The Cast Part 1

by Fyrie

There's a new cast in the London Production of CATS...this is only the beginning. (Chapter 19 added - 23-09-02)

7. The Cast - Part 7 - Break A Paw

"I just can't believe how many characters you've got to do." Malcolm was balanced on his toes on a chair beside Andy, watching as the taller man carefully applied the Alonzo make-up.

Andy chuckled. "It's fun." Turning to Malcolm, he twitched his nose. "Are my whiskers straight, mate?"

Malcolm nodded, balancing his hands on his knees. Always in incredibly early before the show and ready before anyone else, Malcolm had yet to take a day off from the gruelling role of Mistoffelees.

"How do you do it, though? I mean, playing a happy kitten is bad enough for me."

Andy frowned, adding a line of black around one eye. "Each character has a different personality." He replied. "Tugger is easy. He thinks he's God. It's really as simple as that. Admetus is bugging as hell because he's the background type, until Macavity." He grinned. "Gotta love being Munk, though. Nothin' beats that leader feeling."

Malcolm glanced in the direction of Robbie's dressing room. "Yeah, well if Robbie doesn't get better soon, I'm guessing you'll be pulled in." He pulled a face. "Everyone in the cast seems to be getting this flu that's going round." Powdering his face, Andy sneezed violently. "Bless you." Malcolm smirked. "See what I mean. Everyone's getting the flu."

"Except you."

"Except me." He agreed sheepishly. "Something about me seems to be immune to bugs and colds. I can't remember ever being sick."

Pulling his costume on, Andy turned to let Malcolm help him fasten it. The taller of the two shook his head with a low groan. "Just rub it in, Mal. Just make me disappointed that I'll never play Mistoffelees. See!" he turned mournfully to the younger dancer. "You've broken my heart now."

"Sure." Malcolm almost grinned at him. "I'll tell Blue you're her new understudy now, shall I? A 6'4 Etcetera would just be too cute!" Andy pulled a face and reached for his tail. "You'd be adorable as Griddle too."

Andy pursed his lips thoughtfully. "You know, Mal" He drawled. "I make one helluva Grizabella. Even the casting people said so." Malcolm gawped at him. Andy grinned, got to his feet and sauntered off to find his wig, whistling the Jellicle Ball.

Scratching his wig, Malcolm gave a feline twitch and sighed. "I really don't get that guy." He decided, swinging onto his feet to go and find someone else to annoy.

***

The first half of the show and most of the second act done, Robbie was feeling grateful that he was still on his feet. Tonight, he decided, would be his last night for at least a couple of days. He needed to rest.

Watching Kashka leap up onto the disguised Macavity's back, he started forward as the thick grey coat went sailing off. Andy was standing nearby, ready for his involvement in the fight.

Robbie and Tony were facing off, centre stage. Georgina and Blue were crouched near the car, ready to dive forward and aid the fallen Munkustrap when their cue came. In the Bombalurina costume in place of Tommy, Joely shot them a tight grin from the other side of the stage.

Spinning, Robbie met Tony's eyes. They had their own semi-sign language for the scene, communicating with nods and sharp gestures. The fight was by far the hardest scene in the show, compared to all the dance routines.

"O.K?" Tony mouthed, more intent on Robbie than Kashka as Demeter. They'd spoken during the intermission. Robbie was on a course of antibiotics for an ear infection and had decided it was only fair to warn his co-fighter. They made him a little drowsy, but he was certain he could get through the fight.

With a nod, he launched himself at 'Macavity'. As usual, there were the scratches and hisses accompanying them from the surrounding 'tribe'. All, however, were keeping an eye firmly on Robbie. Several days before, his ear infection had set his balance awry and he had fallen badly, spraining a wrist.

Spinning away from 'Munkustrap', Tony took several sharp breaths, then moved back in for the lift and throw. It never ceased to amaze him how light Robbie could make himself when he – Tony – had to throw him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Andy in the Alonzo costume. Raymond had gone and got himself a dose of the flu, giving everyone's favourite swing a chance to play the black and white tomcat, instead of Tugger as he had the previous week.

From the opposite side of the stage, Robbie threw himself into the run up for the first major throw. His head felt light, but he was adamant. He was going to manage to do the fight, even if meant sitting through the rest of the show. He couldn't let Tony down.

