What can I say? I'm hurriedly posting chapters to make up for the four month lapse in chapter postal. (Is that a word?)

Chapter 29 - Aftermath

The entirety of the Jellicle tribe surrounded Macavity's lifeless body. Here lay the remains of the tom who had tormented us so for so very many years. Eventually, Jellylorum had the sense to cover the corpse with a sheet. The crowd moved silently off from the scene.

Munkustrap was in a bad way. He had collapsed shortly after killing his brother, and all of the elder cats were tending to him, and the others injured in the fray. Those among the injured were Munkustrap, Tugger, Alonzo, Plato, Admetus, Bombalurina, Jemima, Pouncival, Tumblebrutus and Coricopat. Demeter was still missing. All of Macavity's henchcats had been killed by the mob of toms. Macavity's reign of terror was over.

I was still in shock over what had happened. I staggered over to Misto, who was standing, mute, staring blankly ahead, unable to believe what had just happened.

"Misto?" I asked tentatively. He turned to look at me, shaking. I pulled him into an embrace, nuzzling him softly. "I was so worried that you had been killed in the fire." I murmured into his ear. He twitched suddenly.

"The fire!" He exclaimed, leaping up and dashing off to the junkyard. After twenty painstaking minutes, he returned, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Well, it is a lot easier to put out all of those fires when there are no henchcats resetting them every few seconds." He smiled weakly. "I've disposed of all of the corpses of the henchcats, and I had enough energy to magically repair most of the damage done on the junkyard. I'll fix the rest tomorrow."

Misto and I sat in silence for several long minutes. I finally plucked up the courage to say to Misto what I have wanted to say for so long. "Misto, I am so sorry. I've been such an idiot. This 'thing' with Macavity has brought me too my senses. I've grown up. I know I've been a stubborn fool, and I resent myself for it. I know you can never forgive me for the pain I've caused you, and I could never expect you to. All I ask is that you give me a second chance. I'm not like I was before. I've made some mistakes; we both have, but can we not put the past in the past and be like we used to? I love you so, so much, and I've been too much of an idiot to see it until now. You once told me that you would love me forever, no matter what, and I just have to know that somewhere inside of you, there is a little piece of your soul that is still devoted to me. What happened to that loving, playful Mistoffelees who used to help me bug Tugger, and who used to play with me and the other kittens? Where is that Mistoffelees who promised me he'd always be there for me, who promised he'd be with me forever, through thick and thin? I don't deserve your forgiveness, the Everlasting Cats knows that, but could you not find it in your heart to forgive your pathetic Caly, who adores you more than all the balls of yarn in the world?" Mistoffelees stared at me, very much astounded.

"Caly...I have no idea what to say..." he began, when Tugger came slowly over to us. I had never seen him this solemn and serious, so adult-like and quiet.

"Misto, I'm so sorry. Cassandra...she was caught in the fire, trapped beneath burning timber. She was alive, but only just, when Admetus and Alonzo pulled her out. She died shortly thereafter." Said Tugger quietly. Misto stared, aghast, tears welling up in his eyes. I know he had hated Cassandra, but even so, to lose someone you had been with for so many weeks must have been hard. Tugger silently left the two of us, to help tend to the injured. Misto looked at me helplessly.

"Calypso, I'm sorry. It can't be right now. Maybe one day, but not now." He said, before hurrying off to magically heal the wounded, repair damage, and generally do anything to keep his mind off of his dead girlfriend. He blamed himself for her death, I knew, and I could not see how he wouldn't. After all, he had been the one putting out the fires. Had he put out the fire that was slowly consuming Cassandra, she would have made it. He hadn't even gotten to say a final goodbye. He was overwhelmed with grief, and his sadness lapsed over into me. I felt his pain, his burden. As much as I loathed Cassandra, and had dreamed of her dying, I didn't actually want her gone. As pretentious as she was, she was a part of the junkyard, and there was an empty hole where she should have been. I stood silently on the sidelines, watching the Jellicles repair the damage to their beloved junkyard. I myself couldn't help but feel guilt for the destruction of our home, the injury of my fellow Jellicles, and the death of my arch-enemy. I had been the one who betrayed Demeter to Macavity, and caused this whole incident. I felt so out of place now. Ever since I had arrived in this tribe I had caused problems. But no more running away. I was going to stand up and take responsibility. I walked up to Munkustrap, who was back on his feet, slightly wobbling, but nonetheless healthy again.

"Munkus, what can I do to help?"