《Reforming a Demon Queen》


 Chap 1: The Destined Duo

    It was a barren but majestically open throne hall, with spiraling pillars holding up the ceiling. No signs of life decorated the hall except for a woman, who was monologuing.


    ¡°I, Catherine the II, am the GREATEST Demon King to ever exist! I have eaten Magisters of the Arcane, Emperors of the Natharan and Ichane Legacies, Otherworldly Heroes, Paladins of the Burning Sun, Popes of the Seven Seas, and the entire Guild of the Desecrate Hand! Their taste could not compare to the thousands of supple maidens, with their entrails still flesh, as their screams echoed with their death throes! Not even my brothers, my sisters, my uncles, or even my father were spared! I alone am the GREATEST being to exist on Palanquim! I am the devourer of souls! The eater of kingdoms! The¡­¡±


    The Demon Queen still kept talking about her gruesome achievements on her throne. I watched as her bodacious body bounced as she gestured in the air. Oh, Nigel, my lord of the world, why do I have to fight such a beauty?


    That skin-tight leather¡­ her practically nonexistent black leotard¡­ her big knockers flouted up and around¡­ her round, fluffy butt¡­ her snow-white and thick thighs¡­ her lusciously flowing hair caught my eyes like a net¡­ and her face. It was perfection embodied; she was my goddess, my true love, in the flesh.


    She was also Catherine the II, who killed all the powerful humans and demons throughout Palanquim, and ate them. Women. Children. Old. Sick. She ate everyone and everything that moved, and couldn¡¯t be stopped for the past one hundred years.


    The only reason why I, Viktor Krombell, Sage of the Silence, came to her castle was because she tried eating Irael, one of the three demigods. Nigel, of course, became scared, so I am supposed to annihilate her off the face of the planet.


    But she¡¯s so damn gorgeous! I swore off love ever since Irene broke my heart almost a thousand years ago, but Catherine makes her look like a rock! Screw being a Sage and meditating all alone! My little brother downstairs wants to say hi! I feel him rise up, hardened like a divine rod and putting up a tent in the front of my divine robes.


    I ran towards her. She¡¯s mine, she¡¯s mine, she¡¯s mine, mine, mine! My hands can¡¯t stop clamping together! Let me touch! Let me have you!


    ¡°¡­I get a thousand sacrifices each day from you puny humans!¡± she said, still arrogant and condescending. Don¡¯t worry, my love. I¡¯ll make great use of your mouth!


    ¡°¡­Huh!?! Stop right there! I¡¯m warning you!¡± she yelled. She stood up, her breasts flying in the air. Oh, the things I¡¯ll do to those! Little bro, wait just a little longer!


    ¡°¡­ Wha- What¡¯s that? No! Stay away! Stop!¡± she screamed and pointed at my little brother. Don¡¯t worry baby; little brother isn¡¯t mean¡­ Whoa, don¡¯t pull out sharp things from dimensional pockets, my love. That¡¯s not very nice!~


    ¡°HAAAAA!¡± she shouted and blasted a corrosive blanket of power at me. Her sword, the Viscerator of Sons, was a Godly artifact incapable of being broken. Still, that¡¯s not enough to stop me! Don¡¯t be so reckless, my love! Papa¡¯s coming!Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    I launched a Palm of the Enlightened Monkey, and it slapped the sword from her hand, and both landed hundreds of meters deep into the ground with waylaid destruction in its wake.


    ¡°How!?! How is this possible! I am the STRONGEST!¡± she cried and released her full power in her Devourer¡¯s Wrath Blast. The illusory jet snake shined like a mirror. Oh, darling, don¡¯t pretend to be so mad! Big daddy¡¯s here for you! I let out my Quiet Quill fly out of my sleeve. Her power slowed down and then self-destructed.


    ¡°I-i-i¡­ Impossible! How can you be so strong!¡± she teared up, small beads forming at the edges of her twinkling eyes. H-How cute! Oh, my dear, love trumps all! You can¡¯t stop love! I couldn¡¯t contain my smile! No, she must be mine!


