The Tears I Cry
Msterope's Story
Disclaimer: All original CATS characters belong to T.S Elliot, therefore I cannot take any credit in the creation of any of these characters. All poems within this story belong to T.S Elliot and are not of my creation. Events and other characters are, however, my creation. If you'd like to base a story off of mine, then please message me and ask me first.
Chapter One
"Get up, my dear; it's morning." I groaned as light hit my face and I felt a clawed paw on my shoulder.
"Morning? Why must it be morning, boss?" I grumbled, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. I am Msterope, daughter of Mylie and Haemon, twin sister to Merope and assassin for Macavity. My aquamarine eyes focused on my ginger boss's face and I blinked. He was an older tom, at least three and a half years older than myself, and rumors went around that he was mated with Griddlebone. I scoffed them; everyone knew Griddlebone wasn't more than a seductrice, capable of making even the toughest of the boss's contacts pliable. Yawning, I stretched out my arms to the ceiling.
"Morning is a wonderful time for death, do you not think so, my dear?" Macavity said with a chilling smile. My right eyebrow went up as I stretched my legs. I stood up and looked at my boss as he knelt in front of me. His eyes sat about chest height when I stood and I turned.
"I'm an evening cat, myself." I said, walking away, but feeling Macavity's paw trace my back as I walked. It sent shivers down my spine, Merope always warned me of him. He was sly and intelligent, very conniving and deadly when he seemed at his most calm. Right now, I was guessing he was at one of his dangerous points. He was calm and talking about death like it was play. My eyes came around and I regarded him for a moment.
"Why?" I asked, knowing full well that wasn't necessarily the best thing to do in a situation like this. Were Merope here, Macavity would simply smile, walk up to me and pat my cheek like I as a child. Compared to him, I was; nearly into my teen years. I've been in Macavity's service since I was able to walk. Now that Merope was training with the shadow thieves, I was alone and instantly knew my mistake. Macavity was up and had me pinned against the wall with one arm under my chin. Grasping at his muscular arm, my wide aquamarine eyes stared up at the ginger tabby's face with evident fear.
"Why is none of your business, my dear. Death is your dealing and you will do as I tell you. No questions asked; understood?" I nodded my head wordlessly at the calm tone in his voice, the malicious glint in his eyes telling me not to say anything. "Pardon?"
"Y-ye-yes S-s-sir!" I stammered quietly, trying to get enough air to stay concious. Macavity nodded and stepped away, turning as I fell to my knees coughing. I touched my throat with one of my paws and looked up at my boss's back.
"And don't stammer, very unbecoming of a lady in your situation." I took a deep breath and swallowed a lump in my throat, standing up to face Macavity's back.
"Yes sir, understood sir." I said with just a hint of a waver in my voice. I flinched when Macavity turned and brought his paw up under my chin. He gripped it with surprising strength and bent to look into my eyes. I started to shiver at the cold look in his green eyes before he dropped me to my knees.
"I expect to see you in my office before noon, Terope." He said, turning and leaving my room. I snarled as I looked at the ground, letting flames flicker between my fingers in anger.
"My name is Msterope, you bastard." I spat, lauching a small fireball at the door and letting it burn a little before putting it out. I walked to my small cot and sat down, pulling my knees up to my chest. Resting my forehead on my forearms, I started to cry.
"Missy?" I heard Merope's voice in my head and I opened my eyes. My neck hurt from sleeping with my head resting on my forearms. I looked up and looked into my brother's icy blue eyes.
"Merry?" I asked, reaching out with my arms to pull my brother closer. He nuzzled my cheek sympathetically, then looked into my eyes. They must've been red or swollen because a frown wrinkled my brother's black face. I tried to smile and laugh, but he wasn't fooled.
"What did he do now?" I sighed and put my head on my brother's shoulder, toying with the only tuft of white fur on his broad chest. Merope was only two minutes older than me, but Macavity had put some sort of enchantment on him that made him grow. He looked two years my senior even though he was less than four years old. Merope put his fingers under my chin and brought my face up so he could look in my eyes.
