Hello, invisible people who read my stories. The first chapter I wrote has
a BIG mistake in it. (probably due to the fact that I was half asleep while
writing it.) It said P.S. Eliot, which in reality, is T.S. Eliot. I am
stupid and you can all kill me. (if you can catch me that is ^-^.
NEWS! I am aware that I keep switching tenses. Note to readers; the story itself is in the past tense, the intro explaining the chapter like the few paragraphs below are in the present tense.
~**Chapter Four( Brilliant Stranger and an Embarrassed Tom**~
It is quite a while after we left off last. The kittens such as Victoria and Etcetera are now new queens and are more mature, though still dashing after Tugger's lean body once in awhile when he goads them into it. Overall, the Jellicles have returned to a normal life. Macavity has stopped making his appearances, much to Demeter's relief, and she has settled in with Munkustrap. Everything, for the moment, is as normal as can be.
~*~
Mistofolees, Plato, Tumblebrutus, Victor, and Pouncival were tossing an old burst volleyball around a clearing in the junkyard and the new queens were watching with animated interest, Victoria eying Mistofolees with a new interest. She had always been his best friend and knew that she shouldn't endanger that friendship by letting her feelings get any deeper so she just settled for quaintly staring at him as he played with the other toms.
Etcetera was grooming her paw, the transition into a queen having calmed her enthusiasm a bit. She thought the game was boring, as most human women find the sports their men enjoy watching do, and was about to leave to find something that would hold her attention, when the ball careened into her abdomen, knocking her off of the pile of rubbish the few queens had been balanced upon. She screamed, her voice a shrill cry amongst the shouts of the toms. Victoria looked over the edge of the pile, her white fur glimmering. Etcetera managed to turn herself, like all cats, and land on her feet, but she staggered and fell against the bas of the pile when she tried to walk.
Victoria leapt down to help her sister and almost got crushed as two toms followed her over the cusp. Mistofolees and Victor helped Etcetera to sit up and Victoria watched as her sister slowly became stable. The ball had hit her right in the stomach, making her a bit queasy for a time. She had the appearance of someone about to faint.
"I'll go get the ball," Victoria volunteered. "I don't think you need my help." She stood and scampered off.
"Wait for me!" Mistofolees piped. He stood with all the fluid grace a cat possesses and followed her. They entered a dark part of the junkyard and their voices became hushed.
"You shouldn't go by yourself," he scolded. "Macavity could be about."
She scoffed and ran on ahead, mentally congratulating herself when he ran to keep up with her.
"Don't laugh," he whispered. "Macavity is dangerous enough that I was afraid to follow you here. We're close to his lair."
"If you're so afraid," she sneered over her shoulder. "Why are you here?" Of course, she was fishing for that particular line that would signal her to move in or not. As usual, the male is oblivious, and Mistofolees was no different.
"I'm here because I can beat him with my magic!" he announced proudly. He ducked, afraid that someone might have heard him.
"I think Macavity's old or something," Victoria said boldly as she bent to pick up the ball. It was resting upon another pile of trash that moved slightly when she lifted the ball. "He's not showed up lately. Maybe he's dead."
Just then, the pile of trash erupted in an explosion of decomposing leaves and discarded rubbish. Victoria yelped and leapt into the arms of Mistofolees, who was paralyzed in fear.
"Macavity!" she screamed.
"Oh no!" a voice cried in peril. "Not already! I can't be found yet! I have to find-" whoever was under the pile crashed into the duo with the volleyball. The three of them went crashing to the ground in a fit of waving paws and thrashing hind legs.
When the leaves and other particles of miscellaneous junk had settled, Victoria looked up to find Mistofolees with another queen clasped to his chest. His eyes were shut tightly and he was trembling. The queen looked at him with wide green eyes, continuously blinking them in confusion. Jealousy flared up in Victoria as she watched the pair. She cleared her throat and Mistofolees opened his eyes. He blinked in confusion as well when he saw the new queen and quickly pushed her off his chest. He slide beside Victoria and they both scrutinized the newcomer.
