49 The Call of Nature

Barret and Katinka were navigating through the forest's bog. "My word, this place is thick. If there is a Zodiac here, they're well hidden." Barret states, keeping his eyes ahead of him.

Katinka stepped in the mud by accident, looking to her boot. "Maybe Myde is having a better time then us. I think I can handle sandstorms better than sticky mud."

Barret turns back to Katinka laughing a little, "Yeah, it would be better soaring in the trees. I envy Ferline, especially in places like-" he joked, before slipping into the mud. "-thisssssss!"

He landed right in a mud pit, covering his rear and legs. Katinka got over to him quickly, "Talk about getting clumsy, doofus. You alright?" She crouched down to him, extending her hand.

Barret blushed nervously, "I'm fine, thanks..." He states, grabbing to Katinka's hand, who helps him to his feet.

"This hiss quite the cat-astrophe! How furry Un-fur-tunate." Spoke a female voice above the two. It was a short and stocky ferline, wearing a pink petal dress, with plant accessories. She was laying on her belly, as she posed on the tree limb, trying to be sexy, even though her body wasn't the most appealing.

"Who are you?" Barret inquires, to the strange ferline.

Her tail was curling upward, as she leaned to her palm. "Purr-haps a ferline, dressed like a flower, perched in a tree."

Barret grunts, crossing his arms. "That I can see, but who are you? I suggest you answer my question."

"Pepper did answer mew. Meta-furr-kitty. Why the need to get Purr-sonal meow?" She looked to him, smirking.

Katinka crossed her arms, "I really don't like cats."

Barret sighs, "Because right now, there's some dangerous people wandering about. If you're just here to mess with us, now isn't the time."

"Meow hissn't the time." She licked the inside of her wrist.

"I think she just corrected you." Katinka gawked, in irritation.

"With terrible diction as well..." Barret groans, forming lazy eyes.

"Mew've cat-ta be kitten me. Pepper hiss a purr-fectist. Mew hiss just In-fur-ior, be-claws the way Pepper talks hiss Meow-velous. Mew hiss just cattywampus." She got all teary eyed, but settled. "Soon mew will face a path of mew-sery, and will suf-fur purr-der, if mew won't heed Pepper's words of claw-tion." The ferline stated, as she pouted.

"Caution?" Barret inquired.

Katinka gawked to Barret, "You understand this gibberish?!"

"Umm caution, but everything else was a miss." Barret states, turning to Katinka.

"Cat nappers, purr-derers, and paw-sibly disa-purr-ances. It's all rather a-paw-ling. These woods are a dangerous paw-lace." The cat rolled over, looking to them from upside down.

Barret nods, "Well, thanks for the heads up... Oh, she said it's a dangerous place." He looks to Katinka.

Katinka crosses her arms. "Still gibberish."

Barret agrees, turning back to the cat girl, "But if I may ask again, what is your name?"

"Pepper's gonna kit in so meowch trouble for hiss." The cat jumped down to their level, looking from her short height. "Pepper's a purr-ecious, purr-nicious, claw-ver little Ferline, with Cat-titude, and a knack for meow-nipulation. Mew may call me, Purr-incess Pepper Mint. Paws, and breath it all in." She introduced herself, proudly.

Barret rubs the back of his head. "Pepper Mint?....Okay then. Princess Pepper Mint, have you seen any strange workers? Kaos forces near here? I know you mentioned danger, but we really could use some help to track them down."

"Barret, she's covered in plants." Katinka looked to him.

"That I'm aware of." Barret states back to Katinka.

"Think about it dofus. She might not know what that is." Katinka, leaned to his shoulder, with her elbow resting on it.

Barret laughs, "Very true..."

"Oh my Clawed! Cats pre-paw-sterous. Who needs lion, when mew are litter-ally Con-furs-ed." Pepper giggled, "Con-cat-ulations Fur-ends, just say 'help meow-t', and Pepper will do what she can. The cat's in the bag." She said slyly, looking to them.

