Are We On Mars?

Chapter Forty

Shadepelt, having given up, pads alongside Greenface and Pebblepounce. Lionshine is attempting to keep Alderwood away from the walls, which glow a bright green. They're passing through a strangely empty tunnel.

"They're not going to be hostile," Greenface sighed, his tail flicking to the side as they turned right. "If Neptunians were hostile, we most likely wouldn't have had such an easy time coming into their parking... complex." He was limping with his cast, but Shadepelt had slowed to stay with his strides.

The she-cat's amber eyes flashed. "Well, you never know," she snapped back at him. Her claws were unsheathed and clicking against the floor, which was glowing green. Little blue markings appeared wherever their paws touched it.

"It looks like the floor is heat-sensitive," Pebblepounce exclaimed, pressing his cheek against the smooth surface. When he lifted his head, a large blue splotch in the shape of his muzzle was left behind. "يرى! Er, see‽"

Alderwood let out an 'ooo' as he finally manages to escape his sister's grasp, hitting the wall. His fur left strange pink markings on the wall.

"I'm too hot for these sensors!" proclaimed the brown tom, giggling.

The rest of the crew ignores him as they all approach a pair of large double-doors. 

Lionshine touched her nose to the small white button in the center, and a large creaking noise filled the tunnel. The golden tabby jolted backwards. A pair of smaller doors opened in front of her, and the S.S. Catmint crew obediently filed in. "It looks like another mall," commented Pebblepounce, for once not slipping into another language.

Cats mill around, moving from shop to shop. Most of the cats appear like Earth cats, but some have strange markings on their sides, and they all seem to be much more... round.

"Can we go find the control room?" Alderwood asked, turning to his sister. 

"No!" she hissed, flicking her tail against his side. The tom winced away from her, but continued to marvel at the rest of the mall. Lionshine cleared her throat and turned to the other cats. "Alright. We're going in!"

But before Lionshine can pick a direction, Pebblepounce darts toward a shop with the markings "ukugcina ulwimi"  written across its top.

"It's a language store," explained the gray tabby, grinning as he padded up to the front desk, where a handsome bright blue-and-silver tom sat, grooming his fur. The Neptunian looked at Pebblepounce with a mixed expression.

"Uyazi, ukuba asinguwe wayeyoliswa kakhulu yabasemzini..."

Pebblepounce blinked, looking slightly surprised. "Thina nje sifuna ukufunda inkcubeko yakho emangalisayo! Ucinga ukuba athengise apha, er, ukugcina ulwimi."

"Thina othengisa iilwimi." The Neptunian's eyes narrowed, neon pink irises contrasting sharply.

"Umdla..."

"Ndiza kukubulala. Kunganjani?"

Pebblepounce glanced back at the other cats. "Oh, he says they're not fond of strangers, he sells languages here, and that he's going to kill us."

Lionshine's eyes grew wide with alarm. "Let's get out of here!" she hissed.

Brought to you (again) by Rio. ⛈