My thoughts were all over the place, but I lowered my head and shook them off, proceeding to drink the water. Though it proved much harder than I initially thought, considering I couldn't just slurp it up with my lips. I had to lick like a cat!
Each lick sent a ripple across the surface, distorting my reflection before I sat back on my haunches and stared into the murky water again, tilting my head.
[Everything is so confusing.]
I grumbled, or well, mewled to myself. The sound came out far less intimidating than I'd hoped.
I raised a paw and batted at the water, as if that would somehow erase my image, but there was no such luck.
"Aaaaggh! I can't just accept this! There has to be another way to choose something else!"
I sighed, dropping my ears as my tail swayed behind me in irritation.
Did the voice from my dream do this to me? Was me resurrecting as a cat supposed to mean something—some grand destiny I never asked for? Or was this just bad RNG?
I lowered my head to drink again, trying to shove the thoughts aside. Thinking about the dream and the voice made me worry, but one problem at a time, I told myself.
Drink, eat, and survive. Then figure out my purpose for being sent into this world.
But amidst my thoughts, a rustle in the bushes nearby made my ears perk up. Instinct took over before I even thought about it; my body tensed and my fur bristled as I crouched low.
My sharp hearing caught the sound of something moving, or rather jumping? I could smell it too—a bit musky.
[Crap, what the heck is that thing coming my way?!]
A moment later, a fat brown frog hopped out from the undergrowth with round eyes staring at me as it made its way toward the water I drunk out of.
My stomach gave an embarrassingly loud growl as I blinked down at the frog before it blinked up at me.
"...Don't look at me like that." I meowed, but out of nowhere, instinct shoved all rational thought aside, and before I even realized what I was doing, I pounced.
There was a loud splash, and a startled croak, and the next thing I knew, I was crouched over the poor creature, pinning it to the muddy bank with my paws.
I hesitated, suddenly aware of what I was about to do. The frog stared at me in silent horror, despite its expressionless face.
[Ugh... I can't believe this.] I muttered, backing off and letting it scramble away into the tall grass. [I can't do it... no way in hell! I'd rather starve.]
I sat there sulking and lashing my tails behind me.
"...Yeah, run off and tell your friends about the weird cat who can't even kill a frog!" I meowed bitterly.
I was still debating whether I should try hunting a bug instead when the tall grass began to rustle again.
Rustle—Rustle—Splash... Plop!
"...Huh?"
Then there was another splash, and another, and another?!
One by one, more frogs hopped out of the undergrowth. Not just one or two either, it was at least a dozen fat brown bodies plopping onto the muddy bank and lining up like some kind of amphibian street gang.
"...You have got to be kidding me!" I meowed.
The first frog I'd let go of hopped forward to the front of the group, puffed out its throat, and let out a sharp, loud croak.
The others answered back in unison with their throats ballooning like little drums.
[Oh no... don't tell me that's their war cry!]
I instinctively lowered myself closer to the ground, extending my claws nervously.
Then, as if on cue, the frogs hopped forward as a group—synchronized and weirdly menacing.
"Wait! I let your buddy go! I didn't even eat him!" I tried to reason, but all that came out was a frantic, high-pitched meow.
The lead frog leapt first, but I barely dodged with my small body rolling sideways as the muddy splash hit my fur. The thing had jumped like a spring-loaded cannonball, aiming right at my face.
Before I could regain my footing, two more launched at me from the side.
I twisted on instinct, soaring my claws through the air to tag it, but one frog was fast enough to veer away mid-leap, though the other caught a slash to its soft belly and went tumbling back into the water with a loud splash.
[Holy crap... that actually worked!]
I didn't have time to celebrate. The whole squishy squad croaked angrily at me before hopping toward me in waves.
My tiny feline body was filled with adrenaline as the second wave came at me—four frogs at once. I leapt backward, narrowly avoiding a snap from one's mouth, and slashed at another that got too close.
My claws left shallow marks along its slimy belly before it flopped away, dazed.
The third one tried to latch onto my foreleg but I yanked it free and kicked the frog aside, earning a surprised croak as it went tumbling down.
The fourth landed on my back.
"ACK—GET OFF!" I shrieked, spinning and rolling in the mud until the stubborn amphibian was flung into the grass.
