"Love really is an open door. Unfortunately a lot of people tend to keep it closed."

— Forbidden Love

CHAPTER ELEVEN

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As soon as little Emily went racing down the stairs to lie to Aunt about Elizabeth's secret man, Krissy was racing after her, somehow trying to convince her younger sister to dispose of the ridiculous idea. Marinette giggled at the sight of Krissy scrambling after Emily, knowing perfectly well that catching their little sister would be a difficult task.

Marinette took the opportunity of finally being alone again to escape down her long rope of dresses once again. With everyone distracted with the fake news of Elizabeth's secrecy, Marinette could easily escape back to adventure.

Back to the wall, and back to her mysterious friend.

By now, Marinette had considered him a friend of hers– even though she still hadn't gotten his name. But what did it matter anyway if she didn't have his name yet? That's how great friendships start, don't they?

Suddenly, Marinette felt a single drop of liquid touch her nose. As she looked up to the sky, she wrinkled her nose at the sight of grey clouds forming above her head.

Did it seriously have to rain? Now?

There was no way she was going to head back to the manor now. With her family distracted, this was her chance to freedom!

A little rain was not going to ruin her fun!

Marinette quickly reached into her other coat pocket, expecting to pull out her hat which should have been nestled inside. But when her fingers felt nothing, she realized the pocket was empty and her hat was missing.

"Blast this stupid weather." Marinette muttered to herself, continuing on the path to the wall anyway.

Upon reaching the wall, the rain began to fall harder than before until Marinette was soaked from head to toe. A crack of lightning flashed and a boom of thunder followed shortly afterwards as Marinette hoisted herself up on top of the wall, desperately struggling as she practically threw her body over onto the forbidden side.

She landed with a thud onto the dry ground, and when she felt no more rain pounding on her body, Marinette froze immediately. Feeling the ground with her damp hands, she realized in fact that the earth was dry.

It wasn't even raining on this side.

How was that even possible?

Marinette sat up and leaned back against the wall, squeezing one of her pigtails to release the water that had collected in it. What a mess, she thought to herself as she took her other pigtail into her hands and squeezed the remaining water out. She was soaked.

Her tailcoat only made the weight on Marinette's body heavier now that it was soaked. How could a man even bear to wear such a garment in the rain? She pulled out her arms from the sleeves and threw the soaked garment to the ground, relieved when her body no longer felt weighed down.

Once Marinette had allowed herself to dry off, and her movements had gone still, she began to search for her feline friend. He'd always been close by any time she had crossed, yet this time, he seemed to be no where in sight. The forest around her felt awfully quiet, and suddenly, Marinette felt awfully tense sitting alone in such a place.

And it wasn't as if she could just simply cross back over either; she needed his help to accomplish such a task.

Suddenly, bushes nearby rustled and a series of voice could be heard close by. Marinette wasn't sure what creatures were making such voices, but she knew for sure that they were not meant to know she was here.

She remembered when cat-man had given a warning, saying that he was not dangerous, but others things here were. Marinette still had no idea what he had meant by that, for he'd never specified whom exactly was the danger. But Marinette was not about to take a chance on letting the voices know she was present.

A nearby bush caught Marinette's attention, its roots planted awfully close to the stonewall. Perfect, she thought to herself. It was well hidden indeed.

Marinette practically shoved her tailcoat into the bush first, wanting to make sure that the creatures who were approaching closer took no interest in it. Their voices suddenly became louder, and just as Marinette had tucked in her last foot into hiding is when the creatures emerged into sight.

Three of them there were, all looking extremely similar to cat-man. Marinette watched them crawl on all fours, as if they were simply just animals and no man at all. She watched them closely, studying each one individually, until one of them caught her eye. She could recognize those eyes anywhere.

And she gasped.

It was the cat-man.

Her cat-man.

It was the same cat man who she had met twice by the wall, who had given her his arrowhead, and who had helped her cross back over. It was him. But this time, he wasn't alone.

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Unbeknownst to her, Chat had caught her eye long ago, and when she gasped, he was overjoyed that his friends were too preoccupied to hear it. Of course the woman was back; there was no earthly way to keep her away, was there?

Although he was impressed she had hidden well, Chat Noir knew her hiding place would not last for long. He and his kind all had a very well sense of smell, and soon, one of his friends was bound to pick up her scent in a second.

And he could not allow that to happen.

"Why do you not take the east side?" Chat suggested, pointing towards the opposite direction of the wall. His friends' eyes followed in that direction of which his hand pointed. "And I will take the west. We can cover more ground faster this way."

Most of his friends agreed right away, but one simply chuckled darkly, bowing mockingly towards Chat. "As you wish, your highness."

Chat growled upon the act, causing the one who dared to talk to him in such a manner flee from his presence. His other friends bowed and backed away as well, slowly following their friend into the east direction of the forest.

Once they were clearly out of his sight and earshot, Chat Noir pounced in front of the bush where the human woman was hidden. Marinette screeched, clearly startled by his suddenness. Shaking his head disappointedly, he said, "And why, may I ask, are you back on this side of the wall, again?"

Marinette frowned and began to crawl out from beneath the bushes leaves. "I cannot help it." She admitted. Once fully able to pull herself completely out of the bush, Mairnette leaned her back against the wall, crossing her arms. "New places lure me to them."

Crouched before her, Chat Noir only raised a single brow. "Is that so?" He questioned as his eyes began to study her figure. Without a tailcoat covering herself, he could easily tell now she was a woman. Not to mention that without a hat blocking his view of her face, Chat could now admire her midnight coloured hair and her blue-bell eyes. He hadn't realized how beautiful they were until now. As his eyes drifted downward, he soon realized her trousers are torn, and red was seeping through the material. His eyes widen slightly. "You are bleeding."

Marinette was quick to examine her leg, immediately pulling the ripped garment more apart to have a better look at her wound. Either she'd gotten it from falling or shoving herself into a bush, he wasn't sure. All he knew (from what he could see) was that it was somewhat deep, and the bleeding was not planning to subside anytime soon.

"Let me help you with that." Chat Noir took a seat in the dirt a foot or so across from her. A pouch was hung at his waist, and he gently zipped it open to pull out a plant. The leaves of the plant somewhat sparkled. Chat took its leaves, plucking them one by one, and slowly applied pressure to her wound with them.

Immediately, the stinging sensation subsided from the leaves' touch, and Marinette looked up once again to look at him, flabbergasted by his courtesy. "T-thank you."

Chat nodded silently, acknowledging her thanks as he began to wrap the wound with the leaves still pressed to her wound. Once the wound was wrapped securely, Chat's eyes met hers and he shot her a soft, comforting smile. "My name is Chat Noir." He extended his clawed, hand out towards hers. "If you are to continue visiting the forbidden forest, we ought to be acquainted properly."

Marinette smiled brightly, immediately reaching out to shake his hand. "It is nice to meet you Chat Noir. My name is Marinette. Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

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