New story with my OC! YAY! Pouncival has caught my interest lately, so I decided to write about him.
Disclaimer: You know the drill.
Read on!
Chapter 1
The last few months before the Jellicle Ball were hectic ones, and this year was no exception. Everywhere you looked, giggling groups of she-kittens were practicing their dance steps, Queens were gossiping about who was going to mate with who, and the toms were having some sort of stupid show-offy contest.
And me? Well allow me to introduce myself. My name is Pouncival, and I am a one year old tom-cat. My coat is brown, gray, and white, and I am one of the most handsome toms ever if I do say so myself.
At the moment I was being sat on by a number of cats, but to name just a few, on my head there was Plato, the fattiest cat in the world, on my back, Tumblebrutus, my not so lucky in the looks department older brother, and the sneaking twins Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer were busy tickling the bottoms of my back paws, cackling with sick joy as I cried out in agony. No, it is not easy being the youngest.
The twins tickled twice as hard as Alonzo strolled by. He paused in his strutting as I cried out in mirthless laughter, staring at us like he had never seen us before.
"Help-me!" I gasped. He stared at me, snickered, and then walked away.
"Oi!" Jerrie stood, and I was relieved of my torture. "Whot's goin' on over there?" The rest of us stood, straining to see over the gathering crowd.
Oh, the great protector Munkustrap has returned- from his morning stroll! What excitement there was!
The five of us sauntered to the rear of the crowd and pushed our way to the front. Formerly unbeknownst to us, Munkustrap had apparently brought back a new friend.
It was a small brown tabby, nothing special about her really. She seemed shy, but she smiled sheepishly under all of the attention.
"Alecto says she was separated from her tribe when a group of dogs attacked," Munkustrap was saying. "She has no where to go."
"Will she live with us now?" meowed Etcetera, eyeing the new Queen with mild interest. Munkustrap nodded, turning to the brown tabby.
"Can you sing, Alecto?" he asked. She nodded eagerly.
"I have nothing to sing, sir." she replied, blushing slightly.
"Jemima," Munkustrap called, beckoning to the pretty tortoiseshell. She hurried forward, flustered. "Sing the coming of dawn." Jemima smiled kindly at the newcomer.
"Repeat after me," she murmured. Then, in her sweet, clear voice, she began to sing.
"Moonlight,
turn your face to the moonlight
let your memory lead you
open up enter it,
If you find there,
the meaning of what happiness is
then the new life,
will begin."
The Jellicle cats around her purred as she finished her melody, turning to the newcomer expectantly.
The young Queen cleared her voice, taking her time before she began to sing. Her voice was high and pretty, not as clear as Jemima's, but sweet nonetheless. I looked up at Plato; he shrugged down at me. She was good. We all clapped as she finished.
"Good, good," complimented the protector, smiling warmly at the brown tabby Alecto. "Now- can you dance?"
As I watched, the color seemed to drain from Alecto's face.
"I-ah-" she trailed off. Munkustrap patted her on the back.
"Come now," he encouraged. "Anyone can dance." The brown tabby bit her lip.
She began to dance.
Having been the worst dancing I had ever seen in my life, I naturally began to snicker uncontrollably. She twirled, stopping halfway through to stagger off-balance.
"Don't worry now," Munkustrap soothed her as he noticed her face had turned bright red. "You'll learn fast." I snorted. His head snapped in my direction.
"Pouncival," he ordered. I looked up.
"Wha?"
"You will teach Alecto to dance before the ball." he instructed, nodding coolly in my direction.
"Ugh," I groaned. Plato and Tumble slapped me heartily on the back, apparently enjoying my pain. The meeting broke up, and I saw with horror, the little tabby come towards me.
"Hey," she greeted cheerfully, smiling widely. I was taken back. This was not the same cat I had seen just moments before. Now she seemed cocky and confident.
"Uh, hi," I yawned, rolling my eyes as I turned to walk away after my friends. She followed me, her eyes wide as if she was expecting something.
"What?" I turned, seething. She flicked her tail, dismissing my anger.
"Aren't you going to teach me how to dance?" she asked, furrowing her brows. I sucked in my cheeks, and then placed my feet daintily.
"This is first position," I began impatiently. She copied the move somewhat sloppily, but it was right.
"First position…" she muttered to herself. I moved again.
"Second position," I went on. She didn't seem to realize my urge to leave. She copied my stance.
"Second position…" she nodded again. I jumped up.
"End of lesson one!" I huffed. "Go practice with the kittens or something!" I dashed away after Plato and Tumble. They were haunting an old pile of home appliances. I sat down by them, watching the brown tabby stumble about. She seemed more confident in the way she danced when she thought no one was looking.
As I watched, she tripped over herself and stumbled to her knees. And to my surprise, instead of beating herself up over it, she began to laugh. Eventually, she grew hysterical, and by then the whole Jellicle tribe was staring at her like she was going to attack them.
Falling back, she finally seemed to realize she was being watched, and she suddenly transformed into the shy little mouse she had been before, blushing scarlet as she retreated into a pile of junk.
"She's crazy." Plato commented. I just sighed.
Pouncy is such a meany! Haha I love that guy.