"....Okay then. Sure, help us find them." Barret states.

"Like taking catnip from a kitten." Pepper walked a head, motioning them to follow her. "Follow me, fur-ends. Pepper will lead the way!"

"Alright come on Katinka." Barret says, walking after Pepper.

"Yeah-yeah. I'm coming. She smells like plants." Katinka muttered.

Meanwhile, Myde was venturing through the woods on her own. "This place is endless." She stated, holding to a tree trunk, as she perched on a branch. She sniffed the air a bit, but her ears perked up. "Hm?" Myde jumped down to the surface, walking through some vines she pushed aside. She then looked around a briefly. "That smell."

Footsteps came up from behind her, as she felt arms wrap around like a hug. Her tail fluffed up easily. "It's just me." Spoke Cravic's voice into her ear.

"Cravic?.. What are you doing here?" Myde inquired, slightly blushing in embarrassment. "After what happened back at base, I didn't think I'd ever see you again." She did have concern to her tone.

Cravic let her go, so she could turn to look at him. "I wanted to see you." He stated, looking off slightly.

Myde noticed the eye patch, reaching for it slightly, but retreated her hand. "How did you even find me all the way out here?" Myde looked to him seriously. "Did Bit tell you?"

"Don't worry about that." Cravic grabbed her shoulders.

Myde blushed from the contact, looking to him anxiously.

Stevonne suddenly steps up behind Cravic, eyeing the two of them. "Cravic?" She states softly. She was in her human form once again.

Myde snapped out of it, noticing Stevonne. "Huh?"

Cravic's eye glanced back to Stevonne. "What is it?" he grunted in irritation.

"Oh, just checking up on you. I see you're visiting old friends." She states, smiling.

"I've seen you someplace before... I can't place who you are, however." Myde grew serious.

Stevonne's smile becomes sharper, "How uncouth, you honestly don't remember the prisoner Barret rescued, from that Zodiac in the safari?"

"I see. You must not have been that involved around me, otherwise I would remember you more clearly. Also to why you're here, perplexes me." Myde stated.

Cravic released his hands from her shoulders, as he walked a bit behind Myde, but kept his back turned to them.

"I feel that's quite alright. I'd rather keep myself unknown for the time being... But then, let me ask you something. How close are you to the people you work with? Do you really trust them?" Stevonne inquires to Myde.

"If I didn't trust them, I would have left when the other Ferline did. What is your point?" Myde's ears went back.

Stevonne crosses her arms, "Well... I was asking, because seeing how they operate in places. You could end up dead. I'm sure Cravic wouldn't want that, I'm helping him regain a good place in life. That comes with protecting what matters... But that's up to Cravic in the end... We do need to build our connections."

Myde seemed a bit off taken by this, and glanced to Cravic. "What is she talking about? Cravic?"

Stevonne laughs, "Oh, I'm playing, I just saw you two here, and thought I'd pull some strings. I'll leave you two for now... However, Cravic? Keep me informed, alright?" She says, floating away.

Myde's ears kept back, as she saw Stevonne float away. "(I thought her scent wasn't human... but what was she speaking about?)" She glanced back to Cravic, who still had his back turned to her.

"..." Cravic sighed a bit, in irritation.

"Cravic?" Myde stepped closer to him, she tried to sound serious, but he was making her nervous.

Cravic glanced back to her, "Hm? No idea what she was on about." Cravic looked off. "I've gotta go, don't get hurt out here." He stepped off a bit from her.

"Cravic." Myde grabbed his hand.

"..." He glanced back to her.

"Don't completely disappear." She insisted.

"I won't." Cravic said, before she released his hand. He got some distance, before warping off with dark dama.

"... (I don't understand you sometimes...)" Myde sighed a bit, spotting Barret and the others not too far in the distance. She decided to make her way over, but as she drew closer noticed Pepper. "A Ferline?"

Soon, Myde reached the others. Barret turns to her, "Myde there you are, did you discover anything?" He inquired.

