Chapter 5 The Final Plan

It was almost time. Every squad had delivered their findings, and I couldn’t have been prouder—or more anxious. The reward I promised had motivated them beyond my expectations. Turns out, cats were surprisingly industrious when you dangle a life of laziness in front of them.

We gathered on a rooftop beneath the looming tower of the Adventurer’s Guild, the heart of Felor’s chaos for the coming auction. The night air was cool, the stars faint against the glow of the city below.

On my left, Lucky lounged with her usual smirk, tail flicking lazily. On my right, Butler sat nervously, his tuxedo fur bristling.

“Should I b-be here?” he stammered, glancing at the squad leaders like they might pounce on him at any moment.

“Of course, dumbass,” I replied, flicking his ear with my tail. “You’re part of this now. Own it.”

Scruffy, leader of Squad A, wasted no time diving into his report. The wiry tabby’s voice was sharp and precise. “The Golden Apple was retrieved by a group of Adventurers from another city. They’re here to sell it for a fortune. It’s being stored in the Adventurer’s Guild, under the protection of knights disguised as guild members.”

That earned a few mutters from the group. I nodded, gesturing for the next leader to speak.

Big-C, or Chunky as I liked to call him, stepped forward. His massive frame seemed to command respect—or at least, attention. “The Ironworks Merchant Guild has been hosting big shots from all over. Empire representatives, Allied Kingdom envoys, the Church, Elven Council, Dwarven Royalty, and a ton of Adventurer Clans. Security will be tighter than a sardine tin during the auction.”

Chunky’s savvy surprised me. I’d underestimated the big guy, but he’d clearly been paying attention to the world beyond Felor.

Demo, the chunni gray tabby who led Squad C, piped up next. His voice carried a theatrical edge, as if he were narrating a grand saga. “The Thieves’ Guild isn’t after the Golden Apple. Instead, they’ve been hired by the Ironworks Guild to protect it. They’re also on the lookout for rival thieves from outside the city.”

That earned a collective hiss of frustration from the gathered cats. Thieves guarding treasure? It felt like the universe was mocking me.

Finally, Daisy, the sly ginger leading Squad D, stepped forward with a smug tilt to her head. “My girls overheard something interesting. The auction is tomorrow, but the Golden Apple isn’t in the Adventurer’s Guild. It’s a decoy. The real treasure is hidden elsewhere.”

Her words landed like a thunderclap.

Scruffy bristled, his fur standing on end. “No way! The Guild’s security is tighter than it’s ever been. Why would they do that for a decoy?”

Demo shrugged, his tone dramatic as ever. “Because they always do that. It’s the Adventurer’s Guild. Showmanship and misdirection are part of their game.”

Chunky’s deep voice cut through the rising tension. “If Daisy’s right, then the only chance we have is during the auction itself.”

Scruffy’s tail lashed angrily. “I don’t like our chances. The auction will be swarming with guards, Adventurers, and gods know who else.”

“Neither do I,” I admitted frankly.

The weight of their gazes fell on me. This was the moment to solidify the plan—or watch it crumble. Hmmm… this was quite a pinch.

“We’re dealing with layers of deception,” I continued. “The Guild, the Ironworks, the Thieves—they’re all playing games to keep the Golden Apple out of reach. But we’re not playing their game. We’re playing ours.”

Lucky leaned closer, her eyes narrowing. “So what’s the move, Kaiser?”

Yep… I could only go so far for motivational speeches.

It should be possible, but the losses would be immense.

“Butler, what is it?” I asked, catching the nervous twitch in the tuxedo cat’s tail.

He hesitated, glancing around at the gathered cats before speaking. “Maybe the thieves hired by the Ironworks are guarding the real deal. You know, the Golden Apple.”

Demo’s ears perked up, his dramatic streak briefly giving way to actual thought. “That could work. I had one of my boys tail a bunch of thieves. They’ve been hanging around an abandoned mansion. At first, I thought it was just another hideout, but now…”

Scruffy, ever the skeptic, cut in. “Wait, the mansion with the gargoyles?”

Demo blinked. “Yeah, that’s the one. How’d you know?”

Scruffy’s whiskers twitched. “I overheard some adventurers talking about taking a job there. They looked battle-hardened, like real tough types. If they’re heading to the mansion, it’s no ordinary hideout.”

Lucky turned to me, her golden eyes gleaming with curiosity. “What do you think, Kai? Should we try our luck with the mansion?”

Chunky, always the realist, rumbled his opinion. “In my unbiased view, committing to the auction would be suicidal. The Golden Apple will attract some of the most powerful people around—knights, mages, adventurers, maybe even assassins. If we go there, we’ll be crushed.”

