I became smoke, my form unraveling into tendrils that slipped through the solid metal door. Nigel was slumped near the entrance, fast asleep with his spear beside him, his tiny hands resting over his belly, mouth open as he let out the softest snores.

I moved silently through the twisting tunnels, where branching corridors led to chambers and stairs bathed in the bluish-green light of glass orbs hanging above. I was surprised by the rats’ ingenuity and artistry; I had imagined them dwelling in filthy burrows, scurrying about in squalor, rather than establishing their own city beneath Big Yard.

I crept into one of the chambers, hugging the ground as I made my way to a darkened corner. The room was alive with the quiet squeaks of rats, their tears flowing freely. They crowded around a long table, where a grand feast was spread in celebration of their rescue. In an adjacent room, a few rats busied themselves, slicing raw fish and vegetables I recognized from Little Eden.

In another room, rats gathered solemnly around a table with hand-drawn portraits of their fallen kin—the ones who hadn’t made it out of the apothecary. Among them was Wynn’s portrait. One by one, the rats stepped forward, touching a picture, and tears slipped silently down their faces. Some stood with hands clasped and heads bowed in silent prayer. I lingered, watching their ritual with quiet fascination.

“Do you feel that?” a rat asked softly, lifting her head and casting a glance over her shoulder.

“Feel what?” came a sniffled reply, as another rat wiped his eyes with a small, tattered handkerchief.

“I can’t explain it… but there’s something in here with us.”

“I don’t feel anything strange.”

“Oh, but I’m getting that tingle, the one I get when a cat’s close by!”

“Calm yourself,” a third rat scoffed, looking around the room. “You're being silly! Do you see a cat anywhere? If one had broken into the nest and slipped past the guard, believe me, we’d know.”

“There! In the corner!” the first rat exclaimed, scrambling back in a frenzy, shoving her way to the far wall to put as much distance between herself and me as possible. Her sudden outburst jolted the others from their mourning. They looked around wildly, their heads swiveling, whiskers twitching with alarm.

Time to move on, and I sank into the wall tumbling into a room that was larger than the other chambers I'd come across. It was illuminated by an extraordinary chandelier that caught my eye. Gazing up more intently, I realized it was a jellyfish, encased in a clear glass bottle filled with water. As it glided through its aquatic prison, the jellyfish emitted a vivid orange light.

Seated on chairs cobbled from tin cans and scrap metal, seven rats–the Wise Keepers, if I remembered Nigel's words correctly–gathered in solemn silence, each with a thimble on their head, like a mock crown. Their beady eyes were directed toward Flynn, who stood confidently before them, like a plaintiff before judges. Behind him, Rusty shuffled his feet, his gaze lowered in quiet humility.

The Wise Keeper in the middle scowled, making a sound of disgust and anger. “With all due respect, Healer Flynn, do you even hear yourself? Why should we bother to help the cat? Cats are not our allies.”

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the others, heads nodding as they echoed, “Cats are not our allies.”

“I understand, Your Wiseness,” Flynn replied, “but this situation is different... I believe this cat could help us secure protection against the blob.”

“What makes you think he’ll keep his promise?”

“I…” Flynn faltered. “I can’t say for certain—”

The Wise Keepers interrupted him with disapproving sounds, shaking their heads and narrowing their eyes.

“But I’ve never known a cat to lie,” he continued. “Cats do have a reputation for keeping their word.”

“Not always,” said the Wise Keeper on the left side of the first speaker, “they'll find a way to circumvent an agreement with us because their loyalty is only with humans.”

“So,” spoke the Wise Keeper on the right, “it’s decided then that we will not help the cat, despite it being Wynn’s last request. We cannot, in good conscience, assist a predator.”

The others nodded in agreement, expressing their approval.

“Healer Flynn, instruct the cat and dog to vacate the premises,” commanded the middle one. “Should they refuse, our most capable guards will ensure their departure, armed and prepared to use force if necessary. Make that clear!”

Flynn hung his head in defeat, mumbling, “Yes, Your Wiseness.”

I was on the verge of revealing myself, ready to confront the Not-So-Wise Keepers and tell them that they were making a grave mistake, when Rusty cleared his throat and stepped out from behind Flynn.

