Author's note: This very long chapter is especially dedicated to all the over-protective fathers in the world.
Lots and lots of thanks to all my faithful reviewers, especially Scrawler, Cettie-8 and Roman (your work rocks, woman!).
Warning: Rated for language and for violence against a cat burglar (who is going to sue me after I finish this fic for all the battering he is receiving...)
Nobody else sue me, please: I don't own Cats, except Pandora / her cousins / her friends / and Merrick, of course.
RAY OF GOLD 6 - ACTION AND REACTIONS
The sun was almost blinding in the first hours of the morning. Mungojerrie made his way into the junkyard, wading between the piles of rubbish to his den. Before entering he noticed a calico queen sunbathing on top of a junkpile.
"Teazer?"
The queen opened her eyes and squealed in surprise. "Mungo! Where were you? I've been a little worried for you, wandering around the city at night and all that. I thought you wouldn't be here when my kittens come", she pouted.
The calico tom came near Rumpleteazer and hugged her. "How would I do such a thing? I'm dying for seeing my nephews... When will it be, Teazer?"
"In any moment, I hope! Alonzo keeps telling me I'm more beautiful than ever, but sometimes I feel sooo tired, and so fat, and..." She lowered her gaze to her womb. "Hurry up, kits. Mom's waiting!" Then she looked at her brother again. "Did you find her, Mungo? Your queen?"
"My queen. It sounds strange. You know, she is not the kind of queen that can be owned... by anybody."
"A free spirit? With a devilish temper, right? Maybe she's just what you need... Do you notice your eyes sparkle every time she's mentioned?" She giggled as Mungojerrie blushed slightly. "Just kidding, Mungo. But you didn't answer my question. Will I have a new sister soon or what? What are you hiding from me, you bad tom?"
"Sorry Teazer, I can't tell you anything... I need to talk to Munkustrap first. It's important."
"I saw him standing guard on the tyre a while ago. But when you finish with him I want you to come here and tell me everything! And I don't take no", she scolded him.
The calico tom smiled and kissed her sister's forehead. "I promise. Everybody will know in due time."
Munkustrap was keeping watch, sitting on the tyre with a thoughtful look. Next to him were Tugger and Mistoffelees, sleeping in the sun. The silver tabby startled at the sight of Mungojerrie.
"Mungojerrie! Did you find them?"
"No", he lied. "But I've found out something else you must know... everybody must."
"Wake up, Misto, this will indeed be more interesting than napping in the sun all day", said Tugger sitting up and elbowing the black tom beside him. "Well, Mungo, now you've woken us up we're all ears."
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Some minutes later, the calico tom finished his (rather incomplete) tale of the events of the night before. Munkustrap rested his head between his paws, blood pulsing painfully in his ears. "Innocent", he whispered. "All the time. And I threw her out, and it almost killed her... And my sons, it's like I've killed them with my own paws."
Tugger laid a paw in his shoulder. "Stop torturing yourself, my friend. That's the past, and it can't be changed. Think of the present: you still have a daughter - wherever she is - who probably hates you, but it seems to be just a normal generational gap; and maybe Demeter will forgive you... in a thousand years or so."
"Tugger! You're ruining me even more!"
"Just tried to lighten the atmosphere... sorry, Munkus. I'm not very good giving advice."
Mistoffelees sat down beside the jellicle protector, trying to choose the right words to comfort him. "Young people are often impulsive, and your daughter seems to be a lot like you in that matter. But if you talk to her calmly I'm sure she'll listen to your explanation."
"Like I listened to Demeter's? Heaviside, I didn't even let her speak, I was so jealous, so mad at her..." He leaned on the tyre, with his forehead resting on his arm. "I wish I could go back in time to that moment and change all the things I said." Then he turned to Mungojerrie, who stood in front of him in silence. "You know the poorer areas of the city better than any other Jellicle. I need to find them as soon as possible, and I need your help for that."
"Munkustrap, I don't know if I'm the right..."
"Nonsense. Go to your den and sleep a little, tonight you'll lead a patrol to search for them", he stated.
Suddenly Mistoffelees began looking around him in all directions.
"What's the matter, Misto? Anything wrong?" asked Tugger.
"Shhhh... I think I'm sensing a presence... Yes, right there", he pointed. The maine coon rushed to that place and reappeared holding the arm of a white persian queen. "Look who's here... It's been a long time since Macavity's right paw paid us a visit."
"Let go of me, you brainless beast!" she hissed.
"Tsk, tsk, Griddlebone, what a language for a lady! Spying for Macavity again? I don't think you're here just for a courtesy call."
The white queen regained her composure and looked scornfully at the maned tom. "Thinking was never your strong point, Tugger..."
