This is the sequel to 'What You Are To Me' and I really advise you read that one before reading this, it will make soo much more sense.
Character death…
I don't own Cats…
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Tugger hissed angrily, tears pouring from his eyes as he sat up in his den, alone. He glared out at the dawning sky.
It had been just three days since Munkustrap had passed away…since he had been murdered.
The Rum Tum Tugger missed his brother, and he was angry and filled with hate towards his eldest brother, Macavity, the one responsible for killing Munkustrap, the only one who truly loved him for who he was.
Tugger gave a heartbroken sob as he remembered his last moments with Munkustrap.
Munkustrap had been lying on the bunk in the infirmary with Tugger curled into his side, singing to him as Munkustrap's soul faded into Heaviside.
"Oh, Munk, why you?" Tugger whispered, pressing his paws against his eyes. He had barely slept since he has lost his brother.
A few hours later, Tugger dragged himself from his den, collapsing in front of it. The others looked at him sympathetically and sadly as they walked past.
"Tugs?" Tugger barely lifted his head as Misto sat beside him. "H-How are you today, Tugs?"
"I miss him." Tugger whispered. Misto lay down beside him, gently nuzzling into Tugger's cheek, tears forming in his crystal blue eyes.
"I do too." Misto whispered.
"W-Why'd it have to be him?!" Tugger sobbed, burying his face into his paws. Misto quickly hugged his friend.
"I-If it should've been anyone, it shoulda been me!"
"Tugger!"
"It's true, Misto!" Tugger sobbed. "Munkus meant something to everyone…to me," Tugger turned his head away.
"I don't mean anything to anyone, I could never be what Munkus was."
"Tugger, you are you…and we love you and need you just the way you are." Misto whispered softly, nuzzling his ears.
"…I need him." Tugger whispered. Misto clenched his eyes shut tight; trying not to cry when he heard Tugger's broken whisper.
"Oh, Tugs."
"It's all his fault." Tugger hissed venomously suddenly. Misto sat up slightly, looking at him worriedly.
"Tugger?"
"It's all Macavity's fault!" Tugger yelled, unable to stop. "If it wasn't for him, I'd still have my favourite brother!" Tugger's fur started bristling, his eyes going wild with anger.
"If it weren't for him, I'd still have my best friend!" Tugger leapt to his feet.
Though he'd promised Munkustrap he wouldn't try seek revenge against Macavity, he just couldn't hold back that anger and hatred anymore.
Macavity had to pay!
"Tugger!" Misto cried as Tugger ran from the yard, going to seek out his eldest brother.
Tugger ran through the streets, anger emblazoned in his usually cheeky chocolate brown eyes.
A breeze swept around him, Tugger detected the earthy scent within it but paid it no mind.
"Sorry, Munk…but I can't let him live while you're not here." Tugger muttered as he ran faster.
Tugger finally came to Macavity's headquarters and ran inside, ignoring the hench-cats as he sought out Macavity, following his scent.
Macavity had been pacing around his office, thinking, when the door suddenly burst open and he was tackled to the floor. He snarled and began to fight back against his attacker.
Tugger snarled as he fought against Macavity, clawing and snapping at him.
"You bastard!" Tugger yelled as he clawed at Macavity. "You killed him!" Macavity hissed, swiping at Tugger.
"Why'd you kill him?!" Tugger snarled. "I loved him! He was our brother!" Macavity faltered slightly.
"What?" Macavity asked, confused. "What about Munkus?" Tugger just hissed and clawed at him again. Macavity grabbed Tugger's wrists and flipped them over so he had Tugger pinned to the floor. Tugger snarled and thrashed under him, trying to break free so he could attack Macavity again.
"What did you say about Munkustrap?" Macavity demanded to know. Tugger snarled.
"Tugger!" Macavity snarled, trying to get his attention. "What happened to Munkus?!"
"He's dead!" Tugger spat. "You killed him!" Macavity shook his head repeatedly.
"No." He whispered. "No, no, no, no!" Macavity slipped off Tugger, looking at him, horrified. Tugger sat up slowly, frowning as he watched Macavity bury his face into his paws, his back heaving. Tugger was weary; he knew Macavity could be faking this reaction in order to get him off his guard.
Tugger forgot all about his anger and became shocked when he saw tears slipping through Macavity's fingers.
"H-How?" Macavity whispered. "When I gave the order to leave him be, he was getting to his feet." Tugger slowly crawled over to his brother's side, sitting beside him as his anger and hatred evaporated.