"What did the boss do now that made you cry?" The look of the Dark Cat in his eyes made my tongue dry and I licked my lips.
"It's nothing that could seriously make me angry, he just keeps calling me Terope instead of my full name. Why does he keep us seperated?" I demanded, hugging my brother close to me. Merope sighed and put his head on top of mine.
"Because he's worried that we'll band together and become a team instead of being independant, or rather, dependant on him." I nodded my head. Looking up at my small window I frowned.
"I need to be going, I'm supposed to be at the boss's office by noon." Merope looked up at my window and nodded.
"Right, I need to be back at the training hall in five minutes; Msterope?" I turned to my brother as I reached the door. His eyes were locked on mine as he stared at me.
"Yeah Merope?" I asked in return, giving him a small grin.
"Be careful." I nodded my head and turned from my room, starting off at a full run towards the boss's office. I stopped at the corner before the boss's door and caught my breath. I straightened to my full height, which wasn't really very much and walked around the corner. Chandler, another trainee, watched me with amusement as I walked up.
"Got an appointment?" He asked with a sneer. Glaring up at him, I snarled.
"Go soak your head, Chandler." I growled, stepping in front of the door and crossing my arms. "And for the record, the boss is expecting me in a minute."
Chandler sneered at me, but turned to the door and knocked loudly. There was silence within the small office, then Macavity' voice rang clear in both our ears.
"Enter." Chandler opened the door and stepped inside.
"Terope here to see you, sir." My ears went back against my head as I glared at the door. I set my jaw and clenched my fists angrily.
"Msterope, it's Msterope." I muttered under my breath.
"See her in, Chandler. And don't try anything this time, or I'll give her permission to rid you of two things I'm sure you won't be needing while in my service." A grin flashed onto my petite face when Chandler appeared. He glared at me and opened the door a bit wider. As I walked by him, he snarled.
"Squealer..." He muttered, nearly closing my tail in the door. I looked at the door, then entered the light in the boss's office. He was working at his desk, a pair of glasses perched on the end of his nose. I stood at a respectful distance away from the desk and faced him, waiting for him to make the first move.
"Has your attitude changed since this morning, my dear?" He asked, not looking up from the document he was scanning. My ears twitched, but I remained silent. Macavity's green eyes came up and he looked at me. He took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes with his free paw.
"Well, my dear?" He asked, leaning against his fist and motioning at me with his other paw with his glasses. I took a deep breath and took a brave step forward.
"Yes it has sir. Death is rather lovely in the morning, although technically speaking it's the afternoon now." A slender eyebrow went up on the right side of Macavity's face and his fingers started to drum on his desk. I took a deep breath and held it as he stood up and walked calmly around the desk. He stood before me with his back turned, but in an instant he whirled, backhanding me into his desk. The world spun as I felt blood trickle down the right side of my nose. My paw came up and covered the long gash over my right eye. I could see my boss's feet in front of me and my blood dripping onto the floor before them. He knelt and took my chin in his paw.
"Report to the healer for your eye." He said, dropping me back on the floor. "Dismissed."
I stumbled out of the office, one paw still over my eyes. I hear Chandler chuckled as I put one paw against the wall to guide me towards the infirmary.
"Jelly? Jellylorum, are you here?" I whimpered, trying to find my way blindly down the hall to the infirmary. I heard rustling ahead and I stumbled towards it. Blood clouded my vision on the right side when I took my paw away and I felt the blood continue to trickle down my cheek.
"Msterope? Is that you, dearie?" Jelly poked her head around a corner and gasped when she saw me, half my face covered in blood. "Goodness child! Come in, here; I'm here."
Jellylorum guided me to a pillow in the large infirmary and I could feel other pairs of eyes on me. Looking around with my good eye, I could see trainees and full employees of Macavity's laying on various pillows. One set of eyes caught my attention; a set of striking silver eyes. I stared for a moment before Jelly took my chin firmly in her paw and twisted my face towards her. She hummed for a few minutes, turning my face to the light so she could get a good look.
