Bakada

"Your little girl, is she as stubborn or hard headed as you are?" Reta muttered, flinching at the slightlest movement she demanded of her sore body. All of this sneaking around was putting strese onto her limbs, using herself as a diversion was creating difficulties in how she was meant to sneak around.

It was something that had been bothering Zimi at once, quickly realizing the gravity of her partners wounds would ultimately create a detriment in their chances of escaping. Sticking close to the shadows, maneuvering when others aren't watching, it was getting a bit too close with the encounters Reta had nearly lost herself in. They had searched from one ring onto the next when they found themselves onto the same wheel being transported onto another level. Upon arrival, Reta collapsed with her back on the floor and her arms spread wide.

"What are you doing? Get up."

"No... no I'm afraid I won't." Reta retaliated with a whimper. "I think I can say that I did not think things clearly with how we resorted to escape. This isn't going well, it's better you leave me."

Zimi leaned down, talking to her cell mate in a condescending way. "Look, we've made it this far thanks to you. I just need you to push a little harder for me, okay? We'll find an exit and get out after this as fast as we can, that's a promise."

Reta turned her head with a smile, "Take it from me, don't make a girl a promise if you know you can't keep it. I've made that mistake before, don't do what I did." She grunted, suddenly finding herself now beginning to sweat from increased body heat.

"You're sick?"

"I'm cursed." She corrected her. "Full moon is close, it's why I'm feeling drained inside. The transformation process is r-rather painful."

Reta curled up and twisted her body, holding herself and clenching her jaws together, her face turning red and her forehead sweating. Zimi paused as she began to notice her hands beginning to twitch in an odd way, detecting some kind of movement under her knuckles swimming beneath the skin.

"My word, the thought slipped my mind. But I... I can't do this alone." Zimi pleaded, scooting closer and placing her paw around Reta's thigh. "It gets too much, seeing this happen often. Saying goodbye to too many loved ones in my life that I can't leave someone back like this."

Reta snickered and looked her in the eyes, hers now fluctuating from normal eyes to wolf eyes. "I don't care about you or your daughter, don't-"

She grunted hard, feeling her body contort slightly before surpressing back under the struggle. "Don't make it a choice... find her and leave."

"I can't leave you like this."

"I would." Reta forced herself to smile back. "I'm use to being left alone, now go."

Zimi stepped back in silence, hesitant before retreating and walking away. Up ahead, she found herself in a circular room with numerous catatombs carved into the walls, each occupied by a sleeping inhabitant. Seems each occupant carried a pair of cat ears currently off duty, with familiar collars around their necks to restrain them from individual thought and control. Unfortunately, the design was rather familiar to her.

One of them had to be her daughter's, one of these is undoubtedly the one. Quickly, Zimi hurried and scanned each area, inspecting for any familiar Nekomata of the likes she was after. None, however... she flicked her wrist to reveal her claws before extending them forward, easing them around a friend's neck before carefully and surgically slicing it off its user. Retrieving the collar, she was careful it remain encapsulated into its metal case, analyzing this device as a faint voice in her past began to fade in.

You like it? There's many like these ones down the riverbank, washed up in there. Tricky to mine for, but they're there I assure you. They can be yours in favor of those medicine vials of yours.

Umm Zimi, a word please? Excuse us for a moment. What do you think you're doing?

What? I'm trying to get some medicinal equipment in case of winter. These shiny rocks are everywhere down the river, I'm telling you we can profit off of these and sell them for goods! Imagine riches like cat food or cat nip. Remember what effect that has?

Stop winking, I get it but I don't like it. Mom wouldn't want this, you know how strict she was about talking to outsiders, especially humans.

Cyri is... you're in charge now. It's your voice which tells us what is best. What do you honestly think?

I think this is a bad idea, you've seen what effect this had on Dimyri. How stiff she was until we kicked that stone away, that kind of stuff should be broken or hidden away, not sold for profit.

I know, I know. But... we don't have anything else to give Emy. This is all we have.

Did you at least study those rocks first?

I don't have time, Emy my MiMi is sick. She needs medicine, stuff we've ran out of and Alma's medicine isn't compatible for us. Please, I need this. We need this. MiMi is only four and Nukka is starting to worry now with the baby's fever keeping up. Please?

... We shouldn't, we really really shouldn't. But... sigh. Maybe I can make an exception for this, but only if you're certain these medicine will work?

I double checked, they're antibiotics with pain relievers, exactly the stuff MiMi needs. Maybe then, I can get Nukka to stop worrying so much. Thank you Emy, you won't regret it!

I hope not. Just this one traveler then, how did you find him?

One of Alma's men found him in the jungle, I don't know. Came with a group but they sent him alone for this at my request. Once she mentioned he had medicine and was looking for a trade, I kind of had to.

Okay, today's an exception but no more decisions like these. You know better then to bring this kind of attention when we should be keeping hidden.

Just this once okay? I promise, besides what's the worst that can happen?

... Hey, okay you've a deal! These shiny rocks for your medicinal equipment, yes?

Certainly, I'm a man of my word after all.

Thank you thank you thank you, you've no idea how badly we need this. Well, it's nice doing work with you mister uhh-

Perdilius.

Perdilius, let me know if you need anything else. Just, careful here. The others don't really take kind to newcomers.

Squeezing the familiar stone in her hands, a tear slipped and fell onto her hand before moving back on her feet. Reta glanced up in time to find Zimi cradling her, slipping her arm under her legs to pull her up.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm not leaving you like this, not at all like this." She grit her teeth, summoning all of her strength to lift Reta.

"W-What about your daughter?"

"She... I'll come back for her. But right now, you need my help-damn! This looked a lot easier in my head." She huffed, wiping her head. "How much do you weigh?"

Reta frowned when suddenly the wheel they were on began to ascend. They were moving up now, someone had summoned the lift and now they were trapped in waiting to be caught.

"Not good, not good." She mumbled to herself, looking around and feeling unsure of their next step.

"Should have left me when you can." Reta sighed, sitting back down and hanging her head. "Omae wa bakada."

"Yes, I am." She agreed, waiting as they began to arrive on the next floor. She felt the stone in her paw and squeezed it before releasing, allowing her tail to curl up around it and hold onto it from behind her.

"I really, truly am." She hissed, bending her legs and revealing her claws as they began to arrive.