The sun began to rise over Hell, painting the infernal skies with streaks of red and orange. Four long, exhausting hours had passed since the mysterious cat had entered Kikidori and Ere'ana's lives, and they were worse for wear. Kikidori leaned against the obsidian wall of the castle hallway, his wings drooping and his face covered in tiny scratches. Ere'ana stood next to him, her usually radiant appearance dulled by exhaustion and a similar tapestry of scratches and bite marks across her arms.
"Why... does something this small have so much fight in it?" Kikidori muttered, glaring at the tiny creature now cornered in the main hall. The cat sat proudly, its green eyes gleaming with smug defiance as if mocking its would-be captors.
Ere'ana sighed, her angelic patience frayed. "I think it's part demon," she said, wincing as she adjusted her robes, now torn and singed in places. "That's the only explanation. No normal animal fights this hard."
Cerberus, the Chihuahua, stood a few feet away, barking with all his might, his tiny body vibrating with frustration. Kikidori shot him a warning look. "Cerberus, stand down. You've done enough barking tonight."
Finally, Kikidori stretched his aching wings, cracked his knuckles, and turned to Ere'ana. "Alright, one last time. We corner it, I grab it, and we toss it outside. No more mercy."
Ere'ana gave him a weary smile. "Let's make it count. I don't think either of us has the energy for round... what, twelve?"
"More like fifteen," Kikidori grumbled.
With coordinated precision, they moved toward the cat. Ere'ana's light illuminated the dark corners of the hall, cutting off its escape routes, while Kikidori's sharp reflexes kept it from darting past them. The cat hissed and spat, its claws slashing at the air as it prepared for yet another battle.
"Gotcha!" Kikidori exclaimed as he lunged forward, grabbing the wriggling feline. It screeched in protest, its claws raking against his arms and wings, but he held firm. "You're done causing chaos in my castle!"
Ere'ana opened the massive front doors of the castle, letting in the faint glow of the rising sun. Together, they stepped outside, and with one final effort, Kikidori tossed the cat onto the blackened ground outside the gates. The creature landed on its feet, of course, and turned to glare at them with those eerie green eyes.
"Stay out," Kikidori growled, slamming the doors shut behind him. He and Ere'ana leaned against the door, breathing heavily. "I swear, if I ever see another cat in my life, it'll be too soon."
Ere'ana chuckled softly, though she was equally drained. "I think we handled it well, all things considered."
Before they could catch their breath, an abrupt, feral growl pierced the silence. They turned just in time to see Cerberus darting past them, squeezing through the gap in the closing doors.
"Wait, Cerberus!" Ere'ana called out, but it was too late. The tiny Chihuahua launched himself at the cat like a furry missile.
The confrontation was swift and brutal. Cerberus tackled the cat with unexpected ferocity, his sharp little teeth finding their mark. The cat yowled in shock and pain, but Cerberus was relentless. Kikidori and Ere'ana stood frozen, their mouths hanging open as they watched the one-sided battle unfold.
By the time Cerberus stepped back, panting and wagging his tail triumphantly, the cat lay motionless. Its green eyes were now dull, its body limp. There was no doubt—it was no longer among the living.
Kikidori broke the stunned silence first. "Well... that escalated quickly."
Ere'ana covered her mouth with her hand, her angelic sensibilities torn between horror and disbelief. "Cerberus... did you just—?"
Cerberus barked once, his tiny tail wagging furiously as if to say, I protected you! He trotted back toward them, proud as could be, completely unaware of the stunned expressions on their faces.
Kikidori ran a hand through his hair, sighing deeply. "I can't believe it. The dog just... I mean, sure, it's Hell, but still..." He shook his head, struggling to find the words.
Ere'ana crouched down, picking up Cerberus and cradling him in her arms. "Cerberus," she said softly, her voice tinged with both amusement and exasperation, "you didn't have to go that far. It was just a cat."
Cerberus tilted his head, his tongue lolling out as if to say, I did good, right?
Kikidori crossed his arms, his golden eyes narrowing at the tiny Chihuahua. "You're lucky you're cute," he muttered. Then he turned back toward the lifeless cat. "What do we do about... that?"
Ere'ana stood, still holding Cerberus, and glanced at the cat's remains. "We can't just leave it here. It wouldn't feel right."
"Right," Kikidori said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Because proper burial rites for a Hell-cat are the most pressing issue right now."
Ere'ana shot him a look, and he sighed. "Fine. I'll take care of it." He walked over, picked up the cat's body with a grimace, and carried it to the edge of the volcanic cliff that bordered their castle. With a quick motion, he tossed it into the lava below. "There. Problem solved."
Ere'ana shook her head but smiled. "You really have a way with... situations like this."
Kikidori shrugged, turning back to her. "Hey, I didn't ask for this mess. Blame the cat."
Cerberus barked again, his small body trembling with excitement. Ere'ana laughed, scratching behind his ears. "Well, at least someone's happy."
As they walked back into the castle, Kikidori glanced at Ere'ana. "You know, for all the chaos he causes, Cerberus does come in handy sometimes."
Ere'ana smiled. "He's got a lot of heart for such a small dog. Kind of reminds me of someone else I know."
Kikidori raised an eyebrow. "If you're comparing me to the dog, I'm going back to bed."
Ere'ana laughed, her voice ringing through the halls. "I'm just saying, you both have a way of surprising me."
Kikidori smirked, shaking his head as they made their way back to their room. "Yeah, well, next time, let's hope the surprise doesn't involve a demon-possessed cat."
The End of Chapter 52