The front gates were soon swarmed by the many people gathered for the execution, crowding and pushing and screaming as they raced to escape like a raging river spearing through the building. Dimyri and Na'Vi moved away from their seats as they found themselves pushed and shoved around by the panic which overwhelmed the civilians. Screams of pleading and horror rang loudly in their ears, with Syri finding Janette and clinging to her arm with a look of fear in her eyes. Janette looked over her head and quickly pulled her into her arms, keeping Syri's head in her shoulders to hide the Nekomata from the city guards running past them.

  One of the guards held a distinct emblem on his right shoulder pte as he took charge, directing the rest of his men to guide the civilians out of the building.

  "Neil, keep the bloody gates open! The rest of you come with me! We need to control this flock, get the women and children out first!"

  Nihja stood up aghast and stunned, unable to pry her eyes away from watching the others rush out the front gates. Some of her men had stood up from their seats but stayed inside, turning up beside her to ask what comes next. But Nihja stood frozen still, like an immovable statue that hardly recognized their presence much less their pleads.

  It was not until Janette ran up and pulled her arm to face her that Nihja snapped out of her trance, blinking and shaking her head. "Wha-what?"

  "Your men! Everyone's asking what happens now. Nihja, you need to call off the pn!"

  "Pn?" She asked with uncertainty.

  Janette shook her and raised her voice. "Yes! The pn, the pn! Call it off, this is getting out of hand!"

  "The pn," Nihja broke Janette's grasp on her, looking down as the memories began to resurface. She shot her head up with a look of determination as she collected herself. "Ah! The pn, I-I can call it off but you're asking us to change the pn now?"

  "It doesn't look like we have any other option, look around you!"

  Nihja turned to her men. "Get Nyitzcha and tell her to hold off, I'll get Zena. We can still salvage this, but we need to move now!"

  Her men nodded in return, running to join the others at the gates as Nihja grabbed her friend's hand. "Go back to the Hub. This pce is bound to be flooded with guards soon!"

  "And leave my friends behind?" Janette recoiled in disgust, pulling her hand away. "I-I can't!"

  The lesser succubus rolled her eyes in frustration, grabbing Janette by both arms. "Jay, this is serious! Your parents wouldn't want to see you get involved like this again!"

  Janette turned her head away, looking down before gncing at a worried Syri held in Emyri's arms. She swallowed and faced Nihja once more, shaking her head before breaking away from her. "I'm sorry Nihja, but I can't run like this. Not this time."

  "You-!" Nihja flinched as soon as a loud roar echoed from the pit, accompanied by screaming guards. She looked up to see Janette running off toward the Nekomata, cursing herself as she reluctantly headed toward the escape.

  Back at the pit, KuliKuli ran up the walls on all fours before kicking off, leaping just over Reta as the wolf crashed headfirst into stone. Landing just several feet behind her, KuliKuli turned her head as one of the guards ran up to them with a give in his hands, its curved bde aimed straight for Reta's spine. The Nekomata pounced onto the man, kicking him away and sending his weapon cnking and sliding along the dirt. He coughed and raised the toppled helmet away from his eyes, looking up in horror as Reta loomed over him with her paw over her head, ready to strike. He turned and covered his head when KuliKuli tched onto Reta from behind, grabbing her hair by the mouthful and pulling her away.

  The werewolf whimpered and fell on her back, crushing KuliKuli under her. The Nekomata refused to let go, prompting the wolf to twist and roll around the dirt, picking up a cloud of dust as they moved beside Felix. He coughed and tried breathing through his nose, staring down at his hands helpless as he repeated his friends' teachings in an attempt to gather his focus amongst the loudness and movement around him.

  He groaned loudly and looked up to see Daemon run past him. "Hey! Hey you! Release me from these chains, please!"

  Daemon ignored him, or perhaps he did not hear him as he was too busy commanding his men and assessing the situation. "Circle around them, seal the exits! Keep the councilmen safe and isote the beasts!"

  Overhead, Perdilius stood watching a pair of armed city guards escorting the councilmen one by one, retreating back through the back entrance from where they came. His men were in no hurry to assist as they stood by his side, observing the ensuing panic as if it were some sort of theatrical performance. He stepped lightly toward the pit and leaned across, eyeing the Nekomata and smiling to himself.

