When their eyes first met...

It was a harsh cold winter that season, food had been incredibly scarce and everyone was left to fight for their survival. Four long, freezing weeks would be seen as both a beauty of nature and the bane of its selection. Only the strongest can survive, and if you lacked strength then you better make up for it with intellect.

Or cunning.

Such was the case for a tiny young cat which its physique was edging between thin and starved. From a quick glance, you could see she has been hungry for a number of days, but also take notice that hunger isn't all this one is fighting against. This cat was no thief, though she often entered uninvited and ate food which was not her own. She was no invader, simply a small creature doing what she could to survive.

She was not alone, a small part to a group of dwelling numbers. A family she could call her own, but one of which she was unable to contribute too. They needed healers, but she could not heal. They needed mothers, but she had no mate. They needed teachers, but she knew nothing to teach but to find her life dead-ended. The winter was hell frozen over, but for her it brought a tiny spark of light within. Because at least now is when everyone needed each other the most, so she felt wanted and needed now.

Long had they discovered and made use of the food shed in a small village nearby. Yes, none of the mothers would agree to this, heck they would scold her and punish her for venturing into hind-legged territory. But they needed food, and she felt wonderful helping them get it. For once, she felt like she was a part of them now. Not to say she was isolated from her tribe or family, but it felt good to do something right this once.

Perhaps the gods were laughing over her dumb luck at finding success this one time, perhaps they felt it humorous to pull a joke or a twist of fate from what would come soon. What happened next would become the worst night of her life, and the day her life changed forever.

While helping her friends push some heavy bags of peaches and pass them along the line they formed, the rusted door blew open with the lantern light shining onto them. The cats were busted, all food was dropped and scattered along them floor boards with each Nekomata transforming into their feline form to get away, fitting out the back cat-sized hole. Unfortunately, there was one kitty left behind, the one responsible for bringing the others with to steal the village's food source. She was pinned down when one tower of canned foods was pushed over and tumbled onto her. No rough damage, only a few scrapes and a headache. As well as being the only prisoner taken in that night by the villagers.

The village bell had been rung loud and well, echoing over from one village to the next. Its message was clear, and that night the Nekomata dreaded the ongoing dinging of large bells signaling that of which she dreaded. Just when she believed she would make her family proud, now she would never see her family again. It was nothing short of a miracle that she managed to sleep that night.

Her ears flickered and her eyes parted open at the sound of several voices outside. Snow was being crushed and its crunch was coming closer with each footstep. Were they here already, this fast at such a pace? Not even twelve hours and already her life had been sentenced to never see another sun rise again.

"And-And there they were, hundreds of them with their little paws all over out food!"

"Goblat, they can't fit in the hundreds. It's one little shed of food."

"That shed of food was all we had to manage for the season! Please, can you do something about these-these pests? They won't stop until every one of them are caught."

"I will do what I can," Spoke another voice, this one being new to her. "You have her kept in here?"

"Yes, she transformed as soon as we removed the supplies from crushing her, but we were quick to close off all exits we could find. One of our boys spotted the cats rushing out from a hole from the back, they should be nailing it shut right now, if not soon."

"I will take it from here." The door pushed open, and the young Nekomata in her cat form scratched around seeking for an escape. The door closed again, this time with large footsteps coming closer. No, I won't be taken away like this! I-I can't! I should have known better, I can be better! She meowed and hissed and screamed, extending her claws and scratching as hard as she could against this material around her. What kind of bag is this strong, please give in! Let me out!

The young hunter flinched as his hand crept towards the chainmail bag, it was obvious from how rapid the noise and movement inside it looked that this prisoner was not going down without a fight. He closed his eyes, pressing a hand against his chest. If it weren't for the chest plate, he could perhaps feel his nervous heart beating, filling his head with second thoughts.

"I'm a monster hunter, I'm a monster hunter." He repeated into his head, I am a monster hunter I can do this. My life has no meaning, only the ones I save. I am a body, my life borrowed until the gods call for it back. I have no anger, no fear, no mind or thought or soul. get a hold of yourself, it's just a cat monster. A monster cat.

He opened the bag and grabbed the cat quickly from both sides, lifting her up to get a good look at her. In an instant, she transformed forcing him to let go as his hand reached for his belt.

Before her was a young hunter, seemingly around her age with the whitest hair that glinted like fine silver, and the bluest eyes.

Before him stood a young beautiful woman with paws for feet and hands and two tails behind her, plus the cat ears atop her head. Her skin glowed a natural tone of what he could describe as dark olive, and she had the greenest eyes that seemingly saw through him as she readied her claws.

Breathe Emyri, you can do this!