Chapter XXI:
Before the Storm

Puss smiled when he saw his horse's snout peak over the stall door, the little horse too small for his head to actually see over. He hopped up onto the door easily and reached in a paw to stroke the horse's snout. "Are you doing all right in here?" he asked, receiving a snort in response.

"Puss?"

Puss turned toward the voice, finding Asuka standing below, looking up at him worriedly.

"Is everything all right? You sort of disappeared for a while."

Puss shrugged. "I was out walking around. Plus, I wanted to check on Paco."

The tabby hopped down, coming face to face with the female. "Listen…I think I should just go ahead and leave."

"But the weather really isn't looking too good now."

"It's just wind. I can manage."

"But the sky's getting darker."

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, the sun is going down," Puss retorted playfully. Asuka rolled her eyes.

"Yes, but the clouds are still pretty dark."

"I'll take my chances."

"But it's going to be night time in a couple of hours."

"So? Cats see better in the dark, remember? Besides, I think your father would prefer it if I left."

"Why do you say that?"

"I don't have to be oversensitive to sense he wasn't thrilled with the idea of me staying. He seemed pretty determined to get me to leave. And I think I know why."

Asuka's ears perked with interest. "Really? W-Why?"

"Well, isn't it obvious? Your father wasn't too happy when he saw us dancing together."

"Oh…No, I'm sure he wasn't bothered by that."

"Oh come on…you know how fathers are. They're very protective of their daughters, and understandably so. I'm still a stranger to him, and he doesn't want us getting too close."

"I assure you, that's not it."

"Then what, then?"

Asuka shrugged. "Well, like he said, he just didn't want to hold you up if you were keen on leaving today."

Puss shook his head, unconvinced.

"Listen, there's no sense in leaving now. You can leave in the morning. For real, this time," Asuka added with a smile, though there was clear disappointment. "Besides, dinner will be ready in a few minutes, and I'm sure you're hungry by now, right?"

"Well…"

"We're having turkey."

Puss' mouth immediately began to salivate.

0ooooooo0

A hawk strained against the intermittent gusts of wind that swept under its wings, knocking it slightly off course. Its golden eyes narrowed in determination as the castle came into view, though it was hard to see in its dark surroundings, but the lit torches that lined the castle wall gave away its location, as well as the heavy candle light seeping through the castle windows. The large torches made the presence of the guards known as they marched the wall, crossbows at the ready. The hawk gave a soft chuckle as it dipped forward and made its aim for the wall.

One of the guards marching the wall turned sharply as he heard the flapping of wings and the sound of talons making contact with the concrete of the wall. His eyes met the hawk's, which were currently staring back at him with such intensity that the man knew this hawk was not what it seemed. He shifted his eyes towards the pole that housed the large bell that was used to signal others of an approaching threat. He started to take a step towards it, slowly reaching out a hand to grab the rope.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the hawk spoke in a low voice. The voice made the armored man jump slightly. He shifted his hand back to the crossbow and took aim at the bird. "Ah, ah, ah…I wouldn't do that, either," it said.

The guard took in a deep breath, feeling beads of sweat begin to roll down his temples. His armor rattled as he began to tremble, though he tried to speak without fear. "I am warning you now. Leave this castle, or risk death."

The hawk's eyes twinkled with amusement. "That's real cute. But in all seriousness, I'm not here to fight you. For the moment, at least. Instead, I humbly request that you give your superiors this message." The hawk lifted one of its legs and opened its talons, releasing a very small, rolled up piece of paper. The guard's fearful eyes followed the paper as it fell onto the cold stone. "Have a pleasant evening," said the hawk as it spread its wings and took flight. The guard suddenly took a firm hold of his crossbow, cocking it upward and trying to get a good shot at the retreating hawk, but the creature disappeared into the dark before he could line a perfect shot.

The man turned sharply when he heard the sound of a fast approaching guard, indicated by the rattling of armor. "Fredrick!" he shouted. "I heard voices! Is someone trespassing?"

The guard known as Fredrick stared blankly at his comrade, his lips parting and closing repeatedly as he tried to speak. His gaze slowly shifted downward, finding the rolled up piece of paper laying in the spot where it fell moments ago. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he reached down to pick it up.

"What is it?" the second guard asked, taking a step forward. Fredrick slowly unrolled the paper, eyes raking over reach word with a look of dread. The other man shifted himself to where he was at Fredrick's right, giving himself a view of the message he held. He, too, took on a look of fear.

