Chapter One
There was a promise of rain in the air. The wind was strong, and cold. I sat, wishing that the sun would appear. Thinking, that maybe, just maybe, if I wished, and believed hard enough, the Great Everlasting Cat would make the sun smile upon me, so I could feel it's warmth. I was so naive and stupid then. I would look only for the good qualities of life, and if I found bad ones, I pushed them into the back of my mind, and locked them away as if they did not exist. That is one mistake I will never make again. I had been sitting on an old, lumpy sofa. The springs were sticking out of it, and into my skin, making me uncomfortable. I was confused. I could not understand why the sun wasn't coming up. I stomped my foot impatiently. From behind me came a yowl of pain, and the soft furry foot that had been crushed under my toes was yanked away. I turned to see Munkustrap, future leader of the Jellicle tribe, hopping up and down on one foot, yelping in agony. I found it extremely amusing. I tried to smother the noise with my paws, but failed. I giggling helplessly. Munkustrap, still holding his wounded foot, glared down at me. I tried once again to stifle the giggles, but it didn't help. To make matters worse, Munkustrap lost his balance, and fell face first, into the still soft earth. Munku lifted his face, which was now coated in mud, and tried unsuccessfully to wipe off the mess. He then buried his face in his paws, and began to blubber like an infant. He was such a spoiled brat, but back when I was young, I found his fake charm, and sweetness, cute. I stopped laughing, and shyly began to clean his face. That was his chance. Unleashing his claws, he slashed them down my arm, and I screamed in pain. His brother, Alonzo, and his buddies jumped out from their hiding spot behind the great tire, and flew at me. They chased me far out of the safety of the junkyard. I ran blindly, hoping, praying that they would give up. They did. I kept on running, just in case. I finally had to stop. I could almost hear my legs, and lungs screaming in pain. I fell to the cold stone alley street, breathing heavily, and trying to calm down. Suddenly, two dark shadows blocked what little sunlight I was getting, and began to move towards me. I looked up. I lost my breath. Standing before me, was the handsomest tom I had ever seen in my whole short life. His eyes were ice blue, and just as cold, though they widen slightly, as they came to rest on my face. His fur was long, and unkept, but looked very soft, and warm. He licked his lips. His teeth were white, and looked razor sharp, and very dangerous. I gulped. I turned to the larger, older looking tom. He looked even more menacing then the young ginger. He had a filthy gray and black fur coat, with burs, and garbage stuck to it. He smiled evilly. His teeth were yellow, and rotting. His muddy brown eyes were blood shot, and he smelled of cat nip. I tried to back away, but the older one grabbed my arm. I cried out, as the claws, looking, and feeling like broken glass sunk into my tender skin. He smelled repulsive, and I thought that if I didn't get fresh air very soon, I was going to be sick. Suddenly, the old tom dropped me, and fell to his nee's, moaning. I looked up to see the ginger's fingers placed on one of the tender places on your neck. He growled.
"Leave her alone Timber Rat Or else.", I was shocked. His voice was deep, and beautiful. The old one, Timber, nodded quickly, pain distorting his ugly face. The ginger let go of him. "Now get.", He ordered. Timber ran down the alley, and disappeared down a corner. I watched him go, and then turned to look up at the ginger tom. I was surprised. He was very slim, and much taller then I had anticipated. "Tha. . . thank you.", I stammered. He continued to star down at me. His beautiful eyes held me captive. I could not move, I could not speak, hell, I could barely even think strait. He dropped to one knee, and looked at my wrist. "You'll be all. . .", His voice trailed off, and I saw that his eyes had traveled up my arm, to the large, deep gash that Munku had made. It was still bleeding, and looked like it wasn't going to stop any time soon. "Jesus Christ," He looked into my eyes. "Who did this to you?" I held his gaze for only a moment, then looked at the ground. He took hold of my chin in his hand, and forced me to look into his eyes again. "Who did this to you?", He pressed.
"Munkustrap." I answered, then broke down sobbing. He growled lowly. He began to stand, but I grabbed his arm. "Don, don't hur, hurt him. Please.", I begged. He looked at me a moment, then a thoughtful look came over his face. He bent down, and scooped me up into his arms with ease. Taken aback, I circled my arms around his neck, and held on for dear life. Realizing what I was doing, I blushed, and pulled back from his chest.
"I can walk.", I mumbled. He grinned.
"I beg to differ."
"Who are you?", I asked. "Macavity." He answered softly, and we continued on in silence.
