Chapter 6- The Queen in Cat's Clothing

Keld slowly opened his eyes, his vision blurred as he blinked a few times. A dull ache pulsed through his body, and as he adjusted to the dim light, he noticed a white cat sitting nearby, its tail curled neatly around its paws. Confused, he pushed himself up into a sitting position, scanning the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Where... am I?" he muttered, trying to piece together the events that led him here.

Then, like a floodgate opening, memories rushed back into his mind—the strange people, the battle, the mysterious "Son of Moon." His head throbbed with questions. Who were those people? Who saved me? And what in the world is this 'Son of Moon' thing? His thoughts swirled in confusion, each one leading to another unanswered question.

He attempted to move but winced as sharp pain shot through his body. Looking down, he noticed bandages wrapped around his torso and arms. Someone had treated his wounds. Who did this? And why?

Just as he was about to push himself up again, a calm voice interrupted his thoughts.

"You're hurt. Don't move and rest."

Keld froze, eyes darting around the room. "Who said that?" he asked, heart pounding.

"I'm in front of you."

Keld looked ahead, his gaze landing on the white cat. His brow furrowed. "Are you joking? There's only a cat in front of me."

The cat flicked its tail and sighed. "Yes, I am the one talking."

Keld stared, blinked, then stared some more. ...You're messing with me, right? Did I hit my head too hard? This must be a hallucination. Yep, definitely a dream.

The cat tilted its head. "Oh, sure. A dream where you feel real pain? Makes perfect sense."

Keld scowled. "Okay, smart cat, if you're really talking, prove it."

The cat rolled its eyes. "Prove it? What do you want me to do? Recite poetry? Perform a dance? Or maybe reveal the meaning of life?"

Keld huffed. "How about explaining why a cat is talking?"

"How about you explain why a human is so slow to believe in the extraordinary?" the cat shot back.

Keld opened his mouth, then shut it. He had no comeback for that. "Okay, fine. Let's assume you're real. Who are you? And why are you here?"

The cat stretched lazily before answering, "I could tell you… but where's the fun in that?"

Keld groaned. "Great. I'm stuck with a cryptic cat. Just my luck."

The cat smirked—yes, it actually smirked. "You should be grateful, kid. I saved your life."

Keld's eyes widened. "Wait, you saved me? How? You're a cat! What did you do—scratch my enemies to death?"

The cat let out a chuckle. "Oh, you have no idea. But let's not rush things. First, you need to heal. Then, we'll talk."

Keld leaned back, exhaling sharply. He still didn't know where he was, what was happening, or why a cat was talking to him, but one thing was clear—his life had just gotten a lot weirder.

Just then, the door creaked open, and a man stepped in. He walked over and sat near Keld, studying him with a calm expression.

Keld, still deep in thought, wondered, Is he the one who saved me from those weird guys?

Before Keld could ask anything, the man spoke. "How are you feeling? Sorry, I could only heal your cuts to stop the bleeding, but I couldn't do anything about your broken bone."

Keld blinked, then muttered, "Thank you… wait, broken bone? Can someone explain?" He looked between the man and the cat, confused.

The cat flicked its tail. "I will explain."

Keld turned to the man, his patience wearing thin. "Okay, enough of this prank. Just tell me what's going on! Who were those guys, and what actually happened?"

The man raised an eyebrow. "Prank? What prank?"

Keld scoffed. "Are you joking? I'm talking about this talking cat! You're making it talk, right?"

The man shook his head. "No, it's not a prank. This cat really is talking."

The cat smirked again. "Now you believe me, idiot?"

Keld looked back and forth between the man and the cat. "Really?" he asked, still in disbelief.

The man nodded.

And that's when Keld screamed. "WTF?! A TALKING CAT?!"

The cat sighed. "I swear, humans are so dramatic."

The man chuckled. "Sit down and calm yourself. We'll explain everything."

The man folded his arms. "Listen carefully. I will explain everything from the beginning."

Keld nodded, finally serious.

"I am Ryulune, and this is our queen, Seluna."

Keld stared for a moment, then burst out laughing. "This cat? A queen? That's a good joke! How can a cat be a queen?"

Seluna sighed. "I am not a cat. I am a woman. I just transformed into a cat using magic."

Keld squinted at her. "Magic? Is this some kind of prank?"

Seluna sighed dramatically. "Why do humans always doubt what they see? Fine. Let me show you."

In a swift motion, her body began to glow, a soft silver light surrounding her. The air shimmered, and in an instant, the cat was gone. In its place stood a breathtaking woman. Her skin radiated like moonlight, her lips soft and delicate, her body elegant yet strong. Her long, flowing hair was raven black with silver streaks, cascading down her back. And her eyes… they were mesmerizing, as if holding an entire galaxy within them.

Keld's jaw dropped. He swallowed hard, a faint blush creeping onto his face.

Seluna smirked, tilting her head. "How do I look?"

Keld quickly averted his gaze, his face growing redder. "U-Uh… you look… normal? I mean—uh, just a regular person! Yeah, totally not stunning or anything!"

Seluna chuckled, stepping closer. "Oh? Are you blushing? How cute."

Keld flinched. "W-What?! No! It's just… warm in here!"

Seluna leaned in slightly, her teasing smile widening. "Are you sure? You're looking quite red, Keld."

Keld groaned, covering his face with his hands. "Can we please move on?!"

Ryulune sighed. "Alright, enough teasing. Let's start again. There's a lot you need to know."