"This is the home of our ancestors," Yeh-Yeh replied. "We've all lived in that palace at one time in our lives. I can't believe only Dongwa and I care about that."
"Dongwa doesn't care about that," Dongwa said, as he walked past the pair. "Dongwa just doesn't want to travel."
Nai-Nai raised her eyebrows. "Six out of seven, my dear." She stood. "And for your information I never said I don't care." She watched her beloved life partner struggle with a conflict she couldn't see. She smiled and leaned against him. "We're doing this for our children, my dear, and our grandchildren. We can always come back. Our paws are not stuck in cement."
He sighed. "Well, when you put it that way."
Mama and Baba came around the alley wall and there at the corner they paused. When Nai-Nai and Yeh-Yeh only smiled at them, they approached.
"Have you made your decision?" Mama asked.
"Yes. We leave," Yeh-Yeh confirmed. "Whenever you like."
"I need another night!" Sagwa said, surprising all of them. "Just one?"
The four adults shared a silent conversation with their eyes. Then they nodded their consent.
"Thank you!" Sagwa turned tail and flew back behind the wall. Hurrying toward Sheegwa, she tripped suddenly and went sprawling face-first into the mud. She slid about three feet, then came to a dead stop.
"My, you just cannot keep your paws off of me today," Lik-Lik said, smiling evilly, as Sagwa stood slowly. "Nice makeover," he added. "You really fit in now!"
Sagwa only smiled. "You're just jealous that for the entire time I've known you, I've been better off."
That shut him up. He stalked in a different direction and Sagwa continued, carefully, to Sheegwa.
"What happened?" Sheegwa asked, seeing her fur. "It's your haircut all over again!"
"I just...fell," Sagwa said. "But I have good news. We leave tomorrow!"
"Oh..." Sheegwa didn't sound thrilled, but she didn't sound disappointed either.
"What do you think?" Sagwa asked.
"I think I don't like being replaced," Sheegwa said matter-of-factly. Then she shrugged. "But I think if we stay here, we won't be able to get over it."
Sagwa smiled. "So you're on my side!"
"Of course not," Sheegwa answered.
"Huh...?"
"Just because it's the right thing, doesn't mean I like it."
"But...it's the right thing, at least?"
"Yeah." Sheegwa looked up then and ducked her head.
Sagwa ducked hers, too; and Fu-Fu flew wildly over her head. He crashed into the tree, and blossom petals spiraled slowly to the grass. From a distance, Jet-Jet watched as Sagwa was covered in them. He smiled.
"I've never seen you happy before," Baba observed.
Jet-Jet turned. "Sir, I need to confess something. Your daughter invited me to come with you, and I'd like to go. Because..." he found it easier to look at Sagwa, instead of into the eyes of her father. "Because I care a lot about her."
No response.
Jet-Jet looked at him. Baba was intently watching his eldest daughter. "I hope you mean Sagwa," he finally said. "You're slightly too old for my youngest."
"I mean Sagwa, sir."
"Well..." Baba sighed. "I knew this day was coming. I just didn't expect it would be so soon." He turned to face Jet-Jet. "You are welcome to go with her," he said. "But just remember, Sagwa isn't the only one leaving. You'll be traveling with me. And if you hurt her, in any way, shape or form; so help me God, I will rearrange your face."
Jet-Jet eased back into his personal space. "Yes, sir. I won't, sir."
"Good." Baba circled him once, and then said, "Then you have my blessing." He walked away; and Jet-Jet continued breathing.
The rest of the day passed quickly, with sunny siestas, boundless outdoor playing, and socializing. At long sweet last, the brooding darkness of night had claimed China. Sagwa, the only one awake, stepped over her families' sleeping bodies, and she walked soundlessly to the gate; where she crawled through its delicate build. "Here we go," she whispered to herself, and leaped to the other side onto palace property. Seeing a cat's shadow fall on the ground from behind a wall, she ducked behind one of the barrels.
