A/N: Sorry for the long wait! Ideas never ceased to be just out of reach…Until now. I hope everyone is having a fantastic March Break! If you find anything cheesy between Victoria and Plato later on in the chapter, it's meant to be superficial. As for whatever happens to Misto...Don't flame me, readers! Enjoy the chapter!
Victoria blinked her eyes open to start another new day. For once, she felt excited to leap out of bed instead of curling up even further into a ball and sleeping in, as was her habit. She stretched her muscles out and glanced over at her parents' nest of blankets. Her mother Demeter had returned home very late last night after a full month of being incarcerated in Macavity's hideout. Vicky also was overjoyed to discover she had a little sister named Jemima. Said kitten was snuggled up by her father's side, fast asleep. Jemima's mother wasn't there, however.
The white queen-kit frowned. She was forever grateful to her father, Uncle Tugger, Mistoffelees, and Admetus for helping Demeter escape, but that didn't mean the black and gold queen was free from the trauma The Hidden Paw had caused her. Victoria's mother had refused to sleep by her mate's side and treated him like a stranger once she figured out she wasn't "lost in a dream" as she had put it last night. Demeter had set up her own bed by the den entrance, and Victoria quickly found her mother wasn't there, either. Vicky could easily guess that she was off somewhere, lost in her terrible memories of the past month.
Victoria got up from her nest and walked out into the morning sunshine, searching for her black and gold mother. She found her on the large tire in the center clearing, staring up at the cloudless sky with a blank expression on her scarred face. Demeter flinched as she was rapidly brought back to reality when she heard someone padding up beside her. She relaxed and attempted to smile at her adopted daughter.
"Good morning Victoria. What are you doing up so early?" The black and gold queen questioned in a soft voice.
Her daughter giggled quietly and responded, "I'm an early riser, remember?" She fell silent for a moment before asking, "Umm…Mom, why are you so scared of Dad? He saved you, didn't he? That must have been so romantic; being saved by someone you love…"
Demeter nodded slowly, but her lips formed a tight line. "Mac-…Munkustrap's brother…He tortured me daily. Not only that, but his henchcats tried to rape me as well. After Jemima was born they still tried, but less frequently. They did things to me there…that I will never speak of, especially not to my innocent, pure daughter. Let's just say it will be a long time before I'll trust toms again, even my own mate. They've changed me…I don't know if things will go back to the way they used to be, but I'll try my best." She gave Victoria a reassuring smile, but it didn't reach her eyes.
The snow queen pursed her lips as she tried to understand what state of mind her mother was in. It was hard to imagine constant abuse because she had never experienced such a thing. Nevertheless, she was determined to help her mother recover as much as possible. "It'll be alright, Mom. You don't have to be afraid of going back there and Dad will never hurt you. If you want to start trusting him again, I can take Jemima for the day so you can spend it with Dad, trying to see the good in toms again. We were devastated for the past month, but I think he was hit the hardest. He really wants you back. Don't you want him back, too?" Vicky tried to give the black and gold queen an encouraging nuzzle, but she refused the gesture of familial affection.
Victoria's mother sighed as she held her head in her paws. The filth encrusting most of her fur crumbled a bit at the movement and miniscule bits of it sprinkled the black rubber she was sitting on. "I just…need time right now, honey. Jemima is only two weeks old, so she still needs my milk. I'm afraid you can't take her with you just yet. I'll let you know when you can. As for your father…We'll see." Her heavy tone became a little lighter as she queried, "Are you still with-what's his name? Plato? How are things with you two?"
Vicky shrugged and accepted the change of subject. "We're together, but ever since Mistoffelees and I became friends, he's been acting different. He's more protective of me and thinks of Misto as some sort of rival. Other than that, we're just as you remember us: two teenaged cats in love with each other." It was her turn to stare up at the sky, albeit lost in amorous thoughts.
