Over the next few days Demeter watched Macavity closely for signs of similar behaviour to the incident in the park but was relieved to see he was friendly and polite to everybody. He went out of his way to be helpful, carrying blankets for Jennyanydots who looked like she was struggling, helping to free Pouncival when he got stuck in a paint can, searching for hours when Rumpleteazer lost her pearls and pulling a shard of glass out of Plato's paw for him. Demeter was glad to see he was settling in and trying to become a useful part of the tribe.
She was cleaning her fur one morning sat on the car boot when Macavity came over to join her. "Demeter," he smiled at her, "I wanted to talk to you."
"Hi, Macavity," Demeter smiled back at him, "Sit down." She patted the car boot beside her with her paw. Macavity sat down and seemed to be considering how to start. "What's up?", Demeter asked him when he didn't speak.
"I just wondered if people liked me," Macavity said after a pause, "You know, if I fit in."
It was not what Demeter had been expecting him to say. It had never occurred to her that he might be worried about what the others thought of him. He always looked so confident. "I'm sure everybody likes you," Demeter smiled reassuringly, "I haven't seen anybody who isn't happy you're back." Her mind couldn't help wandering back to the day in the park and the conversation with Bombalurina.
"I just wasn't sure...," Macavity paused.
"You look upset. Has somebody said something to you about you not fitting in?" Demeter was immediately worried. Who would say something to upset him? She couldn't think of anyone who would be that nasty.
Macavity shook his head. "No, nobody said anything but..." He paused again seemingly unsure as to whether to tell her or not.
"You can tell me. What's happened?"
"I'm sure it's nothing really, it's just the other day when the toms were all practising fighting together Munkustrap wouldn't let me join in. I mean, I'm sure he had a good reason it's just... well, he's supposed to be my friend," Macavity reluctantly told Demeter and sighed. He looked so dejected that she reached out and put a paw on his shoulder.
Demeter struggled to find anything comforting to say. "I'm sure he didn't mean to make you feel left out. He wouldn't do that."
"Of course not, of course not," Macavity hastily agreed with her but he looked away quickly as if there was something he wasn't telling her.
Demeter moved closer and rested her head comfortingly on his shoulder. "There's something else, isn't there?" It wasn't really a question.
"It's not the first time I felt he was leaving me out," Macavity shrugged sadly.
"What did he do?"
"When it was time to choose who was going to patrol the Junkyard and watch for danger...," Macavity stopped and only continued when Demeter smiled kindly at him,"Munkustrap said I couldn't help when I offered."
"Maybe he was giving you time to get used to the Junkyard again," Demeter loyally defended Munkustrap. She couldn't imagine him deliberately hurting anybody's feeling, especially not Macavity's after all he'd been through. It must have been a misunderstanding or something.
"I hadn't thought of that." Macavity still didn't look convinced.
"Munkustrap was really happy to see you when you came back. You're his best friend."
"I was his best friend," Macavity said sadly, "When I fell out with Alonzo he sided with him." He looked a little angry. "Alonzo said I took his rat but I didn't. He got annoyed and pushed me so I pushed him back. It was stupid. Munkustrap was stood just a little way away and came over. He told me to stop being an idiot but he didn't say anything to Alonzo. It was so unfair."
"That was unfair but it doesn't mean anything. I bet Munkustrap just didn't see what happened."
"I'm worried he doesn't trust me. I know it's silly but...," Macavity sighed and rested his head on Demeter's.
Demeter hugged her old friend. "Don't worry. Of course he trusts you, we all do. I'm sure you're mistaken."
"I'm sure I am too. I was just a bit upset and needed to talk to somebody. I would have told Bomba but you know how easily she can get angry." Macavity gave a forced laugh.
Demeter laughed with him, "She can be a handful when she's annoyed. Best not to tell her. I'm always here if you need to talk."
"Thanks. I really appreciate that." Macavity got up and smiled down at Demeter. "I have to go and catch myself some food. Thanks for talking to me. I feel loads better." He grinned and jumped down off the car boot and sauntered away across the Junkyard.
Demeter watched him go, lost in thought. Could Munkustrap really not be happy to see his old friend? She shook her head. It was stupid to even think that. She went back to cleaning her fur but she couldn't quite put the conversation out of her mind.
Later that day Demeter and Bombalurina were sat discussing the new den Bombalurina planned to move into and watching the kittens play. Munkustrap was perched on a car tyre just to their left also watching the kittens. They were running and jumping over an obstacle-course of rubbish they'd built. "Be careful!," Jellylorum called every few minutes from where she was sat talking to Asparagus and Exotica. The kittens ignored her and were getting more and more enthusiastic by the minute.
"I can jump right over both those tyres in one go," Jemima boasted pointing to two large tyres lying beside each other.
"Prove it," giggled Etcetera who didn't really think Jemima could do it at all.
