CHAPTER 4- Moonlight
Day had just started turning into night when the three adult Jellicles finally reached the city.
"Be careful," Asparagus warned. "Macavity, remember?"
Munkustrap stared off into the distance, and the other two knew he was thinking about Demeter. "How could I forget?" he questioned softly.
Skimbleshanks patted him lightly on the back. "We'll find her, Munku. And we'll take her back from Macavity."
"I miss her so much - "
"I know, we... What was that?!" All three cats turned as a loud clanking noise rang out across the night. Then they ran and hid.
They needn't have worried, however, for soon, Pouncival raced around the corner with an old metal bucket caught on his tail, and a terrified look on his face.
"Pounce!" exclaimed Munkustrap, stepping out of hiding to block the younger cat's path.
Pouncival nearly bowled him over as he skidded to a stop. "Munkustrap! Skimble, Asparagus! Thank the Everlasting Cat!"
Skimbleshanks stepped forward to remove the pail, chuckling. "Always living up to your name, aren't you, Carbucketty?" he laughed, using Pouncival's Everyday Name. "Where are Tugger and Plato?"
"Right here!"
Everyone turned to see Plato and Tugger coming around the corner, laughing, leaning on each other for support.
"Ha, Pounce! You should have seen your face!"
"Yeah, a bucket caught on Carbucketty, what a hoot!"
Pouncival glared at them. "It's not funny!"
"Shush!" Asparagus hissed suddenly. "Have you all lost your minds? Macavity's lair is supposed to be around here somewhere!" All the cats immediately quieted down.
"All right everyone," Skimble whispered, "let's get searching!"
---
"Someone's coming!" Demeter cried for the second time.
"Oh," Teazer said excitedly, "That'll be Jerrie!"
Sure enough, the door opened and closed, and two cats were standing in the walkway outside the cells. One of them looked almost identical to Teazer. That must be Mungojerrie, Demeter thought. This was confirmed when the cat came forward (with the guard following close behind, holing a knife) and said, "Hey, Teazer. Sorry it took so long to get here. Who're you're friends?"
Before Teazer could answer, the Guard stepped forward, holding his knife out. "That ain't none o' yore business, Scatt." (The guard was using Macavity's play names for Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer.) "An' Purrdy, you ain't to answer 'im, neither."
Jerrie held up his hands. "Hey, no offence meant." The guard growled at him.
"So, uh, Jerrie," Teazer said quickly, trying to move the conversation to less dangerous grounds. She paused to think of what to say, then decided to use the signal she and her brother had arranged when they were first captured. "Uh, I bet ol ' Hodge" (Hodge was their former owner) "would have been pourin' us some warm milk right now, if we was home." Jerrie stared at her. He knew that she was actually saying, "Jerrie, I need you to distract Macavity for a while, while I escape." He was slightly confused when she suddenly added, "And, um, I bet he would give us a lot because he'd pro'bly go, er, off to work...tomorrow. And he might give us even more if we were... havin' company." But then he realized that it was not, "while I escape," but "while we escape, tomorrow." He nodded to show he understood. "Yeah, that woulda been great."
The guard was looking suspiciously from brother to sister. Noticing this, Jerrie decided it was time to change the subject. "Hey, Teazer - It's a real nice night out, too bad you don't have a window. I - "
"That's enough!" the guard interrupted. "You c'n see she ain't dead, so's time ta git movin'."
"Right. 'Bye, Teazer."
Teazer waved sadly. "'Bye, Jerrie."
None of the five queens in Macavity's prison expected to sleep well that night, and Demeter didn't think she would sleep at all. She thought about her last ,unsuccessful attempt to escape from Macavity. When she had been caught...Think about something else, Demeter told herself. This time I'm not the only one. It's different. I won't go through... through that again. She continued to talk to herself. Think about... about Munkustrap. He'll be so happy to...
"Munkustrap!" she cried out loud.
Bombalurina sat up. "I know you miss him Demi. When we escape tomorrow we'll - "
"No!"
"What?"
"We have to escape now!"
"Demi, what are you talking about? I thought we had decided - "
"He's here!"
"Who's here?"
"Munkustrap! I can feel him, he's close, we have to go now!"
Then Teazer joined the conversation. "Whoa, calm down there, Dem. What about Jerrie's distraction? There's no tellin' where Mac could be. It's dangerous."
"It'd be dangerous no matter what! Please, we have to go now!"
Teazer sighed. "Alright, Dem, but I don't think it's a good idea."
Demeter went to wake the kittens. "Hush, now, everything's fine. We're going to escape tonight."
Sillabub rubbed sleepy eyes as she sat up. "Tonight? But - "
"Change of plans. Now Teazer, where's the old nail?"
