Chapter 7
Love and Pain
Victoria slowly walked toward the old car next to the big tire throne and lethargically climbed on top of it. She was so tired. In fact, she felt she's never been so tired in her life. The Jellicle Moon was still shining above her head, though less and less brightly than before. Victoria hugged her knees as the breeze blew around her and messed a bit of her fur. She didn't know why she was here.
So that was it. She has "grown up". She felt a tickling feeling up and down her spine as she thought about it. She shook her head, attempting to shake it off, but the scenes from the mating dance just kept flashing back at her. She did feel something that she's never felt before, didn't she? But it was nothing to her; nothing more than an innocence-loss ceremony in the Jellicle tradition, and that was what she felt all along. But she again shook her head, and shook out all thoughts from her mind. She looked up at the Jellicle Moon, and sunk into a trance.
"Vicki?" she nearly jumped up at the sudden call. But when she turned around, she saw Mistoffelees walking toward her. Victoria lowered her eyes, as if fearing to meet his gaze. She cringed a bit as the black and white tom moved closer. Now that he wasn't performing his magic dance, his right paw was again white, along with the lower parts of his hind legs. The neat, fluffy white fur on this chest sparkled a bit in the moonlight, making his lean, athletic form seem more visible in the dark background.
"I've been looking for you," Mistoffelees climbed onto the car. "You've been here alone all this time?"
Victoria nodded, without even looking at him.
"Is there something wrong, Vicki?" Mistoffelees asked.
Victoria shook her head.
"Vicki," said Mistoffelees, his voice warm and gentle. "What is it? You've been avoiding me pretty much all the way through the ball. You got me kind of worried. Now, I don't have to read your mind to have you tell me what's bothering you, do I?"
Victoria slowly lifted her eyes to look at Mistoffelees, his handsome features that seemed to shimmer under the moonlight made her heart thump.
"It's not you, Misto," Victoria finally spoke; her voice gentle like flowing water. "It's just, I'm not even sure myself how I'm feeling at this moment. Tonight has been really... crazy for me."
"Well, tonight probably scared you, too," Mistoffelees smiled, "it's been such a crazy night, so many things have happened in a short time. But it's over now, isn't it?"
"Well, yeah, Macavity and the fight did indeed scare everyone, but..." Victoria swallowed, unable to continue.
"But there's something else," Mistoffelees carefully scanned Victoria's small white face and said softly.
Victoria sighed. "Not just that. It's not you or anyone else. It's... me. I feel totally changed, totally out of myself."
"Why?" Mistoffelees moved closer to her. "Because you've grown up? Because you're now a queen and no longer a kitten?"
Victoria shivered at the rhetorical questions, but she retained her composure.
"I suppose that's a big part of it," she cleared her throat, "I don't know. Everything just suddenly seems so... out of place! Nothing feels the same anymore, and I feel I don't even know myself any longer."
"Well, that's because you're different, Vicki," Mistoffelees slipped a finger underneath her chin to lift up his face and smiled at her. "Of course everything will seem different, because you're no longer you're old self. You're a whole new Victoria, with the same body, but a different spirit."
Victoria smiled and shook her head. "I suppose you can say that. But I've been so scared, so unprepared for what might happen afterwards. I didn't know how you'd think when you saw me mating with another tom, and I didn't even know what I was thinking myself. Everything just seemed so... peculiar and I don't know..."
"I understand what you're trying to say," Mistoffelees gently caressed Victoria's cheeks. She closed her eyes and felt his paw. "But how you felt then is totally different with how you would truly feel. Like I said, your body was there, but your heart wasn't. And the latter is the most important."
Victoria nodded, allowing Mistoffelees's paw to move from her face to her shoulder.
"You know so much," she said.
"I know you," Mistoffelees smiled, and pulled her into his arms. She slowly let out a purr from her throat, and it grew louder as she felt his paws caressing up and down her back and her arms.
"I'm really a queen now, am I not?" Victoria whispered.
"Not only a queen," Mistoffelees whispered into Victoria's ears and nuzzled her. "A belle, a white belle."
"Can you believe it?" Victoria said, "When I was down on the ground with Plato, what I was thinking about was you."
