@KitsuneAlicia@octodon.social in japanese folklore cats that live long enough develop supernatural powers and become bakeneko, and nekomata are a certain kind of bakeneko characterized by having two tails

we wouldn't say neilyn is a protector (if anything she's the least suited for that role in her normal cat form), but as a demon she's powered by evil and spite and uses it to push back against the system and protect her friends