    I stepped through space and grabbed her arms. She struggled hard and somehow slipped out partly from my grasp. S-soft. So soft! Her fists fired at the speed of sound, holstering an unbelievable martial prowess. Unmatched by the strong attacks which are blurs to my eyes, I was forced to hug her tight to my chest, my heart beating faster than a drum!


    ¡°L-lemme go. Bastard! What¡ª What is that thing?!¡± she screamed. Her legs swung in the air, kicking my shins, and tried their best to worm out and away from me. But she couldn¡¯t escape because she¡¯s my love, after all. I pushed her to the ground and forced her to submit. I released all my power, not even caring for how destroyed time and space became. It seeped into her body, marking it all as mine. Only mine.


    ¡°A-Awwu-uu. What are you¡­ What¡¯s this feeling? Stop¡­ I am¡­ the Demon King¡­¡± she moaned. Oh, yes, my love. Loosen up so little brother can find a home! I started stripping her. Dear Nigel. Thank you for this delicious meal! I will enjoy it with all my might!


    ¡°Uuwwwuuu. No¡­ stop¡­¡± she mumbled from her soft, little lips. I ripped my pants off and felt the wind on my little brother. Ah! I¡¯m coming! I flipped her around and held her in my arms. Her chest and mine touched and I stared into her glowing eyes. I inched closer and closer and closer...


    ¡°DIE!¡± screamed someone from behind me. PAIN. It was so much pain! An imbued holy staff burst through Catherine and I, leaving a gaping hole in our chests. We both gasped, trying to breathe. We were one, and we were in pain. Catherine looked like she was breathing her last already.


    ¡°Why¡­¡± I managed to whisper. I puked blood all over the ground. I flipped off of Catherine¡¯s rapidly cooling body and turned to see the culprit. At the top of the crater, I saw them.


    Irene and Nigel. The true gods of this world and they existed as the necessary counterparts to make the world of Palanquim exist. But¡­


    ¡°Why¡­¡± I gasped. They both looked at me coldly.


    ¡°Viktor. I told you to kill her,¡± Nigel said, disappointment beaming out of his eyes. Don¡¯t look at me like that!


    ¡°Viktor. I told you not to touch my family,¡± Irene said, her disgust fully burning into my heart.


    I just¡­ wanted love. The world was losing its color. The pain lessened as it turned blurry and cold. I hugged Catherine¡¯s body close to me. I wanted¡­ love.


    ¡°Are you sure this was the right idea?¡± Irene asked Nigel.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s for the best. Both of them were too strong. Especially Viktor. You saw what happened when he went crazy,¡± Nigel said.


    They overlooked the wasteland that used to be the continent of Necrome. So many innocents died today. It would take thousands of years before life could be sustained once again on these lands.


    ¡°You do have a point,¡± Irene groaned. ¡°Fixing fractures in reality used to be so much easier when I was younger¡­¡±


    ¡°In their next life, I hope they can learn to control themselves,¡± Nigel sighed.


    ¡°Like you can say that for yourself, you old coot. You weren¡¯t supposed to have a son,¡± Irene chided.


    ¡°Yeah, but you weren¡¯t supposed to have children too, Irene,¡± Nigel quipped. ¡°We both weren¡¯t supposed to.¡±

 Chap 2: New Perspective

    I woke up to a burning, bright light stabbing my retinas. URGH. The lethargy of my limbs! So tired¡­


    I laid silently waiting for the numbness and heaviness to disappear, but it took insanely long to shake it off. Luckily, I had my goddess to dream about¡­ I¡¯ll ravage her little kitty with my little brother¡­ Oh, yes! She¡¯s permanently imprinted in my mind. I can¡¯t ever forget her, even if I never see her again. I felt a twinge in my groin agree with me.


    I flipped over and managed to open my eyes. I found a gigantic forest surrounding me. It looked like the Rainforest of Drunn that Irael used to manage until Catherine ate up all of its animals and broke into her inner sanctum. Ah¡­ she was quite a cute glutton, wasn¡¯t she?


