Rumpleteazer was bored, as usual she had nothing to do. Her brother, Mungojerrie, hadn't visited in weeks and without anything new to think about she ended up remembering things she never wanted to remember. She sighed in fustration, Mungojerrie wouldn't visit for ages yet, the henchcat at the door said that her brother was away on another of his interminable missions. She snarled, she knew they owed Macavity a debt, as he had taken them in off the streets when they had been abandoned moments after birth, but even so this was her brother's third long mission in a row and she wanted to talk to him as he had promised her that he would try and make arrangements for their escape.

"Rum, don't destroy the furniture!" Rumpleteazer jumped as a small siamese joined her on the sofa, she hadn't realised she had been kneading the cushion with her claws.

"Oh oops," she giggled. Then she scowled her momentarily happy mood was gone. Kailiata followed her gaze, then murmured a profanity under her breath. Griddlebone! The white persian cat was the most dreaded of Macavity's queens. She could control whether they lived or died with a single word, certainly if she found out Kailiata was pregnant with Mungojerrie's kitten she would have Kailiata killed. Macavity's queens were for him alone. She sighed things were always less fun when Griddlebone was around. Griddlebone stalked over to where Rumpleteazer and Kailiata were sat on the sofa,

"Macavity wants to see you," she announced in her imperious voice, her eyes flickered over the pair and a sneer played around the edges of her lips. The two queens sighed then slowly walked to the door where a black cat waited for them. He said nothing but merely gestured for them to follow him down the winding corridors to Macavity's office. Rumpleteazer frowned wondering why they had been summoned so abruptly normally they would be told to be at Macavity's office in an hour or something similar to that. She didn't have long to wonder as they arrived quickly at the door and the henchcat showed them in. Mungojerrie was standing by the door when he saw the two queens he seemed angry but Rumpleteazer didn't think his anger was aimed at her. However she didn't have long to wonder as Macavity was speaking.

"I suppose you're wondering why I called you here today?" Rumpleteazer said nothing and merely stared at him. "But I have some news to tell you. I have decided to let two of you free. Mungojerrie and one other, the one who stays dies; if you all stay, you all die. It's Mungojerrie's choice. I will leave you for one hour to decide, when your time is up you must have decided. You will leave tomorrow."

And with that he left the office aallowing the door to slam behind him. They were too shocked to speak. Rumpleteazer's mind raced desperately searching for a way they could all live but she found none, a wave of despair overwhelmed her and it took all her strength not to sink to the ground and simply sob her heart out. Kailiata shook her head slowly.

"I won't leave, I can't leave, I won't go away and pretend none of this ever happened. I can't go and live with other cats with these memories. I'd rather die, at least here everyone understands!" She screamed out the last words before running from the room. Mungojerrie seemed to slowly collapse inwardly on himself as the echoes of the door slamming finished bouncing round the room. Rumpleteazer wanted to help him so much but she knew there was nothing she could do. Instead she waited for her brother to speak.

"Rum" her nickname was spoken so quietly she barely heard, quickly she moved to be next to him where he sat on the rug.

"Yes?" she replied just as quietly.

"We can go to the Junkyard Jellicles if you want, but do you think Kailiata has a chance if she stays, and why does she want to?" Rumpleteazer hugged her brother.

"I don't think it's a case of wanting it, I think she doesn't want to go back outside again here she knows she's safe and also she is among those who understand; if she goes to the Junkyard they won't understand but they'll pity her and that's the last thing she wants." To be honest, Rumpleteazer didn't know. She herself would have jumped at the chance to get an innocent kitten out of Macavity's evil claws. Macavity would be back soon she remembered but for some reason she didn't care. All that mattered to her was finding Kailiata and talking to the other queen to make sure that she hadn't made a choice she would regret. Rumpleteazer would happily give up her life for her brother's happiness and she knew his best shot at happiness would be with Kailiata.

"Have you decided yet then?" Macavity's sneering tones rang in Rumpleteazer's ears but she said nothing this was her brother's choice. He stood.

"I have made my choice Macavity. I will take my sister Rumpleteazer with me when I leave." Tears glittered in Mungojerrie's eyes but they didn't spill down his face. Rumpleteazer was proud of her brother then as she knew how hard this must be for him. Macavity raised an eyebrow but merely waved a claw in a gesture of dismissal,

"Go."

Rumpleteazer and Mungojerrie hurried from the room as quickly as their legs would take them.