9

The girl doesn't make a sound for a few moments, just staring at you with wide eyes.

"Um—oh. I guess not."

The girl almost seems frozen, as if she's never had to deal with a customer who's asked that question. Quite quickly, however, she forcibly regains her composure and carries on as if nothing ever happened.

"Also, does your cat have any dietary requirements?"

"I don't think so—she just likes whatever's tastiest."

The girl laughs, a little harder than you were expecting. You definitely get the feeling that she's nervous underneath her excitement.

"Well, then look no further than the 'Clara's Kitties' selection!" She points to a range of elegant packages, embossed with the name "Clara Kind" in gold letters. "Everything in this range is locally sourced and organically produced, and all cats agree it's just delicious."

"I'm sure it is," you say, nodding along and trying not to give away the jolt your heart gets when you see the price. Grandma left you with some money, but not quite enough for Arctus to eat solid gold. You remind yourself once again to stick to the basics of the plan, which for now is just to make sure Arctus won't go hungry. Of course, it's a little difficult when you're not exactly used to negotiating with very enthusiastic sales assistants. Or shopping in general.

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