    Wait, why am I still alive? Didn¡¯t Irene and Nigel kill me?! I stood up as best as I could but then realized I had paws. But not only paws: I was a cat. It wasn¡¯t the first time Nigel put me in this form¡­ That first time, I became a spoiled God that bred with whatever feline I pleased and humans and demons alike built temples in my honor. It was such a fun time!


    Still, living as a cat without any chance of gaining followers is a huge drag. If I¡¯m thinking right, Nigel punished me again for going crazy over a woman. I don¡¯t blame him. It was worse than when I was infatuated with Irene, after all.


    It was morning and the heat of the forest beats on my fur while the dirt under my back, paws, and belly annoyingly stuck to my fur. And for now, I needed to find a home and avoid any predators. Any wandering Stagtooth serpent or Rockskin rhino could crush me flat. Dying hurt a lot, like a branding iron sinking into my skin and becoming a part of me.


    I sniffed cautiously and stalked silently through the grass and bushes, with the constant buzz of a Curio cicada or chirps from a Canatoo or a Coocatail in the distance. I didn¡¯t have to go far to find a common Nocturnal Nightshade bush. The leaves tasted dry and saline but the mixture was good for knocking out just about anything. I chewed a bundle of leaves in my mouth and set out to find a Vimm Vixen hole. These foxes lived alone most of the time until winter, which is their breeding season.


    Suddenly, I felt my instinct act up. My ears twitched agitatedly when I heard the swish: an Axial anaconda! Its huge, scaly body slid past me in the bushes and dragged with it a half-crushed Bamf bear. It huffed a rotten and acidic stench of blood and meat. My heart clenched up and I couldn¡¯t move. Scary! What a close call that was!


    Its tail disappeared into the scenery, with a deeply indented trail left in its wake.


    I counted to a thousand after it left my sight just to make sure it was gone. Ha, stupid snake. I hissed at its general direction and then continued scrounging around the roots of Nomtu trees. Their sweet and ripe fruit hung from their branches in bundles. Too bad I couldn¡¯t bite through their skin. Much too rubbery. Speaking of plants, I spat out the goo of the Nocturnal Nightshade and chewed some new leaves to ensure their potency. I had to remember to do this every so often, or my only weapon will be gone.


    Every so often, I shook my fur off and the Tickle ticks flew away. They were nasty bloodsuckers, but very cowardly. At least the habitat wasn¡¯t sustainable for leeches.


    I pushed through a Mulberry bush, the blades of grass and patches of moss wet under my paws. I nibbled on a few Mulberries to stave off my hunger, but this body could only process meat. Soon, a small clearing appeared. A Noxious Newt sat unmoving in the center, its reptilian head tilted to the side. Just when I started moving around it, a chitinous centipede burst through the ground, splaying dust and dirt all around.


    It chomped the newt¡¯s skull to pieces and tore its body to shreds. I didn¡¯t realize centipedes hid in pitfalls, which nearly caught me off guard. If I were less cautious, that would¡¯ve been me. I moved a wide berth around the clearing but another centipede burst from the other side!


    Its jaws sheared my underbelly like a knife through skin. I lost a lot of fur from my chest as a reminder, may or may not have shit myself a little, but I ran with my tail between my legs. A great tactic, if I might add, to not lose my tail or get pulled into the clutches of a carnivorous monster trying to consume me. I climbed up a small cyan tree and the centipede chomped upwards at me. I spat goop at its gaping mouth, hoping to ward it off.


    But it ran away, like the bug it was! Dig your own grave, you pest! I waited a few minutes after it left until I left myself¡­ Stupid bugs, being immune to poisons because their biological structure didn¡¯t have the same processes that should be affected when introduced to mammals¡­


    Now more alert, I managed to avoid the more dangerous hidden beetles, who rolled boulders around to flatten its prey. Worser still were the ant armies, who worked as a collective to surround and systematically kill anything in their way.


