It made her heart hurt.
She climbed off the fat cushion and stretched her limbs, trying to overlook the picture. Slowly, she walked down the hall on aching paws, her tail dragging behind her.
How she missed the palace! This place was nice, but it was also unfamiliar and strange...She had always planned on growing old at the palace, just like her Baba. But no, the man she trusted to care for her and her family, had tossed them out onto the street - and replaced them the same day.
And they were Calligraphers. Did that mean nothing? How foolish could one be?
Sagwa roamed around the seemingly empty house, until she heard her Mama's voice.
"You write so well, Ming-Hai. Much like my Sagwa."
"Thank you," a new voice said.
Sagwa peered into the room and saw the most beautiful cat she had ever seen. It was a tall, thin cat with long white fur, a sweeping tail, and sapphire eyes. She had a long face and tall, alert ears; and she wore the fanciest collar. Sagwa further entered the room and sat on the carpet, suddenly wishing she was pure white, too - wishing the other cats could never tease her and call her dirty.
Ming-Hai looked down at her and smiled. "Hello."
Mama looked over at her. "Oh, good evening, Sagwa. This is Ming-Hai."
"Hello," Sagwa said. "Um, what does your name mean?"
"Clear ocean."
"Oh..." Sagwa looked down in shame. Why couldn't her name mean something silly, too? Like Melon Peel, or...Pumpkin Face?
Ming-Hai finished her scroll and dipped her tail into a pot of water. When the fluid turned black she lifted her tail, which was now spotless.
"Sagwa," Mama said, "Would you bring this message to Lord Vu?"
"Me?"
"Please. We have been welcomed into their home...Helping out here and there is the least we can do."
Wishing her paws would just stop hurting, Sagwa struggled onto the chair and then onto the desk. She bent, grabbed the scroll and jumped down to the floor. Then she wandered into the hall. Before she could wander out of earshot, Ming-Hai's voice made her stop.
"She seems like a good kitten. But if I may ask, what inspired such a silly name?"
As Mama laughed and began to retell the story of how she and Baba met, Sagwa stalked down the hallway feeling more alone than ever. Coming defiantly into the room, she walked in on a conversation between Lord Vu and Tsu-Wen. "It seems strange, to me. We don't pick up our own guests...But, cats?" Tsu-Wen was saying. "I didn't know they could be so smart."
Sagwa jumped up onto Lord Vu's desk, barely making the landing. She bent and dropped the scroll, then sat.
"Clearly I underestimated them," Tsu-Wen continued. She unrolled a scroll and lay it out before Sagwa. "Write your name!"
Maintaining a look of indifference, Sagwa gazed at her.
"Can't you write?" Tsu-Wen pressed.
Sagwa lay down on the desk.
"You see?" Lord Vu asked. "Our cats are special. Shan-Tai-Yeh Ku's cats are not."
Sagwa stood, turned and jumped off the desk, walking out of the room. Sheegwa was waiting for her in the hall. "Why didn't you do anything?" Sheegwa asked.
"The Magistrate replaced us knowing we were calligraphers. I'm not wasting my time anymore."
Sheegwa slowed, allowing herself to fall behind. Sagwa bounded ahead, but a haughty voice made her halt in her tracks. "No running in the palace!"
Sagwa and Sheegwa looked up at a cat similar to Ming-Hai. She approached with an air of attitude. "I don't know where you come from, but as long as you're here, you are to be graceful and dignified at all times." Sticking her nose in the air, she began to strut toward the doorway.
"Uh, excuse me," Sagwa said, making her pause. "Do...do we have to wear booties for going outside?"
The cat spun to face her. "My goodness! Do you come from the jungle?" she demanded. "We do not go outside. Ever. It is strictly forbidden!"
"What happens if we go there?" Sheegwa asked.
"You get punished. One day without food, and one night without rest." The cat turned and strutted out of the room.
Sheegwa looked up at her big sister. "I'm scared, Sagwa."
Sagwa thawed and looked down at her. "I'll keep you safe."
"How?" she asked meekly.
Sagwa put a paw on the top of her little sister's head. "We'll run away when they're asleep."
"What if we get caught?" Sheegwa asked softly.
"We won't! They'll be asleep!" Sagwa smiled at her. "Don't you worry. They don't need cats who can't write."
Sheegwa leaned into her before meandering down the hall, and Sagwa followed even more slowly, hoping her words wouldn't lead to betrayal.
