Three adventurers trudged out of the woods. Mud-splattered and caked in an assortment of different, but disgusting, layers of slime, they somehow managed to convey they had a bigger problem than their looming laundry challenges.

"We don't have to do this." The rogue was saying, her topknot of brown hair sticking straight up do to a lingering electric charge, "We could just, you know..."

"What?" The armored giant rumbled, "What, Kelsie? Say it. You can't, can you? Because you don't have the heart. So shut up, buck up, and do this."

Kelsie turned away to wipe a long strand of blueberry filling off of her collar.

"Please don't shout, Tark." The robed mage said from behind.

"Brackramos, say one more thing and I'm gonna snap that magic staff of yours in half."

The rest of the stomping to the house was done in silence, each person leaving a different lingering smell and a trail of various viscosities in their wake. Steps were climbed, deep breaths were taken, lingering doubts clouded about and punched through as Tark's hand rose and knocked upon the cottage door.

It swung open immediately, revealing the red and puffy face of a young girl.

"You're back!" She squealed, then lost the glimmer of excitement in her voice with her next words, "Did... did you find her?"

Tark, Kelsie, and Brackramos shared a look.

"Look, Nell...Uh..." Tark began.

"The thing is.... um." Kelsie looked aside.

"We have completed your 'quest,' as it is." Brackramos said in a peppy tone, "However, when we began our chase of your pet Lilyfluff, we had a bit of a setback."

"Set...back?"

"Yeah." Tark noisily cleared his throat until a small frog jumped out of his mouth, "See, yer little Lilyfluff, she... ran away from us."

"She did that to me too!" Nell stomped her foot, "She's a bad kitty!"

"No kidding." Kelsie snorted.

"Thing is, she, uh, she ran into the magical swamp." Tark said.

Nell's eyes went wide.

"And then she climbed inside a thunder tree..." Kelsie groaned.

"Don't forget the changing mist!" Brackramos added, "That was really fun, with all the charged energy from the-"

"Shut up, Brack." The others said together.

"Look, kiddo." Kelsie knelt down and sighed, "What we're trying to say is... your little kitty, she ain't a kitty no more."

"L...Lily....Lilyfluff is dead?"

"Well, no..."

Nell threw her head back and wailed, "Lilllllllyyyyyyyy!"

From the trees there came a rustle, then a thunder, as a monster the size of a house leapt out of the darkness. It had scorpion tails and bear claws, feathered wings, and a cute, little, pink nose. It pounced up to the cottage, swatting the adventurers aside so it could bend down and nuzzle the little girl.

"Lily?" Came a started squeal, "Lily! OH my! You're big now! Who's the best kitty? Lily! Lily! Lily!"

From under a massive paw came a moan, a whimper, and a tiny voice saying: "We're not getting paid for this, are we?"