Author's Note: I really liked the idea for this, so... I published it.
Rain
The fifth story by me!
Victoria stumbled through the rainy London streets, muttering darkly. Just another failed hunting trip. Maybe if you'd listened to Munkustrap and let Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer handle this, then you wouldn't have to come home empty-pawed. She thought. The white queen stomped forward, not paying attention to where she was going. The rain was awful; Victoria was soaked to the skin already, and she was shivering. The white queen grumbled angrily at the thought of how wet she'd be when she got back to her den. Suddenly she tripped on a loose stone, flying into a puddle.
Instead of getting her coat stained from the dirty water, however, a black paw caught her arm and steadied her. Victoria looked up at the tuxedo tomcat who'd stopped her from falling.
"Thank you." She meowed quietly, wondering how he'd appeared so suddenly.
"We could not have you falling into that mud puddle, could we?" The tom replied. Victoria got a closer look at him. His face was white and kittenish, with an innocent expression that obviously concealed inner mischief and his fur was a deep black with a glittering sheen to it, excepting for a white arm, bib, and legs. He was very short for a tom – only a few inches taller than Victoria, and his amber eyes had a faraway light in them, almost as if he could see another layer to the world.
"No. What's your name?"
"...I believe it is...er...Mistoffelees. You are?" He seemed to have to concentrate to remember his own name. How very odd.
"I'm Victoria. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you as well. Have you been here before?"
"Not really, I don't normally go on hunting trips here but food is scarce."
"So you have never really been to London? Other than the Junkyard?" His voice was shocked, but he looked as though he'd expected it.
"No. Most cats say the town is dangerous. Including me." Victoria said quietly, staring at the strange tomcat.
"How would you know?" He smiled mischievously and grabbed a hold of her paw. "I think you really need a tour." Mistoffelees started walking, pulling Victoria along with him.
~~OoO~~
"I never knew that there were so many places in the world!" Victoria exclaimed, walking beside Mistoffelees.
"There is a whole world of places like this." The tomcat said quietly, as if he'd been to them all before.
"Really?"
"Yes, really." He smiled slowly. Then Victoria gasped, glancing at the night sky.
"I have to get back to the Junkyard!" She exclaimed. "I was supposed to be hunting!"
"Oh dear." Mistoffelees looked at her. "I can get you some mice."
"You don't need to do that."
"I did keep you from hunting."
"But-" Victoria stopped talking; the mysterious tomcat was already gone. She sighed and kicked at the dirt. They're going to wonder where I am. I hate to leave someone without telling them, but this is more important.
The white queen turned and headed towards the Junkyard. It was quiet out, sound muffled by the rain. She looked at herself, expecting to be as soaked as before. And yet she was hardly even damp.
"How odd." Victoria said softly.
"What is so odd?" A voice called. The white queen whirled around. There was Mistoffelees, his fur dry and fluffy, and two mice in his paws.
"I'm actually drier than I was."
"Well...um...here are the mice that I promised you." He gently held the mice out to her. She took them, smiling.
"Thanks"
"You are welcome." Mistoffelees replied. Victoria nodded and walked slowly back to the Junkyard. She stopped, intending to invite him to stay for a bit, but the tomcat was gone. It was as if he'd never been.
Victoria gazed questioningly at the spot where Mistoffelees had stood for a moment, before sighing at the oddities of strays and walking home.
~~OoO~~
"Munkustrap?" Victoria looked at the silver tabby.
"Yes, Victoria? He asked, glancing at her and smiling warmly before returning to his work.
"I was wondering if you'd finished that list of friendly strays?" The white queen asked, coking her head to the side.
"I did, in fact. Here you go." Munkustrap pulled a thick stack of papers out from underneath his makeshift desk and handed it to Victoria.
"Thanks." She smiled and began looking through it. Victoria flicked to the M section quickly. Maraxx, Maretta, Mellime, Morlone...but no Mistoffelees. Either he wasn't friendly, or he wasn't a stray. But then what was he? The Jellicles referred to all cats, even the ones that owned humans, as strays.
"Munkustrap?" Victoria asked again.
"Yes?" The silver tom turned towards her.
"I met a stray today."
"Is that why you wanted the list?" Munkustrap smiled knowingly.
"Well, yes. But he's not on the list." Victoria said nervously, shuffling the papers around in her paws.
"He's not? Well, what's his name and what's he like?" The silver tabby took the papers from Victoria and placed them back where they belonged.
"His name is Mistoffelees. He had a really difficult time remembering his own name, though, and he doesn't use contractions." Victoria meowed. Munkustrap gestured to a cushion and she sat.
"He doesn't sound like he came from around here, which could be why he's not on the list. Did he have an accent?" Munkustrap looked at her, resting his arms on his knees.
"No." The white queen said firmly. "Well, he had just a little bit of that Olde World thing going, but nothing else."
"You should ask Old Deuteronomy. He's been around long enough."
"All right. Thanks, Munkustrap." Victoria nodded, a smile ghosting her lips, and walked towards the Leader's den. Hopefully, he would be there.