There was a promise of rain in the air. The wind was strong, and cold. I sat, wishing that the sun would appear. Thinking, that maybe, just maybe, if I wished, and believed hard enough, the Great Everlasting Cat would make the sun smile upon me, so I could feel it's warmth. I was so naive and stupid then. I would look only for the good qualities of life, and if I found bad ones, I pushed them into the back of my mind, and locked them away as if they did not exist. That is one mistake I will never make again. I had been sitting on an old, lumpy sofa. The springs were sticking out of it, and into my skin, making me uncomfortable. I was confused. I could not understand why the sun wasn't coming up. I stomped my foot impatiently. From behind me came a yowl of pain, and the soft furry foot that had been crushed under my toes was yanked away. I turned to see Munkustrap, future leader of the Jellicle tribe, hopping up and down on one foot, yelping in agony. I found it extremely amusing. I tried to smother the noise with my paws, but failed. I giggling helplessly. Munkustrap, still holding his wounded foot, glared down at me. I tried once again to stifle the giggles, but it didn't help. To make matters worse, Munkustrap lost his balance, and fell face first, into the still soft earth. Munku lifted his face, which was now coated in mud, and tried unsuccessfully to wipe off the mess. He then buried his face in his paws, and began to blubber like an infant. He was such a spoiled brat, but back when I was young, I found his fake charm, and sweetness, cute. I stopped laughing, and shyly began to clean his face. That was his chance. Unleashing his claws, he slashed them down my arm, and I screamed in pain. His brother, Alonzo, and his buddies jumped out from their hiding spot behind the great tire, and flew at me. They chased me far out of the safety of the junkyard. I ran blindly, hoping, praying that they would give up. They did. I kept on running, just in case. I finally had to stop. I could almost hear my legs, and lungs screaming in pain. I fell to the cold stone alley street, breathing heavily, and trying to calm down. Suddenly, two dark shadows blocked what little sunlight I was getting, and began to move towards me. I looked up. I lost my breath. Standing before me, was the handsomest tom I had ever seen in my whole short life. His eyes were ice blue, and just as cold, though they widen slightly, as they came to rest on my face. His fur was long, and unkept, but looked very soft, and warm. He licked his lips. His teeth were white, and looked razor sharp, and very dangerous. I gulped. I turned to the larger, older looking tom. He looked even more menacing then the young ginger. He had a filthy gray and black fur coat, with burs, and garbage stuck to it. He smiled evilly. His teeth were yellow, and rotting. His muddy brown eyes were blood shot, and he smelled of cat nip. I tried to back away, but the older one grabbed my arm. I cried out, as the claws, looking, and feeling like broken glass sunk into my tender skin. He smelled repulsive, and I thought that if I didn't get fresh air very soon, I was going to be sick. Suddenly, the old tom dropped me, and fell to his nee's, moaning. I looked up to see the ginger's fingers placed on one of the tender places on your neck. He growled.
"Leave her alone Timber Rat Or else.", I was shocked. His voice was deep, and beautiful. The old one, Timber, nodded quickly, pain distorting his ugly face. The ginger let go of him. "Now get.", He ordered. Timber ran down the alley, and disappeared down a corner. I watched him go, and then turned to look up at the ginger tom. I was surprised. He was very slim, and much taller then I had anticipated. "Tha. . . thank you.", I stammered. He continued to star down at me. His beautiful eyes held me captive. I could not move, I could not speak, hell, I could barely even think strait. He dropped to one knee, and looked at my wrist. "You'll be all. . .", His voice trailed off, and I saw that his eyes had traveled up my arm, to the large, deep gash that Munku had made. It was still bleeding, and looked like it wasn't going to stop any time soon. "Jesus Christ," He looked into my eyes. "Who did this to you?" I held his gaze for only a moment, then looked at the ground. He took hold of my chin in his hand, and forced me to look into his eyes again. "Who did this to you?", He pressed.
"Munkustrap." I answered, then broke down sobbing. He growled lowly. He began to stand, but I grabbed his arm. "Don, don't hur, hurt him. Please.", I begged. He looked at me a moment, then a thoughtful look came over his face. He bent down, and scooped me up into his arms with ease. Taken aback, I circled my arms around his neck, and held on for dear life. Realizing what I was doing, I blushed, and pulled back from his chest.
"I can walk.", I mumbled. He grinned.
"I beg to differ."
"Who are you?", I asked. "Macavity." He answered softly, and we continued on in silence.