They would disapprove, Sagwa realized. They wouldn't come with them. And as Hun-Hun and Dongwa sauntered by, head held high, she realized he probably wouldn't come, either. It looked like he was earning his place; and it looked like he wanted his place to be here.
Sagwa didn't realize she was frowning with serious thoughts until Nai-Nai looked over at her and called, "Is something the matter?"
"No, Nai-Nai," Sagwa called back. She turned around and looked at her happy kid sister. "Nothing at all," she said timidly. Sighing, she walked over to her. "Sheegwa? I-I need to speak to you."
"With me."
"What?"
"You need to speak with me."
"Yeah, the right word is my biggest problem," Sagwa huffed. She sat. "Sheegwa...on a scale of one to ten...how badly do you want to run away tonight?"
"I knew you would do this," Sheegwa growled. "I knew you would flake out."
"Just answer the question!"
"Ten. Wait, is ten the most or least?"
"The most."
"Definitely ten," Sheegwa confirmed.
"Well...what if," Sagwa stammered, "We were the...only tens?"
Sheegwa stared at her, eyes finally narrowing. "Nobody else?"
"Not even Jet-Jet."
"And you're still leaving."
"Yeah. I am."
"But I thought you loved him!"
Sagwa shrugged. "I love you more."
Sheegwa smiled.
"But we need a plan," Sagwa continued. "Do you want to go to the alley behind the Magistrate's palace?"
"Yeah," Sheegwa murmured. "It's familiar. And at least we can see it. And we can see the mice again."
"Okay," Sagwa decided. "We'll go there. Now tonight, stay close to me and be quiet. I'll do the rest."
Sheegwa looked at her with eyes full of trust. Sagwa felt its weight more than the jewels that slowed her down.
"But what about all the...nines and down?" Sheegwa asked, nodding subtly to their relatives. "We should at least invite them."
Sagwa turned to look. "We need to get Lord Vu's cats out of the room," she murmured.
"I got it," Sheegwa answered confidently. She walked towards them.
"Wha...running is faster, don't you think?"
"I'm not gonna starve, if you fail!"
Sagwa rolled her eyes and waited for her sister to approach the stuck-up palace cats.
"Hi! Do you think you can give me another tour?"
Sagwa smiled as the new cats apologized to the Miao family, and led Sheegwa away. Taking a deep breath, Sagwa approached her loved ones.
"Uh, can I say something?" Sagwa asked.
"Of course, Sagwa," Baba said, surprised she would feel the need to ask.
"That's a troubled look you've got there," Yeh-Yeh noted. "What's on your mind?"
"Uh...funny story." Sagwa smiled at Mama. "Uh - well, this place really doesn't - Dongwa," she interrupted, noticing he was starting to leave with Hun-Hun. "This concerns both of you, too."
They pranced back into the room.
"Do you really have to walk like that when there's no one here?" Sagwa demanded. "I promise, you look as ridiculous as you feel."
"Sagwa!" Mama exclaimed. Both parents and grandparents were frowning at her.
"Young one, there is nothing shameful about being a part of this family," Nai-Nai began. "I assure you, I had a very happy youth, here."
"Sorry, Nai-Nai."
"Now, what were you about to say?"
Sagwa stared into her grandmother's challenging eyes, suddenly feeling like a baby again. She may not be accustomed to the same form of discipline as these cats, but it wasn't as though she had never been punished.
Deciding she could not look her grandmother in the face and dishonor her yet again, Sagwa bowed her head meekly. "It's nothing. Never mind."
She turned around and walked elegantly from the room.
-0-0-0-0-
Sagwa jumped up onto her bed, turned to face the entrance and plopped down, removing her ostentatious jewels and collar. Putting her head down, she watched Jet-Jet come up the stairs. When he turned around she saw that he held a little sack in his mouth. Locking eyes with her, he set the bag down. It fell open, revealing a delicious-looking meal.
He backed up, still looking at her. She jumped to the floor and approached him, sparing a quick look at her family. They were all asleep...or pretending to be.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked.
"Because I know you didn't eat. And I know how that feels."
"Thank you, Jet-Jet." She sat and began tying it back up. "I think I'll save this for the road. I'll need my strength."
"Oh, you're...still going?"
"Of course." She looked at him in surprise.
He glared at her and began turning away. "Fine. Go."
"Do you want to give a message to Lik-Lik? Because that's where we're going."
"No, I have nothing else to say," Jet-Jet said. "To anyone." He turned and stalked to the table, curling up beside Hun-Hun. She slept soundly, looking content with her new life.
Sheegwa's paws landed with a soft thump on the carpet, and she came to stand beside Sagwa.
"Are you ready?"
"Yeah."
Sagwa used her tail to pick up the little satchel of leftovers. As Sagwa moved resolutely to the stairs, Sheegwa flagged her down from the railing. "Wait, what about everyone else?"
"I told you before. They didn't want to come."
Sheegwa stood up and sighed sadly. "Well...we should at least say goodbye."
Sagwa hurried back up the steps and refrained her from disturbing them. "Sheegwa," she whispered, "We have to leave now. Before the humans catch us. Come on." She steered her towards the stairs and spared Jet-Jet one last glance. He turned away from her.
Sagwa turned and descended after Sheegwa.
The lanterns were all dark; and only moonlight shone into the palace; giving it an atmosphere of peace that was quickly shattered, when the darkness began to move in front of them. A cat's shadow fell on the floor, running toward them. Then it leaped, knocking into Sagwa and tackling her to the floor. The leftovers spilled everywhere, and realizing it was Sagwa's dinner, Sheegwa quickly began to put it back in its bag.
"You must behave!" the unfamiliar cat hissed.
"Get off of me!"
"You'll be punished for this!"
"Sheegwa, get outside!" Sagwa ordered.
"Do that and you'll be in so much trouble!"
"Get outside!" Sagwa repeated. "I'll catch up."
Sheegwa turned and scampered to a shelf, jumping onto it and out the window.
The cat gasped. "You're a bad big sister," she hissed.
Sagwa squirmed free, turned and ran to the window. But again, she was tackled. Sagwa spun around, brandishing her claws. "Leave me alone!"
The cat got off and Sagwa stood up. "That's more like it," she said, and started turning back to the window. That's when she caught sight of the human.
He strode forth and Sagwa did the one thing she didn't want to do when scared. She froze.
"I don't think so. Naughty cat." He scooped her up. "To the cage with you."
Hiding inside the bushes, Sheegwa jumped in fear as the window slammed shut. She closed her eyes, trembling with fear as she listened to Sagwa's howls grow faint.
She waited in the bushes for Sagwa to appear.
She never came.