Cassandra was surprisingly difficult to get with, a fact that really annoyed the Rum Tum Tugger.
Apparently she was embarrassed about what had happened with Bombalurina and decided to turn down his invitation to "hang out".
So the Rum Tum Tugger was alone.
Again.
And what's worse is that, for comfort, she decided to turn to Alonzo.
What was with this guy and being the ultimate rebound recipient? Sure he was attractive and all...
Tugger shook his head. He had decided long ago that it was for the best to not dwell on his occasionally tom-centered thoughts. Although the scandal it would cause certainly would be entertaining, he was sure his father's failing health could only take so much.
So to distract himself from the lack of queen, or, though he loathed to admit it, tom latched onto his arm, the Rum Tum Tugger decided to entertain the kittens.
It was late afternoon, a few hours before sundown, and he found a few of them by the tire- the boys, Admetus and Plato, wrestling, and the girls, Etcetera and Electra, socializing with their new playmate Victoria, who's brother was nowhere to be seen. Jennyanydots stood off a distance, giving the kittens their space, but still keeping a watchful eye.
Tugger ignored his aunt's distasteful glance she gave him and knelt down next to the kittens. "Tuggsie!" Etcetera yelled. "Tuggsie have you met Victoria? She just moved here, and she's gonna stay with me at my den. Isn't that so cool?
Tugger laughed at her enthusiasm. Kittens developed quickly, so Etcetera's new found speech didn't surprise him. He was sure Electra would start talking fluently any day now.
"I have met her," he said, turning to the pretty white kitten. "How ya doin' cutie?" he asked, winking.
This put the kittens into a fit of giggles, and he couldn't help but chuckle with them. "Tuggsie," Etcetera finally said, still laughing, "you should show Victoria your dance!"
"What dance?" he said, standing up. "You mean this?" he asked thrusting his hips to the side. The kittens fell into a flurry of giggles yet again. He absently noticed the young toms in the background trying, and hilariously failing, to mimic his much-practiced movements. He also absently noticed Macavity talking to Jenny and then taking her place as "kittensitter". He smoothly rotated his hips and the kittens started squealing. He didn't really pay much attention to anything else. That is, until Bombalurina showed up.
Bombalurina saw her opportunity and took it. Macavity already knew about the plan, Demeter had mentioned earlier that she was going to go find him, and she doubted the situation could get any better. There was Tugger, and there was Macavity, both within sight of each other. Perfect.
She came up to him, slowly swaying her hips and lounged next to the large ginger tom. Tugger had already taken notice, and kept paying her quick glances. Bombalurina smirked. If this is how he reacts when I just sit here...
"And what are you up to Bombalurina?" he asked, amused.
Like you don't already know. "Just go along with what I do," she whispered.
She put her hand on his shoulder and scooted closer. Tugger's eyes grew wide. Bombalurina put her arms around his waist and pulled herself onto his lap. Tugger glared. Finally she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Tugger looked like he would faint. Enjoying his defeat, she kissed Macavity again and said seductively, "Perhaps we should go somewhere else."
"Of course," he said smoothly, taking her arm and leading her away from a jilted looking Tugger.
When they were finally out of earshot, Bombalurina started laughing. "That was-" Macavity slammed her against a wall and started kissing her again, this time more passionately. She pushed away. "What are you doing?"
"This is what you wanted," he said, smashing her mouth against his again.
"Didn't Demeter talk to you?" she gasped out.
"Why would she?"
Bombalurina's eyes grew wide. "Oh Great Bast, you thought I was- You were being-" She stared at him in horror. "You were actually hitting on me. I am so telling Deme about-"
Livid, Macavity forced her against the wall, her throat between his claws. "If you tell anyone about this," he said, his claws grazing the skin of her stomach menacingly, "any of this, I will kill you, and your sister. Slowly," She cried out in pain as his claws extended and torn open her side, "and painfully." Tears began to build up in her eyes. "Understand?" Bombalurina nodded, a sob escaping her mouth. He slammed her against the wall a final time and let her drop, as he gracefully walked away. "And if anyone asks," he said, not even turning around, "you can tell them all about the barbed wire fence you scraped against."
