"Maybe he's on another one."

"There is no other one!" Sagwa retorted, and motioned to the sea with a trembling paw. "Look around."

Hearing the quiet desperation in her voice, Baba couldn't even reprimand her. Looking away, he spotted the Koi poking its head out of the water, a safe distance away from the cats. "Uh, excuse me. Is there a cat in there?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"Uh, well, we'd appreciate it; he's my father."

"Well, you stole mine. Snatched him up right in front of me!"

"Please," Mama cut in. "We apologize, but we're already looking for a kitten."

The Koi relented. "No. There's no cat," then he made the mistake then of looking at their partially-eaten meal. He gasped for breath, and not just because he was out of water. "Oh. Oh, you horrible, nasty, vicious creatures," he uttered, and dove under the surface.

"Oh, that...poor dear," Mama sighed. Smiling to himself, Wu-Ming jumped off the boulder and began heading for the alley.

"I feel so bad," Sagwa groaned, as the trio began to follow him.

"You don't need to. There was no malice in our hearts; we were doing what we had to. What we always do," Baba added.

"That—that's really not helping."

"It's a part of nature. It's the food chain, the way of life."

"Yeah, well, I know what it's like to have someone snatched up in front of me. Don't you remember, don't you pity him at all?"

"A little, but it's inevitable, Sagwa; that's the point. What did you think?"

"I think it's awfully terrible that the entire point of life is pain!" she slammed back, and picked up her pace. She was careful to keep herself between Wu-Ming and her parents, suddenly feeling a bit more antisocial than usual...and of course that was when Dongwa crossed their path. Groaning quietly, she helped him close the distance between them. "What are you doing here?"

"Are you kidding? Fu-Fu came to the alley, said I would find Yeh-Yeh on the other side."

"You won't."

Dongwa stared into her scowling face. "Did—did he fall in?" he asked, in a small voice.

"No. We spoke to a fish who hadn't seen him," she omissed.

"So he made it," Dongwa said, and wandered away a little. "Yeh-Yeh," he shouted. But his only response was a birdcall.

"Maybe he's on his way back to the alley," Mama tried to comfort her mate.

"Then why haven't we seen him?" he responded.

Sagwa stared towards the trees, imagining the village behind it. "Maybe he got snatched up, too."


"I'm telling you, Baba, there was no other driftwood!"

Sheegwa lifted her head, hearing their familiar voices on the other side of the wall. She was resting closer to the water than the gate, and by the time her family was in the alley walking towards her, she had finally managed to get to all fours. The first thing they noticed about her was that she was breathing normally.

Sheegwa's smile faded when she realized who was missing. "Where's Yeh-Yeh?"

Mama stepped forward and spoke gently. "We think, a human might have decided to rescue him. He never met us at the shore."

"You think," she repeated, and looked at Sagwa. "What did Fu-Fu say?"

"Uh, Dongwa told us you saw him. But how, in all of China, do you know we did?" Sagwa demanded.

"He was with him, on the sea."

At Sagwa's disbelieving expression, her family surveyed her intently.

"He didn't, uh, check in with you first?" Dongwa asked.

"No."

"The fish could have lied," Baba muttered. "Or he could have just not encountered him, like us."

Mama looked at Sagwa. "You didn't speak to him at all?"

"Well, yes. But there was no mention of Yeh-Yeh."

Baba looked at Dongwa. "What did Fu-Fu say to you?"

"'Go to the other side.' He seemed happy."

"And concerned," Sheegwa butted in. "I don't think he's done anything. It's...it's Fu-Fu!"

"And the Magistrate would never kick us out?" Sagwa asked. "Fan would never run away?"

"I can't believe you." Sheegwa stepped back, staring at her as she shook her head. "That is your best friend you're talking about!"

"Yeah, well, that depends on what I find," Sagwa growled, and trotted to the gate.

Up on his wall, Wu-Ming smiled into the darkness ahead. Now that was juicy.

Mama sighed in displeasure. "So much for that 'snatched up' theory."

"Sagwa," Baba yelled, and began following her. "Wait for me!"

"Crazy," Sheegwa muttered, getting Wu-Ming's attention. "Absolutely crazy."

He leaped off the wall, landing in front of her. "More or less crazy than staying inside a collapsing building?" he asked, and ignored it when she shushed him. He started to leave.

"Where are you going?"

"You kidding? I want to see this."

"Hm. More crazy than staying inside a collapsing building. Less crazy than liking crazy."

He grinned at her and trotted away.


"Hmph! I can't believe you accused me in front of all those bats." Fu-Fu looked down at her, still flying. "Do you know how embarrassing that was?"

Sagwa and Baba cringed as he slammed into a rock.

"You'll get over it," she assured him.

He peeled himself off the rock and landed in front of them, adjusting his crooked glasses. "I may be a bad flier, but that is perhaps my only flaw... I'm not evil."

"You could have told me what you were up to," she muttered.

"I'm sorry!" he said, not sounding one bit sincere, "I didn't think I needed permission! Dude was floating in a giant river; I thought he was lonely."

"What did he say?" Baba asked.

"Just that he really wanted to go home." Fu-Fu frowned then. "And that he really missed his son Dongwa."

"Yes, he is a bit confused," Baba sighed. "All the more reason we need to find him."

"Baba, do you ever get scared? I mean, of your mind...slipping?"

"Yes, all the time. But it's another part of nature, I'm afraid." He looked down at her then, noticing her quiet distress. "Oh, don't tell me you're afraid of going crazy."

"Baba, I'm—" But she never got to finish her sentence. Suddenly a gigantic bear had leaped out of the bushes, and its horrifying roar split the night; sending Fu-Fu flying into a tree and Baba scrambling to climb it. Halfway up the trunk he looked over...to see Sagwa still standing there. Frozen, like Sheegwa.

"Sagwa!" he yelled.

And the bear's snarl died in its throat. The panda blinked at her, tilting its head. "Sagwa?"

"Ling-Ling," she breathed, and went to him on rubber legs to embrace the giant bear.

"Sagwa, what..." Wu-Ming stepped out of the bushes, eyes wide. "When—I..."

She smiled at him. "I'd like you to meet Ling-Ling."

Wu-Ming examined at the odd pair, then turned his eyes to hers. "You...you are crazy!"

"Yes, well, I would have to agree with you on that one," Baba said, sighing as he approached.

"Have you seen an elderly cat around here?" Sagwa asked.

"No. Sorry."

"Well, if you happen to see a gray cat, with a scarf... We're looking for him. His name is—"

"Sagwa, what are you doing?" Baba asked nervously.

She turned to him and smiled brightly. "Making a search party."


Author's note: The next chapter is set in the near future.