Hoisted high over the wild, red wig, Robbie grimaced, spots dancing in his vision. A numbing tingle passed from head to toe, as Tony launched him back towards the kittens, where he was meant to fall.

Every cast member seemed to lunge for Robbie as he fell. There was no mistaking the awkward angle he dropped at. His shoulder smashed full weight onto the smooth surface, his body skidding to a halt in front of Blue and Georgina.

"Sh. It." Georgina stared at his shoulder, clearly wrenched out of its socket. Blue waved Andy towards Tony, moving around Robbie to carefully lift his head in her arm.

"Rob?"

His eyes opened slowly. "Ow." He mumbled. "Gotta...gotta fight..." He tried to struggle upright, but was held back by both girls.

"No." Georgina poked his shoulder to make her point, her voice more of a hiss than whisper as he yelped in pain. "You gotta get backstage. Andy's fighting..."

Robbie glanced over at Tony and Andy, grimacing as a bolt of pain spread from his dislocated shoulder. "Get me outta here..." He hissed under his breath. Blue nodded, gesturing for Georgina to stay where she was.

Helping Robbie to his hand and knees, she directed him backwards, towards the nearest ramp. "Crawl down." She whispered, her arm over his back, hand supporting his limp arm. "No one'll notice..."

"K." Grimacing in pain, he slowly slid down the ramp and across the aisle, out of sight of the audience. Helped to his feet by the smallest dancer in the troupe, he gave her a tight smile of thanks as she looped his good arm over her shoulder.

"C'mon, daddy Munk." Making their way slowly around to the green room, the easiest place to reach, Blue stepped back as Robbie sank down on a seat. Clutching his arm to him, he glanced at his shoulder with a look of dismay.

"Bugger..."

Blue carefully peeled away the top of the unitard on his orders. Much to his surprise, he didn't even utter a girly squeak, although the temptation to do so was strong. "Rob, we gotta get you to a hospital...this looks wrong..."

"It's dislocated...course its effin' wrong..." Pressing his eyes shut to stem tears of pain, he bit the inside of his lip.

She shook her head. "No…it looks way wronger than a dislocation does..." She touched it gently. "Dislocations don't usually bleed."

"Double bugger with a crap on top." Glancing over, as the door opened and Tony entered, Robbie forced a smile. "Hey, man. Sorry about that."

Tony crossed the room quickly, pulling the wig from his head. "Never mind that, Rob. You're okay, aren't ya?"

"The kid says I gotta go to the hospital." Reaching up to pull his own wig off, he grimaced. "Hurts like hell..." He gave the other actor a pained grin. "And it was my own stupid fault for thinking I could fight when I was half-asleep."

Gesturing Blue back towards the stage, Tony rounded Robbie. "You go back on, shorty. I'll take care of stripy, here." Blue nodded, running for the stage. "And let's get you to the boss' car before he notices..."

***

"Broken?"

"But it was just dislocated!"

"Is it serious?"

Melissa Cassidy, one of the crew, spread her hands. "From what I've heard, the impact cracked the joint of his shoulder. It's not a bad break, but with the dislocation, it's going to take a while to heal properly."

"So we're Munk-less? Are they calling in the special extras, since he's going to be out for a while?"

"Actually..." Andy raised his hand. "That special-op type would be me. Apparently I did the fight well enough to get me an upgrade to leader." He grinned in a self-depreciating fashion. "I start on Monday's performance and they're bringing in a special coach to give me a hand getting started. Tony's playing him at the evening show tonight and I'm stuck being Tugger because they want me to rehearse."

"You mean we have to pretend to respect that dude?" Raymond chuckled deeply. Fresh back from his two day's off, the big dancer was feeling much better, but rather irritated he hadn't been around to help Robbie the previous night. He reached over and patted Andy on the back. "Honey, you wave that sweet tushie of yours in my direction and you'll get my undivided attention."

Swatting Raymond away, Blue grinned. "Eeh! Man! Keep yer paws off!" She sidled between the two men at the table. "This Munkustrap's mine, right?"

"Damn! It's you." Shaking his head, Andy mock-sighed. "I thought you woulda quit on me already."

"No such luck." She snuggled against him, turning her attention back to Melissa. "Did Robbie have to stay in hospital overnight? And does he have a cast or just bandages? Any idea how long he'll be off for?"

