Part 4

A few more months passed and the fighting began in earnest. Munkustrap and his friends joined the ranks and while Asparagus and Munkustrap steadily started climbing the ladder of command and gaining recognition Admetus and Alonzo still remained mostly under the radar so to speak. Munkustrap had been outraged about it at first, but both of his friends assured him it did not matter to them. As long as they got to fight for their freedom they would be satisfied. The battles were mostly stalemates, but then one morning the Jellicle junkyard was awoken by a shouting from guards down by the Thames.

"Growltiger's got troops on the water", they shouted as they ran from the shores in fear. "Giant troops near our harbour! Giant troops near our harbour! When they surround our troops! They surround our troops! When they surround our troops! Giant troops near our harbour! Giant troops near our harbour! When they surround our troops! They surround our troops! When they surround our troops!"

All of the toms that were fighting in the revolution were on their paws at once and met the enemy head on. Alonzo and Ademtus dove into the fray. As did Asparagus Jr. After making sure his mother and younger siblings were safe. Munkustrap stood watching the battles in fear and sorrow.

"As a kit in the Cardiff I wished for a war", he whispered. "I knew that I was poor, I knew it was the only way to…"

"Rise up", he heard behind him and turned around. Admetus, Asparagus and Alonzo came towards him. Asparagus handed him a belt that they all wore. A belt that was black and white. Like Jellicle cats. Their enemies wore red, Growltiger's favourite colour.

"If they tell my story I am either gonna die on the battlefield in glory or rise up", Munkustrap continued as he tied the belt around his waist. His friends smiled at him.

"Rise up!" they echoed. He saw that they already had blood on their belts and on their claws. They had been fighting and so would he. He turned to them and then a group of young cats cowering nearby.

"We will fight for this land but there's only one tom who can give us a command so we can rise up", he said and his friends smirked. All the troops in the junkyard turned to him and smirked. "Understand? It's the only way to rise up!" Macavity joined them now as well.

"Here he comes!" Munkustrap shouted as a tom walked out on the battlefield, taking the lead.

"Here comes the General!" many cats called. Macavity turned to some of the most scared looking cats. The scaredy cats looked at him as well.

"Ladies and gentletoms!" he called. "The moment you've been waiting for! The pride of the Vicarage Wall! Old Deuteronomy!"

Old Deuteronomy was a grey tom, he was rather old but still held a force within him that was not to be reckoned with. He looked at his gathered troops and the enemies advancing from the water. He turned to his army.

"We are outclawed", he said and looked at his own claws. "Outmanned, outnumbered, outplanned." He looked at his soldiers. "We gotta make an all-out stand ayo, I'm gonna need a right-hand tom!" They all heard whistling through the air. Deuteronomy realized what it was. Growltiger had unleashed his cannons upon them.

"Incoming!" he shouted and the forces took shelter. As he got up he started waving to pull back, but two toms did not. While Alonzo and Asparagus helped civilians and injured cats escape Munkustrap and Admetus advanced forward by creeping from shadow to shadow.

"They're battering down the clearing, check the damages", he called over his shoulder. Asparagus and Alonzo heard him and nodded in understanding.

"Rah!" Admetus replied with a smirk and pointed down the hill. Growltiger's cats were advancing on them.

"We gotta stop 'em and rob 'em of their advantages."

"Rah!"

"Let's take a stand with the stamina EC has granted us. Munkustrap won't abandon ship." He gripped Admetus' shoulder and grinned. "Yo, let's steal their cannons!"

"Shh-boom!" Ademtus replied and they darted from shadow to shadow down to the banks. Getting to it and actually stealing it went smother than either of them had thought. Admetus whistled and a few of their own soldiers ran and helped them. They aimed the cannon, which was actually an old human confetti cannon, towards the oncoming enemy and boom went the cannon, hitting cats running towards the junkyard.

"Boom", Deuteronomy said as he watched from a distance. "Goes the cannon, watch the blood and the shit spray and… Boom goes the cannon, we're abandonin' our bay and… Boom…" The ships on the water had fired at his toms using a cannon and all of them had to flee for their lives. "There's another ship and… We just lost the southern tip and… We gotta run to Soho quick, we can't afford another slip!" He grabbed a young soldier by the shoulders. "Run soldiers giddyup! Retreat! I decide to divvy up my forces, they're skittish as the enemy cut the junkyard up." He saw so many innocent cats fall to the advances. His blew to retreat and his army started running. They ran four hours, through rain and shine and soon they had reached Piccadilly. Deuteronomy told his toms to rest. They had found shelter with another tribe. The wounded got looked after and everyone got a chance to rest.

