Chapter 1: Of The Awful Battle Of The Jellicles And The Pollicles
The Jellicle Junkyard was a sight to behold. A fight had very clearly just taken place. Cats lay dead and
severely wounded all around. Three dogs were also dead. Blood and fur, both cat and dog, was every
where. One cat sat alone atop a tire surveying the scene. He was a silver and black striped cat that had a
regal air about him, despite being heavily wounded. He clutched one shoulder that was gushing blood in a
feeble attempt to stop the bleeding. Before long a reddish female approached him.
"Look, at that shoulder," she said quietly, reaching for him.
He jerked away from her, a movement that took his breath away. Heaving, he lowered himself to onto one elbow.
"Munkustrap," she tried again. "Let me see your shoulder." She laid her paw on his arm and felt him bristle beneath her touch.
"Leave me alone, Demeter," he hissed. She drew back from him, visibly hurt.
He glanced over his shoulder at her and softened slightly. Painfully, he raised himself up again. Noticing his brooding expression, Demeter attempted to appease him.
"It wasn't your fault this happened, Munkustrap. You couldn't have foreseen thi-"
"I should have known!" He cut in gruffly. "It's my job to protect the Jellicles when Deuteronomy isn't here. And I didn't do it!"
"No one knew. Not even Tantomile or Coricopat."
"It had been rumored for weeks that the Pollicles were growing restless and looking for a fight."
Munkustrap hung his head in shame.
"We all thought they were just rumors. Not a cat in all London took them seriously," Demeter said inching closer to Munkustrap.
"That's no excuse," he said fiercely. "I should have check it out. I should have made sure that they were only rumors. But I didn't and look what happened."
Demeter's heart nearly broke when she saw tears rolling down her dear cat's face. She longed to touch him, but knew Munkustrap too well to do so; not when he was in this kind of mood.
"Leave me, Demeter. Please," Munkustrap's voice was choked with tears. "Go away."
With one last look, Demeter obliged him by slipping away into the darkness.
That night was a rough one on Munkustrap. It had taken him forever to fall asleep and when he finally did, he was plagued with nightmares of the events of the day.
All of the Jellicles in the Junkyard that day had been tense, Munkustrap had been the most on edge. Tantomile and Coricopat had a nagging sense that something bad was about to happen but couldn't decide what the cause was. Munkustrap had warned those in the Junkyard to be on guard. Mothers had taken their kittens elsewhere, just to be safe. Many of the males volunteered to stand guard and watch. There was no frolicking and playing, no joyous songs. Then just before noon, Munkustrap had an unexplainable, undeniable urge to send Mistofelees away, to protect the magical cat. And it was not a moment too soon. From out of nowhere, the dogs attacked. Everything happened so fast. He ordered the females to scatter and the fighting began.
Pollicles came at him left and right. One after another he battled them off. One after another he watched his companions fall. Rage and hatred flooded him and he took it out on the next wave of dogs who came after him. The nightmare became more vivid and the scene played in bright red and orange. The fighting went on for hours. The Pollicles never stopped coming. There was a slight break just before the heaviest fight; the dogs scurried to take away their dead and wounded. Most had died at Munkustrap's paw. The last round of fighting began. Cats and dogs went down all around him. It was almost over; the dogs were retreating. The Pollicles were no longer coming after him; he had just struck down their leader who now lay at his feet. Breathing heavily, he turned just in time to see a dog slash Tumblebrutus's throat open. Munkustrap froze in horror. Time seemed to be suspended around him until he felt a sharp pain flood his body. The Pollicle leader had not been dead after all. With the last of his strength, the dog had his revenge. Munkustrap fell.
The dream scene changed. In reality, Munkustrap was only unconscious for a few minutes. He awoke to find the dogs retreating. One Pollicle, the son of the leader, swore revenge upon Munkustrap and the rest of the Jellicles. But in the dream, the fight was over and he was the only cat left standing. He watched as the females returned mourning over the losses. Death was all around him. Then Old Deuteronomy appeared before him. Scowling fiercely, the old cat began,
"Munkustrap! I put you in charge because I thought that you were the most responsible Jellicle. The one most capable of watching over the others. Obviously, I was wrong. Look, around you. There are no Jellicles left! This is your fault!"
Deutronomy came to within inches of Munkustrap's face. "Look!" he demanded. Munkustrap turned to look to where the leader was pointing. He saw Tumblebrutus lying in a pool of his own blood.
"Why was he fighting? He was too young to be out here! It should be you there. You should be dead. Not him! I tell you, Munkustrap, his blood is on your paws!"
Munkustrap dropped to his knees, holding his head in anguish. "Noooooooooooo!" He bellowed. "Nooo!
"Noooooooo!" Munkustrap bolted upright, his heart pounding, panting heavily. For a moment he was disoriented. Glancing around he was relieved to find himself on the tire and that Deutronomy was not around. Deuteronomy. How was he going to face Deuteronomy?
