"My father sent for you, didn't he? Didn't he? I thought he might try smuggling me out one of these days, but to go behind my back and get someone else…"
Electra had offered little resistance to the pair of matched felines who'd shown up and insisted she accompany them. Somehow, though she couldn't explain it, she'd known just from looking at them that they were from that Junkyard place Macavity talked about as if it were Heaviside on earth. Which meant they were some of his friends. Which meant that she couldn't let the henchcats notice them or there'd be trouble; for their own safety, she told herself, she'd go with them…but she'd come back, first opportunity she found.
It didn't stop her from loudly complaining once they were well away from the warehouse. "This is the most low-down, sneaky trick I ever…"
"He did not send for us," interrupted the queen.
"Come off it, of course he—"
"Young one," cut in the tom in a much sharper tone, ignoring his sister's disapproving glance, "kindly shut up."
That shocked Electra into silence for the moment. No one had ever said such a thing to her, as far as she could recollect. Oh, they all shouted at each other plenty, but no one dared shout at her or they'd be sure to get into trouble with the Leader. And his Lady was always watching to be certain they always treated Electra with respect.
"We are friends of your father's," the queen explained more gently. "I am Tantomile, and this is Coricopat. We are…"
"Twins, even a blind cat could see that," Electra chortled. "You look even more alike than my mum and her twin!"
"This is no time for silliness," Coricopat glared. "I understood you had acquired more discipline in that…place, than you are presently displaying."
Electra waved a paw dismissively. "If you mean all the bowing and scraping and big words—that's totally for the henches." Her face grew horrified. "Or does everyone do that in the junkyard as well and get in trouble for nothing?"
"Please, Cori," Tantomile placed a placating paw on her brother's shoulder, "she's only a kit, remember, and we're safe enough for the moment…"
Coricopat blew out a long sigh. "I am concerned for the safety of your father and mother and our other friends," he offered Electra by way of apology.
"So'm I," she shrugged, then frowned. "So…why have you taken me away?"
"Safety," Coricopat repeated, as if stating the obvious.
"But it makes no odds if I'm safe when my parents are still in danger! I want to help!"
"The best help you can give them is to keep out of the way," he told her bluntly. The two stood toe-to-toe glaring at each other for a moment.
"Anyway," Electra resumed, "what makes you think the danger is that bad? True, I always figured the others would be mighty put out with Dad for abandoning the tribe, but it's not as if he had no defenses. Besides, they won't dare try anything too drastic, no matter what he does. You've heard of his powers, haven't you? They're all awfully afraid of his powers, and so they might protest a little, and some of'em might fight, but he'll soon deal with them and walk away with no problem. And if they should think of following us to the 'yard and trying anything, why—he can just use his powers again." She grinned. "Hope you all know that with my dad around, we'll none of us have to worry about predators or much of anything else really. 'Course, he hardly ever uses'em—he's afraid of 'abusing his powers,' whatever that means. So he and Mum have always made me be careful how I talk and what I say, in case any of the henches should get angry and try anything and make Dad have to kill'em. He hates killing. Actually, he never has killed, only threatened to—mostly he just locks people up when they're bad and lets'em out later." She shrugged, as if all this were the most normal thing in the world. Tantomile listened to her with a pained expression. Of course she had known Mack couldn't fully shield his daughter from the henchcats' ways, and there was only so much he could change without having a rebellion on his paws; even still, it was difficult to hear. "So, you see," Electra concluded, "there's really not anything much to worry about, maybe a small scuffle and that's it. But I might have known my parents'd be paranoid and send me away anyway."
"Actually it wasn't their idea at all," Tantomile said carefully, exchanging a worried look with her brother. Then MacVitie hasn't fully explained the nature of his 'powers.' Ought we be the ones to tell her?
"Then why come and get me at all?" Electra exclaimed, stamping a paw. "Now they'll think I've been kitnapped or…"
"No, we've sent another of our friends to tell your father," said Coricopat.
"But why poke your noses in without even being asked?" fumed the queenkit, on the verge of simply turning and running back the way they'd come. "Shouldn't I have some say in this?"
Coricopat looked appealingly at his sister, as if at a loss how to proceed. Electra smirked, figuring she'd really stumped them now, and they'd just have to take her back and quit interfering.
But then Tantomile told her, "There's much more danger than you or your parents realize. The henchcats are divided as to their feelings about your father, and some of them plan to rebel, rather than wait for—"
"And like I said, my dad can deal with it," Electra interrupted. "Anyway, how can you know that?"
Coricopat and Tantomile looked at each other. "Well…"
"Don't tell me," Electra rolled her eyes. "You're psychic."
"Yes," Coricopat answered simply.
Electra shook her head in disbelief. "You're just saying that so I'll go with you…"
"Then how did we know your name? Besides," Tantomile pointed out, "you believe in your father's powers."
"Lightning powers are one thing, mind powers are completely different," said Electra obstinately.
"There is…no logic in that whatsoever," Coricopat said, gaping at her. In some ways this queenkit seemed wise beyond her years; in others, she seemed a complete and utter dolt. Knowing Tantomile wouldn't like it, but seeing no alternative, he reached out to the kitten's mind. You just might want to start listening to us, unless you wish to end up dead.
Electra jumped, letting out a small squeak. She glanced back and forth between the twins. Leaning over to Tantomile she whispered, "How…how did he…say that without moving his mouth?"
"He said it in your mind," Tantomile informed her, though looking disapprovingly at her brother. "Ordinarily we do not do that to cats without permission, unless they are enemies, but…he evidently saw no other way of convincing you."
"And…you can do that with anyone? You can speak to them or...or hear them?"
"Only if they are open-minded—either from willingness to hear us, or simple innocent lack of awareness of any need to hide anything. Most cats have some barriers up. For example, we can catch the gist of the henchcats' intentions, but cannot delve into their innermost thoughts—to the point of hearing or sending full sentences."
"I force myself not to say certain things out loud around the henchcats all the time," Electra confided, awe-struck by this whole concept, "but I never thought about needing to guard my mind. What if one of them is psychic too, and is using that against my dad? Can you tell anything about that?"
Can we tell you once we get to the Junkyard? Or do you still not believe us that there's anything the matter?
"Stop that, Cori," Tantomile scolded.
"I actually find it fascinating," Electra giggled, albeit somewhat nervously. "Fine," she sighed, "you've convinced me I should at least hear what you have to say. I'll come with you. But," she threatened, "if I decide my parents need me more than I need to be 'safe' at the 'yard, just you try and stop me going back…"
"You're the one who keeps saying they can handle everything," said Coricopat.
"And you're the one," Electra countered, "trying to convince me they can't."
"Just listen to the pair of you," Tantomile sighed. "Let's get moving."
