AN: This sadistic little brainwave hit as soon as Tie Kerl told me he was giving the Jellicle leader the name of Alexander the Great in Raising Deuteronomy. For the record, he denies having any part in this. But we all know a lie when we hear one… The rating will most likely be raised in a few chapters.
He hobbled slowly into the junkyard, relying heavily on the support from his daughter-in-law. His paws shook, he no longer tried to stop them. His once beautiful coat was faded and aged, copper turning to orange, cream turning to greyish-beige, and black to brownish-grey. His blue eyes darted from place to place, but they came to rest on a single cat when he finally entered the tire area.
The tom in question was just as old as he was, and just as worse for wear. His own silvery coat had faded off to grey, and his black tabby stripes long gone to the same brownish-grey Gus's had. Old Deuteronomy was the leader of his tribe.
It hadn't always been that way. Once he had been simply Deuteronomy to him. His fan, his friend, his lover.
Those days were gone, however, and there was no use bringing them up. In the end, the leader had made a choice and they had both chosen to live by its outcomes. He eased himself onto an old paint cat, assisted by a queen the same age as Jellylorum.
After all, it hadn't turned out that badly. They both had families, Gus having one son and Deuteronomy being the father of four sons and three daughters. One greeted him respectively, a silver tabby who looked remarkably like his father with the exception of a few white patches.
The aged cat stood and sang, his rich, deep voice carrying a message few Jellicles understood. Some tuned out, others just enjoyed his voice and didn't care about what he was saying. Gus understood, and wished he could stop listening.
To have the experience and miss the meaning… Was that what had happened? They hadn't realized what they had until it was gone? Or had they simply sacrificed what they had to put others at ease? Where had they gone wrong? Everlasting Cat, where had they gone right?
Another voice filled the night air, this one pure and high, sweet and beautiful. The tiny ruby coloured kitten was holding the paw of her half brother and he the paw of his sister. The twins were using Jemima to put their father's message into layman's terms, something the others could begin to understand.
A smile twitched on his face as he listened to her. So innocent the little one was. How naive to the ways of the world. Most certainly Deuteronomy's daughter. He slowly closed his eyes and rose, walking. Towards what, he wasn't sure.
He felt a paw on his shoulder. He looked up into the deep brown eyes he had gazed into many years ago with a loving passion. He had once seen flames dancing in them. Now he only saw pain. A tom who had pretended to love many queens so that his tribe could have a suitable leader and an heir.
Deuteronomy gave him a warm smile, and gestured gently towards Jellylorum. Gus turned his back on the leader and stumbled back to his paint can while Munkustrap helped his father to his throne.
The past was gone, no use going back there. But if he could have one wish, it would be used to turn things back to the way they once were. Even those stolen moments together at the theatre late at night were better than anything…