In The Arms Of The Beasts

Sniffles

A few days later

Despite now having a cold, Bakugo refused for me to move to the medical wagon - he wanted to tend to me himself and no one else. So I curled up in the corner of our cart buried in blankets while Kiri slumped on top of me but I kept being told we were almost home even if I couldn't tell myself

"Hey babe, how ya feeling now?" A sniff was the only answer I gave "still sick, huh? We can get you and everyone else checked out back home" that's when I heard it - a quiet rattling in the distance that made every catfolk insight disappear wherever they could including me "What's that sound?" It was like an alarm to us that told our kind that time was running out if we weren't careful

My main priority was to make sure I was completely covered and looked like a pile of laundry  "Catfolk hunters...they take our ears and tails as trophies" that was the quickest description I could give as the smaller cart slipped in between asking for the race of its passengers to which we lied along with everyone else

Once satisfied, they drifted slower until they were behind at the back of the group "they know. They know we're lying, they plan to infiltrate the back wagons and move forward until we're all gone" Kiri patted my head before signalling to keep hidden as he hopped from cart to cart while Bakugo drove onwards, I was all alone for now

The tension in the air on its own caused sweat to drip down my face as my eyes saw everything - more non-catfolk passengers sat at the back and sides of the group ready to defend us if they had to. Knowing how the hunters worked, they wouldn't be gone for a few hours spotting every opportunity and piece of evidence they could to invade - like a cat would. That's what they were used to...playing the waiting game

There's no telling if we'd be safe once we got wherever we were going, but it became certain we wouldn't when I glanced at one of their cloaks - it held the same crest the humans had embroidered into the shoulder where it was clear to one another but not to us "Bakugo, they're with the humans" he took a quick look at what I was staring at before locking his eyes on the road again

"Stay down, this is no place for battle" he was right, most of the people here didn't know how to fight hence why we ran before but there wasn't as much of an exit this time. If we raced ahead, we'd be confirming their suspicions and the fight would commence however if we stayed, they'd be able to keep up and learn more...then there was the fact of breathing

A minute at least had passed and the air beneath the fabric was beginning to get thin "Either clear off or stay here, I don't care but we have shipments to deliver" 'shipments'? Really?! I knew it was just a cover story but I couldn't help but feel objectified - we'd moved past the stage of gifting creatures as peace treaties.

The hunters turned back allowing a few of us to sneak breaths under the corners of the covers but we waited an hour before we could truly throw them off and Kiri came back while the others returned to their carts checking on their neighbours "it's safe to come out, are you okay?" Kirishima helped me out making sure I inhaled at least
a bit of the oxygen before getting back under due to the cold

The sneezing resumed quietly as my nose ached from holding it in for so long "well done for holding it in so long" that dull ache soon turned into a sting suggesting the build up had done some damage somewhere but saying anything would get some random guy taking a look at it now so I didn't bother. At least it wasn't raining, right? We'd be home soon, that shear I kept telling myself and would continue to do so until it became true

Bakugo made Kiri sit the other side of the wagon so he didn't get sick himself since the king needed more than one pair of eyes our surroundings since I was out of commission for the time being

But we'd be home soon...