A Promise in the Cat Forest

After her dear friend Sakuma Aoi dies, young Natsumi Morikawa is consumed by grief. Following Aoi's dying wish, she travels to Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto, where she accidentally enters the Cat Forest, a fantastical woodland guarded by talking cats and connecting reality with memory. There, she learns to restore ancient books from Kichiyoshi, a book restorer, and befriends kind feline residents such as Atama, Torakichi, and Daiki. She takes part in activities like the Meteor Festival, gathering medicinal herbs, and building the Wind Corridor. Gradually, she comes to understand the truth that life is a cycle, not a straight line. In the end, carrying the forest's gifts and the memory of her dear friend, she returns to the real world to continue growing, using restoration techniques and plant records to preserve the meaning of life.