Melissa sighed. "No idea, I'm afraid." She added another pin to the notice about Robbie's injury, then turned back to them. "It'll be a good few months before we know if he'll be able to dance…maybe more for him to get back in shape from the chest up."

"So you're saying its going to be a long time, then?"

"Isn't he smart?" Blue condescendingly patted Andy on the head and he stuck his tongue out in response.

***

Leaning against the second pillar from the door, the tall figure merged eerily out of the shadows the moment Antoine bustled out of the stage door after the second performance of the day.

She stepped into the beam of the street light with a smile. A hefty folder was clutched under one arm, a rucksack slung over a suede-covered shoulder and the look on her face spoke of insurmountable bribery of the art variety.

"Well, well!" Skidding to a halt, the bleach blonde dancer cocked his head at her. "Why am I not surprised to see you, Miss Lawson?"

The shorthaired Londoner gave him a wide grin. "I thought you would have forgotten all about me, old man Skimble." Antoine attempted to look offended, but gave in and hugged the woman fondly. "How have you been? Not bored with this yet?"

"Bored with my pussies? That's like asking you if you've stopped drawing." She gave him a lop-sided grin. "How have you and Phil been? Its ages since we've seen the daft git. Is he still skating for a living?"

Annie smiled indulgently. "He's going into his last month now." She replied. "I saw him play Electra a few weeks ago. I don't even want to say how disturbing that was." She glanced down towards the stage door. "He's been in touch with management, though..."

"What, here?"

"Well, we did hear that you were running short on swings." Annie gave him a thoroughly innocent look. "Something about one being given a touring offer and splitting and another having a breakdown of some sort..."

"We've just gone and got ourselves a major problem on top of all that, though." Making sure none of the more...unusual fans were lurking nearby and listening, Antoine spoke softly. "Were you at the show last night?"

"I was going to ask...what happened to Robbie?"

"So you noticed. He took the fall badly and now, he'll be off for months." Antoine ran his fingers through his mousse-free hair, mussing it even more than before. "We're getting one of the older Munks back to train up his replacement, if they have time. None of our swings have had the experience of playing Munk because Robbie has only been off once in a year and a half."

"Why not just let Tony play him? He did a good job at the matinee and evening shows today."

Antoine shook his head. "Wouldn't work." He replied. "Tony was contracted to play Admetus and he prefers that role to Munkustrap. He doesn't think he has the vocal strength to play him every night."

"Do you have a swing lined up to fill in?"

"Actually, we do. I still can't believe the management would be so insane..." He looked around as the stage door squealed open again. "Speak of the devil." Two figures emerged, one tiny, one tall. The tall male took a step forward and immediately tripped over his shoelaces, falling on his face at Annie's feet. "Uh..." Grinning weakly, Antoine gestured to the prostrate dancer on the ground. "Meet our new Munk."

Annie stared down at the tall man at her feet. His small companion was doubled over, clutching the rail and giggling hysterically. "You're telling me that he," Andy rolled onto his knees and rubbed his scraped nose indignantly. "Is Munkus?"

"Fraid so." Offering Andy his hand, Antoine helped the former swing to his feet. The younger dancer brushed the dirt from the knees of his jeans and from the front of his jacket. "Mate, you've just made...er...an impression on the world's biggest Munkuholic."

A look of sheer terror filled the brunette's mismatched eyes and he grabbed the giggling, trench-coat-wearing Blue, pushing her squarely between his body and Annie. "Back! Back! She's armed, I tell ya! She'll bite yer legs off!"

"I didn't mean that kind of impression." Antoine grinned. "You fell on your face in front of her. Try and think what that says about you..." The taller man frowned, as if deep in thought. "Y'see, he's not the brightest bulb in the box."

Giving the blond a dirty look, Andy turned to Annie. "I'm not usually this clumsy." He said, ignoring the sniggers of both Blue and Antoine. "Someone tied my laces together, while I was talking to Leo." The petite dancer looked shocked at the accusation. "Plus," He yawned. "Sleepy. Just played Admetus and Mac twice."

"You can make all the excuses in the world, mate," Blue elbowed him in the hip region, eyes dancing. "She'll never believe you."

"But I'll be a good Munk! Never played him before, but I'll be good!"

"Keep telling yourself that, Andy." Antoine clapped him on the shoulder. "We'll still be here when reality hits."

