Chapter 31

     The plan was simple. Redford would approach the waterfall first and see if anyone appeared. His ears would be stuffed with moss to ensure the proper protection against the siren call of whatever they were hunting. Aurelia felt the butterflies in her stomach and every sense sharpened to a razor's edge. 

   Redford stepped on a slime-covered rock and shouted, "Is there anyone home?" his voice bounced off the rock wall and into the forest. He waited five minutes and then shrugged, "Well I suppose I was wrong." He turned to leave when a woman emerged from the waterfall.

   Long silky black hair trailed behind the athletic body, a colorful robe adorned the body. She moved with seductive grace. Aurelia could see her mouth moving, but no noise came out. Aurelia thanked the goddess Redford had enough sense to stuff his ears with moss. 

    She sniffed the air and it reeked of something musty and forgotten. Her ears detected many legs moving at once. Aurelia knew this woman was the source of the disturbance that took her beloved Zinjo away from her. 

   The black-haired woman exposed her pale skin to Redford who was held in thrall by her naked form. Aurelia couldn't see what was so attractive about their mysterious visitor. Her attributes were not as developed, compared to Aurelia's. Her instincts told her to attack, but her human half held the beast at bay. In the woman's hand was a colorful parasol. The slender fingers cradled it like a scabbard. Deception, the mysterious woman was alive with deception. 

   "Poor lost traveler. You look so lonely. Don't worry, Hinata has the cure to all your troubles and all you have to do is follow me into the waterfall, and the greatest of earthly pleasures shall be yours," The woman let the rest of the robe fall to the ground as she took Redford by the hand. 

   "You aren't my Deanne," Redfords voice sounded far away. His contorted face told Aurelia he fought against the feminine charms of Hinata. 

   Aurelia closed her eyes and brought herself to the mental change room. She slowly put on the lioness suit. Her body shifted and moved beneath the enchanted leather. The change came much easier than the first time. The life-ending pain changed into a dull ache and quickly vanished. 

   When she opened her eyes, Redford and Hinata were almost at the waterfall. She charged into the open with her swords raised. Hinata turned and hissed. 

   "I see the juicy morsel brought me a friend to play with. I will make sure your pleasure, sends you to heaven. Now be a good boy and wait for me inside," She pushed the brigand through the deluge that cascaded down the rock face. She turned and held the Parasol in an odd position. "Did you lose something?"

   "Three somethings. One of which is my future husband. I'd like them back, and no one need know you exist," Aurelia stole a page out of  Zinjo's book and tried to make peace.  

    Hollow laughter came from Hinata, and it unsettled her more than Mshindis twisted hyena grin, "Don't you know? I am the last woman they will ever be with. Your future husband is mine now..."

   "Did you think I would walk away from him so easily," Aurelia's blade whistled through the air with deadly accuracy at the woman's head?

    Before Aurelia could blink a flash of steel got in the way of her assault, and steel rang against steel. "You are new to dueling. You are barely worth my time, foolish cat." Her bottom half grew more sickly hairy limbs, and pincers jutted out from her mouth. The skin on her forehead tore open and revealed a multitude of eyes. The orbs stared at Aurelia with hunger. 

   "Normally I don't take women, but if I let you go men will come with murder in their eyes," the curved blade flew from the scabbard at Aurelia's heart. 

   Much to the Princess's surprise her hands shot out like an arrow and now held the blade between her palms. Hinata scowled, and tried to kick her with her extra limbs. However, Hinata's balance required her legs to stay underneath her, and she wobbled a little. 

   Aurelia capitalized on the opportunity, and swung low to the ground, and severed the legs. Hinata shrieked in pain and stabbed wildly at Aurelia's body.  Using her cat agility, Aurelia easily dodged the undisciplined strikes. 

   "What are you?" She demanded as her fist slammed into Hinata's face. The arachnid woman fell backward but quickly regained her feet. Her gait remained awkward because of the missing legs.

    "I am your end, foolish kitty. I shall relish your death because it will bring me more food to my door," Hinata screamed, as she rushed forward. Her blade swung in a deadly arc toward her head. 

   Aurelia wasn't sure what inspired her to run on four legs, but she could feel the wind of the sword run across her back several short hairs flew across her field of vision. She tackled Hinata down, and snarled, "I think you have our roles mixed up," She gripped a blade and drove it through Hinata's skull. Aurelia watched the creepy eyes until life left them. 

  She headed to the waterfall and stopped for a moment, and spied the parasol blade laying on the ground. She looked at her current weapon and then back to the parasol blade. She turned around and took the unique weapon for her own. 

  She carried on toward the waterfall. The icy water felt wonderful on her cat form, and she took a moment to let the water from above wash the dirt and grime from the travel-weary body. Aurelia found the cave, and a multitude of Cocoons, some with skeletal hands sticking out from them, others kept their occupants hidden. 

   Redford lay on a mattress of straw, his shirt undone and his belt buckle undone. A ridiculous grin adorned his face. Aurelia ignored him as Zinjo and Mshindi were her primary concerns. They were hard to find as their hulking animal forms made for bigger cocoons than the average man. 

   Worry touched her mind in all the worst ways possible, as scenario after scenario showed her a dead Zinjo and a broken heart in her future. She tore at the largest of the silky container and prayed the love of her life still breathed with the living. 

   Mshindis powerful form made Aurelia's heartsick. While she was glad her powerful companion survived, it wasn't the man she hoped to find. Aurelia felt his pulse he was still alive. She thanked the goddess for small favors. 

   She ripped and tore at cocoons until she found her Zinjo, curled up in the fetal position eyes closed in a restful state. She shook the big man, "Wake up, Zinjo. I don't want to lose you. I have never been so happy in my life. You've helped me see the strength I have. Please be okay, I need you to be okay."

    Zinjo stirred and slowly opened his eyes, His massive hands gripped the shaggy head full of hair, "I feel sick Dark Princess, and I cannot move." He growled in pain. 

    Aurelia threw her arms around him, "All that matters is you are alive. I missed you so much."

    Zinjo managed a weak smile, "Mshindi and Redford?"

    "Alive as well, Now lets get you out of here." Aurelia tore the rest of the cocoon off of the Leonid man and prayed the rest of the journey to Venmere got easier.