0ooooooo0

Puss gently pushed his plate aside after finishing up his dessert. He didn't think he would have been able to eat a single bite after the main course, but every last morsel that was offered to him was too tempting to ignore. He was going to miss all this delicious food.

"Was it to your liking?" Asuka asked, smiling as she noticed the tabby running a finger over the plate, gathering up the last bit of strawberry sauce that had been drizzled all over the dessert.

"It should be illegal for food to taste this good," he replied back, licking the sauce from his finger. He grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. I really shouldn't do that," he said. "I keep forgetting my manners here."

"Don't worry, we're not going to beat you over the head just because you lick your fingers. You think the rest of us don't do that?"

After everyone had had their fill of their dessert, the group remained at the table, engrossed in various discussions as they let their dinner settle. Puss could already tell that he would likely fall asleep before his head even hit the pillow.

The dining hall suddenly became silent as the doors burst open. A guard stepped into the room and approached the king at the head of the table, trying to keep his composure. "My Lord…" he began, his voice trembling. Galen stood up suddenly, quickly taking note of the man's concern. "I was asked to give you this."

Everyone was deathly silent as the guard handed off what looked to be a rolled up piece of paper, very small in size. Puss held the most curious of expressions, ears directed to the front and eyes on the king as he unrolled the paper. His eyes scanned the paper just once, and then quickly shifted worriedly to his wife, and then finally to Gon and Koma. It was Gon who leapt from his chair and hopped down onto the floor. "Give it to me," he said urgently, holding up his paw. Galen obeyed silently, handing the paper down to the cat.

"You didn't do anything?" the king asked the guard angrily, fear evident in his tone.

"He got away before I could even get a good shot."

Galen ran a hand through his hair, eyes falling to the floor. Puss turned when he heard Asuka leave her seat. She migrated to the other side of the table, eager to see this message that had been given to the family. Puss did the same, his curiosity now becoming unbearable.

"What's going on?" he asked, looking up from the king to Gon, hoping to get an answer from someone. Koma had joined Gon's side at this point, looking down over his shoulder at the paper he held in both paws.

"I want everyone on alert," Galen said to the guard. "I want guards in the watch towers and everyone patrolling the wall to be armed and ready for a potential attack."

"Yes, sir," the guard replied, placing a fist to his chest as he acknowledged the order. He left swiftly, leaving the family to digest their situation, while Puss was still left without answers.

"It's him, isn't it?" Hiraku asked, hopping down from his chair.

"Who?" Puss pressed, becoming frustrated that he was still in the dark as to what was going on. "What does it say?" he asked Gon as he tried to approach him in hopes of getting a look at the message, but the older feline quickly crumpled the paper in his paw, his green eyes shooting upward with an intense, warning gaze that stopped Puss in his tracks.

"Galen…" Lenora said meekly, slowly rising from her chair. Her face was growing paler by the second.

"All right…everyone migrate into the sitting room," the king ordered as calmly as he could manage. He took his wife's hand and started to lead her out of the room.

"I want the children with us right now!" Lenora said urgently on the way out.

"What's. Happening?" Puss tried again, his gaze shifting from Asuka to Gon, hoping one of them would provide him with an answer.

"I want you to leave," was all Gon said before he turned and followed after the king and queen. Only Asuka remained at that point.

"Tell me what's going on," Puss tried again desperately. "Who is threatening you?"

Asuka's gaze shifted, the female finding it difficult to look him in the eye. "I'm sorry," she finally said. "I'm sorry I asked you to stay."

Puss simply shook his head, not understanding.

"Do as my father says and leave."

With that, she turned and followed after the fleeing group, leaving the tabby to stand alone, completely baffled. "Oh, I'm not going anywhere now," he mumbled to himself, marching out of the dining hall. He saw the last of the group making their way into the sitting room, guards standing on either side of the door. "I want answers," he asserted firmly as he marched into the room, forcing all eyes on him. Gon approached him with an angry stride, throwing out a fist and pressing it firmly to the tabby's chest. He pushed Puss out into the hall and against the wall.

"Leave. This does not concern you."

"I'm making it my concern," Puss snapped, eyes narrowing.

"I don't want this to resort to force, but I will have the guards escort you away if you do not leave right now."

Looking down at the paw that rested at Gon's side, he saw the crumpled piece of paper loosely grasped between his fingers. Shooting his paw out, Puss snatched the paper from his paw and stepped away from him. The message was so short that Puss was able to read it before the older feline could make any attempts to steal it back:

It ends at dawn. Be ready.

