(author's note) Yet another long chapter, but worth reading. And there is more. I promise ya'll that. =^.".^=
*three days later*
Jemima and Victoria sat together on the tire. They had been chatting for a while about whatever subject came up. Jemima suddenly noticed her mate sitting just outside the entrance of their sleeping quarters. He appeared to be in profound meditation.
"Victoria," she said. "Have you noticed anything different about Misto lately?"
The white queen followed her friend's gaze to the magical cat.
"Actually, I have. What have you noticed?"
"Well, for the past few days he's been so quiet, so isolated."
Jemima was trying to find the right words to describe what she had observed.
"More vague and aloof than usual. Do you know what I mean?"
Victoria nodded.
"I understand and I agree completely. It's like he's trying his best to avoid us. Two days ago, he asked me if I minded having him for a brother."
"That's strange. Yesterday, he asked me if I ever regretted becoming his mate."
The two queens stared at each other, then back at Mistoffelees. Jemima sighed.
"It's like he's lost all of his self esteem. Has he ever been like this before?"
"No," answered the white queen. "I mean, he's always been shy, but never like this."
"I've asked him so many times if there is something wrong. He'll either look the other way or insist that there's nothing to worry about. I wonder if it's something I did. Maybe I'm the one he's angry at."
Victoria looked at her friend in surprise.
"Certainly not Jemima!"
"I'm beginning to wonder if our relationship is really as strong as I thought it was," said the queen sadly. "Maybe we shouldn't be together anymore. Maybe it was never meant to be."
"Oh Jemima, don't say that!"
Victoria wrapped a kind arm around her friend.
"You love him don't you?"
"With all of my heart."
"And Misto loves you."
"He did once," said Jemima, her pretty green eyes flooded with tears.
"He still does. He loves you Jem. He loves you more than anything."
"Oh Vic, I'm just not so sure of that anymore!"
Victoria gently hugged her friend. Jemima buried her face in her paws and cried.
=^.".^=
Victoria walked over to her brother and stood next to him for quite some time. He did not seem to know she was there.
"Misto?" she said at last.
He did not reply.
"Misto!"
This time, the magical cat snapped to attention. His eyes widened when he saw her.
"Victoria! I'm so sorry! I didn't hear you coming!"
The queen thought that he was on the verge of a panic.
"Misto calm down! It's fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure."
She sat down next to her brother who responded by moving over as far as he could to give her more room.
"We need to talk," said Victoria noting this strange action. "There's something bothering you and frankly, it's affecting all of us."
Misto turned his head.
"Jemima thinks that you are mad at her for some reason."
"She does? I could never be angry at her. She's done nothing!"
"Well she thinks she has," answered the queen. "She's even wondering if you two should stay together at all. She thinks you don't love her anymore."
"That's not true!" insisted Mistoffelees. "I love her more than all the world times a million!"
"Well that's not the impression she's getting."
The tuxedo bowed his head but said nothing.
"Misto what's wrong? I know there's something bothering you. What is it?"
When her brother did not answer, Victoria rose to her feet.
"Fine, don't tell me, but at least talk to Jemima!"
With that, she walked away. Misto watched her leave. He knew she was right. He had to talk to Jemima, but he didn't know what to say. His mind was a mess of thought and he wanted to clean it up first. He decided to take a walk to his clearing. He hadn't been there since the guard cats left three days earlier. Perhaps, being alone would help him clear his head. He got up and started on his way.
=^.".^=
Soon, Misto found himself in his clearing. The good, familiar clearing. Far enough away that the sounds from the jellicle tribe could not be heard. Big enough that he could dance as much as he desired. His good, familiar clearing.
