It was hard to let Marinette go, but I know that she's smart, creative and brave. She also has her powers now, but I must not forget mine. Since the cataclysm didn't seem to work, maybe I could make some kind net to trap them in.

Now that the toads are gone, the air is less rank but they have left giant footprints for me to follow. I follow cautiously, not wanting to caught again. I see Marinette as Ladybug, swinging on her yo-yo in a tree. She's high enough that the toads can't reach her, but they bellow and ribbit, King Toad knocks smaller toads out of the way. "They can't get you, but I can." Ladybug scurries further up in the branches as he starts licking the air with his massive tongue.

I shouldn't just be standing here, I need a plan to capture these toads in some kind of net. I use my baton to zoom onto a area ahead of Marinette's tree. Long vine ropes hang down, looking perfect for swinging, but I smile as they will become a net in my hands. Using my feline senses, I go back the way I came just in case any of toads pick up on my scent. Finally, I reach the vines and climbing up and using my claws they tumble to the ground. I'm not very good at arts and crafts but this isn't the time to be fancy and soon I have a large net. I trot up the hill a little ways, finding a smooth patch of path and use my cataclysm. Dirt and dust cave into a giant hole and I grin. Sprinting back to Ladybug's tree, I wave my arms and holler at the top of my lungs. "Hey, Toad Face, want a tasty snack! I'm a mighty feline snack!"

I lock onto Ladybug's eyes half hidden in the bushes, and she mouths to me, "What are you doing?!" I give her a playful wink and a nod, silently telling her to trust me. "After him, boys!" King Toad roars and if I want to save my tail, I have to run. Sprinting towards the hole, the toads are hopping mad as they follow me as fast as they can.

"Come on, just a little more!" I climb a tree as they fall into the hole, and I drop the net onto the them and in their struggle the net tangles around them.

"Well, Kitty, I'm impressed. And here you said you weren't good at arts and crafts!" I wink at her. "Well, hearing about your art projects, I thought I could try a net." "You haven't seen the last one yet!" King Toad roars at us, cheek pouches billowing out. Then, they vanish in a cloud of mist! "Were do you think they go?" Ladybug asks, as the mist clears away. "Back to Hawkmoth's castle, I suppose." Ladybug looks at me. "Do you think he can see us? Do you think he sent the frogs?" "They may be working with him, but before that I think the toads were just minding their own business."

"Will you help me down? I didn't realize how high we are," Ladybug says. "Just give the tree a big tight hug and slide!" Ladybug takes a deep breath and walks carefully over to the trunk, closes her eyes and begins to slide. I take the traditional way any cat would go: I leap. Unfortunately, as I leap Ladybug slides past and I knock her to the ground. "Ow! Cat!" "I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" "I thought you were going to slide down after me, not knock me out of the tree!" Sprawled on the ground and in a small leaf pile we look at each other and giggle. "Meow very sorry." "Meow?" Ladybug giggles and then snorts. "Your such a dork. Spots Off." We stand up and Ladybug holds out her fist. "M'lady, I did say I was sorry. There's no need for fighting." "No, hold out your fist so we can do a pound it." "Oh."

We bump knuckles and after she grabs my cheeks. "Did you have anything but floof in that handsome melon?" I try to grin with my squished cheeks. "What do you think?" Ladybug purses her lips, her eyes growing soft. "I think...this." And then she kisses me, her hands loosening on my cheeks and moving to my shoulders. Her perfect pink lips are as soft as any strawberry and just as sweet too. When we break apart, our for heads rest against each other's as we catch our breath. "Oh, meow." Ladybug laughs again, and finds my hand.

"Yep, nothing but floof is in your brain. But that's okay, I love you anyway." She loves me? Those are some of the nicest words anybody's ever said to me and I tell her so. She keeps my hand as we skirt around my makeshift trap hole. "Um, come to the table for dinner is ready?" "They should have just told you….." she cracks up and wipes tears of laughter from her eyes, "Come, your food bowl is ready to be served." "You know, you can be sassy when you want to be." "I have many hidden talents that you can learn." "Good. The more I get to know you, the better I love you." There's that word again, spoken from our lips. Love.

