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The Cat's Warlock: Latest Episodes

Episodes 0-50
Episodes 51-118

119.
Valor is sitting up in bed, wearing a turquoise wrap shirt and bottoms, thinking: (I cannot remember the last time I slept so well. This bed is absurdly comfortable. Like being rocked in a cradle.) Valor, sitting up, still thinking: (... is this room actually rocking?)

120.
Valor, still in pajamas: (An earthquake? A strangely gentle earthquake?) Valor steps from his bedroom into the dining room. (This door definitely did not lead to this room last night.) Valor: (I suppose if a house’s living room can get into a fight with the dining room, it can also rearrange itself.)

121.
Valor, gazing out the dining room window: “House? Might I ask where we are going?” Valor: “...” Valor: “I suppose I can ask, but that doesn’t mean you can answer me.”

122.
Valor is brushing his hair. He’s since dressed in a red robe with an orange-gold sleeveless outer robe over it: (Having searched what there is of the house, I have learned there is much less to it than there was last night. Moon, Zhenshay, and Victory are not here.) Valor: (The front room is also gone. Which is where I put my sword when we entered last night.) Valor: (I thought it rude to carry a sword as a guest, and it had not occurred to me that the room might wander off.) Valor: (...in hindsight, it should have occurred to me.)

123.
First panel: Valor looking up, hands clasped before him in a respectful gesture. Valor: “Good house, if you have a method of communicating with me, I would deeply appreciate it if you would employ it. Thank you.” Valor: “...” Valor: “No, I didn’t expect that to work, either.” Valor: “I don’t suppose there’s any chance of you going back to the rest of the house?” Second panel: Valor, splaying his arms for balance. The hint of a white inner layer is visible beneath the red robe, and a gold clasp with two chains secures the front of his orange outer robe. “Did we just stop?” Valor: “I imagine that answers whether you’re willing to go back.” Valor: “Not getting farther away is good, though. Thank you.”

124.
Valor, standing outside the (much smaller) house. Valor: “At least you left an obvious trail, House. I appreciate that you did not hide your tracks.” Valor: “I don’t know how a house would hide its tracks, but I don’t know how a house moves at all, either. What do I know. Nothing. Welcome to the Endless Forest.”

125.
Closeup of Valor in profile, hand against his chin as he thinks: (It would be logical that the rest of the house, as well as Victory and our hosts, are on the other end of this trail.) (This is the Endless Forest, so all ordinary logic is highly suspect.) (Should I wait here? Victory will certainly search for me, and our hosts may assist her. She can follow the same trail.) (Assuming the house didn’t split into several components, all heading in different directions, each with just one occupant).

126.
First panel, Valor looking at the viewer, thinking: (If Victory is also isolated, would she wait for me to find her?) Second panel: Valor in profile, laughing with his head back and his eyes squinted with mirth. Third panel, Valor in profile, still smiling a little: (I can’t imagine it. She does not have the temperament to sit still and wait for someone to rescue her.) Valor: (...neither do I, really.) Valor: (There’s only one path here. Even if it forks later, I can follow it until then, and wait at the branching point if necessary. I might as well be moving.)

127.
Valor bows to House. “Thank you for sheltering me for the night, good house. I am leaving now to seek your other occupants.” Valor: “When I find them, I will let them know where you are. Unless you prefer I do not?” House: “...” Valor: “I will take your lack of reaction as an indication of no objections. Good day.”

128.
Valor walks along the broad trail. From the woods to one side, he hears a voice calling: “Valor!” Valor: (Victory?) Valor: “I am here!” Voice: “Finally! Can you come here, Valor?” Valor: “...you know travelers in the Endless Forest must not leave the path.” Voice: “Come on, Val, the woods are pretty open here. Just take the shortcut.”

129.
Valor, in profile, calm: “The briefing was clear: do not stray into the woods. We must be on the same path. Keep following it and we’ll come together eventually.” Second panel: Voice: “Are you sure you’re on a path, Val? The map doesn’t show one in that direction.” Valor, frozen, expression alarmed. “...” Voice: “You’d better come to me quickly.”

130.
Valor puts a hand on a tree. “How do you know where we are on the map?” Voice: “Seriously? I know how to read a map. It’s not hard.” Valor: “May I ask who you are?” Voice: “What, are you pretending you don’t recognize my voice now?” Valor, thinking: (That’s Victory’s voice, but that is not Victory.)

131.
Valor has moved back to the center of House’s trail. (But she’s right; this is a trail the House blazed. It won’t be on a map. I didn’t think about that. I’m off the path already, aren’t I?) Valor: (Should I go back to House? It’s ... probably safer than being off the path alone? Perhaps it will return to the rest of itself on its own, given more time?) Voice: “Val? Are you all right?” Valor: (be polite) Valor: “I am fine. Forgive me; I am on a path, so it’s best that I stay on it.” Valor: (I am not fine)

132.
Voice: “But it’s dangerous to be alone in the Endless Forest. And you’re not on the path. I’m really worried about you.” Valor: (I’m worried about me, too) Voice: “Why won’t you come here, Val?” Valor: “I am afraid you have the advantage of me, my lady. How should I address you?” Voice: “Did you hit your head? What’s wrong with you? Fine! I’m coming to you.” A woman who looks like Victory steps out of the woods. She’s wearing a navy outer robe over a white dress, with most of her hair loose except for a single narrow braid down the back. “Now do you recognize me?”

