Munkustrap slunked over to the old seat cushion to try to clear his head. He knew he made the right decision, hadn't he? She was a danger. A threat. So why did he feel so sad?
"Munkustrap!"
Munkustrap looked up. The Rum Tum Tugger and Bombalurina were perched on the wall that separated the cushion from the rest of the Junkyard, looking angrier than he had ever seen them. Bomba jumped down and stalked over to him with Tugger not far behind.
"Guys,"
SMACK!
Munkustrap held his face in surprise. Never in his life had he ever seen Bomba hit anybody other than Tugger.
"What,"
"How dare you?" SMACK! "How dare you!" SMACK!
"What? Stop that!" cried Munkustrap.
"You didn't even listen to her! You didn't let her explain!"
Now Munkustrap knew what was going on. They had heard part of his argument with Demeter and were defending her. Well, they needed to get their facts straight!
"I did let her explain. She told me Macavity was wonderful and she couldn't help but work for him! She probably let him beat her up so we would feel sorry for her and bring her into the tribe and then with a claw in the Jellicles who knows what he would do?"
Bomba raised her paw to smack him again when Tugger caught it.
"Munk," he said vehemently, "is that really what she said? Or is that what you surmised from what she did say?"
Munkustrap's jaw dropped.
"What am I supposed to surmise? She said Macavity made her feel special! I thought she…and I…and we…special!"
"Note the past tense 'made'." Bomba growled. "Macavity raped her Munk. Raped her! Beat her and raped her and tore her down and you called her his doxy?"
Munkustrap's jaw closed. And opened. And closed again. He sat down hard. What have I…
"And now she probably off crying her eyes out somewhere because you couldn't be fair enough to hear her out!"
Munkustrap looked up at them. Now that he had this new information he realized how horrible he must have sounded to Demeter. Some Protector I am. I couldn't even listen to her. I'll be lucky if she ever looks at me again.
Bomba was breathing hard and Tugger was scowling at him. Tugger doesn't scowl! By this alone Munkustrap knew he had messed up big.
"What you did was not cool Munk. Not cool. As Protector, we expect better from you. You need to go apologize to Demeter and beg her forgiveness." Said Tugger.
Munkustrap stood up.
"You're right. I need to…oh bast, what have I done?" He immediately began to run for the Junkyard. Bombalurina's voice followed after him.
"And there had better be some serious groveling involved you Pollicle!"
Munkustrap made it back to the Yard panting. Ignoring the glares of the other cats he ran up to the first cat he saw.
"Alonzo, where's Demeter? I need to apologize!"
"Too right you do. Did you check her den?"
Munkustrap raced off to check the washing machine but when he got there Demeter was nowhere in sight. She wasn't at the vicarage wall, nor was she by the Great Tire. Munkustrap grew worried and organized a search. The cats checked all her favorite places and reported nothing. They checked everywhere they could think of and still, nothing. Everyone was out of their minds with worry when Mungojerrie came running breathless to Munkustrap.
"Did you find her? Where is she?"
"Munk…we got 'er…scent…it'z goin' outa the…Junkyard. Munk…Demetah's gone."
And this is why Munkustrap is the Protector and Tugger will be Leader. Poor Munk. Poor Demeter. But the good news is the end is in sight!