Macavity wandered up ahead, he could hear Pouncival fighting behind him, trying to break free. Macavity turned into the altar room, he could hear Pouncival's cries become louder. Macavity turned around and saw Pouncival had firmly planted his feet against the floor, struggling not to be pulled forward any further. He was quickly yanked over to the stone altar and slammed onto his back upon it. Macavity just watched as the hench-cats shackled Pouncival to the altar. Pouncival cried out in fear, struggling desperately. Macavity waved and his hench-cats moved back. Macavity moved closer to the altar. Pouncival's terrified green eyes fell onto him.

"M-Macavity, please, please!" Pouncival cried. "Please, don't do this!" Macavity was silent as he walked closer to Pouncival. Pouncival was crying out, struggling furiously.

It was no use.

"Boss, please, please!" Pouncival's voice was beginning to get high pitched. Macavity just approached the altar, staring down at the small Tom.

"No, please!" Pouncival cried out, arching and struggling furiously. Macavity stood by Pouncival's head, looking down at the young Tom.

"Please, please, please," Pouncival kept whispering over and over.

"Why not, Pouncival?" Pouncival gave a choked sob, struggling once more.

Struggling to get free.

"Boss, please, don't do this, please don't do this!" Pouncival cried out. Macavity watched with interest as Pouncival slipped back into Carbucketty's persona. He was calling Macavity 'boss,', like he was meant to call him.

"Boss, boss, please!" Macavity trailed his paw up Pouncival's cheek.

"What do you think I'm going to do to you?" Macavity asked, staring intently in Pouncival's frightened green eyes.

"Kill me," Pouncival whispered. "You're going to kill me," Pouncival's voice broke at the end. Macavity tilted his head, walking to stand beside Pouncival but drawing his paw down Pouncival's cheek, down his shoulder to rest on his brown striped side. Macavity watched as the young Tom struggled to get free. He gave a smirk, watching as fear got to Pouncival as he cried and screamed out, struggling furiously.

"Why do you think I'll kill you?" Pouncival glanced at Macavity.

"B-Because I hurt you…I fought for the Jellicles…and now I'm on the altar,"

"And that means?"

"I'm dead…no ones ever gotten off here alive," Pouncival gave a rough sob, his legs shaking in fear. Macavity rubbed Pouncival's side as Pouncival struggled and gave a sob.

"Don't cry!" Macavity snapped at him. "Only weaklings cry!" He watched as Pouncival bit his lip, choking back tears and blinking them back.

"Yes, boss," Pouncival whispered.

"Now should I kill you or not?" Macavity asked slowly. Pouncival stared at him, his chest heaving as he panicked. Macavity rubbed Pouncival's side slowly, feeling his ribs heaving under his paw.

"If I don't kill you…you will do as I say when I say it," Macavity growled. Pouncival's eyes widened.

"And you don't have a choice in the matter," Pouncival gave a rough sob.

"Or I could just kill you right now,"

"No, please!" Pouncival croaked, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he began to panic again, his legs shaking in fear. Macavity raised his claw. Pouncival closed his eyes, shaking and biting his lip. Pouncival froze when he felt a claw brush against his wrist and found he could move his arm. He heard more clicks and opened his eyes, finding himself free. Pouncival gave a sob, grabbing Macavity. Macavity gave a smirk as Pouncival grabbed him, trying to move away from the altar as far as possible. Pouncival scrabbled at Macavity's back, trying to get away as far as possible from the altar. Macavity grabbed Pouncival, lifting him up from the altar. Pouncival shivered.

"You will do whatever I order you," Macavity growled, carrying Pouncival from the room. Pouncival nodded weakly, grabbing onto Macavity's fur and trembling. Macavity smirked, smug, as he carried the trembling Tom out.

A few days later, Macavity greeted a creamy and dark red Queen.

"Linea, my dear," Macavity greeted, bowing and kissing her paw. Linea giggled.

"Aw, Mac, you never change," Macavity gave a warning hiss to Pouncival as he made a noise in his throat. Pouncival went quiet, lowering his bruised face.

"Where is he?" Linea asked, her insane blue eyes dancing.

"Down the hall," Macavity answered, smiling. "Pouncival…get lost," Pouncival quickly bolted away, Tyrus following him closely. Macavity walked down the hall, Linea following him. Macavity opened the door, revealing the battered Maine Coon.

"Here he is," Macavity grinned. Tugger lifted his head, staring at Linea.

The insane blue eyes unnerved him.

Linea walked in, circling the abused Tom, examining him closely. Tugger looked at Macavity.

"Where's Munkustrap?" Tugger hissed. He had heard Munkustrap screaming out the day before.

"A little bruised and battered," Macavity laughed. "But still alive…he needs to learn his place with me," Tugger snarled angrily.

"Well?"

"He'll be fine," Linea grinned. "I'm sure he'll be very useful to my…experiments,"

"What?" Tugger asked, his heart freezing in fear.

"Linea here likes to experiment on living cats," Macavity smiled tauntingly as Tugger's face went pale. "She likes to see what makes us work, what makes us live…what makes us…us,"

"I also like cutting things open," Tugger gave a large shudder when Linea said that. "Blood interests me," Linea added, kneeling beside Tugger and stroking his bloodied back. Tugger jerked away from her touch, his eyes widened with fear.

"Have fun you two," Macavity laughed. "And remember, Lin, I want him alive,"

"Yes, yes, of course," Linea waved him off impatiently.

"Macavity, don't let her do this!" Tugger cried out after him.

"Have fun, brother,"

"Macavity!"