He was glad that he was alone. He really needed to think. He had never meant to hurt Jemima in any way. He loved her. He loved her more than anything. He remembered when he saw her for the first time. He had only been a jellicle for a day. He remembered seeing her and not being able to take his eyes off of her. She was the most beautiful queen he had ever seen. The next thing he knew, she was walking up to him! She introduced herself! He was not sure what to say. He smiled and bowed to her. She smiled back! That's when he knew that she was the queen he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
That dream had come true. They had become mates. He loved her so much. The thought never occurred to him that their relationship would fade. He could not imagine life without her. He couldn't let her leave. He would do anything. He knew that it was his own fault that she felt the way she did. He needed to tell her the truth. He needed to assure her that she meant everything to him. He needed to tell her that he loved her. The magical tom had made up his mind. He would return to the tribe's clearing and do just that. The love that he and Jemima shared was just too precious to throw away.
He turned around with the intention of going back.
He found himself face to face with the leader of the guard cats. Misto started to run the other way, but before he could take a single step, the brown toms had surrounded him. He slowly turned back to Vor, an angry fire burning in his eyes.
"We just got back and wanted to see if you were still here," said the leader. "When you were, we thought we'd stop and say hello."
"Then say it and go away," came the tuxedo's bland reply.
"Do you remember what we told you when we left, or do you need reminding?"
"I remember."
"Then why are you still here?"
Misto couldn't help but shudder as the guard cats each took a step toward him.
"You have no right to make me leave! This is my home!"
"Not for long it isn't!"
Suddenly, Tak grabbed Misto's wrist and yanked it up behind his back, clamping a paw over his mouth.
"You should've gotten out while you had the chance magical cat!" he hissed.
Mistoffelees raised his free paw over his head and snapped before anyone could stop him. Tak hissed in frustration as the black tom vanished.
"Where is it?" demanded Vor.
"There it is!"
The brown toms looked toward where Kent was pointing. They saw Mistoffelees standing not to far away from them. Misto panicked when he realized that he'd been spotted. He turned around and dashed toward the tribe's clearing with the guard cats close behind.
Misto ran as fast as he could, trying not to lose his breath. He could hear the brown toms catching up. He glanced behind him to see how far they were. That small moment was all Vor needed. He rammed into the magical cat's side, sending him tumbling to the ground.
In a flash, the others caught up with them. Tak picked up the tuxedo by the fur on his chest and slashed him across the face as hard as he could. Misto flailed his arm trying to stay on his feet. Someone wrapped an arm tightly around his neck. The black tom gasped for breath. He tried to get away, but the tom's grip was only made tighter. He drove his elbow hard into his attacker's stomach. He then turned and slashed him across the face. Golb screeched and rubbed his cheek where he had been struck.
Mistoffelees suddenly felt a stinging pain across his back. Stifling a cry, he turned around to see Layf holding a broken bottle, it's sharp edges dripping with blood.
Another guard cat slashed Misto across the face. The black tom managed to keep his balance but, before he had time to think, Vor and Tak had each taken hold of his wrists and began to pull, each in an opposite direction from the other. Misto groaned. He felt sure that they would rip him apart in a matter of seconds.
Suddenly, Vor released his grip and both Mistoffelees and Tak fell to the ground. The tuxedo was quick to regain his feet. He held a paw above his head and got ready to snap. Layf quickly grabbed his wrist and pulled it down. Kent grabbed his other wrist. Misto clenched his teeth and tried not to groan as he felt them sink their claws deep into his fingers.
"Try to disappear now magical cat!" laughed Kent.
He grabbed Mistoffelees by the fur and threw him to the ground. Misto couldn't help but let out small cries of pain as the guard cats stomped on his paws and back, making them bleed heavier. He felt a sudden stabbing in his right leg just above his knee. He turned his head and looked up to see that Golb was fastening his collar around his leg with the spikes down. Misto slashed at him trying to get him to stop, but was stopped himself when Vor kicked him in the jaw.
"Oh! Well! I never! Was there ever a cat so clever as Magical Mr. Mistoffelees?" sang the guard cats as the dazed Misto spat out a mouthful of blood.