Before Myde could respond, Pepper pushed between Barret and Katinka, looking to Myde. "Heeeeelllllllo kitty. Pepper hiss feline like she could just pounce on mew. Fur-end? Why didn't mew meow-tion mew knew such a cat-tivating tomcat." She was swaying her butt back and forth, looking to Myde with dreamy eyes.

"I don't know where you picked up this ferline... but she's pissing me off already!" Myde was clenching a fist, flaring her teeth.

"Meow, don't be like that. Why are mew so fur-ious?" Pepper was clinging to Myde at this point.

Myde grabbed Pepper's entire face in her palm, shoving her back. "I am NOT a tomcat, you dolt!!!"

Pepper made a sad face, tearing up. "Hiss Pepper really that a-paw-ling?... That mew has to be lion?"

"I told you! I'm not a boy!!" Myde snapped.

"Mew doesn't have any kitties though." Pepper tilted her head.

"Are you saying I'm flat chested!?" Myde was icing up now, with her fist shaking angrily.

"Oh my clawed! Mew're kitten me... this is un-fur-tunate... yikes..." Pepper pulled back, and hid behind Barret, quickly.

Barret sweat drops, letting out a sigh, "We've been stuck with her, it's also good you can understand her. I have a hard enough time trying to translate."

Katinka nodded, "Yeah, it's making my head hurt."

Myde crossed her arms, chilling out a bit. "She's speaking Mewish. It's how most Ferline talk back on Crydon. Most of our people, are still are learning to speak your tongue."

"Won-fur-ful." Pepper looked to the side, saying it sarcastically.

Barret nods, "I see, that makes a lot of sense. Well, maybe you can help us further then. She said something about, dangers and wanting to help us."

"Dangers?" Myde looked to Pepper. "What dangers?"

"Disa-purr-ances, purr-derers, cat nappers. Pepper tried to purr-suade them it's claw-ful to get clawst in here. Fur-ends didn't listen." Pepper shrugged, her tail swishing.

Barret folds his arms, "So from what I gather, did she say disappearances?" He inquired to Myde.

"Indeed, as well as murders. She also stated, that it's awful to get lost too." Myde translated.

"Purr-fect." Pepper looked lazily to Myde.

"Well, I suppose we should follow her lead then. You said you can help us through, right?" Barret states to Pepper.

"Mew got it. Pepper can do that." Pepper looked ahead.

"She's so annoying." Katinka groaned.

Barret pats Katinka on the shoulder, "Come on."

Pepper led them ahead, she had her back to them, dark shadows casting over her face as she smirked. Myde was picking up the rear. They ventured deeper into the woods, spotting what seemed to be a town built in the trees in the distance.

"Does she even know what we're looking for, Barret?" Myde looked to him.

Barret shrugs, "From what I gathered, she was just keeping us away from any problems we could come across."

"Yeah." Katinka agreed, seeming irritated.

"I see." Myde replied.

Pepper had gotten further ahead, and was waving them over. "Don't paws meow, Pepper thinks there might be something a bit fur-ward from here. See." Motions to the town.

"Hmm, she's right. Come on girls." Barret says, leading Myde and Katinka ahead, with him.

As they got halfway between where they had stood and Pepper, the ground suddenly caved in below their feet. All three landing very far down into a hole in the ground.

"Grr! What?" Barret gasped.

Katinka looked around to the dirt walls surrounding them, "Did we just fall into a pit trap?"

Myde was already on her feet, trying to find a path out, but it was even too high for her to climb. Pepper peeked from the top, down to them.

"This hiss quite a cat-astrophe, fur-ends cat-ched in a trap. Just say 'paw-lease help meow-t'." Pepper was laying on her belly, looking in.

Barret gets to his feet, looking up to Pepper, "Yes, that would be nice. Please help us out." He asked, gritting his teeth.