She sat on her legs with her front paws between her knees, her head cocked slightly to the right. She was a rich golden color with a snow-white fringe on her shoulders, head, and around her wrists. Her tail was white but ended in a golden brush of color.
"Who are you?" Mistofolees asked curiously.
"Where's Macavity?" she asked, a bit wary. She strangely didn't look frightened but more like she was tired of something. She kept looking over her shoulder, expecting something to come bursting from the bordering trees.
"He's not here," Victoria explained. "We thought you were him but you turned out to be someone else, then Mistofolees thought you were me, but you really weren't and then . . ." Victoria successfully confused herself. She scratched her head while the other queen scampered off in the direction that the other two came from.
"We can't stay here," she whispered. "It's too close to the danger zone. Trust me." she jumped up over the pile of trash, a phenomenal leap even for a Jellicle. The others ran around the pile until they met her in front of it. The other Jellicles were occupied and the three were alone for the moment.
"So who are you?" Victoria asked rather abruptly.
The queen looked shocked for a moment but answered her simply. "I am Sophanispa."
"That's it?" the white queen asked disappointedly. "Where are you from?"
"I am a Jellicle, if that was what you were getting at," the golden cat answered a bit offended. "As for my home, it is nonexistent. I will not go back there."
With Jellicles, a cat not wishing to speak more than what they wish to have known is accepted and not further questioned, so Sophanispa's abrupt halt on the subject was not something suspicious.
Just then, Victor and Etcetera came back over to the pile. Etcetera looked much better and was even happily bouncing along behind Victor as they approached. She sat down beside Sophanispa, not even realizing that she'd never seen her before. Victoria wondered how it felt to be that absent minded.
"Who are you?" Victor asked her enthusiastically.
"Sophanispa," she told him, looking up at him blankly from her seat on the floor.
"Where'd you come from?" he asked, looking her up and down as if scrutinizing prey.
"Somewhere best left unsaid," she told him stiffly, raising one of her brushstroke eyebrows in annoyance.
"All right," he sighed, raising his front paws in truce. "None of my business. Not unless you kill anyone."
She grinned mischievously. "You won't mind it if I do. My target would be someone worth killing. Not that I've a mind to kill, anyway." She added the last rather nonchalantly as she twitched her tail.
Tugger picked that moment to come down from his tree across the way. Unluckily for him, Jemima was sitting at the base of the tree and caught a near perfect glimpse of his posterior as he landed with liquid grace in front of her. Most of the new queens still insisted in chasing him, none of them really ever catching him. He did enjoy teasing them but he longed for the day that they would see that he was only toying with their young pretty minds. He would never use them for his own needs but it was always fun to coax a confession out of them and then disappear.
At this moment, he had Jemima on his tail. He allowed her to gain on him, slowing just enough that her fingers grazed his mane. He did not see Electra just to his left, about to pounce upon him. Victoria and Etcetera held their breaths, wondering if they were finally going to catch him. Sophanispa, not knowing the game, stepped out partially and cupped her mouth.
"Look out!" Tugger turned in her direction, slowing in confusion. Electra and Jemima, having anticipated a different move, collided with each other at his feet. He jumped away form their groping hands with a little growl of mirth and waved at the golden cat. She shrugged and Victoria squealed.
"We almost had him!" she scolded. "Why'd you have to warn him?"
"Well," she began. "First, I never knew you were trying to catch him. Second; he looks much more interesting than that little calico mix trying to stop him." She gestured to Electra who was fast after the lean Tugger. He was running backwards and taunting them all the while.
"If you wanted to catch me," he shouted. "You would have by now."
"Damn eedyot, Oi say," a voice said from the peak of the pile. "Strutin' 'round loik a durn fool, Oi say," Mungojerry was staring at the running Tugger with contempt. Rumpleteazer was glued to the scene as well, but with a different light in her eye.
Mungojerry looked up at his partner and growled. She ignored him and continued watching.
"'Ey, Teaza," Mungojerry said trying to break her from her trance. "Waike up!"
"Whot d'ya wont, Jerry?" she asked without blinking or breaking her gaze.