"I wouldn't doubt it," Mistoffelees stroked Victoria's furry head. "I could feel your heart, too. Remember what I've told you, that I can always feel you even if I don't see you, and you'll be able to feel me when you don't see me?"
Victoria nodded and licked Mistoffelees's cheek.
"By the way, Misto," Victoria whispered, "you were amazing tonight!"
"You really think so?" Mistoffelees chuckled, "actually, my palms were all sweaty. After I heard that Old Deuteronomy was captured by the Hidden Paw, Tugger and I probably searched the outside of the junkyard five rounds. We came back just before the electricity went out, and right away Tugger put me to work."
Victoria giggled. "But well, everything turned out fine, didn't it?"
"If you say so," Mistoffelees gave Victoria a gently love bite on the nose.
Victoria returned the bite, and purred lowly as Mistoffelees gave her gentle kisses on each of her ear.
"How do you feel right now?" Mistoffelees asked, "Still edgy?"
Victoria shook her head and winked. "No. Now I feel... good."
Mistoffelees laughed and pulled her tight into his embrace, and the two slid off of the slippery back of the old car and rolled onto the ground.
"Aw!" Victoria cried, but soon started laughing out loud as she saw Mistoffelees on top of her.
"You're all right?" Mistoffelees asked.
Victoria nodded shyly, and suddenly, realizing that her hind legs were apart, quickly tightened up.
"Your heart is like your coat," Mistoffelees stroked the fur on Victoria's forehead and smiled. "All pure and immaculate."
"You really think so?" Victoria asked.
"I think so because it's true," Mistoffelees said, and slowly moved his face closer and closer. Victoria closed her eyes, feeling his lips touching hers, their dampness and softness sending a sense of warmness throughout her body. She started purring again, and louder as she heard Mistoffelees's purr catching up with hers. She reached out to put her arms around Mistoffelees's neck and pulled his head closer, and locked her lips to his. Suddenly she felt a hunger, a desire rising in her that made her want this moment to last forever. She ran her fingers through his ebony black head fur, feeling him kissing her back. This time, it was not like the kiss of a kitten's silly love game, but the kiss of a true, passionate lover. Victoria felt the kiss deepening with every second, as if about to devour her lips. And at the same time, she felt as if an electric flow has just streamed through her body, filling her up with joy and sensation at the same time.
"I... I never knew you were such a good... kisser," Victoria moaned as Mistoffelees pulled his lips away.
"I never knew you were either," Mistoffelees touched Victoria's snow-white cheeks, and pressed his lips against hers again. His paws slid down her shoulders to the side of her breasts, then lower and lower until they reached her thigh.
"I love you so much, Vicki," Mistoffelees whispered, breathing in between the long kisses. "I love you so much that sometimes, it hurts."
"I know how you feel," Victoria smiled, touching his white face with a paw, and reached out her lips to kiss his neck. "Because I feel the same. Especially, now, you're not just a kitten tomfriend anymore. You're my mate, my lover. I'm willing to give you myself, my body and my soul. Knowing you for all these years made me realize one thing: you'd keep me innocent even if you touch me."
"You're my white belle, Vicki," Mistoffelees smiled and laid his head on her chest, listening to the pounding of her heart by his sensitive ears.
"Wait!" Victoria suddenly sat up, nearly throwing Mistoffelees onto the ground. "Macavity, will he not come back?"
Mistoffelees instinctively looked around. "I think he's gone. At least, I doubt he'd return at this moment. From past experiences, we know that he's more likely to show up at big events when all the Jellicles are congregated."
"I mean, whatever he was planning didn't succeed," said Victoria, "you got Old Deuteronomy back, and whatever he wanted to do he didn't accomplish. Wouldn't he come back and try again?"
"I hope not, at least not for now," said Mistoffelees, "but there's no predicting when he might move what. All we can do is keep our eyes open."
"He better not come back again," Victoria sighed, "he nearly scared me to death tonight. He's even scarier than I had pictured him."
"Hey, don't be afraid," Mistoffelees smiled, "whatever happens, I'm here to protect you. I'll always make sure that you're safe above everything else."
Victoria smiled and licked Mistoffelees's nose. "You want to be my bodyguard?"