"Who's Mistoffelees? Was he part of the rescue group last night?" Demeter furrowed her brow as the memory of the young tom that she didn't recognize came back to her.
Victoria nodded fervently. Her face suddenly brightened as the conversation switched to the tuxedoed tom-kit. "Yes, yes! He was the black and white tom-kit who could perform magic. He's also Macavity's son, but he's no-"Her phrase got cut short as Dem let out a vicious hiss and clapped her paws over her ears. Vicky cocked her head in concern. She had never seen her mother act like this. "What's the matter, Mom? Did I say something wrong?" The white queen-kit asked carefully.
The black and gold queen quickly recovered as she warned, "Don't say The Hidden Paw's name in my presence…It just brings back the trauma. I'm sorry, continue on. What else can you tell me about this Mistoffelees?" She brushed her reaction off, but her daughter resumed with more caution to her voice.
"Okay, Mom…Misto's pretty small for his age, but that's because he has spent the last fifteen years cooped up in his father's hideout along with his brother Alonzo. Alonzo is Cassandra's tomfriend now, you know. They've moved in together. Anyway, Misto's nothing like his father. He's so sweet and considerate…He's a great friend, and I'm pretty sure he has a crush on me. I mean, why else would he have kissed me yesterday evening?" Her voice was proud and joyful as she spoke of her best friend. She could have gone on, but a dark growl from below prevented any more compliments towards Misto. Vicky and her mother didn't even notice that Plato was standing at the foot of the tire they were sitting on.
The russet and white tom-kit dipped his head politely to Demeter, but glared daggers at his queenfriend. "That magical freak did what yesterday?" He spat as he loomed menacingly over Victoria, as if his threatening stance would make her take back what she had just said.
Victoria bit her lip and averted her gaze, confirming that the intimidation tactic was working. She fiddled with her paws as she repeated quietly, "Misto kissed me yesterday before he left…I'm sure it didn't mean anything…It was just a spur of the moment thing, I swear! Please don't hurt him!" Her voice became more desperate as the excuses tumbled out of her mouth.
Plato didn't seem convinced as he crouched to become level with Victoria. "I was supposed to give you your first kiss. I'm your tomfriend, not him. When I see that pipsqueak again, I'll teach him to not touch my queenfriend. He still doesn't seem to get it." He hissed as he stood up to leave. He halted as he felt a paw grasp his foreleg.
Victoria had her fingers curled around it and her sapphire eyes held a begging essence to them. "Plato, Misto's not here to steal me away from you! We're just friends and he got a little carried away, that's all! It was my fault, anyway. I was sad because you got drunk at Alonzo's party and he kissed me to comfort me. I'm not cheating on you, I'd never do that!" She pleaded to cover up for the tuxedoed tom-kit. She hated it when the two toms fought, and if she had to put the blame on herself to spare either harm, she wouldn't hesitate.
The pair gazed at each other for an agonizingly long minute, and the fury slowly drained from the red and white tom-kit's eyes. He knelt down and embraced his queenfriend lovingly. "I've never thought once that you would do that, Tory! I'm truly sorry for the way I acted at the party…But really though; if Misto ever lays a finger on you again, I'll make sure he never comes within ten feet of you. I don't share my queen with another tom."
Victoria smiled in relief, glad she had avoided another fight between the two tom-kits. She returned the hug with a contented purr and glanced at her mother. Demeter was observing them with an uneasy expression. It was plain to see that something troubled her. Plato noticed this and decided to leave mother and daughter alone so they could talk in private.
The young white queen turned to Demeter once Plato was gone. "What's on your mind, Mom?" She queried. Vicky got a foreboding sense that this had something to do with her tomfriend.
Demeter gazed after Plato with something akin to pity or compassion in her dulled eyes; it was difficult to tell for Victoria. It was hard to read her mother's face now. "I never remembered Plato being so…possessive. Even the week before I was captured he was respectful and sensitive, just like his brothers. Now he's confused and angry. The worst part is he takes these emotions out on you. Do you think he's the best choice for a potential mate?" The black and gold queen explained, still staring at the disappearing form of her daughter's tomfriend.