"Don't tell me 'at you a' goin' fo' 'is gag too, Teaza," Mungojerry declared in shock.
"Are you jealous?" Sophanispa asked him. He was so shocked by both the question and the speaker that he forgot his manners.
"'Oo 'ell a' you?" he asked with his hand to his chest.
"Sophanispa."
"Well, 'at don't tell me much," he told her bluntly.
"You like her, don't you?"
"Whot?" he asked incredulously. "Teaza and me be friends! 'At's it! Not'n more'n 'at!"
"Then why are you acting like that tom stole her then?" Sophanispa pointed out. Mungojerry was speechless. Rumpleteazer had stopped watching Tugger, who was now being chased by Etcetera as well, to listen as her partner was drilled. He was blushing strongly.
Rumpleteazer put her arms around his neck "Don't take't personal, Jerry. Oi's jus' lookin' a' 'is colla! Long gol' spoikes!"
"Challenge 'im fo' it, Teaza!" Mungojerry told her. "Ooeva cin cetch 'im gits 'is colla!"
"You got it!" Tugger shouted as he sailed over the rubbish heap. Rumpleteazer was after him like a lightning bolt.
"The winner must be a queen though," Tugger shouted as he sprinted away. Most of the other queens tried but just couldn't get near. When he toyed with them, he usually let them get closer but Rumpleteazer, used to running from police or dogs with Mungojerry after a bust or break in could keep up with the larger tom.
Since Rumpleteazer was the only one chasing him, the other queens waited until he came near and continuously attempted at jumping him. They were unsuccessful every time.
"Come on ladies," he goaded. "You've got to try harder than that if you want my collar!" He ran by the heap where Sophanispa was still sitting. She watched nonchalantly while he ran, showing off his body as well. He wondered as he ran, why she hadn't even looked at him as the other queens did, let alone join in to chase him.
'Maybe I'm losing my touch,' he thought as he vaulted a large tire, Rumpleteazer right after him. He could tell she was tiring as he made another round near the pile of rubbish.
"Come on, Goldie," he goaded. "Why don't you try it?"
"Don't call me that," she spat darkly. Tugger grinned and sidestepped the fatigued Rumpleteazer.
"Call you what, Goldie," he taunted. "I didn't quite hear you." He cupped his ear and leaned forward, noticing that Victoria was getting closer.
The new cat just glared at him and stayed where she was. He grinned and sprung backwards as two queens pounced at him. The chase continued until everyone was too tired to chase him. He, however, was still as fresh as when he'd begun.
"Now that you've all given up," he began. His collar fell from his throat and into the paw of Sophanispa. He looked at her in complete shock. This was when everyone realized that she was smaller than even Electra. The tips of her ears barely reached Tugger's shoulders. She shook the collar in his face and snatched it away just before he got to it.
"How did you do that?" he asked, still flabbergasted. She smiled sweetly at him and shook her head. He looked suspiciously at Mistofolees, who wore the same expression as his brother.
"You can do magic too, can't you," Tugger interrogated her. She looked confused and shook her head in silence.
"No," he said in anger. "You tricked me. Hand it back over."
"You want to make me?" she spat angrily. He took a step toward the tiny cat and she stood her ground.
"Tugger, "Victor told the older cat. "I don't think this is the best idea. If you hurt her-" he was cut off by Tugger's paw.
"I'm not going to hurt her," he assured him. "I'm just going to get my collar back."
"Good luck," the tiny one hissed. She scampered off and Tugger stalked after her. Now, the young toms as well as the queens were crowding around the junkyard to watch. Bombalurina, probably the closest queen to Tugger, was standing with Demeter and shooting murderous glances at the little queen.
Tugger didn't give her time to prepare, but rather bolted straight at her, using a wide step so he could shunt himself off in any direction she chose to move in.
She watched him come for her and didn't move at all. She merely crossed her ankles and sat, bending at the waist. Tugger sailed over her and took a few seconds to relocate her. By that time, she was standing upon an old tractor tire with his collar around her neck. It looked ridiculously large on her thin throat but it was a challenge nonetheless.