Macavity hummed cheerfully and bounced towards Coricopat's room. He opened the door to find the calico Tom asleep on the floor, his fur groomed of blood and his wounds cleaned. Macavity grinned, slamming the door and startling the calico awake. A while later, he was taunting and threatening Coricopat. Cori just yawned at his threats. Macavity watched as the pink tongue curled delicately inside Cori's mouth.

Then it hit him.

He knew what to do to break Coricopat.

Macavity crossed the room in a few strides, grabbing Cori and shoving him against the wall. Cori just looked at him, amused. Macavity had his arm against Cori's collarbone, keeping him pinned in place, before he lifted up his free arm and placed his claw by Cori's face. He lifted a finger and stroked at Cori's lip with his claw. A flicker of something passed through Cori's eyes, but it was too quick for Macavity to decide what it was. Macavity slowly dug his claw into Cori's mouth. Cori growled angrily as Macavity pulled at his bottom lip.

"I know what to do to break you," Macavity breathed in Cori's ear. Cori stared at him. Macavity chuckled, licking Cori's cheek. Cori snarled angrily, trying to shove him off. Macavity just pinned Cori harder against the wall, licking Cori's neck. Cori snarled.

"Get away from me before I kill you," Cori snarled. Macavity just laughed. Cori struggled, trying to push Macavity off. Macavity just placed his jaws around Cori's throat. Cori went still. Macavity laughed, his laugh rumbling against Cori's throat. Macavity felt Cori swallow hard, feeling his throat harden slightly against his fangs. Macavity slowly let go of Cori's throat.

"You fight me…and next time I'll bite," Macavity whispered in Cori's ear. Cori tried to push Macavity off…but couldn't shift the heavier Tom. Macavity just laughed.

Tantomile sat with her knees drawn up to her chest, her forehead resting on her knees. The Toms were talking softly, trying to think of a way out. Misto was slumped against the floor, unconscious, having been beaten to that state. Tantomile's head suddenly snapped up.

"Cori?" She whispered. Admetus, Alonzo and Tumblebrutus looked at her.

"Bast, Cori, what's happening?" She whispered.

"Tants?"

"I can't sense Cori, he's cut me from his mind," Tantomile said, looking at them. "He's blocked me from feeling what he's feeling," She explained further. "I-I only got a small bit of pain, anger, disgust and despair before he blocked our bond,"

"I'm sure he's okay, Tants," Alonzo told her…though he knew if Cori had blocked the connection, he was probably in a very bad position right now.

Pouncival sat outside of Cori's room, feeling like his heart was breaking when he heard Cori's cries and pleads, his voice going hoarse as he screamed, as he screamed out in pain.

"This is your fault," Pouncival looked up at Tyrus, who was watching him, making sure he didn't run off, making sure he stayed to hear Cori's cries. Pouncival lowered his head, a tear running down his cheek. He cried out as he was kicked in the side.

"Weaklings cry!" Tyrus yelled.

"I'm not crying for me, I'm crying for my friend!" Pouncival yelled back at him, leaping to his feet. Cori's scream echoed in the empty hallway as Tyrus and Pouncival glared at one another.

"Enough you two," Pouncival blinked, looking at Macavity as he walked out of Cori's room, looking quite smug. Pouncival looked inside the room, seeing Cori huddled against the floor, badly hurt, and he was sobbing, his tail put tight in between his legs as he tried to hide himself.

"Cori," Pouncival whispered, shocked. The mystic looked at him through tear filled eyes before sobbing and looking away. Macavity walked back into the room, Cori shifted away slightly. Macavity lifted up Cori's face, so he could look into the green eyes.

The defiance had faded, there was pain, fear, anger and disgust…with only a slight trace of defiance left. Macavity smirked. He'd just have to get rid of the remainder of that fire and defiance. Macavity laughed. Pouncival watched as Cori shuddered before Macavity left the room. Pouncival followed Macavity, glancing back at the closed door.

"Pouncival,"

"Yes, boss?" Pouncival muttered.

"One Jellicle can go home,"

"What, boss?"

"You've done what I've asked, you've…you've been obedient, you can choose one Jellicle from Alonzo, Admetus, Tantomile, Mistoffelees and Tumblebrutus to go back to the junkyard," Macavity said, glancing at him. Pouncival thought hard.

Did he let Misto go back, to escape the Tom who murdered his parents and might kill him? Did he let Tumblebrutus go, as he was his older brother? Did he let Tantomile go, as she was a Queen?

"What will you do to Tantomile?" Pouncival asked, looking at Macavity.

"What?"

"What will you do to Tantomile?" Pouncival asked again. "Will you do to her like you did to the other Queens?" Macavity laughed.

"No, she's only here so I can torment Cori even more," Macavity laughed, grinning. Pouncival frowned, thinking deeply.

"Let Tumbles go home," Pouncival told Macavity. Misto could look after himself with his magic…Tumbles had nothing. Macavity nodded and ordered Tumblebrutus to be released.

"Now…to Munkustrap," Macavity grinned, bouncing off once more. "And I have something…wonderful planned for him," Macavity laughed. "Well, wonderful and entertaining for me, it won't be for him,"

"Boss?" Pouncival whispered. Macavity struck him.

"Shut up!" Pouncival lowered his head. Macavity had threatened his friends' health and safety if he didn't co-operate with Macavity. Pouncival felt so sick.

He knew Macavity had something bad planned for Munkustrap…and he was scared for his friend.

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Trust me, what I have planned for poor Munkus is terrible…to him anyway…Poor Cori, huh?

Thanks to those who reviewed! I'm glad you liked the last chapter!

Please read and review!

Luv HGP!