XI

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Arc XI Chapter 8

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Katsuki meowed at her precious human companion, “Arrre you rrready, Yuki~?” Yuki was central to fulfilling her mission, and thus her well being was of prime impurrrtance to the entirety of nekohood. It was not as if she cared about Yuki, or what. Just slightly. Unlike her Nee-san, Yuki was actually tending to her, providing her with an ample supply of back pats and chin scratches. Both were of course highly appreciated by the kitten in her. Yuki was even playing with her in her free time.

Yuki smiled, holding her tightly in her tender arms. “I am. I have prepared everything I need. I have packed my backpack, just as Nee-san taught me.”

“Purrfect.” Katsuki nodded, her paw pointing forwards with determination. “Then it is time to depawrt. Can you pleashe put me down?”

“Of course ...” Yuki did as commanded, placing her down, on the floor.

Katsuki channelled her chakra and natural energy. Her fluffy paws mowed, kneading her chakra to perform the sacred art of neko no jutsu. Her technique succeeded.

A portal opened, connecting the physical plane to the realm of the neko clan. It was a small portal, yet big enough for Yuki to pass through with a certain degree of effort.

Yuki stared at the product with a mixture of doubt and scepticism, even going as far as poking her cute little portal. “Katsuki, are you sure that I will fit through?”

Katsuki nodded with the certainty of a princess. Her royal judgement must be infallible. “Absolutely, I swear on mew fluffy paws that the portal will work. At least, it works meowst of the times. You just need to crrrawl through.”

“...” For some incomprehensible reason, Yuki didn't share her enthusiasm.

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“Aaarghhhhh.” Yuki was falling through the air, downwards, groundwards before making a crash landing on the hard ground with at least modest speed. The portal had dropped them both airborne, sending them flying. Whether it was an accident or on purpose was not yet clear. Both was possible considering Katsuki's mischievous and clumsy nature.

“Ouchie.” Yuki was rubbing her poor butt after her harsh landing, grumbling, clearly dissatisfied with their unwelcome reception. “Katsuki, what was this ... Katsuki, ... Katsuki, where are you?”

“Yuki, help mew! I am blind! I can't see any morrre!” Katsuki was begging for help ... Her head was stuck into the ground ... Probably due to their fall ...

“... ... ...” Yuki blinked her eyes, before freeing the little silly kitten princess, pulling her tiny head out of the ground.

Katsuki inhaled the air of freedom, sighing in relief. “Thank you, Yuki. Once again, you arrre my saviourrr in need. You have somehow managed to rrreturn my eyesight! A mirrracle!”

“Well, you were merely stuck into the earth. I just pulled you out.” Yuki mustered a dry, wry laugh, while carrying Katsuki in her hands.

“Oh ...” Katsuki came to realise her error. “Anynya, your contribution to nekohood is apprrreciated. You have liberrrated mew from the evil clutches of earth!”

“Sure.” Yuki returned a smile, patting her head. Her eyes were scanning their surroundings. Open woodland greeted them, accompanied by fertile grassland and extensive lush vegetation. “Katsuki, do you have any idea where we are? It looks like we have landed in the middle of nowhere.”

Her feline companion appeared to be equally lost. “Well, it might seem so, but do not frrret, Yuki, we arrre not lost at all!”

“Are we?” Yuki raised an eyebrow of profound doubt. She had a hard time believing Katsuki after all her bragging and her previous failures. It wouldn't be the first time that her feline pride was speaking from her.

Katsuki nodded. “The portal must have dropped us inside neko clan territory. I am pawsolutely sure. We just need to walk for a bit beforrre we will reach Koneko, the imperial capital! Koneko must be close! I am cerrrtain!”

“...” Koneko ... Once again, everything about the neko clan was quite cat themed, which she supposed made sense considering their feline nature.

Yuki timidly raised her hand. “Katsuki, I have a question, though, in which direction should we go then?”

Katsuki was fidgeting with her paws, averting her gaze. “Well, the neko clan is unpawrtunately not what it used to be. The same is true for our terrritory. It has shrunken considerably over the pawst decades. So I guess that we should find Koneko sooner than later ...”

“... ... ... that sounds ... logical ...” Yuki tentatively agreed.

“It does!” Katsuki nodded, pointing her paw eastwards, where the sun was coming from. “This is the right direction! This must be the right pawth! I am certain!”

Yuki followed her gaze, looking for a path where none was. There was only empty grassland as far as her eyes reached. Yuki had her doubts. “Ehm, Katsuki, are you really sure that this is the right direction?”

“Yuki, trust mew and my superior cat senses.” Katsuki's chest swelled with pride, with only slight delusions of feline grandeur. “We can't be wrrrong!”

“... ... ...” Yuki said nothing. Not that she had much of a choice now that she was stuck far, far away in unknown lands with an unreliable cat princess as a guide. The only way was indeed forwards, forwards, ever forwards. Together, they led the way, embarking on their journey into the unknown.

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Only the tender whistling of the wind could be heard. The streets of Koneko were emptier than empty, completely deserted and devoid of life. Where once was bustling life, there was no deadly silence. Where once were merchants, artisans, people, there was now emptiness. The stalls, the shops, they were all empty. Koneko was a ghost town wherever she went, but not for a lack of population and activity, rather the contrary. There were signs of activity everywhere. The shops were open. The stalls were filled to the brim, offering a plenitude of wares and goods. There were also countless paw prints visible on the ground. It was as if life had suddenly ceased and all cats had gone into hiding, which was the case.

All the stares and gazes from everywhere didn't escape Yuki. The catizens of Koneko were looking at her with a mixture of fear and horror. They were hiding from her inside their homes and houses, barricading themselves behind the safety of their wooden walls. The cats were probably scared of her, terrified by her enormous height. Just as were the guards at the gates. The cat soldiers abandoned their posts at her mere sight, fleeing head over heels. They apparently believed that they were attacked by a giant bipedal creature and that had to call for reinforcement.

Yuki thus entered the settlement with little opposition. Not that she had come with hostile intentions, quite the contrary, but the guards chose to flee regardless, leaving the gate unprotected. She was now walking the streets of Koneko with Katsuki in her arms, heading directly for the imperial palace. At least, the sight of the town warmed her heart. The buildings, the houses, the shops, the stalls, the streets, everything was so small and cute. As if the town was made for cats, which it evidently was.

A happy smile crossed Yuki's lips. She had set foot into the town only a few minutes ago, but she already loved the place. All the small buildings and houses made her feel really tall. She was finally not the shortest person in the room any more. She was also sure that Nee-san would love the place too for the same reason. After all, Nee-san often complained about her ...

“Stop, archfiend! Move no further! Cease your wanton destruction, foreign devil!”

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