Disclaimer: I don't own CATS!
Okay, everyone is really going to have to tell me what they think of this chapter, and I mean really. Like, insert some hyperbole, because I don't want to come up with one right now!
"This... this isn't good," said Skimble gravely, looking at the window, which was halfway blocked with snow.
Outside a blizzard blew in full force, the unrelenting whistling causing a low din which everyone woke up to. The snow was slowly burying the cabin, with sub zero temperatures and winds that felt like they just cut straight through you. If you walked outside, you would find that the snow was up to your shoulders and impossible to get through; they were trapped. Trapped like rats in a shooting barrel.
Andrew stood silently next to the orange tabby, looking so serious it was almost frightening, owing to the fact that he only took things seriously if they involved others lives, like now. Would they even survive long enough to make the musical?
"We need to have an emergency meeting," he whispered his voice tense and awed, as if he were staring death itself in the face as he stared at the window.
Old Deuteronomy, Munkustrap, Demeter, Alonzo, Jennyanydots, Coricopat and Tantomile, Skimbleshanks, Mistoffelees, and even Tugger, all sat on the couches around the fire.
There human counterparts sat in and amongst them; Andrew stood in front of the fire, trying not to look too worried.
"Okay, I'm assuming we all know what this meeting is about. So let's just start off with any questions or comments," said the old playwrite, pacing back and forth in front of the crackling fireplace.
Michael Gruber immediately raised his hand, room for somethihis eyes darting around the room as he did this. "Has anyone checked the radio to see how long this storm will last?" he asked, trying to think practically.
"Skimble?" asked Andrew, turning to the orange tabby who immediately pulled out a small tw-way radio and started turning the nobs on it, but getting nothing but static.
"Sorry," he begun in his Scottish accent. "We aren't getting a signal right now, probably problems with the control tower. I'm gonna keep work'in on this, but until then there's nothing we can do but wait."
"You do that," said Andrew seriously, before turning to the others. Looking at Old Deuteronomy, he felt a little guilty that he wasn't making much of an effort to make the Jellicle leader feel like he had any authority here, when really the old playwrite considered Old D to be more in charge than he was.
"Old Deuteronomy... I'm not sure how you want the Jellicles to handle this situation, since you are their leader. Really I should leave it up to you what they do"-"Andrew, we've never been in a situation quite like this before, and so I think in this particular emergency you should be in charge because this is out of our area of expertise." He was right of course, as far as Old Deuteronomy knew, no Jellicle had ever been trapped in a lodge full of humans in a foreign country before.
"Are you sure?" asked Andrew, to which Old Deuteronomy simply nodded with an earnest look on his face. "Okay then... Um, Misto! Do you have any ideas of solutions?"
"It really depends, if the storm blows itself out, I could just use my powers to clear the snow. The real problem is rescue teams, since I know here in Switzerland they deal with plenty of blizzards. It's probably best to not magic our way out of the situation." And then, clearing his voice, Misto looked at all the other Jellicles and humans sitting around the fireplace, and then straight at Andrew. "The one thing we must remember, is the Jellicle secret can't get out, and so transporting everyone or clearing the snow... it would look very suspicious. Imagine how a rescue team would react if they got here and found all the snow cleared right after a blizzard and us all out skiing?"
All the Jellicles nodded in agreement, the terror of being found out so obvious that most of the humans present resigned themselves to whatever they said.
"Alright then," said Webber, his normal kookiness beginning to show again when it had sunk in that they'd just have to deal with this.
He realized his acting all grave and serious wouldn't help anyone, so he decided to take on the role of the unpredictable, eccentric leader with as much grace and dignity as possible.
"Old Deuteronomy, Munkustrap, we need you to instruct the Jellicles, since you're their leaders. I need you to keep them informed on decisions and to tell me how they respond. Alonzo, you should work with them, since you're second in command."
He then turned to Jennyanydots, to whom he always treated with such kindness, you'd think she were his grandmother. "Jenny, I need for you and Jelly to help any parents tell their kits what's going on, without scaring them...Oh, and we need to figure out how to keep them busy and entertained. Emergencies like this are worse for little ones, and we want to handle this as painlessly as possible for everyone. Besides annoying kids are usually targeted first when turning to cannabalism." He said this last bit with such an airy voice, that even Demeter gave a chuckle, as it was obvious he was trying to tell jokes to keep himself calm.
To this Jenny nodded respectfully, happy to have been given an assignment of which she considered of great importance.
"Skimble, keep at that radio and tell us if you ever find a signal. It's vitally important," said Webber, the railway cat already at the nobs again, trying to see if he could pick up anything.
"Cori, Tanto, if you happen to have any visions of how this will turn out, let Old Deuteronomy and me know. Also, keep alert to any signs of cabin fever, so we can know if anyone is cracking under pressure. We don't want any loonies having to be tied in the basement...Misto, whatever you can do to help out with your magic, whether it be keeping the fire going, or magicking us out during an extreme emergency, or just keeping everyone entertained so we don't go insane, well, you know what to do."
"Wait... what are we supposed to do?" asked Jake, who had been biting his tongue, angry Webber was instructing the Jellicles before the humans.
"I'm getting to that, Jake," said Webber wearily. "Now, Tugger, what your job will be, is to try and keep everyone destracted and busy. I don't care if they're laughing at you or drooling over you, I just don't want everyone going for the throat once the stress sets in. Play games, do random dance numbers, play the bagpipes! Just keep up morale."
Tugger was utterly speechless, both glad to be given such a fun sounding job, yet also strangely honored that Andrew would pretty much trust him with everyones' sanity.