Now all the frogs backed off, croaking at me from the water's edge. I crouched low, panting with my whiskers twitching, and feeling my uncomfortable wet fur.
[Ugh... I see why cats hate water now, wet fur feels like walking around in wet clothes!]
Preparing for their next attacks, they suddenly changed their tactics. One of the frogs leapt high into the air, above the tall grass as it temporarily blocked out the sun from my point of view.
"What the?"
What came next shocked me to my freaking core. It opened its mouth and shot a spitball of green water at me.
"Huhh?!"
I instinctively dodged to the side, but when the spitball splashed to the ground, most of its droplets collided with my fur.
"Ew, gross!" I yowled, shaking myself like a wet dog. The droplets clung to my fur like oil that made my skin crawl.
Then the smell hit me; it was acrid, almost metallic. My nose wrinkled, and I started connecting the dots with my small feline brain.
[Wait a second... this isn't just gross water.]
Almost instantly, a stinging sensation spread where the liquid had touched my fur—it was a prickling heat that turned into a sharp, throbbing ache.
[Oh crap. Oh crap! That's poison!]
I staggered sideways with my claws digging into the ground for balance as the frogs croaked in unison like some sinister war chant.
The one that had spat at me landed with a wet plop, glaring with those beady, soulless eyes.
"Y-you little jerks!" I hissed with my fur bristling, despite the wet patches that clung to me. "You spit poison?! What kind of frogs are you?!"
Another one leapt forward with its mouth bulging before it spewed another arc of the same green liquid.
I jumped sideways again, but a few more droplets splattered across my back paw. The burning sensation immediately went up, making me wince.
[D-Damn it! First I get reincarnated as a cat. Now I'm about to die from frog spit. What kind of Isekai joke is this?!]
The frogs croaked louder this time as their throats started glowing with an eerie greenish light as they prepared for another volley.
[Oh no you don't!]
Fueled by sheer survival instinct, I lowered myself closer to the ground and sprang at the closest frog before it could fire.
"Take this! Phantom Claw!"
My claws flashed in the sunlight and slashed across its body, completely ignoring its tough skin. The frog let out a strangled croak and tumbled backward into the stream, dead.
I couldn't help but widen my eyes in shock.
"D-did I just... kill it?" I whispered to myself, staring at my own paw.
The frog's limp body floated down the murky waters, leaving ripples as the greenish glow in its throat fizzled out.
[Phantom Claw... I just thought of the name, and it worked. Is it that easy to use skills?]
There was no time to gawk; the other frogs croaked in alarm as they took a step back, but most of them puffed up in fury and sprang forward to avenge their fallen comrade.
[Guess they're not gonna back down. Fine then... bring it!]
I dropped low once more with my tail lashing behind me like a black whip. The ache from the poison in my paw was acting up again, but the rush of adrenaline dulled it just enough for me to stay focused.
The next frog lunged at me with its jaws snapping shut right where my ear had been a second earlier. But cats had the reaction speed of 20 milliseconds, thus, I twisted mid-leap, slashing across its back with another Phantom Claw.
The cut left a glowing slash mark across its slimy hide before it let out a weak croak and collapsed.
A second frog immediately tried to latch onto my leg. I kicked out, raking my claw against its face as it tumbled backward into the mud, but all of a sudden, two more came from the sides, launching in perfect unison.
[J-Just how many are there? And are they coordinating?! Frogs aren't supposed to be this smart, bro!]
I ducked under the higher one, feeling the wind from its leap brush my fur, then spun and met the lower frog head-on.
My claws cut right across its soft belly and sent it flopping into the grass. Another glob of green spit came flying toward me from the tall grass, but I sprang aside just in time as a few sizzling drops grazed my tail.
Almost immediately I felt the burning sensation spread up its length like fire.
[Haaah... this poison's no joke. If I keep getting hit, I'm done for.]
[[Prolonged Exposure to Frog toxin. Poison Resistance (LV: 1) Gained.]]
"Eh?"
There was that voice again—wait a second—poison resistance?
[M-My body doesn't hurt anymore! It's like the poison isn't affecting me all of a sudden... am I immune?"]