That was all that was written, which didn't tell Puss much, but clearly there was unseen meat to the message that was only visible to the king and his family. "Who wrote this?" Puss asked, turning to Gon. "I want to know."

Gon snatched the note, balling it up and throwing it to the floor. "This is your last chance to leave freely."

Puss crossed his arms over his chest, showing no sign of faltering. Gon started to make the order for him to be removed, but Koma's voice interrupted him: "Gon…just tell him."

Gon turned, finding his wife standing in the doorway. He slowly turned back to the tabby, reluctant to reveal the issue but, nonetheless, nodded for him to follow him into the sitting room with the rest of the two families. Moments after they entered the room, a servant followed behind them, the king and queen's children within her grasp. Lenora quickly rushed over and took her daughter from the servant's arms, while reaching down and taking her son's hand. Both children looked rather agitated that they had been awoken so urgently.

"All right…now what is this about?" Puss tried again calmly.

"We…weren't entirely honest with you at dinner yesterday evening," Gon began.

"About what?"

"We told you about how Koma and I eloped, and that we had become separated after a dog attacked us."

"Si," Puss replied, nodding. He shot a questioning look to Koma, who had looked on at this point.

"Well…it wasn't a dog."

Puss snapped his head back in Gon's direction, his interest becoming heightened.

"We thought it was at the time, but we came to find out later that it was something entirely different."

"Well…what?"

"An ogre," Gon replied darkly.

"A shape shifter," Koma added for clarity. Puss certainly wasn't unfamiliar with the tales of shape shifters, but the story of his third great grandfather was the most recent account he had ever heard of one. It was the only account he had ever heard.

"His name is Erog. He has been trying to take control of this palace for the last two years, and we have been on high alert ever since. This was why I was a bit hostile when I first saw you. You can't trust anyone or anything that comes near here because he can take on any form he chooses."

"It's why we rarely have balls anymore or any sort of gala," Asuka added. "It would be a golden opportunity for him to invade the palace without suspicion, and we also run the risk of putting innocent people in danger if there were another attack."

"We've hardly had any sort of contact with our subjects," said Galen, his face solemn. "I can hardly perform my duties as king, as I run the risk of putting my family, as well as innocent people in danger. Our lives have basically been on lockdown. It's like we're cut off from the outside world."

"This was why I wanted you to leave earlier," said Gon. "I wasn't trying to be rude. I knew that the longer you stayed, the stronger the potential danger of you getting caught up in the middle of this war grew." Gon suddenly glanced at Asuka disapprovingly, who turned her gaze to the fireplace. "But…I also must take the blame. I shouldn't have invited you back here in the first place. Knowing who you were, I was just blinded by my own excitement to even think of the risk I was putting you in, but since it was just for one day, I didn't really think there was much harm in it."

Puss took a moment to digest what he had just heard. "Is he the only attacker?"

"Unfortunately, no," said Galen. "He has several cronies who have aided him in these attacks."

"How many?"

"He started out with about fifteen or so, but he has lost a good portion in previous battles," said Koma. "I'm sure he's gained more since then, though."

"All shape shifters?"

"No, Erog is the only one. The others are typical swamp and cave ogres. This is what throws us off. We don't understand why he would need aid to carry out these attacks. With his unique abilities, he could easily overpower us with very little effort, and yet he holds back, while his men carry out most of the attacks." Gon sighed. "We've used the time between attacks to train so we are better equipped to fend them off. They're really not skilled with a sword. They mostly use basic fighting instincts. Erog, on the other hand, knows how to skillfully wield a sword, and given his shape shifting abilities, it's a deadly mix."

Puss swallowed the lump in his throat. "So…he can take any form?"

"From the deadliest man eaters to the tiniest insect," said Katsu with a nod. "We can fend off his men, but it's him we're worried about. And from his message…we get the feeling he won't be holding back any longer."

Gon nodded in agreement. He glanced back at Puss, his emerald eyes seeming urgent, as well as a fearful, an emotion that hadn't left those eyes for the past twenty minutes. "I would leave now." It wasn't a suggestion, it was an order.

"What?"

"Leave, I say. Retrieve your horse from the stable and flee the castle grounds."

"I'm not going anywhere," the younger feline asserted. "It would seem you're in need of some assistance."

"What are you saying? That you want to fight?"

Asuka looked at the tabby in shock.

