A/N: Although I have written several Cats poems, this is my first full fanfiction. Also, I have made it my mission to attempt to write a multiple chapter fanfic and COMPLETE it, without abandoning it after two chapters. I am primarily a poet and short story writer, but I believe expanding my repertoire, and learning the value of patience when writing will make me a better writer. So I ask you, my readers, to help me by encouraging me to continue. I beg you, DO NOT LET ME GIVE UP ON THIS STORY!!! If I have writers block, please give me suggestions, but usually, I simply lose patience, get bored, and give up. So please, review!
A/N 2: I apologize in advance for my atrocious attempt at Mungojerry and Rumpleteazer's cockney accents.
Disclaimer: If I owned Cats, Misto would have a much bigger part, and Old Deuteronomy would not be allowed to sing. Obviously, it's not mine.
Of Magicians and Loyalty
Chapter 1
The rain came down in torrents, pounding the ground as though the very sky had a vendetta against the gray pavement. A calico tom, along with a nearly identical queen, trot briskly on the sidewalk, a brown sack carried between them. The sack suddenly squirmed, wriggling violently. The queen giggled, her shrill voice piercing the still night air. "Shut yer trap, Rumpleteazer! You want to get caught? The Boss'd skin us alive. I don't know 'bout you, b'I like me fur attached to me body!"
Awww, c'mon, Jerrie. I was jus havn' a bit o' fun." She giggled again, picking up the sack in her mouth. "Let's go." Mungojerry sighed and gazed up to the bright moon.
"Oh, Everlasting Cat, w' I do to deserve such a sister?" He shook his head and followed the queen. Rumpleteazer stopped abruptly in front of an old, worn tire. She gave her signature giggle and told her brother "Come. Our public awaits!" She charged headlong through the tire, brown sack in toe. Mungojerry laughed softly, and followed his sister into the junkyard of the jellicles.
Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Munkustrap stretched in his warm den. He glanced at the pouring rain outside, and was grateful that the day had been surprisingly peaceful, so he need not dampen his silver and black-striped coat. By some miracle, the kittens were behaving, the elders were content, and not one cat had run to him with some issue or question. Not that he minded, of course. It was his job, as second-in-command of the tribe, to help others. But could he not enjoy one peaceful, quiet day, and stay dry as an added bonus? The silver tabby yawned, his jaws gapping wide, and turned back towards the depths of his den for a nice, relaxing nap. He was about to lay down, when, over the crash of the hammering rain, a great yowl sounded.
"Munkustrap! Munkustrap! Come quickly, we need you!"
"Hurry Munkustrap! It's an emergency, it is!" Munkustrap groaned. He turned his yellow eyes to the dark, angry heavens, as if to ask "Why? Why now?" He then sighed, took a deep breath, and plunged into the rain, sprinting as quickly as his paws could carry him, a silver lightning bolt striped with the black bands of night.
In front of him stood two twin calicos, whom he knew to be the mischievous pair, Mungojerry and Rumpleteazer. Immediately, suspicion gripped at Munkustrap. "If you two are up to something, I swear…"he started,
"Believe us, Munkustrap" the duo said as one. "This is important. We got ourselves here a bit 'o trouble, we 'ave."
"What's wrong?" asked Munkustrap. He then noticed the brown sack between the two siblings. "What's that?"
"This", said Rumpleteazer dramatically, "is the problem." With that, the queen and her brother lifted the ends of the sack and dumped out a squirming tuxedo kitten. Munkustrap stared down at the kitten, his golden eyes seeking to gaze directly into those of the little tom. It was very difficult to focus, as one eye was green while the other was blue. Munkustrap could not look into both eyes at once; he kept switching from one to the next. The silver cat had never seen anything like those strange eyes in his entire life. Munkustrap hadn't realized that he had been staring at the black and white tom until Mungojerry cleared his throat rather loudly and gave the deputy a pointed look. "Oh, right. Yes. On to business" Munkustrap said in an attempt to regain his composure and dignity. "Where did you find him?" he asked the two mischievous cats.
Rumpleteazer replied "We found the lit'le bugger wandering around Victoria Grove, wail'n for 'is mum. Can't be more 'n a few months old, poor thing. We tried to find 'is mother, we did, but she was nowhere to be seen. "
"We thought it best to bring 'im to you", added Mungojerry. "Couldn't just leave the poor kid there, no, so we nicked this ol' sack from the local grocer n' brought 'im 'ere as fast as we could."
"So what you goin' to do with 'im, Munkustrap?" asked Rumpleteazer. "Can't just leave a poor, defenseless little kitten alone in the street. 'e got no one, he 'as". Munkustrap took a minute to think this through, but knew from the start that there was no way he could leave the tom to fend for himself. After all, half the Jellicles who lived in the junkyard were strays anyway.
Forcing himself to look directly into the kitten's mismatched eyes he asked "What is your name, little one?"
The tuxedo replied, "Quaxo. But most people call me Mr. Mistoffelees." He said this in a clear, unwavering voice, although he was shaking from head to white-tipped tail. Munkustrap had to hand it to this kitten, he had guts. Abandoned or lost by his mother (Munkustrap could not bear to think of the alternative), left to wander alone in the street for the Everlasting Cat knows how long, thrown into a sack and thrown into a strange junkyard filled with even stranger cats, this kitten held his own.
"Well, Mr. Mistoffelees", the deputy began in a firm, but kind tone, "we have a vacant pipe over there by the rusted grey Human Carrier. Why don't we get you settled in?" Guiding the young tom with his striped tail, Munkustrap turned and led Mistoffelees to his new home.