Victoria giggled and waved this off as nothing more than a mother's exaggerated concern for her daughter. "Don't be silly! Plato just has a bit of trouble expressing his feelings, that's all. Misto just brings out his weaker self because he's his rival. In fact, I think he'll eventually make Plato stronger if he forces him to develop his more vulnerable side. Plato's not possessive, Mom. Being angry and confused is just a normal part of a teenage cat's development. Don't be surprised if I go through the same thing soon." She meowed convincingly.
Her mother didn't reply for a moment. She finally turned her head to look her daughter in the eye. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say this Mistoffelees brings out Plato's true self. You be careful around that tom, dear. If bouts of fury like this keep on, you stay away from him and find someone who won't hurt you." The seriousness in Demeter's tone struck Victoria.
The white queen-kit sat back on her haunches and thought about her mother's words. "Plato? Abusive? That's ridiculous! He'd never hurt me on purpose…Any time he has it was by some external influence like alcohol or another cat. Plato wouldn't dare hurt me because he wanted to! What's Mom talking about, with Misto bringing out Plato's true self? She can be so cryptic at times…" Victoria sighed exasperatedly and didn't bother to take any of her mother's words to heart. She and Plato were too much in love with each other to even think about negatives like that.
While they talked about Mistoffelees, Vicky noticed that the black and white tom-kit was nowhere to be found. It was about mid-morning now and most of the tribe was already up and going about their daily routines. As the snow queen scanned the clearing, she couldn't find hide or hair of her best friend. "Speaking of Misto…Shouldn't he be awake by now? It's not like him to sleep in so late…" She said with a hint of worry to her tone.
Her mother shook her head. "Didn't anyone tell you what happened yesterday? Mistoffelees almost lost his life because he used so much magic against his father. The strangest thing was that his father revived him, but not by much. I'd be surprised if Mistoffelees wakes up before noon." She recounted with evident bafflement in her voice. Macavity was the worst of the worst. She still couldn't believe the killer spared someone's life when he had the perfect opportunity to end it.
Victoria let a slight gasp of horror escape her lips. She was that close to losing Misto? The white queen-kit decided not to focus on what could have happened. She felt an immense wave of relief wash over her at the thought that her best friend wasn't dead. "Mom, I'm glad you told me this. I can cherish my time with Misto even more now. I'll see you later, okay?" Vicky bid farewell to her mother and darted off towards the drain pipe that was the tuxedoed tom-kit's den. She skidded to a stop in front of it and dropped onto all-fours. Victoria crawled inside as silently as possible so she could surprise her friend. She could just imagine his joyful smile at the sight of her beside him.
When Victoria reached the part of the drain pipe where her friend's home actually was, her heart sank at the scene in front of her. Misto was sprawled out on the floor of the den in front of her; he hadn't even made it to his nest of blankets before collapsing from exhaustion. The den itself was a mess. It looked like a tornado had ripped through the place, but Vicky could easily pinpoint the cause: Misto frequently flinched in his sleep and had more than likely kicked a few things in the cramped space. His stand with the spell book was toppled over and the text lay open on the floor, his half-full water basin was a foot away from its original spot, and any blankets that were neatly laid out to cover the metal floor were crumpled and strewn about.
For an exhausted tom-kit, Mistoffelees still looked like he had energy to spare. His brow was constantly creased and a light sheen of sweat made his fur glisten more than usual. He uttered incoherent things in his sleep, and Victoria felt a pang of pity for her best friend. She crawled up to him and gently shook his shoulder.
"Misto? Misto wake up, it's morning already." Vicky called softly to the small tom-kit.
