Reticent

Out of the fire, a lone hunter studied the building and watched it closely. His fingers tapped endlessly against the shaft of his sheathe, he had noticed numerous soldiers beckoning and crying for each other like children trying to resolve a grown ups issue. Why were they heading into the building instead, he had wondered, why not let the come out on their own? Unless they had discovered an alternative, a hidden means of securing their safe escape from within.

Out of the corner of his eye he detected movement, taking note of the Nekomatas that had slipped under the shadows. They were not his target, he immediately recognized this based on the matching collars around them. From at a distance, he watched them pace back and forth before a familiar whistle beckoned their presence of which they hastily obliged. It made him feel sick, the sight was unnatural and taboo almost. No matter, he had a job to do. Lighting the building as such was...

"Flamboyantly moronic." He remarked, spitting his distaste for his employers actions. It was unnecessary, a simple tactic of surrounding their location would have sufficed. Now these things have grown more complicated than he would have worried over. He touched his chest, feeling a tinge of nervousness crawl through him.

From afar on the other side of the building, Raz too had taken notice of the soldiers running in as if eager for a painful death. To say he was both puzzled and troubled would be an understatement.

"Why are they moving in? Hey, get back out here!" He shouted, his breath appearing as the night grew colder under the fire. Pulling a soldier back hard, he called out for the others before retreating several meters from the heat. "Why are you heading inside, are you mad!?"

"He says he wants the girls yes? They haven't run out!"

"What?" He asked with a dumbfounded expression.

"I tells ya, none of 'em have stepped outside!" Another soldier added.

Raz paced himself briefly, looking around to see the priest was nowhere in sight. "We hold off for now, no one goes in until we have his say."

"What? If we let the girls burn then what?"

"I say let the beasts toast nicely, would rid us of a few creatures to worry for." Another soldier said. Some of his friends smiled and nodded with him, but Raz himself was not amused. He looked back at the structure feeling ill inside, letting them die was not the order they were given.

What to do now?

"You lot be sure to hold your ground in case they come out. You, you and you! With me!" He ordered, setting them with their tasks. He led them around the building, apparently exploring the rest of the fields outside.

"What are we doing?" One of them asked.

"I don't feel right about this. Those cats knew how to ambush, they're more then likely on the escape under our noses." He answered, wiping the sweat off his brow.

Leone noticed them moving on, reaching for his belt to feel the items he carried this time. His eyes grew narrow before letting them go on, preferring not to avert his gaze on the target instead. With a look of crossed frustration, he reached in and opened up a notepad with written ancient wording on it, before adding a mark into it and putting the small pad away. This was not a part of the plan.

"Guhh, please let me go. Put me down, put me down." Dimyri groaned, feeling her friends help her lean against the hard rock wall. Syri pulled back and watched.

"Sis, your mark-"

"I know, it feels like a tickle. Actually, everything feels ticklish right now." She shuddered, hugging herself and feeling an odd sensation trapping her body. Not a cold shiver, just a very uncomfortable one.

KuliKuli squinted before noticing. "Hands!"

Both girls gasped with Janette leaning in for a closer look. Dimyri blinked and extended her paw, only to find a... a hand. A soft, delicate hand with gentle fingers and fingernails to add on top. Normal hands, no strand of fur in sight. Shuffling her feet outward, she saw the same results as she wiggled her human toes. And surely she couldn't feel her tails over her butt either.

"My-my hands? My feet." She felt around her hair before pulling it down with a shriek. "My ears!"

"Shush, try to stay quiet!" Janette whispered, holding her hand for her. She had no clue what was going on, but they hadn't the time to worry for it. Looking up at Syri, she cleared her throat. "W-We need to keep going, I can figure this out after okay?"

Syri took a second to nod in agreement. "R-Right! Are you... funny feeling?"

Her older sister was hyperventilating, flexing her fingers and feeling her human ears at each side of her head. "I want to cry."

"Please don't-hey. Hey look at me." Dimyri swallowed hard before making eye contact with her sister. "We need to be safe first but I promise after this we will all help fix this okay?"

"O-Okay." She whimpered. "Promise?"

"Promise." Syri confirmed, hugging her tight before helping her up.

Dimyri wrapped her fingers around her paw. "Aahh-ha, this feels so weird. I miss my fur."

"Funny, normally girls wish they never had fur." Janette mentioned before feeling a nudge to her side by a crossed Nekomata. "Sorry."

Back outside, Perdilius breathed in deep before exhaling the smell of smoke and ash. Several of his men approached him from around the corner.

"Is it done?"

"No sir, they prefer to stay tucked in."

"What?" His eyes gree sharp and focused onto the messenger.

The soldier swallowed, averting his eyes quickly. "Y-Yes, I mean no! Several have went in to pull them out but we haven't heard from them. I think they would rather burn."

"I can't have that." Perdilius replied fiercely. Quickly looking down he saw MiMi tilted her head before she too noticed his anger and hissed. Petting her hair once more, he gave her a quick pat one last time.

"Fetch them for me."