Attack of the Ninja Kittens! (2 page)

slobbered Butch.

Rocket and Poppy frowned at their kennel mate.

‘I can
smell
doughnuts,’ Butch added, dribbling on the floor. ‘Which means the night warden has arrived, so no one else will be in here until morning rounds!’

Rocket tilted his head and twitched his ear, then he nodded to Butch and Poppy that it was time to leave. The three dogs quickly bunched up their blankets, cleared away chew toys and took up
positions in the middle of their kennels, directly beneath the light. Duke watched through the bars, knowing that the Spacemutts would soon be off on another intergalactic adventure.

‘Are you sure you won’t come with us?’ asked Poppy, aware that the Great Dane had declined their offer every other night and probably wouldn’t change his mind.

‘There’s lots of space in space,’ added Butch.

Duke smiled, but slowly shook his head. He wished he were brave enough to join his friends – to travel through the galaxy defending the Earth against feline foes. But he felt much too big
and clumsy and was sure he would only get in their way.

Rocket swiped his collar with a paw, which made the chrome spikes light up round his neck. ‘This is Rocket calling the
Dogstar
,’ he said. ‘Come in,
Dogstar
.’

‘Hello, Captain,’ said the female voice of WOOF, the spaceship’s onboard computer. ‘Everything is prepped for boarding. Can I confirm only three teleports again this
evening?’

Rocket looked over at the fourth kennel where the Great Dane stretched his hind legs and gave a long, low groan. The captain knew big dogs needed lots of exercise and wondered if an adventure
with the Spacemutts could also give Duke the confidence he needed to trust a new family.

‘Captain?’ WOOF repeated, waiting for the command.

‘Make that
four
teleports,’ whispered Rocket. ‘Over and out.’

Moments later the domed lights began to flicker in the kennels and four bright beams shot down from the ceiling. Spotting the extra teleport, Poppy and Butch smiled at Rocket – while Duke
paused mid-stretch and gazed up with a gulp.

‘WHOOOOHH . . .’ he protested, and the four dogs sparkled in the light as they vanished within the transport beams, leaving all of the kennels empty.

At the edge of the galaxy in the Catnip Nebula, Lady Fluffkins sat on the bridge of her clockwork
Mouseship
and hissed at planet Earth through her intergalactic
telescope.

The white Persian was devising a new fiendish plot to invade the blue planet and thereby complete her empire, but a rattling-chattering sound had disturbed her wicked thoughts, making her glance
around irritably.

she demanded, green eyes glaring at her hairless servant, Baldy. He was cowering next to Lady Fluffkins’ throne and shaking more than usual.

‘Y-y-yes, m-m-mistress,’ he stammered, bones rattling and teeth chattering.

‘Really?’ sniffed the empress. ‘I hadn’t noticed.’

‘That’s because you are wrapped in the most b-b-beautiful fluffy fur,’ snivelled the servant, aware that Lady Fluffkins’ vanity ranked much higher than his own
well-being. ‘While I am . . .’

‘A hairless freak?’ purred the Persian. ‘Yes, you are. And your jangling carcass is disturbing my thoughts. I suggest you either learn how to grow fur or fix the heating,
before I toss you out of the airlock!’

Baldy quickly scuttled away, rubbing his stringy tail to warm it as he checked the control panels of the clockwork
Mouseship
. Power levels were critically low across all systems, so he
peered through the side portal to find that the giant key had stopped turning.