"I'm more than willing for the rest of my life," Mistoffelees said and again pulled her into his arms. With a sort of aggressive passion he again pressed his lips to Victoria's and his strength gave out on her. Supporting her back with one paw, he gently pushed her down on the ground.
"I love you so much," he whispered into her ears and kissed her forehead. "But why does it hurt if love is such a sweet thing?"
"Love requires much strength from the heart, Misto," said Victoria, and caressed Mistoffelees's face with one paw. "And what I feel for you now is different from what I felt for you that night when I first met you in that garbage dump. Now you give me heartaches, when a couple of years ago it was merely a feeling."
Mistoffelees closed his eyes and his lips moved from her forehead to the tip of her nose, then back down to her lips. Victoria gradually felt her hind legs loosen, and a warm flow of feelings shot through her like nothing before. She felt Mistoffelees's soft body pressed against her, as if sending ten different sensations right through her. What she was feeling now was definitely not like what she had felt with Plato. The feeling, on top of physical, was much emotional and sentimental. She closed her eyes, feeling a slight numbness in her lower body, accompanied by a great passion. Unlike with Plato, she felt safe, and she felt secure. She could hear herself purr, and even her purr came out differently. Mistoffelees purred with her, and for a while, she could hear nothing but the low melody of the two purrs.
"I think you can well know what I'm thinking without using your magic," Victoria mumbled as she gently licked the white tips on top of Mistoffelees's ears.
"Maybe," said Mistoffelees, returning the kiss. "But that would be because I know you, not because I've suddenly developed more supernatural powers or something."
"Always so modest, even at a moment like this," Victoria chuckled, and Mistoffelees laughed along with her.
"My, what happened to my innocent little Vicki?" Mistoffelees made a face.
Victoria slipped her arms around Mistoffelees again and licked his face. "I've grown up, haven't I? I think it's about time, too. Everybody has always been treating me like a little kitten, but every kitten has to grow up."
"My mature little Victoria," Mistoffelees giggled.
"Well, um, not like the moment I reach my queenhood, we're gonna become Tugger and Bombalurina," said Victoria.
This time, the both of them burst out laughing. The two of their clear, jingling laughters echoed in the empty junkyard and floated to afar.
Under the warm sun at noon, the junkyard looked more relaxing than ever. The Jellicles were scattered here and there, some sunning at their favorite spots, some napping, and some grooming. Tugger was sitting in the corner, teasing Bombalurina who was grooming his mane, and Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer were again circling around plotting their next big move.
Victoria reclined herself comfortably on Mistoffelees's lap, with her head leaned against his chest. She purred softly as Mistoffelees gently gave her love bites on the tip of her ears. The sun shining on her fur made her feel even more cozy, and her paws also rested comfortably in Mistoffelees's.
"Yo, love birds!" Victoria's sleepy eyes popped open and saw Bombalurina towering over her tall stature almost completely shielding the sun. Tugger and Munkustrap were behind her and smiling down at her and Mistoffelees, and she rolled off of Mistoffelees's legs unwillingly.
"What is it?" Mistoffelees asked, straightening his back.
"We're here to discuss something important with you two," Bombalurina smiled and casually played with her perfect claws, newly painted red with her human's nail polish.
"Yeah? You got our attention," said Victoria as she gave out a yawn.
"Well, it's something quite exciting," Munkustrap smiled, "you see, Demeter just found out last night that she's pregnant."
Victoria nearly jumped up as if she was sitting on a trampoline. "What? Really?"
Bombalurina nodded and grinned. "Yeah, finally. And I think that this time, she's gonna keep it fine."
Mistoffelees and Victoria smiled at each other, then turned to Munkustrap.
"Congratulations, Munkustrap!" Mistoffelees exclaimed.
Munkustrap smiled. "Well, I'm sure you two now both know too well what she's gone through, and how hard it would be for her to keep a normal pregnancy at this time. So don't you think, that this is worth celebrating?"
"Exactly what I'm thinking!" Victoria cried, "this is really big news! We need to have a big celebration for this! Do the others know yet?"