Layf lifted him by the fur and slashed him across the face. Misto recovered quickly and managed to back away from the brown toms. He waved his paws and shot a bolt of lightning toward them. The smell of burning flesh filled the air and Mistoffelees yowled painfully. The lightning disappeared as he pulled back his burned paw. The blood that covered it had turned black and still sizzled. Layf had fallen under the force of the lightning, but was quickly scrambling to his feet.
A guard cat that Misto did not see slashed him across the face.
Through blurred vision, the tuxedo saw Tak running up to him with the broken bottle clutched in his paw. Misto saw him slice it through the air and then felt a stinging pain. He looked down to see a big horizontal cut across his stomach. He pushed Tak out of the way and again ran toward the tribe. Kent hurled a rock at him. Misto groaned as it hit his back, but he kept running. His paws pressed over the cut on his stomach that would not stop bleeding. He could feel blood dripping down his cheeks. The cuts badly stung, but he forced himself to ignore them.
He heard a shout from behind. The next thing he knew, he had fallen under the weight of Golb.
The other guard cats gathered around him like lions who had taken down their prey and were coming in for the feast. Mistoffelees could feel their sharp claws sinking into his flesh. He cried out in pain as he felt deep cuts being made all over his body. He shielded his face with his arms, but could still feel their claws slash his cheeks and forehead.
Not only would they swipe their claws through his skin, but they'd dig their fingers deep into the cuts and rip them open exposing as much flesh as they could.
Once, the magical cat dared to open his eyes.
All he could see was blood.
His blood.
The brown toms' claws dripped with it.
Their fur was splattered with it.
Drops of it flew through the air.
His body was a mass of it.
He couldn't bare to look. It only made the pain worse. He closed his eyes as tight as he could.
Someone scratched his face. Their claws went clear through his cheek and he could feel the sharp points with his tongue before they were ripped away.
Now he could taste the blood.
It filled his mouth.
He spat it out.
How long could they continue?
How long WOULD they continue?"
How long could he survive it?
Misto's cries began to grow weaker until they were no more than whimpers. He could barely breathe. He could barely move.
"Enough!" he heard Vor shout.
The guard cats looked up to see their leader standing above them.
"What do you mean enough?" asked Layf, as he and the others got to their feet. "It's still alive."
"Not for long."
Vor held up the broken bottle clutched in his paw. Mistoffelees could not see it. He had somehow ended up on his stomach in a pool of blood. He did not have the strength to roll over. Vor rolled him over with his foot. He knelt down and waved the bottle menacingly in front of his face.
"We said that if you were still here when we returned then we would kill you. A guard cat never goes back on his word. You should've left when you had the chance."
Quick as lightning, he grabbed Misto by the arm and jammed the broken glass into his wrist. Blood spewed from the cut. Misto cried out in agony. The guard cats laughed as Vor did the same to his other wrist. Then he threw the bottle to the ground and rose to his feet.
"Come on," he said to his gang. "Let's get out of here."
"Aw, can't we stay and watch it bleed?" whined Tak.
Vor shook his head in disgust.
"Look at yourselves. We have to get cleaned up before someone sees us."
The guard cats agreed when they saw their fur spattered with blood.
"Besides, we weren't supposed to be back until tomorrow remember?"
"Hey, that's right!" said Golb.
The guard cats each expressed their agreement and started out of the clearing.
Misto watched them leave. Through blurred vision, he could see two of them still standing over him. He couldn't see who. They all looked the same anyway. But, he could tell by their voices that they were Golb and Layf.
"What do you think?" asked the latter.
Golb shook his head.
"Looks like a pollicle attack to me," he answered.
"Yeah, that's what I thought."
The toms looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"Come on," said Golb.
He put an arm around his comrade's shoulder and they started on their way to catch up with the others.
Misto looked around to see that all the guard cats had left. He was completely alone in his clearing. Blood dripped from the cuts on his face into his eyes. He tried to wipe it away but only made it worse as his paws were also heavily coated with the red liquid. He stared at the cuts on his wrists.