Then Hun-Hun walked into the alley. Sagwa slid around the barrel as Hun-Hun walked past it. She jumped through the gate and disappeared; and Sagwa walked forth into the moonlight. She took two deep breaths, then bolted; running as quickly as she could toward the palace. She bolted up the nearest stairs into the corridor and turned left, running into the living room. She slowed to a walk so her paws wouldn't thunder on the steps. She took each stair with caution and then on the last stair, she broke into a run. Coming into the cat quarters slash study room, she slid to a halt.
The bed was new. It only seated three. All the rules Sagwa and her family had ever written were gone. Sagwa felt her anger toward the Magistrate swell.
She saw the desk marked Accessories sitting on the study desk. She leaped onto the sitting stool, then jumped onto the desk beside the box. Peering inside, she saw all the old Miao collars, toys and food bowls. But she only really cared about the collars. She slid one paw underneath them to lift them out and be on her merry way - but then her sensitive hearing caught footsteps. Coming up the stairs. Thump, thump, thump.
She jumped into box and closed the flaps, to hide herself within; with only two seconds to spare.
Completely unaware of what just happened; the Cook picked up the box, turned and walked to the stairs. "Where should I put this, your Grace?"
"Put it outside," Tai-Tai answered. "I never want to see those filthy collars again!"
Sagwa braced herself as the box began swinging. I'm going to be sick, she thought; and clamped her mouth shut tightly. After several seconds of almost intolerable swaying; the box was set down. Listening intently, Sagwa heard his footsteps fade.
She pushed the flaps open and crawled out of the box. Clamping her teeth against one of the flaps, she lugged it into the alley.
The gate was open, and Dongwa was standing beside it. "There you are!" he said, sounding more relieved than angry. "Hey, whatcha got there?"
Sagwa wordlessly tipped the box over and let the collars spill out.
"Wa! Our stuff!" Dongwa exclaimed, running over to the spilled contents. "How did you manage?"
"A girl has her methods," Sagwa replied; as they both put on their collars. She brushed the contents into the box, tipped the box over so it stood upright, and dragged the box to the gate. She leaned it over to rest on the higher elevation that held the gate.
"Didn't think that through, did you?" Dongwa asked.
Sagwa turned around and kicked the box with her paw. It flew over the lip. Sagwa was smiling in pride when the box tipped over; and collars, food bowls and toys rained down on the sleeping cats below.
"What in all of China?" Mama asked, as every cat who had been struck came awake.
"Sorry," Sagwa said, as she and Dongwa came into the alley. "That was my fault."
Baba looked down at the collars, and his angry expression shifted into a smile.
"We can go at any time," Sagwa said.
Jet-Jet came to her side and she looked up at him, elegantly swishing her tail. They smiled at one another.
"So that's why you wanted one more night," Baba said, after putting on his collar. "Thank you for returning it to me."
Sagwa beamed.
"I do feel whole again," Mama said.
Sagwa looked at her to see that she was fully accessorized. "You look whole again," Sagwa replied, as Dongwa walked around her holding Sheegwa's collar in his mouth. He fastened it around her neck, and she continued to sleep peacefully.
"Mama? Baba?" asked Baba, as he shook Nai-Nai and Yeh-Yeh. They awakened. "Sagwa has a gift for you."
They looked over at Sagwa, who sat in front of their collars.
"Oh my goodness!" Nai-Nai exclaimed.
"Thank you, young one," Yeh-Yeh said, as he and Nai-Nai retrieved their collars. "Now, when do we start traveling?"
"Let's go," Mama said, smiling. She looked down at Sheegwa, who smiled up at her with sleepy eyes. Mama stroked her head. "Go back to sleep," she said softly. "I've got you."
Sheegwa's eyes slipped shut and Mama picked her up; following Baba as the pair led everyone else out of the alley.
Sagwa paused and took a deep breath. "Here we go," she whispered; and she jumped through the archway of the open gate and was gone.
-
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Done! Please let me know how you feel about a sequel to this story. It's up to all of you because, frankly, I can't decide.
