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Speaker 1: Hello friends, and welcome to sleep Tight Stories. I'd like

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Speaker 1: to say hello to some friends. Hello to Maya, Isabelle,

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Speaker 1: and Olivia. Hello to Carson and Travis on Mercer Island, Washington.

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Speaker 1: And Hello to Asha Rose. Thank you so much for

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Speaker 1: supporting us. In chapter two, Susan woke up to find

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Speaker 1: herself in Kitty's house. She finds out Kitty likes to

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Speaker 1: be called Tucker and meets his mom and dad, who

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Speaker 1: are not very happy Susan is in Cat City. They

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Speaker 1: have told the council of her arrival and now they

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Speaker 1: are waiting to see what they will decide to do.

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Speaker 1: Tucker has broken some rules by bringing Susan to Cat City,

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Speaker 1: but he felt he had no choice. Chapter three, Tucker

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Speaker 1: tried very hard not to yell at his mother, but

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Speaker 1: the older he got, the more he decided how absolutely

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Speaker 1: backward she was. He always looked up to and admired

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Speaker 1: his father and tried to be just like him even then,

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Speaker 1: especially then, while he listened to Cynthia ran about Susan.

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Speaker 1: Silly girl has no idea, no idea what she has done.

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Speaker 1: Cynthia paced back and forth across the Homy kitchen, from

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Speaker 1: one counter to the other. Her tail, narrowly missing several

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Speaker 1: loose items along the way. Tucker made a lunge for

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Speaker 1: a small bowl as it finally fell, and barely caught

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Speaker 1: it in time, rolling over onto his back and cushioning

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Speaker 1: it with his paws. Honestly, Tucker, Cynthia said, as she

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Speaker 1: turned to see him, How can you even think of

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Speaker 1: playing at a time like this. Tucker let the bowl

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Speaker 1: hit the floor and was sure he would have said

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Speaker 1: something horrible he would really regret later when his father

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Speaker 1: cut in, There's no use in crying over spilled milk, Cynthia,

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Speaker 1: the big tabby said, she's here and hurt, and, according

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Speaker 1: to Tucker, was attacked. It's not like the boy brought

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Speaker 1: her here on purpose, right, Tucker? Maybe if you would

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Speaker 1: just listen, mom, Tucker said, grateful and a little surprised

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Speaker 1: his father stood up for him. I told you Susan's

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Speaker 1: fall wasn't an accident. You saw the bite marks. He

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Speaker 1: looked back and forth between his parents. You know what

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Speaker 1: made them? How else can she understand us? I'm not

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Speaker 1: having this foolish conversation with you, Tucker, Cynthia said, you

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Speaker 1: and your excuses. The girl fell following you and you

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Speaker 1: feel guilty. You somehow contaminated her yourself, and you are

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Speaker 1: trying to now cover it up. End of discussion. Mom

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Speaker 1: Tucker said, I'm not that stupid. Susan was in danger,

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Speaker 1: and if she was in danger, so are we. A

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Speaker 1: soft knock on the kitchen door put an end to

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Speaker 1: the argument. Cynthia gave Tucker a glare as she went

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Speaker 1: to answer it. Tucker rolled his eyes at George, who

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Speaker 1: flicked an ear back. Cynthia opened the door. A lean

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Speaker 1: bronze cat stood waiting Kai. Cynthia's mood changed instantly. Welcome,

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Speaker 1: please come in a long, slim Abyesian nodded to Cynthia

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Speaker 1: as he entered. Thank you, my dear, he said, George, Hello, Tucker.

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Speaker 1: Tucker always admired counselor Kai. The quiet cat took Tucker's

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Speaker 1: side on many occasions, even supporting him in his quest

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Speaker 1: to be assigned above. Tucker was sure Kai also just

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Speaker 1: saved him from any further wrath from Cynthia, which made

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Speaker 1: him even more grateful. You've heard the news, I take it,

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Speaker 1: Cynthia said. Kai's whiskers twitched in a small smile as

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Speaker 1: he answered. His pale green gold eyes never leaving Tucker's

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Speaker 1: That's why I'm here, Kai said in his light, soft voice.

