How to Tame a Cat

Murmuring silently to herself, she opened her eyes and immediately the hard floor became a sharp contrast to the dirt or carpets she had grown used to sleep on. Her lack of clothes was evident but of no surprise, she never got used to wearing clothes and unless you found yourself a suitable mate a Nekomata wouldn't imitate fashion on her own behalf. Cats go all natural, it felt better and much more liberating that way. Placing a sweater or dress on one would suddenly feel restrictive and uncomfortable, kind of like this hard floor right now, doing wonders for her sore, aching shoulder.

Pushing herself up to sit upright, she couldn't tell her location based off the awkward setting she was in. Wooden boards partially and loosely fitted on the ground, clearly some large patches were revealing of a hardened floor beneath in place of old wood. The walls reminded her of abandoned houses with hard red bricks stacked on top of each other, she noticed more wooden boards were used for the exterior walls through missing gaps of fallen bricks. Above her, cracked concrete ceiling with plenty of veins to leave you feeling worried in harsh weather.

Overall, not a pleasant looking place.

Is this even a house? Certainly didn't feel cozy like one, what kind of hermit built this? Lifting her arms to stretch, her ears caught the sound of dragging chains beneath her. One quick wiggle of her left foot showed she had been chained onto the hard floor, realizing it was probably why she was left to the corner of this ugly hideout. Her ears and spirit fell, being reminded of her fate.

Sigh. Her tummy growled, reminded her of missing her late night snack before bed. She had meant to do that after her walk outside, sort of a stress-reliever. Or a way of coping, eating up does help fill the hole after all.

"But mommy says don't do that, it isn't healthy to substitute food for feelings." She said, giving a lousy impression of her mother, "Well if I had known I would end up here, I would have eaten all the salmon I could get, nya~! Or well, I could have..."

Once again, she felt herself sink five feet under at the realization of where she was. Her ears flicked up at the sudden sound of someone else.

"Talking to yourself, you use to be quite the social one." From out of the corner, her attacker stepped into view now lacking his armor and weaponry. The underarmor covered his body from neck below, except for the part of him wearing a pair of shin armor pieces it seems. Based on his casual appearance and free limb movement, it seemed he had removed his upper armor and cloak to stretch.

Dimyri frowned. "Well, beats kidnapping and torturing little girls!" She shouted back, sticking her tongue out.

The hunter rolled his eyes. "Dimyri, I never torture. I only capture, detain, remove or kill any monsters that lies in my contract. And I only kill when said monster has killed or threatens to kill others and or myself. Are you threatening my life or anyone else's?" She gulped and shook her head. "Then you're in luck, looks like I'm not killing you."

Dimyri paused, thinking of something before looking back. "Did you do something to Nityri? Why did she help him before, what did you go?"

He moved over, sitting on a stool to face her at a much closer range. "As I said, I capture, detain, remove or kill. Nothing more."

"Then why are you hunting us, why are you helping him? What, grabbing all of our friends isn't good enough? It's not enough to grab so many Nekomata's, you just have to catch us all?"

"If it is written in my contract, yes."

Dimyri moved forward, pulling the chain to its furthest extent leaving her one foot away from his face as she snarled.

"Then why are you contracted to catch us when we didn't do anything!"

To those words, he held no answer. No response in his reaction either, only a stern, serious face to match her anger. She struggled with her leg, twisting and pulling, yelping at awkward movements that inflicted pain or discomfort.

"Keep at it and you will find yourself with a wounded leg. Would do you no good for running."

"Like you would let me run." She barked back. To this, he shrugged in return. Perhaps if it was in his contract to detain or remove, maybe.

"It's not like we hurt anyone, we just do what we can to live. Same as everyone else, why are we so bad?" Her words fell to a whimper by the end, speaking more to herself now than at him. He sat still, silently observing as she remained in her defeated stance, hunched over as her tails remained wrapped around her waist.

The sound of metal rustling and making jagged movement suddenly emerged, with the hunter recognizing its origin. It was the shop and home owner, opening and closing the metal curtain entrance to both her shop and house. In a short time, she arrived by him and looked over at the Nekomata.

"How long did you say again? I don't hold for prisoners."

"By tonight, if not sunrise, he should be here. I'll request him to relocate her elsewhere, more likely he will be transporting her back to his residence."

"Good. I need some help moving things, may as well do some good now that ya caught 'er."

He nodded, getting up and following her out of the room leaving our Nekomata alone. A smirk began to form, she had been waiting for solitude as soon as he arrived. When they were silent, she realized the chain held her snugly in place, not too tight but enough to keep her locked... as a woman.

"Thankfully, this is one of those times were it pays to be different." She giggled to herself, focusing on changing her form. Rolling onto all fours, she closed her eyes and began to concentrate. Just think, picture it and the change will happen. Come on, this is taking too long. That tingly feeling that would encompass her body was there, however it felt off and restricted somehow, on top of that her shoulder really began to hurt.

"Ouch!"

She hissed and grit her teeth together, feeling sweat begin to form. Something is not right, I-I can't change! C-C'mon... change... why does it hurt so bad?

Her eyes grew wide, now feeling a seething hot pain on her shoulder grow and burn. It felt so strong, she nearly felt her body was on fire. Collapsing and rolling around, she bit her tongue to suppress any angry screams until slowly the pain subsided. Opening her eyes and being able to breathe and relax once more, she found the hunter standing over her with a hand on her burning spot.

"Dimyri, don't. Shifting will only hurt you now. I placed a seal on you while you napped, unless its removed you won't be changing anymore." He stood up as she curled into a ball. "I'm sorry, but I this will buy them more time to think of something."

She turned away listening to him walk out once more. With this seal on me, now how am I to escape, and who is coming for me?

My family... or him? She shuddered at the thought, uncertain of her fate.