The day slipped by before the others realized, with only one member keeping track when the sun set and the three moons began to rise above the mountains. While the others barricaded themselves inside Janette's fortified home, they found themselves in a period of silence as an invitation to ease the tension of the night by getting to know one another better. Small talk would be the initiate behind all manners of introduction, with Emyri taking the approach to step forward and clasp Felix's hand with her large furry paws in a clumsy attempt to imitate a handshake. His arm waved up and down in a silly manner, his smile wavering as he tried to keep his balance from her furious hand shake.
"I cannot thank you all enough for your hospitality! You are the first group we've encountered which haven't met us with hostility or threatening our lives before." She beamed with a warm glow, her dimples highlighting her cheeky smile.
"Can't say the same back to them." Janette muttered under her breath, receiving an elbow nudge from KuliKuli.
"Ah~haha! It's uhh-it's no big deal! I mean we're accustomed to Monster Girls really. It doesn't always go well, I mean when I first met KuliKuli she tried to claw my face out."
"Oh!?" KuliKuli scoffed, her mouth wide open as she crossed her arms, "I remember you invited me into your home first."
"Did you now?" Emyri asked with raised interest.
Felix began to sweat as he felt all cat eyes fell on him. "To be fair, you were in cat form. I didn't know you were a Nekomata before."
"Curious, would it be that if she were in her true form you would not have brought her to your home?" Emyri questioned him with her emerald eyes fixated on him with a sense of intimidation. For a moment, Felix felt like she was speaking in a defensive tone, one wrong answer and this momma cat would defend her kitten. He would need to think carefully about his response.
He cleared his throat and tugged at his hand, still trapped between her paws as she relented and let him go. "Well... I don't, hmm. I-uhh."
He noticed both Dimyri and Syri stood by their mother with judgmental looks, and even Na'Vi was pointing daggers at his direction. Looking back between KuliKuli and Emyri, he felt trapped like a mouse under a cat's paw. Using his calming technique that helped him concentrate for Genki helped him keep a calm head before thinking several times over what the right words would be.
"You need to understand what the situation was that night. A few months back there was this terrible storm, winds that howled loud enough to put any wolves to shame, and thunder which roared like lions throughout the night. Lightning would flash and crack down, striking with deadly precision leaving whatever grounds it struck as a sizzling crater of ash and soot. The storm was sudden and fierce, hardly gave me the time to prepare ahead of time. I found myself running into the farm to tend to the animals, keeping them well-fed and secure in their stables and chicken coops, and when I could breathe in relief knowing that they were safe, I retreated back to my home when a flash of light lit up the skies before a thundering boom echoed through the woods and left me dazed and frightened. There was a toolshed several yards to the rear of the cabin, and the storm had rendered it to a pile of wood and metal. In my attempt to gather up the tools, I found a lost stray cat hidden under the wreckage and took her in."
"That was me!" KuliKuli jumped with glee, wrapping her paws around his arm. "I remember feeling light as a feather in your arms but slipped back into sleep. When I opened my eyes, I was in this strange wooden box with all kinds of weird trinkets, blankets and furniture. Master calls it a bedroom, and I don't remember when was the last time I had something to eat but I was hungry. So I noticed that he was sleeping and his face was super cute! I needed something to sate my hunger, so I-"
"I-I fed her some leftover pork chops and a bowl of cow milk, after a struggle late in the night." Felix interrupted her, catching her mischievous smile in his peripheral vision as he struggled to keep a straight face amidst his blush.
Emyri giggle and clapped her paws. "My my, I wouldn't have guessed. So you've been keeping my daughter safe from the beginning? Seems I've a lot to be thanking you for."
"Yes, curious that it happened so." Na'Vi pondered with a scowl, turning to KuliKuli. "Is that how you lost your memory, was it the wreckage of this 'tool shed' crushing down on you? Were you hurt badly, any scars or wounds that haven't healed?"
Her expression grew soft as she reached in and ran her paws around KuliKuli's hair, startling the Nekomata as she giggled and shook away. "It's nothing like that! Just a small bump, but I don't know. I really can't remember much before that, it's like my first day ever was waking up to Felix."