"Yes," Puss replied without a hint of hesitation.

"Are you insane?"

"Señor, when you get right down to it, we're all a little loco, but sometimes that can be a good thing."

Gon shook his head firmly. "No. There is a battle upon us. If you stay here, this night very well could be your last."

"This is what my father trained me for!"

"With all due respect to your father, I am certain he trained you with your skills in case danger was unwillingly thrust upon you, not for you to willing jump into the path of a sword."

Puss' tail twitched, but his determination remained unhinged. "I cannot leave," he asserted. "I can't possibly leave when there's even the slightest chance that my assistance may be the difference between winning or losing this war."

"No. I'm not putting your life at risk."

"You're not. I am my own dictator. My life is guided by myself and no one else. The only person putting my life at risk is myself, and I have no qualms about taking such a risk. You clearly need all the help you can get."

"It's not your battle," Gon repeated.

"Battles belong to no specific person, señor. If there is ever a person who has the fighting spirit, then every battle is theirs, if they choose to fight it…and I do."

Gon smiled lightly, though there was a great deal of concern still etched into his features. "So…you are prepared to lend your sword in battle, even if it means your death?"

Puss glanced around, taking in each face that stared back at him with looks of fear and concern, the face holding his attention the longest being Asuka's. "Yes," he finally answered, returning his gaze to Gon. "I wouldn't be worthy of wearing Pedro's boots if I weren't."

Gon's smile held as he nodded in acceptance, but it soon faded, the seriousness of their situation letting itself be known again. He slowly turned to his daughter.

"I suppose you were right, Asuka. It looks like we're in for a storm after all."

0ooooooo0

The group was silent as they waited for their leader to return, the only sound being that of the crackling fire. One of the ogres sighed, shifting his weight in the dirt, while another stared into the fire with growing doubt. They all turned when they heard the soft beat of wings, but they couldn't make out the source, though they didn't need to. They knew he had returned. He appeared within moments, stepping into the glow of the fire.

The being smiled, his face only slightly illuminated by the glow of the fire. "Who here is ready for a change?" he asked, his tone cold and sinister. The group gave loud cheers of excitement, knowing their battle was drawing nearer.

Erog's lips curled into a wicked grin as he approached the group. "I think it only wise to go over a few things," he began, "as some of you here are still fairly new and aren't quite familiar with our targets. "First and foremost, the king's family will undoubtedly be excluded from this fight. From what I've been able to gather, they will be relocated to their panic tower, the tallest, central tower of the castle. I'd imagine it will be heavily guarded from the inside. Frankly, I don't care which one of you takes them out. As far as I'm concerned, first come, first serve," he said nonchalantly, as though he were handing out slabs of beef.

"Now then…as for Gon's children, I can't be certain if they'll even be present in this fight. We can already eliminate the possibility of Shin fighting this battle. As you all know, he's completely deaf and never even acquired any sort of combat skills. He'll be an easy kill. As for the rest of the children, they are each partial to certain weapons, all unique and deadly in their own way. Hiraku prefers the katana, while Katsu is partial to the kusarigama, and then there's Asuka, who has taken up archery. You must fight under the assumption that they are skilled and poised for battle. Do not underestimate any of them.

"Gon himself prefers sais. Skilled as he is with them, they aren't necessarily the ideal weapons for a battle of this magnitude. Even still, that certainly doesn't mean they're harmless and certainly not in his hands, either. Gon's approach to a battle is not subtle. He always makes his presence known.

"Koma is the more agile of the two. She's like a spider; you won't know she's there until she drops right in front of you. Her weapon of choice is the shuriken knives. Again, not the obvious choice for most, as they are generally a secondary weapon, but she knows how to handle them. Her aim is spot on and swift. Take in every inch of your surroundings. She's the enemy you can't afford to let sneak up on you."

Erog's eyes scanned the group. "This shouldn't be news to most of you. Most of you have encountered our opponents many a time."

"What happens after we've wiped them out?" one ogre spoke up.

"This land will be ours, and then some."

0ooooooo0

Sleep was an impossibility. After an hour of tossing and turning within the lavish sheets, Puss had wandered out onto the balcony for some fresh air. He hopped up onto the rail gracefully, settling down with his front paws tucked under his chest. His tail hung over the side, the tip curling and uncurling. What had he gotten himself into? Maybe this was a mistake, but he certainly couldn't back out now.

