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Description
       “You know, if you would just do your homework, I wouldn’t have to keep you here after class. Do you think I like sitting here, day after day, wasting my time?”
      Daphne had been teaching for only a short time, but she had already made a name for herself. For the most part, the Dalmatian’s students were respectful and well behaved. They did their assignments on time and didn’t bicker behind her back. Truth be told, they were all too afraid to try…
      “No ma’am…”
      Conrad wasn’t a bad cat. He had a hard time concentrating at home. He had five brothers and sisters, two of which were still kittens. His mom and dad didn’t have time to say hello, let alone help with his homework…
      “…I just can’t seem to get it.”
      “Well, try a little harder! Instead of giving you some useless busywork as punishment, I want you to sit down and do tonight’s assignment, now. I have an appointment tomorrow and can’t afford to baby-sit you after class.”
      “Why can’t I just go home, then? I have the assignment.”
      “Because you never do your homework at home! Just sit down and get it done.”

      Conrad took his seat and took out his pencil. He looked down at the ten math problems on his desk and groaned. Word problems; his arch-nemesis. Who cared how many apples Freddy had left? What difference did that make?
      It didn’t take long for his attention to waver. He looked over at his teacher and sighed. She was so strict! Her clothes were kept in perfect order and her face was permanently graced with a scowl. He figured her cheeks would break if she attempted a smile.
      Sudden movement caught his eye. Under her desk, Daphne had slipped off her heels and was now rubbing her stockinged paws together.
      “So,” he thought, “she isn’t perfect, after all…”
      He pictured her locked in the stocks, paws bared, arms tied: completely at his mercy. He’d make her laugh; he’d make her laugh until she cried! That’d teach her!

      “Conrad!” Daphne barked. “What are you staring at?”
      The young cat leapt to attention, banging his knees off the desk.
      “Nothing!”
      “Don’t lie!”
      “Nothing, really! I was… I was just daydreaming…”
      Daphne’s ears folded back and her lips drew up as she snarled, “Finish your work!”
      Conrad hurried to comply, but…

      Those paws! He couldn’t take his eyes off of them. They were exposed and begging for his attention. Even with the socks on, she’d feel it. If he could just get close enough…
      Of course, that was imposable. If he even shifted his weight, she’d know it. He pictured her taking a bite out of him and swallowed hard. She was a full grown dog and, civilized as they were, his feline instincts told him not to press his luck.

      Still, it didn’t hurt to dream…

      “You little brat! Let me go!”
      Daphne’s clothes were torn and wet; her hair was a tangled mess. The Dalmatian’s hands and feet were tied and she lay spread-eagled on a tabletop.
      “No way! I’m not letting you go until you say you’re sorry for keeping me after class! No; even better! I’m going to tickle you for five minutes for each day you’ve kept me here!”
      Conrad started with her paws, running the feather between her toes and up and down her arches.
      “Haha! No! Please! Haha! I can’t stand it!”

      “Conrad!”
      He jumped, banging his knees again and almost toppling the table.
      “What! I’m… I’m sorry.”
      Daphne rose from her seat and padded over to his desk, leaving her shoes behind.
      “What’s wrong with you? It’s just ten simple problems. You could have finished by now and gone home, but every time I look up, you’re looking under my desk!”
      “I’m sorry… I just…”
      “What? What is it?”
      “You… Your… Your paws!”
      Daphne took a step back.
      “My what?”
      “Your paws…”
      Her head tilted; confused.
      “What about my paws?”
      “Well… I just… They’re so pretty!”
      Her ears shot strait up, but she recomposed herself quickly. Conrad’s cheeks were burning. He looked up at her face, then back down at her stockinged paws.
      “Conrad, it’s perfectly natural for you to be interested in paws, just the same as some boys are interested in…” She stopped herself, unsure of just how far to go. “Look, it’s nothing to be ashamed of, but you have to find a way to keep your mind on your work…”
      “I’m sorry… You’re always so strict and proper… I wanted to make you laugh…”
      Daphne blushed and cleared her throat.
      “Well, I’m a teacher; I’m supposed to set a good example…”
      “But you never smile, not even to be polite…”
      Daphne ruffled his ears and tilted his head back. He looked up to find her smiling down on him.
      “You’re not a bad kid; it’s just that I know you can do better. It’s upsetting for a teacher to see someone go to waste. If you want me to smile; just do your work!”
      Conrad looked down at the paper on his desk.
      “…My way would be faster!”
      The smile faded from Daphne’s face. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently against the cold tile floor. Conrad knew she wasn’t kidding. He picked up his pencil and started writing down numbers. The Dalmatian went back to her desk and slipped her toes back into her pumps.

      Five minutes later, Conrad was standing by her desk.
      “I’ve finished; I think…”
      Daphne took the paper from him and uncapped her pen.
      “Yup… Good… Alright…”
      Conrad’s eyes strayed down to the floor… Her tail was wagging slightly, but her feet had his attention. As she checked over his work, she was slowly dipping her paws in and out of her heels. With each correct answer, they came a little more into view and with every error, they moved back in.
      To his great surprise, once she had finished, her shoes were empty.
      “Great work!” she said with a smile. “I knew you could do it!”
      Conrad blushed.
      “Oh, I…”
      Daphne laughed and wiggled her toes.
      "Well, what are you waiting for?"