"Good news is that you can keep your eyes, dearie." I sighed with relief, but I caught a small look from the butter-colored nurse. "Bad news is that you'll be blind and the gash is going to leave one heck of a scar."
"Go figure..." I muttered, hissing when Jelly put some solvant on the cut to clean it. She laughed a little and dabbed the cut gently.
"You can't just expect it to be all a cup of tea, darling. Here, grasp this and you'll let out some tension." I felt a piece of soft cloth between my fingers and I squeezed it tightly as pain shot through the right side of my face.
Soon my face was cleaned and Jelly turned from me. She had ordered me to hold a piece of treated linen to the cut while she dug out a series of tools. While she dug out her tools, I let my eyes stray back to the tom sitting across the room from me. I waggered he was about three years old, given his build, and his long fur was dark grey, although the white and ginger on his gloves and boots caught the light from Jelly's small desk beside him. I heard Jellylorum turn again and I let my face turn back to her. She pulled away the linen, which I noticed was soaked with blood and she put her paw on the side of my face.
"Amanda?" Jelly called, not looking away from my face. There was movement behind a curtain and as small queen emerged. Her face white bib shone against rusty and butter-colored fur as well as her white gloves. She rushed across the room and knelt beside me. Putting her paws in mine, the small queen smiled gently.
"Squeeze me paws if it hurts, okay?" She said in a quiet voice. There was more movement and I spotted the grey tom standing behind Amanda. Jellylorum looked up at him and her face twisted into a frown.
"Jahnnus, get back to your pillow and rest; nurse's orders!" She said sharply, although the large tom did not move. He was staring at me and soon he knudged Amanda to one side. Jelly harrumphed and her paws left my cheek for a moment. Jahnnus took my paws from Amanda's with a cocky smile.
"Now now, Jelly. It would be much more appropriate for her to break my paws than those of your assisstant." Jelly growled something under her breath and looked at me. Turning my face so the light was concentrated on the right side, I felt Jelly tsk.
"How on earth does he do this to young princesses?" She muttered, then I felt a sharp pain. I cried out, but forced myself not to pull away when I saw the needle in Jelly's paw. I gripped Jahnnus's paws tightly and felt a slight squeeze back. The next stitch was just as painful and I bit down onto my lips sharply enough to draw blood. It trickled down my chin and I felt Amanda wipe it off gently.
When Jelly was finished, she wiped her paws on a white towel. I was whimpering, almost laying in Jahnnus's lap. He stroked me mane and headfur gently and looked up at Jelly.
"Shall I escort her back to her room?" He asked, receiving a sharp glance from Jelly.
"She will remain here until I know that her body will not reject the stitches." She said, then pointed to his pillow across the room. "Now get back to your pillow before I allow someone to break you some more."
I buried my face in the pillow and allowed hot, miserable tears to soak the soft fabric. My good eye closed and I drifted into a fitful sleep.
"Missy? Hey, wait up girlfriend!" I turned and regarded the queen running up to me with slight amusement. Saffron was shorter than me by almost a full head and her fur reflected her name in a golden-orange color. Her bright amber eyes flashed with glee as she looked around. She was clutching something between her paws and I raised an eyebrow.
"What in nine hells are you hiding, you silly minx?" I asked in a teasing voice, reaching for her paws. The small queen jumped away with a giggle and shook her head.
"Can't show you until you come back with me... to see Jahnnus." I glared at her and snarled.
"You know I'm not allowed to see him; the boss would kill both of us!" Saffron grinned and wiggled her finger at me.
"Not if he didn't know." With that, she turned and started off. Bold black stripes ran across her back and down her tail. I sighed and followed her, weary of everyone around and every little noise. We reached Jahnnus's cell and Saffron looked around.
"Cover me." She hissed in a whisper and extracted a key from between her paws. My eye widened and I looked around. I had to do a full three-sixty to look at all angles due to my right eye. A black patch now covered it because I was so self-concious of everyone staring at the pink scar. I heard the door click and my ears swiveled.
