I just wanted to say I should really re-read my older chapters before starting new ones… the part with the three kittens talking a few chapters ago was kinda identical to the chapter before… hehe.

And I read somewhere it's harder to turn a male OC into a Gary Stu than a female OC into a Mary Sue, so hopefully Reno doesn't fall along those lines ;)

And the part where Misto just made up that definition on the spot? I actually did. And yes, I was proud of myself.

And now I will end the suspense that has surely been keeping all of you up at night. Yes. Right now.

Jemima's heart was pounding so loud she was surprised that it wasn't being heard throughout the entire building. It was practically screaming, "come get me!" to everyone around her.

At least, that's what she thought. But it was a bit hard for her to trust her own judgement, now more than ever.

But she still didn't like it. Why weren't they yelling? Why couldn't she hear hundreds of pairs of footsteps running towards her?

Because they can't hear, she told herself. They couldn't hear her. So why was she still so freaked out?

Uh, because they're still coming this way. Duh. Jemima looked all around her for another place to hide. But where?

The answer didn't please her.

She had to go up.

But how to go up?

Is that… a tunnel? Jemima was amazed. A tunnel going straight up! Who would have thought of that?

Who would have needed it?

Her, apparently.

Despite the urgency of the situation, Jemima fought the impulse to giggle. How silly. A tunnel going up!

Time to go.

She took a breath and analyzed the situation. She guessed she had about half a minute before the henchcats showed up and wreaked havoc upon the area. Which wouldn't be very good.

So her only option was up. But she wasn't sure how well that would work.

She took a deep breath in and a deep breath out. Focus, focus…

And then she jumped up.

Jemima gasped and grunted as she clutched on to the edges of the strange tunnel. She could hear the voices of the henchcats clearer now; she knew that any moment they could turn the corner and see her, and she would lose the advantage of surprise.

And that couldn't happen.

She took another breath and quickly pulled herself up farther, farther, until she was finally able to perch inside it. She sighed with relief, but she remembered that the work wasn't over yet. She had to make a decision, and quick. Would she continue to climb the tunnel, or would she stay put until the henchcats left?

Jemima's mind was racing at a thousand miles a minute. If she were going to go, she would have to go now. But then what?

She was already lost. She had tried to follow Reno's instructions as best she could, but Macavity's lair was a lot more confusing than it had seemed at first.

But she couldn't worry about that now. Now she had to make up her mind.

The first thing that came to Jemima's mind was strange. But she couldn't really think straight.

And so, she went up.

"You're supposed to be dead!"

Reno's breathing was quick and shallow and his heart was racing. Right here, standing in front of him, were three henchcats of Macavity's.

And they didn't look very happy.

But how they were didn't bother Reno as much as who they were.

"No…" Reno's voice was little more than a whisper.

"Reno! Did you hear me?" He was there; standing right in front of him, Reno knew that he would never forgive him.

He didn't know what to say. He opened his mouth. I'm so-"

Reno didn't get the chance to finish his sentence as the henchcat flew towards him with the fury of a thousand cats.

Reno didn't want to fight him, but what choice did he have? The henchcat was attacking him with so much force that Reno would be torn to shreds in moments.

So he fought back.

Reno's skills were rusty, but instinct kicked in and he fought back with matched fury. He ducked as the cat flew towards him and the henchcat went sprawling. Reno turned to face him and the cat was back on his paws in seconds. "This isn't good," Reno panted as he attacked again.

"You think?" The henchcat screeched. He fought harder. "How do you think it feels to have a friend that is supposed to be dead," he panted, "and then realize within seconds that he's actually alive?"

Reno felt his heart tear apart. This was his friend. And he had betrayed him.

Reno knew it was his fault. His friend had always been a loyal soldier.

He couldn't say the same about himself.

Reno cried out as his friend slashed him across his face. Instinct caused him to return the gesture.

His friend cried out so loud that Reno thought they could probably hear the fighting cats back at the Jellicle Junkyard.

At least Jemima will have some back up, Reno thought with slight amusement.

But when his friend came flying towards him with such fury in his eyes, Reno knew it was time to finish it. Once and for all.

Macavity's face contorted into so many emotions at once that the observing henchcats looked at each other with wide eyes.

The rage and anger was still there, but it was slightly concealed and replaced with a strange calmness unlike anything the henchcats had seen before.

It filled them with so much dread that some started sweating.

After a moment, a smile started to grow across the face of the Hidden Paw. It wasn't a smile that comes when someone is genuinely happy, but it was a smile that came when something was about to happen that pleased the bearer.

When talking of someone like the Napoleon of Crime, that usually didn't end well.

"S-sir?" A henchcat started slowly.

"Don't you worry," Macavity said in a low voice, "everything is going to turn out just fine."

Macavity walked away and the henchcats looked at each other, baffled.

Then they remembered: They left the magician's door unlocked!

Without missing a beat, Macavity called back to them, "don't worry. It's perfectly fine."

The henchcats didn't know what he meant, but they weren't planning to stick around to find out.

"Lunch break?" One asked.

They quickly nodded and trotted away.

I guess that's the end of the chapter. That's only because I'm lazy and just wanted to get this done.

Rugby is OVER! *Insert dramatic crying here*

Now everything is just studying for finals… yuck. But when that's over I get to go to horse camp for two weeks in the summer! I'm happy.

I had my last horse-riding lesson on the weekend and I'm depressed because that's over too…

And I was on a horse I didn't like… and I fell off…

Meh. Oh well…

To be honest I'm kinda starting to lose interest in this story. My new favourite musical is now Les Misérables. Well, Cats still is, but now it's tied.

I'm kinda annoyed with the casting choice for the new movie. The only thing they did right was Samantha Barks for Éponine. The rest they just used a bunch of famous people who can't sing.

I am determined to finish this story.

So farewell… for now.