Part 10
The sun started to rise and it shown straight into Alonzo's face so the little rest he tried to get was taken away. He stretched and yawned big and looked around. All the other cats were asleep. He smiled fondly at the kittens. They all looked so peaceful and not frightened at all. Alonzo knew this must be scary for them, because he himself was scared. He knew he had to fight Old Deuteronomy, who he just found out is his father, and he had to fight him to death. If he was victorious he still couldn't stay at the yard. He was after all exiled and if he killed Old Deuteronomy he'd be happy if exile was his only punishment.
"You look unhappy", spoke a soft voice and he turned to see Munkustrap look at him softly.
"I am. Seeing the red dawn I can't help but think of Macavity..."
"Was he always like that? So cold I mean."
Alonzo shook his head. "He have always seemed cold to others... but never to me. Not until he killed Ike and Delilah. Macavity raised me when our mother kicked us out after I opened my eyes for the first time. He brought me food, he taught me how to fight and hunt, he also taught me... though it seems kinda ironic..."
"What did he teach you?"
Alonzo looked at him with tear filled eyes. "He taught me to never let my anger get the hold of me, to never let all my strength and power loose unless I could control it. He himself couldn't do that it turned out. He let go of the same barrier I still have partly intact... that's what changed him. Made him colder... even to me." Alonzo bowed his head and started sobbing softly. "But now... after all he's done I miss him terribly... I wished he could be here like when we were kittens and help me in a fight that is too big for me to handle alone."
"But you're not alone Alonzo", Munkustrap said and wished his chain was long enough to reach his hurting best friend and brother. "You got me and the tribe, you'll never be alone."
Alonzo looked at him. "After what I'm planning you won't say that."
Munkustrap felt his blood run cold. Then with a heavy sigh Alonzo rose and looked at the chain holding him captive. Alonzo trailed it back to the tower and saw its core. The chain was stuck to an old car part. Alonzo grabbed hold of the base and pulled with all strength he had and it burst and when it did so did his collar. He then turned and looked at Munkustrap and walked up to him and trailed Munk's chain and got the protector loose too.
"Munk now you've seen how I do it... get the others and leave the yard."
"But what about you Lonz?"
"I'm going up against Deuteronomy."
"What?! No, it's too dangerous and you said yourself that we can't defeat him."
"We can't Munk", Alonzo dropped his head. "But I can."
"Lonz..."
"Please Munk I don't want any of you here."
"But I do", came a dark voice from above them. They looked up and saw Old Deuteronomy look down on them. "So Alonzo... you think you can defeat me?"
Alonzo turned to him with an evil glare on his face. "I know I can!"
Old Deuteronomy started to laugh so loud every cat awoke and the kittens started to tremble in horror.
"What is going on", Demeter asked.
Old Deuteronomy looked at her with a wicked smile. "Alonzo has challenged me."
The tribe stared at the patched tom.
"Alonzo no", Tugger said but then stared as he saw his brothers were both free. "How did you get loose?"
"How indeed", Old Deuteronomy grumbled and glared at Munkustrap and Alonzo. "Patch..."
Alonzo hissed at the name his mother had used. "Don't call me that! That name was I called only once and never more. The whore who gave me that name is hopefully rotting in a grave!"
All the cats stared at him in horror. No one had ever heard a cat talk about his or her mother in that manner. Old Deuteronomy was only smiling.
"Yes that's what's she was", he said and stretched. "But as I was saying Alonzo... I'm accepting your challenge."
"If I win, you'll let the others go and give me the stone you carry around your neck..."
Old Deuteronomy was shocked. "How did you know about it?"
"That's irrelevant", Alonzo mocked using Old D's own words against him.
"Fine I accept those terms on one condition..."
"And that is?"
An evil grin spread across the evil cat's face. "It's a fight on life and death."
"No", Exotica yelled angrily. "Lonzo don't..."
"Alonzo it's too dangerous pull out", Skimbleshanks said.
"Zo please don't do this", Tantomile begged.
Alonzo heard the others tell him to not do it but his mind was set.
"I accept", Alonzo said but felt someone drag him backwards.
"No he doesn't", Munkustrap said. "I'll face you!"
"Sorry Munk", Alonzo said with a sigh then twirled around and knocked Munkustrap over and tied him to Tugger with an old rope lying on the ground. "But I have to do this..."
"Alonzo", Munk yelled as he struggled to get loose.
"Come on you old moth eaten fur hat!" Alonzo yelled. "I'm ready!"
Old Deuteronomy laughed and jumped down and landed in front of Alonzo. He then did something that both disgusted and amazed the patched tom. He took off his well known fur and threw it away. Underneath that almost dusty old coat Deuteronomy's fur looked exactly like Munkustrap's only darker and in the weak morning light it looked as if it was sparkling. He was also a very, very muscular tom.
"Come on then kid", Old D taunted. "Let's fight."
They flew at each other witch such force that when they collided they just bunched off of each other. Alonzo yelped as he hurt his sprained paw even more.
"Oh am I too rough on you", Old D taunted as they started to circle each other.