Na'Vi's ears dropped in disappointment, stepping away slowly with a defeated look. It caused KuliKuli's heart to sink as she felt helpless seeing her friend's reaction. But it was a curious and complicated matter, this was the one Nekomata she found herself thinking about the most. Meeting her mother and sisters was an exciting surprise to her, regardless of the incoming threat of the Monster Hunter and the gathering soldiers at the Farmer's Den. She felt that their presence was inevitable regardless of the arrival of her family, something she welcomed dearly after warming up to them. There was still a lot to learn about them, but they looked to her with such warmth and familiarity that although they were strangers to her, it was clear that she was someone close to them.
It was a surreal feeling to her, knowing that they know her yet she didn't know them. She was just glad to have them around, finding comfort in them and feeling stronger as a group together. She hoped that they would get along together and warm up to Felix after getting to know them more, but Na'Vi's presence brought in some difficulties. Although she had meant to approach her, she found herself avoiding her instead. Every time she laid her eyes on her, there would be this feeling of guilt lingering and pestering her, and she couldn't explain why. What was it that twisted her belly whenever she looked in Na'Vi's direction, was it her claim that they were lovers in the past? What did that mean to Felix, she had neglected to approach him and ask how he felt about her.
She hadn't the courage nor malice to kick her out, it was out of the question. She was part of their family according to her mother, she suspected that Na'Vi was adopted. But how would she approach her without causing a scene, and what would she say? A direct approach would be straightforward, and yet she struggled to even find the words for it. Would Felix be upset about this notion, should she do this in secret or ask him first? Just the speculation of what would happen frightened her, and perhaps that's why she preferred concentrating on the Hunter instead. As they were gathered around the living room, she stepped away and sat down alone on a couch.
Felix felt a pinch of guilt and sorrow creeping up above his shoulders in this rather supernatural manner, like a sixth sense when one could feel that they were being watched. Only it wasn't that, he turned and noticed KuliKuli had went off to sit by herself. Although she seemed contempt with a calm expression, he could sense the pain building up inside her. As he tried to approach her, he found himself surrounded by the appearance of her two siblings, Syri and Dimyri. They walked in circles around him with a paw rested under their chin, inspecting him from head to toe.
Felix stood still, feeling awkward in how upfront they were to look at him this way. "Can I help you?"
"Hmm, just trying to see how Nityri fell for you and chose you as her mate." Dimyri explained, noticing the wounded expression in him by the twitch of his brow and flicker in his eye. "Not that I'm saying you're unattractive! Just, well we haven't met any outside humans before."
Syri giggled and nudged her older sibling. "Can you tell us more about how you two met? Did you two fall in love at first sight, or-or was it something that happened later."
"I wouldn't... it's hard to say," He stammered in his response, looking back and forth from one curious cat to the next. "I don't know, it just happened."
Syri seemed puzzled in his response. "So, you didn't have a crush on her then?"
Dimyri chuckled and patted her head, taking advantage of her taller height. "Cheeky sissy, some people fall in love after getting to know each other over time. That's probably what happened here."
"I mean, it was a little bit of both." Felix explained, recapturing Syri's interest. "It's hard to get to know someone when they don't even remember their name."
"Oh? So she was that bad in her memory?" Dimyri asked with startled eyes, her mouth wide open. "Could she even talk?"
"Fortunately, yes. It was just her name and memory, it was like she said about that day feeling like her first day."
Syri leaned forward, pressing her paw against his chest while looking up to him with eyes glimmering with hope. "So does that mean you did have a crush on her? What did you say, what did you do? You know, when we like someone we stay close to them and protect them, and if we really like them we rub ourselves on them to leave our scent on them. Is um... is that the same for you hoo-mans?"
Felix chuckled and ran his hand through his hair, parting it away from falling over his eyes. Hearing her call him that and pronounce it in that way felt like a nostalgic reminder of KuliKuli and their first time interacting with each other. There was no question about it, he felt confident knowing she truly is her sister.
"I can't say you know? I wasn't um, well I don't know. I think... I've heard from others before that the way we approach someone is by getting to know them better. Talk to someone you really like, and if they like you back then you ask them on a date, I think? I was never educated about this before myself."
"A date?" Syri stepped away, her brows scrunched together as she concentrated on his words. She spun around, facing him with a determined look. "Tell me more about this date, mister Felix!"