Daisy flicked her tail, her disdain for human priorities clear. “Humans are so weird. It’s just an apple. Why all the fuss?”

Lucky smirked, her voice teasing. “Kai’s weird too, then. He’s just as obsessed.”

I ignored her jab, my mind already racing through possibilities. Both paths had risks. The auction was a fortress of guards and power, but the mansion wasn’t much better. If it really was a hideout for the thieves guarding the Golden Apple, it could be crawling with traps, wards, and the kind of humans who didn’t hesitate to kill.

But that’s what made it worth it.

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“I’ve decided,” I said, my voice cutting through the chatter. “We’re going to rob the mansion tonight. We’ll show them what feline kind is made of!”

The rooftop erupted into cheers and yowls of agreement, even Butler managing a hesitant “Y-yeah!” amidst the chaos.

Lucky sidled up to me, her voice low. “You sure about this, Kai? It’s gonna be dangerous.”

I smirked. “When isn’t it? Besides, they’ll never see us coming. We’re cats, remember?”

She grinned, her confidence matching mine. “Alright, let’s make it count.”

I raised my voice just enough to command the attention of the gathered cats. “First, we scout the premises. Preferably, we’ll make our move sharp at midnight.”

Scruffy, ever the know-it-all, nodded. “I know the place. It’s crawling with dogs.”

Chunky chimed in, his voice gruff. “A gang of dogs owns it. Their leader’s called Big-D. Real nasty piece of work, from what I’ve heard.”

Dogs. Great. They were the bane of any cat’s existence—loud, slobbery, and just dumb enough to be dangerous in a fight. This Big-D character would need dealing with if we were going to pull this off.

“Alright,” I said. “Let’s move. Scruffy, lead the way.”

Scruffy darted off, and we followed. The city rooftops became our playground as we parkoured through Felor’s winding streets. Scruffy moved with confidence, his paws barely making a sound on the tiles. Lucky was right behind him, her movements smooth and practiced. I kept pace, glancing back occasionally to check on the others.

Chunky was a surprise. For a cat of his size, he was shockingly agile, his powerful legs launching him across gaps that even I hesitated to jump. He landed each time with a soft thud, his bulk absorbing the impact.

Butler, on the other hand, was struggling. He was at the rear, his leaps hesitant and his landings noisy. His tuxedo coat gleamed under the moonlight, making him an easy target if anyone was watching.

“Butler, pick up the pace!” I hissed over my shoulder.

“I’m trying!” he panted, his tail twitching nervously.

Scruffy glanced back, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Should’ve left the kid behind, Kaiser. He’s gonna get us caught.” By cat years, I’m barely a kid too… welll, a young adult probably.

“He’s here for a reason,” I snapped. “Focus on the mission.”

We finally reached the outskirts of the mansion. It loomed ahead, its dark silhouette framed by the eerie glow of the moon. Gargoyle statues lined the roof, their stone eyes seeming to watch us as we crouched on a nearby building.

The air was thick with the smell of wet fur and stale meat. Dogs. Lots of them.

Scruffy’s ears flattened against his head. “Told you. The place reeks of mutts.”

Chunky sniffed the air, his nose wrinkling. “Big-D’s gang, alright. Smells like trouble.”

I scanned the area, taking in the mansion’s layout. The front gate was guarded by two large dogs, their ears perked and their noses twitching. More were scattered across the grounds, some lounging, others patrolling.

“Alright,” I said, my voice low. “We need a way in without alerting them. Suggestions?”

Lucky tilted her head, her golden eyes narrowing. “There’s a broken window on the east side. I spotted it on the way here. It’s small, but we can squeeze through.”

Chunky grunted. “Not all of us. I’ll have to find another way.”

Scruffy flicked his tail. “There’s a tree near the north wall. It’s close enough to jump onto the roof if you’re brave enough.”

We circled the abandoned manor carefully, keeping to the shadows as we counted the number of thieves and noted where the adventurers were stationed. The place was crawling with activity—guards patrolling, dogs barking, and faint lights flickering through the cracked windows. We took our time, planning meticulously, because rushing in would only end in disaster.

I perched on a low wall with Lucky beside me, and the other leaders gathered around. “This is going to be difficult,” I said, my tail flicking with agitation. “We don’t know the exact location of the prize, and we’re running out of time. We’ve only got tonight. By tomorrow morning, the Golden Apple will be on its way to the Auction House.”

Daisy stretched lazily, though her tone was anything but relaxed. “How about classic highway robbery? Jump them during transit.”

I narrowed my eyes, considering. “Tempting. But how do we know we’re ambushing the right courier?”