"Paw-y, Pepper hopes it's not too un-cat-fur-a-bell down there."Pepper held back a laugh, rolling to her side, before cracking up. "Pepper cat believe how litter-ally purr-fect hiss was. Mew cat even pounce to Pepper's level! Meow-haha!" She rolled back, looking down with an eerie look to her face, "Fur-get it, Why should Pepper even bo-fur when she would purr-fer that mew stay stuck fur-ever? Hiss-tory in the making, as Pepper's tail climbs up the meow-ntain! Mew are in-fur-ior, be-claws Pepper hiss purr-haps fur-miliar to mew un-fur-tunate peace makers. Meow-haha!"

"Uh-oh...She must be a Zodiac.." Barret states, annoyed by the situation.

"Ya think?" Katinka was getting aggravated.

"I knew something was up, when I saw a Ferline with you." Myde growled, looking at Pepper.

"Paww, Mew mean, 'smelled fishy'! Meow-haha!! Paw-sitivly meow-velous, suf-fur in mew-sery! Purr-incess Pepper Mint, is paw-sibly the most claw-ver, and purr-nicious little Ferline, with Cat-titude and a knack for meow-nipulation! Virgo of the Zodiac was closfur than mew knew! Right under mew's noses! The cat's in the bag, and Life with stroke Pepper fur cat-ching mew! MEOW-HAHAHAHA!!!" She was pretty proud of herself.

Barret shoots his gun at her, missing his mark. "We may be in a ditch, but don't think this will hold us back!" He says, reloading his gun.

"You're not as clever as you think you are." Myde sneered, placing a hand to the wal, as ice began to form platforms on the side of the walls, to scale.

Pepper jumped back, "Oh bell." Plants began to grow over the hole. "Cat-ch Pepper if you can!~" She said, before bolting off to the tree village.

They quickly were scaling the ice platforms. Barret engages his power glove, forming a sword, he looks to Katinka. "Katinka? Let's cut down these plants, quick!" He says, slashing one apart, as others were starting to grow rapidly.

"If you say so, we might have a fire hazard with this shit." Katinka swung her wires, sparking the plants. It sparked a bit of flame, before spreading.

Barret laughs nervously, "Let's move!"

Myde used her ice, to hold back the flames, and overgrowing planets; as they escaped the pit. Now they had the issue to where Pepper fled too.

Myde sniffed the air a bit. "She's not too far from here. My guess would be that town there."

Barret nods, "Alright, I guess that's where we're heading. Also, Katinka? I think you'll be the one really effective against this Zodiac... She seems to be infatuated with plants. Even with her abilities. So, when the time is right, I want you to place as much electricity into her, as possible." He explains, adjusting his power glove.

Katinka held a thumbs up. "You got it, Barry." She smiled.

Barret smirks, "Okay, let's keep moving you guys." He says, rushing ahead with them, to the treetop village.

They make their way quickly to the village. In the center of it was a cage, where a cat boy was locked up. Pepper was at the side of it, looking to him. "Con-cat-ulations tomcat, mew's Pepper's meow. No other tomcats, just mew."

The boy cat sighs, "I really could use a good cup of worms or something. At least to help get some fish. The only thing I want right now, is a good meal."

"Mew're Pepper's purr-ince meow, and we can eat together, but furst, she wants a hiss!" Pepper reached her arms into the cell, with a kissy face.

The cat boy digs into his nose with his finger. He pulls out a booger. "If you really want my love, we'll eat each others boogers." He says, holding it up to Pepper.

"Pre-paw-sterous! Put cat thing away mew!" Pepper gawked.

The boy cat held the booger to his mouth. "Then Vehrik, shall eat his own booger." He says, taking it into his mouth. "Mm, salty..."

"Mew mew mew! Cat's re-paw-lsive!" Pepper squirmed, uneasily.

Vehrik shrugs, "Well, I'm not for everyone. Vehrik knows best though, if you really liked me... You'd eat it..."

"A purr-ince wouldn't do cat!" Pepper was holding her face, in disgust.

