Part 3
"There you are", Munkustrap said as he got to Alonzo's favorite hiding place. It was on top of a chair on the highest junk pile. During Alonzo's first week in the tribe he'd gotten a bit depressed because he didn't know how to play with the other kittens. Something Munkustrap had helped him learn. So he'd hidden at this place and it had taken Munkustrap the whole day to find him.
"Go away Munk", Alonzo said without looking at his best friend. It was three days after Macavity's exile and Alonzo had been distant ever since. He did his job and all but as soon his shift or patrol was over he disappeared from the face of the earth. Munkustrap had spent a great amount of time looking for him.
"Not after the hard work I put in finding you", Munkustrap swung over the edge and walked over to his friend and sat down beside him on the chair. It swayed a bit but soon stopped.
"Now you found me so buzz off", Alonzo mumbled. He was lying on his stomach, head on his front paws and tail swinging in a sad way.
"Come on Lonz. Talk to me."
"I just did... I told you to buzz off."
"You know what I mean."
Alonzo sighed. "What do you want from me Munkustrap?"
"I want you to tell me how you feel. After Macavity being exiled you've been distant... even towards me."
"Munk I just lost my brother, the only family I've ever had... Of course I'm a bit depressed. I'm not letting it get in the way for my job as second so can't you just let me be?"
Munkustrap sighed and put a paw on Alonzo's shoulders and the patched tom winced. Munk pulled away his paw and saw something red on his silver fur.
"Alonzo you're hurt!"
"So it seems..."
"Alonzo!"
"What it's just a scratch..."
"What happened?"
"I was attacked on patrol."
"By whom?"
"Don't know... a black cat."
"Lie still and I'll clean it for you."
"You don't need to..."
"But I want to."
When Munkustrap was done he looked down on all the cats below. All of them looked as if they were searching for something. He saw Tugger walk up to Bombalurina and tell her something. She said something back and then Tugger yelled:
"They gotta be here somewhere! Alonzo can become invisible if he wants to but Munk is a horrible sneaker!"
Munkustrap sniggered then looked at the depressed cat beside him.
"Do you remember when I first found you here", Munkustrap asked trying a new approach on how to lighten Alonzo's mood.
Alonzo chuckled so it seemed to be working. "How can't I? You almost got me killed!"
"It's not my fault you were daydreaming."
"It was in the middle of the night and you snuck up on me from behind and hissed: 'Gotcha!' I jumped sky-high and fell over that edge", he pointed. "You hurried over and pulled me up."
"Do you remember what I said?"
"Yeah... you told me to give you my other paw so you could pull me up."
"But you told me I wasn't strong enough."
"And then you told me you could and that I needed to trust you..."
"And you answered trust is hard to give..."
"But not to you Munk", they spoke in unison.
Alonzo chuckled. "Yeah... I still trust you with my life Munk."
"And I trust you with my life and the tribe's. Everlasting cat Alonzo we wouldn't be half as safe without you around."
Alonzo got something mischievous in his eyes then he jumped up and pushed Munkustrap off of the chair and landed on top of him so he was pressing Munkustrap down.
"And you still need to practice your fighting skills", Alonzo smirked. "I think this was record time."
"Don't count on it", Munkustrap kicked him off and Alonzo went over Munk's head and over the edge. "Lonz!"
Munkustrap hurried over and looked over the edge but a paw grabbed his and pulled him down. The two toms tumbled down the pile and landed in a laughing heap on the bottom. Alonzo was pressed down underneath Munkustrap's weight.
"There you guys are", Tugger said as the other cats came to investigate the racket. "What are you two doing? Trashing the yard?"
"No", Alonzo said and rose so Munkustrap fell off of him. "Just some friendly talking."
"Are you okay Alonzo", Bombalurina asked worriedly. "You've been quite down these days."
Alonzo smiled softly. "I'm better now thanks Lina."
The scarlet queen smiled friendly at him and gave him a little nuzzling.
"Oh", Tugger exclaimed. "Now I remember! Munk Jelly is giving birth!"
"She is", Munk exclaimed.
"Yeah... she wants you to come see them."
