The courtyard stood surrounded by walls ten feet tall, each one painted with illustrations of murals depicting numerous figures of different sizes, appearance, and engaged in different acts of non-violence. There were no battles, only showings of a gathering of elves harvesting in one mural, and the arrival of dwarves carrying wagons of metal and stone in the other. The third mural revealed a portly looking bearded man shaking hands with a man with scaly skin towering over him, a saurian, with several women carrying children seen in the background.

  Men and women were permitted through the front entry where four armed men stood watch, searching each individual before allowing them through. One such guard wiggled his bushy blonde mustache under his helmet as he dug into a woman's bag before pulling out a book in old leather covers.

  "What's this?" He pried, flipping the novel open and running his gloved finger from page to page. "A book with no text?"

  "It's a journal, a diary if you will. To help ease my mind and control my thoughts." The woman expined. "The st one was full so I purchased a new one."

  The old man raised his brow and huffed, pressing the book to her hands and ushering for her to move along. She thanked him and walked inside, taking a moment to look around. Pass the entrance stood two elevated ptforms on the left and right side of the courtyard, each with numerous rows of seating overlooking the center. The center itself was a rge circur hole burrowed about a dozen feet below ground level. She approached one of the windows along the right wall and carefully removed her robe, revealing a second robe that she wore. With a whistle, she held her arms up as a cat leapt into her arms, carefully hiding her under the robe as she transformed into her Nekomata form. Looking around, she failed to spot anyone looking in her direction as everyone else seemed distracted with looking into the center.

  "That was close." Janette sighed, wiping her head in relief. Syri nodded back, pulling the hood over her head and keeping her tails tucked under the dress of her robe. They were soon joined by Nihja who also wore a second robe underneath, repeating the process for KuliKuli, Na'Vi, Emyri and Dimyri who joined them one by one.

  Janette took a moment to walk toward the center guard rails and lean in for a closer look, with the cat girls accompanying her. There at the bottom center of the pit stood a metal cage surrounded by eight guards positioned around the walls, with one guard on his knees fidgeting with the cage door. He went in and pulled out a brown-haired man who showed no signs of struggling as he was led into one podium where his shackles were tched onto a silver ring in the floor, and a blue-haired woman was pushed to the other side in the same position.

  KuliKuli felt her paws flex as her instincts fred up, with Emyri keeping her paw over her arm and giving her a worried look. "Settle down sweetie, not when we're so close."

  She sighed and pulled away from the rails, joining Nihja at the front row of seats. "They don't look beaten or injured."

  "Hmph, they're taking it easy on them. These trials aren't often run overnight, you know?"

  Janette sat down next to them with a worried look. "So why now, why are they the exception here?"

  "Bme the circus." Nihja replied back. "Those fires led to a lot of monsters running around, kept us busy and the people with a lot to talk about. Mothers weep about their children, fathers protect their families, and the people start to protest for the council to do something fast."

  KuliKuli hung her head down in silence, feeling sick to her stomach as her mind reeled at the thought of this news. Janette saw this and felt equally guilty at what this meant for them.

  "This isn't our fault. We didn't know what would happen then, how could we? We sought only to escape that magician's slime."

  "This is growing too much." Her voice cracked, a hint of frustration in her tone. "All this because of what I am? Because of me..."

  "Don't say that. If we start to doubt ourselves, we may as well stand up and announce ourselves to them."

  KuliKuli hesitated and nodded back, sucking in her lips as she brushed her paws along her p and thighs. Syri had her head turned to them, eavesdropping when Janette looked to her. The Nekomata smiled nervously as Janette nodded back before looking forward. But when the youngest of the Nekomata turned left to face her oldest sister and mother, she was met with looks of uncertainty and dispute. Dimyri and Emyri were discussing something in soft whispers, and when Emyri took notice of her youngest, Dimyri turned around and settled back in her seat with a grumpy look.

  "Something wrong?" Syri whispered to her.

  "It's nothing." Dimyri grunted in retort.

  Puzzled, the Nekomata looked to her mother with questions in mind when the sound of trumpets alerted everyone ahead.

  At the opposite side of the pit stood a raised podium where a group of soldiers ushered through with a red carpet flowing between them. A fancily dressed man in puffy clothes, the herald, walked along the velvet path and stroked his goatee as he cleared his throat.

  "Ladies and Gentlemen of Kershin Market, please be silent in the presence of our most esteemed leaders. Please be seated as the councilman take their stands!"

  He stepped aside with an upright pose, shoulders back with a scroll held tightly in his left hand. One by one, the members of the council would walk across the carpet and make their way toward their seats up on the podium stands, each seat organized by different colored banners that hung above them.