As soon as she was sure he was gone, Bombalurina slowly picked herself up and, clutching her wounded side, staggered towards an old cushion. It was then that she noticed a pair of large green eyes watching her from the shadows. A small, black kitten she had only seen in passing emerged.
"Who are you?" she asked softly.
"Mistoffelees," he said, sitting down next to her.
"How much did you see?"
"I think all of it."
She choked back another sob. "Please find someone- anyone who can help me. But don't tell them what happened, I can't let you get forced into this; he'll kill you."
Mistoffelees nodded, his eyes beginning to water, and ran away. Bombalurina began licking her side as best as she could, but she could only reach so far. The small kitten soon returned, with Tugger following close behind him. He probably the first person he could find, she thought, somewhat annoyed, despite her condition.
Tugger quickly surveyed the damage. "Did Macavity do this to you?" he asked. She didn't answer. "I saw you leave with him Bombie, don't try to defend him." She finally nodded. "Bombie what were you doing back there?" he asked.
"It was all part of a prank," she said, crying. Her sobs were causing her to shake.
Tugger took her in his arms to try and sooth her. "I can't let him get away with this anymore," he said softly. He turned to her. "There's something-" He stopped, and faced Mistoffelees. "I need you," he said, "to find Demeter. She's Bombalurina's sister. If you don't know who she is, ask around." The tuxedo kitten nodded and ran off. "There's something I need to tell you," he said, turning back to her. "You know how Macavity leaves the junkyard a lot?" She nodded. "When I was younger," he began slowly, "I was very curious about all of it. So I followed him once, secretly. I watched him meet up with some other toms, all of whom were on catnip, and like I said I followed them. They went to a rich neighborhood and snuck into one of the houses. I can only assume that the humans weren't home. Anyway, I watched through the window, I was completely fascinated, as they stole a few valuable things. But then," he paused, as if it were painful for him to continue, "the cat who lived there returned home. A beautiful Persian queen." He paused again. "It was the most horrible thing I've ever seen in my life."
Bombalurina's eyes grew wide. "What happened?" she asked nervously.
"They raped her- each one having a go at her, and then they killed her."
The scarlet queen's voice caught in her throat. "Oh Bast," she finally said. "What did you do?"
"What any intelligent kitten would do. I ran. They would've killed me too if they'd known I was there."
"So he doesn't know you know?"
Tugger shook his head. "No one does. You're the first person I've ever told."
"And that's why you don't like him... Oh I made a terrible mistake."
"What were you thinking, coming on to him like that? Isn't the monster with your sister?"
Bombalurina sniffled. "It was all part of a revenge scheme on you. Demeter said you didn't like him and said that I could hit on him to make you jealous. She said she was going to tell him about the plan but... I guess she hadn't gotten to it yet. He thought I was being serious."
"Oh Bombie," he said, holding her close.
Demeter came out from behind the junk pile, Mistoffelees at her heels. The golden queen gasped when she saw her sister. "What happened?" she asked, licking her sister's wounds.
"Your boyfriend is what happened," Rum Tum Tugger said angrily.
"What?"
"He thought I was being serious with my flirting," Bombalurina said, sobbing again. "And he... responded a bit too enthusiastically. He was angry when he found out the truth."
Stunned, Demeter sat in silence for a moment. "I-I need to go," she said finally, standing up.
"And do what?" the Rum Tum Tugger asked.
"Give that bastard a piece of my mind," she replied, seething. She ran off, ignoring Bombalurina's cries of protest.
"She can't find him," she said to Tugger. "He said that if I told anyone, he would kill me. And her."
Thinking fast, Tugger turned to Mistoffelees. "Stay with her," he said, running off. I have to find Demeter, he thought. And so he searched.
But she was nowhere to be found.
