Jeez, why are my chapters so short? I'll look at other peoples and they're like thousands of words long and mine are like 700 at the most or something. I'm gonna drop that subject for now and move on to greener pastures.

Yes, the blonde girl is me. Just think of it as a roundabout way of me getting Edo to like me Ha Ha!

Soulless, signing off!

I clutched the sleeping Edo closer, painfully aware of how skinny and fragile he was. I could feel every one of his ribs through the tangled fur. His breathing was erratic and shallow, his tiny chest barely moving with each breath.

Screw the publisher meeting.

I had to get him to a vet.

I walked quickly out of the alley, feeling self conscious. Who wouldn't be suspicious of a mud colored girl holding a bloody cat with only two limbs? Darnit. I thought to myself. I heard a small whimper come out of Edo's mouth. I started running.

Frantically, I skidded to a halt outside of a small white building. It was raining too heavily to read the sign, but I knew it was the right place. I pushed open the glass doors with my shoulder and entered the building. The woman at the counter was looking at a computer screen, her fingers flying across the keyboard. They halted their progress as she looked up at me. Her eyes widened.

The first words out of her mouth were "Is he yours?"

Great. Now I'm suspected of animal abuse.

"No he isn't. I found him in an alley a few blocks away from here." Hey eyebrow raised questioningly. "I- I tripped over him..." I stammered, embarrassed.

Her gase softened and I let out a sigh of relief. She called into the back room. A doctor wearing an aqua colored lab coat came out.

"Please give him to me, Miss" His voice was deep, commanding, and somewhat scary. I unwrapped Edo's limp, golden form and held him out in shaking hands. The doctor carefully took him and walked into the back room. I quietly sank down into one of the waiting room chairs feeling lightheaded and weak.

Did that really just happen...?

OOO

When I woke up, the world was bright and blurry. My head seriously hurt. I dug my face into the soft fabric beneath me. Something poked my shoulder and I gasped in pain. My head shot up and I involuntarily let out another whimper. I opened my eyes. Two bright gray orbs penetrated the half darkness. I jerked back and meowed in surprise. Great. Now I'm so far cat that I'm meowing. Wonderful. Just wonderful.

A dark grey cat crept from the shadows and leapt gracefully onto the table I was on. I squirmed in the small yellow cat bed I was in, wishing for mobility. Needless to say, my wish wasn't granted. The she-cat crept ever closer to me twitching her tail in a playful fashion, but her eyes were sharp and concentrated. I flattened my eyes closer to my head submissively, knowing I couldn't defend myself. The cat's mouth opened and she meowed.

"Whats your name, Shorty?" I stiffened, my eye twitched and I screeched back at her "WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL THEY COULD BE DEFEATED BY A MOUSE?" She blinked, never losing the decisive look in her eyes. "I'd hate to say it, Shorty, but in the state you're in, its pretty much true. Now who are you and why are you on my turf?"

I stared at her. "Turf?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Yes, turf. Don't you know about territory?"

I puffed out my chest indignantly, embarrassingly resulting in me falling over. I scrambled back onto my stomach, my pride wounded. I glared at her.

"You are on my turf. Now get out!" She hissed at me. She broke her hunting position and lunged, landing squarely on my shoulders. She pushed her claws into my healing cuts, drawing a screech from my throat. I heard a door slam as she pushed me and the bed off the table. I landed directly on my missing shoulder and I screeched again. The door to the room was slammed open, and the girl from yesterday sprinted in. Her sleepy eyes took in the scene and all the dazedness left them in a rush. She picked me up and started yelling at the evil gray cat.

"Cynder! He's hurt! You should know better!" She yelled angrily picking up the cat bed and setting me back into it. The gray cat, apparently named Cynder, cringed in guilt, but glared at the girl nonetheless.

"I'll get you for that! I can't let you stay here... You're a danger to Ave-chan..." She cut off and started mumbling about something or other and exited the room, her tail drooping. I snuggled back into the bed and promptly fell asleep.