by Mia Bell
The rats fought harder. Tabby was panting. Her paws hurt. I don’t know how long we can keep this up! She saw Leo wipe his face. Felix’s green eyes were wide with worry. Melted cheese was still spreading over the mountain, dripping and oozing between the rocks.
We have to do something …
Tabby looked again at Gorgonzola, holding the Orb of Plenty, silver and round like … like a ball. That’s it!
She turned to Buddy. “Your Dogginess! Back at the palace, do you remember how we were going to play fetch?”
The puppy’s ears shot up, and he jumped to his paws. “Oooh yes!” He gasped. “It’s my favorite game.”
“Well … fetch!” called Tabby. She pointed at the orb.
Buddy ran off like an arrow shooting from a bow. He raced across the mountaintop, jumping over rivers of cheese. His fur flew and his ears waved. He jumped into the air …
“What in the name of—” began King Gorgonzola.
But before he could finish, the pup prince dived over the top of the stone bowl. He took the Orb of Plenty between his teeth and landed behind the bowl.
“Nooo!” yelled King Gorgonzola.
“Noooo!” called the rats.
“Take that!” said Leo. He punched the air.
Buddy ran around the stone bowl and then back to Tabby. He took the orb from his teeth and passed it to her.
“You did it!” said Tabby. She put her arm around the pup prince’s shoulders. “You’re a real Whiskered Wonder!”
Gorgonzola pulled out his sword. He stomped toward Tabby, his face twisted with anger. “Give me back my orb, little kitty.”
Tabby’s heart was pounding. I can’t beat Gorgonzola in a sword fight. But maybe there was another way. She turned around.
Gorgonzola laughed. “Running away, are you? That’s not going to save you!”
Tabby felt around her skirts. Come on, Tabby! A moment later, she was ready. “So you want the orb?” she called over her shoulder. “Here it is!” She flicked her paw.
Everyone watched in surprise as a shining silver ball flew through the air and—plop!—disappeared into the bubbling bowl of cheese. There was a hissing sound. Then the orb was nowhere to be seen. The other kittens and Buddy gasped.
King Gorgonzola laughed again. “You think that will stop us? Rats LOVE cheese!” He threw down his sword and ran to the stone bowl. Brie, Chedd, and Mozz raced after him. They all climbed up the side and jumped in together. SPLASH! A great wave of cheese spilled over the side.
Felix was chewing his claws again. “Oh my whiskers,” he said. “Gorgonzola will have the orb back in no time!”
“Don’t be so sure,” said Tabby. She smiled and pulled a second silver ball from under her skirts.
Leo gasped. “Whoa! Is that …?”
“It’s the real orb!” said Tabby. “Gorgonzola is chasing after the fake cheese one. I had it hidden in my skirts all along.”
“You tricked him!” said Felix, grinning. “Just like he tricked us.”
“Exactly,” said Tabby. “I suppose even these silly fancy clothes can be useful sometimes!”
The royal kittens and Buddy watched as the rats splashed around in the big stone bowl of cheese.
“Where is it?” screeched Gorgonzola. His fur had turned yellow.
Mozz lifted up a cheesy bit of tinfoil. “Is this it?”
“Of course not, you fool!” yelled Gorgonzola. “And stop eating everything!”
Chedd and Brie were slurping huge gulps of cheese as they swam. Their bandanas had fallen off in the cheese.
“Sorry, Your—gulp—Stinkyness!” said Chedd. “It’s so—gulp—yummy!”
Brie just blinked and yawned. The cheese is going to put them to sleep! thought Tabby.
Gorgonzola glared at the royal kittens. “You’ll pay for this!” He tried to climb out of the stone bowl. But the gooey cheese stuck to him, and he fell back in.
“He can’t get out!” Leo giggled. “The cheese is turning solid!”
Sure enough, as the cheese cooled, it became thicker and thicker. The rats moved slower and slower. At last, they stopped moving.
“So … sleepy …” said Mozz. His eyes shut, and he began to snore.
“This is not over!” Gorgonzola yelled at the royal kittens. But he was so covered in cheese that all he could do was shake his fist.
