Part 10
Alonzo could feel the heat from the fire all the way to where he stood. The tears were falling freely and he didn't care. The only family member he could talk to and had around him had been down in the mines when they blow. Most of the cats had been there. Alonzo stared at the still burning and smoking entrance where rocks also had fall down. The guards just stood and gaped eight of them had been in the mine.
"Uhm", the head guard said. "Alright hurry over to the entrance and help dig them out!"
No one talked back everyone ran to the entrance and started to dig. Alonzo grabbed a bucket of water and threw it at a fire and other followed his example. Even the stranger made an attempt to go there but the princes grabbed his cloak.
"Are you crazy", Tugger hissed and pulled him back. "We will get caught."
"My mother is in there", the stranger hissed.
"Your mother", Tugger all but yelled. "You mean you're from here?"
"Yes."
Munkustrap ignored them. He watched the tom with the honey eyes dig in the rubble and pulling out a queen.
"She's alive but hurt", Alonzo yelled and an older queen rushed over to care for the queen. Munk saw the stranger ease and sigh in relief.
"That's your mother", he asked and the stranger nodded.
"What is going on", a voice yelled and they saw a ginger and muscular tom stand on a slope looking down. The stranger hissed and Munk recognized Melodious or Malicious. One of the guards ran up to him.
"Sire the mine exploded", he told Malicious. "Most of the workers where in there."
"How many deaths so far?"
"I think fifteen dead slaves my lord and eight guards."
"Was my brother with them", Hadey asked. Munk, Tugger and the stranger saw Alonzo's eyes flash and he ran up to the guard.
"Munk was not your brother anymore than I am your son", he yelled. "Munk was my father and he was in there!"
Hadey's eyes looked sad. Velari put her arm around him and leaned her head on his shoulder. Malicious looked around.
"Back to working in the mines", he hissed. "Leave the dead where they are."
"What", Alonzo yelled.
"You heard me slave."
"Fuck no! There might be alive cats in that hell hole!"
"I said leave them." He pointed at Alonzo and a lightning shot out and hit the patched tom in the chest so he tumbled backwards down the slope. Tugger and Munkustrap had just enough time to grab hold of the by now very angry stranger's cloak. They pulled him back and Tugger held his arms around his torso while Munkustrap put his paws on the stranger's chest pushing him into Tugger's arms.
"Stop it", he hissed. "We'll get caught."
"I hope we do", the stranger growled. "Then I can kill him!"
"Listen", Tugger said and then sighed. "Can you please give us your name this is annoying!"
"Shut it Tugger", Munk hissed. "They'll hear us."
Alonzo rose on his knees and shook his head to clear it. Malicious looked at him.
"Put him in a cell", he said tiredly and a guard grabbed Alonzo by the scruff of his neck and pulled him to his paws. Then he and another took his arms and dragged him away.
"Back to work", Malicious yelled to the other slaves. A grey tom and two queens one scarlet and one Siamese stood where they were looking anxious. "What are you waiting for?"
"If you arrest Zo", the Siamese said. "You will have to arrest me too."
"And me", the scarlet queen said.
"And me", said the tom.
"Fine put them away!" Malicious yelled.
"Come", Tugger told them. "Let's see if we can get any closer to that mine." He and the stranger snuck off but Munk stayed where he were. He looked at Malicious and growled.
"Oi", someone yelled and he turned his head and saw Hadey look at him. "What are you doing?"
Munk took off.
"Hold it!" Munk heard someone get closer and when he got to the river someone tackled him and he looked up at Hadey.
"Trying to get away from work are you?" he asked. "It will be the cells for you."
"Let me go!" Munk hissed. "I'm Munkustrap of the Jellicle tribe."
"So Deuteronomy sent spies to us. Hmf we'll show him that he cannot spy on us not even using his own son."
"Let me go!"
"No you are going into the dungeon." Hadey pushed and pulled him towards the dungeons.
"Oh great", the stranger hissed to Tugger. "Now we'll have to save your brother too."
"Yes we have."
"Are all of you royal cats so careless?"
"We are not careless."
"Uhu then what do you call that", he nodded towards Munk.
"Bad luck."
The stranger chuckled. "Believe me Tugger there are no such thing as luck of any kind."
Sierra grinned at Deuteronomy as he was put up for trial. Deuteronomy was the judge with other court cats as his jury. Everyone but Deuteronomy stared at Sierra when he took the place of the suspect. Mumbles erupted among the jury and other cats watching the thing.
"Sierra", Deuteronomy began. "Son of Sweira and Denyea, former head mystic of my court you are here today arrested for the kidnapping of my sons prince Munkustrap and prince Rum Tum Tugger."
Sierra's grin turned from mockingly to amusing.