  Reta shot up and howled loudly, her mouth cmped shut by a paw as KuliKuli used her weight to shove her friend into the ground headfirst. A searing jolt of pain stung her backside, forcing KuliKuli forward as she flopped and turned around to face her attack. It was one of the city guards, holding another give with blood dripping from the tip as he licked his lips and swallowed his fears, determined to hold his ground amongst his allies. It was then that KuliKuli noticed the number of guards surrounding them as she retreated into her friend, with Reta shaking her dazed. Looking around from one visor to the other, KuliKuli dug her hind paw into the sandy dirt before flexing her paw to extract her cws.

  "Sorry wolfy." She turned and smacked Reta's backside, kicking her leg up and spraying the front guard's eyes with dirt. He turned his head and groaned as he tried blinking the bits of sand in his eyes, only to feel the weight of a lunging werewolf toss him aside until he crashed several feet away. Reta had charged into the direction of the attack, moving straight into the rushing group of reinforcements.

  "Shit!" Janette cried out, turning toward Emyri and her daughters. "We can't let her bite anyone!"

  "Understood!" Na'Vi replied, jumping in without question.

  She fell on top of Reta, kicking the wolf down before she herself rolled forward and crashed into one of the guards. His friend ran up with a net in his hands when he was kicked away by Emyri, both girls turning around as Reta growled loudly behind them. She gred at Na'Vi and shed out, her cws becoming a deadly bur with how rapid her movements were. Na'Vi struggled to dodge each swipe, stumbling and losing bance as she fell on her back. She shrieked and shrunk into her cat form, running between the wolf's legs and jumping over her tail swipe.

  Emyri lunged in and shoved Reta aside, only causing the wolf to fall on her knee. The Nekomata chuckled nervously with her paws held up as she stepped back. "E-Easy now, we're friends remember?"

  Reta hunched forward and howled before charging with her mouth open, moving in for a bite.

  "She doesn't remember!" Emyri cried out, quickly changing into a cat and running under the guards as Reta kicked and swiped at each one, tossing them around with ease.

  KuliKuli fell down and moved her paw away just as a spear stabbed where it once was, looking up as a pair of guards draped a net over her.

  "Gotcha!" One of the announced, "Quickly now, grab her tail."

  "Agh!" His ally was struck with a rock on his helmet, rubbing his head and losing his hold. It gave her the opportunity she needed to sink her cws against the net and run it down like a rake in the grass, slicing through a wide enough gap for her to slip her tails through. They wrapped around the other guard's boot and pulled him forward, toppling him over as she was met with the sight of Janette and Syri watching over from above. She smiled as Syri nervously climbed down and moved in to free her sister.

  "Meow!" Emyri yelped as Reta sent her tiny form flying with a swipe of her paw, rolling into the dirt and surrounded with a fsh of magic before growing into her Nekomata form. She curled up, wincing and grinding her teeth despite the ck of any fresh wounds on her body. KuliKuli sprung out from the net in time to spot her mother on the ground, realizing that she still hadn't recovered from the cuts and bruises she endured in the morning. She gasped and hurried on all fours, running through the growing chaos of guards and cat girls. To her shock, the captain of the guards stepped in front of Emyri, drawing his sword and holding it firmly with both hands. He raised it in front of him, keeping Reta's eyes glued to his sword as two of his men hurried to her rear with snares in their arms.

  Once Reta stood upright, her left arm was ensnared by the wrist followed quickly by her right. A third guard ran behind Daemon and with a swing of his arm, managed to ensnare Reta's neck. The three of them pulled her down, overcoming her thrusts and spasmatic movements as they managed to keep her pinned. She calmed down enough to lock eyes with Daemon as he held his bde against her nose, his sword running down her face before tapping her neck. Tightening his fingers, he pulled his sword back and swung across her, striking her down once and for all!

  SHING!

  His eyes grew wide as KuliKuli stood between them, grunting as she met his sword with her cws. With a loud yell, she batted his sword out of his hands and kicked him back. Reta took the initiative and turned her wrists, grazing the tightly bound snare on her left arm with the tips of her cws. It was enough for it to snap, allowing her to cut the snare off her neck and pull at the snare to her right, pulling the guard into her as she met him with a hard backhand.

