Persuade

"Girls? Girls!"

Several Nekomata's rose up from their circle, ears perched with intrigue as they heard the call of their leader. Several found themselves a bit annoyed at the disturbance of their little game, but they hurried over their leader's calling regardless. Alma brushed a loose branch away from her path, carefully picking the leaf stuck to her soaked hair out. The warm rays of daylight fell upon slim tone body, embracing her in its natural comfort as the elf patiently waited for her cats to arrive.

As they did, each girl sat side by side ready for her orders. "Yes, Alma?"

"Fetch me a clean pair of clothing, it seems the others may have forgotten to hand me something to wear. We need to assemble another meeting, where are Zimi and Syri?"

"Oh, Zimi is with Nukka in her tent and Syri is sleeping in Zimi's tent!" One girl sang.

"Yea, but be careful because they were making some weird noise and smells."

"We thinks they were doing the nasty." Another girl snickered as she was pushed by her giggling friends. One of the five looked away, wiggling her nose and sniffing the air.

"The nasty?"

One of the girls jumped up to explain. "You know! The dancing of the flesh, the joining of souls, the style of the hounds-"

Alma raised her hand, quickly silencing the girls before snapping her fingers.

"Yes, right away!" The girls cried out, crashing into each other and scurrying off, so scared they were that they hadn't asked for any commands outside of retrieving her some new clothes. Alma snickered once she was alone, shaking her head at their behavior.

One of the girls hurried over on all fours, poking her head inside one tent before jumping back in shock, landing on her back. Perhaps that was not the wisest decision, she came to regret that quickly as she was sweating nervously when Syri looked out from her tent. Looking around, she spotted the nervous kitty and smiled.

"Hey, you scared Janette! What's the hurry? I'm not one to share before you ask." Her expression turned from silly to serious in the blink of an eye.

"Nu uh, A-A-Alma was asking for you! You're m-mate too!" The girls legs wobbled as she tried to get up before falling on her knees and bending over until her head touched the ground. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to."

Syri found herself shocked before breaking into a soft giggle of amusement. "Hey, it's fine I'm not mad. Just don't do it again okay? Is that all?"

The Nekomata nodded, wiping her face clean. "It is, thank you and it's great having you back, Syri!"

Syri beamed as the girl ran off, joining her friends who each held a piece of clothing in their teeth it seemed. Slipping back into her tent, Janette was fidgeting with her top and slipping it on.

"Last time I sleep naked in someone else's bed. I miss having a locked door."

"I don't know what that is, but it sounds rather neat." Syri cheered, kissing her on the cheek. "Guess we're needed soon. Wait for you?"

"Please." Janette kissed her back, digging around in search of her panties.

Outside their tent, one of the other messenger girls had watched and learned from her friend, scooting up to Nukka's tent and clearing her throat.

"Uuuh, Nukka? Zimi? Are you two awake?"

The tent began to shuffle and expand, wiggling in its nails before Zimi pulled the flap open and yawned. "We are now, hey."

The Nekomata blushed, shyly fidgeting with her paws. "Sorry, it's Alma. She wants to speak with you."

"Just me?" She asked, "I see where this is going. Sure."

"What!?" Someone cried from within the tent, making the little cat jump.

"Ignore her, tell Alma I'm coming-eep!" Zimi fell back inside as suddenly there was a light scuffle, the tent bouncing and skipping as a series of grunts and groans were heard. Once the tent had sat back down, Nukka emerged from the tent and towered over the messenger cat with bright fierce eyes.

"Tell Alma we both are coming." The Nekomata swallowed and shook her head, slowly backing away and hurrying over to find Alma.

---

Felix sat down on the fallen log, now dressed in a rather tight fit of green clothing. Everyone of his friends had gathered around outside in a circle where Alma had decided to center the meeting in. It seems they weren't alone as a number of new faces sat among them, some he would guess were Cat Mothers and others to be village elders.

Alma entered the group circle, standing in its core wearing her traditional green elven gear. "Everyone is present?"

"Everyone you requested is here, Mom." Spi'Reto replied, wearing a neat brown vest with his green long sleeve top which failed to cover his slim abs.

Alma continued. "I believe it's rather obvious why we are here, we are very grateful for the surprising return of one of our sisters, as well as two daughters of Emyri. Which begs the return of our previous discussion, should we take action? You may speak."

One of the elders stepped forward. "It is a miracle that Zimi returned, but we can't ask for mircales to repeat themselves once more. I doubt any more of our own will walk away unscathed as they have."

"We didn't walk out the door, it was much harder then that. We can't even open doors!" Syri argued. Janette pulled her back a bit, whispering her to settle down.

"He is right," One of the Cat Moms added. "It's nonsensical to think we can live in harmony through inactivity and cowardice."

"I like 'er." Nyitzcha smirked, sitting on Felix's lap.

"But if we decide to fight, how? You forget we've fought back numerous times, and in each skirmish we lose more of our own. I lost my mother and sisters last time." Argued a younger Nekomata.

"It's not worth the cost, this is a battle we cannot win. None of us are warriors."

"Some of us are." Spi'Reto muttered.