Eventually, after Victoria was awake, and Demeter had found the old bent nail, and five locks had been picked, the escapers stood in the harsh, hall- way light. Getting out of the lair was easier than they had expected it to be. There weren't many guards that night, and most of the ones they saw were sleeping. Demeter, remembering where Macavity's room was, made sure they didn't have to pass it to get out. Still, she felt a little queasy; it all seemed too simple, to her.
"Yes! We're outside!" Bombalurina whispered. But their joy was short-lived, as they discovered that a fence surrounded the yard they were in. Sillabub found a gate, but it was locked, and they couldn't pick the lock because it was on the outside. "Wait here," said Teazer. "I'm goin' to try and climb over this fence. Then I'll try an' unlock the gate for the rest of you."
While they waited, Demeter noticed something. "We have to move!" she hissed. "The moon lights us up! We'll be seen!"
But it was too late. Before she could duck back into the shadows, Demeter felt two strong arms grab her, one hand covering her mouth. "Well, well." Macavity's voice hissed in her ear, sending chills through her body, "Leaving so soon, Demeter?"
Demeter almost fainted with disappointment and terror. Her heart sank so low and so quickly, she could almost feel it. She was captured! Again! What would he do to her?
Eventually, she calmed down enough to remember her friends. Had they been caught, too? The kittens' frightened whimpers and a stream of muffled curses from one of the guards convinced her that they had. But what about Teazer? Then she heard a guard call, "Hey, Boss, here's anudder one! I tink it's Purrdy!" and she knew there'd be no chance of Rumpleteazer's help. Her heart dropped even lower. She looked up at the moon, the Jellicle Moon, the last thing she could count on to be the same as before. Oh, Munkustrap! She cried out, though she made no sound, Help me! Don't let me die!
---
About a mile away, Munkustrap jerked up from a sitting position."What is it?" asked Skimblshanks, but he didn't answer. He thought...no, it couldn't be. But he was almost sure he had heard Demeter calling him. "Demeter?" he asked tentatively.
Munkustrap! her voice rang out again, but only in his head. Help me!
"Demeter's in trouble!"
"Munku - "
"We have to help her! Now!"
"Munku, we don't even know where she is."
"I do! I can feel her! Come on!"
---
Macavity looked over his captives, grinning slightly. "Tut, tut. Don't you like my hospitality? Especially you, Rumpleteazer. Don't you like seeing your brother everyday? And Bombalurina, Demeter, I let you stay together, now didn't I? Ah, you poor kittens, did they force you to come with them?"
Sillabub glared at the ginger tom. "We chose to come, all by our selfs!"
Macavity laughed. "Very bold, aren't you, Kitten? I can change that!"
Sillabub fell silent.
"All right," Macavity continued, stopping his laughing abruptly, "time to go back to bed. This little adventure's over."
"That's what you think!"
Macavity whirled around, still holding Demeter, to face Munkustrap, Skimbleshanks, Asparagus, Tugger, Plato, and Pouncival, all sitting on top of the fence. There was a brief, tense second where both sides just stared at each other, then the six Jellicles jumped into the yard and battle began.
Pouncival and Plato fought their way over to the queen-kittens and pulled them away from the guards, then went to help the adults. Tugger freed Bombalurina, who commented, "Thanks, Tuggs!" before turning to swat the guard, who had been holding her, on the nose. Pretty soon, all the guards were down on the ground, and the six Jellicles turned to face the Napoleon of Crime.
Macavity had backed into a corner, keeping a paw over Demeter's mouth. "Here she is, Munkustrap. And she's mine."
"You wish," growled Munkustrap, and all the Jellicles but Victoria and Sillabub took a step towards Macavity and his prisoner. "No you don't," warned Macavity. "It's just you and me, Munkustrap, or I'll kill her right now."
The Jellicles looked to Munkustrap for his decision. Slowly, he nodded. "Right, just you and me. The rest of you, move back."
Macavity smiled. "Good." Then suddenly, so quickly it was hard to follow, he turned and slammed Demeter into the wall behind him, knocking her unconscious, and leaped at Munkustrap. Munkustrap was almost knocked to the ground, but he kept his balance and swung out at Macavity, catching him across the face.
The battle went on for a while, but finally, Munkustrap went down and didn't get up again.
Macavity laughed madly as all the Jellicles looked stunned. "Ha! See your great leader now!"
Munkustrap had rolled out into the moonlight. He was bruised and cut all over, and in immense pain. Everlasting Cat! He cried out with his mind, Take me now! Make it stop! Suddenly, he heard a deep, purring, musical voice in his head answer him, saying, No, Munkustrap. Macavity is still alive. If he lives, he will terrorize the Jellicles forever. I chose you to lead, Munkustrap, because I knew you would not let that happen. Do not prove me wrong!