Andy pulled a face. "On that note," He bent and swung the shrieking Blue over his shoulder. "I will depart." The girl continued to wriggle and squeal as Andy wove between an assembly of fans and disappeared around the corner.

Both Annie and Antoine watched them go. "Why did he take Blue?" Annie pondered aloud.

"Its Tommy's week off and she gave him her orders. Under no circumstances is Blue allowed to walk home alone at night." Antoine grinned faintly. The couple was adamant that no one but the cast was to know about their relationship. "Andy's her elected babysitter."

"Tommy trusts someone like Andy...?"

Antoine chuckled. "He isn't as dumb as he acts, y'know." He remarked. "When he has to, he's as smart as they come, but he likes to catch people off-guard with it. Took him a while, but yeah, Tommy likes him. I dread to think what Bomba's gonna be like with Munk now, though."

"You think they'd improvise?"

Antoine gestured for Annie to accompany him, walking further down the block, beyond the hearing range of the small knot of fans. "Let me put it mildly." He explained. "You know Kashka plays Demeter?" Annie nodded. "Kashka and Andy despise each other. I don't mean mild dislike. If they could legally kill one another, I'm convinced they would."

"And they're playing the most infamous couple in the show?" Annie gaped at him.

"That's where the fun begins." Antoine nodded. "Munk is allowed to snuggle with anyone, but he has to come back to Dem, with Bombalurina as second in line. Not only does this soon-to-be-Munkustrap hate his mate, but Bombalurina can't stand her either."

"Ah...I see this being fun."

Antoine rubbed his jaw. "Don't tell anyone I said this, but I can see Kashka leaving soon. She's already highly pissed off at the management for making Tommy the number one understudy for Grizabella, instead of her."

"Do they know about her and Andy...?"

"I doubt it. When they're on-stage, those two are incredibly professional, but I can't see them willingly wanting to be all over each other. If they even had to hold hands in public, they would look like they had been sucking lemons."

There was a long silence. "He'll be a tall Munkustrap." Annie finally noted. "Do you think he's up to the job?"

"No doubt about it." A broad smile lit up Antoine's face. "I still can't understand how he was overlooked during the auditions. He auditioned at least half a dozen times, but was never picked, even though he is qualified to be a dance instructor in half a dozen styles. Hell, he was even the U.K. disco, jazz and tap champion before he was fourteen. The acrobatic things that guy can pull off...and the voice. God, I would kill for his voice...he could play any character easily." He chuckled. "He actually has done."

"Oh?"

"I've seen him playing a day-dreaming Admetus, an insane and completely terrifying Mac, a strong-and-silent Alonzo, Tugger to perfection, Skimble on caffeine, the most creepy Coricopat you've ever seen, a mentally-blonde Victor...hell, I even heard they called him in to play Gus when half the cast were down and out with flu."

The artist whistled under her breath. "A twenty-something Gus? Isn't he a bit too young for it?"

"Most people would think so. The stage manager seriously regretted letting him near the stage that night. Apparently the pirate crew and Siamese were pissing themselves laughing for the whole Growltiger number."

"Why so?"

Antoine grinned sheepishly. "I was off, along with five of the other guys and two girls, so I didn't see it, but apparently Growltiger's eyepatch went missing before the number and Andy was forced to use a pink scarf snatched from one of the prop co-ordinaters. That night, the campest Growltiger the world has ever seen was on display." The blonde chuckled at the mental image. "Old Growl was more interested in Grumbuskin than Griddlebone."

"Oh God..." Annie gaped at him.

"You have no idea how much I regret missing that show." Antoine's eyes danced.

Rubbing her forehead with her fingertips, Annie looked at him. "Lemme get this straight," She said. "He was a gay Growltiger, a dopey Victor, a hyperactive Skimbleshanks..." The actor nodded, grinning. "Oh God...my poor Munkustrap!"

***

"I hate Mondays."

"You had mentioned that before, Andy." Tommy remarked dryly, following Andy and Blue around the side of the theatre towards the stage door. "Several times, actually. A minute. Every minute."

"But we don't normally have to come in this early on a Monday morning." The tall dancer looked for his watch. "I mean, it's only ten o'clock. Yeah, I take on a new role tonight, but I don't need that much practise."

