Nearly done... a maximum of three to four chapters left, I think. Yes, I know that's what I said about ten chapters ago, but hey...?? :) Thanks to all my reviewers and enjoy!
Chapter 28
"We are ready to attack, Sir," Saladin muttered to his half-brother.
"Good, good," Macavity frowned. Saladin asked, "Is there anything wrong, Sir?"
"Perceptive one, aren't you?" The Hidden Paw smirked. "I wonder where you got it from…"
They were heading an army of 50 henchrats and 20 cats, hiding in the shadows of an enormous building just around the corner from the Jellicle Junkyard. Saladin decided to take the chance.
"Same place as you," he answered coolly.
"What?" Macavity asked.
"I said, I got my perceptiveness same place as you. Our father. Chiron."
Macavity bristled. "What are you saying? How do you know about my father? No-one knows my family heritage except those bloody Jellicles…"
Saladin calmly said, "You were born to Aurora, Munkustrap's mother, after your father, Chiron, raped her. You were left fatherless. You were born at the same time as Munkustrap and Tugger, both of which were sired by Deuteronomy. You were exiled from the tribe at 6 months old after committing several crimes."
The Napoleon of Crime spat contemptuously and snarled. The black cat continued, "You reached power at about a year old, by which time, I was born to Grizabella, of the Jellicle Tribe, who had left to seek out a new life. She too had been raped by Chiron. I had a brother, Greyknid, who died standing up to you. I was caught by humans, but as soon as I was freed, I joined you. We're half-brothers."
The truly menacing look on Macavity's face would have made anyone and everyone flee but Saladin and perhaps Munkustrap.
"So you say we're related?" he spat.
"Indeed," Saladin smirked in a very Hidden-Paw-like manner.
"I usually dispense with blood ties and the like; however, you have an empire. A large empire. You rule over London and cats fear your very name. Being related, I assume we share desirable qualities. You yourself have frequently commented on my intelligence in service. I propose that I work with you to build your empire and prolong your reign; as brothers, we could do considerable damage. Should we make ourselves look the same, we might terrorise many places at once, leading cats to believe your power exceeds the will of the Everlasting Cat."
Macavity thought it over. It was a well-thought out offer, with numerous benefits. However, a possible leadership threat and having to share the Empire with someone else, not to mention some kin, who had Jellicle blood in him (Macavity conveniently forgot that he too had had a Jellicle mother; and brothers!) was too much. Lashing out, he struck Saladin square across the face, drawing blood.
"Get back into rank," he breathed venomously, "or I will dispense of you. I will never share my empire, blood or no." Wisely deciding to say no more, Saladin slunk back into his place.
As he took his guard, an evil gleam of hatred came into his eyes and he burnt with anger. Macavity had forgotten: they were half-brothers. They shared characteristics. Particularly murderous ones…
"Criopes, this whole bat'le thin' is givin' us a riogh' scare, ain' it?" Mungojerrie muttered under his breath.
Munkustrap overheard and gave him a reproving look; however, as his eyes smiled, it didn't look too convincing.
"And FORWARD! Go for the eyes! Break his jaw!" Plato hollered to Tumblebrutus, Demeter, Bombalurina, Cassandra, Exotica, Mistoffelees, Coricopat, Tantomile, Rumpleteaser, Skimbleshanks, Asparagus and Jennyanydots.
They all lunged and attacked a stuffed 'cat', a life-sized representation of a henchrat. Everyone (including Cori and Tanto) managed to 'kill' their models except Misto. The poor kit was just too small.
"This sucks!" he sulked as Mungojerrie stifled a giggle. Whizz! His model was 'dead.'
"OK, Misto," sighed Plato, "you don't have to do battle strategies. Your magic is enough."
Misto smiled.
"I hope," Plato added as an afterthought. Misto was about to retort when, "HENCHRATS!" screamed Pouncival at the top of his lungs.
"BATTLE STATIONS!" roared Munkustrap. As cats fled to their respective positions, Mungojerrie grabbed Teaser.