King Gorgonzola’s black nose rag had come off, too. The rat gave a huge yawn, and his eyes closed. In an instant, he was snoring, too, belly-up in the cheese beside his three sleeping servants.
“You did it, Tabby!” said Leo, lifting his sword.
“We did it!” said Tabby.
“But it’s not over yet,” said Felix. “We have to get the orb back to the palace. And fast, or the party will be ruined!”
* * *
The royal kittens and Buddy ran all the way down the mountain. Tabby carried the orb in her paws, being extra careful not to drop it. We can’t lose it again!
As they raced into the village, Tabby saw sleepy cats and dogs getting to their paws, looking confused.
“Where am I?” said a dog.
“What happened?” asked a cat.
“Are those the Whiskered Wonders?” called another cat, pointing.
Tabby grinned and waved as they ran past. But there was no time to stop.
“We have to get to the Royal Avenue!” said Felix. He led them around a corner, and they came out onto the big main road.
The long table was almost ready for the feast. Kitizens were laying silver knives and forks on the white tablecloth while their new dog friends helped. But when they saw the royal kittens, they crowded around, patting them on the back and all speaking at once.
“I can’t believe it. The Whiskered Wonders are real!”
“And they have the Orb of Plenty!”
“We have to get this orb to the end of the table,” said Felix. “That’s where Mom and Dad will be sitting. And we can’t let them know we’re the Whiskered Wonders!”
“I have an idea!” said Leo. “Let’s roll it.”
“Perfect!” said Tabby. She put the orb in the middle of the tablecloth. Then she gave it a push with her paw. The orb rolled along, down the table toward the palace. It began to slow down. But another kitizen helped it along with his paw. Then another pushed it. Everyone cheered as the orb passed by.
“Biscuits and bones!” said Buddy suddenly. “Mom and Dad will be missing me! We should run to the end of the table, too.”
“No problem,” said Tabby. “There’s just one thing we have to do first …”
The four of them ran down a dark alley. Tabby led the way, turning a corner and racing to the goldsmith’s shop. The shop was empty, but a window was open, and Tabby quickly untied her mask, sword, and cape and tossed them through. The others did the same.
Almost there, thought Tabby as they ran down a long street and turned back toward the Royal Avenue.
There was a huge crowd around the end of the table. As Buddy and the royal kittens pushed their way through, Tabby heard a cheer go up all around. The orb must have arrived at the palace!
Puffing and panting, they climbed onto a small wooden stage and sat in the golden chairs placed there for them. King Pouncalot and Queen Elizapet were just lifting the Orb of Plenty up into the air for everyone to see. King Rover and Queen Ginger sat at their side, clapping their paws.
King Pouncalot gave the kittens a serious look, but Queen Elizapet seemed relieved. Tabby knew they must have been wondering where their kittens had gone. She and her brothers took their seats between Captain Edmund and Nanny Mittens, who quickly licked a bit of Leo’s hair back into place.
They looked out over the table. Cats and dogs were sitting side by side, smiling and cheering, as far as the eye could see.
“We made it!” whispered Leo.
“Let the feast begin!” said King Pouncalot and Queen Elizapet.
“Orb of Plenty, hear my call.
Show your magic, feed us all!�
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Tabby grinned from ear to ear as every plate filled with yummy dog biscuits for the dogs and hot fish pie for the kitizens. There were even a few tuna treats! The dogs and kitizens gasped and clapped. In no time at all, everyone was eating.
“Wherever have you been?” whispered King Pouncalot as he sat down.
“You made it just in time,” added Queen Elizapet. “The Whiskered Wonders just brought the orb back and we almost had to start without you!”
“We’re sorry—” Felix began. But just then, Buddy spoke up.
“It’s my fault, Your Majesties,” he said. “I wanted to play fetch. And the royal kittens were so nice and let me play with them. And I chased the ball. And then I caught the ball! And then I chased it again. And I’ve just had the best day ever!” He wagged his tail and gave Tabby a wink.
“Well, scratch my belly!” said King Rover. “It sounds like you youngsters are getting along very well.”
Queen Ginger bowed to the cat king and queen. “If our pup and your kittens are such good friends, I see no reason why we can’t be, too. Let there be peace between Mewtopia and Barkshire … forever!”