"You don't know what rough mean you old duster."
"Haven't your father told you to respect your elders?"
Alonzo flew at him and clawed the old tom across the face so bad it draw blood.
"I never had a father!" Alonzo growled. "Only a big brother!"
"Who you killed", Old Deuteronomy mocked as he jumped at Alonzo and sunk his teeth in the tom's back. Alonzo screamed in pain. He was still too sore and too tired to fight... but he had no choice. He used his back leg to kick old D's stomach and claw him with his claws. The old cat yelped and Alonzo could escape him. He staggered backwards and glared daggers at the old cat.
"He asked me to do it so I could free him from his nightmare", Alonzo yelled. "A nightmare you created!"
"I'm honored."
"No", Alonzo growled and made ready to pounce. "You're mental."
They were at each other's throats again and were clawing away worse than before. Now and then both of them yelped or hissed. Suddenly Alonzo shot out his paw and hit Old Deuteronomy square in the chest. He pulled upwards and left deep gashes. Old Deuteronomy roared in pain and fell backwards and tried to crawl away. Alonzo staggered after him... that's when Old Deuteronomy made his move. Alonzo still sore and tired didn't have the strength to jump away when the old cat twirled around and jumped onto his back and started to claw like a mad cat. Alonzo felt his body tremble by every scratch and suddenly Old Deuteronomy put a paw around his throat and flung him into the tower. Alonzo collapsed onto all four and then fell to his side with eyes heavy. His vision started to blur and he closed his eyes.
"Alonzo", Munkustrap yelled in anguish and Old Deuteronomy laughed.
The darkness was comforting in a way. He didn't hurt here and he could rest. He thought he heard whispers or screams from afar but he didn't care, all he wanted was to slip into the darkness and stay there.
"Get up", a determined voice said from somewhere beside him.
"No", he mumbled as a stubborn kitten.
"They need you", another voice said just as determined as the other.
"I failed... just leave me be."
"You haven't failed because you haven't tried yet", said a third and familiar voice. "Let go of it and let it flow."
"Mac..." he sat up and looked straight ahead, at least what he thought was right ahead, and was met by the face of a ginger cat.
"Hi there Alonzo", Macavity answered.
"W-where am I?"
"You are between life and death", said the first voice and a tom appeared on his left. He had a shiny aura around him that made Alonzo see what he looked like. He was entirely black except for an almost blood red circle around his right eye. The circle also had something that looked like beams in the same red color. It gave the impression of a sun.
"Alonzo", the strange cat spoke. "You cannot linger here. You are the one destined to destroy the devil cat that is Deuteronomy. That is your duty... to all whom he's been stealing life away from. You got power to help, and cats that care."
"What?"
"The power within is very strong Alonzo", spoke the second voice, a female one, and a cat looking exactly like the other but with a white crescent moon around her right eye. "To control it you have to know that there are cats near you in life that loves you very much. Though it might not seem like it on all parts."
"Tugger", Alonzo mumbled.
"I was given powers like yours", said the "suncat". "But the devil cat got to me before I knew how to use them."
"I also had the same power", Macavity said and walked closer to his brother. "But I misused it as was my part to play in this prophecy. I was born for that single purpose Alonzo, born to misuse a power so you would know what was right and wrong and by misusing it giving you a way to use it properly."
"Mac... that was not your only purpose in life."
"It was not?"
"No you may have felt that the Everlasting cat herself put that heavy and sorrow filled duty on your soul but that is not the truth. You were born to watch over me and be my brother. As I was born only for the purpose of being yours. The Everlasting cat only creates her beloved cats for those simple purposes. It's the cat itself that forms the road she is taking through her life."
Macavity chuckled. "You dear brother is starting to sound like the weirdo twins."
"As are you brother dearest."
"Back to the important", spoke the "mooncat". "You must return Alonzo or your mission and part will never be fulfilled and Deuteronomy the devil cat will never be stopped. Unless you stop him there will be no cat ever again who can do it."
"The cat has to be the second son of the demon", suncat spoke. "Just believe Alonzo... you can do it."
"I know you can", Macavity said and hugged his brother close. "My heart has never doubted your strength."
Alonzo returned the hug. "Mac... will I ever see you again?"
"When the time is right. Now go. Go and fulfill what we could not."
"Just let it go", mooncat spoke. "Let it flow as if it was your own blood."
"I will", Alonzo spoke. "But I do not know the way..."
"The weakest light can chase away the dark", suncat said and pointed to a small light in the distance. "Dark cannot exist in light, but light can exist in darkness."
"Thank you", Alonzo said and started to walk. "Who are you, may I ask."
"I was Apollon", the suncat said. "Named after the Greek god with the version of the name used in the countries of the North, at least that is what I know."
"And I was the first who got the power but could not use it", the queen spoke. "I was Artemis, the one who made the prophecy forgotten by Deuteronomy."
Alonzo bowed to them and then looked at his brother and smiled. The smile was returned by a small wave. As Alonzo ran towards the light the three cats faded away but Macavity's whisper was heard, echoing through the dark.
"Goodbye brother... until we meet again."