That day Jelly gave birth to Tumblebrutus, Pouncival and Etcetera and the three kittens soon became great friends with Electra, Victoria and Jemima. It was a couple of months later when it happened. Macavity kidnapped Demeter. Munkustrap was a wreck and Alonzo used most of his energy to keep him calm. They had no idea where Macavity was and how he's been able to use magic. Alonzo guessed his brother always could but had never done in public.
"We gotta find her Alonzo", Munk said in despair as Alonzo was dragging him back to the yard after another of his: find-Dem-or-die runs.
"I know Munk."
"I won't be able to live without her."
"I know buddy... we'll find a way."
"Oi", a voice yelled and they saw a small calico queen run towards them. "Please ya gotta 'elp me!"
"Whoa, whoa calm down", Alonzo said and let go of Munkustrap. "Who are you and what do you need help with?"
"Moi name 's Rumpleteazah", the queen said. "Me an' moi brothah ran away from Macvity."
"Macavity", Munkustrap asked.
"Yeah... 'e's a gingah cat... we use' to work for 'im we did. Though 'e was nioce an' friendly at first. We're thieves we are. Macavity gave us a place in 'is organization 'e did. But we foun' out 'e's no nice cat. 'e brought this black an' gol' queen for us to watch... 'e was 'urting an' 'e rape' her."
Munkustrap paled and Alonzo held him back so he wouldn't fly at the small queen.
"Mungo, that's my brothah an' Oi trie' to 'elp 'er. But 'e kick' us outta the room. When 'e left we took 'er outta there we did. Mungo carried 'er all the way an' Macavity caught up to us an' Mungo stayed behoind to fight 'im. 'e needs 'elp. Mungo's no' figtah."
"Show us", Munkustrap said and they ran back the same way the queen had come from.
"Give up Mungojerrie", Macavity snarled and clawed the calico tom across his chest. "Give Demeter up and I won't hurt you or your sister."
"No, you ain' gonna get 'er", Mungo growled and Demeter watched him with wide frightened eyes. "You ain' deserving such noice queen. You're a bad cat!"
"You got that right you imbecile."
Mungojerrie lunged at the Napoleon of crime but was thrown aside into the wall. He landed on the ground and lied there.
"Jerrie", Demeter exclaimed in horror.
"Now my dear Demeter", Macavity said. "Let's go back shall we?"
He walked towards her.
"Stay away from her Mac", a voice yelled and Alonzo was at his brother's throat. Macavity managed to shake him off and Alonzo landed close to Demeter and stood above her in a protective manner.
"Well if it isn't my treacherous little brother", Macavity said and smiled. "Coming to visit us mere cats."
"Shut up", Alonzo snapped.
"What are you going to do Alonzo", Macavity laughed. "You can defeat me; you've never been able to. You always hold back."
Alonzo hissed at him and Macavity yelped in pain when claws buried themselves in his back.
"Get the hell away from here Macavity", Munkustrap growled. "Or we will kill you!"
"We?" Macavity asked and saw that Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer were now backing up the silver tabby. "Oh I see... well I know when I'm not wanted. But mark my words you traitors", he glared at Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer. "I will get my revenge on you."
"Get out", Alonzo yelled and Macavity left the alley in a hurry.
Alonzo fell backwards when Demeter flew up from underneath him and hurried to her mate. She cried into his shoulder and he held her close. Alonzo smiled and walked over to the two calicos.
"Thank you for saving Demeter and for protecting her", he said.
"Couldn' let Mac woin could we?" Mungojerrie said and smiled. "Oi'm Mungojerrie."
"Nice to meet you. What will the two of you do now?"
"Don' know", Jerrie said and shrugged. "Run for our loives maybe."
"Yeah with Mac after us we ain' got too big 'ope", Teazer said sadly.
"You could join our tribe", Munkustrap said as he came over to them with Demeter in his arms. "You deserve it." The calicos looked at each other and then at Munkustrap.
"Can we", Jerrie asked.
"Yes you deserve it, though it's not up to me. You must meet our leader Old Deuteronomy."
"After what you two did", Alonzo cut in. "It won't be a problem."
TBC