"Well, not everybody yet. Alonzo and Cassandra are the only ones that we've told today other than you two, and we've asked Jelly and Jenny to inform Asparagus and Skimble, of course. But the others will find out in no time, though. When it comes to something like this, you'll probably have to sew up Munkustrap's lips to keep him silent," said Tugger.
"Tugger!" Bombalurina slapped him hard on the shoulder, making him flinch, and then turned back to Mistoffelees and Victoria.
"So, of course, we're gonna need some help planning," Bombalurina squeezed her eyes. "And I'd think, that you two wouldn't refuse to lend a paw?"
"Of course not!" Mistoffelees stood up. "Whatever you want us to do, Vicki and I are up for it! This really deserves a big party, like Vicki said!"
Munkustrap smiled. "First of all, we're gonna need to send out notifications and invitations. Demeter might beat me up for this but I just think we have to do it."
"Oh, don't worry about that," Victoria smiled, "it's a good idea!"
"I'm all for invitations," said Mistoffelees, "this is a very, very special event, after all!"
"So what do you say? You two wanna make invitations?" Tugger asked.
Victoria and Mistoffelees exchanged a look.
"Doesn't Juliet have some colored papers left over?" Victoria asked.
Mistoffelees thought for a few seconds, then nodded.
"But do you think she'd let us use them?" Victoria asked.
"Well, probably," said Mistoffelees, "or probably she wouldn't even know that we used them. She's not gonna be home until next Saturday anyway, so I think we're set."
"So, you guys are gonna take care of the invitations?" Bombalurina asked.
"Yep, we accept," Victoria smiled.
"Good," Munkustrap said, "off to a good start. Now, you guys have any questions or anything before we go off to spread the words?"
"Jenny and Jelly will take care of the food, I assume?" Mistoffelees asked.
"You got that again," Munkustrap chuckled, "and of course, I think that Asparagus and Admetus are gonna take care of the gift wrappings and so on. As for you, Misto, I have another favor to ask you."
"Uh-huh?" Mistoffelees asked.
"We're gonna need some entertainments to make it a good celebration, so, figure you can take care of some of that?" Munkustrap asked.
"Not a single problem," the tuxedo grinned and tapped his fingers.
"Thank you so much," Munkustrap smiled, "I need to help Jenny take some things over to Bustopher. So, see you in a bit, ok?"
"Say hi to Uncle for me and Victoria," said Mistoffelees, "and tell him to stop be sometime, too!"
Munkustrap nodded and left with Tugger and Bombalurina.
"Wow, Demeter's expecting! Now that's something to cheer about!" said Victoria.
"Yeah, that poor queen. Consider how hard it's been for her to keep a pregnancy," said Mistoffelees.
Victoria sighed. "How cruel life can be for someone as gentle and kind as Demeter. I just hope that Macavity idiot never show his ugly face in front of her again. It might scare her to have another miscarriage! The last time at the ball, she looked like she was about to pass out when he showed up!"
"Don't mention that again," said Mistoffelees, putting a paw over her mouth. "I really thought I was again gonna be magic-ed out."
"Misto, Vicki!" Alonzo and Cassandra appeared from nowhere suddenly stood in front of the pair.
"Hey, where did you two suddenly come from?" Mistoffelees asked.
"You will never know," Cassandra grinned as Alonzo slipped an arm around her slim waist. "Anyway, we heard that you two are gonna help out with the big ceremony?"
"Why, of course!" said Victoria.
"Good thing," said Alonzo, "just letting you know, that Cassandra and I have decided what we're gonna do."
"What?" Mistoffelees asked.
"We're gonna take care of the decorating and so on, and we might need your help with some special effects," Alonzo smiled at Mistoffelees.
"Oh, gee," Mistoffelees rolled his eyes impishly. "What do you want from me now?"
"Well, actually, not much," Alonzo looked at Cassandra. "All we need you to do is put on some extra lights, make some sparkling rainbow ribbons, maybe conjure out a rain of glitters and laces and balloons, plus make out some extra colors all over the junkyard."
"Oh, Everlasting Cat!" Mistoffelees cried, "you might as well throw the entire decorating job to me then!"
"Oh, no, we're gonna put up most of the things, and all you gotta do is get them for us," said Cassandra.
