Luiz stared at the forest clearing, his sword still drawn and glinting faintly in the flickering firelight. His hand trembled, not from fear, but from the weight of the decision before him. He had thought about this moment for a long time. If he killed the ginger cat standing defiantly in front of him, the shame tied to his name would vanish.
But his knighthood? That wouldn’t come back.
Luiz sighed and sheathed his sword, the weight of his decision settling over him.
“What is your name, Cat?” Luiz asked, his voice steady but curious.
The ginger cat tilted its head, its awkward reply heavy with a feline accent, “I am Kaiser, Lord of the Cats, and soon I will conquer the world!”
Luiz raised an eyebrow. Ambition, or an overinflated ego? Maybe both. But after what he had witnessed, he couldn’t deny that the cat might have the ability to back it up.
The cat in front of him—this pyromaniac menace—was no ordinary creature. It had the audacity to call itself Kaiser, Lord of the Cats, and had demonstrated time and again why it deserved the title. Luiz had fought many foes in his life, but this one was different.
A champion.
Champions like this cat appeared rarely, carving their marks into history as heroes or villains. And this one? Its story was just beginning.
If Luiz struck it down now, the rebellion it led might crumble, or perhaps another cat would rise to take its place. Either way, the immediate threat would be gone.
But if he let it go…
If he let it go and it wreaked havoc in other territories, what would that make him? Luiz Amoro Martinez: the knight who couldn’t outwit a cat?
“I will let you go,” Luiz said firmly, “but you must swear in your name to never return to Felor. And that Magic Bag—leave it with me.”
The cat blinked, seemingly surprised by the offer. Then, with an exaggerated nod, it replied, “Wow, neat. Okay!”
Before Luiz could second-guess himself, Kaiser and his feline entourage vanished into the trees with a series of nimble leaps. Moments later, the Magic Bag landed at Luiz’s feet. He caught it, examining the enchanted item briefly before securing it at his side. This would be enough proof they’ve fought the brigand cats.
Lance stepped forward, his face etched with doubt. “Sir Luiz, is that wise? Letting them go like this?”
Luiz exhaled slowly, watching the forest where the cats had disappeared. “It will be fine. The troll’s body and the dead cats we’ve slain will be enough to defend my honor back home. No one will care about some ‘leader’ of the cats that no one can confirm had even existed.”
Lance hesitated, then nodded, signaling the soldiers to begin their grim task. They moved to the massive troll’s body, hacking it apart for proof of their triumph. Others gathered the lifeless bodies of the cats who had fallen in battle.
Luiz turned his gaze skyward, the smoke from the burning forest mingling with the evening air. Whatever chaos this Kaiser brought in the future, it would be someone else’s problem. For now, Luiz’s honor was restored, and his duty was complete.
Woohee~! We escaped! I couldn’t help the grin spreading across my face as we leaped from tree to tree, leaving Luiz and his posse far behind.
“Did you see what I just did there?” I called out, puffing up my chest in pride.
Lucky, running alongside me, gave me a flat look. “Yeah, you got lucky.”
I scoffed, flicking my tail dramatically. “I’m Kaiser, damn it! I don’t get lucky!”
Scruffy, bounding behind us, snorted. “Seriously?”
“Just kidding,” I muttered with a sheepish grin. Yep, I totally got lucky back there.
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We pounced from one branch to another, the forest canopy thinning as the hours passed. Finally, after what felt like an eternity—probably two hours—we caught up with Chunky, Felipe, and Mary. They were lounging near a small stream, looking worse for wear but alive.
Mary, who had been in rough shape earlier, was now standing, albeit wobbly. Chunky sat protectively by her side, his usual calm demeanor intact. Felipe was busy cleaning his orange fur, grumbling something about dirt ruining his shine.
I landed in front of them, swishing my tail. “So nice of you to wait for us. Hopefully, Daisy left some markers or something so we can follow her trail.”
As if on cue, a white cat burst out of a nearby bush, startling Felipe, who yelped and jumped three feet into the air.
The white cat grinned, her bright eyes sparkling. “Heya there, bosses! Name’s Jam. Lady Daisy left me to help guide you. We just need to head straight from here.”
“Jam, huh?” I tilted my head, sizing her up. She was lean and quick, with an energy that reminded me of an overexcited kitten. “You’re with Daisy’s crew?”
Jam nodded eagerly. “Sure am! She’s waiting for us at the next checkpoint. Said you’d probably be dragging your tails after that mess with the humans.”
“Dragging our tails?” Lucky muttered, offended.