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Speaker 1: Tucker tried not to WinCE. Surely Kai would understand. What

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Speaker 1: is the council planning to do. Cynthia's snub nose was

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Speaker 1: bright and shiny from stress, her round green eyes bulging

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Speaker 1: even more than normal. Yet to be decided, Kai said,

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Speaker 1: but whatever we decide, I promise I will make sure

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Speaker 1: Tucker is kept out of it. For the first time,

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Speaker 1: Tucker wished Kai wasn't so protective of him. Yes, he

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Speaker 1: was an old family friend. Yes, he sponsored Tucker to

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Speaker 1: become a gatekeeper, a protector of the Sacred Grove, despite

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Speaker 1: the fact that only his mother was pure bred. And yes,

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Speaker 1: Kai was always good to Tucker, despite the controversy his

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Speaker 1: parents caused when his common tabby father married his pure

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Speaker 1: Persian mother. But Tucker was grown up now and able

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Speaker 1: to take care of himself. Besides, Tucker thought, I did

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Speaker 1: do the right thing, and I'm taking responsibility for it

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Speaker 1: no matter what. We need to be sure. Kai said,

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Speaker 1: as though hearing Tucker's thoughts and offering a warning that

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Speaker 1: this decision to bring the girl here won't affect Tucker's

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Speaker 1: standing as a gatekeeper. Tucker felt a stab of anxiety.

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Speaker 1: He hadn't considered that, in the heat of the moment,

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Speaker 1: he worked so hard to become a gate keeper, a

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Speaker 1: guardian of the Great Gate, protecting his city from the

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Speaker 1: outside world. He hadn't for a second thought his position

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Speaker 1: might be taken from him. But knowing how hesitant the

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Speaker 1: council was in the first place to take him on,

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Speaker 1: he now realized how fragile his position was. What's done

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Speaker 1: is done, Tucker thought, all will be well. Kai said,

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Speaker 1: I will see to it. I still have a strong

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Speaker 1: voice in the council. I hear a butt in there, Kai,

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Speaker 1: George said, so did Tucker. I don't know if I

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Speaker 1: will be able to protect the girl, Kai said, and

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Speaker 1: for the first time, Tucker noticed the droop of his

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Speaker 1: whiskers and the soft sheen of dust on his usually

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Speaker 1: spotless paws. Tucker tried not to feel bad, knowing despite

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Speaker 1: Kay's normal calm, the older cat was worried and it

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Speaker 1: was all Tucker's fault and the rats. Tucker thought, I

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Speaker 1: have to talk to Kai privately. No one else will

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Speaker 1: believe me that the rats are back. The very thought

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Speaker 1: made Tucker shudder. The girl's presence here makes things complicated,

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Speaker 1: Kai said, and sighed, Oh, where are my manners? Cynthia said,

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Speaker 1: you must be exhausted, you are working so hard on

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Speaker 1: our behalf. Please sit, have some milk. Kai nodded slowly, yes,

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Speaker 1: thank you, Cynthia. George nudged a cushion forward, and Kai

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Speaker 1: curled up elegantly on it, not even turning around once

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Speaker 1: to find the right place. Tucker admired. In short order,

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Speaker 1: Cynthia had a small saucer filled with fresh milk ready,

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Speaker 1: and Kai drank with the same easy calm as he

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Speaker 1: did everything. If that was me, Tucker thought, with some envy,

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Speaker 1: I'd have it all over my chin and the floor.

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Speaker 1: Kai made quick work of the milk and proceeded to

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Speaker 1: quietly groom his whiskers with a soft purr of approval.

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Speaker 1: Thank you, Cynthia, quite lovely. Tucker was sure his mother

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Speaker 1: was blushing under all that heavy white fur. When will

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Speaker 1: the council meet, George said, also undecided, Kai said, finishing

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Speaker 1: with his whiskers. The whole city is in an uproar

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Speaker 1: over this. We need to calm some of the more

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Speaker 1: radical of our number before the girl can be brought out.

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Speaker 1: But soon The longer the girl is with us, the

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Speaker 1: more chance the humans will discover we are here. The mother,

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Speaker 1: Cynthia said, will she not come? Looking? Kai got to

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Speaker 1: his feet and stretched out his long body. No. Two

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Speaker 1: gatekeepers are holding time and will continue to do so

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Speaker 1: until we decide what to do. Tucker was confused, holding time?

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Speaker 1: What did Kai mean? He was a gatekeeper and never

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Speaker 1: heard of this magic before. But whatever it was, it

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Speaker 1: made his parents relax a little. We will be ready

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Speaker 1: when you call us, Cynthia said. I know you will,

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Speaker 1: Kai said, and now I really must be going Tucker.

