Chapter One: The Heaviside Layer

A/N: Hi! Well this is my first fanfiction, so yeah... I really hope I've captured the characters right – if I haven't please tell me. On with the show:

The Heaviside layer! Even as a little ball of ginger fluff Macavity dreamt about the mystical place. Old Deuteronomy told stories about the sights, and the smells of the dreamland, and Macavity had never stopped hoping he'd get chosen to get there.

However his mother – Pennyspot – didn't think it was such a good idea. Whether it was because she didn't want her little kitten to leave, or because she was scared, Pennyspot had managed to convince Old Deuteronomy that Macavity should never be allowed up in her lifetime.

And when Pennyspot had passed away, Macavity still didn't manage to get up to the place he had always dreamed of. He was by this time a young adult, and not what one would call pretty. His orange fur was matted however hard he tried to clean himself, his eyes had a mean look about them, his head was too big for his thin body, and he towered over the other cats. When it came to voting for a cat, no one chose Macavity – ugly, strange Macavity – over glamorous Grizabella or the smart Bustopher Jones. He only really had 4 friends – the rest of the Jellicle Tribe had estranged themselves from him. Two kittens – Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer – idolized him. Then there was Growltiger, who even Macavity found creepy. And then there was Demeter, who was only a few months younger than him.

Macavity had long since moved his nest away from the hole his mother had occupied, to a small den across the way from Demeter's. He had taken to having long naps there; earning him some mocking from the kittens who told him he was getting old.

"Psst..."
"Shush, Mungojerrie! You'll wake him!"

"He's already awake... Can't you see him moving?"

"Cats move in their sleep, stupid!"

"I'm not stupid!" Macavity sighed, rolled over and blinked open a large yellow eye.

"Yes?" he said, resignedly. The kittens squeaked.

"Sorry Macavity – didn't mean to wake you..." Rumpelteazer whispered, flicking her tail over her brother's nose to keep him quiet.
"Which is why you're in my den, of course," Macavity said, dryly.

He clambered to his paws and stretched. "What do you want?"

"Aren't we allowed to visit you without wanting anything?" Mungojerrie asked, looking hurt.

"Course you are, but you never do," Macavity replied.

"We wondered if you'd like to play with us," Mungojerrie admitted.

"OK – I've got an idea. We'll play hide and seek. You two hide, and I'll seek. Go on!" Macavity urged them forward, and as soon as they had scurried off curled back up again, preparing to sleep.

He was woken soon enough though, by two curious kittens batting his tail.

"Get off," he snapped, drawing his tail close to him. The kits backed away, seeming afraid of him. An anxious mother hurried in.

"They weren't doing any harm – there's no need to frighten them!" she scolded. Macavity blinked at her, and watched as she chivvied her kittens out. He yawned. Clearly there was no chance of him getting a good nap before eating.

He wandered out of his den, and was hailed by Jennyanydots.

"Macavity," she said, crisply. "Where are the twins?"

"No idea," Macavity sniffed. Jennyanydots gave him a scathing look and padded off again. Macavity wheeled around to walk the other way, and Demeter fell in step beside him.

"Why do you do that?" she asked, half imploringly.

"Do what?"
"Be absolutely obnoxious to every cat who speaks to you?"

"I was not being obnoxious!" Macavity replied, stung. Demeter blinked her green eyes at him.

"Just try being nice...?" she suggested. "Give someone a smile for a chance, instead of just glaring!"
"I'm not glaring!" Macavity defended himself. "I have a squint!"

"Well do something about it!" Demeter ordered. She hastened off. Macavity stretched his jaws in a grin, and Old Deuteronomy gave him an odd look as he passed him. Macavity stopped smiling instantly.

"Toothache, Macavity?" the old cat asked, kindly.

"No... I was smiling," Macavity said, bitterly.
"Oh..." The awkwardness made the air considerably thicker until at last Old Deuteronomy backed off. Out of the corners of his eyes, Macavity saw a few looks exchanged between some of the other cats. What has Macavity done this time?

Macavity strode off, feeling sorry for himself, and deciding to find the kittens who must have been hiding for at least an hour. He had almost given up when a hushed giggle sounded from behind the car. Macavity crept towards it, scrambled up it with almost no sound and peered into the driver's seat. The twins curled up on the torn leather, Rumpelteazer's flank heaving with suppressed laughter.

"Found you!" Macavity called. Rumpelteazer's scream of laughter almost knocked him off the car.

"We were good – weren't we Macavity?" Mungojerrie asked, leaping up next to the older cat, desperate for praise.

"Yeah," Macavity nodded, and grinned. Rumpelteazer recoiled.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Never mind," Macavity sighed.

A/N: So... What do you think? Please REVIEW! The little button is calling out to you!