#dreaming

Her lover takes a blow, perhaps one he didn't have to, but here in the dreaming, he IS a giant...and reacts accordingly "You would hurt my lady? My love?" Earl grabs the other end of the shovel, and slams the hapless man about with it

"Bitchen" Squeeky observes, then says "Ware, Hunter, the Catawumpus knows know friends and might target thee as well!"

Without cats, a Caterwall is just a failed pun, and there is nothing weaker than a failed pun. The whole structure , even the lower part, crumbles to naught

Zara brushes her fingers against Earl before returning to cat-rescue.

Earl grunts and gestures... it's a cheat, but he sends the Catawumpus away, safe, free, and far from there.

which is fine, because the workers are now subdued... and some looking really really kind of flatter

Yes, all the cats are free

Zara checks on them, poor things...

Some of them are shivering... traumatized, others are just hissy pissed off had a very bad day! A few are even a bit affectionate glad to have someone sooth their nerves

Earl is grabbing one of hte workers who is in better shape "What the hell are you building a wall here for?"

The chimeracal worker blathers "Wall building.. dreams..nightmares.. we got orders.. .if we block the path to the seasons, then they lose their power and can't hurt anyone. Need a caterwaul to do it... drown out objections, drown out folks trying to teach"

A contemptuous sniff!

"HIGHLY offensive" One cat says, a pair of glasses on her nose "ignorance serves no one any good and a lack of knowledge among the kindly only empowers the lack of ethics among the powerful." She is clearly, an Educat

Squeeky nods "I'm with Miss Spectacles there."

Zara nods, agreeing.

"Knowledge is not just power, it is the first companion Power should have for power to be used well" The Educat is pleased others see this.

Not all the cats are in great shape... one looks bloody and mangled...

Earl snorts "Want me to drop them off into the pit of eternity? They'll never splat, but unless they can fly..." the rest need not be said. Eternal falling is an old dream / nightmare

Zara fusses, bandaging the wounds with strips of her own tattered voile.

An eyebrow. That is a harsh punishment, but then...

"Wait, wait..mercy!" They beg.

Earl frowns.. the code of dagda...

"Mercy, and we'll offer you something? A payment ?" Another whimpers

Earl pauses looks at Zara, then speaks to the man "Have you any healing balms or potions?"

"We got a magic bandages, enough for three wounds" One says "Was..going to use it on myself"

Zara holds the wounded cat.

"You can heal in the dreaming.." earl takes the bandages "Your word that you will abandon building this wall, and never touch with hand or object another living animal again save in kindness..or so help me" His eyes still a bit dark, "We will see how well you heal after the 3000th mile falling in the pit that does not end. Test me. Try me if you think I am lying. "

Squeeky whispers to Zara, "Meloth, yon artist is somewhat afrightening like this."

He ponders "Then again, dude is also righteously pissed"

Zara nods, and 'swoons.'

Oaths are given, hastily, but to Earl's satisfaction and instead he banishes them to a safer area.

And hands over the bandages to Zara to use as she decides best

The most injured cat first...

She saves its life and ..gets head bumped and purrs

Earl is chucking bits of broken wall off to the distance.

"pss-pss-pss." Pet.

Soon, all the cats are well enough to be free, some leave on thier own accord...

A few linger

Earl says "Ready to go, love?"

Zara nods.

"Squeeky?" He double checks.

Squeeky is petting a kitten "Dawww..." the turns his one eye towards them "oops.. verily" And sets the kitten down

and follows.

A reassuring pat on the cyclop's arm.

And they move off... Zara, Earl, Squeeky...

and a small group of cats following them.

Cats, even chimerical cats, vary, so some are stalking them... others just following...

Earl turns on the cats "Shoo... shoo we are not taking any of you home, not the chimera, not the fae blooded cat that got enchanted, and if one of you is a pooka I don't want to know. We're on a mission"

One cat twines between zara's legs

Zara quietly undermines him. Hello kitty, you want scritches? Okay!