133.
Valor bows to her. “Please excuse me, my lady. I do not know you.” Not-Victory: “It’ll be all right. I know you. See, I have something of yours.” Not-Victory holds out a clasp of two silver leaves joined by two chains. Valor wore it in strips 51-53. Valor: (My clasp!) Not-Victory, smiling: “I can tell you recognize it. Take my hand. Let’s get out of here and then I can give it back to you.”

134.
Valor reaches into his sleeves, thinking: (King Kelezhi gave me that clasp. Is it mine, or a facsimile? I think I was wearing it yesterday...) Valor: (...there’s so much stuff in these sleeves that even if it’s in here, I’ll never find it without emptying them onto the ground.) Valor: (Which is not a good plan in the presence of a duplicitous fey creature. If I wasn’t missing something already, I certainly would be after that.)

135.
Not-Victory, leaning forward: “What are you doing, Val?” Not-Victory: “You’re lost. You’re off the path. You’ve misplaced your belongings.” Not-Victory: “You have to come with me to safety.” Not-Victory: “What are you waiting for? Things to get even worse?” Valor, leaning away, almost backing out of the panel, thinking: (Would running be rude? I feel like running would be rude.) Valor: (I wish I had a better idea than running.)

136.
Valor, bowing: “I fear it would be inappropriate for me to accept such a gift from a stranger. I must be leaving now; please excuse me.” Not-Victory, scowling at him with one fist raised: “Valor!” Not-Victory: “Where do you have to go, if not with me?” Valor: “I must return to my host.” Not-Victory: “What, the host who abandoned you, alone and off the path in the Endless Forest?” Valor: “That was not intentional.” Thinking: (I’m pretty sure) Not-Victory: “Hah. Do you think that distinction matters in a place like this?” Valor: “...” Valor: “Yes. I believe it does.”

137.
Not-Victory moves to block Valor. She looks off-model now, with the tips of fingers claw-like, reaching for Valor's face, and her features pointed. “Val, you keep acting as if you have other options. It’s infuriating.” Valor *bows again* “My apologies; it is not my intent to upset you. But I have other commitments and cannot remain.” Not-Victory: “Are not your commitments to me? Think.” Valor: “...I fear I have no such recollection. Kindly inform me: what commitment have I made to you?”

138.
Small panel: Victory, Zhenshay, and Moon round the corner and can see Valor and not-Victory in the distance. Victory: “Valor? What is that with him?” Zhenshay: “Oh no.” Moon, bristled to twice her size, hisses. Big panel: Victory leaps into the air towards not-Victory, shouting: “Valor!” Zhenshay, also shouting: “Victory don’t!” Moon is still hissing and bristling. Not-Victory turns white and looks much less human or like Victory, with her arms oversized and ending in talons. She grabs Valor by the arm, raising a monstrous arm in warding to Victory.

139.
Victory veers off, landing in a crouch with her sheathed sword sinking into the ground beside not-Victory, who is now a giant snarling humanoid monster, dressed in tattered navy, with long tangly dark hair. Valor is no longer visible. Victory: (be polite) Victory: (I don’t have to be polite if something attacks me or my companions first.) Victory: (Did whatever it did to Valor not count as an attack? Did my jump count as attacking first? What happened to Valor? Is he behind her or--) Victory: (--someone please tell me it’s okay to cut this [censored with black scribbles] into tiny pieces already.)

140.
Not-Victory is even larger and more monstrous now, with clawed feet and a tattered dark blue garment. She says, “Do you challenge me, human woman?” Zhenshay, running towards them: “No.” Not-Victory: “I wasn’t talking to you.” Victory, still crouched next to the monster, head down, thinking: (bring it on you [censored]) Victory, aloud: “He may speak for me.” Victory: (I hope that works because if I need to talk our way out, we’re screwed).

141.
Zhenshay stands next to Victory before the humanoid monster. Victory remains crouched with one hand on her sword. Zhenshay has one hand lowered to rest against Victory’s shoulder. His gaze is lifted to meet the monster’s. Zhenshay: “Good morning. I observe that you have taken a human man captive. Kindly state your claim to him.” Victory, thinking: (what the [censored]) Monster: “I have his adornment and his name. He has strayed from the path.” Victory, thinking: (what the actual [censored])

142.
Victory is standing now, a little in front of Zhenshay, holding her sword by the scabbard in her right hand. They face the monster, which has grown even larger. Moon is perched on a tree branch near them, facing the monster, bristling and hissing. Zhenshay: “This trail was blazed by House Moonschild and marked by Moon. It is a Path of the Endless Forest. Has he strayed from it?” Monster: “...” Zhenshay: “Did he give you his name?” Monster: “...” Zhenshay: “Did he name you?” Monster: “...” Zhenshay: “Did he come to you of his own accord?” Monster: “...” Zhenshay: “Then he’s not yours, is he?”

Episodes 0-50
Episodes 51-118