Genre: General, no actual drama or comedy. Nor romance. Just general.

Rating: G-PG (not good at this stuff)

A/N: My very first CATS fic. Also published in Jellicle Moon Forum. There may be

some misspellings in it as English isn't my mother tongue. R&R! (that does mean

"Read and Review"? Else I'm screwed.)

X/X

It was dark. And rainy. Typical autumn late night. No sensible creature would be outside at this weather. Unfortunately, this thin, black figure strolling on the streets had no choice.

Her fur was soaked and dripping of water. Her paws were numb from walking and her stomach was aching for the lack of food. She couldn't remember when she had last eaten something. Her tail was limp because of the bite she had got from an angry bulldog last night. It would heal in time.

She heard noise from farther off the street. Must be another group of drunken men, she thought, I'm not keen on kicks to my ribs, I should probably slip away from here. She stepped to the side of the sidewalk and disappeared into the shadows.

X/X

It should be impossible to rain like this, she thought while looking for a shelter from the rain. Though it probably wouldn't make any difference, she couldn't get any more wet.

She stumbled over a junkyard, trying not to step on sharp things. It was raining so heavily it was hard to see anything. She tried to focus her look to an object some way away. A round black form.. Could it be.. She forced her paws move forth. As she moved closer she could see it clearer. A pipe. Thanks for the Heavens, she thought and slipped into the pipe.

She walked all way to the end of the pipe and then curled up to a ball trying to warm up herself. Before she even realised, her eyes had closed and she was asleep.

X/X

Unaware of the stranger sleeping in the end of his pipe, a black and white Jellicle entered his small den. He had just been playing in the junkyard with other Jellicles when it had started to rain. They had ran to the nearest shelter but when the rain just continued, he decided to leave to his pipe. He was getting hungry.

He glanced at the rain as though he could stop it by just glaring at it. When nothing happened, he concentrated a moment and then conjured a mouse out of nowhere. He started to eat it slowly, his thoughts at something else. As he looked quickly around in his den he noticed there was something different. Like there would suddenly be more shadows in the end of the pipe. He screwed up his eyes a bit and then he noticed that the shadows started to have a form. A feline form, in fact. He dropped the mouse and gasped slightly as he fully noted the soaked figure curled up in the back of the pipe. He gathered his courage and started to approach the cat.

X/X

The sleeping black cat in the pipe was having a very familiar-like dream.

"Mum, where's dad..I'm hungry.." a small black kitten almost whispered to a black-red queen, apparently her mother.

"Hush.. don't worry. Daddy will be right back. Just sleep, dear."

"I'm hungry."

"Nothing to worry about."

The tom cat bend over the stranger to take a closer look.

"Where are we going, Mum?"

The queen didn't answer because she was carrying her child by the kitten's neck. The road was dangerous. She looked at both directions and stepped on the road.

"Mum? Where are we going? Where's daddy?"

/ That's what I'd like to know,too. / the queen thought bitterly.

"Mummy?"

Almost there.. paw after paw on the road..

Then suddenly a loud drone, way too close, and two bright lights. The queen turned her head, dropped the kitten from her mouth.

The tom gently placed his paw at the stranger's shoulder.

"Colerya! Watch o- " her sentence was ended by a loud thud and a disgusting crack.

The kitten, Colerya, was covering on the ground, shivering, her eyes squeezed shut. She felt a current of air wipe over her.

..Brakes screaming.. car doors slammed..

Colerya slowly opened her eyes. She turned her head. She gasped in horror and gave a soft meow.

There was a long line of bright red blood from next to her to the car.

Colerya felt her eyes water.

"Mummy..?"

The tom cat slightly shook the black cat. He didn't want to scare her (as he had now noticed the stranger was a queen). Although he seemed to fail miserably, as the queen woke up violently, gasping loud. There was a silence, maybe for a heartbeat, then the queen realised there was someone next to her.

X/X

A cat. A tom cat.

She hissed loudly and shook the tom's paw off from her shoulder. She arched her back and took a few steps backwards. Then she realised something.

Oh no! I'm trapped! He's blocking the only way out of here. Oh no.. She looked more closely at the cat before her. He doesn't look menacing. He's actually quite small, maybe just a kitten. Then, she thought this, Maybe he doesn't want to hurt me at all.

Sticking to this thought she asked quietly:

"Who are you?"

The tom cat seemed still a slightly suprised. After a moment he responded:

"Well, I could ask the same from you. But when you asked first, my name is Mistoffelees or Quaxo, you may choose which one you like better. And you?"

The black queen breathed heavily and then responded in an insecure voice:

"Colerya"

The tom nodded, not inquiring anything more. After a moment he yet asked:

"Why are you here?"

X/X

Mistoffelees surveyed the queen with his look. Weird eyes, green eyes were quite common among cats, so were black, but together.. no. Gosh, she has been through a lot. He wondered when she had last eaten anything. He waited for her answer. After a long silence, she spoke:

"I was walking on the streets looking for food. It started to rain and I tried to look for a shelter. However I didn't find any early enough which is why I'm now completely soaked. I strolled to the junkyard and found this pipe and thought it would be a good shelter. I didn't know anyone already lived here. It was empty." The last sentence was said in a charged tone. Misto made a soothing gesture.