After relaxing on the balcony for a short period, Puss suddenly found himself drawn to the soothing sound of the fountain below. Perhaps he needed to walk around the courtyard for a while, or even try meditating. Sleep was vital after all, and he would be of no use in a fight if he couldn't even hold his eyes open.

The tabby quietly made his way down to the lower level of the castle. Walking out into the courtyard, he noticed guard after guard marching along the wall, crossbows at the ready. It was still fairly windy outside, but thankfully, it wasn't raining, though he could make out flashes of lightening far off in the distance, though there was no thunder that followed it.

The feline hopped up onto the edge of the fountain, letting his hind legs drape over the side, while keeping his tail away from the water. He sighed as his anxiety escalated. He had let the thrill of battle cloud his judgment. Now that he had time to let it all sink in, he wasn't quite so excited anymore. What if he was living his final hours.

He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. Calm the mind…

His worries slowly ebbed away, and Puss could feel himself succumbing to a feeling of peace and ease. In doing so, he quickly forgot his surroundings and lost all track of time.

"Are you worried?"

Puss jumped, his fur raising slightly. Asuka held up a paw and smiled. "Calm down. Looks like you had the same idea I did." The male cleared his throat and looked away. He wasn't sure how much time had passed. It had seemed like only seconds, but he was certain he had been sitting out here for close to ten minutes, if not longer.

"Worried? I should say not, little señorita. This is nothing new to me."

Asuka's blue eyes twinkled mischievously. "Just how many times have you engaged in battle?"

"What does it matter?" Puss snapped defensively, looking away. Asuka hopped up onto the fountain's edge to sit beside the tabby.

"Don't worry, I've never fought. You have less reason to be afraid." Troubled by his silence, Asuka asked, "Do you regret your decision?"

"Of course not," Puss asserted firmly, looking at the female with a critical gaze. "I'm proud and honored to fight."

"You don't have to, you know. You can sneak out right now, and I'll tell Father that I convinced you to leave."

"No. I have no intention of leaving. A true warrior does not flee."

The female paused for a moment before asking very softly, "Why?"

"It is the warrior's way, of course. You just don't turn away from a battle."

"No, I mean…why help? You barely know us. Why are we worth risking your life for?"

"Why not?" Puss challenged. "I don't see how knowing someone for a certain period of time qualifies that person's life as being worthy of defense."

"Well…people just don't normally lay their life on the line for a stranger."

"You can know someone all their life, señorita, and you may still know absolutely nothing about that person. We don't always know someone as well as we think we do."

Asuka frowned. "I suppose not, but I would certainly like to try to get to know you."

"There will be time for that after all this is settled."

"And if fate has something else in store?"

Puss scoffed. "I don't believe in fate. Fate proposes a lack of control in one's purpose or destiny, and if I do not control my destiny, then I might as well stop breathing."

0ooooooo0

Puss made his way back inside the now quiet castle. Asuka had returned indoors some time ago after their brief conversation, while Puss had remained by the fountain's edge for a few short minutes, the sound of the gushing fountain somewhat lulling. He never thought water could be such a comfort. His eyes fluttered from lack of sleep, and he figured he was in a better position to sleep than he had been minutes ago. He didn't know if just hearing Asuka speak softly to him had put his mind at ease, or if his need for sleep just simply overrode all possible fears and doubts. Either way, the thought of a pillow cradling his head seemed very appealing at the moment, and nothing, not even the looming battle, could put a stop to his much needed slumber.

The feline stopped abruptly when he noticed soft firelight seeping through the cracked library door. He made his way over to the door and poked his head inside, where he saw a wide-awake Gon hunched over an open book. Okay, so he thought nothing could put a stop to his much needed slumber.

Sighing, the tabby grabbed the door and pulled it open, cringing as it creaked loudly. This caused Gon's head to shoot up with a start.

"It's after midnight. You shouldn't be up at this hour."

"What's your excuse?" Puss countered. Gon turned away from the younger feline and smiled softly.

"Same as yours, I suppose."

Puss made his way towards the table, the firelight from the sconces casting large shadows on the walls and shelves. "That must be quite a good read," he stated as he hopped up onto the empty chair across from Gon. The elder cat groaned softly and shut the book.

"I'm just trying to understand is all."

"Understand what?"

"This. Everything that's happening. I've been trying to understand it for years," Gon replied irritably as he shoved the book towards Puss. The tabby furrowed his brows as he cracked the book open. After glancing over a few words, he realized it wasn't a story book but rather a log of events.

