"I don't like this."
"What, are you scared?"
"No..."
"We'll be fine, Munk."
"We're not supposed to leave the junkyard."
"Nobody will know we're gone."
"We'll get in trouble."
"I told you, they won't know."
"What if..."
Macavity groaned.
"What?"
"What if we're attacked? There are pollicles out here."
"Then we'll defend ourselves," Macavity said. "I have powers, remember? I'd like to see those mangy things try to touch us. I'll make it burst into flames or something."
Munkustrap shuddered.
Mac didn't mean it, right?
He sighed, following his friend. When Mac wanted to do something, there wasn't much anyone could do to change his mind.
For the longest time, it had been just the two of them in the nursery. They had grown up together due to circumstance, with Macavity's parents dead and Munkustrap's uninvolved, the two toms often depended on each other for company.
Munk was the first one to find out about Macavity's magic and was always impressed at the things he could do. His charms and vexes became more elaborate as they aged, and more dangerous as well. Accidents have happened, with varying degrees of destruction. Much of the clan was enthralled, but this feeling was not entirely universal. Even Munk had to admit his powers could be construed as threatening. But Mac was his friend. His brother. Whatever damage he caused couldn't be intentional.
He hoped.
With time, however, came change. Jennyanydots had acted as a surrogate parent of sorts to the two of them, but this role became less prominent after her own children were born. Alonzo and Admetus gave the two older kits some company, at least Munkustrap thought so. Jellylorum's litter, Demeter and Bombalurina, followed shortly after which further increased the number of suitable playmates. Mac seemed entirely less impressed that there were other kits that Munk and the adults were paying attention to.
Even Munk had to admit he was spending less time around the ginger tom-kit lately. As he had gotten older, his father and Percy had taken more of an interest in him. He now spent several days a week training to be a future protector.
"Do you know where we're going, Mac?" the grey tabby asked after several minutes of aimless walking.
"I don't know," he said in return. "I just want to explore. Aren't you interested at all?"
"I mean...yes. But, well...we're not..."
"Supposed to be out here, I know," Macavity cut in. "But we're not going to be full toms for a while and I'm sick of just sitting in the junkyard. It's boring."
"It's safe," Munkustrap insisted.
Mac stopped, turning to face the grey tabby.
"See? This is why you shouldn't be protector. You're scared of everything."
Munkustrap bristled.
"I'm not scared. I'm being smart. It's dangerous..."
"Yeah? And you know what else is dangerous? Pollicle's and Pekes and rats and humans and other cats. These are all the things you're going to have to protect the tribe from when you're in charge. If anything, I'm helping you out. Think of it as preparation."
Munkustrap sighed.
"There's a difference between defending yourself from danger and seeking it out," he responded, trying to keep his voice level.
Macavity snorted.
"Did Old Deuteronomy tell you that?"
"Percy, actually."
The ginger tom-kit shook his head.
"This is why I should be protector. I'm more powerful than anyone else in the junkyard."
Munkustrap watched as his friend tore into the weeds beneath him.
"I mean, you're my best friend," Macavity continued, "but the only reason you're in this position in the first place is because you're Old Deuteronomy's kit."
"That's...not true."
The ginger tom-kit laughed harshly.
"Oh yes it is. We all know it."
"Percy's protector right now and he's not related..."
"That's because Old Deuteronomy didn't have any other kits at the time," he interrupted.
Munkustrap bit his tongue, trying not to let his friend's venomous words get to him. Macavity had always been impulsive and harsh with his language, never stopping to think about the impact of what he was saying to other cats. Or perhaps he did, and simply didn't care. Regardless, it stung the grey tabby, who had futilely hoped that his friend would be supportive of his increasing position in the clan.
However, he couldn't help but think that Mac was right. Nepotism certainly played a part in Old Deuteronomy's choice, and Munkustrap spent many sleepless nights trying to live up to his father's expectations of him. Having a friend who was capable of literal magic didn't help with his budding inferiority complex, nor his already panic-prone disposition. He had spent much, if not all, of his kit-hood walking in Macavity's much larger shadow, and he knew it was time to establish himself separately from him. While he knew that spending more time away from the ginger tom was upsetting to him, perhaps it would ultimately be for the best.
"Look," Mac said, breaking the silence that fell over the two toms. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that stuff. Forgive me?"
Munk didn't want to, but he was too tired to protest. Sometimes giving into Macavity's demands were easier than going against them. Stuff like this happened all too frequently of late, with them arguing over something and Macavity apologizing as if Munkustrap shouldn't harp on anything he did or said. Except that the grey tabby did. Constantly. His tendency to overthink things will be his downfall if it continued.
He gave his companion a weak nod, and the two continued in their journey in silence.
"Hey, do you want to see something cool?" Macavity finally asked.
Munk looked up.
"What?"
"I've been practicing. Moving things with my mind, that is."
"Oh?"
He nodded.
"I can move really heavy things now. Want to see?"
Munk raised an eyebrow.
"What are you going to move?"
Macavity smirked.
"See that tree over there?"
The two toms had wandered into what looked like a park. Since it was nighttime the area was quite empty and eerily silent. The tree that Macavity indicated was one of many that lined the perimeter. It was also very large and looked sturdy enough for at least several of the human kits to climb on.
"There's no way, Mac. Look at it. It's much too large..."
"Please," Mac snorted. "My powers are growing every day. It'll be easy."
"But what if you hit someone?"
"Do you see anyone else out here?"
"No, but..."
"Then shut up. I'm concentrating."
Munk shook his head. This was a bad idea. Trees like that would make a large noise when toppled over. He didn't want to draw any attention to himself.
Macavity stood rigidly, laser focused on the tree. Several moments passed and nothing seemed to be happening.
