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Speaker 1: Hello friends, and welcome to sleep Tight Stories. If you

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Speaker 1: haven't already, be sure to subscribe to sleep Tight Stories

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Speaker 1: on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Also,

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Speaker 1: if you have a moment, please consider leaving a review.

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Speaker 1: Your review might help introduce others to our podcast.

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Speaker 2: Thank you.

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Speaker 1: Remember in our last episode, Tucker and his mom were

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Speaker 1: arguing as they headed home about letting Susan go. When

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Speaker 1: they got home, Tucker was locked in his room for

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Speaker 1: his own good. His mother said, Susan woke up in

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Speaker 1: her cell and heard two voices.

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Speaker 2: Talking, Julian and a rat. What could she do?

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Speaker 1: How could she get word to Tucker and Vinnie. In

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Speaker 1: these chapters, Tucker is trying to make his way to

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Speaker 1: where Susan is being kept, but runs into Harold and

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Speaker 1: his friends. Tucker is worried about what might happen until

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Speaker 1: he hears a familiar voice.

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Speaker 2: Vinnie is there and happy to help.

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Speaker 1: Vinnie and Tucker talk about what to do next when

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Speaker 1: someone else joins them. Susan hears a noise at her

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Speaker 1: door and decides to try and get a jump on

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Speaker 1: whoever is coming in. It turns out to be Vinnie

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Speaker 1: and Tucker, they are there to rescue her. She tells

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Speaker 1: them what she has heard, and they set off to

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Speaker 1: try and stop things from happening. Cat City, Chapter twelve

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Speaker 1: and thirteen. Tucker took the back alleys as he made

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Speaker 1: his way to Center Square. He knew exactly where the

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Speaker 1: council would have hidden Susan away. The labyrinth system below

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Speaker 1: the city was extensive and multi layered, but only so

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Speaker 1: many had cells big enough to hold her in. As

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Speaker 1: he ran, he just kept hoping he wasn't too late already.

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Speaker 1: Tucker came to a wide street which he had no

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Speaker 1: choice but to cross.

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Speaker 2: He paused only long enough to check.

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Speaker 1: If it was safe, and felt a heavy blow as

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Speaker 1: he was hit from behind, sending him rolling out into

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Speaker 1: the street. He got to his feet in time to

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Speaker 1: see he was surrounded. Harold and his crew had found him,

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Speaker 1: and from the look on Harold's ugly flat face, they

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Speaker 1: had no intentions of letting him just walk away from

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Speaker 1: their meeting. Tucker gathered himself as the four cats slunk

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Speaker 1: low to the ground, circling around him, hissing and whining,

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Speaker 1: claws clicking on the paving stones.

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Speaker 2: He was only.

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Speaker 1: Barely aware of the other cats on the street running

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Speaker 1: for cover, and he knew he wouldn't get any help

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Speaker 1: from any of them. Just me, I guess, Tucker thought,

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Speaker 1: And what have we here? Tucker looked up concentration broken,

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Speaker 1: shocked but suddenly hopeful. Vinnie stood watching, his huge tail

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Speaker 1: calmly wrapped around his paws. Wide, heavy head tilted slightly

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Speaker 1: to one side, big green gold eyes half litted. Stay

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Speaker 1: out of this, Harold snarled at Tucker's friend. It doesn't

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Speaker 1: concern you. Oh but it does, the huge cat said softly,

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Speaker 1: almost happily. You see, Tucker is my friend, and I

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Speaker 1: don't take kindly to you ganging up on him. Vinnie

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Speaker 1: got to his feet and stretched his huge.

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Speaker 2: Body figure with me, giving him a hand.

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Speaker 1: You have about a minute to run before I do

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Speaker 1: something I don't really want to. Harold wasn't backing down

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Speaker 1: this time. Come and make me, he snarled. Other guards hesitated,

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Speaker 1: but Harold snapped at them too.

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Speaker 2: He's big, not fast. Take him.

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Speaker 1: The boy is mine. Tucker had only that warning, and

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Speaker 1: Harold was on him. Tucker ducked and rolled under the

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Speaker 1: big guard, his claws, catching Harold on the soft skin

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Speaker 1: of his belly. Harold shrieked and spun, coughing Tucker hard

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Speaker 1: on the same side Julian hat. He shook his ringing

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Speaker 1: head to clear it and almost missed the second blow.