He growled and lunged for her. Everything seemed to slow down as he came closer, his paw raised as if to strike. The girl's eyes seemed to cloud over as she jumped up over his blow. Demeter screamed as well as Sophanispa. Tugger hit the ground in confusion. Someone was on his back, and they were shivering tremendously. Another queen was nearby and she was breathing loudly. He looked over his shoulder.
Sophanispa was curled in a ball in the center of his lower back. Her eyes were closed and she was trembling in fear. Demeter was bowed on the ground. They both opened their eyes and Demeter drew back, embarrassed. The smaller cat rolled off his back and sat with her legs crossed. He changed position to look at her and she flinched.
He was very confused by her actions and wasn't even concerned about his collar anymore. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," she told him flatly. "I win."
"Sure," he brushed the idea off. "Why are you shivering?"
She looked away and scratched her upper arm. "You reminded me of something terrible."
"And the final question is," Bombalurina asked form the side. "Why are you so fast? The only reason Teazer is fast is because she's a thief. Queens don't move that way on purpose, especially ones of your stature. Are you a thief? Or do you work for Macavity?"
"How dare you!" Sophanispa hissed, her face contorting in anger. "I will never work for that contemptible, lard eating, cat snatching, son-of-a- rotten-peanut-butter sandwich-named-Mo, garter wearing, (at this, Teazer smiled) fishy breath smelling, wannabe cat!" With that, she stood and ran off somewhere, leaving the company to wonder about her. Rumpleteazer and Mungojerry followed her.
~}~}~}~}~}~}~}{~{~{~{~{~{~{~
Sophanispa sat in the grass outside the yard and contemplated her position. She wasn't even a day in the tribe and already the others didn't like her. She felt the ground thud before she saw them. It was the infamous duo, Mungojerry and Rumpleteazer.
"Are you here to take the collar?" she asked them without looking.
"Not to take it," Rumpleteazer corrected. "To trade it! Wood'ya loik one a' these?" she showed Sophanispa a wide array of collars. She eventually chose one with a simple silver charm dangling from a leather thong studded with silver clips. Mungojerry took Tugger's fancy collar and examined it. The spike stuck out about three and a half inches (to the cats, anyway. Not that big to us.) The band was black leather threaded with gold embroidery. The collar was heavy by Jellicle standards and clanged nicely against some unknown bauble in the purple sack he dropped it into.
"Tata, an' thanks!" they disappeared just as Victoria and Mistofolees came over the border.
"Where are you going to stay?" Victoria asked her.
"Probably right here," she answered forlornly.
"No," Victoria insisted. "Come and stay with me."
"I don't want to endanger you," she declined. "There's something after me and I figure if I stay out here, no one else can get hurt in my wake."
"Who's after you?" Mistofolees asked.
"It's not safe to tell you," she answered looking into his deep brown eyes. "Believe me or not, I don't want you to get hurt."
"You can stay with me, then," Mistofolees suggested. Victoria hid a pang of jealousy. "I can protect you with my magic."
"No," she shook her head. "Not even magic can stop it now. It remembers your magic from somewhere and has a counter. I need to stay somewhere were there are little or no cats and the ones there can fight or run."
Victoria looked lost but Mistofolees looked thoughtful. "I know just the place and I think for you, he'll make an exception."
~}~}~}~}~}~}~}{~{~{~{~{~{~{~
"I don't think-" "Shh! This will work. Who else lives this isolated from everyone else?" "But I just-" "It's okay! He's not going to eat you!" "But he's-" "You don't know that. He's probably too tired to argue!" "I don't wanna!" "He looked mighty intrigued when you pulled off that collar, as did everyone else." "Not gonna." "Why not! Most of the queens in the tribe would give their tails to be where you are right now!" "My point exactly! He's going to expect that!" The other two sighed. They turned to leave, not looking at Sophanispa as she scurried behind them.
"Okay, okay," she gave in. "If he agrees, I'll stay here."
The other two grinned and gave high fives. Mistofolees climbed up the tree and woke a certain brother of his up.