“Forever!” agreed King Pouncalot and Queen Elizapet. All four royals lifted their cups in the air.
Felix leaned over and whispered to the others. “Gorgonzola’s wicked plan failed.”
“The Whiskered Wonders have saved the day,” said Leo. “Again!”
“But we couldn’t have done it without you,” Tabby said to the pup prince. “You’re a hero, Your Dogginess!”
“Do you really mean it?” Buddy covered his face with his long ears. But even though he was shy, Tabby could tell he was smiling. “Don’t worry,” he said when he lifted his ears again. “Your secret is safe with me. Ooh, I wonder if that mean old rat will ever wake up and escape from that cheese. He looked really stuck, didn’t he? Do you think he’ll cause any more trouble?”
I wouldn’t be surprised, thought Tabby.
She had a feeling that they had not seen the last of King Gorgonzola. But she wasn’t afraid anymore. “I know one thing for sure,” said Tabby. “If he does, the Whiskered Wonders will be ready for him!”
Don’t miss Princess Tabby’s next quest!
#3: Tabby and the Catfish
“Raise the anchor!” cried Princess Tabby.
“Set sail!” said her younger brother, Leo.
“Stop rushing me!” grumbled Felix, their older brother.
The royal kittens were crouching on a grassy bank in the palace gardens. The river ran past, crystal clear and sparkling in the sunshine. It’s the perfect day to try out our toy boat, thought Tabby. If only Felix would stop messing with it! The black cat was carefully checking every sail to make sure they were on straight.
“Let me do it!” said Leo, reaching for the boat. But Felix pulled it away and set it gently in the water.
“Wow!” they all gasped together. The boat sailed along, ticking like a watch. Their friend Clawdia’s father had made it out of shining gold. It had a little clockwork engine, moving sails, and an anchor that went up and down.
“It’s the best toy ever,” said Tabby as the boat sailed under a stone bridge.
“I’ll get it on the other side,” called Leo. He ran off in a flash of orange fur.
“But it’s my turn next!” yelled Tabby. She chased after him.
“Careful!” shouted Felix, following. “Don’t break it!”
The three kittens ran along the riverbank, their tails waving behind them. Tabby was the first one past the bridge, and the first to see the boat come bobbing out. There it is! Tabby leaned over the water, reaching as far as she could …
“Whoops!” cried Felix.
Tabby turned and saw him slip on the wet grass. He grabbed Leo’s paw, but Leo wobbled and bumped into Tabby. Thump! Tabby lost her balance. She waved her paws and stuck out her tail. But it was no good.
SPLASH!
All three royal kittens plunged into the river.
The cold water soaked Tabby. She splashed and shivered. “It’s horrible!” she cried. She hated getting wet, just as much as any other kitizen in Mewtopia.
“My whiskers are stuck to my face!” wailed Felix, popping up next to Tabby.
“I’VE GOT WATER IN MY EARS!” yelled Leo. “I CAN’T HEAR A THING!”
Tabby tried to stay calm. A kitty hero shouldn’t be afraid of a little water … “Let’s kitty-paddle back to the bank,” she said. “Like Nanny Mittens taught us.”
Together, the royal kittens kicked hard with their back paws and paddled with their front paws. They splashed their way back to the grass and pulled themselves up. They sat, panting on the bank. Their fur was all flat, and water dripped from their whiskers.
“Leaping fleas!” said Felix. “I’m glad that’s over.”
“Did anyone get the boat?” asked Leo, rubbing his ears.
Tabby spotted it drifting away from them. “There it is!” She pointed. But it was already out of reach, and moving fast in the current.
“We’ll never get it back now,” said Leo sadly. “It was my favorite toy.”
“It’s not yours,” said Felix. “And it wouldn’t even have floated if I hadn’t fixed the sails.”
“But if you hadn’t been so clumsy, we never would have lost it!” said Tabby.
“That’s enough!” said a familiar meow.
The royal kittens turned. King Pouncalot and Queen Elizapet were walking over the grass toward them, dressed in their crowns and red capes. Normally Tabby was glad to see her parents. But today they looked very annoyed.