Demo’s ears perked up as he chimed in. “They’ll probably use multiple couriers to confuse thieves. That’s what the Thieves’ Guild usually does. In Cat Terms, they’d be playing hide the mouse.”

Lucky, who had been quiet up until now, suddenly spoke up, her voice cold and determined. “We wipe them out.”

Every cat froze. The others stared at her with wide eyes, a mix of hesitation and disbelief. It was an are-you-crazy kind of look.

The thing was… she wasn’t wrong. With the magic scrolls we had, it was technically possible. But it was also a huge risk.

I sighed. “Bloodthirsty, but too flashy. It would draw way too much attention. If we cause a massacre, every adventurer and thief in the city will be hunting us by dawn.” Yep, cats being labelled barbaric and heretic races would be problematic for us.

Scruffy shifted uneasily, his tail curling around his paws. “Is it possible to make a deal with Big-D? My old man told me stories about how the pigeons and cats had a peace treaty back in the day, you know?”

Chunky snorted. “Not dogs. These guys are fiercely loyal to their masters. They’d rather maul you than give you a chance to steal from them.”

I rubbed my chin thoughtfully, my claws lightly scraping against the stone. “Still, we might be able to use that loyalty against them. If we can cause enough chaos to distract the dogs and their handlers, we could slip in unnoticed. But we’ll need a solid plan.”

Lucky tilted her head, her golden eyes glinting in the moonlight. “Chaos, huh? Like… a fire?”

Daisy’s ears twitched, and she smirked. “A small one. Enough to spook the humans and send the dogs into a frenzy. It could work.”

Demo nodded. “I could have my boys create a diversion. We’re good at causing trouble.”

Scruffy added, “While the humans are distracted, we can focus on finding the Apple. If we’re quick, we’ll be in and out before they know what hit them.”

I scratched my chin more softly, thinking hard. The situation called for a plan that was equal parts cunning and chaotic. Finally, I raised my voice, “Alright, listen up. Who here speaks dog?”

Scruffy and Chunky raised their paws, their tails twitching with mild uncertainty.

“Good,” I said. “Here’s the deal. We’re sticking with the same squad configurations: A, B, C, and D. Now, Butler, remember the hidden stash by third alleyway we showed you a while back?”

Butler nodded, his ears perking up. “Yeah, the one with the food?”

“That’s the one,” I said, my grin turning sharp. “It’s smeared with a quick-acting paralytic poison. You’ll be with Scruffy on this mission. Scruffy, you and your squad will head over to Big-D’s gang. Negotiate with them, offer the food as a peace offering, and act like a bunch of jerks. Agitate them. Demand they hand over the Golden Apple. If they attack you, retreat immediately.”

Scruffy blinked, then tilted his head. “Retreat?”

“Yes, retreat,” I said, smirking. “And by ‘retreat,’ I mean leave the poisoned food behind. Let them think they’ve chased you off, but don’t stick around for the aftermath. Got it?”

Scruffy nodded slowly, his ears flicking with understanding.

“Next, Squad B and Squad C,” I continued, looking at Chunky and Demo. “You two will work with Lucky. Your job is to rain chaos from a vantage point, preferably by the window side. Use the magic scrolls liberally—don’t hold back. Hit them with everything we’ve got. That should distract both the thieves and the adventurers long enough for us to move in.”

Lucky smirked, her eyes glinting with excitement. “You’re giving me free rein with the scrolls? Oh, this is going to be fun.”

“Don’t overdo it,” I warned, though I doubted she’d listen. “You’re in charge of Squads B and C. Make it flashy, but not too obvious that it’s us behind it.”

“Got it,” Lucky said, her tail flicking with anticipation.

“And finally,” I said, turning to Daisy, “Squad D will act with me to infiltrate from the opposite side. While the others cause a ruckus, we’ll sneak in and grab the Apple. Quiet and efficient. That’s the goal.”

Daisy gave me a sly grin. “Sounds like a plan, boss.”

I looked around at the gathered leaders. “Alright, gather your squads. We’ll meet back here in two hours to execute the plan.”

Demo tilted his head, confusion evident in his expression. “What’s an hour?”

I sighed, realizing my mistake. Judging by the blank looks of the others, none of them knew what I meant. “Fine,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Just gather your squads and wait in hidden locations where the dogs can’t sniff you out. Leaders, come back here when the moon has moved... about a paw-length in the sky.”

That seemed to do the trick, as the cats nodded in understanding. With that, the leaders dispersed to rally their squads, leaving me to sit back and refine the details of our chaotic little operation. If all went well, by dawn, the Golden Apple would be ours.