Blue, her arm around her boyfriend's hip, looked up at him. "Will you stop complaining, big guy? We all have to come in early just to rehearse with you and its all your fault. If anyone has a right to complain, its us."

"Pah." Andy pouted down at her. "You're just trying to stop me sulking."

Hauling open the stage door in front of the couple, Jonny smiled. "As if we would want to do that, Andy." He let them and Tommy enter, then followed them in. "Its not our fault that you've got delusions of tabby grandeur."

"As long as they haven't gone and got a pompous ex-Munk to come and lecture me about how to be a cat." Taking the pen from Jonny, Andy sighed, signing the check-in sheet and scanned it for the name of his instructor. "Like I haven't done that before."

"Any idea who the coach is?" Blue directed the question at Leo, who seemed to be having some trouble wrestling with a handful of programmes that didn't seem to want to be pushed into an envelope.

"He passed through here earlier, but they didn't have his name on the forms, so he had to go to the managers." Tossing the envelope aside, Leo glared at it. "I think you lot are the first ones in after him. Mal and Ray got in a little while back."

"Great." Andy groused, rubbing his eyes. "An early-bird. Just what I need."

"What's up with him?" The doorman cocked his head, eyeing the big dancer.

Blue hugged her lover's thigh. "He had a bit of a rough night last night." She replied, with an innocent smile. "He seemed to have a small pest in his bed, keeping him awake all night...and two rather noisy ladies elsewhere didn't help."

"Can we go already?" His hair mussed around his face, Andy rubbed his nose with his knuckles. "I wanna meet this old fart and get this whole malarky over with, so I can get some sleep before the show."

"Un moment..." Snatching the pen, Tommy roughly scrawled her name in the box beside her initials. "Jonny, grab the lift, there's a sweetheart."

It took several minutes before the lift did finally arrive and Andy had still not stopped whining about being sleepy. Piling in, the tallest of the quartet laid his head against the wall and yawned emphatically, receiving a swat on the knee from his petite partner.

Entering the deserted upper levels, the only people who seemed to be present were Malcolm and Raymond, who were lounging together on the couch. The huge black dancer was lying on his back and the little Goth was resting against his chest, both of them fast asleep.

Raymond's huge arms had circled Malcolm's slim body, the smaller dancer's jet hair spread in rumpled waves across the bare, solidly muscled dark chocolate-coloured chest of the American dancer.

"How come they get to sleep?" Andy grumbled, striding over to the single couch and giving it a kick. "Hoi." Two sleepy pairs of eyes looked up at him. "If you're gonna snuggle like this, move in with each other already."

"Nice to see you too, Andy." Sitting up, Malcolm's hand lingered briefly on Raymond's chest, then he stretched his arms above his head with a yawn. "What's the buzz?"

"You were sleeping. I'm not." Andy replied petulantly.

"You slept til three in the afternoon yesterday, you lazy sod!" Blue exclaimed. "I think you just want to..."

"To...?" Andy prompted, but Blue didn't seem to hear. Turning around, she frowned, looking towards the door. "Can you hear that?" She asked, walking towards the doors that led to the stage. "I can hear music."

Exchanging bemused glances, all of her friends rose, following her. "Nothing better to do til anyone arrives, I guess." Raymond stood, arching back and flexing his body. "If the lil one is hearing things, I guess we might as well check it out."

The smallest dancer of the group led the way straight down to the auditorium and all of them had to admit that she had been right. Someone was blasting music through the sound system and it sounded like the overture.

"The orchestra shouldn't be in yet." Jonny noted, frowning slightly.

Opening the doors, the little group entered the auditorium and peered around. The houselights were on, but no one could be seen. The stage was in the opening position, so they couldn't see if anyone was on the front.

They moved around the aisle, coming around in front of the round stage. "Hello?" Tommy called out. "Is anyone about?"

Nobody replied, but the overture reached its climax around them, a silence falling as the music trailed off into silence. A sound from downstage made them jump in fright, all of them whipping around and staring up at the car.

Someone was most definitely there.

On the top of the trunk, a figure rose gracefully onto its hands and knees, gazing down at them enigmatically. Clad in the silver-tabby patterning of Munkustrap, the perfectly made-up face tilted slightly, then looked away.

