The Raging Wildcat {1} (Catman)

Chapter 14- "Are They Worthy?"

KISS and the gang quickly arrived through another portal to, seemingly, a city made out of rock. With glum expressions on each face, the ship and the people on it land roughly on a clear patch of land.

The absence of Rory from the ragtag group was taking a toll on each individual in their own ways.

Fred's face clearly exhibits the frustration he was feeling. He felt as though he had let Rory down. She was the youngest of the Scooby gang, and was Fred's little sister in every way except by blood. He was supposed to keep her safe, but he had failed her when the witch escaped with her to who knows where.

Like Fred, Velma was equally frustrated. She had thought through every scenario and just knew that Fred's plan to catch the witch would work. With her calculations, the plan should have had a zero percent to fail. But it did. And she blamed herself.

Rory could handle herself better than anybody, but Daphne still fretted over her well-being. They had no way to know what Rory was facing currently, but Daphne silently prayed that they would find her soon and that she would not have been harmed.

Shaggy and Scooby wore solemn faces as they pictured every imaginable thing that could be happening to Rory. Was she facing zombies? Vampires? A green blob that disintegrated everything it touched? The two started vibrating with fear with every thought that invaded their simple brains. Poor Rory.

Starchild, Spaceman, and the Demon had become very attached to the vibrant and chaotic brunette. They felt more responsible than the Scooby gang. The Crimson Witch and the history of the Wielder belonged to their world. They had grown up being told of the story that Rory had just learned that very day. They knew what the witch was capable of, and still she escaped through their fingers with Rory and the Rock. They were determined to save the Wielder that they considered their friend, no matter the cost.

The person affected most of all, though, was Catman. His band mates would occasionally steal glances in his direction, worried for what was going though his head. No words of consolation that they could think up seemed good enough to ease the worry and frustration that was consuming the drummer. Ever since Rory disappeared in the clutches of the witch, Catman had remained silent with a stoic expression on his face. He was attempting to keep every trace of emotion from showing, because he knew that he was just like a dam seconds away from breaking.

He and his band had promised Rory that no harm was to come to her. Yet, they could not stop her from getting taken by the one being they were supposed to protect her from. KISS was predestined to be Guardians of the Rock of Kissteria and the Wielder. So far, they have done a terrible job.

He felt the occasional gazes of his bandmates. The one girl that he had ever decided to let in and care for was kidnapped. No one knew what was happening to her. Catman decided then and there that he was going to get her back. He refused to let the Crimson Witch succeed, and refused to let Rory slip away from him that easy. Catman had never been in love, but he held a special place in his heart for the brunette that had tumbled into his life.

With determination across his face, he lifted his head to meet with the eyes of each of his bandmates. They equally held looks of resolve. With a nod to his friends, that were as close as brothers, they silently made a promise to do anything in their power to make everything right.

As soon as they had the ship situated, the four members of KISS gracefully hopped onto the rocky ground in perfect unison. With an equal amount of confidence, the Scooby gang watched them walk towards the biggest building with consistent and purposeful strides.

Scooby did not want to stray too far from KISS. They had superpowers, and they were in a strange new place. He figured that being with them would be the safest place to be. He quickly jumped down from the ship, leaving the gang to follow Scooby and join KISS.