After my failed attempt to give Leo to the zoo, I decided to get some of that paper that was due the next day, done. I sat down at my desk, and started up my laptop once again as I kept an eye on the sleeping leopard sprawled out on my bed.

I must be crazy to have said yes to this. I can't let him stay here...if my dragon-I mean step-mom finds him, I will be murdered and he will be sent away to a place that will kill him for his skin! I had my head in my hands when I heard the "Ping!" of my email notifications. Lifting my head I saw that I had an email from Joy.

"Hey you said you had something to talk to me about but you left before I could get out. What's up? You sounded kind of distressed, anything I can help with?"

I smiled. Joy was always willing to help me anyway she could. She's the reason that I have a job there. When she met me at the yearly town fair held at Eyre's, I was watching in awe as the male veterinarian assistance fed the tigress.

"He's cute isn't he? His name is Jake, he's about your age I'm sure." I turned in shock at the voice of a young woman with long brown hair and bright blue eyes as she smiled at me.  My eyes widened in embarrassment. "huh?..No!.-I-...Uhm..He-....I was looking at how he fed them! Not him!" I blurted out as my cheeks reddened.

The lady laughed at my stammering and patted my shoulder. "Oh, well too bad for him then. So you're interested in working here?"  I stared at the woman in shock. How could she have known that I wanted a job here?

"I could tell by the way you were watching how he fed them. It's all in the wrist. If you really want a job here, bring me you resume tomorrow and I 'll check it out. Oh and by the way, Jake is single, just saying." She patted my shoulder once more with a quick smile and disappeared in the crowd.

I was speechless as I went through the conversation again, and realized that she just offered me a job...kind of.. The next day I went over there with a quickly written up resume and got the job.

I quickly wrote back to her.

"Oh no, it was just about my hours next week. Sorry about leaving so suddenly, I got a message from my dad that I had to get home for dinner. Oh, uhm.. this may seem a little weird to ask but what is the best diet for a leopard cub? I know they need a substantial amount of meat but I can't remember what else they need. Thanks for your help!"

I sighed. I didn't like lying, especially to someone who always listen to what was bothering me. She was like an aunt that I could always talk too.  Well maybe after I get used to my little....roomate, I can tell her and she can help me. But first I should get something to eat, and he should too." I thought with a glance at the sleeping leopard.

I got up and went downstairs and opened my leftovers from my favorite restaurant and took out all the steak pieces, and put them on a plate. "Hmm...this should be enough right? 12 pieces?" I figured that if it was too much then I could always out it back. Once they were heated up nicely I brought them up on a plate to my room.

"Hey..Leo...wake up..Dinner time.." I poked him gently. With a start, Leo woke up confused at first but when he saw that it was me, he calmed down and became curious as to what I had in my hand.

"Here, I know it 's probably not the best but it's all I can do for today." I told him as I pushed the plate to him. 

"Huh? What's this? Steak? Is this what you're feeding me?" I bent down and sniffed it. The mouthwatering smell of the juices and seasoning. I bent down and took a small piece into my mouth and began to chew. On cue my stomach growled for more.  "Okay...I can live with this. Thank you." I looked up at her and took another bite, gnawing on a chewy piece.

I watched as Leo sniffed the meat and then took a bite. Seeming to like it he took another bite. I smiled in relief. "Oh good, you like it. Okay well I'm going to run downstairs to grab my salad and I'll be right back okay?" I patted his head and ran downstairs.

"Okay, I won't go anywhere. Could you please bring me some wipes while you're gone? The juices are getting all over me." I realized that she couldn't understand me once more so I went back to eating, enjoying every bite.

When I came back I saw that the once full plate was now empty and Leo was passed out in a food coma on his pillow. I giggled at the sight and sat down at my desk, munching on my salad. Once I was done I took both plates downstairs and put them away, avoiding my step mother's curious glances.

When I made it back up to my room I sat back down at my desk and started up my laptop. After I checked my emails again for Joy's response I typed in Korean War into the search engine. "Al-lass-eo, daehanmingug....yeogsa" (Okay Korean history)

"Korean? Did I hear that right?" I lifted my head from the pillow to see Kala on her laptop and searching up the Korean War. Full of sleep-for now-I hopped down from the bed and looked up at her from the floor.

She didn't seem to notice me as she was working. "Okay, then I guess I have to get up there myself." I eyed the distance and figured that I could make it with ease.  I bent my back legs down and with a deep breathe of air, I sprung myself up.

"WHAM!!"

"..Ow..." I landed back on the floor on my back. I hit the desk drawer.

I just finished a paragraph when I heard a loud thump accompanied by my desk shaking. I looked down and saw Leo on his back looking dazed and stunned.  I stifled my giggles and bent down and scooped him up gently in my hands.

"Awwwee!! You tried to get up here didn't you? Hahaha, well it's going to take some practice for you to be able to make that jump huh? Until then I'll just pick you up okay?" I giggled more as I pet his head soothingly.

"I could have done it!! I just needed to estimate the distance better....Don't laugh, it's degrading." I told her as I began to purr from her pets. I leaned into her hand, feeling the warmth of her palm. I liked this, it was nice. I actually feel...relaxed now. 

When Kala stopped petting me I hopped down from the desk and sat on her lap, my head resting on the desk in between her arms.

"I hope you're comfortable there buddy." I shook my head in mock disbelief as I continued to write, making sure to not hit Leo in the head. The poor felines already had enough injuries today.

From here I could see what she was writing....just not understand it. I watched silently as she continued to type out her paper, saying a few words in broken Korean as she wrote. "You know, for a girl who I'm guessing has never left the U.S. Your Korean isn't terrible. Your pronunciation is lacking in a few places but other then that I can understand you."  I looked up at her in thought. Her green eyes glittering against the light of the desk lamp. I have only known this girl for half a day yet for some reason I feel close to her. How?.......

I looked down at my lap to see that Leo was fast asleep in a bundle of fur on my legs. I smiled and his head softly. After I hit save on my paper I turned off my laptop and looked at the clock. "Whoa, it's already 10:30, better get to bed."  I stretched and carefully picked up the sleeping leopard who mewed in tiny protest.

"I know, I know, but I have to move you." I cooed to him as I moved over one of my pillows and placed him on it. When I saw that he was back to sleep I crept off to my bathroom where I got dressed into my pj's. I know it's weird but I felt weird at the thought of undressing in front of a male cat.  I brushed my teeth and then crawled into my bed, careful of the sleeping feline.

I felt the bed dip on the other side of me. It was Kala getting into bed next to me. I watched as she pulled up the blanket and sheet and laid down. "Hmm..Being nice and warm under the covers sounds nice." I lazily got up and crawled over next to her. I felt her watching me as I dug beneath the blanket and sheets and made myself comfortable next to her. "Much Better."

When I was comfortable and about to turn out the light, Leo suddenly woke up and crawled over to me and buried himself under the covers, snuggling next to me. "Really? You-Ugh, fine. Goodnight Leo."

"Goodnight Kala." I thought with a sleepy smile.  Even though I wasn't human, I had no idea where my other members were, and I was no longer in Seoul, everything seemed...alright. I could get used to this for now. I just hope she doesn't change her mind about letting me stay here. God I couldn't take it in a zoo.

Thinking this, I subconsciously snuggled closer to Kala, hopping to make her think that I was too cute to take to a zoo. I felt her hand gently ran across my fur as if she was saying a silent okay. I let out a purr of content and fell asleep.