"Wow..." Andy gaped as the man lazily turned and smoothly slid down the hood of the car on his hands and knees. Crawling down onto the stage with casual ease, he slowly rose in a sleek, flawless motion in time for the first line of the Jellicle Songs For Jellicle Cats.

Ignoring his audience, the man improvised the dance, his body flowing gracefully around the stage, every tiny gesture fluid and sensual. While they had all been taught to be feline, this strangely hypnotic man simply oozed felinity.

"Okay...I'm straight..." Tommy breathed, one of her hands rising to rest on her chest. "I am so straight a ruler looks bent."

As the song came to a halt, the seductive male glided towards them, his body straight, his shoulders rolling with every step. His tail swayed from side to side, curling around his calves as he walked, almost convincingly realistic.

Speeding his pace, he dropped to his knees at the top of the nearest, central ramp with enough momentum to bring him to the bottom of the ramp at their feet. He had barely stopped moving when he smoothly rose, straightening up and assuming a dignified, absolutely Munkustrap pose.

"Guuuuuh..." Tommy mumbled incoherently, extending a shaking hand in the cat-fashion out of sheer habit. With an enigmatic smile, the green-eyed man touched his knuckles softly against hers.

Turning towards the four men in the group, the emerald eyes scanned rapidly over each of them, then dipped down to Blue. The quiet smile widened fractionally, the brilliant eyes crinkling good-naturedly.

"Let me guess..." The voice could only be described as a purr, coated with the softest flavour of an exotic accent. He inclined his head gracefully towards Tommy, her flirty personality asserting itself as she drew herself upright with a seductive look. "You must be Bombalurina."

"That was pretty much a given." Blue grinned, playfully swatting at the man's long tail.

"Etcetera." The mock-chastisement in his voice was undercut by a soft ripple of throaty laughter. "And Misto?" Malcolm nodded appreciatively. A grey-black warmer rose, the man's fingers rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Mungojerrie, I am assuming."

Jonny parodied a bow. "Dats roight on da money, guvna!"

"Which leaves you two..." Tilting his head slightly to the side, he nodded again with a smile as Raymond bent his head out of instinct and rubbed the side of his head against the wig. "We have Alonzo."

"How did you know?"

The man turned to Andy with a smile. "All part of the role of Munkustrap. I can recognise any character by their habits and actions." He cast his eyes over the longhaired brunette. "I'm guessing that you're going to be my student."

"Y-you're the ex-Munk?" The swing's jaw sagged.

The man shrugged in a self-depreciating fashion. "I'm probably a little out of practise with the character, but yes. I was Munkustrap a couple of years ago, before Robbie was brought in to replace me."

"Out of practise?" Blue squeaked. "Man, you're the best Munkustrap I've seen! Are ye just a bloody great big cat or something?"

The actor laughed, a soft, deep sound. "Maybe I am." He replied, his eyes dancing. "I just couldn't resist getting back into the costume." He stretched out his arms in a cat-like fashion, then arched his back. "I suppose its kind of difficult to take a giant pussy seriously..."

He reached up and plucked the wig off his head, removing the stocking cap rapidly and letting a mass of long hair fall loosely around his shoulders. Running his fingers through his silky mane, he cocked his head.

"What?"

"Did you know your hair matches your wig?" Malcolm indicated to the dancer's hair.

Indeed, the long hair was a combination of black and silver. While to some the silvery streaks would look grey, this man's definitely was a shimmering silver colour. There was no way any hair on his head could be called grey.

"Someone had pointed it out before. It's been like this for as long as I can remember." He grinned broadly. "And it gets worse." Several brows lifted. "I should introduce myself. I'm Menke." He chuckled, turning the wig over in his hands. "Menke Strep."

Six pairs of eyes goggled at him, then six people started to laugh, soon to be joined by the owner of the strangely apt name.

***

"You're struggling with those lines again." Sitting on the back of one of the chairs in the front row, Menke had his feet propped on the seat of the chair. Andy nodded, pausing in the middle of the stage. "Want to try from the top with me?"

"Sounds like a good idea." Hands on his hips, Andy shook his feet as the senior dancer bent to hit the replay button on the CD player. Menke leapt lightly up onto the platform, moving to stand beside Andy.

"Remember not to hurry on the first lines. Enunciate like you're saying it to someone who s half deaf."

