IN OUR NOT TOO DISTANT OR BRIGHT FUTURE

(According to Future Ben)

Future Ben had been on the run for days. The Stick Forest was the singularly miserable place to die, but if didn't get killed here, he'd probably starve. Already, the Blue Demon 2nd Battalion had him surrounded. He barely survived the last assassination attempt.

"Where's that?" I asked.

Ben blinked, and then seemed to realize that I was from his past so I wouldn't know about it. He looked around, as if marveling a little at the irony, "Here... In about 10 years time."

It turned out that while testing one of my magic weapons, I had released an arrow that was not simple.

"The purple poison arrow?" I asked. Wasn't that just yesterday? And if Ben said "one of my magic weapons," did that mean I'll have more than one? O.o.

"It wasn't poison, Sam." Ben shook his head, "What you shot was an ancient curse magic."

Ah, of course. The other cliché color code for purple - ancient curses. WHY? Why didn't these things come with instruction manuals - or at least clear labels?

After that black out incident in the Alpha's backyard, the curse crept across the entire green Packlands, as far as to the Warlock lands.

In 10 years, this land would be a barren wasteland, it's largest trees like weather beaten stakes left stabbed across the land. Nothing green would grow. It was the biggest collection of sticks in the mud.

The Stick Forest was also known as the Cursed Forest by the locals, but this was not to be confused by the Cursed Forest in Black Forest - the gnarly one that used to house the Donovan Hidden Stronghold off Black Forest land because after the cave was sealed, some idiot went to reopen it.

Anyway, Ben was on the run. He tried to confuse his enemies by heading in a specific direction as if he was trying to make his way to the Old Alpha House… Perhaps if they thought he would lead them through the enchantments to where Ki was, they would not tighten the noose of warriors around the forest so quickly. But it was a matter of time. He was already on the third day without food and except for the dew he caught under a small tarp in the mornings, he had no other source of drinking water.

"Why were they chasing you?" I wanted to know. The idea that my Blue Demon Army and Ben not being on the same side just didn't make any sense, "Who's trying to kill you?"

Ben smirked, "Who'd you think? Of course it'll be EJ. Nearly F***ing stabbed me to death too. And where EJ is, you know Owen and his f***ing 2nd Battalion would be involved."

Wait, like our EJ and Owen? Why were they chasing Ben?

"I was this close to...to…" Ben took pause and looked at Ki, "To taking refuge at the old Alpha House, but I was being tailed too closely and didn't want to expose Ki's location."

"How considerate of you, Beta." Ki smiled like a flower to the sun, "I thank you in advance."

"Shut up, dog." Ben growled, "You were the biggest idiot!"

While contemplating his options, which at narrowed down to what seemed to be the least miserable way to die, Peony appeared.

Peony was still looking for his lost companions… yes, since the last time we saw it as pups. I really don't think Peony was very good at this time traveling thing.

"What is my name?" Peony had asked him. And Ben knew the answer because I had told him before. (How the hell did I know? But that was future me. And maybe future me knew a lot of things.)

So as according to the way of the cats, Peony had to call Ben master and do his bidding.

We all nodded like the way of the cats was a totally reasonable thing, but at least for me, I just seriously didn't dare to ask. I could only handle so much bizarre at one go.

They travelled back in time to stop me from disappearing, and hopefully reunite Peony with his companions.

"But the stupid cat took us too far back." Ben scowled at the bundle still cradled in Fluffy's arms.

I think that shouldn't be surprising. I mean, if Peony was still lost, he probably didn't have that great a sense of direction.

"Time travelling is a very exacting magic." Peony answered huffily, "It's not that easy estimating the gates. Getting you a year or two within the timeframe is already a testament of my skillful navigation."

"Your s*** skill got us 3 years early." Ben growled back, "What are we supposed to do in the meantime, sit around and chill?"

"Three years is not a long wait." Peony replied.

But Ben was never good at waiting, "Forget it. Come on. Just give me the cat, Sam. I need to go stop you."

"Wait, not yet! You hardly explained anything!" I crossed my arms because I meant business, "If you don't explain properly, I'm not letting you go."

"But the space time continuum, Sam!" Ben protested.

"What about it?" I demanded.

"I shouldn't be telling you too much. In fact I shouldn't have told you anything at all." Ben tried to explain, "It's dangerous to try to change the future."

I wasn't buying it, "You mean to say that you think I can possibly do something to change the future and make it worse than what it is now?"

Ben opened his mouth and then he shut it again.

I didn't think so.

"Now tell me properly, what happened?" I demanded.

Fluffy smiled, "I could also just kill the cat now."

"No! Don't!" Peony was very alarmed, "I'm the Moon Goddess' beloved pet. It'll be a sin to kill me."

"Oh, the Moon Goddess' pet!" Fluffy's smile widened, "How convenient! I was wondering how I might vent my dissatisfaction with my fate."

Overall, the moon goddess' reliability had never impressed me. Her being the pet owner to this lost cat somewhat cemented my opinion of her.

"Beta! He might really kill me!" Peony warned Ben.

"Alright already, let me think! Where should I start?" Future Ben frowned as he tried to pinpoint the exact moment when everything started to go wrong. It definitely didn't just happen overnight. After a moment, he started with, "It was all the cat's fault."

"Not me." Peony quickly panicked, it seemed important to Peony not to give further cause to its demise, "He means Peri."

"Who?" I asked.

"Sir Periwinkle Theodore." Peony informed me, "So now you know. Make sure to call him by his true name and become his master."

"Why are you telling me this?" Wasn't this tantamount to betraying the other cat?

"He obviously told you my name first!" Peony tossed it's furry head, "How else would your beta know it?"

"How spiteful." Fluffy smiled and stroked the cat in his arms. Peony ducked its head and trembled.

"So there's more than one of you?" Ki asked, but his smile had turned steely and capisce mode.

"We are as many as the stars." Peony answered, "But there are only four of us fallen."

Who knew the Moon Goddess was a cat lady?