The master spy or Puss in the boot adventures

The way of the ninja 16, Part 108

After facing life-threatening challenges, the two cats returned to the murky swamp with the infamous swamp witch lurking nearby.

"We served your sister for days and granted her every wish," proclaimed Shadow-cat, sweat dripping down her fur from exhaustion.

The witch's eyes gleamed with greed as she replied, "Yes, I know. Even my sister spoke of your immense magical powers...I must admit, I didn't expect you to come back alive. Or at least, I was secretly hoping for a fresh bowl of cat soup."

The two kits exchanged uneasy glances .

"Easy there," chuckled the witch. "I won't be eating either of you tonight. My sister is quite pleased with your services, and in return, I will grant you what you came for...the flying broom." She reached into her bag and pulled out a twisted wooden wand. 

"And here's a little extra something. This wand is carved from a tree in the enchanted forest. It can sense any magic in its surroundings. If there's hidden magic or a trapdoor nearby, it'll glow blue. For demonic or shadow magic, it'll glow black. And if there are any magical creatures around, it'll glow yellow." She paused, her voice turning dark. "But beware, if it glows red..."

 She let out a chilling cackle that sent shivers down the cats' spines.

"So what happens if it glows red?" Mer-mer joked nervously.

The witch's expression turned grave. "Then you better run... because that means danger is approaching."

The witch's eyes widened as she approached the Mer-Mutt, taking in its grotesque and bloated form. A sinister smile spread across her face, revealing yellowed teeth, as she drew closer to the creature who had become her meal ticket. She could practically taste its succulent flesh as she moved in for the kill.

The witch's voice dripped with malice as she grabbed Mer-mer by the neck, her fingers digging into the soft flesh. Her eyes scanned over the cat's plump figure with disgust. 

"You have quite a lot of fat on you, kitten," she sneered, pulling Mer-mer closer to her face. "But that will make you perfect for what I need." The witch's words were like venom as she spoke, relishing in the fear and desperation in Mer-mer's eyes. "You will go into my cauldron and clean it, every inch of it, while I prepare the vegetables," she commanded, her tongue flicking out like a serpent's. "And if you don't do it to my satisfaction...well, let's just say it won't be pretty." The witch bared her yellow and rotting teeth in a wicked grin, reveling in her power over the helpless kitten.

The two kittens quiver with fear as an icy chill creeps down their spines. Despite all their efforts and hard work, the looming presence of the witch still threatens to consume them. Their hearts race in terror as they realize there may be no escape from her grasp.

The witch's malicious smile twisted into a sinister grin, her eyes gleaming with amusement and a hint of danger. "What a pity I won't get to try the cat soup," she said with a sigh that sent shivers down the spines of the two cats in front of her. They exchanged wary glances, unsure if they could trust her or if this was another one of her twisted games.

"Oh, how funny you are!" The witch cackled, kicking her legs in delight. "Would that you had seen your faces..."Suddenly, it dawned on the two cats that they were being played for fools. They didn't know that the gremlin who had tried to deceive them in the past was actually a distant relative of the witch's, and that she reveled in causing chaos and confusion. One day, at the market, a woman accidentally bumped into her and made a rude comment about her long nose and crooked beard. Without saying a word, the witch simply waved her wand. Later, when the woman returned home and opened her mouth to tell her husband what she had bought, frogs and lizards came spilling out instead.But let's not dwell on that disturbing fact and return to our story...

A sinister smile crept across the witch's face as she leaned in towards the kits, her eyes gleaming with malice. "Remember, my dears, if you ever need to abduct a child or a king's daughter for your own twisted purposes..." The kits' blood froze in their veins at her words and Shadow-cat instinctively tightened her grip on the kit on her back.

But Mer-mer interrupted, his voice cold as steel. "We have no intention of committing such heinous acts. However, we may require your services in other... more nefarious matters."

The witch's cackle filled the air as she leaned back in her chair, her fingers tapping against each other eagerly. "I see," she purred. "If you ever desire someone to be cursed or enchanted, perhaps turned into a helpless creature like a frog..." Her laughter grew louder and more menacing.

Shadow-cat's forced laugh was laced with fear as she muttered under her breath, "Well, at least now we know where to send our enemies."

The two kittens stumbled back to Kira, their bodies riddled with scratches and bruises from their encounter with the witch. Kira's heart lurched at the sight of them, fearing they had not returned. 

"What happened? Where were you?" she demanded.

Gasping for air, Shadow-cat recounted the harrowing events of their journey, including their successful acquisition of the witch's broom and wand. Kira's eyes widened in awe at the mention of the powerful wand. 

"We must test it out immediately," she said in excitement.

But before they could continue, she reminded them of the other two tasks they still had yet to complete: stealing the dragon horse's saddle and the king's talking bird. 

"Rest now, my brave ones. We have a long night ahead of us," Kira said, her voice steely with determination.