It was five hours after Andy and Menke had been formally introduced. The rest of the cast had rehearsed with them for an hour, but the older actor had told the dance captain that he wanted to work with Andy alone, to help him without pressure.

Both of the dancers were clad in jogging bottoms, dance shoes and a tail. Andy's long hair was pulled back in a ponytail, but Menke's was free about his shoulders.

Side-by-side, the duo started the steps of The Pekes and The Pollicles. While Andy could do the dance routine backwards, he was having serious trouble fitting the words in around the motions of the dance, often running out of breath mid-word.

Menke looked like he could have sleep-walked his way through the whole show, but he happily had taken each song deftly apart for Andy, showing him the fullest way to make sure he didn't miss a thing.

The older actor seemed to know the character of Munkustrap as well as he knew himself. He had sat down with his counterpart, after they had run through Jennyanydots several times, and explained in detail to Andy just why Munkustrap was the leader, why he defended Demeter and why he was respected as the Leader after Old Deuteronomy.

"Was this explained to you in the orientation seminars or something?" Andy had asked between mouthfuls of water.

Menke had smiled slightly. "It just makes sense. What have you been told about the character of Munkustrap that you think is important?"

"He's second in command in the group, after Old Deuteronomy." Andy had replied after a moment's thought. "He's not the oldest in the group, but he's the protector. He's responsible for the groups safety." Menke had nodded, not saying anything. "As for Demeter...I dunno. I was just told that they were close."

Gesturing for Andy to join him on the car, Menke had sat down and sighed deeply. "Here's how I see it. For Munkustrap to be the second in command, he must be respected by the tribe, but - more than that - he had to be liked. The respect and security the tribe feel from him comes from trust and you can't truly trust someone if you don't like them."

"So everyone in the tribe sees Munkustrap as a kind of protective big brother?" Much of what the senior man was saying made sense to the younger dancer. "They treat him with love and he returns it?" Menke's smile said a lot. "So, if I - as Munk - show that I like the tribe, it's along the right lines?"

"If Munkustrap went around kicking the kittens, do you think anyone would respect him?"

"I see what you mean." Stretched out along the boot, the metal cool against his bare chest, Andy frowned slightly. "What about Demeter?"

Menke went silent for a long moment. His hand rose to his own chest, touching a cross of fading scar tissue that was centred over his heart. The soft strains of Jennyanydots sounded from the CD player, barely noticeable.

"Menke?"

"Imagine, if you can," The senior dancer's voice was shaking slightly. "A love so deep that you think nothing can stop it." Andy saw a flash of blue eyes in his mind's eye, nodded. "Then, imagine if you will, something or someone has harmed that figure, some time that you didn't know about." Andy found green eyes staring at him. "Imagine that the one you love is Demeter. Imagine she cannot get passed that torment and fears it will happen again, soon." He released a breath. "Imagine he tries to take her away from you. That's how I see Demeter and Men... Munkustrap's relationship. That's why he faces Macavity for her. Do you understand?"

Andy's tight burst of laughter seemed to surprise the senior dancer. "Been there, done that, broke the son of a bitch's nose."

"So we are both speaking from experience." Menke had said softly, turning his left hand over and looking down at the wedding ring on his finger. The moment had passed quickly and before Andy had the chance to ask what he meant, Menke had raised green eyes, smiled and briskly ordered him to get back on with the practise.

"Damn it!" Coming to a halt during the second stanza of The Pekes & The Pollicles, Andy threw back his head with a cry of exasperation. "I'm never going to get this right." He shot a glare at the CD player.

Menke crossed the stage and paused the CD, turning patiently back to his companion. "You'll be fine, Andy." He soothed. "You're not the first Munkustrap to have problems getting the timing on this song."

"But I only have until tonight..."

"And you can do the dance routine perfectly." Returning to Andy's side, Menke steered him back to the opening position. "Just relax and don't speed up so much. You don't have to be nervous. That's what your problem is."

"But I..."

Menke rolled his eyes. "Andy, if you want to get this right, stop being so paranoid about it."

Can you do the lines with me?" The black- and silver-haired dancer nodded with a smile, both of them counting the beats as the song started up again.

***

"I have a Gumbie Cat in mind..." Following Menke's instructions, Andy swayed both arms below the elbow in the same direction as his hips, as he sang the lines of the song. It gave him a sensual little quirk, the motion becoming smoother as he practised.

