The master spy or Puss in the boot adventures

The way of the ninja 19, Part 111

"In the heart of an enchanted forest stood a magnificent castle, guarded by a fierce dragon," said Gnash. " Its scales shimmered in the sunlight and its fiery breath could be seen from miles away. To reach this castle, one had to navigate through the dense forest, with its twisting paths and magical creatures lurking in the shadows. Legend said that whoever could defeat the dragon and unlock the tower would find a sleeping princess waiting on the top floor. And only a true love's kiss could awaken her. Simple task!"

"Sure!", laughed Mer-mer." Only if this fire dragon don't make you a smoke cat-ribs!"

Well that's Ragnar's job, Shadow-cat said and laughed. " He love.. kissing..."

"Why not, "said the witch." I'll summon him now!"

She whispered something in an unintelligible language... and whirled. When he calmed down, Ragnar stood before their eyes...

"What is this foul magic?" he frowned..." I had just agreed to let Latina go out with me for a walk... and"

"No time to waste," said Mer-mer. "Ragnar only you can save us!"

They told him the story in a rush and Ragnar was reluctant at first, but when they told him that there was a beautiful princess sleeping in the castle that he should kiss, he agreed willingly.

"Shadow-cat will come with you," Mer-mer said. "I will stay here and try to appease the centaurs and the fire spirits."

"And I will go with them," said Gnash, a younger witch." It will be boring here..."

"All right!" shouted Mer-mer to the older centaur, whose name was Zorian.

"My friend here can restore your master's former form... only he'll need a special herb..."

"Hurry up," interrupted  the frog-dragon. "I am  getting hungry. Very hungry. "

"Aren't there any flies?" grinned Mer-mer..." Or haven't you learned how to catch them yet

The frog-dragon frowned, but said nothing.

Go away, said Mer-mer, for I don't know how long I'll be able to hold them..

Ragnar, Gnash, and Shadow-cat stood at the edge of the forest, their weapons drawn and ready for adventure. They had a mission: to wake the sleeping princess and ask her to kiss the dragon frog.

 But as they entered the dense trees, they felt a strange presence - evil spirits were lurking in the shadows. The spirits possessed their bodies, causing them to forget their mission and who they were. Confusion and fear set in as they stumbled deeper into the unknown forest...

Ragnar shook his head violently, trying to dispel the haze that clouded his mind. "Focus!" he shouted to himself, but the words felt hollow as they echoed into the gloom. He glanced at Gnash, who wore a vacant expression, her eyes reflecting nothing but uncertainty.

"Shadow-cat!" Ragnar barked, desperation creeping into his voice. "We need to remember what we're here for! The princess!"

The sleek black feline was crouched low, the fur on her back bristling as she surveyed their surroundings with an intensity that belied her size. "I feel them," Shadow-cat hissed softly. "Whispers in the trees, shadows that twist and coil around our thoughts. We must not let them take us."

Gnash snapped out of her daze, shaking her head like a dog trying to rid itself of water. "Right! The princess! The kiss!" Her voice was suddenly sharp, cutting through the lingering fog like a knife.

Ragnar clenched his fists around his sword. "Then we press on. If we don't find her soon—"

A rustling sound interrupted him. From the thicket emerged a figure cloaked in darkness, its features obscured by a hood of swirling shadows. It raised a hand, and suddenly the air grew heavy with an intoxicating sweetness that seemed both inviting and sinister.

"You seek the princess?" the figure crooned, voice smooth as silk yet laced with malice. "She lies in eternal slumber while you wander lost in my domain..."

"Who are you?" Ragnar demanded, stepping protectively in front of Gnash and Shadow-cat.

"I am merely a guide," it purred, stepping forward into a beam of moonlight that spilled between branches. As it did so, Ragnar could see its face—a visage both beautiful and horrifying; eyes like deep wells of night stared back at him with a predatory glint.

"A guide?" Gnash echoed incredulously. "You mean to trap us!"

With a flick of its wrist, the shadows coiled around them tighter, creating a barrier that pulsed with dark energy. "You misunderstand me," it said coldly. "I offer you a bargain."

"What kind of bargain?" Ragnar growled, resolve hardening within him.

"The princess lies beyond this grove," it gestured behind itself where dense mist swirled ominously. "But she will not awaken for just anyone—only for one who knows true sacrifice."

"And how do you know this?" Shadow-cat's voice was low but steady.

The figure's smile widened unsettlingly. "Because I am bound to her fate as she is bound to yours."

Ragnar narrowed his eyes. "What do you want in return?"

"A simple price," it replied, still grinning wider as if promising candy to children but knowing well it could mean their doom. "Your freedom or your memories—choose wisely."

The air crackled with tension as Ragnar exchanged frantic glances with Gnash and Shadow-cat. They were on the precipice of choice—the path ahead seemed fraught with danger no matter which option they chose.

As shadows loomed ever closer, he knew they had only moments before the spirits reclaimed their minds entirely. Because they choose freedom...