Cause and Effect.

…

Well I'm currently suffering from writers block and in a bid to snap out of it I've penned this little idea that cropped up. As per my original problem I'm struggling a bit with it so the chapters will be a little shorter than usual.

…

"Something has to be done D!" exclaimed the chubby tuxedo cat. "He's getting more and more unstable and you know it."

"Goddammit. Don't you think I know that," retorted the older grey Jellicle. "He's my bloody son after all."

"Well then you'd better do something, anything. Keeping him locked away in your den isn't getting us anywhere."

"I know. I know. The doctor's trying him on some new medications and I want to give them a chance to work. I will NOT give up on my firstborn son and your nephew Bustopher."

"Dueteronomy…" began the tuxedo in expasteration before visibly cutting off what he was about to blurt out, before trying again in a calmer tone. "He needs more than just a few visits a month from a local GP. He needs specialist care, he needs to be somewhere that he can't be a danger to himself or anyone els…"

"I think you'd better go brother," interrupted D in a cold voice, "and leave ME to deal with my own flesh and blood."

"Oh I'll go and don't worry. You won't see me or any of my family in this rat hole again until that animal is gone." With that the large black and white cat stormed out of the den and into the clearing.

"Quaxo! Come on kit. It's time to leave. Where's your mother?"

A small tuxedo kitten looked up from where he was playing with a little calico tom and a pair of older queens, one red and one golden.

"Coming uncle," called the kitten. "I think mom is with that new kittens mother."

"Grizz honey. It's time to go." Bustopher called into the birthing den. "Say goodbye to Jenny for me and let's get a move on."

Inside the birthing den, Grizzabella, a strikingly beautiful grey tuxedo queen was chatting to the much younger ginger queen Jennyanydots.

"Honestly Grizz. I have no idea why you agreed to by that tub of lards mate," said the gumbie cat.

"He gets me what I want Jen. Sure he's not that great in the looks department, but he's taking me places" replied Grizzabella in a dreamy voice and then shaking herself out of it and adding nearly as an afterthought. "And he was good enough to take me and Quax on after Deut kicked me out after that charlatan that waltzed through here."

"Well what do you expect," said the ginger queen in a caustic tone. "You don't lock the door, just asking to get caught, and then you have his kitten for Basts sake. What did you expect Deuteronomy to do?"

"I expected something better from him. I gave birth to his firstborn son." Said the queen in a glacial tone.

"Yeah and look how well that one's going?" replied the ginger queen before she could vet her words, stunning Grizzabella.

"Go to hell bitch!" snarled the grey queen who then stalked out of the den. "Quaxo? Bustopher? Come on. We're leaving this dump."

And with that she grabbed a protesting Quaxo by the arm and began dragging him out of the Junkyard that was the home to the Jellicles.

"But mum? I haven't gone in to see Mac yet?" whined the small tomkit.

"You can see your brother next trip. For now we're going home."

"But, but?"

"I said home. NOW!"

And with that the three tuxedos left the yard, watched by shocked Jellicles.

"He's right you know."

Duet dragged his gaze from where the trio had left, to where his father was sitting on the TSE1.

"Something needs to be done with Mac."

D sighed loudly. "I know dad, but what? He was supposed to take over from me when you finally head off for your rebirth but he can't do that now?"

"Munk is doing pretty well, though isn't he?" said Old Polyopolis indicating where the grey tabby tomcat was lounging with his best friend, the mane coon, Rum Tum Tugger, whilst the two of them were blatantly trying to draw the attention of Bombarulina and her sister Demeter by ignoring them completely, except for hidden glances.

D watched his son with narrowed eyes. "Yes, I suppose he's doing ok. As long as I can keep him on track, and not leading young Tugger astray."

"Oh come on son. We're only young once and he'll probably settle down when the time comes."

"That's what you said about Mac before I split with his mother."

"No. I think there's something different about young Munkunstrap. I just wish he'd met his mum."

D thought back on his ninth mate and Munkunstraps mother, Persephone. She'd been a beautiful tabby shorthair with a cheeky smile and loving heart. Unfortunately she'd died during Munks birth and the two had never met. D had never been able to bring himself to take another mate.

"So do I dad," murmured the Jellicle protector. "So do I."

…

Locked away in a secluded den an unkempt crimson furred cat was prowling an empty room.

"They did it again. They locked me up."

"But it's for my own good."

"Rubbish"

"But I might hurt someone who doesn't deserve it."

"Everyone here deserves what's coming to them."

"No. No. No, no, no…"

"Quiet weakling, they all deserve to die, the old, the young, the strong, the weak, all of them. Him most of all"

"But you can't. He's our father."

"He was never our father. Would a father lock us away like a rat in a cage?"

"But it's for my own good"

"Rubbish"

The conversation that the large crimson cat continued to loop and feedback on itself. It'd been going for hours with little alteration in the dialog, until a new thought crossed the pacing cats mind.

"How do I get out of a cage?"

"Break down the door"

"I've tried that"

"Then hide"

"There's no where too hide."

"There's always a place to hide. Even in plain sight"

"In plain sight?"

"Concentrate. Think of the light bending around you. The darkness enveloping you. Command it to conceal you."

"But…"

"Just do what I tell you."

At the direction of his inner voice the red furred Jellicle sat on the floor and assumed a meditative position and began to direct his attention inwards.

Seconds turned into moments turned into hours. As day turned into twilight and the streetlights came on a change came over the room. A malevolence made itself felt and the lengthening shadows began to draw around the motionless figure on the floor. They coalesced around the Jellicle and slowly, like an oil slick, moved up Macvity's legs and onto his torso. The shadowy tendrils continued to stretch upwards, and as they closed around the top of the cats domed head they flashed darkly and with a soft sucking sound were absorbed through the cats fur and into his skin. As they last shade disappeared the cats eye's opened. Gone were the brown pupils the Jellicle was born with replaced with glowing yellow orbs.

Macavity brought his paw up in front of his face and narrowed his eyes. The paw began to turn pale and colour seemed to leach out, after a moment it became transparent and a vicious grin spread across the cats face. He raised his other paw and with a snap of his fingers he disappeared and a raucous laugh was heard to echo about the room.

The laughter cut off suddenly as the door was flung open and Deuteronomy stood in the light of the entryway. Perplexed he gazed about the room, searching for his son in vain, the son who stood six inches from the older cat's side silently laughing at his father. After a long look around the bare empty space, Deuteronomy turned and ran out through the den and into the junkyard to continue his desperate search.

Back in the room a snap was heard and the crimson Jellicle sprang back into visibility. Sniggering to himself at a successful test he lounged in a corner and waited.

It didn't take long. The sound of agitated voices and running feet became evident, quickly followed by the figures of Deuteronomy, Chatter Tugger, Gus, Pedro and Old Polyopolis.

"I left him locked in here, but when I came to give him his dinner he was gone." D was first in the door, talking to the other adults over his shoulder as he entered, turning as he entered the figure in the corner drew him up just inside the door. "MAC?"

"Father," greeted the red Jellicle calmly. "What can I do for you this evening?"

"Where were you?" demanded D.

"Where was I? I was where I've always been. Where I've always been, ever since you decided in your infinite wisdom to break up our happy home." Macavity had gotten to his feet and was gazing upon the group in the doorway, "here, right where you left me you old bastard."

…

Well that's the start of it. Let's see where we go from here.

Please leave a review and let me know what you think.