Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat

Klawde interrogates his loyal follower, who says that the cats of Lyttyrboks seem happy under their new ruler, who gave everyone the right to universal furcare. Klawde believes that this is a hoax and that he must return to burn down the trees and take away the rights that his enemy has bestowed. He declares, “The time is RIPE for my return” (137). He tests the teleporter by sending a signed baseball to Lyttyrboks. When it arrives intact, his follower suggests testing it with a live specimen and asks if there are any other cats around.

When Raj gets home, he starts to tell Klawde about his day but is interrupted when Klawde announces they must test the teleporter. Suddenly, a neighbor arrives. She thinks that Klawde is adorable and looks like her own cat, who is about the same size. She also shares the rumor that a camper died at Raj’s camp last year. At this, Raj glances at the teleporter, wondering, “Maybe there was room in it for me” (143).

Klawde tricks the neighbor’s cat into the teleporter by leaving a trail of cat treats. The cat arrives at Lyttyrboks, where he cleans “a part of his body that we normally do not clean in public” (146). Still, Klawde is thrilled that the teleporter is working, and he rejoices at the thought that he will soon be home, with Raj at his side as a weapon.

The day before Survival Night, Raj and his team forage and make final preparations, and Raj begins to panic. At home, the neighbor puts up fliers for her missing cat, and Klawde brags about transporting an animal across the universe. When Raj asks if Klawde transported the neighbor’s cat, Klawde lies and claims to have transported a mouse. Raj believes him and eyes the teleporter, asking, “Is it powerful enough to send something bigger than a cat across the universe?” (152).

Klawde assures Raj that they could both leave Earth before Survival Night, and he promises to send Raj back to Earth whenever he wants to return. Raj goes to bed, leaving Klawde to purr in pleasure at the thought that his “evil scheme was working PERFECTLY!” (153). The next morning, Raj decides to go to Lyttyrboks, but before he can, Steve and Cedar show up at his house. They are both concerned about Survival Night.

Raj says that he can get them all out of Survival Night. He reveals that Klawde is a warlord from another planet with a teleportation device, but his friends don’t believe him. Raj asks Klawde to tell them the truth, but Klawde only “blinked, and said one word: ‘Mrow?’” (159).

When Raj demands to know why Klawde refused to speak to his friends, Klawde makes up a story about how Raj is needed on Earth to fight the battles of his life, including Survival Night. In truth, the teleporter cannot transport humans. If Raj teleports, he will explode. Klawde was still willing to try to transport Raj, at least until his follower told him that doing so is not worth it and would result in “a very messy teleporter” (163).

At camp, Turkey Vulture explains the rules of Survival Night. For the next 24 hours, the campers must live off the land and hunt each other. The last standing player wins the game for their team, while captured players are taken to an undisclosed place. Then, he starts the event by shouting “let Survival Night BEGIN!” (166). Raj’s team goes on the hunt for Scorpion’s gang, only to be chased off with rocks.

At home, Raj’s dad gives Klawde a special mouse toy that is the best thing that Klawde has ever smelled. He rips it apart and rolls in its stuffing, thinking, “This mouse was the best thing on this entire miserable planet” (171).

Raj and his team run away from Scorpion’s gang, realizing that they cannot beat this stronger group. Raj remembers Klawde’s speech about fighting his wars, and the kids make a plan to steal the food from Scorpion’s shelter. They find it empty and start searching for a secret lair. Raj jumps at every forest noise. He keeps telling himself that it is only a game, even though “it really didn’t feel like one” (176).

Klawde falls asleep and dreams that he is the lord of the entire universe. When he wakes, Raj’s dad offers him another mouse doll. Klawde desperately wants it but runs before he succumbs to its smell because “it was time to leave this planet of nightmares” (178).