#dreaming

And sure enough... in another hour, or so it seems..winter thaws... as Spring kicks into gear

"I think..this might be a sign we're on the right path" Earl says

A nod.

The spring rains and storms get a little loud... in like a lion this time... but the greenery after is nice enough... yet another hour and damn.. DAYSTAR again

Summer is such a bully

Zara hides, predictably, in the shelter of Earl

As it starts to roll around to Autumn one one last time... they find the terrain splitting once more, and a find a sign on the side of the trod.

GRIN.

Earl shakes his head "it's cute they think that's going to work"

"It's not?" Squeeky says looking a bit surprised

Well, there goes Zara. The boys can follow or not!

Earl points ahead to the walking Zara "See?"

"oh..yes" One eye blinks "Forsooth, Madame Raven does not break stride"

And the two longer legged fellows soon catch up...

Zara hears it before she sees it...hissing, meowing, yowling... all feline

And something that sounds like...mortar being used on stone?

She grimaces and covers her ears.

But she doesn't stop

As she comes up, she sees five men in construction outfits.

and one dozen cats ....

the men are making a wall across the trod... using stone, mortar, and..cats!

They're sealing the still living felines into the wall. The cats, understandably, are not happy about this.

"Hold that Cat of Nine Tails steady... got to let it dry" One of the men says

"Got it, got it, sure lashes a lot" Says the man struggling to keep the cat with nine tails steady

Hisssss..

In the Dreaming, some cantrips are but a thought... indeed, shadows billow and coil...

"Which one is the Obfuscat? " Another confesses "I get confused"

The feline that has a fish's body and tail instead of two back legs must be a Catfish!

Earl comes up "What is that noise and what are.." He blinks

"Yoinks and away" Squeeky says "They're building a Caterwall"

She gestures at her eye, forming a circle around it with webbed fingers, then spitting at the men - the evil eye! A hex!

The cantrip bursts loose and hexes the lot of the fellows.. this far in the dreaming, the results are quick! Just as they're about to put away the thirteenth and final cat.. one loses his grip..and the cat, her sharp claws sure, strikes out and hooks onto something in the man's mouth! With a vengeance!

A smirk.

"Muh ton.." The man gags but can't speak proper "Ca gah my to.." He stumbles back onto the one who was holding the cat of nine tails steady causing HIM to lose his grip... and the cat of nine tails lashes! Striking at the other men

It's confusing enough as one of the workers grabs a shovel to swat at the cat that has his friend's tongue, when the Obfuscat's magic causes him to lose sense of direction and strikes into the wall... damaging the still wet creation and knocking bricks loose

She crouches as she watches the chaos break loose... oh, she's a happy little amphibian.

the smallest cutest kitten with a crooked back slips free...

and then unleashes a hellacious beating on them

"Catawumpus! Hide" The cyclopses says... nevermind Zara is already ahead of them

Zara's clever fingers work at free other cats before the mortar may set!

She nearly gets hit in the catawumpus fall out, for there is no more powerful force of destruction (per pound) than a Catawumpus

Each freed kitty gets a little scritch of the ears.

But she frees yet more. One cat knocks her to the side with a surprisingly strong but clawlessly swat to safety before she can get hit, he is a dignified scottish fold wearing a kilt "Careful lassie, Old Cateran will protect ye! " and good thing he swatted her, because a chunk of wall almost hit her!'

"Get the mint!" One worker says , and another reaches in his pocket

She tumbles gracefully.

"Sluagh bitch" One fellow sees her

and swings his shovel at her...

Only to have Earl step in the way

Hiss and dodge!