"Just Felix is fine, youuuuu might want to approach Janette about that." He turned and with a point of his thumb, gestured back toward Janette as she spoke with Emyri several feet behind him.
Syri's eyes lit up as her tails unraveled from her waist and waved around, but her eyes looked away and she rubbed her arm with a shy look about her. "Um, okay. Does she know about dates?"
"She's the one I asked before taking KuliKuli on a date, of course!" He lit up as an idea manifested in his head. "Oh is there someone you like?"
"Ah! No-no, f-f-forget that I asked!" She stuttered and clumsily backpedaled, retreating and nearly stumbling while waving her paws in front of her. "I-It's a cat thing see, curiosity and that kind of stuff! Mew, ummm... thankies!"
She fell back over the couch as Felix reached out, with Emyri and Janette turning to watch. Syri shot upright and rubbed her head nervously, smiling and waving her paw as if bidding them farewell before running out of the room and up the stairs.
Felix turned to Dimyri as she held a knowing smirk with half-closed eyes. "What was that about?"
"Oh it's nothing to worry about, she can be silly like that." She replied back, patting his arm and walking away to approach her mother instead.
Now that he was free, he sat beside KuliKuli and held her paw as she turned and rubbed her head on his shoulder. Leaning in, he whispered to his ear, "Is everything okay?"
"No." She answered truthfully, looking into his eyes. "Take me to bed?"
"Are you sure? Now's a good time to get to know your family for a bit." He asked, looking around the room. Na'Vi held up silently leaning against the wall, while Janette and Emyri kept engaged in a conversation with Dimyri included. They were laughing and smiling, a hopeful image to his eyes.
He looked to her and nodded, the pair getting up and silently dismissing themselves as they headed up to their appointed bedroom.
The rest remained interacting together in harmony, unaware that Reta had slipped outside from their gathering. She looked up while standing alone, shrouded by the shade of the dozens of acres of trees surrounded the house while staring at the three moons. A wave of relief washed through her as she sighed and closed her eyes, hunching forward and nearly laughing to tonight's revelation.
Not tonight, she thought to herself. Tonight she may rest without falling victim to her curse for now.
The day slipped by before the others realized, with only one member keeping track when the sun set and the three moons began to rise above the mountains. While the others barricaded themselves inside Janette's fortified home, they found themselves in a period of silence as an invitation to ease the tension of the night by getting to know one another better. Small talk would be the initiate behind all manners of introduction, with Emyri taking the approach to step forward and clasp Felix's hand with her large furry paws in a clumsy attempt to imitate a handshake. His arm waved up and down in a silly manner, his smile wavering as he tried to keep his balance from her furious hand shake.
"I cannot thank you all enough for your hospitality! You are the first group we've encountered which haven't met us with hostility or threatening our lives before." She beamed with a warm glow, her dimples highlighting her cheeky smile.
"Can't say the same back to them." Janette muttered under her breath, receiving an elbow nudge from KuliKuli.
"Ah~haha! It's uhh-it's no big deal! I mean we're accustomed to Monster Girls really. It doesn't always go well, I mean when I first met KuliKuli she tried to claw my face out."
"Oh!?" KuliKuli scoffed, her mouth wide open as she crossed her arms, "I remember you invited me into your home first."
"Did you now?" Emyri asked with raised interest.
Felix began to sweat as he felt all cat eyes fell on him. "To be fair, you were in cat form. I didn't know you were a Nekomata before."
"Curious, would it be that if she were in her true form you would not have brought her to your home?" Emyri questioned him with her emerald eyes fixated on him with a sense of intimidation. For a moment, Felix felt like she was speaking in a defensive tone, one wrong answer and this momma cat would defend her kitten. He would need to think carefully about his response.
He cleared his throat and tugged at his hand, still trapped between her paws as she relented and let him go. "Well... I don't, hmm. I-uhh."
He noticed both Dimyri and Syri stood by their mother with judgmental looks, and even Na'Vi was pointing daggers at his direction. Looking back between KuliKuli and Emyri, he felt trapped like a mouse under a cat's paw. Using his calming technique that helped him concentrate for Genki helped him keep a calm head before thinking several times over what the right words would be.
