As the sun dawned, Niameh woke up, realizing with horror that the Jellicles
would be attacked in only a few hours. She turned over and gently shook
Demeter.
"Hmm, Macavity," the black queen mumbled and turned over in her sleep.
"Wake up, Demeter," Niameh whispered, "come on girl. We have to go."
Finally Demeter opened her eyes and squinted at the cream queen. She
had a smile on her face, but when she remembered what had happened
the night before, her smile faded. She sat up in a rush, "The Jellicles!"
"I know. We have to warn them quickly… before Macavity and Tanocor
attack."
The two young queens got up. They noticed the left over food from the
night before and ate a bit, before they quietly sneaked out of their
quarters. The halls were empty as the queens looked for the entrance.
Suddenly voices could be heard, coming closer, and they hid behind a
corner. A couple of toms walked by, talking about the attack. As soon
as the toms had disappeared, Niameh and Demeter continued.
Outside the sun was shining brightly, promising a warm day. The grass
was covered with a fine sheen of dew and sparkled in the sunlight like
crystals. A slight breeze played with the queens' fur as they took of in a
run, hoping that nobody would discover their disappearance anytime soon.
Macavity was in a good mood, when he woke up. Today he would fight
the Jellicles, who had killed his father. He knew that his father had
attacked the Jellicles, when he himself was only a small kitten. His
father had never returned from the attack. Instead the other toms, who
had been in the attack, had returned telling gruesome tales of the Jellicles.
When Macavity had become old enough, he had taken over leadership of
his tribe, just like his father had, back when he was still alive.
The large red tom woke up his brother and when they'd eaten some
breakfast, they decided to go and see, how the two queens were doing.
The toms were talking, as they walked down the halls.
"So Macavity," Tanocor said happily, "today is the day, huh?"
"Yes. Today we fight the Jellicles… for our father."
"And for Niameh and Demeter."
"For them too," the ginger cat agreed, "They are wonderful. I can't
believe that they're really Jellicles."
"They're too good and beautiful to be Jellicles."
The two toms knocked on the door and waited for a response. When
nothing happened they knocked again and finally they cautiously peeked
inside the room.
"They're gone!" Tanocor exclaimed, while Macavity had already run out
of the room to look for the queens. Soon it was obvious that the queens
had left and all the cats started searching for them, while Macavity and
Tanocor stayed back, waiting for news and hoping that the queens would
return of their own will.
"Just a little longer," Demeter panted as they ran up a hill. They would be
able to see the Jellicle lodge when they came to the top of the hill.
When they looked down at the lodge, both queens had tears in their eyes.
So much had happened the last couple of days. They'd just been kittens,
waiting for their Ball. Waiting to become adults, waiting to get mates and
eventually kittens.
Now they were chased by their own tribe, who thought they were traitors.
Their rescuers were probably chasing them too, by now. It was a fine
mess.
would be attacked in only a few hours. She turned over and gently shook
Demeter.
"Hmm, Macavity," the black queen mumbled and turned over in her sleep.
"Wake up, Demeter," Niameh whispered, "come on girl. We have to go."
Finally Demeter opened her eyes and squinted at the cream queen. She
had a smile on her face, but when she remembered what had happened
the night before, her smile faded. She sat up in a rush, "The Jellicles!"
"I know. We have to warn them quickly… before Macavity and Tanocor
attack."
The two young queens got up. They noticed the left over food from the
night before and ate a bit, before they quietly sneaked out of their
quarters. The halls were empty as the queens looked for the entrance.
Suddenly voices could be heard, coming closer, and they hid behind a
corner. A couple of toms walked by, talking about the attack. As soon
as the toms had disappeared, Niameh and Demeter continued.
Outside the sun was shining brightly, promising a warm day. The grass
was covered with a fine sheen of dew and sparkled in the sunlight like
crystals. A slight breeze played with the queens' fur as they took of in a
run, hoping that nobody would discover their disappearance anytime soon.
Macavity was in a good mood, when he woke up. Today he would fight
the Jellicles, who had killed his father. He knew that his father had
attacked the Jellicles, when he himself was only a small kitten. His
father had never returned from the attack. Instead the other toms, who
had been in the attack, had returned telling gruesome tales of the Jellicles.
When Macavity had become old enough, he had taken over leadership of
his tribe, just like his father had, back when he was still alive.
The large red tom woke up his brother and when they'd eaten some
breakfast, they decided to go and see, how the two queens were doing.
The toms were talking, as they walked down the halls.
"So Macavity," Tanocor said happily, "today is the day, huh?"
"Yes. Today we fight the Jellicles… for our father."
"And for Niameh and Demeter."
"For them too," the ginger cat agreed, "They are wonderful. I can't
believe that they're really Jellicles."
"They're too good and beautiful to be Jellicles."
The two toms knocked on the door and waited for a response. When
nothing happened they knocked again and finally they cautiously peeked
inside the room.
"They're gone!" Tanocor exclaimed, while Macavity had already run out
of the room to look for the queens. Soon it was obvious that the queens
had left and all the cats started searching for them, while Macavity and
Tanocor stayed back, waiting for news and hoping that the queens would
return of their own will.
"Just a little longer," Demeter panted as they ran up a hill. They would be
able to see the Jellicle lodge when they came to the top of the hill.
When they looked down at the lodge, both queens had tears in their eyes.
So much had happened the last couple of days. They'd just been kittens,
waiting for their Ball. Waiting to become adults, waiting to get mates and
eventually kittens.
Now they were chased by their own tribe, who thought they were traitors.
Their rescuers were probably chasing them too, by now. It was a fine
mess.