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Speaker 1: Harold aimed at him, seeing it coming just in time,

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Speaker 1: and then Harold was on him, faster than Tucker expected,

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Speaker 1: but not faster than Tucker. What followed he could barely

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Speaker 1: remember through a cloud of flying fur, howling, and sharp claws.

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Speaker 1: Before he knew it, he was standing over a panting Harold,

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Speaker 1: who was now rolled over on his back. Ears flat.

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Speaker 1: Tinker looked up to see Vinnie watching. Done yet his

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Speaker 1: huge friend asked, I think so, Tucker said you. Oh,

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Speaker 1: they ran off ages ago. Vinny licked at one paw.

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Speaker 1: I've been waiting for you. Tucker actually laughed. Harold tried

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Speaker 1: to slink away, but Vinnie stopped him. Tucker didn't say

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Speaker 1: he was done with you yet, Vinnie said quietly. Harold

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Speaker 1: glanced back over his shoulder, tail on the ground. Tucker

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Speaker 1: shrugged his shoulders. AH, let him go, vin Tucker said,

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Speaker 1: as casually as he could, I can always find him again. Later,

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Speaker 1: Harold ran off with a howl of fear. Tucker and

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Speaker 1: Vinnie met in a head butt. Thanks for the help,

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Speaker 1: Tucker said, any time. Vinnie winked, although I am fairly

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Speaker 1: certain that you, my friend, would have been just fine

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Speaker 1: if I had not been following you all along. Why

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Speaker 1: didn't you say something? Tucker asked. Figured I'd wait until

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Speaker 1: you needed me, Vinnie said, laughter in his voice. I

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Speaker 1: need to get to Susan, Tucker said, and I need

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Speaker 1: to talk to both of you, Kai said, stepping out

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Speaker 1: of the alley Tucker had just left. Tucker was surprised.

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Speaker 2: To see him.

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Speaker 1: Why should I listen to anything you have to say.

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Speaker 1: Tucker was still angry and bitter about the betrayal in

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Speaker 1: the Center Square. Kai lied made Tucker look like he

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Speaker 1: was trying to deceive the council. Tucker, please leave me,

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Speaker 1: Kai said, I was trying to protect you and the girl,

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Speaker 1: but you wouldn't let me.

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Speaker 2: Some protection.

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Speaker 1: Finny said, you gave him over called him a liar,

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Speaker 1: knowing I was right, Tucker finished, Why Kai's whiskers drooped.

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Speaker 1: I know I should have spoken up for you. I'm sorry,

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Speaker 1: but the city was in danger and the council wouldn't

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Speaker 1: listen no matter who told them that the rats were coming, Tucker.

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Speaker 1: They wouldn't have believed me either. You could have tried,

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Speaker 1: Tucker was softening. He knew Kai always had his own

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Speaker 1: best interest at heart, and even though Tucker had been mad,

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Speaker 1: he knew Kai must have had a good reason. Will

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Speaker 1: you help me now, Tucker asked, I have to save Susan.

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Speaker 1: Kai hesitated, then nodded. I can't help you directly, he said,

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Speaker 1: but I may be able to help you get her

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Speaker 1: out of the city once you free her. But the gate,

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Speaker 1: Tucker said, they won't let us through. There is more

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Speaker 1: than one way into and out of this city than

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Speaker 1: the gate. Kai said, it's about time you knew that.

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Speaker 1: Now go the councilor turned and headed off, and bring

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Speaker 1: her to me when you get her free. Tucker turned

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Speaker 1: to Vinnie. Thank you, he said, I have to do

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Speaker 1: this alone, says who Vinnie asked, besides, you know I'll

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Speaker 1: just follow you anyway, right, Tucker sighed, Oh, I don't

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Speaker 1: want to get you into any more trouble, Vinny, I

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Speaker 1: make my own trouble, Vinnie told him, whacking Tucker with

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Speaker 1: his huge tail. What kind of best friend would I

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Speaker 1: be if I let you go off on adventure and

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Speaker 1: danger all by yourself?

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Speaker 2: Are you sure.

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Speaker 1: Tucker's whiskers drooped as he thought of Vinnie getting hurt.

