A/N: So, I have a new chapter (man I love summer!) up, with what Misto is so worried about. It's a pretty long chapter this time, so I hope you enjoy it. I'll probably update soon after this one too, since I have the next one and a half written up already, so enjoy!
I paced back and forth next to the eastern wall of the junkyard, wringing my tail (ignoring the pain) and wondering how I could manage to live through tomorrow. Why? Because I tried to kill the Great Rumpus Cat. Yes, yes, I tried to kill the one hero us cats have, yet Macavity forced me to. I failed at my task, barely escaped with my life—I still have a scar on my leg from him—and got electrocuted afterwards for it. That was one fun night, I have to say.
Now, here I was, nearly three months after that encounter, and I had to worry about the Great Rumpus Cat killing me again. I figured I could try to block his memories, yet then the twins would know something is strange with me. I could also try to run away for the day, yet then they would send out another search party, and I didn't want that to happen. I could also just ask the Great Rumpus Cat to simply act like he doesn't know me, yet that's only if I can't think of anything else. I could even just ignore it, and hope that he doesn't recognize me. I doubted that the last option would work, so I figured I was left with option three. I figured that I should go talk to Ria, let her know that I love her, that I want all my earthly possessions to go to her and get my will in order. The Great Rumpus Cat would never listen to my side of the argument and would sooner kill me.
As I walked over to Ria, I compiled a best-case and worst-case scenario. Best case: The Great Rumpus Cat agreed to be my life-long servant because I always put life and limb on the line to protect my sister. Worst case? I get gutted. And then he dances on my gravesite, rejoicing that he got rid of such a horrible cat. I suspected that the worst-case scenario was more likely to happen.
"What's wrong, 'Xo?" Ria asked me as I walked over to her. I nodded off in a different direction, silently telling her that I couldn't say in front of her friends. She nodded, walked over to me and looked me straight in the eye. "You're worried about the Great Rumpus Cat, aren't you?" she asked.
"Yes. I'm worried that he's going to kill me, so I've decided that my few worldly possessions should go to you. Stay away from Tugger and you can mate with Plato," I told her, completely serious. Ria smiled and shook her head.
"'Xo, you really should just talk to him. I doubt that he'll kill you. Just explain what happened and I think he'll be fine. He will recognize you, and I don't want you to be found out," Ria said. I had to give it to her, she never really acts like a kit her age. Maybe that's why she wants to mate so early.
"You're right, 'Ria," I said, nuzzling her softly.
"There you are Victoria. Pounce was wondering where you were and I knew you would be with Quaxo," Jemima said. She looked over and smiled slightly, looking down.
"Hello, Jemima. How are you?" I asked her, a smile on my face.
"Fine," she replied, her voice about two octaves higher than usual.
"Victoria, why don't you go play with your friends? I'm sure you would like that more than hanging out with your boring brother," I told Ria. She nodded, smiling, and ran off with Jemima. As I watched them run off, I figured I should ask Munkustrap which entrance the Great Rumpus Cat would be walking through so that I would be sure that I could see him first.
"Hey, Demeter," I said as she walked by. She stopped, looked over at me and walked over.
"Yeah?"
"Do you know where Munkustrap is?" I asked her.
"South entrance. He's standing at the watch post," she replied. I nodded my thanks and ran off to find Munkustrap.
"Hey there, Quaxo," he called when he saw me coming. I waved and he jumped down and walked over to me. "What do you want?"
"I was just wondering which entrance the Great Rumpus Cat was going to come through. I was wondering if he could help me with something," I told him truthfully.
"This entrance, sometime around dawn, I believe," Munkustrap replied before walking over to the courtyard. I nodded and sat down next to the opening, waiting for the Great Rumpus Cat to come.
About a half-hour before the sun started to rise, I heard a cat walking past me. I opened my eyes and saw him, the Great Rumpus Cat. I stood up, trying to be quiet, yet he heard me. He wheeled around, and glared at me, taking in my appearance before running up to me and grabbing me by the throat. I scratched at the paw that was holding me up, gasping for breath and trying to get down.
"You! You're that despicable cat that tried to kill me a couple of months ago! I can't believe that he let you live," he snarled. I could start to tell that I was suffocating, because I could see my vision starting to fade in and out and my lips were starting to get numb. "Explain yourself," he said, throwing me down to the ground. I gasped, never more appreciative of oxygen.
"I—I tried to kill you because I was ordered to," I said softly. "Macavity ordered me to, and threatened to kill my sister and mother if I failed. I had no choice."
"I hate people who say they have no choice. You always have a choice. Always," he replied, standing over me.
"No. I had no choice. I had nowhere to go, and I didn't want to have my sister killed. I didn't want to kill you, otherwise you would be dead. I would never have bothered you again, yet Macavity raped my sister, killed my mother and is probably out for my blood and I need to stay hidden. Please, act like you've never seen me before, that's all I'm asking you," I said as I looked up at his terrifying shape. He took a few deep breaths before replying.
