"We're almost there! C'mon Victoria!" Quaxo glanced nervously behind him. He could hear his fathers agents closing in on him. If they got caught fleeing, they were going to be in serious trouble. His sister was fumbling to keep up, she was even younger than the older kitten Quaxo. "We've got to keep moving, or…"
"Or we'll get ya!"
Quaxo skidded to a stop. Two twin cats with orange, white, and black markings stod in front of him. He recognized Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer from his fathers crime teams. Quaxo furled his black-and-white fur menacingly, ready to fight. "Oy! Calm down you. We'yre not going'ta hurt ya" Rumpleteazer mewled.
"Head on that a'ways. Into the junkyard, they won't find ya there!" Mungojerrie whispered urgently. Quaxo twitched his ears excitedly, He just had time for a breathless thank-you before forcing his small paws back into action. Victoria had had time to catch her breath, and plowed alongside her brother, white fur glimmering in the moonrays. They leapt through a gap in the rotting white picket fence and lunged inside an overturned cardboard box. The yowls of cats on the hunt streaked by as their pursuers wandered the alleys for them. For a moment, all that they could hear was their own shallow breathing, the pounding of their hearts. Then another heartbeat sounded behind them. Quaxo pulled his sister backwards out of the soggy box, falling head-over-heels threw the flaps. A grey and black tabby stalked dutifully out. His tail was stiff and tall behind them as he hissed at the intruders,
"Who are you?"
Two more cats appeared from behind him. And then more. And more. Quaxo's tail twitched erratically as he flitted nervously on his paws. Would the strange cats attack? Suddenly, a warm buzz quivered in his throat. He gasped as he looked down. His paws were practically glowing. He flinched backwards, and the glowing vanished instantly. It looked like none of the cats had noticed. Victoria was brave enough to speak up. Between breaths, she replied,
"I'm…Victoria. This is my brother, Quaxo." Quaxo flicked his ears respectfully towards the big tabby cat. "We're children of…" Quaxo, alarmed, pricked his sister softly with thorn sharp claws.
"A stray cat." He concluded quickly. Victoria cast him a fierce glance. He knew Macavity wasn't exactly a respected name around here, and he didn't want any trouble from the well-fed cast peering down at them. The tabby seemed to ease softly. He whispered a word with a ginger striped cat behind him. A murmur of whispered messages circulated threw the cats. Quaxo and Victoria stayed awkwardly still and silent. Then the tabby looked up, a new kindness in his gaze.
"I'm Munkustrap. We," he gestured around him, "are the Jellicle Cats." He spoke grandly, a glimmer of pride reflecting in his voice. Some of the cats instantly chimed in with their own names, others glared tensely down at the siblings, silent. The ginger cat was Shimbleshanks. Two kittens who were playfully batting at each other introduced themselves as Pouncival and Tumblebrutus. A perky, young kitten that was white, slightly orange and black, was about to speak when an old queen batted her away, glaring cruelly at the both of them. A kitten just slightly younger walked almost up to them, almost nearing them, She was black, white, red orange, and almost every color of those assembled. Her cute smile made Quaxo purr happily. She opened her mouth to speak when two spunky queens stepped forward and coaxed her away. Munkustrap spoke again.
"We welcome you for a time. You may ask around to find rest for the night." And without another word, he strode back into his cardboard den.