Chapter 6: The Past Revealed
Jezabel found Munkustrap sitting alone atop a pile of trash looking troubled. Gingerly, she approached him. Munkustrap sensed her presence but remained still.
"Tugger been bothering you again?" he asked.
His voice startled Jezabel. She hadn't realized he knew she was there.
"No," she said in her quiet voice somewhat ashamed that she let the cats frighten her so much. "I've been talking to Teazer."
"Don't you spend too much time with her?" he said. He had meant it in as a joke, but it didn't come out that way and the little cat hung her head in disgrace.
Munkustrap sighed. Why did I have to go and say something like that? he thought. All she wants is to please me and I'm not making that very easy.
"I'm sorry," he said. Jezabel came closer and sat beside him.
"I was talking to Teazer," she said again. "About family. I don't have any. I-I,"
She bit her lip. Unsure of how to broach the subject, she asked, "Do you have any family?"
Munkustrap seemed even sadder and Jezabel was immediately sorry she had said anything.
"No," he said softly. "Except for Old Deuteronomy I have no one."
"Oh." was all she could say. Then she decided to tell Munkustrap about her family.
As the tiger cat listened to the kitten's sad tale, something inside him was ignited and he felt an instant kindredship with her. Both of them were alone in the world; Deuteronomy was a father to so many cats that he really didn't have time for a grandson. Jezabel finished her story and stared at her paws. Munkustrap settled down closer to her. The sun had set and the night air was cool. He made a decision to tell her something no one else knew, except in rumors.
"My father," he began, "was the first born son to Deuteronomy. Arabah was his name and he was trained to take his father's place as leader of the Jellicles one day. The time came when he became the second-in-command of the tribe. He was a brave and wonderful leader; the Jellicles adored him. Now, there's a point in every Jellicle's life when they must mate and settle down. If they reach a certain age and do not already have a mate, then one is chosen for them. My father waited until the very last Jellicle Ball possible before taking a wife and not every Jellicle was happy with his choice. Most thought it was a sin to mate someone from outside the tribe."
Munkustrap paused and looked down into eyes that looked like emerald saucers. Jezabel was soaking in his tale of romance and adventure. He smiled slightly and continued,
"Her name was Miranda and was the cat of a very wealthy businessman and his wife. She had never been to a Jellicle Ball before in her life and, like you, knew little of the world outside her home. She and my father met by chance at the park. Dad used to tell me about how they met. The first thing about her that caught his attention was her beauty. She was all silver except for a patch of white fur on her forehead. Then he noticed what was attached to her collar. He burst out laughing when he saw she was on a leash. Never in all his days had he seen a cat on leash. Dogs, yes. But not a cat. My mother overheard him and was infuriated! She broke loose and attacked him. Dad was still laughing so hard that they went tumbling into the lake. And the rest is history."
Jezabel looked up and smiled happily when saw the smile on his face.
"They became mates at that Ball, despite the objections of the older Jellicles. But Deuteronomy gave his blessing over them; he had to. His wife was a house cat with wealthy owners as well. Then came my brothers and me. I had the birthright to become Jellicle leader after my father since I was his first-born. I had two brothers." Munkustrap's expression grew dark. "Mikalum got very sick not long after our eyes opened. We were born in the fall. He died that spring." There was silence. Then, "Menkinum and I were as close as brothers could be. The year following the Jellicle Ball we became adults at, Menkinum was killed at the hands of our master's cruel boy who took delight in torturing animals. I'll never forget how he laughed when my brother ceased to move." Munkustrap's voice was icy, his gaze was distant. Jezabel repressed a shudder at the hatred in his eyes.
"Needless to say, the loss of my brothers devastated my parents. After the period of mourning they carried on their lives like a Jellicle leader and his wife should. My brothers were not spoken of again. This put more pressure on me; I now had to carry the weight of three sons, but it did bring me closer to my parents, especially my father. When our master's boy became more violent we ran away to live permanently at the Junkyard. My father and I could have weathered it, but we feared for my mother's life. This," he gave the collar around his neck a tug, "is a bitter reminder. We lived in peace for a long while until one day there was a showdown between the Jellicles and Macavity's father. We had won the battle, but my father wished to end it all that night and pursued Tarameny."
Munkustrap stopped and took a breath. Tears began to form in his eyes.
"He never came back. We buried him the following day and a week later buried my mother beside him. She died of a broken heart."
There was complete silence as Munkustrap hung his head in sorrow. Jezabel snuggled closer to him in effort to give him some comfort.
Her heart broke for him.
"Then I became the Jellicle commander after his death. What a reputation to live up to. And being expected to be just like him didn't make it easier."
"I guess the sayings true, then," Jezabel said.
"What saying?"
"'Like father, like son.'"
Munkustrap smiled morosely.
Unsure of what to say next she asked, "Is that what was bothering you earlier?"
"Huh? Wha-? No,no," Munkustrap shook his head. "Old Deuteronomy is coming at dawn."
"That's good isn't it?"
"No, not at all."
"Are you worried about what he's going to think of me?" She didn't want to shame him in front of his grandfather.
"Well, yes. But it's more than that." And he proceeded to tell her of the events before her arrival. They talked long into the night; a close friendship was being forged.
They were unaware, however, of a pair of moonlit eyes watching them. And the cat they belonged to was burning with jealousy.
