After a half hour of walking through the woods and down a few random
roads, I came to the other side of town. It was shabby and unkempt. A few
children were rummaging through a dumpster against a brick wall. I saw
another alley a few hundred yards away. Maybe I could find some shelter
and rest.
As I turned into the alley, I noticed some things that were odd. The ground was bumpy, and there were puddles every here and there when it was uneven; though where the puddles came from was a mystery to me. My eyes traveled to the end of the alley. I blinked in surprise when I saw a tower of junk blocking the way. It was piled up so messily-I was amazed that it was still standing. Then something else caught my attention.
At the bottom of the pile was a cat. It was gray, white, and black, and blended in with the garbage quite well. The cat was male, with soft gray eyes, and he had an aura of power, warmth, and order around him.
He turned towards the mound, flicked his tail, and climbed up and... Over? It appeared to slope downward, and if my estimations were correct, the wall traveled in a circle, creating a sort of protected fortress in the middle.
Well, this was as good a place as any. As long as I was polite, I would most probably be treated with civility. I ran to the junk heap, and proceeded to climb up. And over.
*****
As I descended downward, I began to take in the view. I was correct in my prediction about the walls, but I had no idea the center would be so large! About half a dozen cats were walking or talking in the center, and a few were perched on the piles surrounding me.
A few heads turned in my direction, some looking wary, and others uninterested. A red queen approached me, looked me over, and said,
"Who are you?" Her voice was low and full of haughtiness.
I didn't answer her question right away. Instead I asked, "What tribe is this?"
She looked a slightly appalled at first, but regained her dignity and replied, "This is the Jellicle Tribe," she paused, and added more forcefully, "Who are you?"
"Let me speak to your leader."
She was getting angry. This wasn't good. Well, on the bright side, at least I knew where I was. I had heard of the Jellicles. They mostly kept to themselves, not meddling in other tribes' affairs. It was one of the ways they avoided conflict.
"Old Deuteronomy is not here."
It was my turn to be surprised. Why ever not?
"Who is your second in command?"
The queen sighed huffily and led me to the gray tom I had seen in the alley.
"Munkustrap-we have a visitor." She narrowed her eyes before walking away; to tell the others about me, I was certain.
The tom looked at me and said, "What brings you here? Who are you? Why must you see me?"
I gulped. He was much more menacing up close. Timidly, I said, "I have come in search of shelter, and possibly a permanent tribe, sir. I was hoping to find your leader, but..." I paused. What was the proper name for a cat you didn't know? I decided not to worry too much, and continued with, "...the queen over there," I gestured at the red queen who had questioned me, "Told me that he wasn't here. She said I should talk to you."
The tom paused. "A tribe? Are you a stray?"
I was hesitant. "Yes!" I blurted.
He gave a mild shrug and asked, "Do you have a name?"
"Yes, sir. My name is Quandelin."
*****
As I turned into the alley, I noticed some things that were odd. The ground was bumpy, and there were puddles every here and there when it was uneven; though where the puddles came from was a mystery to me. My eyes traveled to the end of the alley. I blinked in surprise when I saw a tower of junk blocking the way. It was piled up so messily-I was amazed that it was still standing. Then something else caught my attention.
At the bottom of the pile was a cat. It was gray, white, and black, and blended in with the garbage quite well. The cat was male, with soft gray eyes, and he had an aura of power, warmth, and order around him.
He turned towards the mound, flicked his tail, and climbed up and... Over? It appeared to slope downward, and if my estimations were correct, the wall traveled in a circle, creating a sort of protected fortress in the middle.
Well, this was as good a place as any. As long as I was polite, I would most probably be treated with civility. I ran to the junk heap, and proceeded to climb up. And over.
*****
As I descended downward, I began to take in the view. I was correct in my prediction about the walls, but I had no idea the center would be so large! About half a dozen cats were walking or talking in the center, and a few were perched on the piles surrounding me.
A few heads turned in my direction, some looking wary, and others uninterested. A red queen approached me, looked me over, and said,
"Who are you?" Her voice was low and full of haughtiness.
I didn't answer her question right away. Instead I asked, "What tribe is this?"
She looked a slightly appalled at first, but regained her dignity and replied, "This is the Jellicle Tribe," she paused, and added more forcefully, "Who are you?"
"Let me speak to your leader."
She was getting angry. This wasn't good. Well, on the bright side, at least I knew where I was. I had heard of the Jellicles. They mostly kept to themselves, not meddling in other tribes' affairs. It was one of the ways they avoided conflict.
"Old Deuteronomy is not here."
It was my turn to be surprised. Why ever not?
"Who is your second in command?"
The queen sighed huffily and led me to the gray tom I had seen in the alley.
"Munkustrap-we have a visitor." She narrowed her eyes before walking away; to tell the others about me, I was certain.
The tom looked at me and said, "What brings you here? Who are you? Why must you see me?"
I gulped. He was much more menacing up close. Timidly, I said, "I have come in search of shelter, and possibly a permanent tribe, sir. I was hoping to find your leader, but..." I paused. What was the proper name for a cat you didn't know? I decided not to worry too much, and continued with, "...the queen over there," I gestured at the red queen who had questioned me, "Told me that he wasn't here. She said I should talk to you."
The tom paused. "A tribe? Are you a stray?"
I was hesitant. "Yes!" I blurted.
He gave a mild shrug and asked, "Do you have a name?"
"Yes, sir. My name is Quandelin."
*****