  While Reta dealt with the other guards, KuliKuli turned around to help her mother up. "Mom, it's too dangerous for you here. Go back up with Jay."

  Emyri scoffed, the corner of her lip twitching as she struggled to put up a strong face. "And what, leave my girls here in danger?"

  She yelped as soon as KuliKuli tried to raise her by her waist, scaring her daughter as she pulled her arm away.

  "Look at you, this is not the time to argue! You protected us before, now it's our turn. Can you climb?"

  Emyri looked into her daughter's eyes and chuckled nervously. "Look at you, all grown up with a mate of your own and taking charge of things. That's not the Nityri I remember."

  She didn't know how to respond, stammering repeatedly when someone called out to her.

  "Kuli!"

  She spotted Felix as he was still confined to his chains, turning to her mother as she stood up.

  "G-Get to the surface with Jay-"

  "I know dear, just go!" Emyri pleaded, resting against the wall as her daughter ran into the battle to free her mate.

  She slid down beside Felix, getting on her knees and looking down at his chains. "Keep your arms up."

  He complied, yanking the chains as far as he could as she breathed in and swung her cws down with all of her strength only to pull her paw back with a whimper.

  "Ouch!" She held her arm, shaking her paw. "The damn thing is too strong!"

  "The keys!" He shouted, looking around the pit. "One of these guards should have the key w- behind you!"

  "Aah!" She turned back and was met with Reta pinning her down. "Reta, don't!"

  She cocked her head and roared down at her prey, hovering her cws over her when Na'Vi appeared from behind and bit her shoulder. The wolf howled and threw herself back, releasing KuliKuli as she turned her aggression onto Na'Vi.

  "I got her! Free him!" Na'Vi shouted, cshing with the wolf's cws and recoiling back each time. "Now!"

  Nodding back, KuliKuli looked around and scurried off, climbing and searching each unconscious guard she could find.

  Syri and Dimyri backed into each other, with the youngest turning to her oldest for help. Several of the guards pointed their gives at the girls, keeping them there while two more approached with nets.

  "I'm scared!" Syri cried out.

  Dimyri licked her lips and looked around, spotting Na'Vi being chased by an angry werewolf. "Na'Vi!"

  She turned to them and understood, changing into her cat form and racing toward the guards. One of them took notice and threw his net at her, catching her as she tumbled across the floor like a tethered-up ball of fur. Only the guards were left to face the werewolf's wrath as she snatched up one of them with ease and shoved him against the wall, knocking the wind out of him. He fell into a crumbled-up mess, panting and gasping for air as he watched the rest of his men flung and batted away with ease.

  He jumped and held up his arms when KuliKuli approached him. "Please don't! I've a family, a family!"

  He watched her as she ignored his cries and patted his belt and chest, locking eyes with him. "Key, now!"

  "K-Key?" He repeated, watching her growl as she was not in a patient mood. "Aah yes-yes! Key, h-here!"

  She lunged toward his hand, catching the silver key in her teeth and running off to meet Felix. She spat the key onto her paw and hurried to aim it into the keyhole, turning to him with a nervous smile. "H-How do I unlock these things again?"

  "Oh, great heavens." He sighed, feeling his heart beating frantically as the screams and roars continued out of his sight. "Just push it into the hole and twist it right. There we go!"

  She hurried to shed the cuffs out from his wrists and hurried to remove the chains on his ankles. with Felix now able to look at the fight going on behind him. She shot up with the key in her paw after removing the lock on his ankles when he looked up and gasped.

  "Get down!" He screamed out, covering her with his body.

  FFFFFFFFFFFFFffffffffffffeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwww-BOOM!

  Something shot into the pit and struck the wooden doors, bsting them open with a cloud of sparks and... fireworks?

  Everyone fell to the ground at once, protecting themselves from the explosion. Felix rolled onto his back next to KuliKuli, both of them coughing from the cloud of ash and dust as they spotted a familiar figure watching them from the surface level above.

  There stood Nyitzcha with a set of rocket fireworks in her hand, covering her face in a veil to keep her identity hidden. Janette stood at her side, cupping her mouth and shouting down to her friends.

  "The doors are open, hurry up and escape!"