"Maybe we should..."
"Shut. Up."
Munk groaned, planting himself on the ground. If he was going to be here a while, he didn't want to be standing. Another couple of minutes passed in silence, Munk hoping that this would be a long enough time for Macavity to get bored and leave. He could see his friend getting more frustrated by his lack of progress in moving the tree.
The ginger tom-kit let out a large howl as a flash of lightening burst through the sky, briefly illuminating the park.
Munkustrap gasped as he watched the scene unfold. The lightening made contact with the tree, which subsequently burst into flames before toppling over.
"Ha! I did it!" His companion exclaimed. "I told you I could, didn't I?"
Munkustrap was still trying to catch his breath.
"You...you never mentioned the lighting. Since when could you do that?"
The larger tom shrugged.
"I don't know. Now was the first time. Pretty cool though, right? I mean look how much damage I did!"
The grey tabby shook his head.
"I think we should go," he mumbled.
"Why? I'm just getting started."
"We're drawing attention to ourselves!"
"So?"
Macavity grasped the smaller tom by his scruff and began to half-carry, half-drag him over to the fallen tree.
"Mac!"
"I just want to look, that's all."
"We can see it from here!"
Macavity released his grip on him when they reached a close enough proximity. The flames had mostly died out, leaving only a couple of dying sparks.
"Can you believe it?" the ginger tom-kit said gleefully. "I have to try it again."
Munkustrap rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.
"Not now, please?"
"What are you so afraid of Munk?"
"I told you, I'm not...you know what? I'm leaving. I'm done."
"Wait a second..."
"No," he hissed as he turned back towards the junkyard. He began to make his way around the tree when he felt something that didn't feel like ground. In fact, it felt furry. Furry and wet.
He looked down to find that the two of them were not alone in the park. There was another cat, lying pinned beneath the trunk of the fallen tree and the ground below. His eyes were closed but Munkustrap could still see the slight rise and fall of his chest. He was still breathing, which meant he was still alive. The wetness he felt looked to be the blood that was seeping from the open wounds gracing the tom's chest where the branches must have scraped him.
"Mac!" he hissed. "There's...there's another cat. Under the tree!"
"What?"
Munk bent down, placing his paw gently on the cat. He looked young, perhaps not much older than himself.
"Hello?" he whispered. "Can you hear me?"
He felt Macavity yank his arm away from the wounded tom.
"What are you doing?" he snarled.
Munkustrap whipped around to face his companion.
"I'm trying to help. Maybe if we work together we can get him out..."
"Are you insane? It's too heavy for us to move..."
"Then we should go get help!"
"What help? We don't know anyone out here..."
"The Junkyard isn't that far away. Jenny will know what to do."
"Absolutely not."
Munk narrowed his eyes.
"Why not?"
Mac pointed at the injured tom.
"He's going to die, Munk. Look at him. We need to leave now and pretend this never happened."
"But he's still..."
"Not for long," Macavity interrupted. "If anything, I should kill him now to put him out of his suffering."
Munkustrap blinked the tears from his eyes.
"We need to try, Mac."
The ginger tom-kit shook his head.
"Do you realize what would happen if the tribe found out about us leaving tonight? How disappointed they'd be? How would your father look at you, now that you've disobeyed him?"
"But..."
"They'll put guards on us day and night. They'll never trust us again, do you realize? I'm not about to let you trap me in the junkyard for who knows how long."
"There is a life on the line, Mac!"
"No there isn't! Look at him! You're sacrificing our freedom for someone who is already dead!"
He took in a deep breath before placing his paw on the smaller cat's shoulder.
"Let me handle this, Munk," he said softly. "It's for the best, I promise. Nothing that happened tonight was our fault."
The grey tabby didn't believe him. It was Macavity's fault. And... and it was his as well.
"I'm still going to ask Jenny for help," he said firmly. "It's the right thing to do."
Macavity growled, shaking his head.
"Think of it this way, then. Say that we do get him out. And say that somehow he lives. I mean, what if he saw me conjure the lightning? I bet he'll talk. We don't know who he is or who he knows. What if he tells the junkyard what I've done here? What if Old Deuteronomy and Percy decide I'm dangerous and kick me out?"
"They won't..."
"Oh, but you don't know that, do you? A protector has to protect the clan after all. My powers are dangerous, aren't they?"
"They can be, but..." Munk sputtered, trailing off.
"You won't let them kick me out, will you Munk?" Macavity cut in. "You don't want me living on the streets. Having to beg for food? For a home?"
"Of course n-"
"And what if he tells other cats about me, outside the junkyard? What if they come after me as well? How can you be so selfish Munk? Aren't you thinking of my safety?" Macavity snarled.
Munkustrap suddenly felt extremely light headed. He sank to the ground as the world spun around him. Mac bent down, giving him a quick lick to the ear.
"We're friends, aren't we Munk?" He whispered.
The grey tabby struggled to intake air. The only thing he could do was nod as he tried to stop the world from spinning.
"Then you know why we need to do this," Macavity said, rising from his spot.
Munkustrap could only watch as Macavity focused on one of the small flames still flickering within the cracks on the bark, chanting some things that he couldn't make out. Soon the flame grew, larger and larger, before it engulfed the whole tree and the injured tom along with it.
Munk's tears ran freely now. This...this shouldn't have happened. They shouldn't have been out here.
Even besides that, he should've stopped Macavity from doing magic. He should've checked that the area was clear. He should've tried to find help...
Everlasting cat, why was he so weak?
Macavity drew the grey tabby near him with his tail as they made their journey home, offering words of comfort, of reassurance that they did the right thing.
But most importantly, he told him, nobody would have to know what had happened that night.