"Bitch", he muttered as he led her before the silver tabby.
Munkustrap stared at her, suspiciously. "What's your business with the Jellicles, Griddlebone? Is Macavity too coward to come here in person?"
"I'm not here as his messenger... at least not today. I came here to offer my help." She lowered her voice tone to the level of a whisper. "What would you say if I told you where's your daughter, Munkustrap?"
"Why should you want to help me?"
"Mutual interest, Munk. I don't care about that crazy child of yours... but I want Demeter out of Macavity's way, and the only way to do that is making her come back here. You know, Mac and I have been more than friends for a long time... and now your former mate has reappeared she is an obstacle for me."
"Don't believe a word, Munkus!" interrupted Tugger. "It must be another trick."
"I came here to talk to Munkustrap, not to deal with subordinates. You have nothing to lose... all I ask in return is that you keep Demeter out of Macavity's reach. And, of course, put that idea of revenge out of Pandora's mind."
"All right, Griddlebone. Speak."
"Yesterday night I went for a walk, and happened to end at the street behind the eastward fence of the park..." She made a dramatic pause, enjoying the anxious look in the Jellicle protector's eyes. "There is an abandoned human factory in front of a row of houses. She lives in the attic of the second one."
Tugger was still suspicious. "How did you find out if you weren't spying, Griddlebone?"
"I'm glad you ask... that was a funny thing", she smiled. "I heard... some noise coming from the attic, and I was curious about what kind of cat would choose a den in such a place. So I waited until... somebody came out and left, while a golden tabby queen leaned out of the window: Pandora, the missing Jellicle", she ended triumphantly.
At this point Mungojerrie was beginning to get really nervous. A quick glance to Griddlebone confirmed his fears... she looked at him as if he were a mouse in a trap.
"Well, now you have the information, my business here has ended." The queen turned around and started to walk away, as if she was to leave. The cat burglar was about to let go a sigh of release, but after a few paces Griddlebone turned her head to the group of toms:
"Oh, and, by the way... You moan too loud when you are mating, Mungojerrie. Very enthusiastic, but not very safe. Somebody could hear you and ruin your reputation." The calico tom blushed; he opened his mouth but he couldn't say a word.
Munkustrap stared at the white queen, his eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about, Griddlebone?"
"Just ask your daughter's pet where did he sleep last night... and in what company", she mocked. "What does she call him...? Let me think... 'Tiger', isn't it, Jerrie?"
The silver tabby looked at Mungojerrie... If glances could kill, the calico tom would have immediately been incinerated.
"You bitch," hissed Tugger. "Swearing your good intentions and then... You have told Macavity where she is, haven't you?"
Griddlebone giggled. "Of course I have! But my task for today was only to come here and 'warn' you... Surely Macavity is paying a little visit to your lover's den right in this moment, Mungo. And she may be tired after last night... it won't be very difficult for him to get rid of that queen this time. If you hurry up, her body will be still warm when you get there", she said with a venomous look in her greenish eyes before running away.
The white queen's laugh was still echoing around when Mungojerrie found himself roughly hurled against the tyre, with Munkustrap's paws strangling him, a deadly look in his eyes as he painfully gripped the calico tom's neck. Mistoffelees and Tugger tried to pull him away, but it was like attempting to move a solid wall.
"What... have... you... done?", the silver tabby uttered between his teeth, tightening the grip, not paying attention to Mungojerrie's efforts in breathing.
"He can't speak with you choking him, Munkus!", Tugger yelled as he tried with all his strength to separate them. "Everybody deserves a chance to explain himself", added the black magician. "That's what we were talking about a while ago."
Still boiling with anger, Munkustrap allowed the maine coon to hold him back and released the smaller tom, who leaned on the tyre, coughing. "Munk... I... just... "
"Shut up, you filthy... pervert, corrupter of minors!" He grabbed the calico tom again and aimed a hard punch to his face that launched him to the ground before being held again by the Tugger.
"Munkustrap, calm down, you're killing him!" Mistoffelees stood in front of the furious tabby and helped Mungojerrie to get up. The calico tom wiped off a thread of blood from the corner of his mouth, trying to breath.
"We have to run to her den... she's in danger", he coughed.
"She's in danger because of you, bastard!", the silver tom roared. "Don't you ever dare to touch my daughter again or I'll..."
"You won't do anything, Daddy beloved", said a cold voice coming from behind a junkpile. A very angry golden queen stepped forward and stood between Munkustrap and the cat burglar. "And they say I have a bad temper... I wonder where it comes from."
