Chapter 28: The Crescent Moon

I looked up at the pure white moon who hung above us. The sea told me she was once friends with the moon. Ah geez...I got off topic...I do that a lot...don't I? Dez says its 'cause I'm a D...and there I go again.

"You guys...even the Lion...are willing to fight for me!? Why!?" Usopp asked, looking up at us from his spot on a rock.

"Because I'm bored." Dez said with a blank look.

"Because the enemies out-number you!" Luffy said. Geez...leave it to that guy to act all heroic...

"And you have the words, 'I'm soo scared!' written all over your face." Zoro said, and I really had to agree with him. Usopp was the biggest wimp I've ever seen...even Helmeppo was made of stronger stuff...

That was saying something...

"You idiots! Me?! The Great Captain Usopp?! Scared!? So what if the enemies out-number me? I've faced worse...I've faced an army of ten million!" Usopp pointed at himself, "The blood of a courageous warrior is in my veins!"

Even though he said all this, his knees were shaking faster than I could see and I couldn't help but frown slightly, "Even little cubs get scared...their knees don't shake like that..."

"AH!" Usopp looked down at his knees in horror, "Stop it! Stop shaking!"

Dez, Zoro, Nami, Luffy and I all watched blankly as Usopp yelled at his legs.

"I think the kid's lost it..." Dez said to himself, although all of us could hear it. I nodded in agreement.

"SHT UP! They're captain Kuro's fleet! Of course I'm scared! I don't need your sympathy, go away!" Usopp shouted at us...it was very amusing watching him stand there and sweat, going through mood-swings...Typical teenage girl.

Wait...

Never mind.

I listened, half paying attention as Zoro spoke. We weren't sympathizing, we were commending Usopp's...Bravery?! Oh yeah...now I remember...He's brave 'cause he decided to be an idiot and wanted to fight a whole crew of low-life failures of pirates.

"Why else would we risk our lives?" Luffy asked, looking slightly mad at the moron...

I let out a loud purr and brushed against Usopp's leg since I knew the pitiful man needed some comfort, especially with the look Luffy had just given him.

And then he started crying. "You guys...I'M SO TOUCHED~!"

I wandered off after that, so I could turn to my human form...I don't know why, but I didn't want Luffy to know that I was the cat and the cat-girl...

Dez knew why I left, so he wasn't surprised when I appeared, sitting on top of the cliff looking down on them. I had chosen my lion-girl form, so none of the Kuro pirates would recognize me.

The old man and I shared a look when we heard Usopp explain his plan...there was another way...my boat was there...man this guy was an idiot..

"Sounds easy!" Luffy's voice brought my attention back too them.

"Easier said than done! What are you guys good at?" Usopp spoke like he was an expert.

"Cutting."

"Stretching."

"Stealing."

"Hunting." They all spun around to see me with a dangerous grin.

"Assassinating." They all spun around again to see Dez who had soundlessly moved behind Zoro.

"H-hiding..." Usopp said, suddenly cowardly.

"YOU HAVE TO FIGHT TOO!" We all shouted at him.

Moments later, while the others were foolishly working, I suddenly felt very cold, and angry...scared even. I growled furiously and took off running without knowing my destination. I was suddenly thinking of Tiger and Merry...

I realized Kuro needed them out of the way for his plan to work...and started swearing as I ran. I was so stupid...I wanted to make sure Tiger was safe, not put him directly in danger!

WHY DID THE WORLD HATE ME THIS MUCH!?

I turned into a cat and jumped through an open window the moment I arrived at Kaya's. I was just in time to see Kuro leave the kitchen. The scent of blood flooded my senses and I gagged, and then growled when I saw Merry laying on the ground in a pool of the dark liquid.

I had to force myself away from him. I needed to get to Tiger and warn him before Cla- Kuro could try anything on him. I didn't need two wounded men...or that much blood in one area.

I crept past Kuro as he stood, holding Kaya's door open as as he checked in on her. I knew she would be safe...

I sighed before I slipped into Tiger's room and let out a relieved purr...he was okay...

*TIGER! WAKE UP!* I shouted, causing him to jolt and almost fall out of bed. I laughed quietly.

*What's going on?* Tiger asked drowsily as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. My laughter faded as I remembered why I was here.

*Clahador is actually a pirate, Captain Kuro, and he plans to have Kaya hypnotized and write him into her will before she's murdered along with a great deal of other people in the village nearby. He's in the house right now, and Merry's hurt.* I spoke in an emotionless tone and made my posture calm. If I showed any emotion, I doubt I would have been able to stop myself from hunting Kuro down.

*Crap~ Well...I guess I'm helping you then...* Tiger seemed perfectly fine with the terrible change of events, and i was actually very glad of that. If I was the captain of a crew, I would want him as a first mate.

Tiger and I met Dez on the other side of the Island from where Luffy's crew was. We knew there wasn't enough time to tell them that the ship was on the other side, and we also wanted to fight a bit on our own too...

The black sky was slowly changing to a grey as the horizon in-land began to show signs of dawn.

That's when the ship appeared. Dez sweat-dropped when he noticed the sail. It was patched with pairs of boxers. I laughed quietly to myself. Ah man I loved doing this sort of stuff.

The three of us could hear the pirates shouting on their ship as it weighed anchor. I crouched down and morphed into a lion, Tiger turned into a tiger, which was a bit bigger than me...

And then Dez got ready. I reminded myself not to even look in his direction during the fight...

We all stood back up the shore so that the Pirates would have to run in our direction; waste a bit of energy. A Cheshire grin came across my lion face as I thought of all the blood and flesh I would taste soon...Tiger had a similar look as well. I didn't look at Dez...it would be too scary.

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOO!" The pirates shouted as they ran up, "LEAVE NO ONE ALIVE!"

I stood in front of them, pulling back my lips in a sharp toothed grin, "Oh, we have no intentions...You're all going to die."

The ones close enough to me stopped and all stared, their comrades running into them, being too fast to stop soon enough. I lunge at the nearest man, just as something goes flying through the air and hitting others. I smirk. It was time for Usopp to see real pirates.

"Th-THERE'S A LION!" One man shouted, just before he was tackled by a roaring Tiger.

"Someone's on the shore- AHHHHHHHHHH!" It would appear Dez had finally joined in.

"You are..." I looked up from the whimpering man I had been mauling and saw Jango standing near the back of the group.

"I AM THE GREAT CAPTAIN USOPP! I have been waiting here with my loyal animal warriors!" Usopp spoke in a confident voice as he lied his ass off, "If you do not wish to die, turn around and sail away! If not, I have made all the preparations for your deaths!"

Ahh...good old liar...nice to see you're brave enough to shoot from a distance while we get all bloody.

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