Twist

"Felix."

The group looked back as the elf in charge exited her tent, her son and the Grizzly bear following closely behind. Felix immediately stood up, brushing the dirt off his rear and looking up with hopeful eyes. However, he noticed Spi'Reto was not quite so jolly or high-spirited this time around. Now he could feel a knot twisting in his chest, as if his veins were threatening her should she give the incorrect response.

They stopped in their way towards him by several feet, allowing the calm atmosphere to set the tone. Some of the birds had flown away, most of the noise were insects clicking or buzzing. Although the hideout had the advantage of shade from the forest, there was a glimmer of light shining down onto them as Felix waited for her answer. Janette remained seated, looking back in wait.

Alma cleared her throat, of which Janette noticed several Nekomata's poking their heads out to watch. Some of them crawled over, one cat girl rubbed her head against Spi'Reto's leg and giving a soft mew. He looked back and scratched her head, smiling and nodding his head to her. She stared back, wide eyed and stepping back before scurrying towards the clutter. She was whispering something to them and the message would be passed on as more and more Nekomata's arrived towards the scene. Even the males now joined in, some of them carrying eyes telling of the many generations that they have lived through.

Nyitzcha scooted back, aware of the crowd gathering around them. She bumped into Felix's leg, looking up to see he seemed uncertain of the situation as well. His hand reached down to squeeze her palm, with the small dwarf taking another step to be beside him rather than to appear as if she were hiding behind him. Janette decided it would be better to stand with them, seeing how it looked like the whole village had gathered here today. Interestingly, it seemed there was a variety of families among the herd, children, boys and girls, and neither of the girls being Nekomata's themselves. One mother boosted her baby boy in her arms, lifting him to grant a better view when Alma raised her hand high.

She locked eyes with Felix, never once turning her head as her voice echoed through the woods.

"Woodlanders, as you are aware as of yesterday we have come across a trio of visitors into our hideout. These three were attacked, mistakenly, by us in an ambush, and many of their possessions were lost. So we took it to bring them here and offer some of our possessions to make amends, under the conditions that they maintain our existence a secret."

"My idea, bringing them in that is." Spi'Reto whispered to one of the Nekomata's, who giggled as he stood up straight at the glare of his mother.

"I have made a vow to Emyri, and the reason so many Nekomata's stand with us here is to honor that vow! However, what I ask of you next may threaten this promise, it may break it entirely."

"What's the promise?" A male voice from the crowd asked.

Alma turned her attention to the trio, nodding. Felix stepped forward as Janette winced and yelped, grabbing at her neck.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

She shook her head. "I don't know, mosquitoe maybe. Go out there, you have a speech to make up."

Janette offered him a thumbs up when he felt a soft slap on his butt. Jumping back, he spun around to see Nyitzcha smirking from his waist height before pushing him towards the crowd.

"Go'n now, hun. Let em 'ave it!" She beamed as her husband rubbed his neck, feeling his chest begin to squeeze under pressure.

"Hah, well then." He swallowed, squeezing his hands tight. His palms were sweaty, and that's okay. He's never been looked on by so many, always stepped over in his life or ordered what to do. Being on the opposite side of the table felt intimidating, he was scared and his tongue felt tied.

Breathe, just breathe. Speak to them the way you speak to me.

KuliKuli's voice whispered in his ear as a wave of calming relaxation washed over his soul. His shoulders sank, his nerves softened and his hands were no longer sweating now.

"My name is... my name is Felix." He spoke with a look of confidence. "And these are my friends Janette and Nyitzcha."

"Am 'is wife, not a friend. 'N he's mai propert-y!" Nyitzcha giggled, waving her ringed finger and making Felix turn red. Several of the Nekomata's giggled, with one man shaking his head and chuckling. "Is okai, am a dwarf. Am older den he is."

"Oh! What's a dwarf?" Nukka asked, wiggling her round ears as Spi'Reto poked her and leaned in to whisper to her. Her eyes grew wide. "They are? But they look like little kids! You mean to say they all look like Itty bitty kids?"

"Nukka." Alma gave her a stare, demanding Nukka to close her lips.

"Sowwy! Shutting up now!"

Alma nodded, waving over for Felix to continue.

"Right, ahem! We uh... uhhh." Come on Felix, think. Start from the beginning. "We had a few Nekomata's of our own. I mentioned them to you earlier. Na'Vi-"

"Emy!"

"Nityri!"

"Dimyri!"

"Syri!"

Felix paused as the crowd whispered and nodded, staying quiet for him to continue. "That's right, and another friend of ours named Reta. We lost them, all six of them, to a group led by a man named Perdilius."

