During the Ball
Goldpen: thank you, thank! I'm glad you enjoyed the lemony goodness. :) Yeah, poor Griz. It's a nice song, but the real show-stopper comes later, so… the first one seems redundant. the1andonlyofo: I know, me too! I guess we'll have to wait and see if it worked! jellicleleader: maybe, maybe not! Don't buy them any baby blankets just yet. HGP: thank you, dearie, as always. :) Cuty: thankee! And welcome to the story. Cherrybaby-x: I know you meant Misto instead of Skimble, but the image of a pregnant Skimble continues to amuse me. X)
A big thank-you to CrazyIndigoChild for beta-reading!
10. … Macavity's Not There
(This chapter takes us from "Skimbleshanks" to somewhere close to the end of "Macavity".)
The end of Gus' song, melancholic and regretful, left a blanket of sadness over the Ball. Even Old Deuteronomy's attempt to lighten the mood by introducing Skimbleshank's song wasn't enough to cheer Mistoffelees. He'd noticed that Demeter had also walked away from the gathering, and quickly tracked down her scent so he could follow her.
She hadn't gone far, just a few paces behind a junk pile. Her fur looked to be bristling and her tail swung restlessly behind her.
"Demeter? Are you all right?"
She jumped a bit, but recognized Mistoffelees' voice and softened as she turned to face him. "Oh, Misto… I'm fine, of course."
"You're missing Skimble's song." He stopped short of her, close enough that he could see how stressed she looked, not wishing to crowd her and add to their stress.
"It's fine," Demeter said. "I'm sure no one will notice."
"You look a little tense."
"Well of course I'm tense!" she huffed.
Her outburst made Mistoffelees jump. Almost immediately, she softened again, and when Mistoffelees tentatively opened his arms to her—they knew each other well enough that he knew the gesture would be welcomed—she sank into his embrace.
"I'm sorry," she sighed, laying her head against Mistoffelees' shoulder.
"Don't be," Mistoffelees said, his face against her head fur. "It's been a strange night. Would you prefer that Munkustrap be here with you? I can go find him."
She shook her head. "I'll be fine. I just… Gus' song made me sad."
Mistoffelees didn't need to ask to know why it had bothered her. "You miss your father."
"And with Grizabella who keeps coming back… I just wanted some peace tonight." To Mistoffelees' surprise, she chuckled softly. "I should have volunteered to sit for all the kittens tonight. I wouldn't have had to deal with any of this."
"But think of all the excitement you would have missed."
"This much excitement, I can do without," Demeter sighed. "I've been so nervous… I keep thinking that Macavity is around. The others are going to start thinking I've gone soft in the head."
"It's not just you," Mistoffelees said. "I keep feeling his presence too. So there's at least two of us going soft in the head tonight. We've got good company."
He felt Demeter nod against his shoulder fur, sighing as the tension left her bit by bit. After a few moments, she shifted her head to look up at him with a smile. "Judging by your scent, Misto, it's been more than just a strange night for you, hasn't it?"
Mistoffelees blushed hotly, giving her a teasing push. "Demeter…"
Embarrassed as he was, it was nice to hear Demeter laugh. "Oh, I don't blame for enjoying your time with Tugger. And Everlasting knows he's been enjoying himself tonight."
"Especially just now," Mistoffelees said. Before Demeter could think he was making a lewd comment, he quickly added, "We've finally decided to… to try for more kittens."
"You have?" Demeter asked, pulling away to smile widely at him. "Misto, that's wonderful!"
"But please keep it a secret? I don't want everybody to stare at me until we know I have a reason to be stared at."
"Of course, of course," Demeter grinned. "You'll tell me as soon as you know?"
"You'll be one of the first to know, right after Tugger."
"I imagine Tugger must be thrilled." She sighed ruefully. "I wish he could teach Munk a few things about relaxing and having fun. Would you believe we've never sat together at the mating dance?"
"Well, he is the tribe protector," Mistoffelees offered.
"Sure, I just wish he could-" She cut herself off, ears flattening as she suddenly looked around; at the exact same moment, Mistoffelees jumped as a sudden awareness chilled him to the bone.