Mistoffelees and Victoria exchanged a funny look, then giggled.
"All right, I'll see what I can do then," said Mistoffelees, "and if I end up passing out because you demand too much, we'll all know whom to blame."
Cassandra and Alonzo laughed. "Oh, no worrying. We'll handle everything. Anyway, we gotta go do some cutting now with Exotica. Catch you later!"
"Misto, I think we should go pay Demeter a visit," Victoria said as she looked over to the old oven on the other side, which Demeter has just climbed onto after finishing her talk with Admetus.
Mistoffelees smiled and took Victoria's paw, and the young couple walked toward the other side of the junkyard.
"Demeter, hey!" Mistoffelees called as they approached the oven.
"Oh, hi, you two," Demeter sat up from her crouching position. "What are you guys up to?"
"Coming here to congratulate you," Victoria smiled.
"Oh, thank you," Demeter blushed, "I knew that in no time, everyone will be torturing me about this."
"Oh, Demeter," Victoria leaped on top of the oven and hugged the brown and gold queen. "I'm so happy for you. This time, everything will be good!"
"I hope so," Demeter sighed, "although I still can't help worrying that history would repeat itself."
"Oh, it won't," said Mistoffelees, leaping up after Victoria. "You're gonna have a bunch of nice and healthy kittens, and they're all gonna be the happiest in the world!"
"Yeah, and it's about time for Munkustrap to become a father," said Victoria, "and I'm sure Old Deuteronomy would be so elated to know that he's finally gonna be a grandfather soon."
Demeter put a paw on top of Victoria's and rubbed her face against hers. "You are such a caring little queen, Vicki. Sometimes I wish you can just be my daughter."
Victoria smiled. "You've been a mother enough to me, Demeter. You and Jelly and Jenny."
"Speaking of which," Demeter looked from Victoria to Mistoffelees and smiled. "When are you two planning on having some new members to the family?"
Victoria and Mistoffelees both turned almost as red as apples.
"Oh, probably not so soon," said Victoria, looking away bashfully. "I'm still too young to be a mother. Even Cassandra isn't a mother yet."
Demeter chuckled and gently squeezed Victoria's nose. "When you finally are one, you wouldn't think you're young anymore. And well, as for Cassandra, I think she will pretty soon, too. I mean, after Munkustrap, Alonzo probably doesn't want to wait any longer to become a father. But I don't know if Cassandra's humans would have anything in mind. After all, Cassandra and Exotica are both pure-bred Siamese."
"Oh, I don't think their humans would mind," said Victoria, "I've met them once, and they're really, really nice humans, like Juliet! Besides, Alonzo's humans are friends with them, too."
Hey, Demeter, what are you planning on naming your kittens, by the way?" Mistoffelees asked.
Well," Demeter smiled, "I've been contemplating a lot on what I'd want to name my kittens actually. Although I don't even know how many I'm gonna have in this litter yet, but I'd say, my top choices of names would be Titanius and Sibyl."
Wow, sounds powerful," said Mistoffelees.
Those are very pretty," said Victoria.
And if you guys have better ideas, don't hesitate to suggest," said Demeter, "I'm not that good at choosing names."
I hope that your kitten queens would look like you, and your kitten toms would look like Munkustrap," said Victoria, "wouldn't that be great?"
If you say so," Demeter couldn't help chuckling, and Victoria again hugged her.
The night of the party was truly an event!
Demeter was showered with hugs and presents, which Asparagus and Admetus had carefully wrapped, and was practically red all over in the choirs of congratulations. Munkustrap looked prouder than ever, and the entire junkyard was lit almost brighter than at the Jellicle Balls. Because of the special occasion, Mistoffelees had changed into his glittery black outfit in order to carry out great amount of big magic, and made fireworks in the sky and sparkling ribbons fly everywhere, while Victoria and the kittens sang with their best voices their songs dedicated to Demeter. Tugger even managed to smuggle out some wine from his humans' cellar.
Let us drink to the health and prosperity of the Jellicle Tribe's future heirs!" Tugger poured some red wine into a cup that was actually the top of a perfume bottle, and raised it high above his head.
