I wake to see my breath coming in little white clouds. Good thing I wrapped a blanket around me. As soon as the sun is up, we'll head back out into the forest, make breakfast and get back to the Temple. I wonder what Gideon will think of yesterday's akuma attack.

It literally came out of nowhere. Is there someone working on the inside? Or have they been watching our progress this whole time? Guilt gnaws at me, like a dog worrying a bone. It was my responsibility to take back the Butterfly Miraculous, but how was I supposed to know the villain would tumble back into the fog? I press my fingertips into my temples and start to rub, before a headache sets in.

"My Lady?" I look up to Cat in the doorway, hair very fluffy for this time of morning, but bless him, carrying two cups of life juice. What is life juice you ask? Coffee!

"Mn, thanks," I say, cuddling into his side and he gives me a light kiss on the head. "You doing okay?" "Yeah, I just don't want Gideon to bark at me when we get back." Cat plays with my hands. "Should I ask him to meow instead, love?" I laugh, and the laughter feels so good. "Look at that," Cat points to the golden sunrise. A golden glow spreads its own fingers of light through me with love for my partner.

"Come on, I'll make you breakfast," I tell him, repacking my pack. "Those are my second favorite set of words," Cat grins, taking my hand as we set off down the trail. "Oh? What are the first?" "I love you." "You may not love today's breakfast, but Sapphire said its delicious. Almost like pancakes. Now, let's find some sticks!" Cat and I make it a game, dashing around to see who can get a full bundle first.

I reach for a stick, only for it to be tugged back by a black paw. Cat grins, tugging it lightly. "Cat, this is my stick! Get your own!" Eventually, after much giggling and a bit of flirting, we start the fire. Cat watches me intently, and I snort as his long leather-belt tail swishes in the leaves. I eye him while keeping the other on the now sizzling pan. "So, what's in there anyway?" "A bit of flour and nuts, a dash of oil. Supposed to taste like a pancake."

Surprisingly, its delicious but our stomachs are still growling as Cat throws water over the fire. "I could give you more to eat," a strange voice says. I draw my yo-yo whirling it as the smoke clears, and Cat pushes me behind him, baton drawn and extended. "You!" He points a claw at our mysterious visitor. "Your the one who akumaztied me!" The woman tosses her head back, and gives him a surprised expression. "Me? Akumatize you! You don't remember being akumaztied!"

"We don't know all the secrets to the Miraculous," I keep my eyes locked on her. "Maybe there's some hidden magic we don't know about. But if Cat says you did, then I believe him." "Careful, you wouldn't want to be a snack, would you, Little Insect?"

A loud caw makes me look up sharply into the trees. "Don' t make any sudden moves, Ladybug." "Who are you?" "My name is Crone, and I have something that you want very much." "Wha-?" "Ah, ah. All in good time. Now, let's go, birds!"

A flurry of beating wings fills the air, the next moment there gone. "We need to get back to the Temple!" I refasten my yo-yo at my waist, turning to Cat. He surprises me by picking up and begins to run. "Don't worry, Bugaboo, with my ability for zoomies, maybe we'll be back in time for lunch!"

But when we get back, we're immediately ushered into Gideon's office. "I'm glad you to are safe, Ladybug, but you should have protected your partner better." "I thought he was supposed to be my opponent yesterday! And today, you change your mind?" "He still was, but there a exception for every rule. That's why I have decided to put a handicap on the next stage of the challenge." "Handicap?" "You'll find out this afternoon. Now, grab and bite and I'll see you later!"

"Ladybug! Cat! What happened?" Sapphire throws herself at me, and I give both her and Orion a hug. Cat fills them in. "Who won the latest round, anyway?" "Well," Orion starts to blush as he tugs lightly on Sapphire's ponytail. "We did, cause Sapphire kicked my butt." High-fives are all around. On the way to the field, I whisper to Orion. "You make a great pair."

"Alright, listen up, competitors! This will be the hardest challenge yet! Not only will you have to row boats to the nearby islands, but you'll spend the night on the island. And whoever makes it back will be rewarded a dinner of their choice!"