"You feel him too?" she whispered.
Mistoffelees felt his skin twitching as his gaze darted around. "Macavity?"
A flash of dreadful familiarity came to him—this was how he and Demeter had been taken by Macavity all those months ago. But this wasn't the same as last time; they weren't far from help, his magic was stronger now, and he wasn't helplessly pregnant and unable to fight. Of course, he realized, maybe he was pregnant and didn't know it yet.
He strained to see or hear anything, but couldn't, and was discouraged from trying as Demeter hissed and began pulling him back towards the crowd. He followed out of instinct but then stopped in his tracks, pulling himself free of Demeter's grasp.
"Go warn the others," he quickly said. "I'm going to go to Jezebel's den."
Demeter nodded quickly in understanding. "Be careful. Please."
"You too."
As they parted, Mistoffelees wasted no time in running towards his goal. Luckily, Jezebel's den was not far away or secluded, but it didn't mean Macavity or his hench-cats couldn't easily corner and attack it.
He skidded to a halt before reaching the entrance, paws tingling and sparkling in anticipation of using his magic if needed. The curtain covering the entrance was swept aside and, to his relief, revealed only a confused-looking Jezebel with a sleeping kitten in her arms.
Mistoffelees recognized by smell and sight that it was one of his own—Cappella, fast asleep cuddled against Jezebel's chest fur. He wanted to snatch her away, hold her in his arms, run inside and hold all of them, but upsetting the kittens wouldn't do any good right now. They, and he, needed to stay calm.
"What's going on?" Jezebel asked. She kept her tone low so as not to disturb the kittens, but she was already on high alert. "Did something happen at the Ball?"
"Macavity's here," he quickly said, looking behind her towards the den. "Are the kittens all right? All of them?"
With the instincts of a mother, Jezebel pressed Cappella closer to her chest and took a few steps back towards her den, ready to defend. "They're fine—half are asleep and the others are playing quietly. Macavity won't get close to them as long as I'm alive."
Mistoffelees nodded tersely, appreciative of her dedication even though he doubted she could hold her own against Macavity. He was torn, wanting to stay here and protect the kittens and Jezebel, but also wondering if Macavity was attacking the other Jellicles, if he was hurting anyone. Mistoffelees knew he might be able to help, but that would mean leaving the kittens unprotected, and—
He stiffened suddenly, then arched his back and hissed at the sound of approaching footfalls. A burst of magic surged in his paws… and then quickly died down as he saw that the approaching cat was Alonzo.
He skidded to an ungraceful halt just a few paces away from Mistoffelees, quickly taking in the lack of destruction and Jezebel and the still-sleeping Cappella looking unharmed.
"All the kittens are fine," Mistoffelees said, knowing what Alonzo was about to ask. "What's happening out there?"
Alonzo looked weary with relief now that he knew the kittens were safe. "Macavity."
"I know, I know. Did he hurt anyone? Is he still there?" He thought of Demeter, running over to alert everyone. Had Macavity seen her? Decided to target her as revenge?
"No one's hurt, as far as I know, but… he took Old Deuteronomy."
Fury made the magic prickle in Mistoffelees' hands again. Macavity had no quarrel with Old Deuteronomy; he had nothing to gain from snatching away the old cat. This was purely revenge, a taunt, meant to hurt and scare the tribe.
More running footfalls sounded behind him, but this time he knew exactly who it was, recognize the feel of Tugger before his mate was within smelling range.
Instead of skidding to a halt next to Mistoffelees and Alonzo, Tugger nearly crashed into Jezebel, saw his kitten, and leaned down to nuzzle her.
"Now, don't wake her," Jezebel reprimanded. "She's perfectly fine, they all are. We don't need them awake and upset right now."
"Right," Tugger said. He was edgy and obviously scared, hurrying over to Mistoffelees and gently but firmly taking hold of his arms. "He took him. Macavity took my father!"
"Alonzo told me," Mistoffelees said. "Where's Munkustrap? Where's everyone else?"
