AUTHOR'S NOTE: I forgot about this book! So sorry.

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"I miss being carried in a Sedan," Dongwa grumbled.

"It's good exercise," Hun-Hun chided him. "Maybe one day you'll be competition for a girl."

He knocked into her and they began to run around the parading line of cats. Hun-Hun was indeed faster.

"They've spoiled you!" Hun-Hun teased.

"Yeah, I had it good." Dongwa's smile faded as he plodded on beside her.

At the front of the line, Baba looked equally distressed. "I don't want our kittens to become rusty with their calligraphy," he was saying fretfully. "Do Lord Vu and Tsu-Wen need calligraphers?"

"No, they have two," Yeh-Yeh answered.

"But," Nai-Nai quickly jumped in, "They know your kittens are fine calligraphers and artists. I'm sure they will let them practice."

"I'm only sorry we don't have your ancestor's collar," Yeh-Yeh told his mate.

"Actually, we do," Mama answered. "Sagwa's wearing it beneath her palace collar."

"I hear Dongwa plans on giving it to Hun-Hun," Baba added. "As a formal invitation to join our family."

"What!"

The exclamation made all the cats stop, and look at Hun-Hun, who gaped at Dongwa.

A soft clink had the eyes turning to Sagwa, who had retrieved the ancient collar and now held it in her mouth, looking inquisitively at Dongwa.

"Uh, thanks," he said, taking it from her. He held it out to Hun-Hun. "Will you...take this collar and marry me?" he blurted.

"Sure." She didn't look happy as he pinned it around her neck. "But I'm not wearing the collar forever, Dongwa."

"Why not?"

"I'm an alley cat. And so are the rest of you. Play pretend all you want, but it doesn't change anything."

"We're not just playing pretend," Sagwa said. "I was almost adopted by a girl because I lost my collar. We're just trying to stay together."

"And when we get to my Nai-Nai's and Yeh-Yeh's house, we won't be alley cats," Dongwa pointed out.

"True. Alright. I will wear my collar with pride."

"Good. It belonged to my great-great-great grandmother," he answered.

Hun-Hun's eyes widened and then she bowed her head. "Thank you for this gift."

The cat family continued their journey, and Jet-Jet wished he had more to offer Sagwa than stories about himself.

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"Have I ever been here before, Mama?" Sheegwa asked.

"No, kitten. Sagwa was still an infant when your father and I came here last."

"I vaguely remember it," Sagwa answered, looking at the sprawling palace. She scampered forth, her tail and collar waving; and as the front doors came open she slid to a halt, looking up at the slightly familiar man who looked upon her. He knelt and scratched the top of her head, but paused when he recognized the Miao collar around Baba's neck.

"Ah, you must be Hui-An's family," he said, and stood. "My Lord!" he exclaimed, hurrying back into the palace. The cats entered and stopped, looking around. A wide, brilliant blue rug led up to twin thrones, and a pair of gilded columns were placed symmetrically on either side of the room, right up against the walls. Symmetrical archways led off into different rooms.

"Where's the kitchen?" Dongwa asked eagerly.

Baba laughed. "Follow me, my son."

"I'm ready for a nap," Sagwa chimed in. "I think it's...this way." When neither her grandparents nor Mama corrected her, she continued. She slipped through an arch and entered a room, which had an immediate gilded staircase. Beside it was a hallway, and she thought perchance the arrangements were similar to the Miao's old palace. She bounded up the stairs, and seconds later bounded halfway down, slipping through the balusters and dropping to all fours on the hardwood flooring. She walked down the corridor and located the kitty castle, and crawled gratefully into the nearest bed. The fatigue of days' worth of travel coupled with knowing she could sleep as long as she needed to worked to quickly and effectively pull her into pleasant dreams.