King Pouncalot gave each kitten a stern look. “Haven’t we warned you about playing near water? We’re cats, for meow’s sake!”
“And all this arguing,” added Queen Elizapet. “Today of all days!”
“The Peace Parade will begin soon,” said King Pouncalot. “And here you are, fighting … Well, I’m afraid we can’t let you ride on the royal boat with us now.”
The royal kittens gasped.
“But we always go on the royal boat!” cried Tabby.
“We love the Peace Parade,” added Felix. “All the different boats, and the kitizens cheering, and the brass band playing …”
“You’ll have to watch all that from beside the river,” said Queen Elizapet.
“But—” began Leo.
“Not another word,” said Queen Elizapet. “Back to your room to get dry!”
* * *
Tabby and her brothers were still shivering and dripping as they went through a side door into the palace courtyard. Tabby felt ashamed. I can’t believe we ruined our chance to be part of the Peace Parade!
“What’s going on over there?” said Felix.
Tabby saw a little crowd of cat lords and ladies by a door, talking excitedly. They all wore their best clothes, ready for the Peace Parade.
“Make way!” called a voice from inside. Then Captain Edmund came marching out. The big orange tomcat was wearing his shiniest silver armor, and in one paw he held a golden torch. Magical orange flames flickered from the end.
“Meowza!” gasped Leo. “It’s the Torch of Peace!”
Tabby couldn’t help it—her tail flicked with excitement. “Last one there’s a stinky rat!” she called.
“Mom and Dad said …” began Felix. But Tabby was already running across the courtyard, leaving wet paw prints behind her. She pushed through the crowd, with Leo, then Felix, following.
“Slow down there, kitties!” cried Captain Edmund. He held the torch away from them. “This torch has been lit for a hundred years, and we can’t have you splashing water on it!”
“Is it the Torch of Peace, sir?” asked Leo. He stopped next to Tabby. “Is it true that it’s really magical? Is it true that it keeps the peace among all kitizens, all through the land?”
“It most certainly is,” replied Captain Edmund. “And it will travel with the king and queen on the royal boat.”
Tabby’s whiskers drooped. “I wis
h we could be on the boat,” she said sadly. “Mom and Dad said we have to watch from the riverbank.”
Captain Edmund ruffled her ears. “Cheer up, young Tabby. At least that rotten rat king, Gorgonzola, won’t cause any trouble this time! I hear the Whiskered Wonders dunked him in a big bowl of cheese. The rascal’s probably too ashamed to show his whiskers in Mewtopia ever again!”
At the mention of the Whiskered Wonders, Tabby and Leo shared a knowing look. If only Captain Edmund knew the truth!
“We have to go now,” said Felix. “Nanny Mittens will be waiting for us.”
“See you at the parade!” called Captain Edmund, and he marched off again with the torch held high.
Leo giggled as the royal kittens darted away, up the stairs to their bedchamber in the tallest tower in the palace. “Imagine what Captain Edmund would say if he knew that we are the Whiskered Wonders!” he said. “Secret heroes of Mewtopia!”
Leo and Felix gave each other a high paw, but Tabby was thinking of the wicked rat king, with his iron crown, greasy fur, and cruel yellow eyes. He would do anything to take over their kingdom. I have a feeling that he won’t let a bit of cheese get in his way …
“Bless my whiskers!” gasped Nanny Mittens when the royal kittens finally reached their room. “You look like drowned mice! Well, never mind. You must all look your best for the Peace Parade. Get your towels, and quickly please!”
While Tabby and her brothers dried off, the big white cat picked out their nicest clothes and laid them on their baskets. Tabby saw that Nanny Mittens had brushed her whiskers and combed her fur. But she was still wearing her frilly apron.
“You haven’t gotten dressed up yet, either, Nanny!” said Leo.
“My word, you’re right!” Nanny Mittens swept out of the room, calling behind her. “Into your clothes, my dears. The parade is about to begin!”
As soon as Nanny Mittens had closed the door, Tabby flung open their dress-up box. “We should put our Whiskered Wonders costumes on underneath,” she said.
Felix nibbled his claws nervously. “Why? You don’t think we’ll need them at the Peace Parade, do you?”