"What happened?"
"I never wanted him to die, Tugger…it was never my goal to kill any of you." Macavity whispered, taking his head out of his paws.
"I just wanted him out of the way, unable to fight me for a while…when I was called away and when I gave the order to leave him be, Munkus was getting to his feet." Macavity looked at Tugger, his gold eyes anguished.
"What happened?" He asked Tugger. Tugger told him the story of how Alonzo found Munkustrap and what state he had been in. He also told of Munkustrap's last moments.
Macavity was sobbing again by the end of it.
Tugger tilted his head, staring at his sobbing older brother, before hugging him tightly. Tugger buried his head against Macavity's neck as he began to cry as well, both of the brothers letting out their heartbreak and pain at their brother's death.
After a while Macavity pulled away, rubbing his eyes.
"Tugger…you need to go home."
"But…"
"I'm going to find the ones who disobeyed my orders to leave Munkus as he was…and I'm going to kill them for murdering my brother." Tugger sighed, giving a small nod. Macavity hesitantly nuzzled his brother.
"T-Thank you…for telling me." Tugger hugged him once more, holding him close.
"M-Munku is buried in the Jellicle graveyard." Tugger whispered. "He's buried next to Grandpa." Macavity gave a small nod.
"Thank you." He whispered. Tugger nuzzled him once more before getting up and leaving, feeling more at ease.
He and Macavity had connected then more than they ever had before. Tugger looked up at the clouds as he walked home, an earthy scented breeze whipping past him once more.
"Thank you, Munkus." He whispered.
Tugger walked back into the yard to find it in a state of panic.
"Tugger!" Mungojerrie yelled. "He's back!" The Jellicles rushed over to him, crowding around him. Jenny held him close.
"Oh my dear, I thought you were going to be killed!"
"What were you thinking?!"
"Are you hurt?!"
"Tugger?" Tugger turned and looked at his father, who stared at him worriedly.
"What were you thinking?" He asked softly.
"You could have been killed!" Jellylorum scolded angrily. "Macavity could have…!"
"No." Tugger answered shortly, interrupting her.
"What?" Deuteronomy asked gently. Tugger looked at his dad.
"Macavity wouldn't have killed me…though, at the beginning, I tried to kill him."
"Tugger…"
"Dad, I know you're disappointed in that…but…but I'm okay now," Tugger said slowly, unsure of how to say it.
"Macavity didn't kill Munkus." Tugger just announced. The Jellicles were silent, stunned.
"He just wanted to hurt him, in order to just get him out of the way for a bit, for whatever reason…he never wanted Munkus dead."
"And how can you be so sure?" Asparagus asked, shocked.
"H-His reaction when I told him Munkustrap was dead." Tugger answered, looking around, his eyes finally resting on his dad.
"He broke down." Deuteronomy's eyes widened. "He just cried."
Deuteronomy drew Tugger into his arms, hugging him.
"Munks still leading us…even in death." Tugger murmured into his dad's shoulder. Deuteronomy nodded, holding his son close.
Macavity headed to the Jellicle junkyard graveyard. He needed to say good-bye to his brother…he just had to.
As soon as Tugger had left, Macavity had gone and found the group he had taken to ambush Munkustrap. He demanded to hear what had happened after he had left and the hench-cats immediately pointed the finger to a cat called Tyla, who had told them the orders had changed and that they should hurt Munkus even more.
Macavity had then killed him for disobeying his order…and murdering his brother.
Macavity sighed as he walked into the grave-yard. He finally found Munkustrap's grave-stone and collapsed to his knees.
He looked at his paws, in which he held a small teddy lion that Munkus had given him when he had left the yard.
Macavity hissed as he stared at the yard. He hated it here, they treated him horribly…the others made fun of him for having magic! He should have been adored! Macavity gathered up his bag of belongings. He was leaving, he couldn't take it anymore.
"Cav?" Macavity turned and saw his little brother Munkustrap padding up to him, dragging his toy lion with him. Munkustrap was still such a young kitten, their younger brother Tugger had just begun to walk…and already he was a pain. Macavity looked at his little brother, at the large innocent eyes and the fluffy fur.
"What, Munkus?" Macavity muttered as he looked away.
"Y-You're not leavin'…are you?"
"Yeah, I am."
"B-But why?" Munkus whimpered, hugging his leg tightly. "Did I do something wrong? I-I be a better brotha, I promise!" Macavity sighed, crouching down and hugging his brother.
