Something warm and fuzzy tickles my nose and for a second, I think Marinette being hurt is just a dream and she she's teasing me with a feather. But when I open my eyes I see a long black rope and sit up with a small yelp. When my eyes have focused fully, I'm relived to find it isn't a snake, rather a fluffy cat with bat-wings wearing an adorable expression as it cocks its head at me.

"Puff, don't disturb him, he was sleeping!" Puff gives a mournful meow and seeing that I'm awake walks over and plonks down in my lap, with a soft purr he quickly falls asleep. "I'm sorry about Puff," the lady who let me in last night says as she stirs up the fire. "He only has me for company these days and loves to make new friends." I stroke his soft fur, the color of a rain cloud and ask, "Why is he called Puff?" "Cause of the softness of his coat, of course. Oh, dearie me, you know the name of my cat, but not me!" She pours water into a huge cauldron on the hearth and turns back to me. "Stala." "Nice to meet you. But as much as I love your cozy home, Marinette is hurt and we must get back to her." Powers or not, I don't want Marinette weak and injured without my protection.

"Don't worry, I'm making her medicine as we speak. As soon as its ready, we'll all be on our way. Meanwhile, how about you make some tea in the kitchen and help yourself to muffin?" A few nights ago, Marinette showed me how to make tea, so I after stretching I walk into the kitchen.

Besides Marinette's cozy kitchen, this is one of the most decorated kitchens I've ever seen. Herbs and spices hang from the rafters and it makes my nose tickle. I find a vine of mint hanging from the ceiling and set a kettle onto boil.

I nibble at a muffin, and give a happy little meow. Its on the best muffins ever, and I thought my mother made the best ones. "All grown in my garden," Stala says as she comes in and I hand her a cup of tea. Breakfast is a short affair, and she tells me that the medicine is ready and will cool on the way to the cave.

I barely notice the beauty of sunrise as we head back to the cavern, but Stala shows no worried expression as she carries her basket of herbs and Puff has stowed away. I point him out to Stala but she just laughs. "Puff will be the best medicine for Marinette, for animals have a special healing gift."

Once we reach the cave, I find Marinette sleeping but she wakes when she sees us. Her voice is weak and I have to lean close to catch what she is saying. "I was able to prop it up on a stone here," she points to it, "and I found some herbs that I used for my ankle." "May I see, dear?" Stala kneels down by my Princess. "My name is Stala, and Cat came to my door so I could help you."

Marinette nods, then closes her eyes. Stala cuts away at the injured area, setting aside the bloodied cloth. In her basket is a clean rag and jar of water and she starts carefully cleaning the blood away. Marinette's ankle is swollen, but Stala says she was lucky it wasn't her leg or things would have been much worse.

"Now, this will put a few wrinkles on your brow, Marinette, and will give Cat some whiskers. For the ointment I've made is extremely powerful with stink." Marinette bursts into giggles and I smile. "Cat, do you want to hold Marinette while I apply the cream?" I nod, and Marinette snuggles into my side. She sighs, then winces, and Stala is right, a powerful odor soon prementes the air.

Then from out of nowhere, Puff jumps out of the basket. "Oh! Who's this?" Marinette coos as Stala works and Puff climbs right up into Marinette's lap. "He's half-bat," I tell her, gesturing to his wings "and half cat. And his name is Puff." "He's precious," Marinette giggles in delight as Puff begins to lick her fingers.

At last, Stala packs away her ointments and looks at us. "Give your ankle a rest until tomorrow, and then you should be right as rain to continue on your journey. Good luck to you both." Marinette looks down at Puff snoozing in her lap. "What about your cat?" "Oh, when he's ready, he'll find his way home."