  The first man to arrive looked old and easily rattled. He had wrinkly pale skin, long gray hair that draped across his shoulders and back, and a bck mole on his left cheek. He was seated beneath the yellow banner.

  Next came a fat man whose distorted belly struggled against the buttons of his robe as they seemed on the verge of bursting like cannon fire. He looked to be much younger than the first man, with a neatly trimmed mustache on his round face but no beard to hide his double chin. He wore a striped red and yellow tunic tucked under an undersized leather belt, with his stubby white legs wobbling as he required a cane to keep his bance. He was helped by one of the guards to climb up the steps of the podium before he found his seat at the red banner.

  Along came a third and fourth man, sharing simir features with their sharp bck hair and green eyes. They smiled and waved at the people, easily able to climb the steps to the podium while whispering to each other. The resembnce between the two was clear enough to match them as siblings, though one carried some baggy eyes and wavy hair while his younger brother had more color to his skin with luscious curls that bounced with each step. They were seated at the blue and green banner.

  The fifth member was a familiar face, Andre Dubois, keeping a serious face as he took his seat at the bck banner between the two siblings. Now that they sat in close proximity, one could see the resembnce between all three, with Andre coming off as the oldest of his brothers.

  Dimyri watched with awe, deeply fascinated by Janette's history lesson the other day. "Human history is fascinating."

  Her mother gave her a look of concern when the herald spoke up. "The court is now in the presence of our council. Sir Aldric Mercier of the Yellow District."

  The old man tapped his bony fingers over the podium, the yellow banner waving with the evening breeze as the people appuded his presence.

  "Sir Gloine Uldash of the Red District!"

  The fat councilman in striped red and yellow tunic snorted in a sort of pig-like oink, grunting as he waved his bloated hand.

  "Sir Antoine Dubois of the Blue District!"

  Antoine stood up and blew a kiss, his pearly white teeth complimenting his handsome face as some of the women swooned much to the distaste of their partners. His curls bounced as he sat back down, wiping his hands and looking to Andre with a grin.

  "Sir Alphonse Dubois of the Green District!"

  Alphonse remained in his chair, waving with a joyful smile.

  "And stly, Sir Andre Dubois of the Bck District!"

  Andre Dubois nodded respectfully, his neck fat quivering as he cleared his throat and leaned forward at the center of the podium. Felix and Reta looked up, feeling helpless under numerous watching eyes as they looked to each other for comfort.

  KuliKuli nearly jumped in her seat, catching looks from Janette. She followed her stare and was shocked to find Perdilius standing idly by next to the city guards with a pair of his own followers beside him. He stood with his hands humbly behind him and a smug expression on his face, proudly watching the execution take pce.

  The Harold cleared his throat once more. "We have found that you have been charged, tried and convicted for your willful commission of crimes against the town. Said crimes being numerous in quantity and sinister in nature."

  Andre raised his hand for the Herald to be silent. "We are aware of the crimes id forth. What I wish to know is to acknowledge as to why they have chosen this fate for them."

  "It's a monster girl. They work through seduction and violence, same as any other." Antoine mentioned.

  Alphonse cpped his hands together and leaned forward. "This may be true thus far, but your knowledge is limited to hearsay. Some have studied these creatures and noted some differences amongst them. These two belong to the Nekomata, those with feline features, yes? Perhaps it may be to our advantage if we procure some valuable information from these subjects."

  "Is that a hint of admiration I detect in your voice, young Alphonse?" Sir Aldric decred with suspicion, his wrinkled lips quivering as he eyed the young man.

  "Not admiration, no. Just well informed." Andre quickly responded, looking at his youngest brother. "Your input is fair and your suggestion is valid, but I should remind you that we are passed a court hearing. This is an execution."

  "Here, here!" Gloine cheered, smming his hand over the podium counter.

  "Of course, it was not my intent to change that. In a moment their voices will be silenced, and all of their knowledge will be lost. Would it not help to seek out that knowledge while they can speak?"

  Andre sat back in his chair, his eyes looking between Felix and Reta. "Daemon has tried questioning them and it failed. They would rather have their lives snuffed out then talk."

  "I couldn't imagine why." Antoine spoke with a puzzled expression. He gazed down toward Reta and Felix before turning to Andre. "The one with the blue hair, where is she from?"

  "She's a foreigner from some far-off tribe or cn, it matters not."

  "She's not of a noble family or high rank?"

  "Not that we know of, but you bring a fair point." Mused Andre as he adjusted his chair and leaned forward. "You there with the blue hair, introduce yourself to the people. State your name and title."