"Alonzo", Munkustrap yelled in devastation as Deuteronomy turned the patched tom over to check if he was dead or just unconscious.
"Don't you dare touch him", Tugger yelled angrily.
Old Deuteronomy took no notice of it and bent down to check for life... when Alonzo's eyes flew open and he hit the old tom across the face so hard it sent him tumbling over the ground. Alonzo jumped to his feet and growled... letting go of the barrier within. All the cats, Deuteronomy included, stared at him as a blue fire started to glow around his entire body and his eyes went from black to the same clear blue as the flames of the fire.
"Don't think you can get rid of me that easily", Alonzo growled at his opponent.
"Amazing", Tantomile breathed.
"So you got some pyrotechnics", Old Deuteronomy mocked. "So what? I am still stronger."
Alonzo smirked. "Do you wanna bet?"
And with that said he flew at his former leader and now with his power set free his movements were all too fast for the older tom. Deuteronomy tried to defend himself against the force of the blue-fire-cat. But he was not strong enough, he'd lost too much of his stolen life energy. When Alonzo's paw went out for his face another time the old cat used his arms to shield it. But there was no impact. He let his arm drop and saw the smug smile on the patched tom's face.
"What are you smiling about you torch?" he growled.
Alonzo held up his paw and from it dangled Old Deuteronomy's necklace, and his life taking stone.
"Give that back!" Deuteronomy yelled and tried to grab it. "It's mine! You haven't won yet!"
"No, that because I'm not like you", Alonzo spoke and jumped out of the way. "I would never kill a cat unless the cat asks me too as a dying wish." With that he grabbed the stone and crushed it in his paw.
"NO!!!" Old Deuteronomy fell to his knees.
"See it as a gift demon cat", Alonzo spoke calmly. "You will live, but not in this yard, nor this town. Leave now and never ever return. It doesn't matter how long you'll live the Jellicle tribe will always know who you are. Even if you give us a fake name we will know it's you and you are not welcome here."
With that he turned and walked towards the tribe to free them all from their chains. Old Deuteronomy's eyes burnt with hatred as he rose slowly.
"ARGH!" he roared and ran at the patched tom.
"Lonz look out", Munkustrap yelled in horror.
Alonzo turned and saw the old tom jump at him, claws bared, eyes madly wide and teeth bared as well. He reacted on instinct and shot out his own claws and caught Old Deuteronomy in the chest. The stood there, shock written on both their faces when suddenly the blue fire around Alonzo crept down his arm and into the chest of the demon cat. Alonzo was pushed back onto his backside when the last of it left. For a moment Old Deuteronomy just stood there. Then his eyes glazed over and he fell to the ground... dead.
The chains around the cats and the rope around Munkustrap trembled before turning to dust and blew away in the chilly morning wind. The sun was over the horizon and its beams warmed the cold cats. Quaxo noticed sparkled close to him and his brother was at his side.
"I'm sorry", Mistofelees told him. "I should have been here."
But Quaxo didn't want to hear it. He threw his arms around his brother and hugged him hard.
Alonzo was still staring at the dead body of Deuteronomy; the dead cold eyes stared up onto the sky where the pale moon could be seen. Suddenly he felt arms around him and got face to face with Munkustrap's shoulder.
"Everlasting cat", his new found brother said. "Never do that to me again."
Alonzo didn't answer; he didn't even return the hug. Munkustrap let him go and bent down to watch his father's body. All the cats joined him to decide what to do with him. He had after all once been a loved member of the tribe. But no one noticed how a patched tom backed away and slowly headed for the exit, limping due to his sprained paw.
"What shall we do with him", Tugger growled. "He deserves to be thrown to the pollicles after all he's done."
"I know Tugger", Munkustrap said. "But he was our leader and friend once. That gives him the right to be buried honorably."
"What after all he's done", Tumblebrutus exclaimed. "You'll give him a funeral."
"Not really", Munkustrap shook his head. "We'll dig a hole as far away in the yard as possible and dig a hole, put his body and coat there and fill it up. No stone to remember him just a dark part in the ground."
"Wait", Pouncival said. "If he's dead... then who's leader now?"
"That's not too hard to figure out lad", Skimble said and all eyes turned to Munkustrap.
"Me", this asked. "No, no, no I don't deserve it."
"It doesn't matter dear", Jelly said. "You are the protector and firstborn it's your right."
"I'm not the firstborn remember Jelly? Alonzo is older than me."
"But you are protector", Tugger said. "That's make you the next in line."
Munkustrap sighed. "Okay fine... I'll pick up the part as leader."
The tribe cheered for him happily and he got hugs and pats on the back.
"So", Demeter said. "What's your first decision as leader?"
Munkustrap smiled. "Did you really have to ask my love? My first decision is to make Alonzo..." he turned to where he'd last seen the tom. But no one was there and there was no sight of the patched tom. "Alonzo? Where did he go? Alonzo!"
"Alonzo", all the cats called as they searched for him but the white and black tom was long gone.
TBC The reason I gave Alonzo these powers is that I was once told that in some versions he is thought of to have mystical powers.