Chapter Four

Alonzo stood at the doorway of a small room where the three unknown queens lay sleeping. He'd been told to guard the queens by Munkustrap, and not to leave unless ordered to. His watchful stare unhurriedly roamed the three faces and landed of it's own accord on Demeter's. Her face was delicately sculpted. She had high, beautiful cheekbones, and an oval shaped face, with a full mouth to account for. She had long; thick black lashes the shadowed her cheeks. He was, he admitted, completely enraptured with Demeter and would have been content to watch her for a few more hours, but a soft sound behind him caught his notice. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a burst of fiery red. His body instantly tensed as one thought flashed into his mind.

Macavity.

But the smell that drifted through his nose was indisputably feminine. He turned slightly.

"Rina." He said, relief pouring through him. The sexy red queen didn't respond to his acknowledgement. Her eyes were locked on the queen that she was so certain was her sister. She'd waken about an hour ago from her faint and had been insistent on seeing the queen since. She went to the cot the girl was laying on and kneeled beside it, slowly reaching out a tentative had to stroke one long strand of hair back into place behind the girl's ear. Alonzo moved to stand behind her.

"I wish she would wake up. Why doesn't she wake up?" Rina whispered, her voice desperate as a lone tear trickling down her face. A sudden movement from the queen in question made Alonzo lean down and jerk Bombalurina away from the cot. And just in time. Demeter's fist came hurling toward him, smacking him soundly on the cheek, sending him reeling backwards onto the floor. He landed hard on his butt. He placed a hand on his quickly bruising cheek and said in astonishment,

"Ow." Demeter was still fast asleep.

"Five more minuets Mum." The queen whispered than giggled evilly. Alonzo and Bombalurina both stared at each other and then Bombalurina began to snicker. Alonzo chuckled and continued rubbing his tender cheek.

"That girl sure does have a wicked punch." He said, bemused. Abruptly their mirth was cut short as loud, piercing, petrified scream ripped the air. They both looked over, astonished. Demeter was thrashing her head from side to side, her claws in out. She began to tare at her arms, drawing blood. The most horrifying detail was that her eyes were wide opened, staring in blank terror.

"Jesus fucking Christ!" Alonzo growled. "Rina go get Coricopat and Tantomile. Or Munkustrap. Or…DAMMIT! Just bring somebody!" He roared and started toward the cot. Rina turned and fled the room. Alonzo took his trench coat off and used it to shield himself. He quickly wrapped his arms around the flailing queen, capturing her arms under his and then doing the same with her legs.

"MUM! MUM NO!" The queen screamed, letting one ear-piercing scream after another out of her mouth.

"Wake up!" Alonzo growled, harshly. The queen's eyes abruptly unglazed and focused on him. She tensed, and with a sudden jerky movement of her hand, she upper cut him in the jaw, causing him to loosen his grip on her. She slid from his grasp and was up and running toward the door faster than he could blink. A large number of toms appeared in the doorway in front of the queen. She quickly did a spinning roundhouse kick to Tugger's stomach, a back kick on Munkustrap, and knife hand chop to the side of Plato's head. But there were recruits and they quickly grabbed the struggling queen and tried to hold her still. Fire burning in her eyes, and what looked like fear, the queen stopped using the numerous training techniques she had been taught and began to fight dirty. She clawed and bit and spit and punched whatever and whoever she could reach.

"In all that is holy!" Skimbleshanks growled.

"Hold her still!" Munkustrap shouted, picking himself up off the floor.

"We're bloody well tryin'!" Jeri growled, then hissed as he got a fist in the jaw.

"Dammit! Will you hold still! We're not going to hurt you." Munkustrap growled. The queen unexpectedly went limp, causing quite a few toms to stager. They continued to hold her arms, though the ones who were holding her legs released her. The queen was breathing hard.

"Jesus, who are you?" Munkustrap gasped. The queen' head lowered, and she darted a look at the rest of the toms.

"My names Roger." She replied. That got her a raised eyebrow from Bustopher Jones, who'd been the last to come huffing through the door.

"What? If you gotta problem with that fat ass you can kiss my fucking…" Skimbleshanks quickly put a hand over her mouth, trying to cease the spew of foul words. Eyes widened.

"You're obviously from the street." Bustopher said with distain.

"Yeah, well your obviously from up a fucking b…" Skimbleshanks replaced his hand over her mouth.

"Would you stop it? Dammit, we're not going to hurt you." Munkustrap said softly. The queen, Roger, gave him a level look and stared at him in stony silence for several minuets.

"Bull shit!" She growled, then flipped Mungojerrie, who'd been holding one of her arms, and Skimbleshanks, who's been holding the other, over her shoulders and made for the door. Alonzo, who'd recovered quickly from the punch to the jaw, and had been standing by the doorway, threw out one arm and wrapped it around both Roger's arms and wrapped his other arm around her legs. The queen struggled but even her numerous fighting skills couldn't get her out of Alonzo's hold. She hissed and spit at him, growling furiously and then finally stilled. Her long black hair kept on getting in Alonzo's eyes, but there was nothing he could do about it.

"Now," He said, "you're going to sit here like a good little kit and answer some questions for us."

"Bugger you!" She spat.

"Now, now. There's no need for that." Alonzo replied soothingly.

"Bullocks!" She growled, glaring at him. Coricopat ran into the room.

"Munkustrap! The tom's gone!" He gasped.

"God dammit." Munkustrap groaned. There was a snickering sound. Everyone turned to glare at Roger. She grinned at them.

"Wot? Fuck off!" She said good humouredly.

"This is going to be a long night." Munkustrap said with a sigh.

"A-fucking-men to that." Roger replied.