She had to wonder, sometimes, if her instructor wasn't some strain of bipolar. "Micchan was declawed early and was really babied by her first owner. She doesn't act like other cats sometimes, and she's usually very sweet-natured and affectionate. Takkun has always taken care of her since his owner took her in, though, so she's probably doing okay."

She twisted her sleeve, worried despite her own assurances. The cats were the closest things to friends she had, outside her family, and she was loathe to think that anything might have happened to one of them.