"Hey, Princess?" "Hm?" "What does the word love mean to you?" A squirrel scampers above us as she takes a moment to think. "Love is like a warm fluffy blanket, that instead of holding your favorite smell, it holds your favorite person safe and warm in their heart. Even when you cannot see the person you love, their safe in your heart. You?" "Love to me is….lots of things. I can't describe it like you, Princess."

"Cat, what is that, up there?" Marinette points to a small opening on one of the first tiers of the mountain ledges. A cave stares down us, like an eye without a socket. "That's the cave we saw the map. Remember?" "Do you think they'll be bats in the cave?" Marinette's voice drops to a whisper. "If there are, I'll protect you."

We don't make it to the cave that night, but we camp below it at a small waterfall. "Come on, Kitty! Jump!" Marinette shrieks as she hits the cold water, and goes under. I jump and give a yell of surprise when the water is cold! "Well, don't just tread water! Swim around and get warm!" She takes my hand and together we paddle around the small pool.

The waterfall when we swim by it, is mighty and we kiss under the falls. "Now, come on….we need…" Marinette is cut off when something chomps onto my tail. "Princess, help!" "Oh, Cat! Its a big fish! Hold on, I'll see if I can get it off!" Grabbing a large stick, Marinette ducks under the water and whacks the fish who goes limp. "Look who just caught dinner!" "Show-off," I grumble good-naturally and we dry off on the warm rocks, warmed by sun. Helping each other, we soon have a roaring fire going and as the fish cooks, I snooze with my head in Marinette's lap.

Dinner is a sleepy affair and after we say good night, make our own camps on each side of the pool. From where we are, we can see a million stars, flashing and twinkling in the heavens. Some may wish on every star, but I count the reasons I love Marinette until I fall asleep.

When I trudge back into her camp the next morning, she's still asleep so after stirring up the fire, I measure out coffee grounds. After all, Marinette loves her morning coffee, and I'd be lying if I didn't wish for a little kiss.

"Well, good morning," I grin, putting my arm around her shoulders. "Here's your coffee, and your going to have a good morning." "Its already a good morning," she whispers as she leans against me. "Your here." It doesn't take long for the purring to start up and Marinette nearly chokes and spits out her coffee. "Oh, no, you don't. If your going to spit it out, you don't get any." I stand and hold the cup out of reach. "Cat, give it back!"

Our morning is full of banter and a few kisses, though we're still a bit shy about it. Then its time to face the mountain.

When we reach the entrance, the darkness spreads out before us. Holding hands, we enter into the blackness. Maybe this is one of the moments where trust and love go hand and hand, because if we let go of each other, would we be lost in the dark forever?

"Cat?" Marinette's voice has my hair on the back of my neck standing on end. "I'm frightened. Look." In the green eerie cave light, a skull grins down at us. "You don't think someone lives here, do you?" "I don't know, Princess. Let's just keep moving."

Eventually, we have to stop and rest, and its Marinette's turn to lay her head in my lap. I don't want to stay to long, but Marinette has had a cough on and off throughout today. "Think I'm sick. Maybe it was the cold pool water?" "Could be."

I stroke her hair softly and soon her breathing deepens into sleep. I hear sounds all around me, and my eyes sweep the cave walls. When my eyes adjust to the darkness, I can see bats lining up on the cave walls, sniffling and squeaking and having their own dreams.

But then a louder sound has me sweeping the area, and a man appears as if from nowhere. "How long have you been here?" His voice is deep and soothing. "Not long, but Marinette is sick." She would have stirred hearing this man's voice, but Marinette's sleeps on, her face pale, "Come, lift her into your arms and follow me."

Feeling as if I have no choices, I pick her up and follow him.