Chapter Eleven: Remember Me

Roselna walked around the area, scouting it. She sniffed the air, searching for the scent. The queen kept walking around. Suddenly it hit her like a brick. She followed it to where it got stronger. There was a hole in the wall, just big enough to slip through. She ducked into it, and was met by an army of hench-rats. They didn't seem to notice her. Good thing, too. She kept following the scent. It lead towards a room with the door ajar. She cautiously crept into the room. There she saw him. He was lying on the floor not moving.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Roselna. I'm surprised you haven't come sooner."

The queen turned to see Macavity. Not the biggest surprise. "Why have you done this?" she asked, looking at the ground. Her claws slowly came out, and the Hidden Paw didn't notice.

"Oh, you think you were really going to get off that easy for rescuing my daughters, and then the ball?" he scoffed. Roselna really didn't like this cat. "So, little queen. Are you going to fight, or are you going to just stand there?" Macavity asked, smiling. He thought he knew the answer. He thought the queen was in no condition to fight. She had grown thin, and looked as if she hadn't slept for days. But the Hidden Paw didn't know the fire that burned inside of Roselna. Besides her, the only cat that would ever know about that was the Everlasting Cat. Slowly, she looked up. If Macavity had studied her all the other times, he probably would have been the smallest bit scared. Her normally rose eyes had changed. They were no longer rose, but a dangerous, dark, blood red. She didn't say anything. Then without the slightest warning, Macavity found his side pulsing with pain.

"The ball was the final straw, Macavity. I never want to see you again." And the fight began.

Hours later, nothing was surrounding the room. The rats were gone, and so was Macavity. Roselna had almost killed him, the evil cat only escaping when his remaining energy was used towards escaping with his magical powers. Roselna ran towards Tumblebrutus.

"Tumble! Tumble, please wake up!"

"Where am I?" The tom asked.

"You were kit-napped by Macavity. But its okay, he's gone, I'm here."

"Are you Everlasting Cat?"

"Wha-No, Tumble, it's me, Roselna. Your mate?" She said, confused.

Tumblebrutus shook his head. "I don't remember."

"Please, Tumblebrutus, remember me! We grew up together! Alonzo has teased us throughout our lives! Don't you remember?" she pleaded.

The tom started looking faint again. "No," he whispered, before falling backwards. Roselna caught him, tears starting to brim in her eyes, which had returned to their normal color.

"No. No, this can't be happening," she whispered, the tears starting to run down her cheeks. "CURSE YOU MACAVITY!" And then she spoke no more. She just sobbed into the brown and white chest of her once lover, the only cat she could ever love with all her heart.

"Munkustrap!"

"What?" The tribe protector groggily opened his eyes to see the worried face of Demeter.

"Wake up! Roselna's missing, Hazelthorn and Mungojerrie found her scent, leading towards Macavity's. The whole tribe is going, one queen couldn't fight off Macavity's army, especially in her condition. I should know."

"Wait, what condition?"

"She hasn't eaten or slept in days. She's been worried sick about Tumblebrutus, and she told me she thought that Macavity took him."

"Why didn't you tell anyone? You could have given that information to me, or at least one of her friends! This could have been prevented!"

Demeter bit her lip. "She made me promise not to tell anyone. I didn't because I know what it's like to suspect Macavity, and let me tell you, you feel as if you can't tell anyone. Does that explain enough, or are we going to sit in this den talking when two tribe members' lives are on the line?"

Munku shook his head, but got up to go.

The sound of footsteps roused Roselna from her state, but not enough to make her get up or stop crying.

"There she is!" Aquavera raced forward, followed closely by her sisters.

"Roselna! Why did you do that?"

"Girls, she's in no state to try and explain anything." Demeter was right. The queen was covered in scratches, and she was sobbing and clinging to Tumblebrutus like he was her only way to stay alive. "But we have to get her off of Tumblebrutus."

"Roselna, please, stand up and come back to the junkyard with us. We can take care of everything." Everyone was surprised to see Alonzo kneeling next to her. She just continued sobbing. The black and white tom gently pried her from Tumblebrutus, and she just clung to Alonzo and continued sobbing. Aqua started to say something, but thought better of it. Skimble and Pounce hurried forward to pick up Tumble. He was still unconscious. Munkustrap walked into the room and reported,

"There's no sign of Macavity. It appears that he evacuated, along with his hench-rats." The others nodded. The tribe then walked out of the building, Skimble and Pouncivul with Tumble in-between them, and Alonzo still trying to comfort Roselna.

The queen paced outside the healing den. "Can I please go in?" she pleaded, turning to Jellylorum.

"Not until Jennyanydots says you can. But she's giving him a once-over right now, so you only have to wait a little longer."

Roselna went back to pacing. It had been a little over a week since she had been found by the tribe at Macavity's, and Tumble had been under Jenny and Jelly's care. Roselna had been almost as bad as when he was missing, but she had started eating a little bit again and sleeping an hour or two at a time during the night. She was still staying with Tantamiri, who had been treating her like a sister. Mistoffelees had been happy to have her stay with them, everyone being friends.

Jenny came out a few minutes later. "You can go in now." Before she even finished, Roselna had rushed past her and into the den. Tumble was asleep on a bed. Roselna wanted to run up to the tom and shake him awake, but thought better of it. Instead she walked up to him and whispered in his ear, "Tumble." The tom stirred. Opening one eye, he looked into the face of his mate.

"Roselna?" he whispered, his face lighting up and other eye opening.

"You remember!" the queen exclaimed, hugging him tightly. "It's so good to have you back!"

"Why wouldn't I remember?" Tumble asked, pulling her off to look at her face.

"Because when you woke up for a few moments at Macavity's lair, you didn't have a clue who I was. You thought I was the Everlasting Cat. I thought that was the end, that you would never come back. But you did," she said, tears starting to brim in her eyes. She burst into sobs again, crying into Tumble's chest. He just hugged her, shocked. How did he forget who she was?

"Did I really do that?" Roselna nodded, her head still on his chest. "Listen here, I don't want you to ever think I'd forget you," he said, lifting her head up to met his eyes. She nodded again. And, as if to prove it, Tumble leaned forward and kissed her.

Author's Notes:

Kinda suspensful, huh? I need to give some of the credit to my friend though, because we were talking the other day and a few things she said gave me insperation for this chapter. Please R&R.