"Fine. I'll do this, yet I'm warning you now," he said, squatting down above me with one of his claws dangerously close to my stomach. "If anything happens to the Jellicles, I swear I'll be after you. Not Macavity, you." I nodded my agreement and he walked to the courtyard as if nothing had happened. I took a few deep breaths, reflecting on how close I had been to death, and stood up and walked over to the courtyard. Victoria looked up as I stepped inside the courtyard and walked over to me.
"See, I told you he wouldn't kill you, 'Xo," Ria said. I laughed softly. She shrugged. "At least you aren't dead now."
"Yeah. What's Jemima doing?" I asked her.
"Listening to the Great Rumpus Cat," Ria said with a smile. "You should join us." I shook my head and she walked back over to them.
"It's nice that the Great Rumpus Cat puts up the kits. Not many of the toms do," Munkustrap said when he walked over to me. I looked up at him.
"I guess. Why doesn't he just wait until the Jellicle ball to come though? Isn't that when everyone comes?" I asked him.
"I don't know. Maybe he thinks he'll be too busy or he just wants to see family. I don't know," Munkustrap replied.
"Oh. Munkustrap, I was wondering, are there any empty dens here? Victoria's nightmares are getting worse, and I don't want to be a burden on you or Alonzo."
"I doubt you could be a burden, yet I'm sure there are some empty dens. You could look along the south wall tomorrow."
"I think I'll go look now," I said, starting to walk towards that wall.
"Nonsense. Go listen to some of the Rumpus Cat's stories, and then go look for a den," Munkustrap said, turning me towards the Great Rumpus Cat. I reluctantly walked over there and sat next to Jemima and Ria. The Great Rumpus Cat looked up, and finished his story quickly.
"Tell us another one," one of the tom-kits asked.
"Please," Etcetera added.
"Okay then, just because you asked," the Great Rumpus Cat said. "It was a dark and stormy night, about three months ago. I had been patrolling the city all night in the rain and I was drenched and excited for a warm bed inside. Just as I was about to step inside my home, I heard a feeble cry for help. Now, I couldn't just leave this cat out to fend for herself, so I ran down the alleyway I heard it from. There were two cats sitting there. One was as black as the starless night at midnight with a lone patch of white on his leg, and the other was a white cat with a couple of patches of ginger.
"'Please don't hurt me,' she begged, 'I don't even know what I did wrong!'
"'I'm sorry cat, yet I must. Orders are orders, after all,' the other one said. I couldn't take it any longer, so I ran up to the black cat and pushed him over.
"'Run!' I told the queen. She nodded and then ran off. I looked over at the black cat, who was standing up and said, 'Sheath your claws and leave this city, or die by my claws.'
"'I'm sorry, yet I can't do that,' he replied, crouching down into a defensive position. I sighed and unsheathed my claws. He pounced and we were fighting. There was cutting and slashing and stabbing and finally I stood over the other cat's dead body. I bowed my head, prayed for the Great Cat's mercy on this unnamed cat and walked away," The Great Rumpus Cat said, looking at me. I knew I had a horrified face, no matter how I tried to hide it. I had known that cat, Lunanoir was his name, when I Ria and I had lived at Macavity's place. He was one of the few cats there against his choice. He was also just trying to protect his family from Macavity's wrath, and so he worked for Macavity. I had noticed when he didn't come back from a simple assassination mission—I believe he was supposed to kill a queen who had refused Macavity's company—and was wondering why. Well, now I knew, and I probably knew why. Any sane cat would rather be slashed to pieces than be electrocuted by him.
"You okay, Quaxo?" one of the tom-kits asked me. I looked over at him, snapped back to reality. I nodded slightly.
"Oh, lay off him, Tumble. Not everyone likes violence," Jemima said.
"Looks like someone has the hots for Quaxo," Tumble said.
"I do not!" Jemima said, blushing crimson.
"Fine then," Tumble replied. He looked over the Great Rumpus Cat. "Can you tell us another one, please?"
"I don't think so. It looks like Munk wants to talk," The Great Rumpus Cat said. We looked over our shoulder at Munkustrap coming over. Tumble groaned and stood up.
"You can get more stories later," Munkustrap said. "I need to talk to him for a minute." We nodded and walked away. I walked slowly, listening to what they were saying.
"You wanted to talk?" Munkustrap asked the Great Rumpus Cat.
"Yeah, about that black and white cat," he replied. I almost turned around, yet I ducked behind a pile of trash instead to listen in on what they were saying.
"Why?" I heard Munkustrap ask.
"Do you know where he came from?"
"No. Just that he used to live in a bad household. He doesn't like to talk about it." I was desperately praying to the Great Cat that the Great Rumpus Cat wouldn't correct him.
"Well, he recognized one of the cats in my story."
"Really? One of the cats you saved?"
"No. One of Macavity's cats."