If there was one piece of advice Menke had repeated, it was never to underestimate the seductive power of the slight, smooth gestures. The older dancer had suggested that, whenever possible, he move his body as close to a sexual style as he dared, without impending threat of a reprimand.

Again, the older dancer had managed to shock him, by performing a routine to The Gumbie Cat that had made the tips of his ears go scarlet. At random moments, different areas of Menke's body would sensually start to roll, while the rest of his body was near motionless.

To see the older man do what could only be called dirty dancing to a song about an old, lazy cat had made him realise that Menke was right. He could do anything and everything. Felines were like that. They were unequivocally sensual and pleasurable beings and Menke displayed it with frightening ease.

At least half a dozen of the regular cast were staring mutely at Andy, clearly astonished by the little display and his somewhat errant pelvis. While not quite taking it to the level to rival Norman, as Tugger, Andy was certainly giving Munkustrap some 'oomf', as Menke described it so fittingly.

The other members of the cast were gathered in their usual positions, as he continued to sing throatily to the music. He found his girlfriend blinking dumbly up at him, her mouth hanging open. "Her name is Jennyanydots."

Seated beside the centre ramp, still using the back of the chair, Menke nodded, resting his elbows on his knees. He was beating time against his calf with an empty, plastic bottle, his eyes following every motion.

None of the kittens were playing up too much, simply taking the run through as Andy's first chance to do his new role. They were all in their positions, as they would be in a usual performance, but taking in his motions and gestures.

Finishing the song, Andy broke into a wide grin when Menke called for a time out. Blue was in his arms in an instant, her small hands fastened around his neck. "Shorty?" He inquired, navigating her off his lap.

"You didn't tell me you could dance like that! I'm the only person in this relationship that's allowed to dance like a little bitty ho!"

"Blame him, if anyone. He taught me dance to dance like a big bitty ho." He jerked his thumb in Menke's direction, but the senior dancer didn't notice, his attention fixed on someone who was rounding the platform and hurrying towards him, smiling broadly. "Hey, Menke! Who's your friend?"

The dancer tucked his tail into the waistband of his trousers, then caught his companion's hand and led her around to Andy and Blue at the ramp. "Andy, this is my wife, Demi." Gold eyes gazed at the younger dancer. "Demi, this is Andy and the small thing stuck on his leg is Blue, our Etcetera."

"Heya." Blue grinned up at the couple. "Did you just have very smart parents?"

"What are you on about, shorty?"

"Hello?" Blue rolled her eyes. "Dem and Menk. Seeing a familiar couple here?" Directing her boyfriend's face at Demi, she cocked her head. "Imagine her with some gold stripes on her face and short hair..."

With a sudden aberration of vision, Andy was forced to shake his head, blinking. For a second, the pretty young woman holding Menke's arm had looked identical to Kashka's rendition of Demeter. "Shorty...?"

"He really is quite smart from time to time. Bless him." Blue fondly patted Andy's head, then held out a hand to Demi. "Nice to meet a Dem who isn't a bitch." She glanced in the direction of a woman with dark sandy hair sitting on a pipe, ignoring everyone around her.

"Charmed." Demi chuckled. "You just can't get the staff these days." She scratched her husband's chest. "What's it like being back in the junkyard yet again, lover? I thought we'd finally got you out of here."

"Can't keep a good cat down, can you?" Menke looked like he would have liked to purr, as his wife's fingers continued to trace up and down his bare chest. "Do you want to hang around for a while? The guys and gals are just having their drinks and a quick break. We're about to do The Pekes and Pollicles properly."

"You think I'm ready for that?" Andy inquired.

"I don't see why not, mate." Menke replied with a broad, genuine smile. "You've been absolutely great on everything else so far, so I don't see why you can't get through this one and finish off. Its show-time in a few hours and you deserve a little bit of kip."

Pushing his loose strands of hair back, Andy grinned. "You have NO idea how good that sounds to me." Hugging Blue snugly against his side, he pressed his cheek against her head. "Wanna bunk with me for half an hour before show-time, love?" She nodded, cuddling closer.

"So this is your Dem?" Menke murmured softly, eyeing the small dancer. Any met Menke's eyes. No words needed to be said. The senior dancer gave him a tired smile. "I think you're going to do fine as Munk, Andy." He said quietly. "Just fine."