The Crescent Moon in the Starry Forest is just a Giant Kitten~

VS Sirens

Finding a clear spot in the forest, I decided to nap in the pleasant sunshine.

Although I’m only about six months old, it seems like there are no seasons in this forest. The temperature in the forest is always mild and warm, like spring.

Even now, outside the forest feels like spring, but a few months ago, when it was snowing outside, once I entered the forest, the snow stopped. Near the outer edge of the forest, snow would sometimes seep in, and cold air would flow in from outside, but as I approached the center, the snow stopped, and it became warmer.

Rolling onto my back and basking in the sun, I closed my eyes and fell asleep while the sun’s warmth heated the fluffy fur on my belly. With fur, I’m resistant to cold, but I don’t particularly like it. That’s why I love the warm climate of this forest.

After indulging in a long nap, I woke up, stretched my body, and washed my face with my front paws. I slept well.

Leisurely grooming my chest and front paws, I stood and walked forward. A spring should be nearby, and I want to quench my thirst there.

I don’t eat much for my size and am satisfied with just a little water. Actually, I don’t have much of an appetite, and I think I can live without eating or drinking for a while.

Upon reaching a decently sized spring, I stretched out my tongue and drank the water. The water from this spring is clean and refreshing.

Eventually, I lifted my face from the spring and licked my nose. I had just slept enough, but still felt like I could sleep more.

I’m often up at around five in the morning, feeling strangely energetic, and sometimes I even hold a one-cat sports festival by myself, but in return, I can sleep as much as I want during the day.

The reason I don’t need to eat much might be because I sleep so much.

(Should I go back to sleep?)

The area around this spring, with no trees blocking the sunlight, is perfect for a nap. Being a cat is the best because you can take as many naps as you want without anyone getting mad at you.

Thinking such thoughts, I lay down on my back. The gentle warmth from the ground, soaked in the sun’s heat, spread throughout my body.

(Awesome!)

Feeling excited, I wiggled my body while lying on my back, rubbing my back against the ground. It feels good.

But just as I was about to close my eyes and sleep again, suddenly, I heard a clear singing voice coming from the direction of the spring.

(…?)

It was a leisurely and pleasant melody sung by what seemed to be a young woman.

I couldn’t quite understand the meaning of the lyrics. It felt like the song was in a language foreign to me, but I could understand some words, like “resonating” and “in the water,” if I didn’t mishear them.

(Who could it be…?)

I sat up and turned my gaze towards the spring.

There, I saw three girls in the spring. They were soaking from their shoulders down, with golden and silver hair. Judging from their shoulders, it seemed they weren’t wearing any clothes.

Their facial features suggested they were close to adulthood. But judging from the part above the water, their bodies were about the size of children.

Opposite to me, who looked like a kitten but had a giant body, they had adult faces but small bodies.

They must be mysterious inhabitants of the forest as well.

I stood by the edge of the spring, slightly wary. The singing continued. Those girls were singing with an enchanting smile.

They repeatedly sang the same melody. As if being hypnotized, I started feeling drowsy.

As if lured by their song, my legs unconsciously made their way unsteadily toward the spring. 

Upon taking the last step forward, there was no ground beneath me. I lost my balance and fell into the spring.

(…!)

But as soon as I fell into the water, the coldness of it woke up my drowsy mind.

I realized those enchanting girls were laughing in the water and approaching me. They grabbed my fur and tried to pull me deeper into the water. Their once cute faces changed dramatically. Their eyes became sharp, and their mouths widened.

For a moment, when their lower bodies reflected in the water, I saw that they were fish.

(Mermaids… no, Sirens)

The correct name of their species immediately came to my mind. It was my first time meeting Sirens, and I didn’t learn their name from anyone, yet I knew it.

Brief knowledge about Sirens popped into my mind as well. They lure creatures close to their habitat with their songs, pull them into the water with tremendous force, and drown them. Then they laugh as the drowned creatures die, making them quite dangerous and frightening.

Being strongly pulled by the Sirens and almost drowning, I felt fear of death, but at that moment, I realized that my feet touched the bottom of the spring.

(Huh?)

The spring seemed to deepen like a basin towards the center. Where I was didn’t seem to be very deep.

Or rather, it might not be that the spring wasn’t deep but that I was too big.

(You…!)

I thrashed in the water and kicked away the Sirens who were pulling onto my fur. Although I’m just a kitten, I’m strong. The Sirens aren’t weak either, but due to the vast difference in size and thickness of our arms, even in the water, they didn’t stand a chance against me.

After driving away the three of them, I somehow managed to climb onto the shore. I was soaking wet all over, and I felt very uncomfortable.

I shook my body vigorously, spraying water droplets everywhere, and started grooming myself desperately.

I tried to remove the water by licking my front paws, chest, and belly. But I couldn’t reach my head or back with my tongue, which was inconvenient when I was alone.

And at that moment.

A giggling laughter, like rolling bells, reached my ears. The Sirens were laughing at me, who was soaking wet. Although they had terrifying appearances underwater, they now had cute girl faces again.

I frowned and stopped grooming. I won’t be satisfied until I get back at those three. It’s a terrible hobby to laugh at a kitten who fell into the water. I almost died.

I stood at the edge of the spring once again and let out a small meow, calling to them. I can’t sing, but I can meow with a cute voice.

“Meow.”

I meowed plaintively, sounding a little lonely. With drooping eyes, I looked troubled, like a weak creature.

I conveyed that I was cold and soaked all over, pleading for help.

Then, instead of bait, I dipped my right front paw into the water.

The Sirens glanced at each other and tilted their heads, but when they saw my front paw in the water, they, with mischievous smiles on their faces, approached me with only the upper half of their faces out of the water.

And then, as they tried to grab my front paw, I raised it before they could and gave each of them a good slap on the head.

Kitten punch! Kitten punch! Kitten punch!

Even though I’m just a kitten, I have powerful paws due to my size. Just swinging my hand with force is as powerful as a lump of iron falling.

The girls, hit by my heavy punches, screamed in a muffled voice and sank into the water, pushed by my paw.

After that, I raised my paw again and slapped each of them on the head once more.

Kitten punch! Kitten punch! Kitten punch!

Finally, the girls screeched underwater and dove to the bottom of the spring without showing their heads above the water’s surface.

Satisfiedly watching their actions, I raised my chin and smirked. Hmph.

(Hmph.)

I kept puffing out my chest proudly. How about that? I’m strong. Hmph.