"You need to understand what the situation was that night. A few months back there was this terrible storm, winds that howled loud enough to put any wolves to shame, and thunder which roared like lions throughout the night. Lightning would flash and crack down, striking with deadly precision leaving whatever grounds it struck as a sizzling crater of ash and soot. The storm was sudden and fierce, hardly gave me the time to prepare ahead of time. I found myself running into the farm to tend to the animals, keeping them well-fed and secure in their stables and chicken coops, and when I could breathe in relief knowing that they were safe, I retreated back to my home when a flash of light lit up the skies before a thundering boom echoed through the woods and left me dazed and frightened. There was a toolshed several yards to the rear of the cabin, and the storm had rendered it to a pile of wood and metal. In my attempt to gather up the tools, I found a lost stray cat hidden under the wreckage and took her in."
"That was me!" KuliKuli jumped with glee, wrapping her paws around his arm. "I remember feeling light as a feather in your arms but slipped back into sleep. When I opened my eyes, I was in this strange wooden box with all kinds of weird trinkets, blankets and furniture. Master calls it a bedroom, and I don't remember when was the last time I had something to eat but I was hungry. So I noticed that he was sleeping and his face was super cute! I needed something to sate my hunger, so I-"
"I-I fed her some leftover pork chops and a bowl of cow milk, after a struggle late in the night." Felix interrupted her, catching her mischievous smile in his peripheral vision as he struggled to keep a straight face amidst his blush.
Emyri giggle and clapped her paws. "My my, I wouldn't have guessed. So you've been keeping my daughter safe from the beginning? Seems I've a lot to be thanking you for."
"Yes, curious that it happened so." Na'Vi pondered with a scowl, turning to KuliKuli. "Is that how you lost your memory, was it the wreckage of this 'tool shed' crushing down on you? Were you hurt badly, any scars or wounds that haven't healed?"
Her expression grew soft as she reached in and ran her paws around KuliKuli's hair, startling the Nekomata as she giggled and shook away. "It's nothing like that! Just a small bump, but I don't know. I really can't remember much before that, it's like my first day ever was waking up to Felix."
Na'Vi's ears dropped in disappointment, stepping away slowly with a defeated look. It caused KuliKuli's heart to sink as she felt helpless seeing her friend's reaction. But it was a curious and complicated matter, this was the one Nekomata she found herself thinking about the most. Meeting her mother and sisters was an exciting surprise to her, regardless of the incoming threat of the Monster Hunter and the gathering soldiers at the Farmer's Den. She felt that their presence was inevitable regardless of the arrival of her family, something she welcomed dearly after warming up to them. There was still a lot to learn about them, but they looked to her with such warmth and familiarity that although they were strangers to her, it was clear that she was someone close to them.
It was a surreal feeling to her, knowing that they know her yet she didn't know them. She was just glad to have them around, finding comfort in them and feeling stronger as a group together. She hoped that they would get along together and warm up to Felix after getting to know them more, but Na'Vi's presence brought in some difficulties. Although she had meant to approach her, she found herself avoiding her instead. Every time she laid her eyes on her, there would be this feeling of guilt lingering and pestering her, and she couldn't explain why. What was it that twisted her belly whenever she looked in Na'Vi's direction, was it her claim that they were lovers in the past? What did that mean to Felix, she had neglected to approach him and ask how he felt about her.
She hadn't the courage nor malice to kick her out, it was out of the question. She was part of their family according to her mother, she suspected that Na'Vi was adopted. But how would she approach her without causing a scene, and what would she say? A direct approach would be straightforward, and yet she struggled to even find the words for it. Would Felix be upset about this notion, should she do this in secret or ask him first? Just the speculation of what would happen frightened her, and perhaps that's why she preferred concentrating on the Hunter instead. As they were gathered around the living room, she stepped away and sat down alone on a couch.
Felix felt a pinch of guilt and sorrow creeping up above his shoulders in this rather supernatural manner, like a sixth sense when one could feel that they were being watched. Only it wasn't that, he turned and noticed KuliKuli had went off to sit by herself. Although she seemed contempt with a calm expression, he could sense the pain building up inside her. As he tried to approach her, he found himself surrounded by the appearance of her two siblings, Syri and Dimyri. They walked in circles around him with a paw rested under their chin, inspecting him from head to toe.
