Munkustrap was making his usual patrol through the Junkyard and the area around it. Something was not right, although it seemed peaceful. Too peaceful. Even the wind didn't dared to rush. This silence was almost painful and it started to scare him. He had never experienced such silence and such peace.
Suddenly a tin fell from a pile of junk. Munk turned quickly. No body, but he wasn't convinced.

'Who's there?' no reply. 'Who's there!' another tin felled form the same direction. Munk ran towards it and saw a black figure.

'Who are you? ... Answer!' then he heard a scared meows, female. She said something, but he couldn't hear what. He listened better.

'Sir ... don't hurt me ... I'll answer to all your questions ... but don't hurt me.' he came closer to her and reached out his hand.

'I'll not hurt you ... trust me.' he saw a hesitating, gold hand coming out of the shadows. The palm slowly came on his and he pulled the queen gently in the moonlight. He gasped when he could see the queen totally. She was so beautiful. Her fur was of shining black and gold with a white chest and she had two sparkling green eyes like stars. He kept staring at her, like enchanted, but how more he held her, how more she seemed scared for him. When he saw the fear in her eyes he let her go. 'So ... ehm ... What is your name and why are you so scared.' she bend her head.

'M-My name is ... Demeter ... Why I'm scared ... well ... ehm ... I rather not talk about that.'

'I understand ... Hey, you're shivering.'

'I've been on the streets for four days.'

'Four days!'

'Ahem.'

'Heaviside ... Come.'

'Where are you taking me?'

'To Jenny and Jelly. It are nurse-queens. They'll take care for you.'

'Oh ... You don't want to ... rape me?'

'Rape you! Of course not!' Poor queen. Through what must she have been? Munkustrap leaded Demeter to the den of Jenny and Jelly and knocked on the door. After a few seconds the door opened and an eyes rubbing Jenny appeared.

'Munkustrap ... Do you know the time?'

'I'm sorry, Jenny, but I found this queen and she needs help.'

'Ehm ... Hello ... madam.' Jenny's eyes shot open and looked at Demeter.

'Oh, poor dear! Come inside!' she grabbed her arm and dragged her inside, putting her on a couch and giving her a cup of tea. Demeter took a bit of it.

'Thank you, madam.'

'Oh please, call me Jenny. That's short for Jennyanydots.'

'Oh ... alright, Jenny ... I'm Demeter.'

'What a pretty name.'

'Thank you.'

'Oh , you must not thank me. You should thank Munkustrap that he brought you here.'

'Yes, ... thank you, Munkustrap.'

'No problem.' he said, sitting next to her.

'So, Demeter, where do you come from?' Demeter froze, breathing heavily. 'Demeter? Are you alright?'

'Where I come from?' it was silent. 'The hell.'

'What do you mean?'

'I ... I ... I was a ... a ... plaything of ... Macavity.' Munk and Jenny looked in shock at her.

'Oh, you poor thing!'

'That bastard.' said Munk through his teeth. 'Someday I'll kill him.'

'He killed my parents and took me as a hostage.' a tear felled down her cheek. Munkustrap pulled her close.

'Don't worry. You're safe now. He'll never hurt you again.' Jenny looked at them with a mischivious glint in her eyes. She stood up and walked out of the room. Demeter noticed something she never did. She felled comfortable in the arms of a tom. She crossed her arms around him and closed her eyes.

'Thank you.' she whispered.

'No problem.'

It was a few months away and Demeter had become close friends with Munkustrap and a scarlet queen, Bombalurina, the mate of Munk's brother. Who had also had a bad exerience with Macavity. One day she sat on the TSE1 with Bomba.

'So, I've seen you and Munk are pretty close.' said Bomba and Demeter blushed.

'Yeah ... pretty well.'

'Is that everything?'

'What do you mean?'

'C'mon, Demy. I've seen how you look at each other.' Demy's face almost became as Bomba's fur. Bomba laughed. 'I knew it!'

'Please, don't tell him!'

'I'll not.'

'Thank you.'

'You will.'

'What!'

'You must ... Or you'll explode of love!'

'But you know how shy I am. I'm not like you.'

'Oh, I know, sweetie. Hey, let's go see him.'

'Now?'

'Yes.'

'Oh ... oké.' they slipped on the ground and walked to the broken oven, where Munk sat talking with his brother, Rum Tum Tugger.

'Hello, honey.' said Bomba flirtious to her mate. Tugger licked his lips and jumped of the oven. He walked towards Bomba and crossed an arm around her waits. Demeter couldn't help but be jealous of her friend. She had a mate, she had a kitten, Jemima, and a happy love life. Bomba whispered something in his ear and he chuckled.

'Well, let's leave these love birds alone than.' he said, dragging Bomba with him towards the kittens, where Jemima was playing.

'Uhm ... What was that?' asked Munk.

'I don't know.' Demeter took a deep breath and sat on the oven next to Munk.

'Are you alright?'

'Well, I was thinking ... how jealous I'm of Bomba.'

'Why?'

'She has a mate who loves her, a kitten and such a happy life. I just wish I had such a life.' then she felled an arm around her.

'Don't worry you'll have it someday.' they looked in each other's eyes.

'You think so?'

'I'm sure, but it must be a special tom. You deserve the best tom of the whole world.'

'You think so? Whow might that be? is he close?'

'Closer than you can imagine. ANd I think he loves you with all his life.' WIthout a warning he pressed his lips on hers. At first she jumped, but then realised who was kissing her and returned the kiss. They broke apart. 'I love you, Demeter. I've loved from the first moment I've seen you.'

'The truth?'

'The truth.' she smiled.

'Oh, Munk. I love you to.' they kissed again.

'Will you be my mate and the next Queen of the Tribe.'

'I will. I would love to.'

Munkustrap was pacing in front of his door. He couldn't take this. He just couldn't!

'Hey, bro. If you go on like that you'll make a whole in the floor.' it was Tugger.

'I know. I just can't handle it.' the door opened and Jelly apeared.

'You can come in.' Munk almost ran inside. Demeter laid on their bed with a bundle in her arms. He sat on the blankets and saw a silver and gold kitten in his mate's arms.

'It's a tom.' she said, giving him his son. Munk almost cried of joy. His son. He was holding his son. 'Any names for him?'

'Yes ... Demetrius.' she blushed.

'Are you sure?'

'He's beautiful. Just like you.' she smiled.

'Charmer.'

'What can I say. I love you and ... I love him of course.'

'I love you both to ... Prince Demetrius, it sounds powerful.'

'He will be powerful, respected and wise.'

'Yes, he will.'