The other Jellicles also filled their own "cups", and, imitating their humans, clinked them together and then gulped the liquid down their throat. However, in no time all started coughing and choking as if they had just drunk chili pepper juice.
"Yuck! Disgusting! It tastes like hot pepper that's set on fire!" Jemima screamed as she spat several times on the ground.
"Heaviside's sakes! Tugger, what exactly is this thing that you got?" Jennyanydots also spat several times and gulped down a whole mouthful of water and cried.
"Um, it's just some wine that I've seen my humans... cough drink at their dinners and... cough thought it would be good for us to have... have some... cough" Tugger struggled to straightened his neck. "I didn't think it would be... cough cough this bad... cough"
"Everlasting Cat, Tugger, don't kill me before my kittens are born!" Demeter cried as she held her chest with her paw and stuck out her tongue, as Munkustrap hurried to get her some water.
Victoria wiped her mouth left and right over and over while shaking her head wildly, and Mistoffelees quickly grabbed some rags to cover his mouth. Jellylorum patted Asparagus's back in an attempt to stop his asthma attack-like gasping and wheezing, while Cassandra and Alonzo jumped up and down with their mouths wide open for air.
"Thanks, Tugger, what a bang for a start!" Tumblebrutus called.
"Exactly! A party is not a party without some 'spice', right?" Mungojerrie chuckled on the side, while gulping down water and gargling at the same time.
"Sorry, guys. Didn't think the result would be this severe," said Tugger as Bombalurina, who looked like she was coughing up hair balls, glared at him through the corners of her eyes.
"I'm gonna remember this," said Pouncival, "gee, Tugger, are you sure your humans drink this stuff? Half a bottle of this thing can probably knock out a two Pollicles!"
Tugger sighed. "Well, I guess not all human stuff are useful for us."
"And I think we've learned our lesson on whom to trust," Admetus said, swallowing hard as well.
Old Deuteronomy, who did not take a drink, was bent nearly all the way to the ground with laughters.
"Well, now I really know who's the smartest," Munkustrap stared at his father and shook his head.
"But still, yay for Tugger's attempt to get this party going!" Plato called out loud.
All the Jellicles laughed. The air seemed no less cheerful than the Jellicle Balls.
But in the midst of delights and laughters, suddenly a loud crash was heard.
Everything immediately grew quiet among the Jellicles, and Munkustrap looked warily toward the direction where the noise came from.
"What was that?" Victoria stood close to Mistoffelees and looked with her eyes wide open around the junkyard. Mistoffelees's ears stood up on his head, and taking advantage of his great sensitivity, he began to alertly look around.
Suddenly, all the lights around them began to flash, and louder crashes began to go on everywhere. Suddenly, half the lights went out, and the kittens all cried with panic. The Jellicles moved here and there, trying to figure out what was going on. The last time something like this had happened was at the Jellicle Ball.
"What is going on?" Admetus asked, walking a few steps further.
Suddenly, a sinister laughter began to echo throughout the junkyard. Demeter's face turned dead white as if a shade of powder had just been put on. Mistoffelees held Victoria in his arms, while Alonzo and Munkustrap pushed the younger cats behind their backs and shielded in front of Old Deuteronomy. Skimble and Asparagus hissed and walked around with warnings in their eyes, and Bombalurina stood close to the already shivering Demeter, while Tugger held her paw tight.
Another sound of crash, followed by that deep, menacing laugh. A shadow creped over the junk piles, and the Jellicles instinctively ducked.
"Macavity!" Demeter cried.
"No! Not him again!" Victoria cried, and Mistoffelees pushed her behind his back and cautiously turned his head.
Munkustrap guarded in front of Demeter like an iron wall and ran his eyes over the junk piles, and Alonzo and Tugger stood next to Old Deuteronomy, who pushed the kittens behind his long, thick fur.
"It's that demon!" Victoria murmured, feeling sweat in her paws.
"Don't be afraid, Vicki. I'm here," said Mistoffelees, trying his best to calm the already terror-stricken Victoria.