Suddenly, the truth hit him, and hard. The guard cats had carried out their threat. They had killed him just like they said they would. They had cut his wrists and left him to die. He may as well be dead at that moment. There was no one around who could help him. Even if there was someone, there was nothing they could do.
He was alone,
helpless,
dead.
He began to wonder why he had not left the junkyard when the guard cats told him to. Would it have been so difficult? His life would've been lonely and miserable, but at least he'd have one. Were the last few days he had spent in his home really worth dying for?
Mistoffelees began to cough as blood filled his windpipe. He painfully rolled onto his side and spat out the bitter liquid.
If he had left, what would he have had to live for? He would've had neither friends nor a family. Not even a place that he could call home. He never would've been able to see Victoria or Jemima again.
Jemima.
Poor Jemima.
He would never get a chance to tell her how much he loved her. She would never know. He had been a terrible mate to her during the past few days anyway. He had barely said anything and would turn away from her if she asked what was wrong.
Maybe she was better off without him.
Same with Victoria.
Maybe the whole tribe was better off without him.
He never did much anyway. What good was he for except to entertain them with his magic?
Mistoffelees groaned. Every move he made sent pain shooting through his body. He wished death would come quicker. It must be better than this.
He saw something not too far away from him. An object of some sort. He painfully reached out and grabbed it. It was the broken bottle that Vor had used to slit his wrists. It was the weapon that had been used to kill him.
This could be his answer.
The tuxedo suddenly realized that this bottle could end his pain. He could slit his throat and that would be the end of it.
No more pain.
No more suffering.
He stared at the bottle in his paw.
No.
He couldn't do it.
He WOULDN'T do it.
He didn't care how much pain he was in.
He would not give up.
He would not kill himself.
To relieve himself of the temptation, Mistoffelees threw that bottle as far away as he could. The sudden movement caused him immense pain and he couldn't help but let out a weak cry.
That was it.
He laid down his head,
closed his eyes,
and waited for death to relieve him.
*three days later*
Jemima and Victoria sat together on the tire. They had been chatting for a while about whatever subject came up. Jemima suddenly noticed her mate sitting just outside the entrance of their sleeping quarters. He appeared to be in profound meditation.
"Victoria," she said. "Have you noticed anything different about Misto lately?"
The white queen followed her friend's gaze to the magical cat.
"Actually, I have. What have you noticed?"
"Well, for the past few days he's been so quiet, so isolated."
Jemima was trying to find the right words to describe what she had observed.
"More vague and aloof than usual. Do you know what I mean?"
Victoria nodded.
"I understand and I agree completely. It's like he's trying his best to avoid us. Two days ago, he asked me if I minded having him for a brother."
"That's strange. Yesterday, he asked me if I ever regretted becoming his mate."
The two queens stared at each other, then back at Mistoffelees. Jemima sighed.
"It's like he's lost all of his self esteem. Has he ever been like this before?"
"No," answered the white queen. "I mean, he's always been shy, but never like this."
"I've asked him so many times if there is something wrong. He'll either look the other way or insist that there's nothing to worry about. I wonder if it's something I did. Maybe I'm the one he's angry at."
Victoria looked at her friend in surprise.
"Certainly not Jemima!"
"I'm beginning to wonder if our relationship is really as strong as I thought it was," said the queen sadly. "Maybe we shouldn't be together anymore. Maybe it was never meant to be."
"Oh Jemima, don't say that!"
Victoria wrapped a kind arm around her friend.
"You love him don't you?"
"With all of my heart."
"And Misto loves you."
"He did once," said Jemima, her pretty green eyes flooded with tears.
"He still does. He loves you Jem. He loves you more than anything."
"Oh Vic, I'm just not so sure of that anymore!"
Victoria gently hugged her friend. Jemima buried her face in her paws and cried.
=^.".^=
Victoria walked over to her brother and stood next to him for quite some time. He did not seem to know she was there.
