Disclaimer: I do not own Cat Returns.

Chapter 12: The Siege of Camelot

Black clouds rolled in from the west towards Camelot as the large caravan made its way to the gate. Natori in his sphinx form flew hidden above the clouds above the castle. A soldier from the watch towers spotted the group and announced their presence.

"Wagons are approaching!"

Down among the wagons, Phoebus rode next to Naoko who was sitting on the lead wagon. Covered in a black cloak with a hood over his head he rode atop a dark horse holding the reigns with one hand, the other hidden behind the fabric so no one would see the sword. As they stopped before the raised bridge he turned to whisper to Naoko.

"Not a word," he sneered, then with a dark smile he continued. "and let's all try to keep our heads."

As he said this he tilted his head slightly to the side and Naoko followed his direction to see through the window of Haru's wagon where the curtain was pulled back to reveal her gagged and bound. Her neck held by the monstrous soldier sword arm. Naoko's eyes grew with worry and fear and she lowered her head quickly so as not to give such emotions away to the Camelot guards or else her daughter would pay.

"It's Lady Naoko," one of the guards called across the towers. "Lower the bridge at once."

At the command the entrance to Camelot was open and Phoebus' eyes glowed with a vicious triumph and the caravan made its way forward.

Elsewhere in the castle a guard was making his way to the King's chambers. Upon entering he found Lune seated near the fireplace and the Sorceress Yuki standing near the window. At the arrival of the guard they both turned their gazes to him and Lune straightened in his seat.

"Hello, any news?" the king asked kindly in hopes it may pertain to Excalibur. The guard understanding this shook his head no.

"No my lord, I bring different news. Lady Naoko has decided to pay us a surprise visit."

Although it was not the news he was hoping for, Lune still smiled and began to rise from his chair, delighted to hear he was receiving a visit from an old friend.

"Oh, how wonderful, tell her I will meet with her at the round table." As he said this he waved to Yuki. She was ready to follow him, but he insisted it would be best for her to stay if any news did come on Excalibur. He made his way out the door to the heart of the castle.

Back below in the courtyard where villagers mingled and guards littered the square, the caravan continued to fill the cobblestone grounds. The storm clouds seemed to follow them into the kingdom. Phoebus' men peered out from under the tarps they were hiding, ugly smiles filling their faces as they looked around at the working people and children playing in the streets waiting for the chance when they could begin their rampage of carnage and destruction.

As they grew closer to the castles front doors, Phoebus held his horse back and allowed the wagons to surround him.

"Steady, steady." He whispered lowly. As he passed a few guards he pulled his cloak even closer to hide his face.

As the wagons moved, the one holding Haru hit a large rock and knocked the sword-armed soldier off balance. Seizing her chance, Haru kicked his legs out from underneath him and he fell right through the floor of the wagon hitting the hard ground, he began to reach through the boards trying to hit Haru who barely avoided the sharp knives.

Natoru was now over by the chickens keeping them calm when he saw that Haru's captor was hanging from below and still attacking plucked up his courage and moved to help her. He jumped on top of the soldier's head knocking him almost completely out of the wagon and incapacitating him as well. Then he quickly turned to Haru.

"Hold still Haru, I'm here to help." With that he took his deadly claws and cut through the ties binding her hands.

Haru quickly ripped of the gag with her now free hands and smiled at Natoru gratefully, she then quickly made for the wagon's entrance as it began to stop. Natoru remained behind to free his feathered friends.

The wagons all stopped at once as one of the guards stepped forth from the grand doors to welcome their visitor. "Lady Naoko," he greeted while bowing.

Then suddenly Haru burst from the wagon to the right and yelled out for all to hear.

"No, everyone it's a trap!"

At this Phoebus threw his hood off to reveal himself and the sword. The surrounding men all gaped in shock but then quickly raised their weapons to defend their kingdom.

"ATTACK!" Phoebus screamed and from the wagons burst forth his metal and dangerous army. Although shocked by the strange beings the soldiers of Camelot charged forth to protect and defend the people. Only to find they were greatly outmatched and fell swiftly and roughly as Phoebus and his men made way for the entrance to the castle.