Vehrik sits on the floor. "I'm not a prince, you're not a princess, so there's no reason to really have manners." He says, going back to pick his nose.

Vines trailed into the cage, wrapping around his waist, as she looked to him with a death glare. "Mew're su-paw-sed to like Pepper, and act how she wants mew to!"

"You're getting really into this." Vehrik says, eating another booger. "I really have a lot of these, you suuuure you don't want one? It's harmless, I swear."

"Fur-get kit! Pepper has a feline that mew're furry claw-ful, and not purr-fect for her! Kit's not fair! Mew're the un-fur-tunate cat-tive! Mew're con-fur-sing Pepper! She's catting hiss-terical!" Pepper was holding her head, screaming at thim.

"You don't have to yell. I get it. You don't like how I am. I'm not perfect... So yeah. But hey, at least I want to share with you. Honestly, I don't like sharing with people." Vehrik shrugs in the hold. "You're so gross looking, it's kind of adorable."

"MEW hy-purr-kitty-cal, a-paw-ling, tomcat!! How dare mew! Pepper hiss the most claw-ver and purr-nicious little Ferline! Mew're su-paw-sed to bell fur her Cat-titude, and be meow-nipulated!" Pepper cried.

"I don't like cute. I like ugly things. If you have a problem with that. Too bad, I can't help you. Really sucks though. I thought we had something going on." Vehrik states, in disappointment. "Maybe if you ate some of my boogers, then we'd have something, but if you're thinking that's gross. Then the deal is sealed, my filthy-ish queen."

Barret and the others finally arrive, to spot Vehrik, who sat with his waist bound by vines. Vehrik turns his attention to the group. "Hey, now they look more my kind of people. You guys are dirty."

"Vehrik..." Myde looked to him, in a repulsed manner.

"Urgh, the obsessive groomer." Vehrik scoffed.

"You know each other? I take it he was part of Luklen's forces?" Barret inquired.

"Exactly. He's not one to listen to me either." Myde groaned, forming her sword staffs.

"Guess that means, he's not on our side." Katinka spoke up.

"You can say that." Myde replied, boredly.

Pepper looked over, forming a rose whip. "Down kitty, this tomcat's Pepper's! Mew cat that!? She claimed him! Even if he's vile."

"Prisoner is a prisoner, let's get him out of there. We can dead with him afterwards, but first, we take care of this alley cat." Barret spat.

"Alley cat!? Cat's Purr-incess Pepper Mint to mew!" Pepper hissed, using vines to grab their feet quickly, before being pulled up into the air. They were now hanging high above the ground. "Mew may of had a stroke of luck before, but Purr-ecious Pepper, has cat-ched mew again! Meow-haha!"

Barret grits his teeth, spotting Katinka and Myde also dangling from vines. "Katinka, dammit we have to get down from here."

"Leave that to me." Katinka swung her wires, with electricity flowing. It slashed all three vines at the same time, engulfing them like before. That drop though looked terminal, and there was no stopping it.

Barret gasps, looking to the ground, as he fell quickly. "Oh noo!!!"

Myde was the first to land. Being a ferline, she didn't have trouble getting on her feet. Katinka and Barret were still mid drop, When Katinka grabbed Barret, Bridal style, and gale jumped, before reaching the ground without damage.

"You alright? I didn't mean to scare you, dork." Katinka looked to Barret.

"W-wait....Urgh he heh...I guess what they say is true. (This is amazing...)" Barret says to himself laughing and nodding to Katinka.

"Sorry, this must be weird. Hey though, first successful gale jump!" She said, chuckling, before sitting him back to the ground, looking to Pepper with her wires dancing slightly.

Pepper was fuming. "PEPPER WILL MAKE MEW SUF-FUR!!!!!!" She screamed, as she released floral spores, that sprinkled down from above.

Some had gotten into Barret's lungs, his body suddenly becomes numb. He falls to his face unable to move. "Grr....W-what!?"

"Just breath it all in, meow." Pepper grinned.