"I'm not blaming you from anything. I'm not angry", he said in a calm voice. The queen seemed to be suprisingly hostile. When she didn't response to this in any way, he continued:

"If you want, you can stay over night. I wouldn't like anyone cat to be wandering on the streets at this kind of weather."

The queen remained silent. However, she nodded almost imperceptibly and curled up to a ball. Mistoffelees watched her a moment and said then:

"You're soaked. Are you sure you're okay? Do you wan't to dry yourself or something?"

When he didn't get any answer, he too curled up and tried to calm down and sleep. Weird queen, indeed. If she's still here in the morning I might introduce her to Munku. Say, what was her name? Colerya? Colerya..

X/X

in the morning

Colerya woke up slowly. She felt a bit damp. She shaked her fur trying to dry herself. She glanced around the pipe and spotted the tom cat. Did he tell his name? Ah, yes he did.. only what was it. Something like.. Mifflee..Mistole- Mistoffelees! That's it. Maybe I should wake him up. She streched up her head a bit. The sun had risen.

She stepped next to Mistoffelees. And watched him a moment. He looks like a kitten, but he seems to be quite mature. She streched her paw and moved it unsteadily closer to him. She ended up poking him on his shoulder. He squirmed a bit and continued dreaming. Damn! Wake up! She poked him again. He still didn't wake up.

"Err.. Mistoffelees? Wake up?" she tried to say. No effect. She let out a low meow and pushed him with her both paws. He rolled over and woke up in suprise. He raised his head and shot a questioning look at Colerya. She felt little uneasy.

"You didn't wake up."

The black and white tom got up and stretched himself a bit. After a broad yawn he turned to look at Colerya.

"You okay?" he asked. Colerya nodded. Oh damn I'm hungry.. And without any warning, her stomach let out a loud growl. Oh damn.. The tom cat looked at her, was it sympathy?

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Yeah.." she answered, "Really hungry."

Mistoffelees glanced at the ground like he would be embarrassed. Then he looked up again and asked:

"Would you mind to turn around for just a second?"

Colerya felt her insides grow cold. Turn around? Why? Is he going to..? I thought he was a good guy!

Colerya asked in a shaking voice: "Why?"

He considered a moment.

"I just have a..secret.. I wish not to spread out to strangers. So please?"

X/X

Mistoffelees watched her to turn around, then quickly conjured a mouse in his paws.

"You can turn around."

The queen turned and Misto handed the mouse to her. She looked him in amazement.

"How did you do that?" Misto smiled.

"Secret."

Colerya took the mouse, thanked quietly, and started to eat it. Actually it was hard to realize when she had started to eat it, because after few seconds she had already eaten it. She wiped her mouth a bit and then asked:

"Could I have another one?"

X/X

When Colerya finished her eighth mouse, she didn't feel that hungry anymore. She sat down and tried to have a look at her tail. The bite wasnt really big, and it disappeared easily beneath her fur. She tried to touch it and felt a wave of sharp pain going through her. Right, so I just have to prevent anyone to touch it.

Mistoffelees was looking outside. He was sitting right in front of the pipe, watching the sun. It will be a nice day, he thought. Then he suddenly spotted some movement in the yard. Munkustrap!

"Oi! Munku!" he yelled. The silver tabby turned his head. Mistoffelees said to Colerya:

"Colerya? Come on, I need to introduce you to someone." And he stepped forward, letting Colerya come out. They walked to Munku who watched both cat in curious suprise.

"So, Munku, I thought I should introduce you to her. This is Colerya, I met her yesterday. Colerya, This is Munkustrap". Colerya let out a quiet "Hello".

X/X

After Colerya had again explained why she was in here, what had happened and answered to a bunch of questions, the silver cat, Munkustrap? A really weird name, nodded and gave her a smile which Colerya didn't believe to be real, and said:

"All right, welcome. I'm sure you will get along with other Jellicles."

Munkustrap looked over Colerya's and Mistoffelees' shoulders. He raised he's hand and gave a small wave.

"Hello, Victoria. We have a new Jellicle."

Colerya turned around and was greeted by a smiling, amazingly pure white queen. She nodded to Colerya and said:

"Hi, my name is Victoria, what's your's?"

"Colerya"

White queen called Victoria opened her mouth to say something, but she was cut by a heavily accented voice what came behind Colerya.

"'Oi, Strappy! Who's 'tis?"

"Yeah! Oi've never seen her 'ere before."

A male and a female, Colerya thought and spinned around again and found herself staring at two identical orange cats, both grinning broadly. Without having even a change to say anything, they started speaking again.

"Whoa! Ya are new!"

"'Wat's yar name?"

"Wicked eyes, man!"

Colerya felt a bit stunned. She decided to try to speak.

"Um.. I'm.. I'm Colerya."

A new flow of speaking.

"Colerya! Well 'tat's a wicked name, ain't sis?"

"It'is. So why're ya here?"

Please, shut up.

"I was looking for a shelter from rain."

"Yea? Well it was a quita rain last night, wasn't it bro?"

"I' was! I swear I got completely soaked! Bloody hellova wet'her that was."

Munkustrap probably noticed Colerya's get-me-out-of-here look, because he cut the twin's as they intended to continue babbling on.

"And these are Mungojerrie", the taller orange tom cat grinned, "and Rumpleteazer", the shorter female flashed a identical grin.

"I hope you'll get along well."

Colerya tried to smile. She wasn't sure if she succeeded, but she still said:

"I hope that, too."