The Jellicle Junkyard was a sight to behold. A fight had very clearly just taken place. Cats lay dead and
severely wounded all around. Three dogs were also dead. Blood and fur, both cat and dog, was every
where. One cat sat alone atop a tire surveying the scene. He was a silver and black striped cat that had a
regal air about him, despite being heavily wounded. He clutched one shoulder that was gushing blood in a
feeble attempt to stop the bleeding. Before long a reddish female approached him.
"Look, at that shoulder," she said quietly, reaching for him.
He jerked away from her, a movement that took his breath away. Heaving, he lowered himself to onto one elbow.
"Munkustrap," she tried again. "Let me see your shoulder." She laid her paw on his arm and felt him bristle beneath her touch.
"Leave me alone, Demeter," he hissed. She drew back from him, visibly hurt.
He glanced over his shoulder at her and softened slightly. Painfully, he raised himself up again. Noticing his brooding expression, Demeter attempted to appease him.
"It wasn't your fault this happened, Munkustrap. You couldn't have foreseen thi-"
"I should have known!" He cut in gruffly. "It's my job to protect the Jellicles when Deuteronomy isn't here. And I didn't do it!"
"No one knew. Not even Tantomile or Coricopat."
"It had been rumored for weeks that the Pollicles were growing restless and looking for a fight."
Munkustrap hung his head in shame.
"We all thought they were just rumors. Not a cat in all London took them seriously," Demeter said inching closer to Munkustrap.
"That's no excuse," he said fiercely. "I should have check it out. I should have made sure that they were only rumors. But I didn't and look what happened."
Demeter's heart nearly broke when she saw tears rolling down her dear cat's face. She longed to touch him, but knew Munkustrap too well to do so; not when he was in this kind of mood.
"Leave me, Demeter. Please," Munkustrap's voice was choked with tears. "Go away."
With one last look, Demeter obliged him by slipping away into the darkness.
That night was a rough one on Munkustrap. It had taken him forever to fall asleep and when he finally did, he was plagued with nightmares of the events of the day.
All of the Jellicles in the Junkyard that day had been tense, Munkustrap had been the most on edge. Tantomile and Coricopat had a nagging sense that something bad was about to happen but couldn't decide what the cause was. Munkustrap had warned those in the Junkyard to be on guard. Mothers had taken their kittens elsewhere, just to be safe. Many of the males volunteered to stand guard and watch. There was no frolicking and playing, no joyous songs. Then just before noon, Munkustrap had an unexplainable, undeniable urge to send Mistofelees away, to protect the magical cat. And it was not a moment too soon. From out of nowhere, the dogs attacked. Everything happened so fast. He ordered the females to scatter and the fighting began.
Pollicles came at him left and right. One after another he battled them off. One after another he watched his companions fall. Rage and hatred flooded him and he took it out on the next wave of dogs who came after him. The nightmare became more vivid and the scene played in bright red and orange. The fighting went on for hours. The Pollicles never stopped coming. There was a slight break just before the heaviest fight; the dogs scurried to take away their dead and wounded. Most had died at Munkustrap's paw. The last round of fighting began. Cats and dogs went down all around him. It was almost over; the dogs were retreating. The Pollicles were no longer coming after him; he had just struck down their leader who now lay at his feet. Breathing heavily, he turned just in time to see a dog slash Tumblebrutus's throat open. Munkustrap froze in horror. Time seemed to be suspended around him until he felt a sharp pain flood his body. The Pollicle leader had not been dead after all. With the last of his strength, the dog had his revenge. Munkustrap fell.
The dream scene changed. In reality, Munkustrap was only unconscious for a few minutes. He awoke to find the dogs retreating. One Pollicle, the son of the leader, swore revenge upon Munkustrap and the rest of the Jellicles. But in the dream, the fight was over and he was the only cat left standing. He watched as the females returned mourning over the losses. Death was all around him. Then Old Deuteronomy appeared before him. Scowling fiercely, the old cat began,
"Munkustrap! I put you in charge because I thought that you were the most responsible Jellicle. The one most capable of watching over the others. Obviously, I was wrong. Look, around you. There are no Jellicles left! This is your fault!"
Deutronomy came to within inches of Munkustrap's face. "Look!" he demanded. Munkustrap turned to look to where the leader was pointing. He saw Tumblebrutus lying in a pool of his own blood.
"Why was he fighting? He was too young to be out here! It should be you there. You should be dead. Not him! I tell you, Munkustrap, his blood is on your paws!"
Munkustrap dropped to his knees, holding his head in anguish. "Noooooooooooo!" He bellowed. "Nooo!
"Noooooooo!" Munkustrap bolted upright, his heart pounding, panting heavily. For a moment he was disoriented. Glancing around he was relieved to find himself on the tire and that Deutronomy was not around. Deuteronomy. How was he going to face Deuteronomy?