I raise my head from the tree trunk I was resting against. My eyes immediately go to the giant herb and find a giant lump still inside it. Good. So that means Cat hasn't been digested and I still have time to come up with plan.
The plant's head hangs low, as if it too is asleep, though what giant herbs dream about I couldn't tell you. Think, Ladybug, think! If you were trapped in a giant herb, what would Cat do to get you out? My mind works furiously and using my yo-yo, I launch myself into one of the trees to get a better view.
"Ouch!" As soon as my bottom touches down on the branch, little green dots scramble over to attack me. I peer closer. Wait, not dots, bugs. But what kind of bugs am I dealing with? Using my yo-yo for the second time this morning, I use the "Wiki" system to identify these little chompers. Aphids. The little bugs are aphids are I suddenly have an idea but I need a lucky charm. "Ow!"
I hiss as several of the bugs have found access to my neck and bitten me. Ignoring what will soon be painful lumps I call up my Lucky Charm. I grin happily, as a clear glass jar drops down into my hands. The Lucky Charm doesn't always give you want you want, but in this case, I got lucky.
I sit on my spruce branch, wincing as dozens of little aphids invade my jar, and make me an a to-go order. Finally satisfied, I screw on the lid, rub my neck and leap down to the forest floor.
Holding my jar tightly, I wave it in front of the Giant Herb. "Hey, Herb! Ever taste a nice, juicy ladybug?" The plant raises his head, awakening from its slumber. It rears its head back, as if considering me for its breakfast. Before I can change my mind about the plan, quick as a flash, it opens its jaws and swallows me down.
"Ugh, this is worst then week old tuna," I groan, eyes watering as I slide down its throat. "Hey, that's a insults to tuna-lover's everywhere, M'lady, but always glad to see you." "Cat!" I set aside my jar, throwing my arms around my soggy partner. "Cat!" "Please tell me you have a plan to get us out here. It really smells." "Don't worry, I have a plan." I hold up the jar and Cat grins when he sees all the little aphids inside. "Aphids will munch on everything, so why not a giant herb?" Cat takes the jar, and unscrews the cap. "Cat! Wait!"
Cat meows in pain, as several fall onto him, but its nothing like the sound the giant herb makes. As the aphids work their way free with their tiny (but powerful) jaws the sound of clicking can be heard.
With so many, the plant roars out in pain as the base of the plant begins to wobble and within an hour, the herb crashes to the ground, the head and the body cleaved in two. But as quickly as it dies, the rumbling sound comes back, and I pray hard no more plant creatures will rise up from the earth. The Herb descends back into the earth, never to been seen again.
I don't realize Cat's arms around me as the earth closes my back, I only feel my heart beating in my ears. "Told you I'd get you free," I smirk at me. "I had doubt, my love, but we need to do something about this smell." I gingerly touch the lumps on my neck. "And these bites."
But it isn't our lucky day, for we don't find a stream or pond, nor do we find any medicinal herbs we can use.
"Even being in such a remote part of the forest, you'd think we'd find one or the other," I grumble as I glare up at the sun. "Hey," Cat holds out his hand, and we pause on the trail. "Let's be grateful your plan worked, because there's a good possibility that herb could have been immune to aphids." Suddenly, having sore lumps on my neck doesn't seem so bad. "I guess I didn't think of that. Thanks, Kitty."
If this is one of the harder parts on our journey to endure, so be it. Harder days are ahead I'm sure when we actually reach Hawkmoth's castle. We try to use the water sparingly, even drinking from each other's bottles, but soon our tongues are parched and thirsty, and begin to feel like fur.
I'm glad when the shadows start to lengthen and its time to make camp for the night. An owl hoots nearby as I make fire cakes and Cat keeps his baton at the ready.
Cat hugs me tightly when its time for bed, whispering tomorrow will look brighter, and he sends me off to my own camp with a gentle kiss.
There are no tree holes to be found, so I sleep out in the open in my suit. I don't want to be caught as Marinette if a enemy or predator creeped up on us. I fall into a restless sleep, but around midnight, I bolt awake, when I hear a strange screech coming from somewhere in the forest. This certainly isn't a friendly forest, at least not the part we're traveling through.
I slowly get to me knees and lean back against one of the tall trees. There's no way I'll be able to sleep tonight, and if Cat heard the noise, I doubt he will neither.
The sound comes again, but it sounds closer, and I feel my blood freeze. "M'lady, are you hearing what I'm hearing?" Cat has come out of nowhere, but I'm instantly glad of his presence. "I don't think we're alone, Kitten, And if they don't find us tonight, it will soon."
"Let's at least scan the area. Remember that big hill you saw earlier?" I nod, and holding hands so we don't lose each other, we scramble off through the trees.
Once at the hill, however, the woods are silent once again. The owl we heard during supper flies by us, and Cat and I slump down on the hill. "You don't think it was just our imagination, do you?" "It'd be one thing for only one of us to hear it, but when we both areā¦." Cat peers again into the night. Cat's hand tightens like vice around my fingers, and I wince in pain. "Cat, ow. Let go." "M'lady, look," Cat lets go of my hand, to point a shaky finger and something out in the field.
A ghostly shape is hovering back and forth like its patrolling the field. It appears not to have a body, and I wonder if its a ghost. "Do ghost get that tall?" I whisper to Cat, and his mouth drops open. "Do you think I've ever seen a ghost?"
Another screech comes from out in the field, making Cat's tail stand completely upright. "That's no ghost, love, but its not happy, that's for sure."
We decide to take turns keeping watch, and even though a giant monster is floating in a field below, with Cat here to protect me, I fall asleep at once.
When Cat shakes me awake for my watch, the creature seems to have moved closer, and the dark is fading from the sky, even though there's still a few hours till dawn. How will we get past this creature, and I take out my bug phone for a closer look at it.
Yes, it might be an enemy, but when I look at its face, it seems sad and lonely. Though I'm not a "ghostly monster" I know how it is to be sad and feel alone. It hurts, the hurt makes you feel heavy, weighing you down.
But when Cat entered my world, everything changed for the better, and I found reason to smile again. Sure, his jokes and puns sometimes annoyed me, but on those rough days, they were one of the few things to make me smile again.
And just like that, I know how defeat this creature, but the hard part will be making it smile. Cat breathes softly as he sleeps in the leaves beside me, and I stroke his head. Cat has secrets too, and once in awhile he would tell me how much brighter his day was when he got to see me.
At last, the birds start to twitter and the sky brightens. Then, the creature spots us and picks up steam, floating towards us. "Cat! Cat! Its coming!"
Leaping to our feet, we stand back to back, waiting for the giant creature. Keeping my smile hidden, I know we will win.
The creature or ghost, is even taller then either of us thought, and like the Herb Creature, it towers above us. The thing gives an angry bellow, and I feel all my confidence fly out the window.
I shut my eyes, taking deep breaths. Stay calm, you've got this, stay alive. "I am the Eldritch!" It shrieks with a wail. "And you two are trespassing on my land!"
Even if we are in a dangerous spot, Cat being the cat that he is asks, "Um, one question. What's an Eldritch?" The creature screeches so loud, it makes Cat's fluffy hair stands up straight. "Does that answer your question?" Cat nods. "Now, Go away, be gone, and leave me to my misery!"
I knew it! I knew something was wrong when I saw the close-up of his face last night. Maybe my plan isn't silly after all.
"But we're lost travelers," I take on a pleading tone. "We don't even know where were going, and there's no stream to be found." "Should have thought of that when you started your journey. Your love for each other only clouded your vision, and here you are lost. And soon you'll be on your own."
I grit my teeth. Bring it on, Eldritch.