    I had to be extremely careful or I would be caught in their encirclement like that gullible Raider raccoon. It attacked a dark and light green camo colored ant that started stealing its killed squirrel. Then, at least 20 other ants jumped the grey and black raccoon, smashing into it with their hard bodies. Blood flew as they chomped and torn at its limbs, disabling it and then dissecting it into portable pieces. I heard the raccoon¡¯s dying screams and saw them leave, with the head of the raccoon in the rear of their formation.


    But I wasn¡¯t afraid of them! I watched the whole thing in a tree. Damn, I even peed on some of the ants. Take that, lower creatures!


    Finally, as the Solar was almost completely set on the horizon, I found a Vimm Vixen hole. I was extremely hot, tired, thirsty, scared, and lonely. This new body was so weak! What a mewling, babyish, mortal body!


    Worst of all, Catherine kept popping up in my mind. I felt like crying since she was gone. Forever. My dear goddess! Woe! Why am I so loveless?! But I will live until I can avenge her! Damn Nigel and that bitch, Irene! Traitors! I trusted them! Catherine, my love¡­ Catherine¡­


    It was pure luck that saved me this time, and I wouldn¡¯t take it for granted. I kicked a pile of dirt inside to lure the Vimm Vixen out. I skillfully climbed high up on a Nomtu tree-branch, by which I mean I barely managed to get up on the lowest hanging branch. The Vixen¡¯s claws had an unbelievable paralytic coating, so I had to be careful. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Minutes passed tensely. I stared into the darkness of the hole, waiting for the perfect moment to spit the liquified Nightshade mixture. There was a light scrabbling in the dirt¡­ The amount of sound assured me that there was only one since if there were more, they¡¯d go together as a group.


    Wait for it¡­ Now! I loosed everything I had in my mouth to blanket their face! It arced from the low-hanging branch and splattered in my prey¡¯s eyes. Perfect shot! I am the greatest.


    I jumped down, eager to sink my teeth into its eyes and eat its brain. The rest of its meat could be saved for tomorrow, as well as repurposing its claws. Then, I would drink from its water well and sleep safely in its burrow. If I was lucky, I could even find it had kids and so have emergency rations! Truly the easiest way to survive, if I say so myself.


    Instead, I found a Siamese kitten. She had blacker fur than me, with most of her fur being a darker color and some bands of lighter fur surrounding the darkness. She also smelled familiar¡­ like¡­ family? My soul definitely resonated with hers. Frustrating. Just totally frustrating. Now I can¡¯t eat her.


    I pulled her deep into the burrow so none of the creatures of the night would eat her. She was as loose and as light as a rag-doll along the way, which was helpful since I wasn¡¯t too strong. It took all my effort to plop her near the water well and I panted heavily. I hadn¡¯t had a mortal body like this in a few decades. Or such a dirty body.


    With the water source right in front of me, I quenched my thirst. I slurped it slowly and it had the classic taste of dandelion. Vimm Vixens had to use the bathroom somewhere, but again, my experience paid off since that functioned as a sterilizer so bugs, parasites, and vermin wouldn¡¯t accumulate in the deep pool of water.


    Somewhat sated, I fell over from fatigue. Since there wasn¡¯t any strong smell of a Vimm Vixen, it should be a recently emptied burrow and therefore safe¡­ At least I hoped so. It wasn¡¯t like I could do anything else, so I took a nap, even as my stomach growled furiously at me.


    <hr>


    I woke up to the smell of cat urine. My eyes fluttered open to see a growing pool flowing towards my face. Ew¡­ I stood up and moved around it to check on the Siamese kitten. She was a tad smaller than me. I bent down to lick her nose and establish a familial link on her. My first of kin! We will rule the world together!


    ¡­But she already had my soul mark? How? I laid down in front of her and put my forehead on hers. My soul was very weak, but it still was enough to check on a little kitten. A luminescent connection hooked our minds together and bridged our souls.