Mistoffelees' ochre eyes shot open and he sat bolt upright. He let out a pained groan as his head hit the side of the drain pipe. The tom-kit shook his head and focused on his unexpected visitor with bleary, blood-shot eyes. He started as the identity of the queen in front of him registered in his hazy mind. His cheeks immediately flushed pink. "H-Hey…Victoria. W-What are y-you doing here?" He stammered, clearly nervous.
Victoria giggled and Misto's blush deepened. "I thought I'd just check up on you!" Her bemused expression was replaced with a concerned one as she met Misto's tired eyes. "Bast, you look terrible! Did you get any sleep at all last night?" She asked as she took in her friend's ruffled fur, gaunt face, and eyes that had trouble keeping themselves open.
The tuxedoed tom-kit shrugged. He averted his gaze as he mumbled in reply, "Not really…I kept having nightmares about my Dad…I fought him, you know. I almost died because of it, but I won. The only reason I'm still alive is because he revived me afterwards."
"Yeah, my Mom told me the whole thing. I'm proud of you for standing up to your father like that. You're braver than you give yourself credit for!" Vicky complimented sincerely. Misto chuckled modestly, but it quickly turned into a string of dry coughs. Victoria quickly grabbed a mug from the only piece of furniture untouched by her friend's nightly flailing. She dunked it into the basin of water and handed Misto the mug so he could drink. He gulped down the liquid gratefully and returned the mug to his friend, who put it back where she had found it.
"Thanks…Umm, I need to get some rest, so if you don't mind leaving me be…" Misto hinted with a note of sadness to his otherwise fatigued voice. He lay down on his stomach and closed his eyes to go to sleep again, expecting Victoria to leave.
The white queen-kit got the message, but she knew she couldn't depart without somehow helping her friend relax. It was clear that he was still distressed, as his whole body was rigid. An idea suddenly popped into Victoria's head. She scooted over so that she was sitting parallel to Misto and began to rub her paws down his back.
Naturally, the tom-kit recoiled and looked up at her with a perplexed expression. "What are you doing?" He demanded feebly. It was obvious he wasn't used to the contact.
"Oh hush; I'm just giving you a back rub. I do the same for Plato whenever he's stressed out. Just lie back down and relax. Close your eyes and empty your mind, okay?" Victoria smiled gently. Her friend eyed her skeptically for a moment, but returned to his previous position.
Once the tuxedoed tom-kit closed his eyes, Victoria resumed massaging his back. She began at his shoulders, moving her thumbs in small circles until she felt the muscles loosen under the pads of her fingers. She gradually moved down the length of Misto's back, closing her own eyes as she did so. She found that whenever she did that, her sense was touch was heightened. Victoria could feel every muscle in the tuxedoed tom-kit's back release tension, and smiled to herself at the fact that they were more toned than she had first thought. Even though Mistoffelees had been malnourished, he was recovering quite nicely. His ribs no longer poked out from beneath his fur, and now she discovered he was also quite lean. Victoria pricked her ears as she heard deep, even breaths emit from Misto's lips. His ribcage rose and fell in time with his new breathing pattern.
The white queen-kit reluctantly blinked her eyes open and ceased moving her paws along her friend's spine. She had no idea how much time had passed, but all she cared about was the fact that Mistoffelees' tensed body was now completely relaxed and that his face showed no signs of stress. An almost inaudible purr was intertwined with his exhales. Victoria felt at ease herself and leaned down to plant a soft kiss on the sleeping tom-kit's cheek. Misto's lips curled up into a small smile as Victoria pulled away. She picked up a blanket from the tuxedoed tom-kit's nest and gently draped it over him before silently leaving the den, just as she had come.
When she had emerged from the drain pipe, her feelings of placidness instantly dissipated as she laid eyes on her russet and white tomfriend. Plato's eyes were steely as he expectantly tapped his hind foot, indicating he wanted an explanation.
"What?" Victoria spat, matching Plato's impatient countenance.