"Kidnapping", he said cheerfully. "My dear sire Deuteronomy how can I have kidnapped your sons when one of them storm out of the room telling you: 'If you won't act I will do it myself'." The jury started to mumble again.
"After my oldest stormed out Tugger quickly followed and so did you. Since that happened no one has seen them."
"Not my fault sire although I would like to arrest you on the same note then."
"Excuse me?"
"My son has gone missing too. And I think that you have kidnapped him."
"You are insane I would never-"
"And never would Sierra", said a member of the jury. "For the Everlasting's sake Deuteronomy Sierra has been one of your most loyal mystics forever! Why would he turn on you for such thing? His own son is missing. It can only mean. One; his son kidnapped yours-"
"Which is highly unlikely", said another member of the jury. "Since he was one and they were two."
"Sierra's son is a mystic", Deuteronomy hissed.
"So? He can still be knocked out."
"Two", the first jury cat said. "Your sons kidnapped Sierra's for unknown reasons."
"He's a mystic", the other jury cat pointed out. "Maybe they want to start a tribe of their own."
"Now that is highly unlikely", Sierra said. "Sir Tugger and sir Munkustrap loves this tribe far too much for that."
"Then I have just one other option", the first jury cat said. "The three of them left together by a cause we do not know."
"Then I will enlighten you", Sierra grinned. "For years now dead kittens have been washed up on our shores…"
Tumble and his brothers saw Tantomile sit with her arms crossed and an angry pout on her face. Quaxo nudged Misto's shoulder and the smaller tom sighed and snuck up to her.
"How dare he", she was muttering. "How dare he leave without me?"
"Maybe he thought it would be too dangerous for you", Misto said and she jumped sky high. She twirled around and grabbed Misto by the throat and her claws were bared prepared to strike. She looked at him through her bangs. Around her neck she had a pendant with a crescent moon. She also had a leather band around her head that was keeping her long bangs out of her face but some of them had escaped. Her headfur was black and went down her neck to her shoulders. Her amber eyes were burning with fury and… was that fear? When she saw who it was she relaxed and let go of Misto and he fell to the ground on his butt.
"Misto", his brothers exclaimed and run up to him. Tantomile held her paws to her chest looking a bit afraid.
"I'm okay guys", he said to his brothers as they helped him up asking if he was alright.
"I'm sorry Mistofelees", Tantomile said. "I did not hear you."
"I-it's o-okay T-Tantomile", he said and blushed. She smiled and clapped him on the shoulder before walking off and Misto couldn't keep in the sigh that escaped him.
"Oooooh you like her", Quaxo said with a wide grin.
"Yeah", Misto said dreamingly then he realized what he said. "No! No… I… I don't like her."
"Aw come on Misto", Quaxo teased and took his black brother's tail and tickled Misto's cheek with it. "Then why were you just tongue-tied?"
"I was not."
"Hate to admit it bro", Tumble said and grinned. "But you're smitten by her."
"I'm most certainly is not!"
"Aw little Misto is falling in luuuuve", Pouncival taunted and flung his arm around Misto's shoulders.
"Not", Misto grunted.
"Although", Quaxo said in a teasing way and winked at Tumble and Pouncival. "I must admit that she is rather hot." They watched her walk. Misto got a goofy smile on his lips and a dreamy look on his face.
"Yeah", he said with a voice sounding almost too calm.
"Her hair is like long, black silk so soft and shining."
"Mmm", Misto said and the goofy grin got wider.
"Her eyes like deep pools of gold matching the setting sun." As on cue she turned to them and smiled before disappearing into her, her father and her brother's den. Misto made a strange squeak before going weak in the knees nearly collapsing and Pouncival and Tumble caught him.
"And of course she has the smile of goddess", Quaxo said blocking Misto's view. "But you say you're not in love with her so I think I'll give it a shot." He winked at the other two before walking off. Misto was still looking after Tantomile when Tumble's words settled in.
"WHAT?" he yelled and Quaxo took off running before Misto could hex him into oblivion.
Munk watched as the grey tom stalked up to the door of his cell and kicked the bars angrily before sitting down with his arms crossed. The day had gone by slowly… too slow for Munk's liking. All the time the other cats had seemed to take their staying pretty well. Alonzo was sitting in the corner of the cell he shared with Munk. His eyes were staring up at the moon and he looked a bit sad.
"His uncle was in the mine", a soft voice said and Munk turned and saw that the scarlet queen sharing cell with the other tom was looking at him.
"Oh", Munk said.
"I haven't seen you around before."
"Well it is-was a very big tribe my lady."
"I know everyone working in the mines."
"Well I uh never worked in the mines my lady."
She giggled. "I'm not a lady I'm a queen."