    Her dreamworld was full of bodies. Dead women lined the streets, made up the buildings, created the walls. Interlocked and bleeding meat. But¡­they were very pretty looking women and had quite fine hair. Oh, if they weren¡¯t dead and lodged together like a pack of bricks, my loins would find their way to theirs!


    I tracked her soul to a tower, consisting of the most faerie and lusciously demonic bodies of women. They were like statues embedded in the walls, as a most beautiful and picturesque construction of flesh. The scent of women heated my blood and healed my heart. Not even a tinge of rot existed. Wasn¡¯t this little kitten just imagining the finest women?


    Succubi¡­ dryads¡­ nymphs¡­ nagas¡­ harpies¡­ mermaids¡­ beastwomen¡­ faeries¡­ gorgons¡­ sirens¡­ sphinxes¡­ angels¡­ it was like a genealogical compilation of stimulating content. I had to meet this little lamb¡­


    The walk brought me curious sights, like silken hair carpets, chandeliers of heads shining light from their eyes, paintings from human flesh depicting decapitated women with nameplates underneath. A vast set of stairs led upwards, with adjoining doors using hands as doorknobs.


    I ran faster and faster as the scenery followed a pattern of showcasing a prideful display of gore. I quickly lost interest in the lack of ingenuity when using the bodies of the dead women, and rather wanted to meet the artist. Minutes flew by in boredom until I burst through a set of meaty double-doors. There, I saw her in the middle of the room.


    Fresh blood dribbled from her mouth, but her tongue lapped up the remnants. She was feasting on a young village woman, whose screams of agony pierced the room. It looked like she was half-way through her large intestines, slurping it up like a noodle. It looked like it was her. She jerked her head to the side to rip apart her meal better and I saw her face instead of her behind. No, it was Catherine, in her resplendent garb idiosyncratic only to her.


    I lost feeling in my legs and slumped to my knees. She was a few meters away, practically just a small jump. The perfection¡­ my goddess, she came with me. Tears spilled from my eyes. But I couldn¡¯t speak. Thank you, Nigel. Thank you, Irene. She will forever be with me and I will shield her from the world as mine. Never again will I lose her.


    As my soul transferred to her dreamworld, I retained my appearance when we first met, albeit splattered with much more viscera and blood. My smile felt like it was ripping my face in half, but it didn¡¯t matter. Catherine was alive. And she was here. She would recognize me and we will experience love together!


    I walked briskly towards her, but the cries of her victim and the heavy scent of blood disguised my approach. I stood but a few centimeters behind her. I feared she would disappear with a touch¡­ but my blood boiled and my heart flooded with euphoria and joy! I embraced her from behind, with my tall little brother nudging her.


    ¡°Eh? Wha¡ª This familiar feeling¡­¡± she gasped. Yes, my dear Catherine. It¡¯s me. Join arms with me Catherine. Let us consummate our love!~


    She turned around abruptly and pure shock filled her figure. I felt the fear in her eyes and her body shivered as if traumatized. I pulled her close to my chest, with her head under my chin. My hand rubbed her back and slowly reached downwards¡­ There, there, my dear Catherine.


    ¡°We are together now, and neither of those two Gods can stand between us,¡± I said, with my true intentions somehow leaking out, however, likely due to our reunion. Her body slackened onto mine and she relieved herself on my lap. Claiming me as yours, hum? What a brutish and animalistic way to do so¡­ but that¡¯s why you¡¯re so cute¡­


    ¡°Catherine¡­¡± I whispered in her ear. ¡°You won¡¯t ever leave me again¡­¡± I lifted her chin to look into her eyes. Tears streamed down her face¡­ much like mine. Oh, my goddess. We are so and very like one and the same. I rubbed my cheek on hers and took in her floral scent of daffodils and chrysanthemums. I licked her tears from her face and savored the saline solution.


    ¡°H-how did y-ou f-f-ind me here? I t-thought only I survived!¡± she stammered and did not seem to believe the situation. Poor, misguided girl. Love finds a way.