Felix stood still, feeling awkward in how upfront they were to look at him this way. "Can I help you?"
"Hmm, just trying to see how Nityri fell for you and chose you as her mate." Dimyri explained, noticing the wounded expression in him by the twitch of his brow and flicker in his eye. "Not that I'm saying you're unattractive! Just, well we haven't met any outside humans before."
Syri giggled and nudged her older sibling. "Can you tell us more about how you two met? Did you two fall in love at first sight, or-or was it something that happened later."
"I wouldn't... it's hard to say," He stammered in his response, looking back and forth from one curious cat to the next. "I don't know, it just happened."
Syri seemed puzzled in his response. "So, you didn't have a crush on her then?"
Dimyri chuckled and patted her head, taking advantage of her taller height. "Cheeky sissy, some people fall in love after getting to know each other over time. That's probably what happened here."
"I mean, it was a little bit of both." Felix explained, recapturing Syri's interest. "It's hard to get to know someone when they don't even remember their name."
"Oh? So she was that bad in her memory?" Dimyri asked with startled eyes, her mouth wide open. "Could she even talk?"
"Fortunately, yes. It was just her name and memory, it was like she said about that day feeling like her first day."
Syri leaned forward, pressing her paw against his chest while looking up to him with eyes glimmering with hope. "So does that mean you did have a crush on her? What did you say, what did you do? You know, when we like someone we stay close to them and protect them, and if we really like them we rub ourselves on them to leave our scent on them. Is um... is that the same for you hoo-mans?"
Felix chuckled and ran his hand through his hair, parting it away from falling over his eyes. Hearing her call him that and pronounce it in that way felt like a nostalgic reminder of KuliKuli and their first time interacting with each other. There was no question about it, he felt confident knowing she truly is her sister.
"I can't say you know? I wasn't um, well I don't know. I think... I've heard from others before that the way we approach someone is by getting to know them better. Talk to someone you really like, and if they like you back then you ask them on a date, I think? I was never educated about this before myself."
"A date?" Syri stepped away, her brows scrunched together as she concentrated on his words. She spun around, facing him with a determined look. "Tell me more about this date, mister Felix!"
"Just Felix is fine, youuuuu might want to approach Janette about that." He turned and with a point of his thumb, gestured back toward Janette as she spoke with Emyri several feet behind him.
Syri's eyes lit up as her tails unraveled from her waist and waved around, but her eyes looked away and she rubbed her arm with a shy look about her. "Um, okay. Does she know about dates?"
"She's the one I asked before taking KuliKuli on a date, of course!" He lit up as an idea manifested in his head. "Oh is there someone you like?"
"Ah! No-no, f-f-forget that I asked!" She stuttered and clumsily backpedaled, retreating and nearly stumbling while waving her paws in front of her. "I-It's a cat thing see, curiosity and that kind of stuff! Mew, ummm... thankies!"
She fell back over the couch as Felix reached out, with Emyri and Janette turning to watch. Syri shot upright and rubbed her head nervously, smiling and waving her paw as if bidding them farewell before running out of the room and up the stairs.
Felix turned to Dimyri as she held a knowing smirk with half-closed eyes. "What was that about?"
"Oh it's nothing to worry about, she can be silly like that." She replied back, patting his arm and walking away to approach her mother instead.
Now that he was free, he sat beside KuliKuli and held her paw as she turned and rubbed her head on his shoulder. Leaning in, he whispered to his ear, "Is everything okay?"
"No." She answered truthfully, looking into his eyes. "Take me to bed?"
"Are you sure? Now's a good time to get to know your family for a bit." He asked, looking around the room. Na'Vi held up silently leaning against the wall, while Janette and Emyri kept engaged in a conversation with Dimyri included. They were laughing and smiling, a hopeful image to his eyes.
He looked to her and nodded, the pair getting up and silently dismissing themselves as they headed up to their appointed bedroom.
The rest remained interacting together in harmony, unaware that Reta had slipped outside from their gathering. She looked up while standing alone, shrouded by the shade of the dozens of acres of trees surrounded the house while staring at the three moons. A wave of relief washed through her as she sighed and closed her eyes, hunching forward and nearly laughing to tonight's revelation.
Not tonight, she thought to herself. Tonight she may rest without falling victim to her curse for now.
