricks as several orcs fled from their homes in a panic. The shelter was starting to fumble and whither fast with tiles dropping onto the floor and a rope net slipping from a hanger, dropping the strawberries they held, rolling over to bounce onto the dirt out front. Both Leone and KuliKuli gnced over to where some moldy apples rolled over and saw his dropped sword nearby before looking back at each other and leaping over in an attempt to grab the weapon first.

  His hand grasped the handle only for her paw to fall short and grab his wrist. As both of them stood up on their feet, KuliKuli panicked and moved in, sinking her feline fangs into his forearm.

  "YE-OW!" He shouted, his hand pushing at her face hard to no avail. She was growling and refusing to let go, her tails swinging in to pull his face back. Groaning in anger, he pulled one of her tails away from his eyes and bit her back.

  "ME-OW!" She yelped back, letting go and falling backwards as she gripped her tail.

  He hissed and held his red forearm before bending down to retrieve his sword. As he stood up, Na'Vi jumped up from the counter behind him and locked her legs around his head, sitting on his shoulders. She nearly fell and folded forward, hugging his head as he struggled to stay on his feet, his view blocked by the Nekomata's crotch. KuliKuli looked up to see the both of them struggling for control, the hunter nearly slipping from the numerous strawberries littered around them. Grabbing her thighs and then her ass, he pushed up against her before swinging his body around, throwing her off and falling face first. His hair was a mess, and he brushed it back quickly in time to catch sight of a paw mashing strawberries into his face and eyes.

  "Here, have a snack!" She shouted before falling forward with him and onto the wooden counter. Felix noticed the net rope dangling loosely above them and called for Na'Vi's attention as she rubbed her head in pain before realizing what he was referring to.

  "Nityri, up there!"

  She looked over and saw it too, reaching in with her paws only for Leone to grab her by the tails. He pulled her back with all his strength as KuliKuli growled and squealed in pain, falling over with the rope net in her hold. Na'Vi ran behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck before squeezing hard, forcing the man into a dilemma. He was forced to let go of her tails to grab Na'Vi's arms and throw her over him and on her back with a loud thud, looking up as KuliKuli threw the rope net onto him. It was loose and he was quick to pull it down to his waist just as KuliKuli threw herself at him as her head hit his stomach hard and left him breathless.

  "Na'Vi!" She called out to her before locking eyes and nodding. Both girls were exhausted, panting, and feeling sore all over, yet still with a bit left in them. She grabbed one end of the rope beneath him with her mouth and mumbled out, "Tuh Tuh!"

  "Right!" She smiled before rushing behind Leone and catching one end of the rope at his feet with her teeth. She moved fast and clockwise with KuliKuli, wrapping the net around and around and around the hunter at an incredible speed, keeping his arms pinned to his sides and him grunting at the tight snake coiling around his body.

  Both girls met up to face the hunter with an exhausted smile and cried out, "Tat~Tat!" Before delivering a strong kick with both legs, their bodies colpsing onto their sides.

  "DAAAH!" Leone shouted as he was kicked deep into the crumbling household, finally causing the feeble structure to crumble and colpse under its support beams. The shelter folded over and swallowed the hunter whole, leaving him under a pile of bricks and old, rotten wooden rubble as the crowd of locals gasped and cheered on.

  "You killed him!" Syri cried out.

  "He'll live." Emyri reassured her before they hurried over to help the two girls to their feet.

  "Sis, you two were amazing! That stupid dance did something after all!" Syri cheered proudly.

  "N-Nice to see you too." She stuttered, struggling to stand. Both of them were covered in bruise marks and dirt from hair to fur.

  Dimyri looked nervous as the crowd of Perdilius' followers were beginning to close in with their weapons in hand.

  "Damn, what do we do now?"

  Then suddenly, an explosion emerged sending everyone to the ground.