The tall tom-kit's face contorted into a disapproving jeer. "Don't think I didn't see you slipping into Misto's den. What did you do in there? Kiss him behind my back?" He snorted sarcastically.
Victoria rolled her eyes with a frustrated groan. She tried to push past him to avoid this jealous nonsense of his, but he easily stopped her from going anywhere by turning her around and tightly grasping her shoulders. Vicky felt a sense of dread and fear in the pit of her stomach as she squirmed with discomfort.
"Answer me, please." Plato commanded gruffly. He didn't relinquish his hold.
The white queen-kit met her tomfriend's glare with her own. "I just went to check up on him. He was really stressed out from yesterday, so I gave him a back massage like I do for you. He's sleeping as soundly as a kitten now, so I suggest you don't try to wake him." She explained in an irritated tone.
Plato seemed to accept this answer and released Victoria. "Fair enough. Sorry for being so strict with you. It's just that we don't really spend time together anymore and I have no idea what's going on with you, now that Munk wants me to patrol every day. Misto's in the picture now and I get to see you less and less. What's going on between us, Tory?" His voice was so torn and pleading that his queenfriend had no choice but to feel sorry for him. She had missed spending time with Plato as well, but she felt like they were hitting a rocky patch.
"Don't get me wrong, Plato. I still want to be with you. It's just that I've been helping Misto settle in, and I have no one else to spend my afternoons with when you're on patrol. I'll make it up to you. We'll go stargazing tonight, right here on the TSE-1. It'll be me and you, nobody else. We'll catch up with each other then, alright? Right now I'm hungry and I want to catch lunch." Victoria smiled reassuringly and dashed off to her favourite hunting grounds, with her tomfriend not far behind.
They chatted like good friends while they hunted, and then strolled along the maze of paths that crisscrossed the junkyard, simply enjoying the other's company. Victoria felt calm for once by Plato's side instead of annoyed or afraid. She truly missed this time with the russet and white-patched tom. Vicky remembered the times when they could talk about anything in the world, and that easiness was coming back to her. Before she knew it, the sun was setting behind the trash piles and her father was calling her to come home for dinner.
The pair of adolescent cats halted in front of Victoria's den and Plato embraced his queenfriend gently. She returned the hug and stretched up onto her toes to peck the red and white tom-kit on his lips. Victoria smiled as she rested her head on her tomfriend's chest while he purred contentedly. After a minute they pulled away.
"See you on the TSE-1 at twilight, yeah? I'll be waiting." Plato said as he turned around and walked off to eat dinner in his own den.
Supper was relatively quiet in Victoria's den. Munkustrap tried to start a conversation with his mate, but she didn't trust him enough to elaborate more than was absolutely necessary. Jemima nursed at her mother's breast while Demeter nibbled her dinner of cooked mouse. When the last morsels of food were swallowed, Munk cleaned up the dishes and Victoria hurried outdoors with a rushed explanation of where she was going. Her parents merely nodded and smiled after her.
It was already dark when Victoria reached the tire. As he promised, Plato was perched on the TSE-1, beaming down at her. The white queen-kit hopped up and snuggled against her tomfriend. Plato wrapped a foreleg around her and let her support her weight on him. They gazed up at the velvety night sky that was dotted with twinkling stars.
The russet and white tom-kit lifted a paw and pointed to the sky above them. "Look, there's Cassiopeia, the one that's shaped like a zigzag. She was the queen of Ethiopia and mother of Andromeda. Can you spot another constellation?" He whispered softly, as if speaking any louder would disrupt the songs of the crickets around them.
Victoria tapped her chin in thought. She never studied constellations like Plato did in his spare time, but she had been taught about them by her father on many star-lit nights as a kitten. "I see Orion. He's 'The Hunter', right?" She smiled, picking out the three stars that formed Orion's distinctive belt.