"I've logged every one of their attacks. I've written everything down in vivid detail: their style, their exact date and time of attack, everything, and I've been studying it all for years. The only thing that has ever made me stop and think is Erog himself. He has always held back."

"Sounds like your typical coward," Puss replied casually as he flipped through the pages.

"But that's just it. What does he have to be afraid of? He's at the advantage. He could have taken us out from the beginning without even breaking a sweat. Why have a bunch of cronies do his dirty work for him, and fail at it? What sort of game is he playing? What is he hoping to gain from it? I just…it floors me."

"Just how many men do you have prepared to fight?" Puss asked.

"Sixty," Gon said with a sigh. "We had more, but out numbers dwindled by two dozen or so."

"And…the king cannot send for reinforcements? Surely there are others who would come to his aid?"

"Of course. I suggested it, but I'm nothing more than an advisor. He refuses to put more lives at risk."

"But if may be necessary if it means saving the kingdom."

"I understand that. I can't say for certain if he understands it, but he just can't bear the thought of calling more men to their deaths. He also refuses to sit on the sidelines while his men fight for him. He prefers to be out on the battle field, sword drawn and prepared to lay his life down for his kingdom."

"Admirable," Puss complemented.

"No doubt. But this worries me greatly. Erog has never announced his attacks. What sort of opponent tells their enemy when they are going to attack them? I just fear the casualties may be far greater than what we've seen. I have no doubt that that Erog will be giving his all in this fight."

"I wish I had a more uplifting answer for you, señor."

The gray cat smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, you've done enough, and you continue to do enough."

"Don't give me all the credit just yet," Puss laughed. "I could actually prove to be useless in battle."

"Not likely," Gon disagreed as he slid off his chair, his back paws hitting the floor with a soft thud. He made his way over to one of the large, fifteen foot tall bookshelf that stood mounted against the wall. He climbed a few rungs of the ladder and managed to find the book he wanted with very little searching. He kept the book tucked safely under his arm as he made his way back over to the table, where Puss sat, perplexed.

Back in his chair, Gon held the book up. It was showing its age, but the words, "Puss In Boots" were still clearly legible. "This book has been my inspiration since all this began," he added, nudging the book towards the tabby. "My mother read it to me when I was just a kitten. I could recite every word of it in my sleep, I'm sure. It reassured me that even the small could overcome anything. It gave me confidence in myself."

Puss looked down. "I am not the cat in that book. I am only his descendant."

"It shows," Gon replied with a smile.

"But I'm nothing more than an imitation. I know I'll have to work twice as hard to even be half the legend Pedro was."

"Why do you insist on selling yourself short? I know strength and honor when I see it."

Puss smiled in spite of his doubts. He ran a paw along the spine of the book, pulling it towards him with the other. He flipped through the worn, musky pages with a swelling admiration for his ancestry. He came upon an artist's rendition of his third great grandfather, poised with his rapier in paw. His golden eyes shone with an intensity that he knew was no exaggeration on the artist's part. To think this legend's blood coursed through his veins. He supposed tomorrow would be the ultimate test, a test of just how worthy he was to walk in this cat's boots.

Author's Note: Wow, I'm a pretty terrible person, aren't I? I swear, I didn't think an update would take this long. And I don't have any excuse for why I didn't update. For a while, I sort of drifted away from the fandom and lost interest. I honestly thought I would have updated months ago, but I just never got around to working up the inspiration to finish this chapter.

It was really the release of the new movie that sort of inspired me to get back to work. I noticed that traffic increased for this story the day after the movie came out. Since its release, I've gotten more faves, alerts and reviews. And I finally got around to seeing the movie yesterday, and yes, it was amazing. I did write a short review for in my LJ...which mostly consisted of me gushing over seeing him as a kitten. Naturally, I couldn't help myself from comparing and contrasting between my story and the movie the whole time I was watching it. So…since canon has totally killed this story dead now, I guess one way to look at it is an alternative to the movie. Maybe some people might like this one instead if they weren't too fond of the canon story? Or perhaps there may be certain aspects to this story that some people might prefer over the movie. Either way you slice it, I don't want to let the movie completely leave this story in the dust. I don't know WHEN the next chapter will come, but I would love to complete this story if I can.

Regarding Erog…I was really struggling to come up with a name for him. Trust me, it's nothing creative. All I did was take the word 'ogre' and rearrange the letters. I are clever!1! DERP 9_6

And for those that are wondering, his name is pronounced E-rogue.