Don't hate me for what's gonna happen. Hate me for what's happened so far, 'cause you don't know what's gonna happen! (Did you notice the bad grammar, or do you speak slang?) REVIEW PLEASE! I'm lonely! Speak, silent people!
NEWS! I am aware that I keep switching tenses. Note to readers; the story itself is in the past tense, the intro explaining the chapter like the few paragraphs below are in the present tense.
~**Chapter Four( Brilliant Stranger and an Embarrassed Tom**~
It is quite a while after we left off last. The kittens such as Victoria and Etcetera are now new queens and are more mature, though still dashing after Tugger's lean body once in awhile when he goads them into it. Overall, the Jellicles have returned to a normal life. Macavity has stopped making his appearances, much to Demeter's relief, and she has settled in with Munkustrap. Everything, for the moment, is as normal as can be.
~*~
Mistofolees, Plato, Tumblebrutus, Victor, and Pouncival were tossing an old burst volleyball around a clearing in the junkyard and the new queens were watching with animated interest, Victoria eying Mistofolees with a new interest. She had always been his best friend and knew that she shouldn't endanger that friendship by letting her feelings get any deeper so she just settled for quaintly staring at him as he played with the other toms.
Etcetera was grooming her paw, the transition into a queen having calmed her enthusiasm a bit. She thought the game was boring, as most human women find the sports their men enjoy watching do, and was about to leave to find something that would hold her attention, when the ball careened into her abdomen, knocking her off of the pile of rubbish the few queens had been balanced upon. She screamed, her voice a shrill cry amongst the shouts of the toms. Victoria looked over the edge of the pile, her white fur glimmering. Etcetera managed to turn herself, like all cats, and land on her feet, but she staggered and fell against the bas of the pile when she tried to walk.
Victoria leapt down to help her sister and almost got crushed as two toms followed her over the cusp. Mistofolees and Victor helped Etcetera to sit up and Victoria watched as her sister slowly became stable. The ball had hit her right in the stomach, making her a bit queasy for a time. She had the appearance of someone about to faint.
"I'll go get the ball," Victoria volunteered. "I don't think you need my help." She stood and scampered off.
"Wait for me!" Mistofolees piped. He stood with all the fluid grace a cat possesses and followed her. They entered a dark part of the junkyard and their voices became hushed.
"You shouldn't go by yourself," he scolded. "Macavity could be about."
She scoffed and ran on ahead, mentally congratulating herself when he ran to keep up with her.
"Don't laugh," he whispered. "Macavity is dangerous enough that I was afraid to follow you here. We're close to his lair."
"If you're so afraid," she sneered over her shoulder. "Why are you here?" Of course, she was fishing for that particular line that would signal her to move in or not. As usual, the male is oblivious, and Mistofolees was no different.
"I'm here because I can beat him with my magic!" he announced proudly. He ducked, afraid that someone might have heard him.
"I think Macavity's old or something," Victoria said boldly as she bent to pick up the ball. It was resting upon another pile of trash that moved slightly when she lifted the ball. "He's not showed up lately. Maybe he's dead."
Just then, the pile of trash erupted in an explosion of decomposing leaves and discarded rubbish. Victoria yelped and leapt into the arms of Mistofolees, who was paralyzed in fear.
"Macavity!" she screamed.
"Oh no!" a voice cried in peril. "Not already! I can't be found yet! I have to find-" whoever was under the pile crashed into the duo with the volleyball. The three of them went crashing to the ground in a fit of waving paws and thrashing hind legs.
When the leaves and other particles of miscellaneous junk had settled, Victoria looked up to find Mistofolees with another queen clasped to his chest. His eyes were shut tightly and he was trembling. The queen looked at him with wide green eyes, continuously blinking them in confusion. Jealousy flared up in Victoria as she watched the pair. She cleared her throat and Mistofolees opened his eyes. He blinked in confusion as well when he saw the new queen and quickly pushed her off his chest. He slide beside Victoria and they both scrutinized the newcomer.