"Seal off the Castle let no one in!" the deranged leader screamed as he sliced, kicked and rode his way through the defending men towards the gates, a few of his thugs following after him.

Panic struck throughout the surrounding citizens as they ran from the invaders, soldiers doing their best to ensure their safety. Phoebus made his way to the top of the stairs and through the doors into the castle, his men standing guard at every entrance. The Camelot soldiers charged, fifteen to only three of Phoebus' men but were quickly knocked down. Neither sword nor mace, not even arrow could penetrate their armor. No soldier could match their strength either, neither man, cat or bird. As one feline soldier attempted to launch enflamed arrows at one of the metal beings a feathered comrade was thrown into him, knocking over the cauldron holding hot coals to light the arrows. This fell towards the stables and lit the hay, causing a large fire to break out.

Amidst all this chaos terror, Haru had ran to her mother's side on the last standing wagon, Natoru and the chickens following behind her. They watched the soldiers as they fought with everything to reach the castle. One group nearby she overheard talking.

"Phoebus has breached the castle and King Lune is still inside." They worried and were trying to come up with a plan to get in.

Haru began searching the walls till she found a way up to one of the tower entrances by means of construction ramps. She turned to her mother and Natoru.

"You all need to stay here and stay away from the fight, I have to get in there and warn the King." She turned to make towards the tower when her mother grabbed her sleeve, a look of fear and worry clear upon her face.

"No, Haru, it's much too dangerous." She pleaded to her daughter, but her sweet child merely smiled and pulled her into a hug, then leaning back she fixed her with a determined look.

"Mother, I can do this."

Seeing such bravery and determination in her daughter's face unlike any she had seen before, Naoko smiled softly and nodded her head in agreement.

"Yes, you can."

At this Haru ran off and Natoru called after her.

"Don't worry Haru, we'll be alright." A soldier fell against the wagon and made Natoru jumped three feet into the air, when he landed he looked around sheepishly at his companions.

Haru made her way quickly up the ramp and just as she was about to reach the tower's entrance, Natori in his Sphinx form came swiftly flying towards her. Just before he could make his mark she jumped off towards the castle wall, the ramp shattering behind her from the beast's impact. She barely grabbed the edge off the wall, and as she pulled herself up two off the mechanical men came running towards her one swinging their blades at her while the other feline one swung his sword forearm in the air.

She moved towards the walls other ledge and just as she was about to fall a staff gently pushed her from her back, and once again onto the wall, she turned to look over her soldier and a large smile broke across her face.

"Baron!" Riding alongside Muta and Renaldo, they floated above the wall on a cloud of mist. Baron swung his staff across the heads of the soldiers incapacitating them. Toto flew circles around them do dizzy them even more.

"Heads up!" He called and as Haru ducked and he jumped down to the wall beside her, the brothers manifested a large green and yellow log which they swung at the soldiers knocking them off the wall to the moat below. Smiling Haru turned to Baron and quickly ran into his arms. He happily returned the embrace and whispered an apology.

"Sorry for the delay, traffic like you wouldn't believe."

Haru giggled at his joke and leaned back to look at him with a heartfelt gaze. Then recalling her other friends, she turned to look at the floating Moon Brothers with a large smile. "You're flying; your magic is back."

The two smiled again at this revelation.

"You got that right chicky." Muta exclaimed.

"The Moon Brothers are back." Renaldo stated more calmly.


In the dark castle, unbeknownst to what was going on outside, Lune was making his way to the round table room. Upon entering he called out for his surprise guess.

"Naoko?" He called softly.

From his seat a dark shadow moved into the light as a wicked voice let out a sneer.

"Ta-da, dear cousin." The deranged cat's face glowed from the light outside in a most terrifying way.

Lune stilled and his face set into a hateful glare. "Phoebus!" he snarled.

"Happy to see me? It's been too long." He leaned over the table and the doors of the room suddenly shut and locked. Lune realizing the trap to late looked around the room for a weapon, his eyes landed on a spear and with his good arm he quickly grabbed it and raised it in front of him.

