Guardian Cats and the Lost Books of Alexandria

Chapter 35: Pandemonium

Marco glared down at Sting from between the rails of the balcony. Why did this creep keep showing up everywhere? Especially here, his refuge from the world. “What are you doing in the library? You can’t read.”

“You sayin’ we’re not welcome?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. Scram.”

“Oh, you’re hurting my feelings. Hey Marco, why don’t you give us a tour? We’d like to improve our minds too. Right, boys?” Sting snickered and looked to the other raccoons.

“Sure thing, Sting.”

“See? They like it here. Come on down and join us.” Sting walked over to some books and started pawing through them. He picked one out at random. The Care and Feeding of Orphaned Kittens. He threw it on the floor.

Marco was at a loss for what to do. Up until now, his encounters with Sting were more like wrestling matches.

“You deaf or something? Maybe you think you’re too good for the likes of us,” said Sting. “Or maybe… ”

Marco could tell Sting thought he was brilliant by the way he strutted about.

“Maybe, you’re hidin' something,” accused Sting.

Marco’s tail bristled as he prepared himself for another clash with the raccoon, but this time the enemy was on his territory. Now that he had been made a Guardian Cat, he would defend not only The Book of Motion. He would defend all the books!

Scuffling noises from a far corner of the first floor interrupted Marco’s concentration.

“Hey, Marco, there’s a whole stash of granola bars in the desk. Nuts, dried fruit, chocolate.” It was Polo “And raisins, my favorite!” Polo started towards the bottom of the stairs, holding a crumbling piece of granola bar in his paw. “Want some?” Polo offered generously. Marco had explained more than once that he didn’t eat sweets, but Polo never remembered.

Then the small ferret spotted Sting. “Uh-oh,” he said.

Sting sauntered towards Polo—casually, like they were friends. “Well, well. Look who else is here.”

Marco yelled, “Polo! Run!”

Sting grabbed the ferret. “Ha! I’m not lettin' you go this time!”

Marco had already started down the stairs.

“I see you decided to join me,” said Sting.

“Join you? That’s a laugh,” said Marco.

“Well, at least I know how to laugh. Ain’t never seen a cat laugh.”

“Cats have a sense of humor,” said Marco, moving down each step slowly but deliberately. “But it has to be funny.”

Polo squealed.

“Quiet,” Sting said, shaking Polo by his neck. “Or I’ll make it tighter.”

Marco glared at Sting. “That is not funny.”

“Oh, you’re making me cry,” said Sting, mocking him. “You want him back? I'll cut you a deal.”

“A deal? What are you talking about?”

We’ll trade.”

“Trade? Trade what?”

“The Magic Book. Hand it over and you can have your mangy friend back.”

Marco’s breath caught in his throat and he stopped dead on the stairs. The magic book? How would a disreputable character like Sting know anything about The Book of Motion? He couldn’t be talking about that.

Sting stood in the center of the vestibule under the dome, dangling Polo in the air. “Hey! Where’s the rest of your book club? Maybe they know something you don’t. Maybe…” Sting paused dramatically. “Just maybe they haven’t told you about the book.”

Marco’s head swirled with questions, but he managed to keep calm. “There’s all kinds of books here, Sting. There’s even a whole section on magic. Why don’t you get a library card and check one out?”

“Ha! I knew it. You don’t even know about the book. You don’t know nuthin'!”

Marco tasted something bitter in his mouth as he felt a fierceness rising in him. He reached the bottom of the stairs.

“Some friends. Looks to me like you’ve been deserted, little buddy.”

Marco lunged towards his adversary. At the same moment Sting shifted Polo between them, using him as a shield. Marco’s claws punctured Polo’s skin and he smelled his blood. Polo squealed louder.

“You should take better care of the one friend you got,” taunted Sting. “Looks like this little rat is all mine now.”

Marco made a second attempt to attack Sting, but everything went black. He took the blow from Tank in his soft underbelly and when he caught his breath, it was filled with the heavy odor of raccoon.

He heard Polo’s cry pierce the air again, and just as suddenly, it was squelched. He squirmed out from under Tank and caught sight of Sting shoving Polo down an open grate in the floorboards, then disappearing down the hole after him. Crimmany was lunging forward, ready to attack.

He tried to block himself from Crimmany’s next move and failed. Not because of his own moves, but because Tweezer, one of the Dead Cats, appeared out of nowhere in a flying leap, colliding with Crimmany and knocking him to the floor.

Tank sprang to attack and Marco met him in a mid-air collision. All four animals were sprawled on the library floor, books scattered everywhere around them. But the impact broke the momentum of the battle as everybody disentangled themselves and jockeyed to an upright position.

The raccoons ambled off, shoving each other and complaining about who was to blame.

Raccoons have no dignity, Marco thought. Then he turned to Tweezer. “Thanks for covering my back.”