She sat on her legs with her front paws between her knees, her head cocked slightly to the right. She was a rich golden color with a snow-white fringe on her shoulders, head, and around her wrists. Her tail was white but ended in a golden brush of color.
"Who are you?" Mistofolees asked curiously.
"Where's Macavity?" she asked, a bit wary. She strangely didn't look frightened but more like she was tired of something. She kept looking over her shoulder, expecting something to come bursting from the bordering trees.
"He's not here," Victoria explained. "We thought you were him but you turned out to be someone else, then Mistofolees thought you were me, but you really weren't and then . . ." Victoria successfully confused herself. She scratched her head while the other queen scampered off in the direction that the other two came from.
"We can't stay here," she whispered. "It's too close to the danger zone. Trust me." she jumped up over the pile of trash, a phenomenal leap even for a Jellicle. The others ran around the pile until they met her in front of it. The other Jellicles were occupied and the three were alone for the moment.
"So who are you?" Victoria asked rather abruptly.
The queen looked shocked for a moment but answered her simply. "I am Sophanispa."
"That's it?" the white queen asked disappointedly. "Where are you from?"
"I am a Jellicle, if that was what you were getting at," the golden cat answered a bit offended. "As for my home, it is nonexistent. I will not go back there."
With Jellicles, a cat not wishing to speak more than what they wish to have known is accepted and not further questioned, so Sophanispa's abrupt halt on the subject was not something suspicious.
Just then, Victor and Etcetera came back over to the pile. Etcetera looked much better and was even happily bouncing along behind Victor as they approached. She sat down beside Sophanispa, not even realizing that she'd never seen her before. Victoria wondered how it felt to be that absent minded.
"Who are you?" Victor asked her enthusiastically.
"Sophanispa," she told him, looking up at him blankly from her seat on the floor.
"Where'd you come from?" he asked, looking her up and down as if scrutinizing prey.
"Somewhere best left unsaid," she told him stiffly, raising one of her brushstroke eyebrows in annoyance.
"All right," he sighed, raising his front paws in truce. "None of my business. Not unless you kill anyone."
She grinned mischievously. "You won't mind it if I do. My target would be someone worth killing. Not that I've a mind to kill, anyway." She added the last rather nonchalantly as she twitched her tail.
Tugger picked that moment to come down from his tree across the way. Unluckily for him, Jemima was sitting at the base of the tree and caught a near perfect glimpse of his posterior as he landed with liquid grace in front of her. Most of the new queens still insisted in chasing him, none of them really ever catching him. He did enjoy teasing them but he longed for the day that they would see that he was only toying with their young pretty minds. He would never use them for his own needs but it was always fun to coax a confession out of them and then disappear.
At this moment, he had Jemima on his tail. He allowed her to gain on him, slowing just enough that her fingers grazed his mane. He did not see Electra just to his left, about to pounce upon him. Victoria and Etcetera held their breaths, wondering if they were finally going to catch him. Sophanispa, not knowing the game, stepped out partially and cupped her mouth.
"Look out!" Tugger turned in her direction, slowing in confusion. Electra and Jemima, having anticipated a different move, collided with each other at his feet. He jumped away form their groping hands with a little growl of mirth and waved at the golden cat. She shrugged and Victoria squealed.
"We almost had him!" she scolded. "Why'd you have to warn him?"
"Well," she began. "First, I never knew you were trying to catch him. Second; he looks much more interesting than that little calico mix trying to stop him." She gestured to Electra who was fast after the lean Tugger. He was running backwards and taunting them all the while.
"If you wanted to catch me," he shouted. "You would have by now."
"Damn eedyot, Oi say," a voice said from the peak of the pile. "Strutin' 'round loik a durn fool, Oi say," Mungojerry was staring at the running Tugger with contempt. Rumpleteazer was glued to the scene as well, but with a different light in her eye.
Mungojerry looked up at his partner and growled. She ignored him and continued watching.
"'Ey, Teaza," Mungojerry said trying to break her from her trance. "Waike up!"
"Whot d'ya wont, Jerry?" she asked without blinking or breaking her gaze.
"Don't tell me 'at you a' goin' fo' 'is gag too, Teaza," Mungojerry declared in shock.
