Athena
Daughter of Despair and Doom
Chapter One:
The Coming
Athena trotted toward the Jellicle Junkyard nervously. She knew that her mother was somewhere in there. She had dreamt of being reunited with her mother for years. There was always a small worry in the back of her mind What if she doesn't want me, she left me with my father if she loved me she wouldn't have left me with that abusive basterd. Athena wondered what had occurred in her mind to make her run away. She had no clue what possessed to do it. Now she could never go back to Macavity, she would be killed. "No turning back now" Athena muttered as she walked toward the entrance. "Hello, Anyone there?" she called.
In reply to her question two queens slowly walked towards her. Their movements were perfectly in sync with each other. Twins Athena thought to herself. One of the queens looked at her the other seemed to study something behind her. Athena realized with a start what it was that the queen was studying HER. The queen was reading her thoughts. The one that was looking at only her face spoke.
"I am Cocalorm, my very impolite nosy show off sister doesn't mean to pry but she cant help herself. She loves to read minds." Cocalorm gave her sister a sharp slap and the other queen stopped studying Athena.
"I'm Silelorm" she said quietly rubbing where Cocalorm had hit her.
"I'm Athena, do you know where I could find the leader of this tribe?" Athena asked.
"Sure" Cocalorm said. "If you'll tell me where you came from."
Athena thought fast if she told them that she was from Macavity's tribe they wouldn't let her see the leader and if she couldn't see the leader she would never be a member of the tribe and find her mother. "I came from the Lupe Tribe" she invented, knowing that she sounded convincing. She had known a cat from the Lupe Tribe and knew that it was a real tribe.
"Oh" Cocalorm looked disappointed. Athena knew she was looking for gossip. "How old are you?" Cocalorm asked.
"Two" Athena said quietly. She didn't have to lie about that.
"You sound very mature for two, If you decide to become a member of the tribe someone will have to look after you" Cocalorm said looking worried.
"Oh, Coc" Silelorm smiled at Athena "She looks life a good kitten. I doubt there'll be any trouble finding her a foster mom."
"Why are you here?" Cocalorm changed tact immediately.
"Silelorm was right. I want to be a member of the tribe. My parents are dead and I need a home ,now can I PLEASE SEE THE LEADER?" Athena was beginning to loose her temper.
Silelorm smiled at the queen's determination. "O.K. Athena. I'll take you Cocalorm is on guard duty.
***
Silelorm led Athena up to a rather young looking leader and a queen who had to be his mate. Silelorm bowed and left.
"S-sir, my name is Athena, I-I'd like to be a member of the tribe" Athena stammered sounding as if she was two months old rather then two years old.
The leader looked amused. So did his mate. "I'm Munkustrap, this is Demeter. Now that we're all acquainted I'll tell you one thing. We have no real rules about taking in stray kittens. We just need to find you a decent foster home. Demmie ,will you take her to Jennyanydots to see if she could take her in. I think Athena could at least make herself useful there."
"Yes, dear" Demeter said looking at Athena and beckoning her to follow.
Athena followed Demeter over to an old rusted car. The two didn't talk much. Demeter rapped sharply on the door of the car. An orangey-brown tom entered. He looked at Demeter then at the younger cat before Demeter could explain he was talking to Athena. He seemed to like her very much. "I was going to ask if you could take her in" Demeter mumbled.
"Done" the cat smiled.
"Thanks, Skimble." She smiled at the tom. She then bent toward the tom whispered something to him rubbed heads and walked away.
The tom looked at Athena then noticed that she was clearly too small to be able to get up into the car alone. He gently picked her up and set her on the soft upholstery of the car.
"Thank you" Athena murmured suddenly realizing how tired she was.
"Before you go to sleep I have to take you to meet Jenny. She'll kill me if she gets up and sees that I haven't introduced you to her. " Skimbleshanks smiled as he led the small kitten who was still yawning into what would have been the trunk of the car. There was a calico queen sitting there. When Skimbleshanks appeared with Athena she jumped up.
"Skimble… Wha…?" she started and yawned. So did Athena both of the females laughed.
"Hon, this is Athena, she was orphaned Demeter wanted us to take her in. She's really a very delightful little kitten and I think you could make her very useful… teaching her to stitch…" his voice trailed off when he noticed that Jenny and Athena were already chatting like they knew each other forever.
He got up and was about to tell Athena that he would show her to where she could sleep when Jenny smiled and said. "I think it wouldn't do any harm having Athena sleep in here."
Skimble smiled said something about having a train to catch and he was gone. As soon as Jenny brought her a blanket she had cuddled up next to her new surrogate mother and was asleep.