"Is she trying to run away from me because I'm annoying? If so... She's the one being an annoying brat!" Hoshi laid down in her bed, thinking very hard. "What's with all her secrecy, anyway? She's like a puzzle!" "She gazed up at her ceiling. "Hm. Pretty ceiling, huh?" "AH! Uh... Mami?" She quickly turned to her sister, who had somehow opened her door. "You left it unlocked, it's pretty unlike you. Mom found no evidence an animal was inside. You must have seen something... Based on your looks, you should get some rest before the dinner rush. We've seemed to have skipped lunch rush..." Mami started to babble on as she walked back downstairs.

"Hmm... She seems to be developing rapidly. What did she do with this tree?" North Star had neared the same tree Hoshi had hit previously. Clawing at it, she noticed the wood was a bright yellow. "Oh no..." Clawing more, she noticed her claws full of the scrapings. "So... Maybe this pin will react better to the pure wood, instead of the bark." Rubbing it against the pin, she could tell no difference between the bark and wood. "I'll bring this back..."

Hoshi had slept throughout. She woke up to the flood of customers. "Oh. Just great." She stumbled down, already dressed in her uniform. "Sundays aren't usually this busy..." She wobbled around. "I'm ready!" Her mother had noticed her unstableness. "Oh... Dear, you look so sick! You'll get a day off. You really work yourself too hard." She guided her back to her room. "Be quiet, don't disturb the customers!" She rushed back downstairs. Flopping on her bed, she noticed North Star crawling out.

"You're back! Finally. Why do you keep running away?" "Oh... for this." She clawed up onto the bed and held the shavings on her claws near. "Uh... What's this for?" She had noticed herself starting to glow again. "Um... Are you sure you know that stuff's safe? I don't feel very safe right now..." She hugged her bed. "It's safe, for sure. This is a good sign, I guess! A very good sign!" The cat's eyes started to widen. "I'll let you sleep, you must be tired." She crawled under the bed. "This is such good news!"

A few hours later, Hoshi's mother had started to worry. She kept knocking on the door, yet she received no answer. She couldn't open the door, either, as it was locked. "Is she dead? Oh... I hope not!" She ran downstairs. "Mami, Hana, sweeties, I need you for something serious. Please meet in the kitchen. The two shuffled in the kitchen after their mother. "Okay, you two. We need to talk about something.

"Mommy, is it bad?" Hana asked, snuggling into her mom's arms. "It might be, dear. Hoshi's not answering her door, and she's not a heavy sleeper at all." Mami stood in shock as Hana buried her face into her mother's sleeve. "Mami, go get a lock-pick and try getting into her room. If we don't unlock her door... Who knows what could break into her room!" 

                                                                           End