"Jahnnus?" Saffron disappeared into the room. I heard low whispering and backed into the room. It was dark and the air was moist. Looking towards the whispers, I allowed my eye to adjust to the light. I gasped at the sight of my lover, chains binding him to the floor and ceiling so he hung between. Rushing to him, I nuzzled my face into his chest.
"Oh, Beloved; what has he done to you?" I whispered, looking up and capturing his lips in mine. Saffron backed up to the door and went out.
"I'll see you back at our room, Missy." She said, disappearing again and closing the door. I let Jahnnus's lips go and looked at the chains. He shook his head, his long, matted mane moving slightly.
"It's no use, Lover; these chains will withstand anything." I glared at him and put my paws into his. Pulling myself up, using all my upper body strength, I wrapped my legs around his waist. Kissing Jahnnus passionately, I rubbed my body against his, desperately trying to arouse him.
"Anything? I doubt that. Old Bastard has got to have given them a weak spot somewhere." I said huskily, grabbing the chains with both paws tightly. I joined my body with Jahnnus's and we groaned in unison.
"Beloved? Isn't this a bit awkward?" Jahnnus asked in a low voice, kissing my throat as I mewed with pleasure. I chuckled and ground my body against his.
"Perhaps, but it's satisfying." I giggled and finished our short session.
Letting myself down onto the ground, both of us froze when the door creaked open. I stood frozen in front of Jahnnus as Macavity entered, Saffron in tow by her collar. Her amber eyes were red and tears ran down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry Missy, please forgive me! He gave me no..." Macavity cut her off with a sharp slap across the face. She whimpered in Chandler's paws and Macavity turned his cold green eyes on me. My ears were plastered against my head and my tail slashed behind my calves, but my face was completely devoid of emotion. Macavity shook his head and took a few steps towards me.
"Dear son and Terope, the two of you should know better than to go behind my back like this. Chandler?" My good eye went to the large brown tabby tom behind Macavity. He straightened, holding Saffron in his arms. The boss's eyes were on me and a calculated smile crossed over his lips. My throat went dry at the smile and my good eye widened slightly.
"Take Saffron back to the trainee hall and do with her as you wish." Saffron shrieked as Chandler turned towards the door. My right paw shot out and a fireball singed the fur off the side of Chandler's shoulder. Macavity's eyebrow went up and he took a step towards me. I backed up against Jahnnus's limp body as Macavity came up to my face.
"Do you have something to say about that, my dear?" I swallowed a lump and stood my full height before Macavity.
"Don't punish Saffron, it was my idea. She's the only queen I knew that could get her paws on the key without too much hassle." I said with a hint of fear in my voice. Saffron's eyes were wide as she stared at me, tears still running down her cheeks. My heart pulled a little.
I have to do this for her! I thought, desperately trying to figure some plan out of black nothingness in my mind.
"No..." Jahnnus said weakly behind me. Macavity's paw was around my throat and he lifted my feet off the ground.
"Your idea? My dear, you of all the queens should know that going behind my back is not a smart plan if you wish to live." I struggled a little as my world started to spin. Macavity shook me, then threw me aside, letting me hit the side wall in the small cell. Jahnnus struggled against his bindings as his father walked away. Macavity turned his head towards his prisoner with amusement, then he continued towards Saffron. The small queen shivered in Chandler's grasp as Macavity traced her jaw with one finger. In one lightning quick movement Macavity slapped her.
"That is to teach you never to go behind me back, and this," He said, turning to me with a lick of his lips. "Is to teach you to never follow what the daughter of a whore has to say."
On the ground, I snarled at Macavity. My good eye glowed orange and my paws flicked with hot flames.
"Don't. Call. My. Mother. A. Whore!!!" I said, my sides heaving with breath. Macavity chuckled, bending down and grabbing my chin. He pulled me to my feet and backhanded me. The flames disappeared from my paws as I fell to the ground at Chandler's feet. He laughed as Saffron whimpered.