A hearty cheer fills the air. "However, Ladybug and Cat will have a handicap, Only in a emergency will you be able to help them. Now, clear out the sedan chairs are waiting!"

I feel like I'm going back in time as we're carried to the boats. The packs we need are already in the boats clipped with our competition number. "Make sure not to rock the boat, M'lady. Cats don't like water." "Just paddle, like this," I demonstrate.

Paddling is good exercise, but it makes us tire quickly and it doesn't help that we have a scorching sun above us. "Must. Cool. Off." I wipe my dripping brow. "Do you think would be safe to use our aqua powers and go for a quick swim?" Cat peers down into a water. "Just a short one. We don't know what swims in these waters."

Oh, the water is refreshing and instantly I feel better as I hit the water. Cat and I play a quick game of chase, but then Cat freezes. "Come on, Kitty! Home base is the boat. Chase me!" Cat grabs my hand and starts kicking hard. "Swim!" Then I see it. A huge shadow looming in the depths, waiting for a tasty treat to come into his terrioty. "Paddle!" I yell.

We've only gone a few yards when a tidal wave covers us. I look back to see a monster fish chasing us. "Cat, I'll keep paddling while you see if you can find him a treat!" Cat rummages through the packs and tosses something over. The jumping and spray stop, and I stop to catch my breath, heart beating wildly in my chest.

I stare straight ahead where a large island looms before us. Suddenly, I'm swept away by a memory of long ago….

"We'll runaway to an island, and live on nothing but fruit." "M'lady? M'lady?" I shake my head, the memory disappearing. I want that life, I realize. To have kids of my own and raise them where evil can't touch them. "I think I need a minute." I curl up in the boat shaking. With a gentle bump we reach our island, but Cat stays with me. "That fish gave you quite a scare, didn't it?" I nod, and sit up, wrapping my arms around Cat, holding tight. "Oh, Cat…." I sob. Cat whispers sweet nothings into my ear, until I calm down. "Besides he scared me too." I sniff, wiping at my eyes. "You were so brave. You couldn't possibly been scared." "I threw him my can of tuna, and I only had one can."

"You...you fluff ball. We had a huge fish chasing us and your sad about the tuna can?" Laughter finds me, and Cat pouts. "Its not funny. I love tuna." "Love, there's a ocean of fish below our boat. Maybe if we're lucky we can catch your tuna." "With Lady Luck, we're sure to catch a fish!" I groan as I step out of the bed. "Only when I'm Ladybug. If you saw me without my suit, you would find a very clumsy girl." Cat grins, his eyes glowing playfully. "I like clumsy girls. Oh, wasn't it you on the day we first met that bonked me with her yo-yo?" "I'll bonk you again, if your not careful."

Most of the island is covered in a sandy beach, but a small patch is covered with trees. "Come on, we'll feel safer in the trees." "As you know, cats are excellent at climbing trees," Cat says, scrambling up one, tail lashing furiously. "Cat, get down!"

We're getting good at making fires and I attempt to make a fishing line. However, Cat doesn't have to wait long for the clumsy in me to emerge and I get tangled in the line. "Here," he smiles gently. "Let me give it a try."

With a quick flick and twist, he has a stick fishing line. "Let's test this baby out and catch me a fish!" We find a outcrop of rocks and Cat props his pole between two rocks. "Now, we wait." I explore the tide pools and leap to a nearby rock. While we wait, I listen to the hissing of the waves until I'm startled by a mournful yowl.

"Cat, be patient," I climb down from my perch and sit down next to him. "Here, let me see your pole." My hand closes around his, and I look away as I flush. But I give him a smile. "Let's just sit here all quiet, and maybe one will come." I lean against his shoulder, as we wait and I feel him relax.

But then…. "M'lady! I have a bite!" "Careful, don't jerk the line to much!" I leap up to help him, and together we pull the fish in. "We did it!" We do our signature pound it and do a little victory dance. "See, I told you," Cat grins at me as we head back to camp. "Lady Luck help us catch the fish." "No, Cat," I link arms with him as he carries his prized fish. "We did it together."