"Misto?" she said at last.
He did not reply.
"Misto!"
This time, the magical cat snapped to attention. His eyes widened when he saw her.
"Victoria! I'm so sorry! I didn't hear you coming!"
The queen thought that he was on the verge of a panic.
"Misto calm down! It's fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure."
She sat down next to her brother who responded by moving over as far as he could to give her more room.
"We need to talk," said Victoria noting this strange action. "There's something bothering you and frankly, it's affecting all of us."
Misto turned his head.
"Jemima thinks that you are mad at her for some reason."
"She does? I could never be angry at her. She's done nothing!"
"Well she thinks she has," answered the queen. "She's even wondering if you two should stay together at all. She thinks you don't love her anymore."
"That's not true!" insisted Mistoffelees. "I love her more than all the world times a million!"
"Well that's not the impression she's getting."
The tuxedo bowed his head but said nothing.
"Misto what's wrong? I know there's something bothering you. What is it?"
When her brother did not answer, Victoria rose to her feet.
"Fine, don't tell me, but at least talk to Jemima!"
With that, she walked away. Misto watched her leave. He knew she was right. He had to talk to Jemima, but he didn't know what to say. His mind was a mess of thought and he wanted to clean it up first. He decided to take a walk to his clearing. He hadn't been there since the guard cats left three days earlier. Perhaps, being alone would help him clear his head. He got up and started on his way.
=^.".^=
Soon, Misto found himself in his clearing. The good, familiar clearing. Far enough away that the sounds from the jellicle tribe could not be heard. Big enough that he could dance as much as he desired. His good, familiar clearing.
He was glad that he was alone. He really needed to think. He had never meant to hurt Jemima in any way. He loved her. He loved her more than anything. He remembered when he saw her for the first time. He had only been a jellicle for a day. He remembered seeing her and not being able to take his eyes off of her. She was the most beautiful queen he had ever seen. The next thing he knew, she was walking up to him! She introduced herself! He was not sure what to say. He smiled and bowed to her. She smiled back! That's when he knew that she was the queen he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
That dream had come true. They had become mates. He loved her so much. The thought never occurred to him that their relationship would fade. He could not imagine life without her. He couldn't let her leave. He would do anything. He knew that it was his own fault that she felt the way she did. He needed to tell her the truth. He needed to assure her that she meant everything to him. He needed to tell her that he loved her. The magical tom had made up his mind. He would return to the tribe's clearing and do just that. The love that he and Jemima shared was just too precious to throw away.
He turned around with the intention of going back.
He found himself face to face with the leader of the guard cats. Misto started to run the other way, but before he could take a single step, the brown toms had surrounded him. He slowly turned back to Vor, an angry fire burning in his eyes.
"We just got back and wanted to see if you were still here," said the leader. "When you were, we thought we'd stop and say hello."
"Then say it and go away," came the tuxedo's bland reply.
"Do you remember what we told you when we left, or do you need reminding?"
"I remember."
"Then why are you still here?"
Misto couldn't help but shudder as the guard cats each took a step toward him.
"You have no right to make me leave! This is my home!"
"Not for long it isn't!"
Suddenly, Tak grabbed Misto's wrist and yanked it up behind his back, clamping a paw over his mouth.
"You should've gotten out while you had the chance magical cat!" he hissed.
Mistoffelees raised his free paw over his head and snapped before anyone could stop him. Tak hissed in frustration as the black tom vanished.
"Where is it?" demanded Vor.
"There it is!"
The brown toms looked toward where Kent was pointing. They saw Mistoffelees standing not to far away from them. Misto panicked when he realized that he'd been spotted. He turned around and dashed toward the tribe's clearing with the guard cats close behind.
Misto ran as fast as he could, trying not to lose his breath. He could hear the brown toms catching up. He glanced behind him to see how far they were. That small moment was all Vor needed. He rammed into the magical cat's side, sending him tumbling to the ground.
