1 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:14,319 Speaker 1: Hello friends, and welcome to sleep Tight Stories. We have 2 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 1: a special story to share with you today. Over the 3 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:22,079 Speaker 1: next few weeks, we are going to share excerpts from 4 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: The Rat King by Patti Larson. The Rat King is 5 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 1: an exciting continuation of the Cat City story, an adventure 6 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:36,600 Speaker 1: we produced previously on sleep Tight Stories. Many of you 7 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: have asked if we would be producing more now that 8 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: the adventures of Susan and Tucker are continuing. In Cat City, 9 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:51,200 Speaker 1: we were introduced to a world where cats and humans coexist, 10 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 1: and our main character, Susan embarks on thrilling adventures with 11 00:00:56,680 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: her cat friends. In the The story picks up where 12 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: Cat City left off, with Susan showing signs of magic 13 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 1: outside the city and the rats plotting more conflict. The 14 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 1: Rat King is a story best listened to by older kids, 15 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:21,319 Speaker 1: but don't worry, we have edited out the older kids 16 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 1: stuff for sleep Tight Stories. This story is so much 17 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 1: fun that we have given it its own podcast. So 18 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 1: if you love Cat City and want to listen, talk 19 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 1: to your parents and follow The Rat King on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 20 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:58,080 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to podcasts. Thank you. Susan is 21 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 1: having trouble sleeping and often has bad dreams. She can't 22 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: tell her parents about it because they would worry more 23 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 1: than now. Susan has reached out to Tucker at the 24 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:15,919 Speaker 1: Butterscotch Tabby, but she hasn't had any news about where 25 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: he is or when he might be coming. When she 26 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 1: hears a noise in the hall, she closes her eyes 27 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 1: and hopes for the best. The rat King chapter two, 28 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: She couldn't help the faint squeak that escaped, and gasping, 29 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 1: Susan sat up again, staring into the mostly dark of 30 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 1: her room with a low cry of relief, however, and 31 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: tears now wetting her cheeks for the right reasons, she 32 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:55,359 Speaker 1: wrapped her arms around the big Butterscotch Tabby cat, who 33 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 1: joined her and now headbutted her. Before breaking into his 34 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 1: lap and comforting per talker. She breathed that name into 35 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 1: his fur. Where have you been? She knew he couldn't 36 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: tell her explain, but it didn't matter now. She was 37 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 1: just relieved he was back, even if she couldn't understand 38 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 1: him outside the city. His returned embrace was answer enough. 39 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: I'm having bad dreams, he tensed, luffy tail thrashing as 40 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: his whiskers drooped and his ears flattened sideways. She knew 41 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 1: immediately she had hurt his feelings. That guilt made him 42 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 1: sag like that She could almost hear him speaking in 43 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 1: her head. I'm so sorry, Susan. What are they about? 44 00:03:57,080 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 1: Can I do anything to help? She didn't need for 45 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:05,840 Speaker 1: him to talk to know he was worried. It's all right, 46 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 1: she said, because now that he was there, it was 47 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: They're just dreams. She even believed it. With him at 48 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:19,479 Speaker 1: her side. He licked her cheek and the tears that 49 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:25,040 Speaker 1: escaped as she snuggled him close. One paw stroked at 50 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:28,720 Speaker 1: her jaw as though apologizing for not being there for 51 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:34,040 Speaker 1: her when she woke. His bright green eyes, shadowed in 52 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 1: the night light's glow, were definitely worried and very protective 53 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 1: and made her feel safe. Tucker would never let anything 54 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:48,839 Speaker 1: bad happen to her. Of course, he was okay, it 55 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 1: had only been a week he'd been away. She overreacted. Besides, 56 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:58,719 Speaker 1: they were just stupid dreams and she really needed to 57 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:03,920 Speaker 1: stop being a baby about it. She released him from 58 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 1: her tight grip, stroking his thick, soft fur all the 59 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:12,239 Speaker 1: way down to the tip of his long and bushy tail. 60 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:18,679 Speaker 1: Tucker stared up at her, standing with his front paws 61 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:22,919 Speaker 1: on her shoulders, head butting her again while his purr 62 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:28,480 Speaker 1: made her bones rattle, And then he sat down and waited, 63 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:33,039 Speaker 1: ears perked as though to say, all right, then, I'm here. 64 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 1: Now tell me everything and don't leave a single thing out, 65 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:43,479 Speaker 1: which she did, of course, Explaining to Mom and Dad 66 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:48,360 Speaker 1: about the nightmares only worried them. Tucker, on the other hand, 67 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:53,679 Speaker 1: understood far more than anyone else ever could have, even 68 00:05:53,760 --> 00:06:01,600 Speaker 1: the other cats. It was because of that she was safe, 69 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:06,839 Speaker 1: and that Cat's city still stood protected and guarded from 70 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:10,360 Speaker 1: the enemy that waited on the other side of its walls. 