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Speaker 1: Kai turned to him, Will you escort me? Of course

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Speaker 1: you will, Tucker go with the counselor. Cynthia was already

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Speaker 1: pushing Tucker toward the door and the waiting Kai. After you,

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Speaker 1: Kai murmured as Tucker slipped out, grateful for the escape

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Speaker 1: from his mother, but a little nervous about what Kai

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Speaker 1: wanted from him. Tucker usually took a moment to admire

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Speaker 1: the spread of the beautiful magic city every time he

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Speaker 1: walked out his door, but wasn't in the mood for

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Speaker 1: it that day. So what if he lived on the

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Speaker 1: rim of the underground valley and got to see the

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Speaker 1: entire city below perfectly and clearly, who cared if he

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Speaker 1: could spend hours just staring at the many houses and

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Speaker 1: buildings and fountains and sculptures filling the valley to the brim.

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Speaker 1: He was just too worried about Susan and his place

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Speaker 1: as a gatekeeper to think about the wonders of cat

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Speaker 1: City just then. In fact, he actually moped as he

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Speaker 1: walked quietly beside the silent Ki on the way down

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Speaker 1: the wide cobbled street toward the center of the city.

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Speaker 1: I wanted to tell you how much I admire what

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Speaker 1: you did, Tucker, Kai said. Tucker couldn't have been more surprised. Really,

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Speaker 1: he knew his ears and whiskers were twitching from happiness,

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Speaker 1: but he didn't care that Kai knew. Really, Kai said,

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Speaker 1: the girl is too important to have something happen to her.

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Speaker 1: Tucker agreed completely. The security of the house above us

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Speaker 1: is paramount. Kai said. If her parents were to lose her,

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Speaker 1: there is a chance it would fall empty again and

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Speaker 1: we would be at risk. Tucker said, I know the

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Speaker 1: humans are so close, now, what if one of them

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Speaker 1: comes along and decides to take the house down. We

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Speaker 1: have our plan, Tucker Kui said the council. But for now,

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Speaker 1: you have kept the city safe in my opinion, no

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Speaker 1: matter what the others think. Tucker swelled a bit with pride.

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Speaker 1: I did do the right thing, he thought, I knew it,

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Speaker 1: but I am wondering why it was necessary. Kai continued,

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Speaker 1: You said the girl was in danger according to your mother,

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Speaker 1: but never said what the danger was. Tucker hesitated for

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Speaker 1: a moment. Was he really willing to sound like he

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Speaker 1: was crazy? He was about to tell one of the

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Speaker 1: only people in Cat City who trusted him that the

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Speaker 1: rats there ain't ancient enemies long since Gone had returned.

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Speaker 1: He valued Kai's opinions so much he decided to hold

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Speaker 1: his tongue the fall, Tucker said, knowing how lame that was.

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Speaker 1: I was sure she wouldn't recover and her mother would

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Speaker 1: never find her in the grove. But why didn't you

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Speaker 1: then take her to the edge of the woods and

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Speaker 1: leave her. Kai paused and turned to Tucker. I I

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Speaker 1: Tucker thought hard, but had no good reason. I guess

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Speaker 1: I didn't think it through, he finally said, hanging his head,

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Speaker 1: unable to meet the older Cat's eyes and wondering if

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Speaker 1: he should tell the whole truth. I'm not angry, I said,

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Speaker 1: just trying to understand so I can defend you, Tucker.

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Speaker 1: I know, Tucker said, thank you. It's just what those

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Speaker 1: huge eyes stared into him. You'll think I'm crazy, Tucker

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Speaker 1: told the counselor in a rush. Kai sighed a laugh,

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Speaker 1: whiskers flickering. Tucker, my boy, you are many things, but

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Speaker 1: crazy is not one of them. In fact, of all

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Speaker 1: the young cats, I know, you make me the most proud.

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Speaker 1: Tucker was stunned. Him really. Kai leaned forward and head

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Speaker 1: butted Tucker gently. I have great plans for you, Tucker,

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Speaker 1: great plans, and I can't have those plans put to

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Speaker 1: an end because you were worried I would judge you

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Speaker 1: plans for me, Tucker thought, lost in the wonder of it.

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Speaker 1: You are destined for far better things than merely gatekeeping,

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Speaker 1: Kai told him, and I want to be sure you

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Speaker 1: get the chance to fulfill that destiny. Now tell me,

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Speaker 1: why did you really think the girl was in danger?

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Speaker 1: Tucker drew a deep breath and took a chance. Rats.

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Speaker 1: Tucker said she was attacked by rats. Kai nodded, once

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Speaker 1: I know. Tucker felt so much relief he almost forgot

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Speaker 1: to ask how, because Kai said I've seen them too.

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Speaker 1: Good Night, sleep tight at