Deuteronomy looked around at his army, was this the cats that would help him defend the Jellicle junkyard and the whole of London? They were so young, so few. Not many of them seemed to have a clue on what they were doing. They all needed him to lead, but he could not be everywhere at once! He needed a right-hand tom. He sat down on a barrel and watched. He saw Skimbleshanks, Bustopher Jones and a few other high-ranking cats among them. He also noticed a group of four cats. One was a rather small tom with mostly brown fur. He recalled that the tom's name was Asparagus Junior. Right next to him was Admetus, a tailor's apprentice. Admetus was mostly grey and much taller than his friend… and with much broader shoulders as well. He was strong… but maybe not the smartest cat around town. The young tom right next to him however was rumoured to be both skilled and compassionate. He was a black and white patched tom with dark kind eyes. He was right now helping a few young soldiers to a healer. At his side was a cat that Deuteronomy had taken an interest in. He was young. A silver tabby from Cardiff if Deuteronomy had learned correctly. The young tom was exceptionally bright and both Skimbleshanks, Bustopher Jones and Ramses had tried getting the young tom on their staff. He had refused them all. It was he who planned the heist that took the cannon from their enemy and gave them a chance to escape. Deuteronomy turned to a young tom-kit beside him.

"Fetch him for me", he said. The little kitten looked at where he was pointing and darted away. He passed a tall, thin ginger cat on his way.

"Your excellency, sir!" the ginger tom said and saluted him.

"Who are you?" Deuteronomy asked.

"Macavity, Sir. Permission to state my case?"

"As you were."

"Sir, I was a captain under General Shakespear until he was hit by a truck in Liverpool, and well, in summary I think that I could be of some assistance. I admire how you keep firing on the enemy from a distance."

"Huh." Was the only comment given to him by Deuteronomy.

"I have some questions, a couple of suggestions on how to fight instead of fleeing west."

"Yes?"

"Well", Macavity was interrupted by the arrival of that silver tabby.

"Your excellency, you wanted to see me?" the silver tabby asked.

"Munkustrap, come here, have you met Macavity?"

"Yes, sir."

"We keep meeting." The two younger toms said at the same time.

"As I was saying, sir, I look forward to seeing your strategy play out", Macavity said and moved closer.

"Macavity."

"Sir?"

"Don't fall down the hill on your way down." He gave Macavity a look and the ginger tom skulked away down the hill. Munkustrap watched him leave and then turned to Deuteronomy.

"Have I done something wrong, sir?" he asked.

"On the contrary", Deuteronomy replied with a smile. "I called you here because our odds are beyond scary. Your reputation precedes you, but I have to laugh."

"Sir?"

"Munkustrap, how come no one can get you on their staff?"

"Sir!" he rushed forward but Deuteronomy held up his paw.

"Don't get me wrong, you're a young tom, of great renown. I know you stole enemy cannons when we were still downtown. Skimbleshanks and Ramses wanted to hire you…"

"To be their Secretary. I don't think so."

"Why're you upset?"

"I'm not-"

"It's alright, you want to fight, you've got a hunger. I was just like you when I was younger. Head full of fantasies of dyin' like a martyr?"

"Yes", Munkustrap admitted lowly.

"Dying is easy, young tom. Living is harder."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I'm being honest. I'm working with a third of what our allied tribes has promised. We are a powder keg about to explode, I need someone like you to lighten the load. So?" He held his paw out to Munkustrap. Munkustrap stared at said paw, waging an inner battle. Should he take it? Should he become the second in command? Should he become Deuteronomy's right-hand tom? He looked down the hill. He saw Alonzo, Admetus and Asparagus there. They were looking after wounded cats and comforting frightened kittens. If he took this position he could make sure the war was won. If he did this… they could win the revolution! He looked at the general and smirked.

"I am not throwing away my shot!" he said and took the offered paw. Deuteronomy smiled.

"Son, we are outmanned", he said.

"You need all the help you can get now, but not from someone senior." Munkustrap mused and then grinned and pointed down the hill. "I have some friends. Alonzo, Admetus, Asparagus Jr., okay, what else?"

"Outnumbered son, outplanned!"

"We'll need some spies on the inside, some pirates who might let some things slide. I'll write to the other triebes and tell 'em we need supplies, you rally the guys, master the element of surprise. I'll rise above my station, organize your information, 'til we rise to the occasion of our new tribe. Sir!"

Deuteronomy smiled. He had chosen well. From that day forward Munkustrap was never far from his side. Together they planned out attacks and defences against their enemies. They won some, lost some but mostly they won. As they walked amongst their troops other cats would whisper and say:

"Here comes the General! Here comes the General! And his right-hand tom!"

TBC

Okay here is the cast so far:

Hamilton - Munkustrap

Burr - Macavity

Mulligan - Admetus

Lafayette - Asparagus Jr.

Laurens - Alonzo

King George - Growltiger

Angelica - Bombalurina

Eliza - Demeter

Peggy - Victoria

Philip Schuyler - Bustopher Jones

George Washington - Old Deuteronomy