Рахма Крамбо - Guardian Cats And The Lost Books Of Alexandria

“Never mind. There’s no time to explain. I can’t move, and I fear I’ve lost the book.”

“Poor, dear Cicero. I’m so sorry. Lie still.” Then Alaniah hovered above and showered him with something like warm snowflakes. Soon the feeling began to return to his leg.

“Make me a portal, Alaniah,” he asked, and the Losring transported Cicero back to the bookshop. But it was too late. The tiny room had been ransacked. He went out the back and saw the man disappearing down the dark alleyway.

There was only one thing left for him to do. The power of the book was his to use in extreme circumstances. He hobbled down the alleyway, running as best he could on his three good legs, trying to imagine what in the world he would need to become in order to rescue the book.

As soon as the answer appeared, a wave of power surged through his body. Then his feet disappeared and outstretched wings emerged from his sides, lifting him off the cobblestone street and into the air.

The alley became his runway and he flew over the Professor’s head, trying out his hawk wings. He soared in a wide circle, with the night sky and wind holding him above while he looked down at the earth from this new height.

The Professor left the alley for the street, dark and deserted except for one car and a few scattered pole lamps. Cicero’s hawk eyes picked the target site and locked onto it, as though he’d done this a million times before.

The air whooshed under him as he picked up speed and made his silent, deadly descent. The Professor’s hand was on the car door handle when he attacked, one jab with his beak in the darkest circle of the man’s eye.

The Professor didn’t make a sound right away. He fell to the ground, hugging his head, then let out one of the worst screams Cicero had ever heard coming out of a human. In one smooth motion, Cicero snatched the book with his talons and flew back up into the silent night sky.

Chapter 32: Decisions

Cicero had never quite recovered from that experience. Alaniah had not wanted to take any chances going back to the bookstore and assured him she would find a safe place for them.

Not that he had any complaints about the sleepy Angel Springs library. The librarians let him have his own room where he read to his heart’s content, but there were times when he still missed Amelia and the bookshop. Such are the hardships of a Guardian’s life.

Today, especially, he was feeling his age. Few cats ever lived so long. Only those touched by a Losring like Alaniah. It was good to be blessed by such a creature, but for Guardian Cats it often meant they had not found their successor and needed more time. His pondering was interrupted by voices outside his chambers.

“I’ll be good, I promise.”

Cicero sighed. Why did he find the ferret creature so annoying?

Marco walked into the room and Polo came bursting in behind. He sat on his haunches, trying to imitate Marco.

“Greetings, Cicero,” said Marco. “I brought Polo. I hope you don’t min…”

“Well…” Cicero cut him off before he could finish.

“I want to learn how to read. Just like Marco!” Polo blurted out.

Cicero paused. This he was not expecting. “Hmm.”

“I’m a fast learner.”

Cicero did not feel like being diplomatic, but he held his tongue.

Polo did not hold his. “How about a story then? Marco says you tell really good stories.”

Cicero ignored the ferret and turned to Marco. “Please take your friend out of the library. We are already pressing our luck, having meetings in the storeroom, and few are allowed in my chambers. I fear he will get us all kicked out.”

Marco hung his head. “Come on Polo. Let’s go.” He steered the ferret out through the door.

Cicero heard Polo chattering all the way down the hall. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get you in trouble. I don’t know why he’s so grumpy, though. Why is he so grumpy, Marco?”

Cicero jumped down from the chair and poked his head out the door. “Marco! After you take him outside, come back in here. I need to talk to you.”

Cicero curled up on a chair and put his head down, weighed by the decision he needed to make. He had to be sure.

The room filled with the radiance only Alaniah could make.

“Ahhh, Alaniah. I need your light right now.”

“Why so glum, Cicero-ero-o?”

“I am feeling the days,” said Cicero.

“There is something more, I think.”

“Yes, Alaniah. So long I’ve been waiting, I’d almost given up. I was too careless before; overlooked too many obvious signs. I fear making a wrong decision again and that’s not like me. I’ve never been a fearful cat.”

“This is true.”

“I must have no reservations.”

“Yes, but you cannot know everything ahead of time. Wherein lies your uncertainty?”

“Marco seems… I don’t know… too young.” He sighed and closed his eyes.

“Weren’t you but a kit when you set foot on this path? Can you not remember your own impetuous youth?”

“It was so many lifetimes ago."

“Then what will you do?”

“I need to look to the Code to see if Marco is up to the challenge. Why do I not remember these things?” said Cicero worriedly. “So first, does he pass the test for courage?”

“Did he not do battle with three others who were much larger?

“Yes, that might be courage. Yet it might be foolishness.”

“What is foolishness?”

“I often wonder what the difference is… between courage and foolishness. If we knew what we were getting ourselves into, we probably wouldn’t do much but sleep. It takes a bit of madness to jump into the middle of things which might turn out badly. Marco shows a remarkable aptitude for this reckless kind of courage we talk about.”

“Isn’t that what you’re looking for?”

“Yes… and honor, compassion, humility, self-sacrifice. Many things it takes to make a Guardian. Marco did not hesitate to help save Lily when the raccoons had her. That’s the kind of thing I mean. He does jump in when things need to happen. He is good that way.”

They sat in silence for while, Cicero pondering and Alaniah quietly hovering.

“He’s intelligent and I believe he has the other qualities, but I wonder about his judgment,” Cicero finally said.

“What do you mean?”

“Well… it’s his friendship with that ferret. Why does Marco waste his time with him? Polo is such a foolish and undignified creature.”

Alaniah flew up in a swoop and came down to face Cicero. “This is how you measure his wisdom? Dear Cicero, are you not lacking in tolerance? Polo is not an intelligent creature, but he is a pure soul.”

“Oh, my dear Alaniah. Am I being too harsh? I don’t mean to be, but I must look at everything. How can I know he will have the wisdom to be successful?”

“Wisdom, understanding? Where does it come from, Cicero? Why are you asking me? You know the answer. He will make mistakes, like you. Earthlings seem to learn everything the hard way-ay.”

“So true, Alaniah. So true.”

“You are forgetting something else.”

Cicero looked to her to continue.

“Marco hears. He hears the frequency. He hears the music of the Book and he hears me, something that never happened with Bait.”

Cicero nodded. Marco did have all the signs he’d been looking for. Even the one he didn’t mention now, but held as a touchstone, the highest criterion he needed to make his final decision… and that was the connection Marco had made with Akeel.

Chapter 33: Guardian-in-training

Marco knew he was in trouble, but Cicero was being unfair. Like Polo, he wondered why the old cat was in such a foul temper.

Outside Cicero's door, he peeked around the edge and took a quick sniff to test the atmosphere inside.