Then Andrew turned softly to Demeter, who was almost trembling with fear because of the situation. "My dear, the only job I have for you, is to relax, and even enjoy yourself. If we need to get everyone out in a hurry, you and Munkustrap are our first priority."
"Thank you," she whispered, barely able to contain her gratitude for the man. She reached over and grabbed Munk's paw, who gave it a gentle squeeze in respone.
"Sir Andrew, we know you didn't mean for this to happen, you didn't mean to put the tribe in danger. So I just wanted to say, however this turns out, you're always going to be honored within the tribe," said Munkus, looking down solemnly as he said this.
Andrew just about wanted to throw his arms around the tabby, but before he could respond in any way, Jake stood up abruptly, fed up with being ignored.
"Sir Andrew, we really need to deal with the most important problems, such as making sure we have enough food and supplies to not only outlast a blizzard, but also to be ready to be snowed in for an unknown amount of time. And what about power? What about water, not just for drinking, but for washing and bathing. We need to focus on what's important."
"Alright then," sighed Andrew, deciding he might as well discuss jobs for the humans, since they were there!
And now a brief intermission from the seriousness, to... whatever the hell you wanna call this random musical crossover between CATS and Wicked. And don't think this is pointless, because this is showing exactly how Misto and Jacob feel about each other.
Mistoffelees: "Dearest, darlingest, momzy and Aunt Griddle..."
Jacob: "My dear father..."
Both: "There's been some confusion over rooming here in the Swiss..."
J: "But of course I'll become a better dancer..."
M: "But of course I'll rise over it..."
Both: "For I know that's how you'd want me to respond
Yes, there's been some confusion for you see, my room-mate is..."
M: "Unusually and exceedingly pecular and altogether quite impossible to describe..."
J: "Furry."
A slight pause
M: "What is this feeling, so sudden and new?"
J: "I felt the moment, I laid eyes on you..."
M: "My pulse is rushing..."
J: "My head is reeling..."
M: "My face is flushing..."
Both: "What is this feeling? Fervid as a flame.
Does it have a names? Yes!:
Loathing
Unadulterated loathing..."
M: "For your face..."
J: "Your voice..."
M: "your clothing..."
Both: "Let's just say ~~ I loath it all!"
Ev'ry little trait, however small
Makes my very flesh begin to crawl
With simple utter loathing
There's a strange exhilaration
In such total detestation
It's so pure so strong!
Though I do admit it came on fast
Still I do believe that it can last
And I will be loathing
Loathing you
My whole life long!
Jellicles: "Dear Quaxo you are just too good!
How do you stand it? I don't think I could
He's a terror! He's a tartar!
We don't mean to show a bias
But Quaxo you're a martyr!"
M: "Well... these things are sent to try us!"
Jellicles: "Poor Quaxo forced to reside
With someone so disgusticified
We just want to tell you:
We're all on your side!
We share your..."
Both: "Oh what is this feeling?"
Jellicles: "Loathing
Unadulterated loathing
For his face, his
Voice
His clothing
Let's just say:
We loath it all!
Ev'ry little trait
However small
Makes our very flesh
Begin to crawl...
Ahhhh...
All: "Loathing!"
Both: "There's a strange exhilaration ~~~~~~~ Jellicles: "Loathing"
In such total detestation
In such total detestation
So pure, so strong!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jellicles: "Loathing"
Jellicles: "So strong!"
Both: "Though I do admit
It came on fast
Still I do believe
That it can last
And I will be Loathing~~~~~~~~~~~ Jellicles: "Loathing"
For forever loathing
Truly, deeply
Loathing you
My whole life long!"
All: "Loathing
Unadulterated loathing."
Jake: "Boo!"
Misto: "Hiss!"
sigh, back to seriousness...
Andrew stood at the top of the stairs, the Jellicles and humans all gathered at the bottom of the stairs waiting expectently for his instructions.
Old Deuteronomy had told the Jellicles to do whatever the man said, not putting up with their protests as he explained that here they had to follow a human leader. In the end, they had to do what Old Deuteromy said, realizing they had to for survival.
The humans were waiting with them, but seemed a lot more tense. Like they were already about to start some kind of power struggle or steal all the food and hoard it. There was a lot more murmuring among them, except for the small group that had been envited to the meeting, and many of them were angry Andrew had even brought them out there in the first place.
The man was sweating buckets, although he was determined to at least sound on top of things, at least long enough to hold everyone's respect so that they could film the musical after they got out of this. "I think the last thing I need to inform anyone here of is that there is a blizzard outside, because anyone who isn't aware of it is probably so far removed from reality, that my question is 'why are they here?'"
The humans stared up at him like he was insane, but the Jellicles took this as more of an indication that he was on top of things, a few smiling and looking around at each other hopefully.
"There are some things you need to know, though," continued Andrew, a little to giddily. "We have no radio or phone signals, and so have no idea of how long this storm is going to last. It could last for days, for all we know, so we're just going to have to wait it out."
You could have heard a pin drop, as one suddenly became aware of everything around them at once, like they were in some kind of strange twilight zone.
"Mistoffelees, cannot magic us out of the situation, because it might lead to the Jellicle secret being found out. If the rescue team gets here and we're already dug out, or back in England, it would raise too much suspicion. I'm going to lay down some ground rules to help us, but it's really nothing majore..." he seemed to trail off here, as he looked away evilly. "So, until further notice, consider yourselves snowed in."
Okay, so what'cha think? The random musical number, wasn't it... surprising? I'd love to hear!
