"Baron Humbert Von Gikkingon has arrived!" A servant cat called out, opening the great doors.

King Lune hurried to welcome Baron, shaking his hand firmly and holding him at arm's length. "I'm so glad you came! Have a seat." Then, Lune looked around. "Did Natoru not come with you?"

"As a matter of fact, my company parted upon entering your kingdom," Baron explained, "I thought perhaps Haru, Muta and Natoru had come here."

As Yuki also walked forth to greet Baron, Lune's smile disappeared. "Oh, no."

Haru and Muta sat in the cold, dark tent, whispering and then laughing. Then, Haru flopped onto the ground and closed her eyes.

"Ahhhh!" Muta screamed, "Help! Miss Haru just died from her cat allergy!"

"What?" A wildcat guard outside peered in. "Dead?"

"Yeah! Please save her!" Muta yelled, "Or else your dear Riko-sama will throw you into the river."

Two wildcat guards eyed each other up and down, then slowly entered the tent. One flashed a shiny knife in front of Muta's throat and ordered, "Don't try anything dodgy. Stand over there."

Muta obediently stood behind them as they prodded at Haru, nattering to themselves.
Then as they continued, ever so gradually, Muta edged towards them, measuring the distance with his eyes until he was standing right behind them. But they did not notice because Muta was careful to make no sound. When he knew the time was right, Muta smirked at the two wildcats.

"Uh oh, I'm losing my balance!" He said innocently. The two wildcats had no time to react.

CRAAASH! They were but two squashed pancakes beneath Muta's enormous body. Haru burst into peals of silent laughter, helping Muta up from the ground.

"Thank you, fatso!" Haru laughed.
"Fat?"

Haru ignored him and pushed opened the tent door. The camp was silent, the tents deserted. Muta reached the clearing, glancing out at the Cat Kingdom's palaces far beyond the trees. Then, he turned back to Haru. Frenzied fear suddenly overcame the great white cat.

"Haru!" Muta yelled, "Behind you!"

Haru gasped and heard a slash behind her, before the back of her school uniform was splashed wet. She spun around and saw a dead wildcat on its face in the dirt. Its throat had been grotesquely slit open, spilling blood and bile in a pool on the ground.
A shadow darted with extreme speed through the woods beyond, disappearing in an instant.

"Wha-how? What? How did?" Muta stuttered, his face shocked and his eyes the size of saucers, "He was alive! Who killed him?"

"What happened?" Haru said, backing away from the gruesome carcass. She felt the back of her bloodied clothes and screwed her face in disgust. Then, she looked around. "Where did all the Rogues go?"

"There," Muta replied, before grabbing Haru and lifting her onto his chubby shoulders. Far away, near the whitewashed walls of the Cat Kingdom's palace, a small patch of brown could be seen marching steadily.

Back in the Cat Palace, Sushi Cat jumped onto a long table, devouring all the sushi on a gigantic plate before moving onto another.

"I've never seen anyone eat more than Muta," Baron commented, discussing with Lune in a corner.

"Don't worry! I'm glad he likes the food," Lune replied.

"If your proposal is right and Haru has indeed been held hostage, we must rescue her before the war may continue," Baron said, getting back down to business.

"Yes, the Rogues can attack any minute, we must rescue Miss Haru," Lune agreed. Then, he handed Baron a sheathed long sword. "Take this for protection."

Suddenly, the doors creaked open and in ran a familiar messenger. "Your majesty, your majesty!"

Lune turned and frowned. "You have much explaining to do, Natoru. Where have you been?"

"Listening to the Rogues' plan! They're gonna-"

Natoru's piping voice was broken by a loud bang. The chandeliers crackled and the walls shook. No further could they discuss when a huge cannonball flew through the window and smashed into a pillar, crumbling it to the ground. The roof trembled and Sushi Cat whimpered in despair.

"Everybody out now!" Baron shouted above the noise, helping Lune up from where he had fallen. Everyone fled the dining hall with Natoru screaming the directions to the nearest emergency exits, except for Lune and Baron, who slid out through the now familiar secret tunnel beneath the tables.
They emerged in noon light on the deck overlooking the ruined maze and tower. Beyond the walls they could see an army of wildcats eagerly fighting at the castle gates. An arrow shot and killed a watchtower guard, followed by another, and another.

"It's not going to hold out," Lune said to himself, then continuing, "Am I to fail my citizens?"

"The eyes. Where are they?" Baron shouted above the cannonfire, "The flying eyes your father used to watch us!"

Lune stood blank for a moment, then blurted, "Natori! My father's spectacled old adviser! He knows!"

Down the stairs they ran, dashing through the broken rubble of a maze towards the kingdom's largest resthome.

Meanwhile, Haru and Muta were hidden behind a great bush, looking in desperation at the gunfire and bloodshed before their eyes.

"Oh Muta, we have to stop this!" Haru whispered.

"Too many for me to squash!"

"Can't you think of different tactic?"

"Hmmm...yes."

Riko stood behind the front line, high on a wooden platform, shouting orders at her wildcat soldiers. "Archers!"

The arrows flew and several green-coated guards fell from the crumbling walls. As she relaxed and stood back, she noticed a figure before a bush in the distance.

"Hey! Hey! Riko cat! Here, kitty kitty! It's me! The Haru you caught!"

Riko scowled at the sight. She ordered a small group of her soldiers, who ran at Haru. Muta, who was behind the bush, moaned in anger.

"Fatso!" Haru shouted, "I thought you said this would work!"

"I thought she'd come instead of making her soldiers do it all!" Muta grouched.

"Run!"

Haru and Muta fled yelling with arrows shooting at their backs. Along the side of the great castle they sprinted knowing the chase was not over, until before them loomed a large crack in the stone walls.

"Inside!" Haru shouted. She and Muta clambered in and soon they faced the familiar maze and bombed tower although it was no longer the magnificent sight they remembered.

"We'll lose them in the maze! Hurry!"

Haru ran blindly into the maze with Muta struggling after her. Twist after turn they ran, desperate to end the fatal chase. But all was against them when Haru ran full on into a wall.
As she turned to retreat, Muta caught up, followed by three Rogue soldiers. The soldiers edged in until both had their backs up against the cold wall behind them.
With a flick the Rogues drew out their thin, shiny swords. One slyly asked, "Any last words?"

Haru trembled and Muta stood stupefied, all under the shadow of the looming tower.