Once again, they muttered and mumbled to each other, with Alma whistling for their focus once more.

Felix smiled to her. "Thanks. We lost them, they were a family and they were taken away from us. Just as I've heard you guys have lost some families as well. I'm really sorry about that, and I'm also sorry for what I'm about to ask. You've taken us in and allowed us a safe place to rest, and for that I'm very grateful. Honest, if we had a home we would share it with all of you to give our thanks. But now, now we are hear because we are going to fight back and bring those girls back."

More whispers, this time he noticed several worried glances within the crowd.

"Try to think nothin' of it and continue." Nyitzcha whispered to him. He nodded and swallowed the pressure in his throat down.

"I... we ask if you guys can join us in the fight. We're only three while he has much more to his favor. I know numbers don't mean everything but we can use all the help we can get."

"We can't just leave everything behind to go fight." One individual, the mother carrying her child had cried out to him. "What of the young ones?"

"Not all of us can fight, ole sport." One of the older men added. "We spend all our time hidin' that we ain't got much time to do much else."

"Well why are ye hidin'?" Nyitzcha asked, stepping up. "Las' ay was hidin' t'was life er death. Ay knew mai life was 'n peril, but ay was nut goin' anywhere if ay stay."

"If you spend so long staying in place, you'll find yourself stuck and not moving forward." Janette added. "We're asking for the world from you guys and we understand not all of you can go, but we appreciate any small bit of help."

"Even if it's just one or two of you." Felix mentioned. "Just a tiny bit of help can go a long way."

And that was it, that was the end of their message. Alma leaned with a hand to her waist, glancing at her people to see how they responded.

"You all have a voice, if any of you wish to help that is fine. Neither of you are required, and if you choose to stay none will be shaked for that."

The Nekomata closest to Spi'Reto stepped forward on all four paws, sitting upright to speak to Felix. "We can help, but going there means death."

"Mew, we can't. Some of us already gone, they tried and we stayed. They never came back."

"You guys are definitely asking for a lot, but this isn't our first fight. We've taken our licks," A younger man said, "But we've been hit time and time again."

"I think it's worth it, Emy would want us to go."

"Emy would want us to be safe! Going over I-I-I'm just not sure. Maybe if we had more but..."

Janette held her hand on Felix's shoulder as he sighed. "Hey, we asked. We can still try."

"Yea but... I'm not sure." He looked back. Suddenly, Nukka lifted her head up sniffing the air. Janette flinched, feeling her neck once more. Alma looked over, stepping up to the Grizzly Girl.

"What is it, what do you smell?" She asked, looking over the others. "All of you stay alert. Children and elders stay hidden, young ones be ready!"

Spi'Reto checked with Felix and the others as several Nekomata's and others began to scatter and hide in cat form. Nukka's eyes grew wide as she calmly walked to a patch of tall grass.

"It's them." Her voice trembled as her paw extended towards the patch.

"Nukka! Get back!" Alma hissed, readying her bow.

"You guys should hide." Spi'Reto whispered to the others, stepping forward and arming his bow and arrow alongside his Mom. Both elves aimed their weapons, arrows pulled back as they listened to movement from behind the patch.

Felix and Janette could hear them too, light voices muttering and whining on the other side. Janette gasped. "T-That's-!"

Someone screamed as Nukka charged into the patch, pulling someone back into her arms.

"Let her go!" Syri shouted, with Dimyri running behind her and freezing in place. Zimi squeaked while in Nukka's bear hug, looking down at her face.

"Darling?"

Nukka blinked, shaking her head side to side. "Is not real, is not real, nu! You're just another big meanie, why does she think it's real? Just close her eyes and squeeze..."

Zimi winced and groaned, feeling the Grizzly's overwhelming strength tighten around her thin waist and fragile structure. "Oof! Peaches, count to ten for me. Come on, do it."

Nukka kept her eyes shut, huffing in frustration as Zimi ran her paw over the Bear's soft head. "Say it for me, that's it."

"One, two, three-"

Felix and the others stared, none knew what to do as they watched.

"Nine, ten."

"Good, now breathe with me. That's it, one more time. Now open."

Nukka opened her tear-filled eyes, staring into the Nekomata's caring face as she began gasp.

"It is you!" She cried, licking the Nekomata's cheek and face. Zimi's eyes filled with glee as she laughed and turned her head away, her cheeks beginning to hurt from how hard she was smiling. Janette stepped out, her hand reaching out and touching Syri's paw.

"Syri..."

Syri stared back at her, her eyes beginning to swell with tears as she jumped in, hugging her mate tight and bawling into her chest.

"That's... a twist." Felix admitted, feeling his voice caught in his throat.