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Speaker 1: This is dangerous. If they catch me, the council will

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Speaker 1: probably lock me up too. Then we can tell each

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Speaker 1: other stories through the bars of ourselves, Vinnie said, cheerfully. Listen, Tucker,

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Speaker 1: You're the best friend I've ever had. I know I'm

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Speaker 1: not the brightest cat in the city, and that a

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Speaker 1: lot of people think I'm big and slow because of

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Speaker 1: my size. I don't, Tucker said, I know, Vinnie said, softly,

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Speaker 1: butting his big head against Tucker again. You never judged

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Speaker 1: me ever, and you've been there for me a bunch

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Speaker 1: of times. Let me be there for you. Tucker cuffed

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Speaker 1: his friend's shoulder with one paw. Think you can cat

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Speaker 1: keep up, Tucker said, heart lighter than it had been

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Speaker 1: in weeks. Just try me, Finny said, Let's go, then,

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Speaker 1: Tucker said, turning to bound.

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Speaker 2: Off, we have a rescue to do.

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Speaker 1: Susan waited until the door started to creak open to move.

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Speaker 1: She dove at the widening hole, deciding to take her

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Speaker 1: chances escaping rather than waiting for the rats to take

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Speaker 1: her away. She tripped and fell, falling on a large

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Speaker 1: furry body that grunted in surprise and pain. Hey, a

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Speaker 1: deep voice said ow. Susan rolled over, staring at the

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Speaker 1: huge cat she mistook for a rat Finny. She reached

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Speaker 1: out and hugged him hard, Susan.

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Speaker 2: He hugged her back, furry arms going around her neck.

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Speaker 2: You're okay, Tucker.

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Speaker 1: She looked up, and Tucker was there. She let go

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Speaker 1: of Vinnie in time to catch her friend as he

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Speaker 1: threw himself into her arms, purring and purring. Susan buried

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Speaker 1: her face in his shoulder and breathed in. She loved

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Speaker 1: the familiar smell of his fur, the softness of it,

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Speaker 1: the warmth of his cat body, and the heaviness of

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Speaker 1: his purr. Tucker, she whispered, you came for me always,

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Speaker 1: he whispered back. Despite her circumstances, she felt a whole

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Speaker 1: lot better until reality hit her.

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Speaker 2: Tucker the rats.

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Speaker 1: Susan's heart pounded in panic. I know they're coming. Tucker

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Speaker 1: was glum. But now that we know, maybe we can

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Speaker 1: stop them. No, no, you don't understand, Susan shook her head,

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Speaker 1: getting to her feet.

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Speaker 2: Julian is working.

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Speaker 1: With them somehow. He is going to open the gate.

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Speaker 1: We have less than an hour. What Both cats stared

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Speaker 1: up at her. What did you say, Tucker asked, eyes huge.

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Speaker 1: I overheard him talking to them, she said, through a

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Speaker 1: crack in the floor here she showed them the hole

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Speaker 1: while she told them the story. Both cats were silent

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Speaker 1: and still the entire time, so still she was afraid again.

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Speaker 1: I think they are planning to betray him, Susan said,

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Speaker 1: But he doesn't know that they planned to take the city,

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Speaker 1: and it's happening right now. We have to warn the others.

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Speaker 1: Vinnie's usual jovial nature was gone entirely. He was suddenly

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Speaker 1: kind of scary, tense, and angry. I have to get

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Speaker 1: Susan too, safety, Tucker said. The friends stared at each

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Speaker 1: other before they both nodded. I'll go set off the alarm,

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Speaker 1: Vinny said, you get Susan to Kai and get her

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Speaker 1: out of here, Sue. Finnie offered her a quick lick

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Speaker 1: on the back of her hand. It's been a pleasure

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Speaker 1: you too, Vinny, she.

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Speaker 2: Felt tears well.

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Speaker 1: She knew she wouldn't see the big cat again if

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Speaker 1: Tucker's plan worked out. Tucker, when this is done, maybe

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Speaker 1: you can take me for a visit. Finny flipped his

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Speaker 1: tail at them and was gone. We have to go,

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Speaker 1: Tucker said, follow me, and whatever you do, stay as

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Speaker 1: quiet as you can. Susan nodded, wiping the tears away

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Speaker 1: with the back of her hand. She hadn't cried this

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Speaker 1: much since she was little. He led her back the

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Speaker 1: way she came. They were almost to the stairs when

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Speaker 1: Tucker took a detour. I can't take you through the

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Speaker 1: main part of the city, he whispered to her, too

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Speaker 1: many cats around, but the labyrinth is usually quieter. Just

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Speaker 1: stay close. Susan nodded and stayed on his tail. She

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Speaker 1: slipped a few times, her rubber boots, losing traction on

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Speaker 1: the damp stone floor trying to keep up with the

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Speaker 1: running cat, but somehow she managed, and luck it so happened,