    Her shivering worried me and I wrapped her tightly in the large, dangling sleeves of my divine and heavily embroidered robe.


    ¡°No! They told me¡­¡± she squeaked. Our hearts beat against each others¡¯ chests¡­ hers raced faster than mine, like a rabbit caught by a dragon. How cute!


    I lifted her up, stripping her in an instant.


    ¡°How? Why!¡± she gasped. She came down, nearing my engorged member of my family. We were going to be joined together, as one! Finally!


    And then the dreamworld disappeared into a cloud of darkness and smoke. We both awoke, face to face, as Siamese kittens.

 Chap 3: First Contact

    I stared into Catherine¡¯s cerulean eyes, which were deep oceans holding the brightest skies and the shine of a lively star. I felt her through those feline pupils. The little twitch of her whiskers was so adorable! She was like a baby, mostly because she was still partly in a pool of her own piss.


    ¡°Mewwwl. Nyaaa. Myau¡­ Meow. Meo. Nyannnn!¡± I said. Apparently, kittens don¡¯t have vocal chords to make human noises.


    She smelled of wet fur, cat urine, must, and potent pheromones¡­ Is that¡­ fear? Aw¡­ Don¡¯t worry, baby, I¡¯m here. I move to nuzzle her but she fumbled backwards, mewling dissatisfaction.


    It looks like she can¡¯t even use her new body right! Oh, Nigel, she¡¯s so sweet! She¡¯s like a clueless marmoset crawling around in my palm. I can¡¯t giggle but I also can¡¯t stop purring!


    I pounced on her, glomping through her vulnerability. We rolled in the dirt, our fur scuffed and matted. I held her down and rubbed her cheek, feeling her smooth whiskers. Her eyes bulged and she squeaked. I lapped her hair straight with my sandpaper tongue but she shrilly caterwauled.


    Ignoring the yowls, I readied my hardened self and attacked her! But PAIN! PAIN! So much PAIN! AUghUUAHAaa!!


    MURRAaaAaFfFAAHh.


    GuRrriAaAAA!


    OooOAAOAAAH!


    ...


    Oh, Nigel, what in the Seven Hells was that? I was covered in piss and it still hurt! It stank and it hurt! WHY NIGEL!? All I could do is howl¡­


    The pain subsided and I quickly flipped over to my feet. I found Catherine sleepily sliding out of the burrow. Darling! Wait for me!~


    I padded slowly over to her through jolts of pain. She stopped all of a sudden, which put me on alert. I laid flat, my ears at the ready, and sniffed as quietly as I could. Then, I heard it. Something was tiptoeing towards the entrance of the Vimm Vixen hole. I craned my head up to see the barest of morning light shine down. A shadow slowly overlapped the light.


    I pulled Catherine with me deeper into the burrow. For now, it wasn¡¯t safe to leave. Luckily, she complied, like she understood the situation. As expected from my one and only soulmate.


    Soon, we made it back to the water, which was the deepest part. But the shadow kept descending, insistent on checking the hole for a harvest. I saw it block the faint traces of light that came from around the corner. I dragged Catherine into the water and she stared blankly on.


    Eventually, we were underwater. Unaccustomed to being submerged, Catherine understandingly panicked. Yet, I had to ensure our safety. I dragged her deeper and deeper despite her attempts to surface. It was just a little more¡­ Where was the damn alcove?! Don¡¯t tell me this vixen was a nincompoop?! How incompetent does it have to be not to create a hiding place under this water?


    I couldn¡¯t anymore. My limbs were heavy. I could barely hold onto Catherine when she pushed me. I couldn¡¯t breathe. I¡¯m losing consciousness¡­


    Is this how I die? Moments after my reunion with her?


    Bah. So be it. We die together and as one¡­


    ...


    No! I refuse to die, forgotten, helpless, and weak!


    My eyes ripped open and I swam upwards. Newfound strength flowed through my feeble body, heatedly burning my veins and overstressing my muscles. My lungs and heart pounded, drumming up a storm. I wrapped my tail around Catherine like a rope. We moved together, as one to surface!