"Are you jealous?" Sophanispa asked him. He was so shocked by both the question and the speaker that he forgot his manners.
"'Oo 'ell a' you?" he asked with his hand to his chest.
"Sophanispa."
"Well, 'at don't tell me much," he told her bluntly.
"You like her, don't you?"
"Whot?" he asked incredulously. "Teaza and me be friends! 'At's it! Not'n more'n 'at!"
"Then why are you acting like that tom stole her then?" Sophanispa pointed out. Mungojerry was speechless. Rumpleteazer had stopped watching Tugger, who was now being chased by Etcetera as well, to listen as her partner was drilled. He was blushing strongly.
Rumpleteazer put her arms around his neck "Don't take't personal, Jerry. Oi's jus' lookin' a' 'is colla! Long gol' spoikes!"
"Challenge 'im fo' it, Teaza!" Mungojerry told her. "Ooeva cin cetch 'im gits 'is colla!"
"You got it!" Tugger shouted as he sailed over the rubbish heap. Rumpleteazer was after him like a lightning bolt.
"The winner must be a queen though," Tugger shouted as he sprinted away. Most of the other queens tried but just couldn't get near. When he toyed with them, he usually let them get closer but Rumpleteazer, used to running from police or dogs with Mungojerry after a bust or break in could keep up with the larger tom.
Since Rumpleteazer was the only one chasing him, the other queens waited until he came near and continuously attempted at jumping him. They were unsuccessful every time.
"Come on ladies," he goaded. "You've got to try harder than that if you want my collar!" He ran by the heap where Sophanispa was still sitting. She watched nonchalantly while he ran, showing off his body as well. He wondered as he ran, why she hadn't even looked at him as the other queens did, let alone join in to chase him.
'Maybe I'm losing my touch,' he thought as he vaulted a large tire, Rumpleteazer right after him. He could tell she was tiring as he made another round near the pile of rubbish.
"Come on, Goldie," he goaded. "Why don't you try it?"
"Don't call me that," she spat darkly. Tugger grinned and sidestepped the fatigued Rumpleteazer.
"Call you what, Goldie," he taunted. "I didn't quite hear you." He cupped his ear and leaned forward, noticing that Victoria was getting closer.
The new cat just glared at him and stayed where she was. He grinned and sprung backwards as two queens pounced at him. The chase continued until everyone was too tired to chase him. He, however, was still as fresh as when he'd begun.
"Now that you've all given up," he began. His collar fell from his throat and into the paw of Sophanispa. He looked at her in complete shock. This was when everyone realized that she was smaller than even Electra. The tips of her ears barely reached Tugger's shoulders. She shook the collar in his face and snatched it away just before he got to it.
"How did you do that?" he asked, still flabbergasted. She smiled sweetly at him and shook her head. He looked suspiciously at Mistofolees, who wore the same expression as his brother.
"You can do magic too, can't you," Tugger interrogated her. She looked confused and shook her head in silence.
"No," he said in anger. "You tricked me. Hand it back over."
"You want to make me?" she spat angrily. He took a step toward the tiny cat and she stood her ground.
"Tugger, "Victor told the older cat. "I don't think this is the best idea. If you hurt her-" he was cut off by Tugger's paw.
"I'm not going to hurt her," he assured him. "I'm just going to get my collar back."
"Good luck," the tiny one hissed. She scampered off and Tugger stalked after her. Now, the young toms as well as the queens were crowding around the junkyard to watch. Bombalurina, probably the closest queen to Tugger, was standing with Demeter and shooting murderous glances at the little queen.
Tugger didn't give her time to prepare, but rather bolted straight at her, using a wide step so he could shunt himself off in any direction she chose to move in.
She watched him come for her and didn't move at all. She merely crossed her ankles and sat, bending at the waist. Tugger sailed over her and took a few seconds to relocate her. By that time, she was standing upon an old tractor tire with his collar around her neck. It looked ridiculously large on her thin throat but it was a challenge nonetheless.