In a flash, the others caught up with them. Tak picked up the tuxedo by the fur on his chest and slashed him across the face as hard as he could. Misto flailed his arm trying to stay on his feet. Someone wrapped an arm tightly around his neck. The black tom gasped for breath. He tried to get away, but the tom's grip was only made tighter. He drove his elbow hard into his attacker's stomach. He then turned and slashed him across the face. Golb screeched and rubbed his cheek where he had been struck.
Mistoffelees suddenly felt a stinging pain across his back. Stifling a cry, he turned around to see Layf holding a broken bottle, it's sharp edges dripping with blood.
Another guard cat slashed Misto across the face. The black tom managed to keep his balance but, before he had time to think, Vor and Tak had each taken hold of his wrists and began to pull, each in an opposite direction from the other. Misto groaned. He felt sure that they would rip him apart in a matter of seconds.
Suddenly, Vor released his grip and both Mistoffelees and Tak fell to the ground. The tuxedo was quick to regain his feet. He held a paw above his head and got ready to snap. Layf quickly grabbed his wrist and pulled it down. Kent grabbed his other wrist. Misto clenched his teeth and tried not to groan as he felt them sink their claws deep into his fingers.
"Try to disappear now magical cat!" laughed Kent.
He grabbed Mistoffelees by the fur and threw him to the ground. Misto couldn't help but let out small cries of pain as the guard cats stomped on his paws and back, making them bleed heavier. He felt a sudden stabbing in his right leg just above his knee. He turned his head and looked up to see that Golb was fastening his collar around his leg with the spikes down. Misto slashed at him trying to get him to stop, but was stopped himself when Vor kicked him in the jaw.
"Oh! Well! I never! Was there ever a cat so clever as Magical Mr. Mistoffelees?" sang the guard cats as the dazed Misto spat out a mouthful of blood.
Layf lifted him by the fur and slashed him across the face. Misto recovered quickly and managed to back away from the brown toms. He waved his paws and shot a bolt of lightning toward them. The smell of burning flesh filled the air and Mistoffelees yowled painfully. The lightning disappeared as he pulled back his burned paw. The blood that covered it had turned black and still sizzled. Layf had fallen under the force of the lightning, but was quickly scrambling to his feet.
A guard cat that Misto did not see slashed him across the face.
Through blurred vision, the tuxedo saw Tak running up to him with the broken bottle clutched in his paw. Misto saw him slice it through the air and then felt a stinging pain. He looked down to see a big horizontal cut across his stomach. He pushed Tak out of the way and again ran toward the tribe. Kent hurled a rock at him. Misto groaned as it hit his back, but he kept running. His paws pressed over the cut on his stomach that would not stop bleeding. He could feel blood dripping down his cheeks. The cuts badly stung, but he forced himself to ignore them.
He heard a shout from behind. The next thing he knew, he had fallen under the weight of Golb.
The other guard cats gathered around him like lions who had taken down their prey and were coming in for the feast. Mistoffelees could feel their sharp claws sinking into his flesh. He cried out in pain as he felt deep cuts being made all over his body. He shielded his face with his arms, but could still feel their claws slash his cheeks and forehead.
Not only would they swipe their claws through his skin, but they'd dig their fingers deep into the cuts and rip them open exposing as much flesh as they could.
Once, the magical cat dared to open his eyes.
All he could see was blood.
His blood.
The brown toms' claws dripped with it.
Their fur was splattered with it.
Drops of it flew through the air.
His body was a mass of it.
He couldn't bare to look. It only made the pain worse. He closed his eyes as tight as he could.
Someone scratched his face. Their claws went clear through his cheek and he could feel the sharp points with his tongue before they were ripped away.
Now he could taste the blood.
It filled his mouth.
He spat it out.
How long could they continue?
How long WOULD they continue?"
How long could he survive it?
Misto's cries began to grow weaker until they were no more than whimpers. He could barely breathe. He could barely move.