71 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 1: And though he had lost a life in the battle, 72 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:18,720 Speaker 1: he was the same loving and lovable cat she adored 73 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 1: from the instant they'd met, even when she thought he 74 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:28,040 Speaker 1: was just an ordinary tabby. Talking to Tucker made her 75 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:31,520 Speaker 1: feel better, even if she was concerned that he might 76 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 1: feel even more guilty leaving her all weak. He didn't 77 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:40,719 Speaker 1: show it, kneading his soft paws on her as his 78 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 1: pur never faltered, listening carefully to every word she said. 79 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:51,640 Speaker 1: Susan yawned at last, drifting off when she finished, giggling 80 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 1: a little as his whiskers tickled her cheeks when he 81 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: stuck his wet nose in her ear and rested his 82 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 1: chin on her pillow. Everything's all right now, she whispered 83 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 1: to him. Thanks, Tucker, I wish you could tell me 84 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:13,520 Speaker 1: where you've been. Maybe one day. She yawned again and 85 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 1: closed her eyes, curling up once more. The giant tabby 86 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:22,760 Speaker 1: tucked against her, with his front paws still rising and 87 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 1: falling in a steady rhythm against her shoulder. Per Never 88 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: wavering on the edge of sleep, Susan smiled at the 89 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:39,239 Speaker 1: cat she adored. Love you, she whispered, I'm so glad 90 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 1: you're here. Then, safe and secure with her best friend 91 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: beside her, she finally gave in to sleepiness and tipped 92 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 1: over into rest. Tucker waited impatiently for Susan to return 93 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 1: to slumber, twitching but unwilling to show any kind of 94 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 1: guilt he felt while she was awake to see it. 95 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 1: He would never want her to know just how horrible 96 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: he felt leaving her for so long. He'd wanted to 97 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: come back all this week. Knew she had to be 98 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:24,320 Speaker 1: worried about him, but his duties as a gatekeeper had 99 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 1: kept him in the city. No he thought, angry as 100 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 1: he looked down at his sleeping friend, frustration burning in 101 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:39,199 Speaker 1: his chest. Not true, Tucker, don't lie to yourself about 102 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:46,199 Speaker 1: what's really going on. If Susan knew that the cats 103 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 1: had spent a single day talking about what happened, planning 104 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:55,680 Speaker 1: their defense, actively promising to be more careful in the future, 105 00:08:56,400 --> 00:09:00,520 Speaker 1: she might have been happy, except then Tucker would have 106 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,840 Speaker 1: to have told her. He watched them all go right 107 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 1: back to the way things had been, as if the 108 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:12,479 Speaker 1: rat attack had never happened. He huffed softly to himself, 109 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 1: shaking his head, his eyes narrowing as he did his 110 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:21,680 Speaker 1: best not to wake her. He'd woken up the following 111 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 1: morning to join the council and Vinnie, his best friend 112 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:30,680 Speaker 1: and well deserved new Guard captain, in continuing their planning, 113 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 1: only to discover Albert, the big red Scottish Fold leader, 114 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:42,200 Speaker 1: had canceled the meeting. The rats are gone, Albert had said, 115 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 1: while Tucker gaped at him in shock, the rest of 116 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:51,559 Speaker 1: the council not meeting Tucker's eyes, not even his own mother. 117 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 1: We're safe in the city. It's time to put all 118 00:09:56,280 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 1: of this behind us, behind us. Tucker had lost his 119 00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 1: temper he wasn't proud of it. His tail thrashed once 120 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:11,160 Speaker 1: on Susan's comforter as he thought about what had happened, 121 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 1: still angry. Though it had been almost a week now, 122 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:20,720 Speaker 1: the rats are still out there. They won't stop trying 123 00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 1: to take cat City. We have to be ready. This 124 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:29,560 Speaker 1: city has protected itself for centuries, Albert had said, cutting 125 00:10:29,679 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 1: Tucker off, and we will continue to do so now. Tucker, 126 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:39,000 Speaker 1: son of Cynthia, it's time for you to return to 127 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 1: your duties and leave this to us. He'd been forced 128 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:47,680 Speaker 1: to exit the council building in Center Square. He'd done so, 129 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:53,240 Speaker 1: finny on his heels, shocked that even his friend seemed unconcerned. 130 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:58,120 Speaker 1: I know you're worried, the giant Maine coon had said, 131 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:04,800 Speaker 1: I won't let anything happen. Then Tucker hadn't responded, running off, 132 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:10,040 Speaker 1: His plan to return to the surface had been cut short. However, 133 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:15,079 Speaker 1: at the gate itself, you have duties here, Captain Monster, 134 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:19,680 Speaker 1: had said, the burly silver tabby blocking Tucker's exit to 135 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:24,920 Speaker 1: go back above to Susan, and then assigned him the 136 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 1: dirtiest hardest jobs he could ever have taken on. From 137 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 1: cleaning out the basement of the gate tower, to lugging stones, 138 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:38,320 Speaker 1: to repair a decorative wall, to weeding out a garden patch, 139 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 1: all done alone, and all jobs beneath a gatekeeper, in 140 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:50,360 Speaker 1: Tucker's estimation, never mind trying to gain his mother's help either. 