The middle Wise Keeper, who had begun to rise, slouched back down in his seat, the thimble on his head tilting askew. He reached up to steady it.

“What is it that you have to say, Rusty?” He grumbled. “The decision stands.”

“Yes, I understand that, but I think Your Wiseness should consider an important point.”

“Which is?”

“The threat posed by the blob may be far more serious than we first assumed.”

“What do you mean? Please, elaborate.”

“I mean the danger is growing,” Rusty continued. “It’s spreading to other species, including the cats. Moreover, the masked stranger intended to target the humans next. If that’s true, the entire city could be at risk.”

“Exactly,” Flynn interjected. “This could be the end for all of us!”

“Who knows what grander scheme the masked stranger had in mind? He surely wasn’t acting alone; there may be others involved, a large group. What I know for certain is that it’s not good.”

Flynn nodded in agreement. “The masked stranger may be dead, but the danger is far from over.”

Two of the Wise Keepers sitting on either side of the middle shared a silent, concerned glance. Another on the left looked entirely bored, while the one beside him on the far left was in his own world fidgeting with the thimble on his head. On the far right, another sat like an empty vessel, his thoughts clearly absent, as he looked to the rat seated in the middle for direction.

“Flynn, Rusty, first of all,” the middle Wise Keeper started, “we are truly relieved that you both returned safely and managed to save so many along the way.”

“You’ve done a tremendous service,” a few of the Wise Keepers echoed.

“That said, there’s little good in getting caught up in what might be. The idea that the masked stranger’s plans were part of something larger is nothing more than speculation.”

“Mmhmm, exactly so!” one of the others added.

“Anyway, our decision is final. Let’s put these worries behind us and celebrate—a grand feast has been prepared for us all!”

The Wise Keepers rose in unison, adjusting the thimbles on their heads as they moved toward the door. But I wasn’t about to let them leave, certainly not when my very life hung in the balance.

One of them paused, his eyes drifting to the glowing glass bottle suspended high above. His brow furrowed, suspicion darkening his face.

“What’s wrong?” another asked, noticing his hesitation.

“The light bottle… It’s moving.”

The others followed his gaze, and sure enough, the bottle gently rocked back and forth. There was no wind, and the jellyfish inside was far too weak to stir it on its own.

The jellyfish drifted aimlessly, its bioluminescence flickering in and out. Then, suddenly, all the light vanished. Everything plunged into darkness.

“Look—over there!” a voice shrieked, urgent and sharp.

“Eyes... glowing yellow eyes!”

“Those look like cat's eyes!”

“They are cat's eyes!”

“And teeth...it has teeth!”

More screams erupted. Fear spread. Screams echoed as the rats flailed, knocking into chairs, tables, and each other in a blind stampede toward the door. Footsteps tripped and tails tangled! Bodies collided in the dark.

“You fools, every last one of you!” My voice thundered through the room. “Can't you see? This threat surpasses anything you imagine—it endangers us all.”

Silence filled the space, broken only by the rats' shaky, uneven breathing.

“I-It’s you!” Flynn’s hesitant voice squeaked through the darkness.

“Healer Flynn, do you know this cat?” came another voice, trembling.

“Know him? Not exactly a friend,” Flynn stammered. “More of… an acquaintance, perhaps—though, to be honest, we never had time for formal introductions, given the circumstances when we first met.”

“Who are you to barge in and threaten us with your very presence, cat?”

“I am Page,” I answered. “Steward of the great ship NOAH 1.”

“Page, steward of NOAH 1, leave this nest, or we’ll gladly remove you ourselves—and it won’t be pleasant.”

“Where are the guards?” a Wise Keeper whispered in panic.

“Probably at the feast already.”

“And Nigel?”

“You rats!” I shouted. “Heed me well: if Floating City falls, we all face extinction. Save me, and you save yourselves.”

The light flickered back to life as the jellyfish in its bottle resumed its tranquil drift. I faded into the air, invisible yet present, watching the rats. The Wise Keepers lay sprawled on the floor, petrified, their fallen thimbles rolling in small circles across the floor.