Tale Teller Club Music: The Rat Gang Crew and The Overgrounders Chapter 10: Ivy's Breakthrough

Chapter 10: Ivy’s Breakthrough

The Burrow hummed with nervous energy. The Crew's efforts to stall the humans had been working so far, but everyone knew they were running out of time. Ivy sat in the corner, her tiny workspace cluttered with scraps of parchment, her precious book of rubbings, and a collection of odd tools she had crafted to help decode the ancient carvings.

There was the special magnifier made from the bottom of a discarded bottle from the human overgrounders. It made a speck of the tiniest dust as big as the moon. Then she had a special adding machine called an abacus. She used it to work out massive numbers and difficult formula. But the most important tool at her disposal was her brain. It worked endlessly and fearlessly, all day and sometimes all night, working on the important calculations of life itself.

Scarlett, still recovering from her daring escape and still removing paint flecks, paced back and forth, her tail flicking anxiously.

She stopped for a moment and placed a paw on Ivy’s shoulder. “You’ve got this. Just keep going. We’ll keep buying you time.”

As Ivy continued her work, the rest of the Crew huddled in another part of The Burrow to plan their next move.

“We can’t just keep stalling,” Amelie said, her voice trembling with urgency. “The court case is tomorrow, and if the humans win, they’ll start digging immediately.”

Atlas was feeling sad about losing his bedroom. 'I am not looking forward to being homeless and living in a field with none of my games! And don't get me started on that horrid sleeping bag I had to use at bootcamp when I was just a kid rat.'

Ivy was feverishly scribbling as if the paper she drew on would set fire at any moment. The scribbling became louder and louder and paper dust was flying around the burrow.

“I’m closer,” Ivy said, her voice tight with concentration. She traced a paw over a fresh rubbing, her eyes flicking back and forth between the symbols. “These carvings appear to be a set of instructions. They’re telling us how to activate something.”

“Activate what?” Atlas asked, leaning against the wall with his usual air of skepticism, still concerned about the sleeping bag issue.

“I’m not sure yet,” Ivy admitted. “But whatever it is, it’s big. The carvings keep mentioning ‘the great unifier’ and ‘the heart of Ratropolis.’ It could be a tool, or maybe even a place. I just need a little more time to figure it out.”

Atlas crossed his arms. “So, what do we do? Crash the court case?”

And then it happened.

'I've got it!' Screamed Ivy.

Ivy had finally made a breakthrough. She gasped, her paw flying to her mouth as she stared at the rubbing in front of her. “It’s not just a place,” she whispered. “It’s a key.”

She turned and sprinted toward the others, her book clutched tightly to her chest. “Everyone, listen! I think I’ve figured it out!”

The Crew gathered around her as she laid out her rubbings, pointing to a series of interconnected symbols. “These carvings describe a hidden chamber deep beneath Ratropolis. It’s called the Nexus, and it’s supposed to be the source of the city’s strength. The ‘heart’ the carvings mention isn’t just a metaphor, it’s real.”

“What kind of heart?” Scarlett asked, her brow furrowing. She found these abstract ideas inside other people's head difficult to fathom.

Ivy hesitated. “I don’t know exactly. But the carvings say it has the power to unify and protect. If we can find it and activate it, it might be enough to stop the humans for good.”

Atlas whistled. “Sounds like a long shot. How do we even get there?”

Ivy pointed to a map she had sketched. “The carvings gave me directions. It’s in the oldest part of the tunnels, past the underground river. But it’s dangerous. The elders used to tell stories about creatures guarding the Nexus—things even rats are afraid of.”

Scarlett straightened, her eyes gleaming with determination. “Then we’ll face them. If the Nexus is our best shot, we have to try.”

The Crew prepared for their journey, gathering supplies and reviewing Ivy’s map. Amelie looked up at Scarlett as they packed. “Do you think we can really do this? Find the Nexus and save Ratropolis?”

Scarlett smiled, placing a paw on Amelie’s shoulder. “We’ve faced impossible odds before. And we’ve always come through. This time won’t be any different.”

As the Crew set off into the dark tunnels, the carvings in Ivy’s book pulsed faintly, as if guiding them forward. The air grew colder, and the walls glistened with moisture as they descended deeper into the earth.

“We’re close,” Ivy whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and excitement.

But as they rounded a corner, a low growl echoed through the tunnel, freezing them in their tracks.

“What was that?” Amelie whispered, her eyes wide.

Scarlett stepped forward, her tail lashing. “Whatever it is, we’ll handle it. Stay close, everyone. Get behind me. I am the biggest so let me do this.

The Crew moved cautiously hiding behind Scarlett, their eyes darting around the shadowy tunnel. The growl came again, louder this time, and the ground trembled beneath their paws.

And then, out of the darkness, two glowing eyes appeared.

The fight for Ratropolis was about to take a dangerous new turn.