Elemental Cats

Toz looked bewildered at Wulf's words. But when he gave it some thought, he realized it was perfectly understandable if the cats had done something. Although he had asked them to stay unnoticed while investigating Pirate Haven, Lucy especially wasn't someone who didn't follow his whims. Toz nodded in understanding, but he still prompted Wulf to tell him the details.

"Well, I said cats, but so far, the only thing that's confirmed are several cat's paw prints found at the scenes of various 'events'"

"'Events?'"

"A few thefts, a couple of burned-down warehouses-"

"A few of the Blue bastards were found with a dozen holes in them.."

Toz simply nodded at Wulf and Hayar's words.

"That does sound like them. I did tell them to lay low, but I guess they're having a blast. Sorry if any of your business is affected."

"No worries, we're completely fine. The paw prints have only been found at places in the territories of the cultist crazies and the Blue bastards and only at a few businesses. If it weren't for the paw prints, it wouldn't have even been worthy of Retsy's information network. Stuff blowing and people dying is the norm around here."

"That's a relief."

Wulf looked slightly confused at Toz's relaxed and nonchalant attitude.

"You aren't worried about them being captured or killed?"

"Hah! As long as they stick together, I have nothing to worry about."

Wulf and Hayar were a little surprised at Toz's confident attitude since most beast type mages tended to be slightly overprotective of their bonded beasts. If the beast died, the mage would suffer an incredible backlash, after all.

Toz was beginning to wonder if it was time to go back to their island since the cats had enjoyed their fun or if maybe they should find a place to stay within the city. However, his thoughts were interrupted by a sensation brought to him by his inclination.

It wasn't a distress signal like when he found Scrael and Asilean. Instead, it was a simple feeling of where the cats he was bonded with were. And that feeling was telling Toz that the cats were on their way toward him.

Toz was about to inform Wulf about it, but the doors to the greenhouse burst open, interrupting him.

"Cap'n! Five incoming intruders. They're coming in fast, and they're coming from Blue's middle tier."

"They never learn! Frank, get Vaner and Stitch. Hayar, you're with me."

"Stitch is back?!"

"Go! Toz, you can just watch if you want."

"No need-"

"Okay then. Hayar, Let's go."

Toz wanted to explain that it was his cats that were the supposed intruders. He was slightly curious about how they had been detected by Frank, but he had to follow behind Wulf and Hayar and stop them from attacking the cats. He was pretty sure that they would realize the cats were his as soon as they saw them. But the cats wouldn't know and might respond to the Bunglehoppers' aggression with violence.

Toz followed Wulf and Hayar out of the greenhouse and toward the edge of the city's middle tier. It was like he expected. They were heading in the direction of the cats.

However, what Toz hadn't expected was that people would already be fighting before a single Bunglehopper had arrived.

Toz had been keeping even steps with Wulf and Hayar while explaining that his cats were on the way. But when he sensed the battle going down, he sped up and left the two pirates in the dust.

Toz arrived at a large intersection only a few seconds later.

The cats were there, and so were five pirates, either dressed almost completely in blue or with a blue insignia somewhere on their clothes. Since the cats had it under control, Toz took his time studying the insignia that looked like a circle of connected leaves or stars. It didn't take much for Toz to realize that the cats were fighting against a bunch of pirates from the Blue Lounge League of Pirates.

Frank hadn't noticed the cats' arrival. It was just that a bunch of pirates from another crew had decided to launch a sneak attack at the same time that the cats went to find Toz.

The cats were mostly playing around with the pirates, even though several of them were at the higher levels, and Toz let them have their fun. While he watched them fight, Wulf and Hayar came to join him.

"I'm beginning to see why you weren't worried."

It only took a few moments for Wulf to realize that the cats weren't serious and were just tormenting the desperate pirates in blue.

The pirates were also beginning to realize that they were in a mess they couldn't get out of that easily.

The blue pirate, who looked like the one in charge, began looking around, trying to figure out a way to get away from the cats. That was when he saw the three people standing on the rooftops not too far away from them.

"Fuck! Retreat! We were too slow. The Poison Witch is already back!"

However, even if the pirates wanted to run away, there were a bunch of cats who didn't let them.

Not even the fastest of the pirates could catch a glimpse of Scrael and Asilean. The strongest pirates were no match for Mindle and Nil's firepower. And the sneakiest pirate got scared half to death when their shadows crept up along their legs and into their orifices.

Wulf and Hayar watched with slight surprise as the pirates, who had been resisting fiercely, were destroyed in almost an instant as soon as the cats stopped holding back.

Frank, Vaner, and Stitches caught up to Toz, Wulf, and Hayar right when the cats finished up.

"Woah…"

Frank and Vaner were impressed by the cats' display of power. They were also slightly wary, but since the cats fought against the pirates from Blue Lounge, and neither Wulf nor Hayar were doing anything, Frank and Vaner also decided not to take any rash actions.