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Speaker 1: stayed with them, with the exception of one tense moment

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Speaker 1: when Tucker froze and hissed quiet to her as a

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Speaker 1: couple of cats passed by an intersection in front of them,

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Speaker 1: Oblivious they saw no one else at all. Tucker paused

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Speaker 1: at the top of a set of stairs and scratched

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Speaker 1: at the door at the top. It opened immediately, and

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Speaker 1: Susan followed. Tucker from the cold and damp into the warm,

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Speaker 1: well lit library, overflowing with more books than Susan had

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Speaker 1: ever seen. But what really got her attention was the

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Speaker 1: fact that the whole room smelled really, really good. Susan's

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Speaker 1: stomach growled loudly as the door swung shut behind her.

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Speaker 1: Counselor Kai, who was obviously waiting for them, laughed hungry.

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Speaker 1: He stepped aside from the table, and Susan's mouth began

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Speaker 1: to water. It was covered in food. Yes, please, she said,

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Speaker 1: you'll need your strength, He said, eat. Susan sat down

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Speaker 1: on the floor by the low table and started stuffing

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Speaker 1: food into her mouth. It had been two days since

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Speaker 1: she'd had much to eat, aside from the half a

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Speaker 1: tuna sandwich Tucker shared with her the day before, so

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Speaker 1: she ate while she listened to Tucker talked to Kai.

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Speaker 1: I'm happy to see you found her. Kai said, I

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Speaker 1: have more important news. Tucker interrupted, you need to hear it.

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Speaker 2: Please.

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Speaker 1: Susan watched as Kai's large ears perked forward.

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Speaker 2: What is it.

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Speaker 1: The rats are coming? Tucker said, yes, Tucker, Kai said,

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Speaker 1: we already know that. No, Tucker said, that's just it.

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Speaker 2: You don't know.

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Speaker 1: Calm down, tucker Eye's voice was smooth, soothing. We're preparing

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Speaker 1: as we speak. We'll be ready. No, we won't, Tucker

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Speaker 1: told him. The rats are coming right now. Susan saw

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Speaker 1: Kai Freeze, saw the tale twitch, and in that heartbeat

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Speaker 1: a part of her tents. She wasn't sure why, but

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Speaker 1: her hunger was forgotten. Tell me, Kai said, I heard them.

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Speaker 1: Susan interrupted before Tucker could speak, talking through the wall

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Speaker 1: of my cell. Tucker looked up at her, but Susan

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Speaker 1: forged ahead, hoping he would stay quiet. Talking to Julian

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Speaker 1: about attacking the city, he said he would be at

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Speaker 1: the gate in an hour and that they had better

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Speaker 1: be ready. That was almost a half hour ago, Tucker said,

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Speaker 1: giving Susan a strange look.

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Speaker 2: Surely not.

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Speaker 1: Ki sounded horrified, but Susan couldn't help but notice the

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Speaker 1: irritated twitch to his tail. Julian a traitor, you're certain, Susan.

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Speaker 1: Susan nodded quickly. I saw him through the crack in

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Speaker 1: the floor. She said. We must act quickly. Then, Kai said,

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Speaker 1: springing to his feet, Let's get Susan to safety now,

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Speaker 1: then go to the gate together. Thank you, Tucker said,

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Speaker 1: sounding relieved. Have you told anyone else. Kai had turned

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Speaker 1: away from Tucker, but Susan caught the flattening of his ears,

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Speaker 1: the further twitch of his tail, and her whole being

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Speaker 1: wanted to shout a warning. Something was very, very wrong. No,

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Speaker 1: Susan answered quickly, before Tucker could. Just Tucker and Vinnie,

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Speaker 1: Kai turned back, golden.

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Speaker 2: Eyes fixed on her. Where is he?

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Speaker 1: Susan had never been a great liar. She tried to

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Speaker 1: get away with stuff on mom sometimes, but it never worked,

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Speaker 1: probably because she never put her heart into it. This time, however,

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Speaker 1: she poured everything she had into that one lie and

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Speaker 1: prayed it was enough. Vinnie wasn't with us. Susan said,

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Speaker 1: where is he?

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Speaker 2: Tucker?

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Speaker 1: She stared into her friend's eyes and willed him to cooperate.

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Speaker 1: Tucker didn't hesitate. I made him leave. Tucker said it

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Speaker 1: was too dangerous for him to risk himself too. I

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Speaker 1: rescued Susan alone. Kai nodded, and she breathed an inward

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Speaker 1: sigh of relief as the tale twitch vanished just as well.

