Andromeda had just finished telling Etcetera and Cassandra about the exciting events that had occurred at the abandoned house the night before, when she was tapped on the shoulder by Jennyanydots. The gumbie cat informed her that Mistoffelees had just regained consciousness and that he wanted to see her.
Andromeda had to bite her tongue to keep from screaming in delight. The black cat had been asleep ever since he had passed out in her arms after the battle.
Jennyanydots never said so, but Andromeda knew that there was a chance he would not wake up at all.
He was awake now, and he wanted to see her. Just her and no one else.
She followed the gumbie cat to an old car, different from the one that previously served as a meeting place, where Mistoffelees lay on a soft pile of rags.
He looked much better now. The blood had been washed away from his face and chest.
Andromeda thought that he looked exactly like his old self again.
The black cat looked up when they entered and smiled when he saw the silver queen.
"I'll just leave you two alone for a little while. I'll be right outside if you need me," said Jennyanydots as she left the car.
Andromeda sat down next to the magical cat.
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"I'm okay," came the reply. "I still can't move, but I'm okay."
"That's good."
"Jennyanydots has forbidden me to leave bed for a while, not that I can anyway."
The queen laughed.
"Gumbie cats are so protective aren't they?" she said.
Misto smiled but then his expression became serious.
"That was a very brave thing you did for me last night," he said.
"Thank you," she answered.
"You saved my life, Andromeda."
The silver cat shook her head.
"I didn't. We all did. Munkustrap and the others. . ."
"Munkustrap and the others would not have found the house as fast as they did if it weren't for you."
"You don't know that," protested queen.
Mistoffelees laughed. "Heavyside Andromeda, you are so stubborn!" he said. "That's one of the things that I like about you."
Andromeda smiled.
"You like me?" she asked.
"Of course I do," came the reply.
"As a friend you mean?"
"No," answered the black cat. "More than that. How many of the toms here can say they've had their lives saved by the most beautiful queen in the tribe?"
"You think I'm beautiful?" she asked.
"I thought you were beautiful the first time I saw you," answered Misto.
"No one has ever said anything like that to me before. The reason that I could not find a permanent home with any humans is because I was just a plain, silver cat with funny eyes."
"I like your eyes," said the black cat. "And you're not plain at all. You're beautiful, brilliant, kind, and brave enough to smack Munkustrap in the face."
Andromeda blushed.
"You're not so bad yourself," she said.
Her multi-colored eyes glistened with tears.
"Don't cry," begged Mistoffelees. "Please don't cry."
Andromeda smiled and rubbed her head under his chin, comforted by the sweet sound of his purr.
Andromeda had to bite her tongue to keep from screaming in delight. The black cat had been asleep ever since he had passed out in her arms after the battle.
Jennyanydots never said so, but Andromeda knew that there was a chance he would not wake up at all.
He was awake now, and he wanted to see her. Just her and no one else.
She followed the gumbie cat to an old car, different from the one that previously served as a meeting place, where Mistoffelees lay on a soft pile of rags.
He looked much better now. The blood had been washed away from his face and chest.
Andromeda thought that he looked exactly like his old self again.
The black cat looked up when they entered and smiled when he saw the silver queen.
"I'll just leave you two alone for a little while. I'll be right outside if you need me," said Jennyanydots as she left the car.
Andromeda sat down next to the magical cat.
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"I'm okay," came the reply. "I still can't move, but I'm okay."
"That's good."
"Jennyanydots has forbidden me to leave bed for a while, not that I can anyway."
The queen laughed.
"Gumbie cats are so protective aren't they?" she said.
Misto smiled but then his expression became serious.
"That was a very brave thing you did for me last night," he said.
"Thank you," she answered.
"You saved my life, Andromeda."
The silver cat shook her head.
"I didn't. We all did. Munkustrap and the others. . ."
"Munkustrap and the others would not have found the house as fast as they did if it weren't for you."
"You don't know that," protested queen.
Mistoffelees laughed. "Heavyside Andromeda, you are so stubborn!" he said. "That's one of the things that I like about you."
Andromeda smiled.
"You like me?" she asked.
"Of course I do," came the reply.
"As a friend you mean?"
"No," answered the black cat. "More than that. How many of the toms here can say they've had their lives saved by the most beautiful queen in the tribe?"
"You think I'm beautiful?" she asked.
"I thought you were beautiful the first time I saw you," answered Misto.
"No one has ever said anything like that to me before. The reason that I could not find a permanent home with any humans is because I was just a plain, silver cat with funny eyes."
"I like your eyes," said the black cat. "And you're not plain at all. You're beautiful, brilliant, kind, and brave enough to smack Munkustrap in the face."
Andromeda blushed.
"You're not so bad yourself," she said.
Her multi-colored eyes glistened with tears.
"Don't cry," begged Mistoffelees. "Please don't cry."
Andromeda smiled and rubbed her head under his chin, comforted by the sweet sound of his purr.