    "Mewwwl!!"


    I pawed my way onto solid ground. Catherine tugged behind me, consciousless once more. Although my legs burned and my organs felt like failing, I needed to make sure! I held my head against her chest and moved to her whiskers.


    She still breathed.


    Relief flushed me and I turned to stare at the shadow. My feline eyes could faintly make outa lithe youth seasoned by the hand of nature. He stood six paces tall and two paces wide, with a dirty face. He wore the bark-colored fur of patched-together... squirrels?They made up his padded gloves, boots, jacket, pants, and helm. A small bag hung at his side. He was like any common forest-boy bumpkin I''ve seen in years passing.


    Bastard. I could smell the fresh Vimm Vixen''s blood on him. Likely, he was its killer and the reason why Catherine could take refuge without being eaten. I looked at him in the darkness as he gazed around him. The human didn''t have good vision, but he seemed able to make out shapes around him. Stupid bastard didn''t bring a torch, which practically screamed for him being suicidal or plainly brainless. A Vimm Vixen could easily ambush him at any time, if there was one.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    The human hefted two sharpened bone knives. I was almost certain they were from the Barker Squirrels he butchered. They wildly swung from side to side as the human looked around with paranoia. Such a poor stance and investigative ability... He stomped around like an upset Barreling Boar and smelled worse. Couldn''t he have disguised his scent better?


    In spite of my poor condition, I easily stifled myself to reduce detection. I was confident my scent properly stayed indistinguishable in this forest. Ah!


    The human slipped on Catherine''s pool of piss...


    He fell like a rock, falling over us and landing straight into the water well. That was a nice belly flop, lad! Great splash! Now, please drown, like a good boy!


    I grit my teeth and moved. My wet fur sludged but I dealt with it. We had to leave before he could get us. I could smell the Vimm vixen''s blood better the closer I got away from him. The damn kid made a lure when improperly bleeding his catch... What a dumbass. Nomtu roots let out a scentirresistible to Vimm Vixens. In a few hours, they''ll be swarming this place as their new nesting grounds.


    Further and further down into the hole, the humanfinally made it out of the pool of water.Looks like he lost his daggers in the process. What fool is as incompetent as him? I may say that, but I''m the one nearly dead because I thought this specific Vimm Vixen was competent to make an alcove in its water well...


    It doesn''t matter since he''s human and I''m a kitten. Although, now that I notice, both Catherine and I have a special bloodline of sorts. I''ve thought we were simply Siamese kittens, but there was more to it... How else could I use sheer willpower to move this damaged and immature body of mine? A strange power burned, activated during the time I was drowning. Come to think of it, all my reincarnations had the potential to become demi-gods and transform into a human form...


    My soaked skin dripped water incessantly frommy form. I needed to dry quickly before spores of the stupidly omnipresent Miriad moss covered me in a few days and drew the attention of a Carnivorous Caribou. Those hunters aimed for the weak young of other animals by following the smell of that damn moss. In these circumstances... It was better to soak up


    My adept ears heard the human trailing behind us. I needed to get out first and in the light for my plan to work. It was better to work together and gather numbers into my employ. With such a foolish specimen at my disposal, why would I refuse? Naivety never failed to amuse me in the eyes of humans so enraptured with tales of grandeur and dreams of heroism.


    Wewere a strange and alien fauna to the region, but not unwelcome. In fact,we could be two novelties that he could showcase. I have no doubt the boy lacked in accomplishments, looking at his gear and skill. By posing as infantile kittens, the human would want to tame us and revel in his luck. The infiltration would be seamless and covert.


    I laid flat at the entrance of the Vimm vixen''s hole. I half-covered Catherine, who still dozed in her dreams. I sensed the human slowly drew nearer and nearer. Soon, he arrived, squeezing the water out of his clothing.


    His eyes met mine and I activated my strongest ability! Cuteness!!!!


