Squeeeeeak!

  Cha-kun!

  KuliKuli gasped and held her chest, finding Felix alone in the bedroom facing out the open window. He was slouched over, his chin resting against his interlocked fingers, his elbows perched atop the window frame staring over the front yard. When she gnced over his shoulders, she saw nothing out of the ordinary from the field of apple trees and the dirt path cutting through the center. She was more concerned about how motionless her mate stood, frozen in pce as if he hadn't heard her come in.

  "Felix, are you... okay?" Her eyes darted down to the withered old book on his p, a familiar sight.

  "I think..." He choked, feeling a lump in his throat. He swallowed, licked his lips and sucked in his breath. "I think... tonight was great, right?"

  "Yes, of course." She leaned in, rubbing his shoulders. "Dinner was great. What's wrong?"

  Felix spun around to face her. "You don't remember anything before the night we first met? Anything at all?"

  This caught the Nekomata off-guard, stuttering in her response. "I-wow. No not at all, small snippets but nothing clear enough to make out."

  "You don't remember seeing Perdilius before?"

  She hesitated. "We've met before, I just don't remember how and when. Or what even happened. But he knows me, I just don't know him."

  He stood up and grabbed her arms carefully, looking into her eyes. "Your sister, she expined to me what happened the night when the clutter was taken. A lot of details, some of it can be hard to hear."

  "You, what?" She asked in a troubled tone. "Felix, why are you telling me this?"

  "Because I don't know if it's the right thing to tell you. Because sometimes, even though we should be honest, I think the truth might hurt you more. And-And I don't know." He expined, releasing her and pacing back and forth. "I-I don't know. I want you to know, I want you to choose. I can tell you what your sister told me, or I can keep it to myself."

  "You think knowing this would hurt me?"

  "I don't know what to think." He admitted, spping his hands to his side in defeat. "I think your mother is keeping secrets from me."

  "She's lying?"

  "Or she's not telling us the whole truth. But I can't talk to her knowing that I'm doing the same. So, I waited here so that we can talk in private, so that you could choose if you want to know." He held her paws up, stroking her paw pads with his thumbs. "Kuli, this is for you to decide. I don't want to lie to you, that feels wrong. But I want you to be prepared in case this sounds like too much. Just say the word, do you want to know what happened that night before you lost your memories?"

  She held his gnce in silence, her lip quivering before she could manage a response.

  "You told her!?"

  "Keep it down, please!" Dimyri whispered, cupping Na'Vi's mouth and looking around. The pair of mares flicked their tails and shook their heads, huffing loudly from their nostrils as the two cats discussed earlier events in private. Dimyri leaned against the wagon, gncing back to the house, listening around to ensure they were alone. With a sigh, she let go of her friend and banged her head back. "Yes, he was adamant and he deserved to know."

  Na'Vi shook her head and turned around, frustrated and at a loss. "You know me better than to suggest lying to KuliKuli, but I don't think it was the right time yet."

  "When is the right time, when we're running away from spears and arrows again?" Dimyri sighed, kicking up a bit of dirt. "Things are crazy enough after what happened. There's just us now, we don't know what happened to the others. Secrets only lead to consequences, consequences that we are not in control of. And I would prefer choosing our fate at this point, a bit of conscious thought would be best here."

  "Quit turning this around as if I'm the bad one here."

  "No one is the bad one." She expined, approaching her. "We're all running from the same people. You're my sister, remember? Adopted or blood, you're still family."

  Na'Vi turned away, crossing her arms and tightening her tails around her waist.

  "You still don't trust them?"

  She sighed, loosening up the tension in her shoulders. "I... he's nice."

  "Felix?"

  "Yes, him. He means it when he says he loves her, I can see the affection, the bond they share for each other. It's painful, but also relieving, to know that she found someone that cares for her deeply. Her head was... what they did to her, I don't know. I don't think I would want to remember if it were me. I would rather forget."

  Dimyri scratched her head, walking up to be beside her. "That may be so, but it's not for you to decide for her."

  "Did he tell her?"

  Her ears twitched. "He did so a moment ago."

  "And?"

  "She hasn't said much, it's a lot for her to take in." She mentioned, noticing Na'Vi's tired expression. "Actually, they just finished."

  "Already?" Na'Vi turned around, her eyes widening before she frowned. "You mean you told me as soon as he was telling her? Did you two pn this?"

  She smiled and shrugged. "Seemed fitting, yes?"

  Na'Vi shook her head, walking past her as they headed back into the house. "First KuliKuli finds a new mate, now Syri is making eyes with the woman. Now this?"

  "I know, when is it my turn?" Dimyri teased, stretching her paws behind her head and following behind her.

  Emyri was shuffling items around downstairs, reaching for food items one by one.

  "And this one?" She asked, turning to her shoulder.

  Tootsie squinted and shook her head, hanging on to her brown hair to stay on her feet. "Nu, those are onions."

  "But I thought these were onions?" She asked, raising a red onion on her other paw.

  "Those are red onions. These are normal onions." The pixie crified.

  "Do they taste the same?" Emyri asked, reached into the red onion with her mouth open.

  "I wouldn't, tastes bitter. Best used as ingredients to make meals sweeter!" She turned toward the sound of feet scurrying downstairs as they were soon met by KuliKuli and Felix. "Oh, hallo!"