"Missy, don't do this! Please don't do this..." She said over and over again in a low voice. I looked up at her and stared into her eyes. A small smile quieted her and she shook her head.
"No." She said, closing her eyes. I didn't know why until I felt Macavity's paws on my shoulders. He pulled me up onto my knees and I felt his paws trace my body, doing exactly what Jahnnus did to make me heated. I closed my eyes and shook my head to clear it, but it was too late already.
"Never disobey me." Macavity said in my ear before pushing me to my paws on the floor. I felt his body close to mine and I felt tears of shame coming to my eyes. Macavity mounted me and joined with me savagely. Pain traced through me and I screamed, my claws gratting on the stone floor of Jahnnus's cell. My lover shook his ody helplessly as he watched his father make love to me and Saffron shrieked in Chandler's arms. Macavity's thrust into me fiercly and my world started to spin again as the pain shot through my body.
"You... bastard..." I said, falling the ground unconcious.
"Missy? Missy, wake up; it's Merope." I opened my eyes and looked into my brother's face. It was contorted in anger and white pyrotechnics danced around his eyes. I couldn't see the blue of my brother's irises and I tried to move. I saw Jelly by Merope's shoulder and knew I was in the infirmary. I swallowed, trying to moisten my dry throat and mouth. Jellylorum motioned behind her and soon I had a small thimble of water before me.
"Drink up, dearie. We'll be leaving soon." My brow furrowed as I looked up a Merope. I swallowed several large gulps of water and sighed in relief.
"Going where?" Saffron appeared at my side and she flung herself over my chest. Her tears fell onto my chest and my right paw came up to sift through her headfur.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." She moaned. I laughed harshly and took her chin in my paws.
"It's nothing, I needed to take the blame for you. I just couldn't let you be taken to the trainee hall." Merope's eyes darkened and he snorted. Saffron looked up at him, then stared at me with haunted eyes.
"That's not why I'm apologizing... Macavity... Jahnnus... He... Macavity..." Tears started coursing down her cheeks again and Merope sighed. He put an arm around Saffron's shoulders and pulled her into his lap. Her fingers wound around the fur on his chest as she cried. Jellylorum's ears were back as she looked at me.
"What she's trying to say, dearie, is that Macavity had Jahnnus killed. They did it shortly after Macavity dropped you on my doorstep." My eyes filled with tears as I put my head back onto the pillow. Tears ran down my cheek silently, even some from under my eyepatch. I started to chuckle, then broke into hysterical, but saddened laughter.
"I knew it! I knew he would do it someday." I said, looking at Saffron. Her eyes were wide with fright and Merope was stroking her back calmingly, although the white pyrotechnics around his eyes showed that he was less than calm.
"Where are we going?" I asked, trying to break the silence. Jellylorum looked up at Merope and nodded her head. He put Saffron down next to me and went and closed the door after checking that nobody was around. He came back and sat beside Saffron. Jellylorum sighed and toyed with an edge of a white linen cloth she was holding, looking up at me.
"We're going to the junkyard, to live with the Jellicles. I have a good friend who lives there, Deuteronomy; although to them he is known as Old Deuteronomy. He's the leader of the tribe much like Macavity is the leader of the operations here." I nodded my head, then my paws twitched. Jellylorum looked down at them as I started to stroke my belly fur. My good eye unfocused as I sat there, stroking my belly fur gently.
"It's not his... the kitten I'm carrying isn't Jahnnus's..." I said in a haunted voice. Merope snarled and hugged Saffron as she jumped. My eye refocused and I reached up to my face. Pulling off the eyepatch, I looked up at Jelly.
"How are we getting there?" Jelly looked up at Merope with a saddened look. Merope nodded his head gravely and reached down to my side. Jellylorum grabbed my other paw and Saffron buried into Merope's chest.
"I'm taking us there..." He said and his pyrotechnics flashed. Then Macavity's infirmary was gone.
Please read and review! Next few chapters should be up and hopefully I'll keep this one fairly short and be able to update it frequently!