Mraaah...no...no...not doggy-sensei...too...

  *Nyaawn~*

  Nnng?

  ...

  ...What a nice nap... except for the dream I had. Creepy dream.

  ...

  ...

  ...

  I'm hungry!

  I roll out of bed and stretch on my two feet. Why is everything so tall? The campfire is burning, but the pot is far away from my hands-

  hands...? ...Paws?

  Oh. Right. I'm a cat.

  Darn. I thought I was a human again.

  But why do I feel so...stra..NYAA!

  *GASP*

  Oh- my- CAT-GOD. I am... I am...

  *Sniffle*

  I AM WALKING!! ON TWO FEET!!

  NYAHOOO!!!

  I howl loudly and hop on each kitty paw. I then hop around the campfire, ecstatically. I can't believe all that training paid off!! NYAHA!

  *Plop*

  I hear a strange noise and turn, only to see Roy's father beside Ray. Oh, and Dr. SPLEEN. Looks like he dropped something.

  "Did I... just see a CAT doin... d-doin' some sort of ritual dance around a campfire?"

  "..."

  "...Who cares if my cat's special. He's mine..."

  Rei hobbles over to me and lifts me up. Nooo! I was practici-

  "Come, Meowly!"

  'Kay~! I forgot how hungry I was~ Nyan--wait.

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  *Sigh* Are you even trying with those names? What's Meowly supposed to...Haah. Mrah. Forget it. He's feeding me.

  "...Did...did that cat just...SIGH at you?"

  "...Doctor Spleen. Please stop behaving so creeped out over every little thing that my cat does. YES, it acts disappointed when it dislikes the names I give it.

  *Grumbles*

  'don't gotta rub it in..."

  "But...b-but...you don't realize...that cats NEVER-?! Huh? Mr. Aldis, sir? Why are...?"

  Aldis, Roy's father, places a heavy hand on Doctor SPLEEN, shaking his head.

  Hm?

  Now that I look more closely, Roy's dad has an eye patch now.

  What happened?

  "Rei. Can we chat...alone?"

  "Okay. Lemme just feed Meowly-er. Me-Meow...Meow...vin, first?"

  You said that one already. Oi.

  "Rei, I didn't mean with you. I want to speak with the cat."

  ...What? No, go away. Shoo! I wanna eat! Feed me!

  Mmph?! Hey, Rei! You'll squish me with that vicegrip of yours!

  "...Mr. Aldis, sir...you...you...

  You can't have him! You have a dog already, don't be greedy! He's mine!"

  "Aldis raised his hands and took two steps back. Now that I look at him, he's pretty bandaged up. His left wrist seems to have some hardened flat stick inserted in the...is that supposed to be a cast? He signals behind him and a certain four-legged canine limps over...LIMPS?!

  "Mrao-MRAA! MRAA?!?!(How-YOU'RE INJURED! HOW COME?!?!)"

  "Woof.(Calm down.. I have all four limbs. I'll be fine.)"

  "Nyaa! Nyaa!(But! That's not the point!)

  It seems the fight continued even after I collapsed. I seem to...no, I DEFINITELY remember now!!

  The fight...I ripped one of the white grub like things out of its neck, but the chameleon thing has FOUR necks: each one had a glowing thing! They must've dealt with the other 3...? Maybe? Or...?

  At least they're both alive...unlike that weird dream I had. It felt so realistic, Mr. Aldis being devoured by all 4 heads as they tore him apart limb from limb. While it was destroying the village, doggy-sensei ripped through one of its throats, but got covered in acidic blood while killing the hidden grub worm. That was when Roy screamed and a mark glowed on his back, burning his clothes. And next thing I knew the dragon's heads were all cut, including the hidden squiggly worms hiding inside each head, and, and-

  and then my dream exploded.

  Mrah. I don't like that dream.

  "Woof(Did something happen? You look pale.)"

  "Mrah.Meow Mrah. Mrao.(Eh. A silly dream. Not worth mentioning.)"

  Aldis seemed to be having trouble trying to sit on a wooden log beside me. Wow, even all bandaged up, he's intimidating.

  BUT!!! Nyeheheh... now that I can balance on my two feet... very soon, I will catch up to him...

  SOON! Nyahaha!

  "Falias. Ask."

  "Woof. (Cat. Explain what those...worms, looked like when you first spotted them 'hiding'. You kept calling them...lights? What kind of lights?)"

  "Nya...Mrao Mrah. Meow.(Well, Squiggly, pale lights that moved.)"

  "Woo-(I Se-)"

  "MRAO! Meow, mrao mra.(Oh! They moved whenever his sword attracted mana before he swung.)"

  "Woof.(Mana? I see. Did it also react to my attacks?)"

  "Mrao, Meow.(Yes, you just bit it too quickly.)"

  Doggy sensei stopped talking. It seems like they're communicating or something, Mr. Aldis and it. Hey! Rei, stop holding me already and make me food! I'm starving for some reason.

  *grrrumble*

  oops, eheh...

  ...

  After Rei began boiling some kind of pig and vegetables, He split an apple for himself and me. As the food finished boiling, the village doctor gave me a check-up, occasionally touching my paw-pads all-the-while, as if I didn't notice him. I only squinted to let him know that I was not stupid. His sneak-attacks were painfully obvious.

  "... *Cough* Well, I don't feel anything wrong with him. The cat seems healthy. In fact, It's almost as if Mana is flowing through his body. Only a bit, but it seems to have 'rooted' inside of him. I can't see mana well, as you know, so I'm unfortunately unable to delve into this further, but...given what I know about cats...this fella probably...like Falias..."

  "No need to say it out loud. Thanks, Ron.

  *Sigh*

  *Grumbles* What the hell kind of village is this that attracts two animals with monster-blood inside of them?"

  "Mr. Aldis! Dr. Spleen! Do you want some lunch!?"

  "Ah! I'll have some! Make Roy a bowl too! Falias will stay and help you hunt over the weekend, so study well!"

  "Okay, but he needs to come get it...wait, where are you going?! You only leave Falias to teach me when you gotta leave the village!"

  "Remember what happened after Roy took out the second parasite from that mutant? At first glance, it was clearly a spawn of HYDRA. However, most of its regeneration came from that larva. The heads that lost those grubs...regenerated slowly. This...*Sigh* I dunno. 'Rather not make speculations.

  It was targeting you and Roy when you grabbed the cat. Then Roy's back...you remember the rest. I'm going to the church for help. Hopefully they'll know how to cure him. Was it a curse? He wakes up, but he's pale and rarely speaks."

  "...He'll be fine. Roy's strong. He took out one of that thing's heads...unlike me."

  Aldis put a hand on Rei's shoulder, before leaving with two large bowls of food. Doctor Spleen said goodbye to us and left with a serving as well. This village was like that, casually feeding each other and sharing leftovers.

  But am I missing something? What happened to Roy? And if they're telling the truth, then he...had a burning mark just like in my...dream?

  Mrah~? But Mr. Aldis is alive now, unlike in my dream...so is doggy-sensei.

  So why...

  *Munch* So good.

  "Looks like it's just you and me. And Falias. Saria will probabl--no. DEFINITELY tag along. No doubt there. *Sigh* Just what was that, two days ago? It came like a storm, beat up A retired high ranking adventurer, then some worms fell offa it and suddenly it's weaker. Then... then, Roy, of all people...he goes and cuts its head off! Just one...but still! Why...why is it always him...!"

  ...Can I finish eating before you do this? No offense, but I'm too hungry to care about your childish rivalry.