Plato nodded. "Yeah, that's right. He hunted the Pleiades, but was killed by Artemis. I see the Big Dipper, too." He said, tracing the pan-shape of the constellation with his finger.
"Plato it's called Ursa Major; 'The Great Bear'. Where's Ursa Minor? It's always so hard to see…" The white queen-kit squinted where she knew the dimmer constellation was located, but it was still difficult to spot. Her tomfriend shook his head, indicating that he didn't see it either. The two spent some minutes in silence, taking in the splendor and majestic night sky.
During this time, the russet and white tom-kit's thoughts were racing in his mind. Ever since he had gathered up the courage to ask Victoria out that first time six months ago, the passion he felt for the white queen-kit never left him. He wanted her, badly. Of course he knew they were much too young to become mates, but it wasn't like they weren't meant to be together. They had both agreed that when they turned seventeen, they would share a den. When they were eighteen, they would become mates. If he was going to become mates with Vicky anyway, why not claim her now, when the time felt perfect?
Plato cleared his throat, which had tightened from nervousness. This noise disrupted the comfortable silence between him and his queenfriend.
Victoria glanced up at him questioningly. "Is something wrong?" She queried innocently.
Plato smiled down at her, masking his inner nervousness. "No, everything's perfect…We're perfect…And umm…th-that's what I wanted to t-talk about." His confident voice wavered slightly.
The white queen-kit in his arms cocked her head, now even more confused. "I…don't believe I follow. Of course we're meant for each other. What's there to question?"
Suppressing a gulp, Victoria's tomfriend took her paws in hers. His heartbeat was unbearably loud in his ears, and he was surprised Victoria didn't hear it. "What I'm trying to say is…I-I love you, Victoria. I have ever since we were kittens, play-fighting each other in this very clearing. I just didn't realize it until now…" He trailed off, hoping for her to reciprocate the feelings.
Victoria appeared stunned for a moment, but soon came back to reality. "I love you too, Plato." She said sincerely, and pecked him on the lips to emphasize her words. This time Plato didn't let her pull away. She wasn't surprised and deepened the kiss. She was surprised, however, when she felt her back against the metal of the TSE-1 and Plato's body on top of hers.
A jolt of fear ran through the snow queen. She squirmed and pushed her tomfriend's face away. "Plato, I'm not ready for this yet. We agreed we'd mate when we turned eighteen." Vicky protested feebly, but Plato's body weight prevented her from moving away.
Plato pushed himself up to hover over Victoria's face with a smirk. "If we're going to be mates in three years, what's the point in waiting? Nobody's around, no one will know a thing. We'll still be committed to each other when we're adults. We love each other, don't we? I can claim you for myself now to prove my promise to you." He purred seductively and trailed kisses down his queenfriend's neck.
"No, Plato! Stop! Get off of me right now!" The distressed queen-kit almost shrieked. Plato finally got the message and obliged. He sat beside his queenfriend who was trying hard not to cry. Nevertheless, a few unpermitted sobs escaped her lips.
The russet and white tom-kit averted his gaze in shame. It was heart-wrenching to see so much fear in Victoria's eyes. He reached a paw to stroke her shoulder, but she roughly swatted it away and wrapped her arms around herself. "I'm so sorry…I got carried away. Can I make it up to you…?" Plato apologized, expressing his true guilt. He hadn't imagined the negative alternative after he had confessed his love to Victoria.
Victoria refused to meet his sorrowful eyes as she muttered coldly, "You've done enough. Leave me alone, Plato." With that, she stood up and darted off into the direction of her den. Plato could only hang his head and let a drawn-out sigh escape his lips. He pricked his ears as a hiss emanated from the bashed microwave atop the TSE-1. The red and white-patched tom glanced up and narrowed his eyes as Mistoffelees lithely hopped down to his level with a disgusted expression directed towards him.
"How long were you up there, pipsqueak?" Plato frowned disapprovingly at Misto's eavesdropping.