Mungojerrie, relieved, repressed the impulse to embrace her. "Thanks the Everlasting Cat... you're not in your den", he whispered in a hoarse voice, still short of breath.
"I knew that persian bitch was spying me. When Macavity goes to my old place he will find nothing but broken furniture." Ignoring Munkustrap in an obvious way, she approached the orange and black tom and slightly brushed the rim of his mouth with one finger. "You seem to be doomed to live with a split lip... It looks sexy on you though. Are you okay, honey?"
Mungojerrie nodded in silence; Pandora placed a casual kiss on his lips before facing the silver tabby again. "Well, Daddy beloved, now you've finished using him as a punching bag, let's clear up a couple of things. In private", she said looking at the other toms around her. Misto and Tugger led Mungojerrie to his den and came in with him after giving a worried look to the tabby queen and her father. "Good luck, Munkie... you'll need it", mumbled Tugger before disappearing into the den.
The young queen looked at Munkustrap, breathing heavily from anger. "What are you going to do now, throw him out of here too? You're going to be a very lonely leader if you expel everybody who does something you don't like."
"He's no good for you, Pandora. He's a burglar, and a liar, and..."
"And a lot of things more that's no point talking about now", she interrupted. "But I'm the only one who decides what's good for me, and I chose to be with him; end of the discussion."
"I think I understand... Are you in love with him?"
At the mention of the word 'love' she made a face. "What happens between us is none of your business. It's a little late to play the role of a caring father, don't you think?"
"I didn't even know of your existence until a few days ago. I know I've done wrong, but won't you give me a chance?" He looked sad and worried, not knowing how to talk to this complete stranger of a daughter who seemed so full of loathing. "I want to fix up what I did, but first I need to talk to your mother."
"I won't take the risk to bring her here, the surroundings of your junkyard are full of spies. You'll have to make and effort to find her for yourself... if she still wants to see you. I have other things in mind right now."
"If you two were back here in the junkyard, I'd be able to protect you from Macavity."
"We don't need your protection!" she spouted. "It's me who has challenged Macavity, and it's me who will get rid of him. Your issues with my mother are only yours to discuss."
"But..."
"But nothing. Just stay out of my way until my revenge is completed, and leave Jerrie alone until then, ok?" she said, turning around and beginning to walk away.
"All right," sighed Munkustrap. "But won't you deliver a message on my behalf to your mother?"
"What message?"
"Tell her I love her."
"The message will be delivered", she said with a crooked smile. "But I don't know what kind of answer you are expecting." With that words she climbed a junkpile and went through the fence. Munkustrap sat down on the tyre again, his face hidden between his paws, and remained there motionless.
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Mungojerrie's home was made of a big hamper and some cardboard boxes. It had been a bit of a mess when he shared it with Rumpleteazer, and now he was on his own it had turned into a complete disaster. Mistoffelees had to remove several pieces of (probably stolen) stuff from the basket that served the calico tom as a bed before helping him to sit down.
Meanwhile, Tugger was pacing up and down the place, giving hard looks at the cat burglar. "You... you're the most irresponsible cat I've ever seen!" he exploded at last.
"I never thought I'd hear that words coming from your mouth, Tugger."
"I've done many regrettable things in my life... but this time you've broken a fucking record."
"Tugger, just let me explain..."
"With what part of your body were you thinking instead of your brain? She's a stray, she's Munkustrap daughter, and she's almost a kitten! A mentally unbalanced kitten, but I don't think Munkus can see the difference. To him she is his little child... And he will claw your heart out if you go on with this. Mungo... You're hooked, just like when you were hooked on catnip some time ago."
"You knew it?"
"Yes. And I didn't tell anybody because I knew you were getting over it. But now you're doing it again, only this time it's not catnip... but that queen. And she's taking advantage of your state to play with you. I know what I'm saying, I used to do that kind of things when I was younger."
"Don't talk about her like that! You don't know her."
"Certainly not in a biblical sense like you do. Do you really think it was worth getting into all this trouble just for a nice time in her arms... or between her legs?"
"Shut up Tugger! I love her. I've loved her since..."
"Since she hit you for the first time? Or since she started getting bitchy and turned you into her purring slave? Haven't you heard Griddlebone? You're her pet! Just stop babbling for a moment and look at yourself! Love can be very dangerous for your health... you're the living proof."
"Well, she stopped Munkustrap from killing me a moment ago, didn't she?"
Tugger sighed. "Yes, 'mister sexy split lip', she did... with the only purpose of annoying her father."
"Don't be so harsh, Tugger", said Mistoffelees. "She wouldn't confront Munkustrap without a reason. I think she may really feel something for Mungojerrie."