141 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:54,960 Speaker 1: Now that Cynthia was on the council, the white Persian 142 00:11:55,160 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 1: was even more dismissive than ever and refused to hear 143 00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 1: him out. Do your job, she snapped at him at last, 144 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 1: Or accept reassignment. The choice is yours. Tucker had done 145 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:15,560 Speaker 1: as he was told, moping and irritated, keeping to himself, 146 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 1: or that whole long and awful six days he'd laid low, 147 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:27,720 Speaker 1: staying out of everyone's way, biding his time. They were 148 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:31,960 Speaker 1: keeping him from Susan on purpose. He was positive about that, 149 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:37,960 Speaker 1: but why it didn't matter. It only made him sullen 150 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:41,679 Speaker 1: and bitter, and even his father couldn't snap him out 151 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:44,600 Speaker 1: of it with an offer of a fresh tuna sandwich 152 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:50,200 Speaker 1: for dinner. But rather than help him, as always, George 153 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:53,720 Speaker 1: just ducked his head and left Tucker alone to deal 154 00:12:53,760 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 1: with it by himself. The instant monster was distracted, lulled 155 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 1: by Tucker's obedience, he made his escape with all of 156 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 1: his tasks completed, the gate commander wandered off to deal 157 00:13:10,679 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 1: with something. Tucker had marched up to the magical main 158 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:20,280 Speaker 1: gate and, without a word to anyone, walked through his 159 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:25,040 Speaker 1: blue magic, triggering it to open. He'd run all the 160 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 1: way here in the darkness, slipping through the small broken 161 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 1: window in the back of the house and down to 162 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:36,920 Speaker 1: the basement, before dashing upstairs, pushing his way through the 163 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:40,360 Speaker 1: closed door with the broken lock that mom and ed 164 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:45,960 Speaker 1: thankfully hadn't fixed yet, not stopping until he reached Susan's room. 165 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: It felt like he hadn't seen her in forever, though 166 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:56,000 Speaker 1: the moment her arms wound around him, relief and calm returned. 167 00:13:57,240 --> 00:14:01,880 Speaker 1: That was until she told him about her nightmares. He 168 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 1: could have been here helping her. The bad dreams were 169 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:11,240 Speaker 1: their fault, the cats, not hers. She shouldn't have had 170 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:14,599 Speaker 1: to deal with them alone, and it sounded like the 171 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: nightmares weren't getting better either with time. If anything, from 172 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 1: what she'd explained, they were getting stronger, clearer, with more 173 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 1: details ated every night. He couldn't help but shiver and 174 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:35,359 Speaker 1: regret he'd ever let her be alone, and swore to himself, 175 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:42,800 Speaker 1: no matter what happened, he never would again. Susan was 176 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:47,480 Speaker 1: dreaming of the rats, more so the rat King. It 177 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 1: had to be his voice. She heard the attack she'd 178 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 1: been through a week ago, The bite that allowed her 179 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:57,560 Speaker 1: to hear the cats and their enemies left a deeper 180 00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:01,760 Speaker 1: mark on her than they'd known. He understood that the 181 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:07,520 Speaker 1: human magic she carried was awake, if only underground, but 182 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 1: could it be affecting her above too? Nightmares were one thing, 183 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 1: troubling enough, but understandable. Yes, Still, what if they were 184 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 1: more than just bad dreams? No one would listen to him, though, 185 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:27,560 Speaker 1: would they? He was sure of that? Or was he? 186 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:33,080 Speaker 1: Maybe this was the warning they needed to bring them 187 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:37,720 Speaker 1: out of whatever denial they were in right now. Sure, 188 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:42,200 Speaker 1: maybe he was overreacting because he felt guilty. But if 189 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 1: Susan was still connected to the rats, the king himself, 190 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:51,280 Speaker 1: and was somehow overhearing plans he was making against Cat City, 191 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:57,560 Speaker 1: Tucker didn't want to leave her. He'd already promised himself 192 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 1: he wouldn't. After all, I've been considered waking her and 193 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:06,080 Speaker 1: making her come with him, But seeing her sleeping peacefully, 194 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 1: knowing she'd been so troubled, he couldn't bring himself to 195 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:14,480 Speaker 1: rouse her. He had to try for her sake, for 196 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:18,480 Speaker 1: the city. With his heart beating its own fast pace 197 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:22,720 Speaker 1: that Susan would have recognized from her nightmare experience, he 198 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 1: crept out of her room and downstairs to the basement, again, 199 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 1: out the window, and across the lawn to the woods 200 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 1: and the oak in the grove. His magic tapped into 201 00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 1: the gate and it welcomed him immediately, blue glow lighting 202 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:46,480 Speaker 1: his fur as he scampered through, determined yet again to 203 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:51,400 Speaker 1: make the council listen. Why did this feel like he 204 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:55,640 Speaker 1: was repeating the same thing all over again, just like 205 00:16:55,800 --> 00:17:00,120 Speaker 1: last time? What would it take to convince them that 206 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:08,239 Speaker 1: the rats weren't done with Cat City? And that is 207 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:13,360 Speaker 1: the end of this chapter. Good Night, sleep tight.