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Speaker 1: Kai said, you were right to leave him out of this, Tucker.

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Speaker 1: Now let's go. Susan didn't want to follow the councilor

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Speaker 1: back down the stairs, but she couldn't come up with

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Speaker 1: a good reason why she shouldn't. Reluctant, she followed Tucker

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Speaker 1: down the steps, dragging her feet, wishing there was a

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Speaker 1: way she could escape. He paused a moment to let

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Speaker 1: her catch up. Why Why did I just lie to

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Speaker 1: one of the only cats I trust? He breathed, his

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Speaker 1: question for her ears. Only something isn't right, she whispered back,

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Speaker 1: I don't know what.

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Speaker 2: Be careful.

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Speaker 1: Tucker stared at her. Hurry, Kai called to them, we

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Speaker 1: don't have much time. Tucker turned and followed, Susan, now

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Speaker 1: close behind. Kai led them a short distance, then stopped

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Speaker 1: at a section of wall. He turned to Tucker, watch,

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Speaker 1: Kai said, and raised one paw. A pink glow lit

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Speaker 1: up the wall with strange symbols. Susan gasped. Then the

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Speaker 1: section separated from the wall with a soft grinding sound,

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Speaker 1: sliding back to reveal another tunnel. How many of these

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Speaker 1: are there, asked Tucker. Only this one, Kai, I said,

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Speaker 1: Guarded by human magic, only certain of us can access.

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Speaker 1: You have that magic, Tucker hidden within you? I do.

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Speaker 2: Tucker seemed shocked.

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Speaker 1: How a long story, Kai told him, I will explain later. First,

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Speaker 1: we need to get Susan too safety. Tucker nodded, lost

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Speaker 1: in thought. Susan looked through the hole into the dark

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Speaker 1: passage and wanted to run. Instead, she forced herself to

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Speaker 1: follow her friend into the corridor and tried not to

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Speaker 1: scream as she heard the panel behind her grind shut.

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Speaker 1: The tunnel was very dark, and she stumbled almost immediately.

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Speaker 1: She felt Tucker's tail hid her face as she fell

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Speaker 1: to her knees. There was a spark of light and

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Speaker 1: a pink glow hovered over Kai. My apollo geez. He murmured,

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Speaker 1: I had forgotten. Human eyes are not as sharp as ours.

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Speaker 2: Come.

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Speaker 1: He turned away and headed up the corridor. Susan pulled

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Speaker 1: herself to her feet and brushed herself off. Are you okay,

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Speaker 1: Tucker asked, I'm scared, She said, I'm here, He assured her,

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Speaker 1: then turned and started after Kai. That's not what I'm

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Speaker 1: scared of, she thought. Susan took another step and realized

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Speaker 1: instantly why she had stumbled. The corridor was slanted upwards

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Speaker 1: rather steeply, and she understood it must in fact go

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Speaker 1: to the surface. Her fears about Kai and not trusting him,

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Speaker 1: faded somewhat surely if he wanted to hurt her, he

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Speaker 1: wouldn't be taking her home. Feeling somewhat better, she followed carefully.

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Speaker 1: It wasn't long before her legs started to burn from

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Speaker 1: the climb. How deep are we? She asked Tucker, deep,

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Speaker 1: he said, but it won't be long now. She nodded

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Speaker 1: to him, tired and sore and wanting to go home

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Speaker 1: very badly. And then the light went out. Susan squealed

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Speaker 1: in surprise, almost stepping on Tucker. Suddenly blind in the

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Speaker 1: dark tunnel, she heard a scuffling sound and a low grunt,

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Speaker 1: then silence.

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Speaker 2: Tucker.

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Speaker 1: She reached out for him, but he wasn't there. She

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Speaker 1: stumbled forward, hands out, feeling for.

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Speaker 2: Fur, Tucker, where are you? Kai? Hullo?

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Speaker 1: Susan felt her fear rise as she felt around. Her

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Speaker 1: hand met a soft, furry body. Finally, and she led

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Speaker 1: out a shaky sigh of relief.

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Speaker 2: Kai what happened?

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Speaker 1: Her hand traveled down his back to his tail, and

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Speaker 1: Susan screamed, this time for real, as her fingers met

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Speaker 1: not warm for but a smooth, hard whip of a tail.

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Speaker 1: Susan was suddenly surrounded by hundreds of red eyes, staring

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Speaker 1: right at her good night, sleep tight,