In a flash, like a strike of lightning in the sky, the evil red ginger tom appeared in front of the tribe like the Devil appearing in the air. The kittens screamed, and Victoria, regardless of her fears, arched her back and hissed, exposing her sharp claws at the same time. In a sudden, all lights in the junkyard were put out, and loud crashing noises and panicky screams could be heard everywhere, and blended was Macavity's evil laugh. Victoria groped in the dark for Mistoffelees, whom she expected to be still standing next to her. But her paws caught nothing but air in between her fingers.
"Misto!" she called, and suddenly, all lights went back on. The junkyard was suddenly quiet as if Macavity had never showed up, and as usual, Macavity had disappeared into nowhere.
"Is everyone all right?" Munkustrap asked, holding Demeter tight in his arms who looked like she was about to faint.
"What just happened?" Rumpleteazer asked.
"Apparently, Macavity just came and went," Skimble said, sniffing here and there. He turned around, and let out a sigh of relief when he saw Old Deuteronomy still standing behind him.
Coricopat and Tantomile stood up from their ducking position and glanced around, exchanging an admonitory look.
"Is Macavity gone?" Etcetera asked, peeking out from behind Old Deuteronomy.
"He's disappeared again, just like last time!" Plato said.
"He didn't come for Old Deuteronomy!" Electra crawled out from underneath Old Deuteronomy's big tail and wiped the sweat off of her forehead.
"Misto!" all heads turned as if operated by a switch at the sound of Victoria's piercing scream. Munkustrap comforted the shaking Demeter as Tugger and Bombalurina rushed toward her.
"Where's Misto?" Tugger asked, his eyes suddenly carried on an expression of terror.
"Misto, where are you?" Bombalurina yelled, but only receiving the echoing of her own voice in reply.
"Everlasting Cat!" Jellylorum cried, "this can't be!"
"No! Macavity couldn't have taken Misto!" Munkustrap yelled, giving the junkyard another quick skim.
"MISTO!" Victoria's scream had turned into an ear-piercing screech that sounded as if it could tear through the silent night sky, as tears suddenly streamed down her face as if a dam had just been broken. She dashed wildly to and fro around the junkyard, throwing things around in a desperate attempt to uncover her mate. Demeter rushed to her and put her arms around her.
"Misto! No!" Victoria shouted, nearly pushing Demeter off balance. Munkustrap grabbed Victoria's arms to foil another attempt of dashing up a junk pile.
"Misto! Misto!" the entire tribe was now on alert, and their calls reverberated around the junkyard. Soon, every smallest corner of the junkyard was searched. But no sign of Mistoffelees could be seen or heard anywhere.
"He couldn't have just left and disappeared in the thin air! He wouldn't go anywhere without me!" Victoria cried into Demeter's arms. "I have to find him! I have to find him! Where is he?"
"Could Macavity really have catnapped him?" Alonzo cried.
"What would Macavity want to do with Misto?" Cassandra asked.
"Are you sure that he's not hiding in somewhere that we missed?" Exotica asked.
"But Misto never hides much," said Admetus, walking out from underneath an old blanket next to a pile of small wooden boxes. "If we've looked everywhere and still couldn't find him, then he really isn't here!"
"Oh, Misto..." Victoria cried, and Demeter held her with all her strength to keep her from falling to the ground.
"We'll find him, Vicki! Don't worry!" said Tugger, "if he really isn't here anywhere, and if Macavity really took him, we'll get him back even if it meant chasing him to hell!"
"Oh, Everlasting Cat, Everlasting cat..." Victoria shook her head and whimpered, "how can this happen? Where could he be at this moment? What could possibly happen to him? Oh, Heaviside! I can't believe it!"
Demeter held Victoria close to her and patted her back, while tears were falling from her eyes onto Victoria's head.
"Munkustrap, Rum Tum Tugger, Alonzo, Skimbleshanks, Asparagus, Plato, Mungojerrie, and Admetus, all of you come with me!" Old Deuteronomy's deep voice was suddenly heard behind all.
The toms followed Old Deuteronomy at the call and the group went toward the old car next to the tire throne, and the queens, understanding the meaning, led the kittens away to the other end of the junkyard.
"Oh, Heaviside, how much pain love can bring..." Victoria fell onto her knees, buried her face in her paws and started sobbing uncontrollably. No words of consolation seemed could get into her ears at the moment.