“Speak for yourself,” Scruffy added, looking insulted.
I waved them off. “Relax, you two. Let’s just be grateful Daisy left someone to guide us. Lead the way, Jam.”
With that, Jam turned and darted off into the underbrush, her white coat blending in with the faint mist settling over the forest floor. We followed close behind, moving quickly but cautiously.
As we ran, I couldn’t help but glance at my crew. We were battered and exhausted, but we were alive. For now, that was enough.
The travel had been long and circuitous. Jam led the way with an uncanny knack for spotting the subtle markers Daisy had left behind—small scratches on bark, carefully placed stones, and the occasional tuft of fur tied to a low branch. I wouldn’t have noticed them if my life depended on it, but Jam breezed through like she’d been born for it.
A week passed before we finally reached the rest of the cats. They’d made camp at the foot of a towering mountain, nestled in a cozy clearing surrounded by tall pines. The smell of fresh water and the distant chatter of birds made it feel almost peaceful.
Almost.
The horses grazing nearby neighed nervously at the sight of us. I scanned the camp, but something was off.
“Where are the boars?” I muttered.
Before anyone could answer, a tuxedo cat dropped from the tree canopy above, landing in front of me with practiced grace.
“Kaiser!” Butler called, his voice as sharp as ever.
“Butler!” I shouted back, a grin spreading across my face. Without thinking, I charged forward, tackling him to the ground and slamming him into the dirt.
“Ugh, come on!” Butler groaned, wriggling under me.
Lucky rolled her eyes, flicking her tail in annoyance. “Where are Daisy and Demo?”
Butler dusted himself off as I finally let him up. “They’re up in the mountains. Took the boars with them to clear out a goblin settlement.”
Scruffy stretched lazily, his tone dry. “Hard at work, huh?”
Chunky nodded. “So, where are we setting up our base?”
“Not the goblin settlement,” I said immediately, shaking my head.
Butler chuckled. “Nah, we’ll need to get past the valley the goblins were guarding first. Daisy took only the most able cats with her. The rest stayed here to recover. Some are still injured, so the focus has been on resting and regrouping.”
“How’s our health potion supply?” I asked, my voice steady but concerned.
Butler’s ears flattened slightly. “Running low. We prioritized healing those who needed it most and left the others to recover naturally. If we don’t find more soon, we’ll have to ration even tighter.”
I frowned, glancing at my crew. Everyone looked tired, even Jam, whose earlier enthusiasm had dimmed after days of travel.
“Alright,” I said finally, squaring my shoulders. “Let’s get settled and see what we’re working with. Once we regroup, we’ll figure out how to restock and support Daisy and Demo.”
Butler nodded. “We’ll be ready when you are, Kaiser.”
Three hours after we arrived, Daisy and Demo returned, bringing a dozen cats and the boars with them. Seeing them alive and well lifted a weight off my chest I hadn’t even realized I’d been carrying. Daisy, with her ginger coat and white highlights, stood proud as ever. Demo, on the other hand, with his white fur patched randomly with black, looked like he’d been dragged through a bush backward.
Demo grinned when he saw me. “Oh man, still alive?”
“Shut up, Demo,” I shot back, rolling my eyes.
We wasted no time getting a feast going. It wasn’t exactly smart—our food supplies took a serious hit—but we were alive, damn it, and that was worth celebrating.
Lucky, always the diva, decided to put on a show. She sang in Cat Tongue, her voice clear and melodic, giving the performance of a lifetime. I had to admit, she was getting better and better.
We ate until we couldn’t move, laughed until our sides hurt, and for a while, it felt like all the struggles of the past weeks were behind us. A few cats got rowdy, and—ugh—some even started making love right there in the camp. Gross.
Lucky almost had me too. She cornered me with that mischievous glint in her eye, but lucky for her, I’m too smart to fall for it. No way was I ready to be anyone’s daddy.
Things got wilder as the night went on. Someone—don’t ask me who—produced a barrel of beer. I didn’t even question where it came from; I just went with it. Cats were hammered left and right, and at some point, even one of the horses got drunk. Have you ever seen a drunk horse? Let me tell you, it’s not something you forget.
Of course, Scruffy had to snitch on me, spilling the beans that the whole beer fiasco was Demo’s idea. That good-for-nothing cat! Demo just grinned and raised his cup with his clumsy paws, clearly proud of himself of having done it.
By the time I finally passed out, sprawled on the ground with a half-empty plate of fish next to me, I couldn’t help but think that maybe—just maybe—we’d earned this little slice of chaos.