It’S A Cat, Adopted By A Wolf Family? [EN]: Chapter 97

Jerian quickly scanned the girl before him, noticing how much she had grown.

Softpaw Kittia Gridwolf.

Unlike her skinny and unseemly childhood, she had gained weight and looked healthier.

If it weren’t for her still innocently sparkling emerald eyes and soft-looking palms, he might not have recognized her.

Of course, Jerian wasn’t happy to see her at all.

‘Softpaw being here means…’

His mind raced.

Just moments ago, he was in the food storage, but as Jackal’s threat intensified, he made his escape using a pre-prepared method.

By now, the wolves would be dealing with the cats affected by Blue Moon [a potent magical substance causing madness].

‘Angry wolves will make short work of the cats, but thanks for buying me some time to escape.’

Taking advantage of the opportunity, he teleported to this place where the foxkin’s magic circle coordinates remained, but an unexpected person complicated things.

“Jerian.”

Kittia gripped her bow tightly.

Feeling the murderous intent, her sharp claws emerged, digging into her palms and drawing blood.

The face she had never forgotten since the moment she lost her mother and kittens forever was right before her eyes.

Jerian, whom she had killed thousands of times in her imagination.

Pure rage resurfaced, making her heart pound.

“I heard you were adopted into the wolf family, and you’ve become quite refined?”

“…”

“It’s all thanks to me for banishing you outside the cat territory.”

The moment she heard the provocation, she wanted to jump out and strike him with her bow, but Kittia mustered her remaining reason and surveyed her surroundings.

A strong haze was emanating from him, indicating he had brought Blue Moon with him.

Seeing him well-prepared, it seemed he was abandoning the food storage and heading to a pre-arranged refuge.

‘I’m immune to Blue Moon, so I’m fine, but…’

The cats in Kittia’s arms were already slowly losing focus in their eyes due to the energy.

Clyd, sensitive to magic, was also staying by Kittia’s side with his willpower, but due to the nature of his race, he could be consumed by madness at any moment.

Besides.

“Shall we see how much of a wolf you’ve become?”

Jerian grinned widely and opened the coat he was wearing.

“Squeak…”

Inside, three baby foxes were attached to his belt like keychains. They must have been uncomfortable, but they were too frightened to resist.

Clyd’s already pale complexion turned even darker.

“…Jerian, you deserve to die.”

Kittia squeezed out the heavy words.

Jerian shrugged, smirking.

“Me, striving for the prosperity of small animals?”

“Shut up!”

“See, you’re too kind-hearted to avenge your family even with the enemy right in front of you.”

Just as Jerian was about to approach Kittia, Clyd unleashed his magic, creating flames in front of him.

“Don’t come any closer to the young lady.”

“The Fox Clan Head still has some strength left, I see.”

Zhiing—

Jerian reached into his coat, and strong magic filled the surroundings. Clyd’s clear eyes immediately clouded over.

Kittia poured magic into Clyd to prevent him from succumbing to madness.

Jerian chuckled at the sight.

“A little sacrifice is necessary to achieve a great cause, Softpaw. Don’t you know that yet, as a descendant of the Icarus family?” [A family known for their strategic sacrifices].

“Even so, you don’t have the right to decide who that sacrifice should be, Jerian.”

“Really? I didn’t know.”

“You’re just using a flimsy excuse to enjoy your own convenience.”

“And you can’t kill someone like me.”

Jerian flicked one of the baby foxes attached to his belt.

“Squeak!”

Startled by the stimulation, the fox flailed its frail body.

“If you hate me so much, kill me right here. Along with these little ones.”

“…”

“If you can’t, I’ll be on my way.”

Kittia stared at her enemy with trembling eyes.

Jerian was now heading to a pre-prepared refuge. If she missed him now, she might never have another chance to avenge herself.

Perhaps the opportunity to attack him would never come again.

‘But…’

Kittia looked at the three limp baby foxes. They reminded her of herself in her childhood, making it impossible to attack them.

Jerian was right.

Her tender heart was hindering her revenge.

“You’re not attacking even after I waited, how amusing.”

Kittia, with tears welling up in her eyes, stared at Jerian as he slowly moved away.

‘Mom, Dad, Brother, Kittens…’

The thought of missing the chance to avenge her loved ones made her nauseous.

If she had been more ruthless, could she have attacked him?

As she lowered her head in self-reproach, she saw her panting cat friends and Clyd.

Slightly startled, but everyone was unharmed.

“Young lady.”

Clyd called to her, feeling a severe headache. Honestly, he thought she would ignore the foxes and strike Jerian.

The Kittia he had seen in the training grounds was agile and strong enough. Her anger towards Jerian was beyond words.

But to not attack the enemy right in front of her because of a few young foxkin.

“Why did you do that?”

Kittia pondered Clyd’s question. The reason she didn’t attack Jerian, who was holding the foxkin hostage, was simply…

“Because it’s the right thing to do.”

“…”

“I can’t make the same choice as Jerian just to get revenge on him.”