"Barret?!" Katinka gawked, also noticing Myde crashed down as well. The spores were coming her way, but she whips the wires, burning up the spores with her lighting. Her glare focusing to Pepper.

"Fur real? Mew're not su-paw-sed to be fur-tunate! Pepper's tail-ent bell make mew all disa-purr!" Pepper was angry now, her plants overflowing the surroundings.

Vines rip through the floor boards around them, making their way at Katinka quickly. Katinka dodges fast, as she gale jumps away from the vines, that smash into the bark of the nearby trees, breaking one down. Katinka then casts a couple of electrical balls in Pepper's direction, roughly. They smash into Pepper, which shock her up greatly. She then falls to the floor, which begins to burn from the aftershock of the electricity. Pepper quickly pushes herself off the floor, and scales a tree quickly, using her whip to jump into the thick leaves above. Katinka snarls, looking up trying to seek Pepper out.

Some sharp pine cones fly out, falling Katinka's direction, and she quickly jumps off the flooring; which breaks from under her. She charges her electrical energy, and aims her hand forward, releasing a wave of lightning, which blows through the leaves; revealing Pepper. She then boosts herself off the air, once more nearing Pepper with her fist.

Pepper swings her whip, which attached to a branch. She swings off the tree limb, smashing into Katinka roughly, knocking her backward into another hanging branch. She then swings once more, flying over to Katinka. Once in range, she swings her whip right around Katinka, cutting through the branches. Blood was starting to leak from the cuts, and Pepper smiles proudly, as her thorned whip dug into Katinka's skin, like a vice grip.

"Mew're litter-ally hissing Pepper off!" Pepper growled.

"I'm shocked that you said that, you could use some en-lightning!!" Katinka snickers, and sparks up, shocking Pepper greatly, who then is pushed back off of Katinka.

She flies, and kicks Pepper again, twirling her down into the ground below. The impact was so hard, it kicked up dirt and forest debris in front of Barret and Myde.

"K-Katinka? (I knew she was powerful, but this crazy...)" Barret stated to himself.

"My gosh." Myde gasped a bit.

Pepper then uses her whip, to swing around Barret. His eyes widen from the pain of the thorns that impaled his arms. "Mew cares about this human, right? Purr-haps Pepper should kill him first then."

Katinka's eyes widen, as anger rushed over her. She moves quickly in Barret's direction, to free him from the whip. "That's it cat! Time to amp up the voltage. I'm going to overload your battery! Time for another shocker. ZAP CANNON!"

A wild stream of electricity cuts the whip holding Barret. It unravels as he falls to the ground. The beam had struck Pepper, blowing her through the floor boards, and crashing back through trees. The stream had created a path, which was now smoking of ember from the lightning. Bits of Pepper's clothing fell around, burning into flames. The ferline was laying in the mud, her clothes in shambles.

"I-Is she dead?" Barret says, gripping himself off the ground. "Wait... I can move?"

Myde shifted as well, "The effects of the spores must have worn off."

Katinka was huffing, the sparking of her wires trailing to the ground around her. Her eyes were focused firmly to the ferline on the surface. Pepper stood up, covered in mud as she shakily kept on her feet. She was bleeding, and her breathing erratic as well.

Vehrik smirks at the sight of Pepper, "Hey, now she's looking more my kind of girl... I wonder if she'll even eat boogers now?" He says, adding in a wolf-whistle.

Pepper held to her arm, as she dropped to her knees. The mud splashed up onto her, as she gritted her teeth. "Pre-paw-sterous!... Pepper cat... loose like hiss. Pepper's catting cat-atonic... Hiss she just cat-lateral damage... Life.... YOOOOOOWW!!!" She held herself, leaning forward roughly. The veins in her skin was reaching the surface, escaping as they took form of roots. She continued to scream, as the vines began to strangle her, as they were flowering. Her skin was even shifting, as the last few yelps were heard, before the skin took of form of tree bark. There he was, a natural statue, no movement, no sound, just nature.