Tiny Paws & Friendly Claws

It's orientation day at the animal shelter! Will I be able to overcome one of the toughest challenges I've encountered yet? I can't say I'm eager to meet all those 31 cats right now. Just thinking about that number gives me the shivers! Gosh, they're like an army! But at least I'm wise enough to understand that the real battle I'm facing right now is against myself and not them.

As I was waiting for my friends to arrive, I stared at the big sign in front of me: "Tiny Paws & Friendly Claws". It's a cute name for an animal shelter, I can't deny it, but just how friendly are those claws exactly? Because right now, every fiber of my body wants me to leave this place and never come back! But I have to stay strong! I don't want to disappoint my friends, Yuki, or the hard-working people at the shelter!

It's almost 10 a.m., and the other volunteers are starting to show up. I could see Rika and Hikaru in the distance. They both looked very tired. I bet they stayed up late last night just like me now that we're officially on vacation! However, there is no sign of Yuki. I'm a little worried; it's not like her to be late on an important day like this.

The front door is now slowly opening. A tall, older man steps out and looks at us with a big smile that could warm even the coldest of hearts! Is he one of the owners?

"Good morning! You must be our new volunteers! Welcome! My name is Satoru! My wife will be here soon; please come in!" he said. We politely introduced ourselves and proceeded to enter the front door.

Soon, the sound of barking filled our ears. Rika was startled! She quickly positioned herself behind Hikaru and me. I had no idea she was this scared of dogs!

"Don't be afraid, young lady! They're baking because they're excited to meet new people. That's how they usually react when there's a sudden influx of strangers. They're very friendly. Look, I'll show you!" Satoru said as he approached their cages. I don't know what he said to them, but it worked. Slowly, one by one, the dogs stopped barking. It's like they were under his spell. Amazing!

The place was bigger than I thought it was, and the atmosphere felt very cozy! There were a few cushy sofas in the waiting area. The animal-themed furniture was also a nice touch! Everything was in pristine condition. Even the spacious cages that filled the room were very well-kept. The dog beds looked very comfy, and their bowls were generously filled with water and food.

Rika had calmed down now, but she was still keeping her distance from the dogs. The way she was hiding behind Hikaru's back was really cute. I was expecting some snarky comments from him, but he didn't say a word. Before I could turn around to examine the rest of the place, I felt a pair of hands grab my shoulders.

"Gotcha! Good morning, Akio! I hope I didn't scare you!" Yuki said this with a playful smile on her face. I admit, my heart did jump out of my chest a little, but it wasn't because of fear.

"Good morning, Yuki! No, you didn't scare me! I was looking for you, actually. I was worried you weren't able to come," I said.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I should have told you I was here already! My bad! I was in the back, helping the staff with the kittens. It's past their feeding time, actually, but they were being a bit mischievous today," she said.

Now that she mentions it, there are no cats here. It makes sense to separate them from the dogs and their loud barking. They must have their own designated area in this building. That's good to know.

"Good morning, and welcome to our animal shelter! You must be Yuki's friends! She told me all about you! My name is Keiko, and I'm one of the owners of this animal shelter. I believe you've already met my husband, Satoru!" she said while shaking our hands.

"Since Yuki is like our own granddaughter, please feel free to drop the formalities and call us Keiko and Satoru! Today, we're going to take you on a short tour of the shelter. Here at Tiny Paws & Friendly Claws, we rescue and rehabilitate dogs and cats. In fact, anyone can bring homeless, abandoned, or unwanted animals here, and we'll take care of them. " Satoru said

"While we accept a limited number of animals, we promise to care for all of them until they are adopted. Right now, we have more cats than dogs, and we have to thank Yuki for that! She is always on the lookout for cats to rescue!" Keiko laughed.

Yuki blushed. She probably knows this place like the back of her hand. I'm sure she doesn't even need to attend orientation, but she decided to join anyway. The fact that Yuki's here with us now makes me even more happy that I didn't run away earlier.

"Starting today, Yuki is our new junior volunteer coordinator. It's even written on her apron. In fact, everyone here will receive a name tag and a custom apron with our logo on it. Please take care of them; we consider it our own special uniform," Satoru added.

"Also, more training will take place with the head volunteer on your first shift tomorrow. Usually the staff will rely on new volunteers to assist them with the daily routine, such as feeding, cleaning, and playing with the animals!" Keiko said.

"Each volunteer will also receive a copy of our own Volunteer Manual. Please make sure to read it carefully. We also encourage you to ask staff if you have any questions." Satoru mentioned this as he started handling the manuals.

The rest of the tour was very insightful. Keiko and Satoru are very passionate when it comes to saving animals. We were able to learn more about the harsh reality of their job and just how challenging it can get sometimes. They said it can get physically and emotionally draining if you're not careful enough.

As we were passing by the storage area, I heard Yuki whisper something to me:

"Psst, Akio! Come here! I want to show you something!" Before I could react, I felt her warm hands grabbing mine as she pulled me away from the group. Where are we going? And is it a good idea to skip orientation like this?

"Don't worry, we'll come back later!" she said as if she read my mind.

She took me to the big, bright room on the left, not far from our group. The first thing I noticed was the large number of cat towers scattered around the room! There were also many baskets overflowing with cat toys. Oh, no! This could only mean one thing! I have now entered the cats' territory!

"Look, Akio! It's the kitten we saved back then! Your umbrella kept her dry that day! Look how cute she is! I would bring her out, so you can play with her, but unfortunately she's sleeping right now!" Yuki whispered.

It was hard to focus on the kitten when I was being watched by 30 other curious cats! I could see some of them moving in their cages. Are they planning to escape? Or are the cages already open? I don't know if I'm ready for a surprise attack at this scale!

Yuki is still holding my hand. What should I do? I can't run away now. All of a sudden, I start feeling dizzy as I'm slowly losing all my strength. The sound of rattling cages is getting louder and louder as my mind goes blank.