Chapter 8: Trouble's brewing
Macavity was sprawled across his throne, idly chewing the ribcage of an old rat's skeleton. He had just devoured a rather large meal and had no intention of moving. He broke one of the sharp ribs off the bone structure and proceeded to use it as a toothpick.
Suddenly, the silence of his den was broken by several sets of running feet. A wiry black cat with bristly whiskers stopped in front of Macavity, panting heavily.
"Master... I... I couldn't stop he-"
His words were cut short as an ugly black arrow tip suddenly protruded from under his collarbone. Macavity sighed in annoyance. Just when he was going to have a rest to sleep off all those calories! He reluctantly got off his throne and readied himself for a possible attack coming from whoever had shot that arrow.
He didn't have to wait long. A slim and wiry silhouette stood framed in the passageway the guard who had just met his demise had come from.
Macavity sighed again. This was the last feline he had any wish to see.
"So, we meet again," he greeted the newcomer.
The silhouette stepped into the light, revealing herself to be a rather wiry tigress. Her amber eyes burned straight into Macavity's ice-blue ones.
"It's been a while. The years haven't made any difference to your appearance though," the tigress said in a slightly mocking voice.
She continued to eye him critically.
"When was the last time you combed your fur?" she demanded.
"I didn't ask for a nanny," he retorted hotly. "And what did you expect, a haggard old crone with missing teeth and his fur falling out? I'd never do you that kind of favour!"
The tiger queen slowly moved towards him, stepped over the fallen guard and pried Macavity's jaw open. She traced her index finger over his molars. "I did expect missing teeth," she admitted.
"I've been ransacking human houses too much, and found a tube of toothpaste," he explained.
"Makes your teeth clean and white!" she taunted in a fake television commercial voice.
Macavity ran the tip of his finger over the scar across her left eye, claws retracted.
"I see you still have that little souvenir I gave you," he observed.
"It's not going anywhere," she replied sourly. "However, I have been causing certain people to acquire new scars," she continued with a wolfish grin.
Macavity returned her grin. He unsheathed the claw on his left index finger as if he were about to lecture her on bad behaviour. Instead, he traced the contours of her face with it.
"Someone's been straining family relationships," he accused. "How did your sweet twin take it?"
The queen's grin turned into a snarl, and Macavity wondered if he had just made a serious mistake. However, instead of assaulting him in any fashion, the tigress turned around to reveal a back which was covered in new scars, each in unmistakable sets of two. Macavity studied them with admiration.
"That girl has learnt some new tricks - but you must have been busy too. That had to be hard to survive."
The tigress turned to face him again.
"You'd be surprised what a nearby healer and a desire for revenge can do."
"Is that why you're here?"
"I wouldn't be the only one with new alliances."
"What is it to me?"
The tigress flashed her roguish grin again.
"My charming twin's new friends include a few ladies you know quite well," she teased. Then, in a higher voice, and as if in shock, she squeaked, "Macavity!"
Macavity sneered.
"That queen really gets up my nose. If it weren't for the challenge, I wouldn't even bother about her."
"Is it settled then?"
Macavity considered for a while. Then took the tigress's hand and kissed it.
"I will accompany you... but for my own reasons."