I made the right choice.

Kittia told Clyd with a look.

She felt like she had taken a step forward from her childhood, when she was blinded by the desire to kill him and complete her revenge.

“Those baby foxes were innocent.”

“…”

“And, Clyd is my precious friend, right? I can’t harm my friend’s kin.”

Kittia smiled brightly and placed her hand on Clyd’s forehead. Her magic slowly drove out the madness of Blue Moon, gradually fading the headache.

Clyd resented himself for not being able to save the foxkin. He felt guilty, as if he had become a burden on Kittia’s revenge.

Yet, why was his heart racing so much?

“You must be dizzy, rest a little, Clyd.”

Kittia gently stroked Clyd’s forehead. The cats beside her also gradually regained stability with her warm magic.

Just as Clyd was about to confess something to her, a loud bang was heard.

Bang!

The sound came from outside the cave. Kittia focused her mind and read the flow of the air.

‘Master Eden?!’

It was definitely the magic of a grumpy wolf. Kittia grabbed her bow and jumped up.

“Clyd, please take care of my friends!”

Eden had no resistance to Blue Moon’s magic. As the head of the Weebs [a powerful wolf clan], and possessing considerable power, he wouldn’t easily succumb to madness, but Jerian had the real Blue Moon.

Even Clyd, whose mana core was somewhat formed, groaned with a headache in front of the genuine Blue Moon.

‘Besides, Eden seems to dislike foxes.’

As the thought reached her, Kittia turned pale and quickly ran towards the source of the sound.

* * *

“Ugh…!”

At the entrance of the cave, Jerian trembled all over. Two or so fingers that should have been attached to his hand were lying far away.

Eden crushed those fingers with his black military boots, which were free of even a speck of dust.

“Jerian. Did you think holding a few fox pups would change the outcome?”

Speaking with a black shadow cast over his face, he resembled the god of death. Jerian instinctively cowered at the overwhelming difference in power.

Swish—

Eden swung two swords. Jerian’s hair and skin were cut along with the air.

The splattered blood collided with the sword he swung, breaking into even smaller pieces, and the blade, stained red, drew closer again.

‘What the hell is this guy…!’

Jerian tried to reach into his coat to take out Blue Moon, but his body wouldn’t listen after losing two fingers in the previous attempt.

The murderous intent emanating from Eden Weebs was too fatal for a catkin.

“Why are you, the head of the Weebs, after me!”

Eden shook the blood off the blade and said in an indifferent voice.

“Wolves don’t let their mate’s enemies live.”

As if stating an obvious fact, his expression didn’t change. It was chillingly rational.

The only way to beat him was to use Blue Moon.

Jerian took the risk and fell backward. He hit his head hard, making him dizzy, but he was able to take advantage of the gap to reach into his coat.

Flash—

As his hand touched Blue Moon, magic with a blue light spread out.

The baby foxes attached to the belt couldn’t withstand the power and fainted, drooping limply.

Eden also frowned with a throbbing headache. It was the first change in expression he had shown since facing Jerian.

“You must be dizzy, you should just hunt and rest according to your instincts… Kuh!”

Jerian barely managed to block the sword that pierced deeply with both arms. Blood gushed from his cut forearms.

To think that a young man who doesn’t even have immunity to Blue Moon could last this long.

‘Damn it, is this guy a monster?’

Jerian gave up on confronting Eden and quickly retreated.

After all, the wolf’s instinct is to bite and hunt. If he was lucky, Eden Weebs might bare his fangs and charge into the cave.

‘It would be a good show, but it’s a shame.’

Eden cut off the tendon in one of his legs, but he was able to disappear after taking the teleportation magic tool made by the foxkin.

Eden took a deep breath of Jerian’s scent, which had disappeared in an instant.

So that he could recognize him immediately wherever he met him.

“…”

However, his vision spun from the rushing headache. Eden leaned against the wall and sat down for a moment.

Kittia would have been happy if he had killed that fat cat.

Seeing her coming out of the cave, it seemed that Kittia had already reunited with her enemy.

As the thought reached him, Eden forced himself to get up.

He couldn’t leave Kittia, who must be heartbroken and tearful, alone.

However, his heart was beating precariously. His vision flickered, and his whole body was feverish as if he had a bad cold.

He was driven to a level where rational thought was impossible.

“Ugh…”

As he staggered and leaned back against the wall, a sweet scent wafted from somewhere.

“Eden-nim!”

Kittia ran over in surprise. She was certain that the blood all over the place wasn’t Eden’s, but he didn’t look good either.

‘Jerian used Blue Moon on Eden.’

The cat’s instinct was warning her not to get close to Eden.

No one knew how he, who had lost his mind due to madness, would react to her, a catkin.

That’s what it meant to be affected by Blue Moon.

‘But I can’t just leave Eden like that.’

Kittia held her bow tightly and carefully approached him. She was going to pour magic into him and wait until he regained his senses.

However.

“Hic!”

Eden pounced on Kittia, who was approaching stealthily, and pinned her down.