Phoebus laughed mockingly at his choice. "A spear, HA! How stone age, a true King would carry something more regal." He threw his cape of his back to reveal the sword Excalibur fused to his arm. "A King would hold Excalibur, dear cousin."

Although Lune's eyes grew a little in fear he did not remove his scowl nor did he lower his weapon. Phoebus merely laughed maniacally at this stupid display of bravery as he moved towards his intended victim.


Outside Baron turned towards Haru as the battle below them continued to rage.

"Where is Phoebus, Haru?" She turned quickly at this question with worry.

"He has King Lune trapped inside and there's no way for us to get in." Her head turned in every direction in hopes of finding some sort of entrance into the castle.

As she looked Baron lowered his head in thought then quickly shot up. He turned to her and grabbed her hand.

"Wait I know a way, through the stables-"

A loud screech interrupted him as Natori rose up on the wall and charged towards them. Haru and Baron leapt back in fear when Toto flew directly into Natori's face clawing at his eyes. In anger the Sphinx aimed his attacks at the crow and followed him as he flew away leading the beast away from his friends. In worry the brothers flew after the bird and sphinx once they knew the human and fellow cat were safe. Their safety, however, was short lived as three more guards appeared on the wall surrounding them.

Haru grabbed Baron's hand to lead away from the approaching guards only too be cut off by another set of them from the other side. She looked around for an escape when a wagon filled with hay below caught her eye. She quickly turned to Baron.

"Jump!" she cried, and without a single hesitation he followed her order and landed on the wagon, with Haru falling back farther in the hay and Baron landing towards the driver's seat.

He searched for the reigns and once he had them began leading the horse through the courtyard narrowly avoiding a few citizens. Haru poked her head out of the hay just in time to see Baron almost run into a vegetable stand before sharply turning.

"Baron, what on earth are you doing!?" she screamed in worry.

"Driving, what's it look like?" he called back smartly.

Haru tried to hold on as she was nearly thrown off the wagon from an off-balance turn. "Are you really sure that is a good idea?" She called, doing very little to hide the fear in her voice.

He merely turned his head her way and smirked. "Don't worry, it's not a problem." He yelled with excitement.

As they continued to ride through the now chaotic courtyard, they twisted and turned to avoid Phoebus' soldiers as well as the now completely enflamed stables. Haru would yell out warnings from time to time as she tried to keep a grip on the slippery hay in the wagon.

"Baron, on your left!" she cried, then whispered in panic, "No, your other left."

A metallic soldier with swinging maces for arms was making his way to them. In a panic the girl screamed up to the blind cat driving the wagon.

"Baron, go right, go right!"

To avoid the oncoming enemy, they rode right through a wall of fire which instantly ignited the hay. To get away from the flames, Baron sharply turned left, hit the mace-wielding enemy which knocked them both off the wagon and onto bags of sand or wheat near the last remaining part of the stables that was not in flames. After catching his breath, Baron let out a light laugh.

"There, now that wasn't too bad… was it?" he asked sheepishly to Haru.

She turned towards him, still splayed out on the bags with her heart racing like a rabbit, and let out a little laugh while slumping down on the bags.


Back in the castle in the table room, Phoebus continued his beating of Lune. With quick reflexes he hit his cousin onto the table with his arm, sneering at him with his approach.

"Such memories in this room," he spoke forlornly then continued in a disgusted tone, "makes me just sick recalling them."

The injured King attempted to move back away from the dangerous cat as he continued his speech.

"You said that we were all equal at this table," he quickly grabbed the young monarch by the uninjured arm to drag him closer and lifting his sword, "How pathetic, I have a sweeter thought in mind though."

Lune tried to free himself from the grip, but Phoebus did not strike yet. He merely pulled the boy close so that they were face to face to lowly answer in a dark tone.

"Revenge!"

A/N: I feel terrible for how long it's taken me to write this. I am thankful for those who have stuck through with me and to YarningChick for continuing to edit for me.