  Reta gred back in silence, her eyes gncing over to the darkening skies as a worried thought entered her mind.

  "Speak up ss." Gloine hollered, his neck fat settled under his butt chin.

  Reta turned to Felix as he nodded back. She closed her eyes and sighed.

  "I am Norowa Reta, the wolf without a home."

  "Wolf without a home? Must be one of those indigenous people with a silly title like that." Gloine scoffed.

  Andre held his hand to silence him. "Miss Norowa Reta, what is your business here in Kershin? Why are you associated with this man here?"

  "I am not a prisoner to be bribed or swooned with talk, you will hear no secrets from me!" She snarled and hissed, pulling her arms against her restraints.

  "Let it be clear, the time for negotiating has long passed." Aldric crified. "Your presence now is soon to be followed by your lifeless husk. This is your chance to make amends, state your business with these beasts and your association with this tainted cretin here."

  "You look like you'll be joining me soon after, worried that every night's rest will be your st?" Reta spat back with a hint of amusement.

  The old man balled his fist and smmed it over the counter. "There will be order and respect in here! Tell us what we want to know or forever be silenced! Where are you from and why are you here? Where are your people, what is it you know?"

  "Your very presence fills us with grief and concern over unexpressed discussions." Alphonse expined. "Often when new people arrive, we welcome them so long as they abide by our rules respectfully. But to y waste to our chapel and murder our patrons leaves us less than thrilled by your arrival."

  "Daemon has informed me of the rumors surrounding your kind. You are human like us, your people are known to be hostile toward travelers and y waste to nearby settlements and cimed nds."

  "Those nds were never cimed, they were ours! We were there before them, they chose to take what is ours and suffered the consequences!"

  "Putting such notions aside, I was also informed that your people are located somewhere far east from here. Do you come to represent them?" Andre asked.

  Reta stammered and looked away with a bitter tone in her voice. "They are... I no longer belong to them. I represent only myself now."

  "Splendid, she comes on her own behalf!" Gloine cpped his hands cheerfully. "On with the execution then!"

  "Be patient, Gloine." Andre warned him, turning his eyes toward Felix. "And what be of you, Felix? You only shared your name and nothing else. What is your surname?"

  "I have none." Felix answered calmly.

  "No surname?"

  "None."

  "I see. How did it come for you to be associated with these monsters?"

  Felix breathed in and sighed. "By chance, nothing more."

  "They didn't seduce you in any way?"

  "No."

  "Take you by force, hold you hostage, assault you in any way?"

  "No."

  Andre turned back to the rest of the council, whispering amongst each other with rattled expressions.

  "Then why do you come and y waste to our most holy structures? Why do you help these beasts? Are you not well-informed? Not right in the head?"

  "I know who I am, and I know who they are. I also know what they are, or rather what I thought they were."

  "Eborate!" Aldric demanded.

  "You're insinuating that there is more to these monsters?" Alphonse asked.

  Felix looked him in the eyes. "Yes."

  The people in the crowd started to whisper back and forth, his response leading to questionable looks amongst them.

  Andre raised his hand until the crowd went quiet, gesturing for Felix to continue.

  "They're more than what you think, it's more than just being monsters. When I first came across one, I too feared for my life. I was no stranger to the stories about monster girls, I've witnessed some myself."

  "Are we to believe this aligns with the mark behind your neck?"

  He nodded, hearing the numerous gasps within the crowd. Unbeknownst to him, one of them came from KuliKuli herself. She leaned back with shock, this revetion answered why he has so many scars around his body. She saw the mark once when she awoke before him in bed, with his back turned to her. But she hadn't questioned it, puzzled by its presence and implications.

  Now she regretted not asking him about it sooner.

  "Preposterous!" Gloine bellowed as he leaned back in his seat, scratching his gut. "Nightfall will be upon us soon. Must we allow this bumbler to persist with his nonsense?"

  "It wouldn't hurt to hear his cims." Alphonse countered.

  Andre stood silent, leaning his forehead against his csped hands before looking up with a nod. "You may proceed."

  "They are not the ones you should be scared of." Felix continued. "I've come to know them myself. They are no different from us, I think."

  "You think?" Gloine scoffed, waving his hand dismissively.

  "I-I am not... what's the word, privy to being amongst others. After my days of servitude were behind me, I kept my head down and sought to provide for myself like anyone would. Find work, gain money, purchase or find food by any means."

  "Legal means, I assume." Aldric mentioned.

  "You're executing the wrong people." He warned them. "We were trying to escape from our pursuers. It should be them that you be concerned about."

  "And who is it that we should turn to?" Andre asked.

  Felix turned his eyes to Andre. "The one named Perdilius."