The Shades of Grey
I just remember tumbling, falling through the air, unwanted. Who would want me, the plain grey kitten? Not silver, grey. Compared to my brothers I was positively ugly. Macavity was red and ginger, sleek and strong and Tugger, well Tugger was my age and already the tribe's sex symbol. I was the youngest, the runt and you could tell. Barely alive when I was born I was rejected by my mother and taken in by my father. He helped me, taught me a lot but the others just hated me more. I felt like that reindeer the children sing of, Rudolph. Unlike Rudolph though I really was alone. While the other kits played I sat alone, until Demi came. Demi and Bomb were abandoned, like me really. Bomb and Tugger hit it off immediately but Demi and I were more quiet, reserved and shy, we just liked to talk. Then Mac had to interfere. He decided to play a practical joke on me, he told me Demi was stuck on the roof. I should have known he was lying; Demi was far too agile to be stuck on the roof. It was Demi though-I had to help. I climbed and then slipped. The last thing I heard was Mac running off laughing. I wondered where everybody was I couldn't see and then nothing. Black for hours. When I awoke I was in a big basket with my leg in some sort of splint. I just wanted to go home but then I was fed and I gradually began to forget. I only remembered the yard months later when I heard a cat yowling and talking of my father. So I planned to escape, they took me to the vets and just before I set off I checked my appearance. I was different, taller, and sleeker with visible muscles and maybe just maybe, I was handsome. Escaping wasn't hard I clawed my way out the room, yowling and crying.
My first challenge was passing Tugger and Bomb who were out hunting. They didn't recognise me but they did notice me. I must have changed. A lot. I was feeling quite pleased with myself when I realised that those two had mated. Maybe Mac and Demi…..no surely Demi wouldn't. I walked straight into the Cassy and Alonzo. They just ignored me, so did Misto, Jemima, Etcetera, Electra and Mungo and Teazer. I was really elated, I'd deceived them all. The queens even stopped to look at me, things had changed. Then I had to get into the yard. I couldn't simply walk in. I crept around the back and through a tunnel I'd created years ago in which I could escape from the jellicles in. I was surprised I still fitted. I crept behind my father. I didn't say anything he began. "Munkustrap. You have returned." He turned to me, time had aged him. Before I had time to say anything he sang a low note and all the jellicles came running. I realised it was a warning system but what for?
"My eldest Munkustrap has returned." He stepped aside and I was greeted by eyes from all over, staring. I was bowled over by kits obviously unaware of who I was. Then I heard Tugger speaking as he advanced towards me dragging Demeter. He even hugged me. I nearly died laughing. Then they were all there bowling me over. Two faces however were missing, please tell me they haven't mated I begged silently.
"Where is Mac?" I asked Tugger.
He grimaced, "gone for good, hopefully. He nearly destroyed us, betraying us to the pollicles in return for Demi. She's not spoken since; she blames herself for it and for you. He told her what he was going to do but she thought he was joking, then you didn't come back. You were gone. She never forgave herself."
Then Bomb approached and purred, "Come with us."
I followed her to my old den. I wasn't pleased to see Demi lying, sobbing.
"Demi-someone here for you." Tugger said. She just sobbed louder.
"Come on Demi" Bomb said.
Still nothing so I gave it a try.
"Demi, Demi, what's wrong?"
I have honestly never seen a jellicle move so fast. I thought she was going to kill me. Then we were rolling around, playing like kittens. Like we had so long ago. We had so much to share and so we went to our favourite place by the tree and sat and talked. We talked of Mac and I learnt he wanted revenge-it didn't matter though, I would protect her. We talked about Tugger and Bomb and the other relationships, my role as protector then I asked.
"Demi-will you be my mate?"
She smiled, the moonlit eyes lighting up and we kissed.
"Nothing would make me happier." She said.
I loved her and she loved me. I had gone through the shades of grey and I was now silver. A true jellicle with a beautiful mate. Perfectly matched-silver and gold.