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Behind Closed Doors
One week. That's how long Zapook stayed in hiding in Castle Kyut. In that time, she learned quite a bit. For example, she realized that the guard in black and gold robes was actually Zee. Zee was also the one to pull her into the large bedroom. Her biggest shock came from Yinxao...
Aussa, who wore a brown robe similar to Zee's black and gold one, came every so often. Yinxao herself didn't come back to the room due to how busy she was, and Tina wasn't seen or heard from since Zapook's arrival. Yinxao finally came back to the bedroom Zapook was being held in, seeing Zapook and Zee sitting on the floor, sharing food and talking with each other. Aussa was sitting on Zapook's bed, watching and giggling.
Yinxao smiled as she closed the door, "Well well well. Dodging your responsibilities, are you?"
Aussa raised her hands, "No! Not me! I'm actually on a scheduled break!"
Zee shrugs, "It's not like I get to do much anyway. That brat won't miss me."
Yinxao sighs and shakes her head, "You really shouldn't tick her off Zee...I can only imagine what will happen to you..."
Zee stares at her for a bit, before handing her food, or what was left of it, over to Zapook. "I've been meanin' to ask you about that, actually. I notice Ivy drags rebellious cat girls to her throne room. What's that all about? Long lectures or somethin'?"
Yinxao shutters, shaking her head, "No where near that, Zee... There's a room behind her throne...When she goes in there with one, they never come out of there again."
Zee nods, getting up, "Well. Time to go check it out."
Yinxao's eyes widen, and she rushes over to Zee, shouting in protest. As Zee and Yinxao walk out of the room arguing with each other, Zapook watches, shaking her head.
Aussa taps Zapook's head, "You know..she didn't mean it."
Zapook looked up at her curiously. "Didn't mean what?"
"She didn't mean for Ivy to find us. It's her job to, one, be Ivy's main body guard, and two, bring cat girls to her. That's what Yinxao's been trying to tell you."
Zapook looked down, setting the food on the floor "I gathered that, Aussa..."
Aussa sighs, placing a hand on Zapook's shoulder, "She also wanted to tell you that she found a friend in someone for the first time in years. And that friend brought a family that accepted her."
"She still didn't have to lie to us! We trusted her, and she held that back from us!?" Zapook growled.
Aussa climbs down off the bed, heading to the door of the bedroom. "Well...My breaks over. I need to go." She stops at the door, opening it and looking back as Zapook, "By the way, Ms. Zapook...If memory serves me right...You lied to us at first too...But even Zee came to forgive you for it. Right?"
Zapook's anger instantly vanished, and before she could respond, Aussa had left the room, closing the door behind her.
Deeper in the castle, Zee and Yinxao had walked into Ivy's throne room. Several other cat girls, all in white robes, were bringing Ivy food and drinks, before sitting on the floor in front of the throne, and eating a bit for themselves. One the girls that were already seated and eating, was Tina, who waved at Zee with a smile. Zee reluctantly waved back before standing in attention before Ivy.
Ivy smiled at Yinxao and Zee, setting her glass down on the arm of the throne. "And the stronger of my mew mews come! What can I help you two with? Did you find that intruder yet?"
Zee was about to answer no, in an attempt to cover up Zapook staying in the castle, but is upstaged by Yinxao. "Actually, my mistress, after some careful searching, we made have found some signs of where this so called intruder might be hiding."
Zee turns toward her, surprised as Ivy jumps down from the throne, "Excellent! I knew I could count on you Yinny Poo! Let me get things together here!" Ivy giggles and turns toward the five other cat girls in white.
Zee nudges her, "What are you doin'?! You're gonna tell her where Pookie is?! That will get both me and her killed!"
Ivy nudges back, "Look, none of us know what's behind that door back there, here's your chance to find out! I'll give her the run around and you can check it out. Got it?"
Zee smiles, nodding.
Ivy turns back around, Tina and the other girls carrying empty dishes and glasses. She floats toward Zee and Yinxao, her feet and long blue dress barely touching the ground. "Ok my mew mews. Take me to where you think this person might be hiding."
Yinxao cuts in again, stepping in front of Zee, "You know... I think that battle in the courtyard may have taken a toll on our guest. He or she must be wounded and exhausted. I wouldn't need the help of a head guard to finish the person off my mistress."
Ivy nods, "Alright then. I'll shall need only Yinxao. You." She points at Zee, "Make sure to patrol the halls just in case."
Zee nods and watches as Yinxao walks out with Ivy floating behind her. Grinning, Zee walks behind the throne, making her way past the other cat girls in white. Tina watches and convinces one of the other girls to take the dishes she was carrying before joining Zee.
The two sisters went behind the throne and found themselves staring at a small wooden door. Slowly pushing the door open, both of their jaws dropped. The room was incredibly large, and pretty dark at first. Another set of doors, five times bigger than the one they stood by was on the other side of the room. And in the middle of a room, a large beast laid lazily snoozing it's afternoon away. As their eyes adjusted to the darkness, Zee began to tremble a bit, and Tina fainted and dropped to the floor. For at the same the beast opened its eyes, staring down at the cat girls, they realized that they were in the presence of a coyote that was massive enough to make even Zee's tiger form look small.
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