Image by CaseyDecker

Description
       “You know, if you would just do your homework, I wouldn’t have to keep you here after class. Do you think I like sitting here, day after day, wasting my time?”
      Daphne had been teaching for only a short time, but she had already made a name for herself. For the most part, the Dalmatian’s students were respectful and well behaved. They did their assignments on time and didn’t bicker behind her back. Truth be told, they were all too afraid to try…
      “No ma’am…”
      Conrad wasn’t a bad cat. He had a hard time concentrating at home. He had five brothers and sisters, two of which were still kittens. His mom and dad didn’t have time to say hello, let alone help with his homework…
      “…I just can’t seem to get it.”
      “Well, try a little harder! Instead of giving you some useless busywork as punishment, I want you to sit down and do tonight’s assignment, now. I have an appointment tomorrow and can’t afford to baby-sit you after class.”
      “Why can’t I just go home, then? I have the assignment.”
      “Because you never do your homework at home! Just sit down and get it done.”

      Conrad took his seat and took out his pencil. He looked down at the ten math problems on his desk and groaned. Word problems; his arch-nemesis. Who cared how many apples Freddy had left? What difference did that make?
      It didn’t take long for his attention to waver. He looked over at his teacher and sighed. She was so strict! Her clothes were kept in perfect order and her face was permanently graced with a scowl. He figured her cheeks would break if she attempted a smile.
      Sudden movement caught his eye. Under her desk, Daphne had slipped off her heels and was now rubbing her stockinged paws together.
      “So,” he thought, “she isn’t perfect, after all…”
      He pictured her locked in the stocks, paws bared, arms tied: completely at his mercy. He’d make her laugh; he’d make her laugh until she cried! That’d teach her!

      “Conrad!” Daphne barked. “What are you staring at?”
      The young cat leapt to attention, banging his knees off the desk.
      “Nothing!”
      “Don’t lie!”
      “Nothing, really! I was… I was just daydreaming…”
      Daphne’s ears folded back and her lips drew up as she snarled, “Finish your work!”
      Conrad hurried to comply, but…

      Those paws! He couldn’t take his eyes off of them. They were exposed and begging for his attention. Even with the socks on, she’d feel it. If he could just get close enough…
      Of course, that was imposable. If he even shifted his weight, she’d know it. He pictured her taking a bite out of him and swallowed hard. She was a full grown dog and, civilized as they were, his feline instincts told him not to press his luck.

      Still, it didn’t hurt to dream…

      “You little brat! Let me go!”
      Daphne’s clothes were torn and wet; her hair was a tangled mess. The Dalmatian’s hands and feet were tied and she lay spread-eagled on a tabletop.
      “No way! I’m not letting you go until you say you’re sorry for keeping me after class! No; even better! I’m going to tickle you for five minutes for each day you’ve kept me here!”
      Conrad started with her paws, running the feather between her toes and up and down her arches.
      “Haha! No! Please! Haha! I can’t stand it!”

      “Conrad!”
      He jumped, banging his knees again and almost toppling the table.
      “What! I’m… I’m sorry.”
      Daphne rose from her seat and padded over to his desk, leaving her shoes behind.
      “What’s wrong with you? It’s just ten simple problems. You could have finished by now and gone home, but every time I look up, you’re looking under my desk!”
      “I’m sorry… I just…”
      “What? What is it?”
      “You… Your… Your paws!”
      Daphne took a step back.
      “My what?”
      “Your paws…”
      Her head tilted; confused.
      “What about my paws?”
      “Well… I just… They’re so pretty!”
      Her ears shot strait up, but she recomposed herself quickly. Conrad’s cheeks were burning. He looked up at her face, then back down at her stockinged paws.
      “Conrad, it’s perfectly natural for you to be interested in paws, just the same as some boys are interested in…” She stopped herself, unsure of just how far to go. “Look, it’s nothing to be ashamed of, but you have to find a way to keep your mind on your work…”
      “I’m sorry… You’re always so strict and proper… I wanted to make you laugh…”
      Daphne blushed and cleared her throat.
      “Well, I’m a teacher; I’m supposed to set a good example…”
      “But you never smile, not even to be polite…”
      Daphne ruffled his ears and tilted his head back. He looked up to find her smiling down on him.
      “You’re not a bad kid; it’s just that I know you can do better. It’s upsetting for a teacher to see someone go to waste. If you want me to smile; just do your work!”
      Conrad looked down at the paper on his desk.
      “…My way would be faster!”
      The smile faded from Daphne’s face. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently against the cold tile floor. Conrad knew she wasn’t kidding. He picked up his pencil and started writing down numbers. The Dalmatian went back to her desk and slipped her toes back into her pumps.

      Five minutes later, Conrad was standing by her desk.
      “I’ve finished; I think…”
      Daphne took the paper from him and uncapped her pen.
      “Yup… Good… Alright…”
      Conrad’s eyes strayed down to the floor… Her tail was wagging slightly, but her feet had his attention. As she checked over his work, she was slowly dipping her paws in and out of her heels. With each correct answer, they came a little more into view and with every error, they moved back in.
      To his great surprise, once she had finished, her shoes were empty.
      “Great work!” she said with a smile. “I knew you could do it!”
      Conrad blushed.
      “Oh, I…”
      Daphne laughed and wiggled her toes.
      "Well, what are you waiting for?"

Image by CaseyDecker