"Be careful!" he whispered urgently, "Oi don' wan' nothin' ta happen ta ya." He kissed her suddenly, and she replied, "Ya too!" before tearing to her place.
"FORWARD!" bellowed Munkustrap. The battle began.
Bleeding and battered, the last remaining henchrats ran from the Yard half an hour later. Gasping, the Jellicles gathered around.
"Is everyone OK?" Munkustrap asked. Collective murmurs ran round the gathering. "Jenny, set up a 'hospital' down in the corner near the kits' hideout. You and Jelly can look after the injured and the kits from there. Tell the kits they are NOT TO MOVE," he ordered.
"Well, no-one's dead are they? What happened to the vision?"
"It has not been fulfilled," smiled the twins. "You can sometimes alter them. With hard work." They all cheered.
"Pitiful!" snarled Macavity. "Cats!" he called to his 20 fighters. "The henchrats have not taken out a single one, yet they must be tired from the fight. We move in. Now!"
"Oi dunno, Munku," Mungojerrie worried. "Oi'm no' one ta be a pessimist, bu' sommat ain' riogh'. There were no foightin' cats. Oi ge' th' feelin' tha' was only th' first round…"
"MWAHAAAHAHHA!"
"EVERYONE! BATTLE STATIONS! JENNY! JELLY! STAY WHERE YOU ARE!" Munkustrap roared.
Mungojerrie hissed and tore at two cats who surrounded him. He'd met both while back at Macavity's. "Gotcha!" One howled and fled, blinded by a powerful swipe at the eyes. The other dragged himself out of the Yard with a broken leg. "Two down, 18 ta go," Mungojerrie grinned.
It was just Macavity and Saladin left. The 18 fighting cats had proven their hopelessness and all fled with serious wounds. In contrast, the Jellicles had two in hospital, Bombalurina, with a deep side cut, and Asparagus, with a broken arm. The others were bleeding a little, bruised but still fully functional. Macavity stood up, surrounded on all sides by Jellicles. Saladin was hidden in the shadows on the side of the Yard.
"Ssso, we meet again, Munkustrap!" snarled the Hidden Paw.
Munkustrap didn't answer, but hissed and took up a protective stance.
"How could you possibly think you could beat me, little brother?" chuckled Macavity, and grabbed at Demeter.
A fierce anger welled up inside Munkustrap and he leapt at the red cat, eyes burning and smouldering with venomous hate and distaste. Their bodies hit with a thud and Macavity fell to the ground.
The Silver Tabby had him pinned. Mungojerrie had been right; love had won out over Macavity. Munkustrap's fierce love for Demeter, and everyone else's love. They had all fought so hard to protect their loved ones.
Breathing deeply and holding his half-brother and lifetime enemy, the tribe protector called for magic-proof bindings. But before they were delivered, a black cat leapt forward and pushed Munkustrap off the Hidden Paw. Saladin.
"I usually dispense with blood ties," he smirked evilly, and exacted his revenge on the brother who wouldn't share his fortune. Macavity's pained howl rang through the Yard.
The whole tribe cowered at the sight of the black cat piercing his brother's heart.
And upon killing the conjurer, a change occurred in Saladin. His black fur bristled, and started to change colour. He grew taller, more muscled, and it seemed as if a current surrounded him. His face was now a swirl of many colours, and his fur, red and white with splashes of the rainbow as if someone had dropped a paint tin on him.
The last transformation was his eyes. Once bright baby blue, they were changing to a piercing golden yellow. As the tom straightened up, he was a mirror-image of Macavity.
The tribe gasped collectively. Saladin laughed evilly. "Bow down to Macavity, the Mystery Cat! Saladin exists no longer!"
And Mungojerrie could see that any semblance of humanity that Saladin might've possessed no longer existed in his new form.
"I will return one day, Jellicles. One day…" there was a flash of lightning and he vanished in a huge explosion. Sparks flew everywhere. "EVERYONE DUCK!" howled Munkustrap.
As the sparks cleared, the Junkyard was dark as night. They had fought all the day, and now the sun had set.
And as they tried to find their way around, each was aware that they had witnessed a nightmare: the birth of a new Macavity.
