Kiwi Keeps the Keys

Kiwi heard the keys slide beneath the bookcase before anyone else noticed. They stopped in a narrow stripe of shadow where even the longest arm could not quite reach.

For the rest of the afternoon, Kiwi kept watch. She ignored a sunny windowsill, half a paper bag, and an especially tempting fly. Whenever someone entered, she chirped and pointed her nose beneath the shelf.

At last a ruler rescued the keys. Kiwi received a crunchy reward and the household received a new rule: when something important disappears, ask the kitten before turning the room upside down.