The small tom-kit licked his paw as he replied non-chalantly, "I was just hunting behind this trash pile when I heard voices over here. I decided to do a little investigating, and what do I find? You attempting to lay with your queenfriend. Victoria doesn't deserve a tom who will only love her for her body. She had every right to reject you."
Plato's hackles rose and he snarled at Misto's words. "How dare you say such a thing! Tory and I been friends for years, while you've only known us for two weeks! You're in no position to make judgements! I love her for more than just her body; I love everything about her!" He retorted with ever-growing fury. Who did Mistoffelees think he was to make an assumption like that?
"Sure, you say that now. When you're alone with her, though, it's not so simple to say that, now is it? When it's just the two of you, you can become what you really are: a lustful tom-kit who thinks he knows what's best for his queenfriend, but really doesn't have a clue. Vicky deserves someone who will cherish her as a whole, not use her body for pleasure and degrade the rest of her." Misto said flatly. He finally had the upper hand over Plato, and the taller tom-kit knew it.
Plato made to pounce on Mistoffelees out of fury, but something held him back. He lowered his hackles and stared at the metal beneath him. "You're…right. On the other paw, if there's no one else to compete with for her, then she'll go to me anyways." He chuckled mirthlessly, and Misto had a feeling as to what was coming up. Plato wanted to fight, and Misto wasn't fully recovered yet from his battle with Macavity. He still felt a bit weary, and didn't feel up to a full-out brawl with a tom almost twice his size.
"Don't be hasty now, Plato. Fighting won't settle anything. Victoria doesn't want you, and her reaction was solid evidence of that. Let it go and leave her be." The magical tom-kit advised as he backed up. He didn't have far to go; after a few steps he had his back to the trash pile that served as an ally not ten minutes ago. He was cornered, with no escape.
The russet and white tom-kit threw a punch, but Misto ducked before it could hit him. He skirted around Plato as he stumbled forward, revealing a way out. Misto tripped the taller tom-kit as he passed, distracting him momentarily. Misto didn't have time to react as the patched tom-kit pushed off the pile and whipped around, lunging for his throat. Plato succeeded in sinking his claws into the tuxedoed tom-kit's shoulder, and the result was a pained cry from the small tom. The pair tumbled off the dilapidated car and continued to fight on the ground.
With one paw on Misto's shoulder, Plato used his body weight to pin his significantly lighter opponent down and use his free paw to punch him mercilessly in the jaw. "You will not touch Victoria, you will not speak to her, and you will not even look at Victoria without my permission! Is that understood?" The furious red and white tom-kit snarled as he continued to slug Misto across the face.
Vision had already disappeared in one of Mistoffelees' eyes at this point and sight in the other was becoming blurry. He tasted blood on his lip, and the feeling in the left side of his jaw wasn't there anymore. He had no chance of pinning Plato as he was too heavy, so he could just take whatever he threw at him. The burning, whipping motion of his neck inexplicably ceased and Plato's burdening weight lifted as well. With a field of vision peppered with stars of non-celestial origin, Misto glanced around to see what happened.
Alonzo was now dealing Plato the same blows he had dealt Alonzo's younger brother. The russet and white tom-kit was powerless against the older patched tom, and soon he was unconscious. Alonzo gave Plato one last kick in the stomach before releasing him. He looked towards Misto, and his little brother smiled weakly at him. Mistoffelees' left eye was swollen and purple, while darkening bruises marred his perfectly white facial fur. His bottom lip was split and bleeding, and his right shoulder had blood slowly trickling down it from five small puncture wounds.
"He's not gonna bother you anymore, lil' bro. Let's get you fixed up and on your feet again, huh?" The patched tom crooned to his younger sibling. His words were wasted however, because Mistoffelees had already succumbed to unconsciousness right before he started talking. Alonzo gently picked Misto up and brought him to Jenny's infirmary, where he spent the rest of the night by his brother's side.