Ok, this is lightly based on Les Miserables, but you don't have to have seen it to understand the story. Enjoy, please R&R!
Rumpelteazer!
As the thought of his sister stirred in his mind, Mungojerrie skidded to a halt. Gasping for breath, he looked around warily, but he had no time to worry about his own safety - he had to find Rumpelteazer. But first he would have to figure out where he was…
Rum Tum Tugger slunk quietly into the Jellicle Junkyard, trying to make himself as invisible as possible. It didn't work. He had nearly reached the main area, when a small figure stepped across his path. He stopped dead, then recognised the young kit in front of him and relaxed, slightly. The kitten, only about six months old, looked up at him through small, brown eyes. The two cats stared at each other for a second, then Tugger spoke.
"Pouncival," he addressed the young cat, "what are you doing out here, this late? Won't your mum and dad be worried?"
Pouncival shook his head. "Nah, they're all 'sleep. No-one but me around anyways."
"What about your sisters?"
"'Sleep."
Tugger nodded slowly. "Mmm. Well, at any rate, you shouldn't be wandering around this late. There's all sorts'a rogues out there. Anything could happen."
Pounce shook his fluffy head. "Nah, 'm brave. An' big an' strong. Ah can fend off any cat wot starts on me!"
Tugger, shaking his head, found he was smiling in spite of himself. The kit certainly had spunk. But he couldn't leave him out here on his own. Reaching down, he lifted the kitten onto his shoulders, saying "C'mon squirt. Let's get you back home. Maybe when you're bigger you can sort out the dirty good-for-nothings that come snooping round here. That sound Ok to you?"
Pounce considered for a moment, then nodded. Satisfied, Tugger headed off in the direction of where Pounce's parents had made their den.
In another area of the 'Yard, Mungojerrie was cautiously sniffing around one of the many entrances. He could scent other cats, and figured he might be able to get directions, but he was wary of meeting strangers. He didn't fully trust other cats, and he could smell many of them. But he had to get his bearings, and he couldn't do that without finding out where he was presently. Deciding that he just had to find out where he was, Mungo ventured into the Junkyard, sniffing the air, and keeping a sharp eye about him. Over his head, towered piles of junk - metal, wood, plastic, material; tables, chairs, tyres, and even a couple of abandoned cars. The junk piles looked menacing, but Mungo carried bravely on.
Soon, the smell of another cat infiltrated his nostrils. He could tell immediately that he would soon meet a tom. Crouching low to the ground, he snuck up to a corner and peered around it, then started back silently. He had seen not one, but two full-grown toms. One was a silver tabby, the other had appeared black and white. Gulping down his fear, he put his head around the corner again, but he couldn't find the courage to reveal himself. For a moment or two, he watched the two strange toms. They appeared to be deep in discussion; Mungo wondered what about. His heart was beating extremely fast - too fast for a little tomcat. He tried to calm his breathing down, but it just made it louder. The two toms looked up. Mungojerrie pulled his head out of view, and turned to run, but the patter of running paws told him all he needed to know. He attempted to run; a second later, he felt the weight of another on him, dragging him down to the ground, and pinning him there with his arms restrained. The next second, he heard a stern, commanding masculine voice say "Alright, get him up," and for a second he felt that same terrifying helplessness he had done so many times before while working for Macavity. Then, he was being dragged to his feet, and then found himself staring face to face with the silver tabby. He tried to stay calm, but the tabby was looking at him with a look of plain dislike, and he just knew he was about to feel pain. He lowered his eyes to the floor, waiting for the blow (of any kind) that he was sure was about to come. He waited. But the pain never came. Instead, the tabby must've decided Mungo was no real threat, because he felt the paws that had restrained him releasing him.
He looked up, to see the tabby still staring at him, only with a more curious expression. Mungo tried to open his mouth, to speak, but the tabby got there first. He said, in that same, stern voice "Who are you stranger? Where are you from and why are you here?"
He had a clipped voice, one that Mungo knew was very different to his own. Finally, he found his voice. "Oi'm Mungojerrie," he said, in his true cockney accent, "and oi'd loike ta know where I am. Oi need ta find me sister, but oi don't know this part o' Lon'on very well. Oi need ta find 'er, quickly. Oi think she moight be in danger. Please can ya help me."
He said all this very fast, and had to take a breather at the end. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the two toms give each other a look. Mungo felt despair well up inside of him - they weren't going to help him. He was about to turn to go, when, suddenly, the silver tabby said "Ok, Mungojerrie, we'll help you. I'm Munkustrap."
Mungo looked up, and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Munkustrap was just about smiling. The black and white tom also gave Mungo a brief smile, and stepped.
"I'm Alonzo," he said, "and we two are - or at least, were - part of the Jellicle Tribe."
As he said this last part, Mungo noticed that Alonzo seemed suddenly saddened by something. Unease immediately replaced by curiosity, he said "Um, 'were' part o' the Tribe?"
The two toms once again exchanged glances. This time, Munkustrap spoke: "We were once a great Tribe. We flourished, and had a great number of members. But then, we were attacked. A group of Pollicles, on Macavity's command, 'raided' the 'Yard."
At the mention of his old boss, Mungojerrie flinched, but neither Munkustrap nor Alonzo noticed. Instead, Alonzo took over.
"We didn't lose as many lives as might've happened," he said, solemnly, "but there were many injured. And after we'd managed to get back to order, many cats decided that it wasn't safe here, so they moved away, to find human families, or to get to a 'safer' place. Only a few, loyal Jellicles stayed on."
All the time Alonzo had been talking, Mungo noticed Munkustrap had seemed quite restless. Now, as his friend finished, he signalled to him, and they moved off a little way, where they had a quick talk. Then they came back, and, seeing a flicker of hope in Munkustrap's eyes, Mungo knew they were about to ask him something.
Munkustrap didn't beat about the bush. He looked Mungo in the eye, and said "Mungojerrie, just out of interest, how would you and your sister like to join the Jellicle Tribe, once you manage to find her?"
Mungo could hardly believe his ears. He and his sister had actually just been invited to join the Jellicle Tribe. He opened his mouth, to accept, but he never managed to get the words out. All he could do was nod, a slightlydazed expression on his face.
Ok, that was the first chapter. Hope you enjoyed it! Chapter 2 will soon be up - we hope!