In a British castle during the Middle Ages, a small gray cat named Nora was found wandering the cold stone corridors after losing her mother in a storm. The guards adopted her and allowed her to stay within the castle walls, and she quickly proved her worth by chasing away the rats that had been invading the food stores and the precious castle library. Nora would prowl at night, guarding the rare books and manuscripts, and soon the castle’s priest believed her presence brought wisdom and blessing. Over time, Nora became beloved by everyone—from the guards to the noble children—and one artist even painted her sitting beside the castle’s hearth in a portrait that still survives. When she died, she was buried in the small castle garden, and a stone bearing her name was placed above her grave in honor of a cat who had quietly protected knowledge and peace in an age of chaos.