He growled and lunged for her. Everything seemed to slow down as he came closer, his paw raised as if to strike. The girl's eyes seemed to cloud over as she jumped up over his blow. Demeter screamed as well as Sophanispa. Tugger hit the ground in confusion. Someone was on his back, and they were shivering tremendously. Another queen was nearby and she was breathing loudly. He looked over his shoulder.
Sophanispa was curled in a ball in the center of his lower back. Her eyes were closed and she was trembling in fear. Demeter was bowed on the ground. They both opened their eyes and Demeter drew back, embarrassed. The smaller cat rolled off his back and sat with her legs crossed. He changed position to look at her and she flinched.
He was very confused by her actions and wasn't even concerned about his collar anymore. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," she told him flatly. "I win."
"Sure," he brushed the idea off. "Why are you shivering?"
She looked away and scratched her upper arm. "You reminded me of something terrible."
"And the final question is," Bombalurina asked form the side. "Why are you so fast? The only reason Teazer is fast is because she's a thief. Queens don't move that way on purpose, especially ones of your stature. Are you a thief? Or do you work for Macavity?"
"How dare you!" Sophanispa hissed, her face contorting in anger. "I will never work for that contemptible, lard eating, cat snatching, son-of-a- rotten-peanut-butter sandwich-named-Mo, garter wearing, (at this, Teazer smiled) fishy breath smelling, wannabe cat!" With that, she stood and ran off somewhere, leaving the company to wonder about her. Rumpleteazer and Mungojerry followed her.
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Sophanispa sat in the grass outside the yard and contemplated her position. She wasn't even a day in the tribe and already the others didn't like her. She felt the ground thud before she saw them. It was the infamous duo, Mungojerry and Rumpleteazer.
"Are you here to take the collar?" she asked them without looking.
"Not to take it," Rumpleteazer corrected. "To trade it! Wood'ya loik one a' these?" she showed Sophanispa a wide array of collars. She eventually chose one with a simple silver charm dangling from a leather thong studded with silver clips. Mungojerry took Tugger's fancy collar and examined it. The spike stuck out about three and a half inches (to the cats, anyway. Not that big to us.) The band was black leather threaded with gold embroidery. The collar was heavy by Jellicle standards and clanged nicely against some unknown bauble in the purple sack he dropped it into.
"Tata, an' thanks!" they disappeared just as Victoria and Mistofolees came over the border.
"Where are you going to stay?" Victoria asked her.
"Probably right here," she answered forlornly.
"No," Victoria insisted. "Come and stay with me."
"I don't want to endanger you," she declined. "There's something after me and I figure if I stay out here, no one else can get hurt in my wake."
"Who's after you?" Mistofolees asked.
"It's not safe to tell you," she answered looking into his deep brown eyes. "Believe me or not, I don't want you to get hurt."
"You can stay with me, then," Mistofolees suggested. Victoria hid a pang of jealousy. "I can protect you with my magic."
"No," she shook her head. "Not even magic can stop it now. It remembers your magic from somewhere and has a counter. I need to stay somewhere were there are little or no cats and the ones there can fight or run."
Victoria looked lost but Mistofolees looked thoughtful. "I know just the place and I think for you, he'll make an exception."
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"I don't think-" "Shh! This will work. Who else lives this isolated from everyone else?" "But I just-" "It's okay! He's not going to eat you!" "But he's-" "You don't know that. He's probably too tired to argue!" "I don't wanna!" "He looked mighty intrigued when you pulled off that collar, as did everyone else." "Not gonna." "Why not! Most of the queens in the tribe would give their tails to be where you are right now!" "My point exactly! He's going to expect that!" The other two sighed. They turned to leave, not looking at Sophanispa as she scurried behind them.
"Okay, okay," she gave in. "If he agrees, I'll stay here."
The other two grinned and gave high fives. Mistofolees climbed up the tree and woke a certain brother of his up.
Don't hate me for what's gonna happen. Hate me for what's happened so far, 'cause you don't know what's gonna happen! (Did you notice the bad grammar, or do you speak slang?) REVIEW PLEASE! I'm lonely! Speak, silent people!