"Is he really all that scary to us?" Janette asked, leading to several groans and whispers. "I guess so."

"He's been chasing us for weeks now, and we use to be much bigger in numbers." Syri reminded her. "Now we have like way less numbers."

Dimyri stayed quiet, sitting next to Felix and Nyitzcha as the others continued their argument.

"This isn't futile, it's not like we've any choice. I don't think we have much choice at this rate." Zimi sighed, looking up at Alma.

"What do you mean we don't have a choice?"

"Tell them."

Alma sighed. "We've reason to believe that the priest is underway of achieving his goal, I don't want to say what that is but let's just say we are all in danger if he accomplishes this."

Mostly.

"You're saying hiding no longer guarantees safety?"

"It never has, it always prolonged a doomed fate!" The mother snarled.

"Then what do we do, just ask children to take up arms and fight back using nothing but faith in our minds?"

Dimyri stood up and stared at the old man with an annoyed look. "Putting away our sarcasm, I propose a different fate. We don't need to send children to fight with us if we can manage to beat them before there is a fight."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning we take the fight in our hands, stop letting him be on the offensive. We can't all fight, but those who can are enough to devise a form of attack."

"And what attack is that?" The younger Nekomata asked.

"Behind enemy lines, in their home." Dimyri stated. "We have the advantage this time, we have two in fact. Aunt Zimi, Syri and I have been inside before, we can map out the insides of the tower and highlight its weakpoints. Heck, Zimi has been there longest after all, she can take a small group bac-

"Absolutely nu!" Nukka bellowed, rising on her hind legs. "Nu more Zimi, she needs rest and care."

Zimi turned around and placed her paw on Nukka's tummy, helping the Grizzly calm down. "I understand, you're worried for me and that's sweet. But maybe try to see the bigger picture here."

Nukka looked down, brushing her paw against Zimi's cheek. "But she's saying they should take you back, I don't like her words. It's bad words."

Zimi held her paw back. "They're not her words darling, they're mine."

Nukka gasped, her eyes beginning to glisten and her heart beating fast as Zimi stepped away from her and towards the others.

"I volunteer, I've been in that tower the longest. I should be the one to take you back."

Feeling it start to get difficult to breath, Nukka walked behind Zimi and grabbed hold of her, holding her like a teddy.

"No. We wont let you go back!"

The group stepped back, with Felix growing tense and Dimyri stepped forward when Zimi gave her a sharp look, freezing her in her tracks. Rolling her eyes, Zimi leaned back against her Grizzly and sighed.

"Let me go Nukka, if I don't go back our family is lost and soon so are we."

Nukka squeezed Zimi slightly and shook her head.

"We. Wont. Let. You. We lost you once and we dont want to lose you. We dont want to lose anyone else, we are sick of it!"

She kept squeezing harder, Zimi began to grit her teeth as her face started turning red. Soon her arms were going numb and she was running out of breath. Once she felt her bones groan under the immense pressure, she knew what needed to be done. With one final gasped, she summoned the strength and oxygen left for one demand.

"NIKITA LET ME GO THIS INSTANT!"

Absolute silence.

Nukka's lip quivered, her powerful arms loosing their grip until her mate touched the ground. Falling back, Nukka began to sniffle and tear up, her breathing falling in hiccups as she looked away.

"That's n-not us anymore... i-it hurts to much. We is Nukka."

Zimi rubbed her arm, feeling a dagger poke its way through her heart inch by inch as she watched her Nukka begin to sob. Agitated levels led to a spike in adrenaline, sudden rush of excitement and pain, lack of verbal contral. Words were exchanged, an increase in vocal tone has led to a... a... aw to hell with analysis, her Nukka was in pain.

"I... Don't, please don't do that." Zimi whispered, rushing to hug her Grizzly bear. "Don't cry dear, please. I'm sorry I said that."

"Y-You want to leave N-Nukka." Nukka's voice trembled, rubbing her wet cheek as Zimi cradled her big head in her paws.

"I could never imagine a life without my Grizzly Bear, you know that. But I need to do this, my best friend is in danger. Her family misses her just like you missed me, and there are lots of others missing their family too. I can't just let them stay scared."

"We don't wants to see you gone so soon. Is nut fair." Nukka whimpered, hugging Zimi back. Her face shifted from sad to determined. "We won't see you gone, if Zimi leaves Nukka goes."

"Darling..."

"If Zimi goes, Nukka goes too! End of discussion." Nukka huffed, looking around. "Anyone say nu?"

"No no no, all fine by me." Spi'Reto stuttered, waving his hands and stepping back.

"Wait, but we didn't agree to this plan." One of the elders reminded them.

Nukka growled, her eyes fixated on him as he looked away and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "M-Maybe not a terrible idea, I suppose."

Dimyri shrugged with a smile, not how she planned to persuade them but it works. "We can make this happen, you haven't even asked about our second advantage."

"We have a second advantage, what is it?" Janette asked.

Dimyri smiled back. "Janette, right? Funny you should ask, it's you."

"Me?" Even Syri stood puzzled.

"Yea, you and that magic book of yours remember?"