"Ok, I will." Jemima took a huge run-up and leapt. She soared over the first tyre but it was clear she wasn't going to make it over the second one. The little kitten crashed into the tyre and landed in a heap on the floor. Her lip wobbled and she began to cry. Jellylorum jumped to her feet and rushed towards the sobbing kitten but Munkustrap got there first.
"Are you hurt, Jem?", he asked her. When she nodded and held out her paw her father picked her up. "I'll take you to Jenny, she can take a look at it." The other kittens had gathered round and were all upset and tearful. Jellylorum arrived to calm them down and Munkustrap pushed through them towards Jennyanydots' den.
As he passed Demeter and Bombalurina, who had jumped to their feet, Macavity came hurrying over. "Is Jemima alright?", he asked Munkustrap, "Can I do anything to help?"
"No." Munkustrap pushed past him carrying Jemima and looking worried. He hardly even glanced at Macavity.
"Oh, um... Ok then." Macavity was left standing alone looking as if Munkustrap had hit him.
Demeter and Bombalurina climbed down to join him. "Are you ok?", Demeter asked quietly in his ear.
"I'm fine. I was only trying to help." Macavity looked so upset that Demeter couldn't help feeling angry for him. Why couldn't Munkustrap have been nicer? Macavity already didn't feel like he fitted in and now this. Did Munkustrap really have to snap at him? "I'll be back in a second." Demeter hurried off leaving Bombalurina with Macavity.
Munkustrap had left Jemima with Jennyanydots, who had bandaged her paw and given her some sweets to make her feel better, and gone back to watching the Junkyard for signs of trouble. Demeter found him sat on a car tyre.
"What was that for?", she demanded as soon as she was within earshot.
Munkustrap jumped and turned to face her. "What was what for, Dem?" He looked confused when he saw the angry look on Demeter's face.
"You know what. Being horrible to Macavity. You really hurt his feelings." Demeter glared at her mate angrily.
Munkustrap looked startled. "Horrible? To Macavity?"
"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. I saw it. You should go and apologise!", Demeter snapped.
Munkustrap was starting to feel a bit annoyed now. He hadn't done anything to Macavity and he couldn't see why Demeter was so angry. "I'm not apologising if I don't even know what I've done."
"He was worried about Jemima and wanted to help and you snapped at him. He was trying to help and you just pushed past him. Would it kill you to be nice to him? I can't believe you won't even say sorry," Demeter paused for breath glaring at Munkustrap, "He told me about other stuff that's been going on and I defended you! Maybe he was right and you don't like him. Perhaps you're jealous."
"I'm not jealous! I don't know what other stuff you're talking about and I wasn't being horrible to him I was just worried about Jem and was rushing to get her to Jenny. I hardly even noticed Macavity." The two cats glared furiously at each other.
"I don't believe you," Demeter said after a pause, "Macavity said you had been leaving him out. You wouldn't let him join in the fighting practice and you wouldn't let him go on a patrol. I wouldn't have thought you would do that and be so unkind until I saw how hurt he was when you brushed past him like that with Jemima."
"Wouldn't let him...Left him out...unkind...," Munkustrap spluttered, "That's not what happened!"
Demeter gave him a scathing look. "He was really upset and told me all about it."
"Well he was wrong!", Munkustrap exploded.
"Are you saying he's lying?! That is so unfair!"
Munkustrap looked exasperated. "I didn't say that! He must have misunderstood me! When we were going on patrol and he asked to come he had only just arrived back and I told him he couldn't go on his own. He could have gone with somebody else. He didn't ask after that."
"I don't believe you! What about the fighting practice? Don't tell me he misunderstood there too?", Demeter was really cross now. She thought about how Macavity had tried to say it wasn't Munkustrap's fault and now Munkustrap was blaming Macavity for everything. It just wasn't fair!
"All I said was don't fight Pouncival because he's too little and Macavity's too strong for him!"
"Another excuse!" They were both yelling now and the other Jellicles had stopped what they were doing to stare over at them.
"Do I stop them?", Alonzo muttered to Cassandra, who shook her head and bit her lip looking worried.
"You are just scared he'll look better than you, aren't you? That is so pathetic!", Demeter shouted and stamped her paw.
"Pathetic?!", Munkustrap shouted back, "Why are you so angry with me? Why are you siding with him?"
"Because maybe he's right and that's why you're angry!"
"That is not true!" Munkustrap turned and stormed away from Demeter. "Why don't you go and talk to your precious Macavity?"
"Fine!", Demeter yelled after him, "I will!" Demeter stood looking after him for a second then she turned her back on him and stalked across the Junkyard to where Macavity was sat in front of his den.
"Are you ok?", Macavity asked as Demeter threw herself onto the ground beside him.
"No, not really," Demeter sighed, "Can I stay with you? I don't want to see Munkustrap at the moment."
Macavity looked over at her and smiled. "Of course you can. Stay as long as you want."