The tom groaned.
"Sarah that's just a thing you say."
"Shut it Almondo", the queen, Sarah, shot back at the grey tom. "So did you work at the palace then?"
"Well", Munk said and threw a glance at Alonzo. "Not this palace."
"Oh an outsider", Sarah said. "Exciting. So where you from?"
"Don't mind her", Almondo said. "She is curious and it will get her killed someday."
"Will not!"
"Have you ever heard that curiosity killed the cat?"
She huffed and turned back to Munk. "So where you from?"
"I'm uh… well I'm from the Jellicles."
"Jellicles you say", Almondo said. "Say aren't you that spoilt brat who spied on us? Deute-something-or-other's son?"
"Deuteronomy, and no I'm not that cat."
"Could have fooled me", the Siamese queen said. "Are all Jellicles silver tabbies?"
"Haha", Sarah said. "Trust Extra she knows everything."
"I can't argue with you there Sarah."
Alonzo sighed as he listened to their talk. It was dark and cold outside and through the bars you could see the stars. Alonzo looked. The stars are told to be the Everlasting Cat's eyes. He sighs again and starts to sing the prayer he always sings when he is sad:
I don't know if you can hear me
But I beg you for an answer
I don't know if you're listening
To the prayer I have
Yes, I know I am too simple
I should be left out
But when I see your gaze I believe
That maybe you can hear
Everlasting, help the cats
Who are in need
Show them your love
And give them your support
Everlasting, help my people now
The time they exist
Everlasting, help the forgotten
I believe you want to
I pray for strength – Sang Almondo from his cell and looked at Alonzo with sad eyes.
I pray for answer
I pray of light over the name I have – Those lines were sung by Extra.
A prayer for love – Sang Sarah her happy smile gone.
Is everything I pray – Sung by all three
I want Everlasting, all angels to watch over me – Sung by all three
Alonzo: I pray for others
Who are outside
I pray from my heart
And believe that you hear
Help my tribe then,
They suffer right now
All are children here
Our mother is you
Help the forgotten ones
Can only…
You
Munk looked at him and he startled. The tom reminded him of someone… then it came back to him. At the Jellicles there were four kittens, well almost grown toms now, with bangs. One of them had a big brown patch on his face. They looked an awful lot alike. Alonzo felt Munk's eyes on him and turned to him.
"What", he snapped.
"I'm sorry you just reminded me of someone…"
"Who some of your spoilt friends?"
"No… a kitten in the tribe. He is three or four years old I think. He has bangs just like you and a brown patch on his face."
Alonzo's face went from angry to utterly shock after those words.
"What", he breathed.
"He got brothers too", Munk continued carefully. "Three of them I think. Two small tuxedo-looking toms and a tom in a mixture of black, white, grey and a bit brown and he has a light brown patch over his eye… the left I think."
Alonzo's eyes were big and a single tears escaped his eyes.
"They're safe?"
"Uh yes I think so."
Alonzo shut his eyes and let his head drop back to the wall.
"Thank Everlasting cat", he said.
Munk looked at him and took a deep breath before continuing:
"There are two others who seem to come from here."
Alonzo's eyes snapped open at that and the other cats tried to get closer to them. Though it was impossible since they were in different cells.
"A queen and a tom", Munkustrap said. "Tan-one-thing-or-another and Cor… Cori…"
"Coricopat", Alonzo supplied.
"Yeah that's the one."
Alonzo beamed at him and then the others who beamed back.
"Oi", came a whisper and a small stone dropped onto the head of Alonzo.
"What the", he said and got up. "Who are you?"
Munk rose and walked over.
"Tugger", he said with a grin.
"Hi there bro", Tugger grinned. "Fear not we are here to rescue you."
"And how prey tell are you going to do that", Alonzo asked.
"With my secret weapon of course."
Suddenly the door opened and in came…
TBC
Roselna - I've started to love them too.
Ljuba - Yes you had to wait and thank you it looks as if I'm doing something right;)
Okay for the song I used... well it is from the begining God bless the outcast from The Hunchback from Notre dame. But since I'm Swedish I grew up with the swedish version. I took that version and translated it back to english and added some more CATS suiting words;)
Here are the families just to clear things up:
Hadey, Velari – Alonzo, Tumble, Pouncival, Misto & Quaxo
Skimble, Jenny – Jerrie & Teazer
Jelly, Gus – Admetus, Asp, Electra & Jemima
Deuteronomy, Grizabella – Mac, Munk & Tugger
Exotica, Sapphire – Cassandra, Bombalurina & Demeter
Bustopher Jones, Andromeda – Victoria & Etcetera
Manty, Rita - Plato
Sierra, Diana – Coricopat & Tantomile