"Enough!" he heard Vor shout.
The guard cats looked up to see their leader standing above them.
"What do you mean enough?" asked Layf, as he and the others got to their feet. "It's still alive."
"Not for long."
Vor held up the broken bottle clutched in his paw. Mistoffelees could not see it. He had somehow ended up on his stomach in a pool of blood. He did not have the strength to roll over. Vor rolled him over with his foot. He knelt down and waved the bottle menacingly in front of his face.
"We said that if you were still here when we returned then we would kill you. A guard cat never goes back on his word. You should've left when you had the chance."
Quick as lightning, he grabbed Misto by the arm and jammed the broken glass into his wrist. Blood spewed from the cut. Misto cried out in agony. The guard cats laughed as Vor did the same to his other wrist. Then he threw the bottle to the ground and rose to his feet.
"Come on," he said to his gang. "Let's get out of here."
"Aw, can't we stay and watch it bleed?" whined Tak.
Vor shook his head in disgust.
"Look at yourselves. We have to get cleaned up before someone sees us."
The guard cats agreed when they saw their fur spattered with blood.
"Besides, we weren't supposed to be back until tomorrow remember?"
"Hey, that's right!" said Golb.
The guard cats each expressed their agreement and started out of the clearing.
Misto watched them leave. Through blurred vision, he could see two of them still standing over him. He couldn't see who. They all looked the same anyway. But, he could tell by their voices that they were Golb and Layf.
"What do you think?" asked the latter.
Golb shook his head.
"Looks like a pollicle attack to me," he answered.
"Yeah, that's what I thought."
The toms looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"Come on," said Golb.
He put an arm around his comrade's shoulder and they started on their way to catch up with the others.
Misto looked around to see that all the guard cats had left. He was completely alone in his clearing. Blood dripped from the cuts on his face into his eyes. He tried to wipe it away but only made it worse as his paws were also heavily coated with the red liquid. He stared at the cuts on his wrists.
Suddenly, the truth hit him, and hard. The guard cats had carried out their threat. They had killed him just like they said they would. They had cut his wrists and left him to die. He may as well be dead at that moment. There was no one around who could help him. Even if there was someone, there was nothing they could do.
He was alone,
helpless,
dead.
He began to wonder why he had not left the junkyard when the guard cats told him to. Would it have been so difficult? His life would've been lonely and miserable, but at least he'd have one. Were the last few days he had spent in his home really worth dying for?
Mistoffelees began to cough as blood filled his windpipe. He painfully rolled onto his side and spat out the bitter liquid.
If he had left, what would he have had to live for? He would've had neither friends nor a family. Not even a place that he could call home. He never would've been able to see Victoria or Jemima again.
Jemima.
Poor Jemima.
He would never get a chance to tell her how much he loved her. She would never know. He had been a terrible mate to her during the past few days anyway. He had barely said anything and would turn away from her if she asked what was wrong.
Maybe she was better off without him.
Same with Victoria.
Maybe the whole tribe was better off without him.
He never did much anyway. What good was he for except to entertain them with his magic?
Mistoffelees groaned. Every move he made sent pain shooting through his body. He wished death would come quicker. It must be better than this.
He saw something not too far away from him. An object of some sort. He painfully reached out and grabbed it. It was the broken bottle that Vor had used to slit his wrists. It was the weapon that had been used to kill him.
This could be his answer.
The tuxedo suddenly realized that this bottle could end his pain. He could slit his throat and that would be the end of it.
No more pain.
No more suffering.
He stared at the bottle in his paw.
No.
He couldn't do it.
He WOULDN'T do it.
He didn't care how much pain he was in.
He would not give up.
He would not kill himself.
To relieve himself of the temptation, Mistoffelees threw that bottle as far away as he could. The sudden movement caused him immense pain and he couldn't help but let out a weak cry.
That was it.
He laid down his head,
closed his eyes,
and waited for death to relieve him.