    "Meeeww!~"


    I yawned and flicked my tongue. I rubbed my head against Catherine''s and licked her whiskers. I noticed the human watching us in awe. Yes! Love me!


    He bent down and gasped. His hand outstretched to my head cautiously. I tilted my head.


    "Nyaan!~"


    The human patted my head with his damp and filthy fingers. I felt them trail along my neck, like revolting maggots coiling around me. I had to keep acting...


    "I wasted a week here but it was all worth it! These beasts must be the mutated children of that vixen!" the boy giggled.


    Disgusting, ignorant, and careless... What an inept owner I gained. He scooped us up in his arm


    "My first hunt and I caught three animals," he said. Then, he lowered a vixen, which finished most of its bleeding, and tied it to his back. He must have snared it in a trap after we entered its home. He finished up surprisingly fast. It should be time for him to go home. I nuzzled Catherine. I kept watching him.


    He went along the path in the trees, taking breaks at the hidden rest stops whenever he had the chance. Over half an hour was wasted while lugging the surprisingly cumbersome and heavy vixen, but he arrived ata village in the hardy and grand Moru Trees. Gianttrees canopied the many homes speckled along the branches and bridges built high above the ground. The human slowly padded up the carved holes on the trees and climbed. He was exhausted completely at the end of it.


    Finally, he proudlyunraveled his prized Vixen and announced it to the other hunters in the center of the village.


    "Hey! I got my first catch! Who can say traps are useless now! They work! I told you they worked!" he shouted, the body raised over his head and slightly dripping blood on his face. The others ignored him and continued doing whatever they liked.


    Two men leaned on the vines acting as railing for the wooden bridges. They stood brawny and buff, towering tall. Their bodies were scarred and half covered in the pelts of Bandit Badgers. Unbelievable. Humans that killed those terrifying beasts had to separate them from their group, outsmart them, and overpower them. Undoubtedly, they were swift, strong, smart, and lucky.


    "Who fucking cares, Matt! Did you even fight it upfront? I knew you picked a vixen just as young and inexperienced as you!" sneered the man on the left.


    "How can you bring home one catch after a whole week! Aren''t you too proud being so useless for so long?!" jeered the man on the right.


    "Fuck off, Bondo Brothers!You always shit on my ideas! If we can get more food, who cares how it''s gotten?I proved we don''t need to rely on our might and fight back against the forest by our own hands!"


    Their faces filled with disappointment in the boy. The Brothers ridiculed his cowardly methods to snare and constrict prey because it unrewarding, since practically all animals in this forest have survival instincts and skills that easily evade or overpower traps. I should know this the best. These primitive villagers thought if they no longer had brave and strong men, the ferocious forest animals would kill them all. Strength was the natural law of the forest.This was likely why Matt was alone.


    "Get stronger, Matt. We don''t have time to nurture men who can''t fight. Learn from Boris the Bonehead. If you can throw spears like him, you can become great," the man on the right said. The two brothers left.


    "Fucking assholes! Can''t I get any acknowledgement for my efforts? I hunted! Isn''t that the point of my traps?" Matt muttered.


    I knew he secretly regretted boastingbecause his stubborn insistence finally paid off. He received no praise in the experienced community. They understood that his new method of traps would work and it could catch more prey with less danger. Still, it did not get as much food for all the effort wasted. A savage usually hunted twice a day to eat. Even gatherers of these villages brought home more food than Matt''s method. Hell, Nomtu trees practically were everywhere and nutritious enough to serve as a staple food.


    Matt sighed. He climbed to his own home in shame. Night was nearing and he looked like he wouldn''t last a moment longer. He left us next to his bag and the vixen on his small shelf, and his gear on the floor. It didn''t take long for him to sleep in his bed of padded leaves. He groaned, likely from soreness.


    I sniffed deeply and memorized his odor, as well as the surroundings. I nudged Catherine to see if she woke but she didn''t. Well, more for me then.


    I pulled my agonizing limbs up and hopped over to the vixen.


    It''s time to eat!