Then, all of a sudden, Munkustrap felt a huge jolt of energy enter his body, and he leaped up with all his strength and struck at Macavity as hard as he could. There was a shocked silence as Macavity slumped to the ground, his face forever frozen in a look of surprise. No more would he prey on queens or kittens.
Munkustrap ran to Demeter and knelt by her side. He immediately stared to lick her face, trying to wake her. She moaned and opened her eyes. "Munkustrap!" she whispered. She looked around fearfully, then asked, "Is he gone?"Munkustrap smiled. "Yes, Demi, he's gone, and he'll never hurt you again."
---
"- When a crime's discovered then Macavity's not there!"
Demeter and Bombalurina finished their song, then grinned at each other.
"You should make up some more verses!" The sisters turned to see Munkustrap hobbling over to them on his crutches. "It needs a new ending."
Demeter nodded. "I suppose it does," she sighed happily to herself.
"So what do you think of those kittens?" Bombalurina asked. "So much energy! Even I couldn't dance all night!"
Demeter chuckled slyly. "What do you think you were just doing with Tugger?"
Bombalurina ignored her. "Just look at Pounce and Sillabub! He must have pounced her a hundred times, and she still just laughs! I wasn't surprised to see them in the mating dance together, were you?"
"Not any more surprised than I was to see Plato and Victoria... or you and Tugger!"
Bombalurina gave her sister The Look, which only made Demeter and Munkustrap laugh.
"Well, just thought I'd say hi," Munkustrap said, starting to walk away. "I need to get ready for Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer's Accepting into the Jellicle Tribe. They're writing their own song for next year's Jellicle Ball, can you imagine?"
---
"Well, I'd say we have had very good cause to celebrate tonight!" Deuteronomy declared, and all the cats cheered. "Four of ours have been captured and rescued and we are glad to have them back." He smiled at Demeter, Bombalurina, Sillabub, and Victoria. "Also, we have two new Jellicles with us tonight, of which we are also glad. And, if I'm not mistaken, Demeter, and especially Munkustrap, have learned something new. So could I please talk to you two privately? The rest of you may go. I will announce it to you later."Talking amongst themselves, looking puzzled, and glancing at Munkustrap and Demeter, the other cats left to continue their party. Munkustrap and Demeter, looking equally puzzled, went up to Deuteronomy.
"So," the Old Cat sighed, "You have discovered the Secret of the Jellicle Moon."
"Have we? What's that?" Demeter asked, but Munkustrap was silent. Then he said, "I heard you."
"What?"
"When you called out those nights, I heard you. Both times. That's how I knew to come when I did."
Then Demeter remembered something. "That night, in my cell... someone was calling me... it was you, wasn't it?"
"Probably."
"It was said to be a legend, a myth." Deuteronomy continued. "Now you see that it is true. When a Jellicle is in great need of help, all they have to do is look up at the Jellicle Moon. If they want it bad enough, if it's that important, they can actually contact other cats through the Moon's power. It helps them find their way back to happiness."
Suddenly Deuteronomy stopped talking. He began to smile slightly. "I believe we have a secret listener. What do you think, Sillabub?"
Smiling guiltily and looking bashful, Sillabub stepped out of her hiding place behind the Old Tire. "I - I just wanted to know what happened," she said shyly. "We - I mean, Victoria and I - we heard Demeter say she could actually feel Munkustrap near her, and, um, well..."
Deuteronomy laughed. "Well, now you know. Demeter, why don't you and Sillabub go find Tugger? I think he finally convinced Bombalurina to let him do his song this year."
Sillabub squealed as she and Demeter left the Tire. "Ooh, good! I'm sure Pounce won't mind. I need to tell Etcetera..."
Munkustrap smiled as the two queens walked away. "That Tugger. Never changes."
"You have to admit, it would be dull without him."
"Yes, I suppose you're right."
There was a pause, and then Deuteronomy said, "I think you might know even more about the Jellicle Moon than even Demeter or Sillabub. What happened after the battle with Macavity? The other cats tell me your return of energy was quite sudden."
"...You already know what happened, don't you?"
Deuteronomy smiled. "I believe I do. The Everlasting Cat spoke to you, am I correct?"
"Yes. And gave me the energy."
"Then you know another secret about the Moon."
"I do."
And they left it at that.
Jellylorum and Jennyanydots had just finished singing Memory when Sillabub stood up and said, somewhat shyly, "I have a new verse that I'd like to add, a new memory. I just made it up.""Go ahead and sing it for us!" invited Pouncival.
Sillabub nodded and smiled. "Okay." Then she took a deep breath and sang:
"MoonlightTurn your face to the Moonlight
Let your memory lead you
Open up, enter in
If you find there the meaning of what happiness is
Then a new life will begin."
THE END