  "Tootsie." KuliKuli bowed her head lightly, fainting a smile. She looked to her mother as her smile disappeared. "Mom, we need to talk."

  Emyri looked around just as they were joined by Na'Vi and Dimyri, with all eyes falling on her. "Um... am I in trouble?"

  Sensing trouble, Tootsie hopped off her shoulder, leaping from the countertop onto Felix's arm for safety.

  Emyri soon found herself sat on the dining room table, with everyone else taking a seat around her. KuliKuli sat facing her mother, her paws sliding around the wooden surface as she mustered the courage to start.

  "I know what happened the night Perdilius found us."

  Emyri's eyes widened.

  "Rather, Felix told me what happened."

  "And I learned it from Dimyri." He mentioned.

  Dimyri frowned. "Okay, didn't need to eborate that far but sure, pin it on me."

  "Mom, you've been hiding something from us."

  Emyri sucked in her lip, biting her tongue. "Is this... is this about your father?"

  "We know that Perdilius is after KuliKuli, Dimyri, and Syri." Felix expined. "And Vardare told us why, something about them being hybrid entities. There are two types of essence, dark and light. Us humans have a natural attraction toward both, both Monsters-"

  "Only attract dark essence." Emyri filled in much to their surprise. She hung her head and sighed. "I am aware of that."

  "Then you know what being a hybrid means." He leaned in closer to her. "And you're not a hybrid, which means their dad has to carry an attraction to light essence."

  "What does light essence even mean?" Na'Vi asked, seemingly puzzled.

  "Essence is magic." KuliKuli replied. "It's how we can change from cats to Nekomata."

  "Monsters have a stronger attraction to dark essence, but no human has an attraction to light essence." Felix mentioned, "No natural attraction. Whoever dad is, he's one special man."

  Emyi raised her paws. "E-Even if I were to say, what does this matter? How does this help us deal with Perdilius?"

  "It doesn't!" Felix raised his voice, gring at her. "But you told me we have to make choices not everyone agrees with, but we do it if it means protecting the people we love. And you told me their dad was a troubled man who wouldn't hurt his family but chose to fight his battles alone. And after what I saw at Kershin Market, I've noticed some things. I thought it strange that you found us and then not long after is when Perdilius' men arrived. How it was only a few days with Syri around before Janette and Reta ran into that hunter, Leone."

  Emyri flinched, a bead of sweat rolled down her temple. Na'Vi shifted back, her ears catching a rustling noise outside.

  "Emyri, I think their arrival was no coincidence." Felix stated, his eyes growing narrow.

  Emyri shot up from her chair. "I am NOT working with them if that is what you're alluding to."

  "No, I hope not. I don't think you are, but you do have more to say about one of them then you want us to think."

  "Even if that were true, why does this matter? How does this help anyone?" She asked.

  Na'Vi scooted her chair back. her eyes staring out the window. The trees were rustling quietly outside, dimly lit by the three moons. There were no squirrels scurrying about nor the sound of any grasshoppers chirping. The others were too engrossed in the current confrontation, but she couldn't shake off the icy feeling tickling her back that something was watching them.

  Her eyes shot open upon realizing the window had been left open.

  "What I'm saying is, if their dad is who I think he is, then we're in deeper trouble than you realize." Felix stated, standing over the table. "I was kept in a cage with that priest, and he spoke with confidence, not like some deranged lunatic. He knows what he's doing, he pyed the whole town to his advantage! He didn't find her alone, he learned through their dad first."

  "He wouldn't do that!" She shouted back.

  "GUYS!" Na'Vi screamed loudly, everyone turning their attention to her. She raised her chin up, scanning around the dining room. Nothing under the table, nor did she find anything behind the doorframes. Slowly, she walked toward the window and tilted it closed while the others watched her. They stayed silent, catching on to what she discovered.

  She gasped, yanking her paw away as something spped the gss from the outside.

  KuliKuli threw her chair back, running over to lock the window.

  "Shit." Felix muttered under his breath, moving quickly to double check that the other windows and doors were locked. "No, no, no."

  "Did they find us?" Emyri asked, standing in pce beside the dining table. "Is he here?"

  Felix peaked out the front door window. "I don't see anything."

  "Can't smell his scent." KuliKuli mentioned, sniffing the air. "No other hoo-mans, just us. Wait, something else. Not hoo-man."

  Na'Vi snapped her head toward the opposite room just as a loud bang was heard. KuliKuli breathed in deep but was stopped when Felix held out his hand. He stepped in front of her, choosing to head inside alone. But he wasn't stupid as to close the door, he was brave but not suicidal. Only the dining room held some nterns to illuminate the area, whilst the furnace kept a warm red glow at the center of the kitchen.

  He dashed inside, scanning around and checking behind the door. The only thing out of pce was a chair toppled to its side next to another door frame. This time he waved his hand for KuliKuli to accompany him, both of them walking side by side to investigate. But they were led to the celr, turning their heads toward the sound of something small scurrying across the wooden floor, something reminiscent of paws.

  They noticed several scratches on the wooden texture, leaving a trail towards the white backyard door left ajar with a cool wind whistling through.

  "Something's inside." KuliKuli said, closing the door and locking it.

  Felix turned around, alerting the others as they retreated to the dining area. "We're not alone, get Syri and Janette."

  "What is it?" Emyri asked, holding her paws to her chest.

  Felix turned to her with a serious look. "We're in danger."