Jezabel found Munkustrap sitting alone atop a pile of trash looking troubled. Gingerly, she approached him. Munkustrap sensed her presence but remained still.
"Tugger been bothering you again?" he asked.
His voice startled Jezabel. She hadn't realized he knew she was there.
"No," she said in her quiet voice somewhat ashamed that she let the cats frighten her so much. "I've been talking to Teazer."
"Don't you spend too much time with her?" he said. He had meant it in as a joke, but it didn't come out that way and the little cat hung her head in disgrace.
Munkustrap sighed. Why did I have to go and say something like that? he thought. All she wants is to please me and I'm not making that very easy.
"I'm sorry," he said. Jezabel came closer and sat beside him.
"I was talking to Teazer," she said again. "About family. I don't have any. I-I,"
She bit her lip. Unsure of how to broach the subject, she asked, "Do you have any family?"
Munkustrap seemed even sadder and Jezabel was immediately sorry she had said anything.
"No," he said softly. "Except for Old Deuteronomy I have no one."
"Oh." was all she could say. Then she decided to tell Munkustrap about her family.
As the tiger cat listened to the kitten's sad tale, something inside him was ignited and he felt an instant kindredship with her. Both of them were alone in the world; Deuteronomy was a father to so many cats that he really didn't have time for a grandson. Jezabel finished her story and stared at her paws. Munkustrap settled down closer to her. The sun had set and the night air was cool. He made a decision to tell her something no one else knew, except in rumors.
"My father," he began, "was the first born son to Deuteronomy. Arabah was his name and he was trained to take his father's place as leader of the Jellicles one day. The time came when he became the second-in-command of the tribe. He was a brave and wonderful leader; the Jellicles adored him. Now, there's a point in every Jellicle's life when they must mate and settle down. If they reach a certain age and do not already have a mate, then one is chosen for them. My father waited until the very last Jellicle Ball possible before taking a wife and not every Jellicle was happy with his choice. Most thought it was a sin to mate someone from outside the tribe."
Munkustrap paused and looked down into eyes that looked like emerald saucers. Jezabel was soaking in his tale of romance and adventure. He smiled slightly and continued,
"Her name was Miranda and was the cat of a very wealthy businessman and his wife. She had never been to a Jellicle Ball before in her life and, like you, knew little of the world outside her home. She and my father met by chance at the park. Dad used to tell me about how they met. The first thing about her that caught his attention was her beauty. She was all silver except for a patch of white fur on her forehead. Then he noticed what was attached to her collar. He burst out laughing when he saw she was on a leash. Never in all his days had he seen a cat on leash. Dogs, yes. But not a cat. My mother overheard him and was infuriated! She broke loose and attacked him. Dad was still laughing so hard that they went tumbling into the lake. And the rest is history."
Jezabel looked up and smiled happily when saw the smile on his face.
"They became mates at that Ball, despite the objections of the older Jellicles. But Deuteronomy gave his blessing over them; he had to. His wife was a house cat with wealthy owners as well. Then came my brothers and me. I had the birthright to become Jellicle leader after my father since I was his first-born. I had two brothers." Munkustrap's expression grew dark. "Mikalum got very sick not long after our eyes opened. We were born in the fall. He died that spring." There was silence. Then, "Menkinum and I were as close as brothers could be. The year following the Jellicle Ball we became adults at, Menkinum was killed at the hands of our master's cruel boy who took delight in torturing animals. I'll never forget how he laughed when my brother ceased to move." Munkustrap's voice was icy, his gaze was distant. Jezabel repressed a shudder at the hatred in his eyes.
"Needless to say, the loss of my brothers devastated my parents. After the period of mourning they carried on their lives like a Jellicle leader and his wife should. My brothers were not spoken of again. This put more pressure on me; I now had to carry the weight of three sons, but it did bring me closer to my parents, especially my father. When our master's boy became more violent we ran away to live permanently at the Junkyard. My father and I could have weathered it, but we feared for my mother's life. This," he gave the collar around his neck a tug, "is a bitter reminder. We lived in peace for a long while until one day there was a showdown between the Jellicles and Macavity's father. We had won the battle, but my father wished to end it all that night and pursued Tarameny."
Munkustrap stopped and took a breath. Tears began to form in his eyes.
"He never came back. We buried him the following day and a week later buried my mother beside him. She died of a broken heart."
There was complete silence as Munkustrap hung his head in sorrow. Jezabel snuggled closer to him in effort to give him some comfort.
Her heart broke for him.
"Then I became the Jellicle commander after his death. What a reputation to live up to. And being expected to be just like him didn't make it easier."
"I guess the sayings true, then," Jezabel said.
"What saying?"
"'Like father, like son.'"
Munkustrap smiled morosely.
Unsure of what to say next she asked, "Is that what was bothering you earlier?"
"Huh? Wha-? No,no," Munkustrap shook his head. "Old Deuteronomy is coming at dawn."
"That's good isn't it?"
"No, not at all."
"Are you worried about what he's going to think of me?" She didn't want to shame him in front of his grandfather.
"Well, yes. But it's more than that." And he proceeded to tell her of the events before her arrival. They talked long into the night; a close friendship was being forged.
They were unaware, however, of a pair of moonlit eyes watching them. And the cat they belonged to was burning with jealousy.