Once we're alone again, Marinette turns to me. "It was a long and lonely night without you. But I trusted you would find help and you did." "I confess, though I missed you, Princess, I did have a good sleep." Puff opens his eyes and jumps out her lap, and trots down the path until he disappears. "He's cute, but he's no Cat Noir." "So, you missed me that much, huh? Did you miss my puns?" "Cat," Marinette says softly, and I know what she wants. Our lips find each other in the darkness, a source of love and the ache of missing each other vanishes. Marinette's lips leave mine, but then she traces the outline of my mask with my fingertips. I sigh with contentment, loving her gentle touch and find her lips again.

Then Marinette's stomach growls and I straightened up as if I'm been frightened. "My goodness, is there a lion in your stomach?" "Silly, your my lion. No, I'm hungry." "I'm going to try to find us some food, Princess. If I find the exit with me carrying you, you can rest again, while I hunt for food."

"Maybe you are a lion after all," Marinette giggles as I scoop in her into my arms. The exit comes quicker then I expected and I set Marinette on a wide rock where she can stretch out her leg. After being in the dark cave, it feels heavenly to be out in the sunlight.

I'm climbing a hill when I see smoke in the distance, but instead of one chimney, dozens dot the horizon. There must be a village close by, so I turn back to Marinette. "Maybe they'll be an inn, with a coffee shop close by."

Even late in the afternoon, the village is teeming with people buying things from the stalls and wagons drive this way and that.

"Mercy me!" A sweet voice calls out, and turn carefully not to drop Marinette. "Is your girlfriend injured?" I blush at the word girlfriend, but nod my head. "Come, I'll lead you to my small inn. Just follow my sheep." Dozens of fluffy sheep bleat and baa, but they follow our new friend obediently.

"My name is Candy, and I run the inn and run the local sheep farm around here," Candy explains to us. "I always have the company of my sheep, but I love to have human company too!" Candy is dressed unlike any sheep farmer I've ever known, but right off the bat you can tell this girl loves her sheep.

She walks with her shepherd's staff, her pink cloak flapping slightly in the breeze. Her hair is similar to Marinette's color, but shorter. Leaving the sheep to graze in the meadow, we reach a farmhouse that serves as Candy's home.

The living room is especially cozy, and I set Marinette down on the couch. "I think I can heal your injury quickly, Marinette. After all, you still have a long journey ahead of you."

To our surprise, she pulls a magic wand from her pink boots. With the wave of her magic wand, Marinette suddenly sits up and turns to me with a smile. "It doesn't hurt anymore! Thank you, Candy!" "Why, your welcome, of course! But since I helped you, could you two help me? I'd be happy to let you stay at my inn free of charge of course!"

Marinette takes my hand. "Even if we had to pay you, we wouldn't think any less of you!" "Marinette, do you know anything about sewing?" Marinette leaps off the couch in happiness. "Its my dream to be a designer. What do you have in mind?" "Whoa, before you get to eager, we must shear the sheep. And Cat, how much to know about gardening?" I shrug. " A bit, but mostly what I've learned from Marinette." Marinette giggles. "Yeah, when you weren't taking a nap," she whispers. "You don't have to know much, Cat. You'll just be picking the vegetables that are ripe. Its nature's candy, after all."

Candy gives us the tour of her farm and for dinner makes soup and biscuits that Marinette and I put away in record time. Afterwards, we tell Candy about our journey so far. "Please, you need to defeat Hawkmoth for he is evil. He hasn't bothered our tiny village yet, but he has many that could."

Then its time for bed, and she shows us our rooms. After she leaves, Marinette and I stand by her door, saying our goodnight. "Even if we made new friends today, you were the one who came back for me, Cat Noir." "A cat always keeps his promise, and I promise to love and protect you till the day I die." Marinette hugs me around the middle, muttering into my suit, "That's very sweet, but don't talk of dying. I love you."

I take a shower to wash off the sweat and the stink of today, but today was wonderful, expect that Marinette was injured. It shows that even strangers can help each other, showing so much kindness and as I lather up with soap a thought pops into my head like a bubble.

Could Hawkmoth ever turn his back on his evil ways, or is his heart hardened forever?