"No, it's not you, Munk." Macavity murmured and it was true. Munkustrap was the only one who loved his magic and who really loved him.
"B-But why?"
"It's too small here, I need to go out and explore." Macavity told him. Munkustrap nodded sadly, crying softly.
"C-Can I come too?" Macavity shook his head at Munkustrap's question. Munkus sobbed.
"Don't cry, Munk, you're going to be the Protector one day…you need to stay here for that." Munkustrap looked up at his older brother, crying, as Macavity stood.
"Cya, Munkus." Macavity sighed before he turned and began walking away.
"Cav!"
"What now, Munk?" Macavity muttered as he turned to look at his little brother. Munkustrap held up his toy lion, which he adored and took everywhere.
"Take it." Munkus told him. "H-He protect you and look after you."
"Munk, he's yours." Munkustrap shook his head.
"You need him." Macavity gently took the lion from Munkustrap.
"I'll keep him safe." Macavity promised him. Munkus nodded, crying once more as Macavity turned and left.
Macavity sobbed as he stared at the somewhat dirty toy lion.
"I kept him safe for all of these years, Munkus." Macavity sobbed, staring at the headstone.
"Oh, Munk, I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry!" Macavity wailed. "I never meant for you to die, I just wanted you hurt enough that you couldn't fight me when I came back to the yard to…to take it over, so I didn't have to fight you and really hurt you or kill you!" Macavity cried, hugging the toy lion to his chest tightly.
"Munkus, I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry…I wish I could tell you how I regret everything and that no matter I still loved you…"
"He knew." A deep voice said as an arm gently wrapped over his shoulders, pulling him close.
"No he didn't." Macavity muttered bitterly as he glanced at his father. Deuteronomy looked at him gently.
"Oh, he did." Deuteronomy reassured him. "Just as I know he never ever stopped loving you."
"How?" Macavity asked. "How do you know?"
"He told me."
"What?"
"He knew every time you two fought you were holding back, that you could have hurt him so much more…but you didn't." Macavity rubbed at his eyes, sniffing.
"H-How'd you know I'd be here?"
"Tugger told me…he told me everything." Deuteronomy said softly, looking at his son. Macavity glanced at him before turning his gold eyes back to the lion.
"I never meant for him to die, I never wanted him to."
"I know."
"I just wanted him hurt enough so when I came to take over the yard he couldn't fight back and then I didn't have to fight him and hurt him or even kill him bast I don't even know what I'd do if I killed him…" Macavity rushed, not even stopping to take a breath or pausing. He just had to get this out.
"It's okay, Macavity…it's okay." Deuteronomy soothed, pulling his son into his arms and holding him close. Deuteronomy stared at his son as he sobbed. It had been so long since he had held Macavity in his arms. Macavity pulled out of the hug, rubbing his eyes. Macavity stared at Munkustrap's gravestone. He reached out and gently ran his paw over Munkustrap's name.
"I miss him."
"I miss him too." Deuteronomy sighed, refusing to look at his son's grave. He knew he'd break down again if he did. Macavity looked at the lion in his paws again. He wanted to place it on Munkustrap's grave…but part of him didn't want to leave the last part of his brother behind.
Macavity went to stand but Deuteronomy caught his paw. Macavity looked at his father.
"Come home."
"Dad, I'm not welcome there."
"Of course you are, you are my son!" Deuteronomy told him. Macavity shook his head.
"No…I'm not," Macavity said softly. "I left, I left you all and tried to hurt you all and take over the yard…"
"Because you wanted to be part of it again." Deuteronomy finished for him. Macavity looked at him, gold eyes sad. "But you wanted to be noticed and loved." Macavity looked away.
"I'm not a Jellicle."
"Damn it, Macavity!" Deuteronomy cried, grabbing his son's arms and making Macavity look at him. "I've already lost one son, do not make me lose another!"
Macavity stared at his dad, who was crying. Macavity nodded, collapsing against his dad's chest.
"Okay, Dad…" Macavity whispered, crying again. Deuteronomy held his son close as a warm breeze swept around them. Deuteronomy smiled at the earthy scent he detected within it. Macavity sighed softly as he caught the scent as well.
"Thank you, Munkus." Deuteronomy whispered as he held the son he was so sure he had lost.
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So yeah…
I've had this idea since I wrote 'What you are to me' but it just came back to me over the last few days and I had to write it down…
Please read and review!
Luv HGP!
