Wu, Lloyd, and Nya charged toward the cat-creature, but, just like last time, they suddenly stumbled to their knees and shut their eyes tight with pained cries. Cole wanted desperately to attack, but he knew the same thing would happen to him if he got close to the cat. He watched helplessly by the railing, racking his brain for a way to defeat this new enemy.
   The tawny-colored cat slashed her long claws at Jay’s face whilst he struggled valiantly, then pinned him to the ground. She snatched his pants in her teeth and tugged. Something small and hard clattered to the floor, and the feline’s eyes glittered with triumph. She bent down and snatched the object in her jaws, grinning.
   Suddenly Jay leaned over and grabbed one of her two tails. “Hi-yaah! Betcha don’t like that, do ya?!” He cried out gleefully.
   The cat screeched furiously and whipped around in a circle, dragging Jay along behind her. Cole took this chance to run and wrap her arms around her neck. He realized immediately that this was a mistake, for the cat snarled and dropped onto her back, smashing him beneath her weight. If he had been playing Charades, he could have been imitating a pancake.
   Jay shouted in pain when the cat swiped her blade-like claws at his shoulder and threw him onto the side of the ship. Flicking her tail contemptuously, she leapt onto the deck where Zane was. He had left the steering wheel to face the creature, and now shouted. “Ice!” Blue shards of ice shot toward the cat, but she ducked in the nick of time. She crouched and sprang at the nindroid, who dodged her. She still carried the mysterious object in her mouth; Cole thought it looked like some kind of rock.
   “Earth!” Cole summoned spinning stone and dirt from his power and flung it at the great cat, but was startled to see her stand on her hind legs and sent a bolt of hissing light at the ice and dirt from her paws. The foreign energy met the elemental power with a BANG, and the ice and dirt evaporated.
   The ship suddenly dipped wildly. Everyone cried out and struggled to keep their balance on the slanting deck. Wu grabbed onto the mast and held out his staff for Lloyd to grab. Nya and Jay tumbled to the side, yelling as they clung desperately to the railing. Their legs dangled helplessly over the sky, and the insane movement of the ship threatened to toss them into the clouds.
   “WHO’S DRIVING THE SHIP?!” Jay screeched, the wind whipping at his hair and torn pants.
   “Zane, take the controls! I’ll take care of Hello Kitty here!” Cole summoned a great ball of earth and aimed it at the sneering creature. The
nindroid nodded and raced for the wheel.
   Before Cole could strike, though, the cat grinned devilishly at him and crouched at the railing. Waving her tails, she leapt off the flying ship and into the sky.
   “WHAT?!” Cole raced to the railing and watched in disbelief. When the Bounty had dipped, it swooped over a pine forest, dangerously close to the trees waving violently under the force of the engines. The cat took this chance to leap into the air and onto one of the tallest trees, landing unsteadily, but managing to hang on. The trunk swayed wildly under her weight and the movement of the ship, but just when it looked as if the branches might snap under her weight, the creature changed again. She grew smaller, and her two tails molded into one.
   Cole’s jaw dropped when he recognized the cat from Mister Chen’s that had been watching them last week.
   The cat yowled triumphantly through the stone in her teeth, and her eyes met his. With a contemptuous flick of her tail, she disappeared among the branches.
   At that moment, Zane steered the ship into a smoother position, and with a roar of the rocket boosters, the Destiny’s Bounty shot back up into the night sky. Cole was thrown off balance and he stumbled, but he watched the dark pine forest disappear under the clouds as they flew away.
   Sighing in relief, everyone tumbled onto the now flat deck, gasping for breath. The cat’s victims under her strange power looked pale and shaky, while Jay looked quite battered by his skirmish.
   “Jay,” Cole asked breathlessly, trying to make himself stop trembling. “What did that thing take?”
   Jay fingered his torn pants and winced from the bleeding scratches. “I dunno,” He muttered. “Just some rock.”
   “Well, whatever it was, those things were willing to burn down the bricking teashop, kidnap Misako and possibly Kai and Skylor, try to smash us, and jump off a flying ship!” Cole shouted. “I don’t know what you’re keeping to yourself, but you obviously recognized that black-and-white cat from who-knows-where, and I just recognized that stray cat that had been at Mister Chen’s!”
   Lloyd and Jay stared at him. “Really??”
   “What cat?” Lloyd asked.
   “Yes, really!” He snapped. “Sensei,” He turned to Wu, who had just managed to stand up, leaning heavily on his bamboo staff. “What were those things? What did they want??”
   Everyone turned and looked at Wu expectantly.
   “I—I don’t know.” He sighed.
   Jay groaned. “Well, this is just ducky!” He exclaimed sarcastically.
   There was a moment of silence on the deck of the Bounty. The wind made the wide sails above them flap softly. Zane steered the ship quietly, awaiting orders.
   Cole broke the silence, saying resolutely. “We need to find them.” He gazed at what was left of his team, challenging them. “We need to know what happened to Misako, Kai, and Skylor.”
   “How?” Nya asked.
   “I don’t know.” He admitted.
   Lloyd stepped up. “I think first we need to warn the police force about this,” He said. “They have some of the best detectives on their team, and they could help us find out what’s going on.”
   Everyone looked at each other, then nodded in agreement. Wu turned to where Zane stood and called. “Take us to the police headquarters!”
   Zane saluted with a small smile, then steered the ship in the direction of Ninjago City. They lifted above the clouds and sailed with the moon shining on their backs.
   Cole saw Nya gazing off with a dark, fretful look. She stood by the railing, looking at the fluffy clouds drifting by. Hesitantly, he walked over to her. “You OK?”
   She looked up at him. “What happened to them?” She whispered. “That cat-thing said something about ‘their skeletons’. Does that mean they’re. . ?” Her voice trailed off, quivering.
   Cole swallowed. “That doesn’t mean anything.” He wished he sounded more confidant. “We’ll find them.” He took a breath, then repeated a bit more forcefully. “We’ll find them. I promise.”

                                                            ✯   ☾   ✯

[END OF EPISODE 1 OF NINJAGO: ROOTS OF EARTH]

So. . . what'd you guys think of that first episode?  

You're welcome! 

Great! I love long stories!! 

Wow, that's AMAZING!!!!  Simply wondercrump!  SMAZING!