Tabby's First Quest by Mia Bell

Author:Mia Bell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

A path ran from the bottom of the steps to the castle gates. Tabby and Clawdia tip-pawed down and ran along it. Once, a rat looked up, and they had to duck behind rocks. But at last they reached the castle. The big wooden door was unlocked, and they hurried inside.

“Yuck, it stinks of cheese in here!” said Clawdia, wrinkling her nose.

Tabby looked around the gloomy hall. There were lots more old wooden doors. But which one should we go through? Then her ears pricked up. “Did you hear that?” she whispered.

Both kittens froze as they listened. Someone was talking in a strange, squeaky voice. A familiar voice … “That’s him!” hissed Tabby. “The messenger who came for the scroll.”

“The rat who tied me up,” said Clawdia.

“King Gorgonzola!” they said together.

They dashed across a faded old carpet, following the sound of his voice. They ran through an archway at the end of the hall, then down a long hallway. His voice was getting louder and louder.

“I think he’s in there!” said Clawdia, pointing to a door that stood half-open.

Holding her breath, Tabby crept over and peeked around the door.

The room beyond looked like the Great Hall back home in the palace, but the walls were crumbling and everything was covered in dust. And the figure on the throne was nothing like King Pouncalot or Queen Elizapet. Leaping fleas, thought Tabby, it really is him!

King Gorgonzola looked even scarier than the picture in Tabby’s storybook. His fur was shiny with grease, Gorgonzola’s yellow eyes sparkled, and one ear was torn. But worst of all was his horrible smile full of teeth that were crooked and rotten. Tabby shuddered.

“The thirty-first law,” said King Gorgonzola grandly, “is that all trout twisters will be replaced with Parmesan pops! The thirty-second law is that all the kitty homes will be turned into a giant trash dump! The thirty-third law is that Mewtopia will be crushed and all cats will become servants of Rottingham!”

“What’s he doing?” whispered Clawdia.

“I think he’s inventing new laws,” said Tabby. “And if he has the Golden Scroll, he can make them come true! He just has to read them out loud at the ceremony tonight, when the last sunbeam shines through the window.” He’s going to make himself king of the cats as well as the rats, just like he wanted to do in the storybook … and destroy Mewtopia!

“Please, Your Rottenness,” said a little voice. “Please, may we have a tiny scrap of cheese?”

Tabby saw three smaller rats kneeling in front of Gorgonzola’s throne. They looked very thin.

“Don’t be silly!” roared Gorgonzola. “Why should I share my lovely smelly cheese with you filthy rodents?”

“Of course, Your Stinkyness,” said another rat. “It’s just … we did capture those kitty princes for you …”

Tabby’s breath caught in her throat. Are my brothers all right?

“Perhaps we could have some as a reward?” said the third rat. “If it please Your Revoltingness?”

“No rewards!” screamed King Gorgonzola. “Not until I’m king of Rottingham and Mewtopia, too! Speaking of which, I must be off now for the palace.

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