"Scattered… out looking. But you know they're not going to find anything. Macavity did his disappearing tricks. No one's going to just find him."
Mistoffelees nodded nervously. He knew that Macavity didn't escape; Macavity disappeared. It was one of the reasons it had been nearly impossible to find him and Demeter when Macavity had taken them all those months ago- magic.
"Where's Demeter?" Mistoffelees asked. "Did you see her?"
"I think she and Bomba are keeping the younger queens together. Some of them don't really know about Macavity… they need to be told what's happening."
Mistoffelees nodded again, grateful at least that Demeter was safe. As were the kittens. But Old Deuteronomy… what would Macavity do to him?
"Misto?" When Tugger put on that urgent, serious tone, it was time to listen. "Misto… I don't want to pressure you, love, but… you know you're the only one who can bring my father back."
"I… I don't…" Mistoffelees stammered. He glanced to Alonzo, who gave him an enthused nod of encouragement, and then to Jezebel, who seemed to be scrutinizing him. "I don't know if I can. I'm not sure. I think I might be able to, if…"
"If?"
"If he took Old Deuteronomy to Elmsmere Way."
It would be too complicated to explain to Tugger, how his one-time use of magic while escaping Macavity in Elmsmere Way had left his imprint there. He tried hard not to think about that awful place, despite the fact that it had been the birth location of his kittens, but whenever he did focus on it in any way, he found it surprisingly easy to connect to the place. He knew he'd be able to find Macavity's lair, despite its magical protection, because of this imprinting.
"Just… give me a minute to concentrate."
Mistoffelees closed his eyes and let his mind wander. This was the sort of magic he was still working to develop—the ability to sense cats and other living beings from afar. In his mind's eye, he was immediately aware of Tugger, Alonzo, Jezebel, Cappella, and as he let his mental self travel, he purposely reached for the other kittens in the den, just to confirm that they were quiet and safe.
It helped that he'd been around Old Deuteronomy earlier that night, close enough to clearly remember his scent and his presence. It made it much easier for him to open his mind, mentally return to the awful neighborhood of Elmsmere Way, and focus until he was almost completely certain that he felt and smelled Old Deuteronomy's presence there. A few others too that he didn't bother focusing on—hench-cats, no doubt, and Macavity himself was probably there. But he clearly recognized Old Deuteronomy. He only hoped it wasn't a trick.
There was only one problem: he could teleport objects with no problem at all. A living cat was a different story; he'd never tried teleporting that before.
"He's there," Mistoffelees whispered, opening his eyes. "In Elmsmere Way. I can feel it."
"So can you do it?" Tugger urgently asked. "Can you magic him back?"
"I think so," Mistoffelees said. "Yes… yes, I can. I will. Not here, though, it'd be safer to do it when everyone is gathered. Just in case…"
Just in case he'd fall victim to a trick, and teleport a hench-cat or Macavity by accident. It was best not to try it here, near the kittens.
"I'll… I'll just need a few minutes to concentrate first."
"Whatever you need," Tugger nodded. He gave Jezebel a look. "You'll keep them safe, just in case?"
"With my life," Jezebel said. Cuddling Cappella over her shoulder, she retreated back into the den.
Tugger gave Alonzo a quick nudge, cocking his head back towards the clearing. "Go make sure Munk and the others are safe. I'll join you in a bit."
As he watched Alonzo leave, Mistoffelees asked, "So what are you going to do?"
Despite the gravity of the situation, Tugger grinned. "I'm going to introduce you."
"Make it good," Mistoffelees said. He pulled Tugger down for a quick kiss, shuddering slightly when he felt his mate's palm on his abdomen.
"Be careful," Tugger whispered. "Please be careful…"
"I will. Now go; I don't want to waste any time."
Tugger obeyed, giving him a last look of encouragement before heading off in the same direction as Alonzo. Mistoffelees drew in a deep breath to steady himself, focusing once more on Old Deuteronomy's presence. He could do this.
He only hoped Tugger's faith wasn't misplaced.
Good thing we already know how it all turns out. ;)