"What do you know about queens, Misto? I mean, you've been with only one queen in your whole life, my friend... No offence meant", he said to a frowning Mistoffelees.
"None taken", answered the magician. "But I still don't agree with you. Well, you have a daughter too, and I have Baline and Belanor. They're almost the same age as Pandora... and you know queens of her age don't play with toms that way."
"Well-mannered Jellicle queens don't, but Demeter's child is plainly a savage. Thanks Heaviside, Syren and your twins have nothing to do with that berserk... I don't even want to think about the influence she would have on the rest of the young people in this junkyard," said Tugger without noticing the ironic look in Mungojerrie's face.
As if they had heard their father's words, Syren and Rothiger entered the den, followed closely by the twins. "Dad! We've heard Pan is in the junkyard! Have you seen her? Is she all right?" said the young copper queen. Then she noticed Mungojerrie: "Hey, Mungo! Was she at home yesterday when you got there?"
The Tugger's jaw dropped to the ground. "You... you knew... 'Pan'? Have you had any contact with her?"
"Yes, she's our friend", interrupted Baline (now it was Misto's turn to look at her daughter in astonishment). "Well, I haven't talked to her personally, but Syren and Danfred did."
"We had a chat with her last night. She told us about her life and..."
"Rothiger, tell me you didn't allow your sister to go out of the junkyard at night to see that nutcase!" growled the Tugger.
"Well, at first I wasn't sure, but after what I've heard from my sister and Danfred I don't think there's nothing bad in our cousin", said the red-maned young tom. "Apart from a few paranoid genes, but that's not her fault."
"Besides, what's that 'allowing' thing?" said Syren, offended, stepping between Roth and their father. "I'm one year and two months old; I'm a grown-up queen, and nobody - nor you, nor my brother - can tell me to whom I can talk."
"And remember we owe her Merrick's life", added Belanor in her soft voice.
Mistoffelees, as usual, tried to calm things down. "In that case, my dear, you should have told us before sneaking out the junkyard and putting yourselves in danger."
"Oh don't be dysfunctional, Dad", stated Baline in an indolent tone. "We appreciate her, there's nothing dangerous in that. And, seriously, at this stage I think we're older enough to choose our own friends", she said before rushing out of the den, closely followed by the others.
The Magical Mister Mistoffelees remained speechless for a good half a minute. "Dysfunctional? My sweet respectful elder daughter has just called me dysfunctional... I'm beginning to believe in that theory of the bad influence."
"Not only that, my friend", added the Tugger. "In less then twenty four hours, all the youngsters in this junkyard have turned into a bunch of rebels... thanks to your sweetie, Mungo. Come with me, Mistoffelees. We'll have to fix things up quickly if we want our children to be in speaking terms with us. Just wait until Bomba finds out... I bet she'll manage to blame me for not having the confidence of my own kids."
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Griddlebone entered Macavity's hideout with a satisfied smile and her typical hip-swaying walk. The tall ginger cat was sitting on his favourite armchair, facing the wall. He didn't look back when she entered, but the queen was sure he knew she was there - he always knew, like he had eyes on his back.
"Were you distracted by something in particular or just average careless, my dear?" His voice was smooth, almost silky, the kind of tone that could made her shiver in pleasure... or in fear. Only his right paw was in sight from her position; he was playing with something small and black that moved along his fingers.
"What... what do you mean? What's that?"
"Your sight is not what it was, Griddlebone. This, my dear, is a spider. The only living thing that abode in the attic in which you swore that damned Jellicle queen was." The tom stood in all his height and dropped the insect to the ground before cornering his agent against the wall.
"But... she was there last night! I saw her!"
"And she saw you too and fled before my arrival. And now I'll have to repeat the question one more time", he said as he approached her, looking dangerously angry. "I gave you a very simple task this time. Watch, tell, be invisible. Why have you failed, Griddlebone?" One of his claws traced a line down her neck, not enough to harm the white queen, but enough to terrorize her.
"I...", Griddlebone was thinking as fast as she could to get out of the uncomfortable situation. "I have an idea! Mungojerrie! Let's follow him, I'm sure he'll meet her soon at her new hideout."
"So, wasn't it a one night thing what happened between those two?", he said, narrowing his eyes.
She tried her best to smile and to sound unconcerned. "Well, you know our former friend is prone to addictions. And from what I heard yesterday - and what I saw today at the junkyard - I can tell he won't let go that queen easily.
"It was about time you had a good idea, Griddlebone", said Macavity, releasing her and pacing back to the armchair. "I'll send somebody else to follow the burglar and see what we can find out. No, not you, my dear... it seems you've been over-used these days and you need a rest. You'd better take a couple of days out." He dismissed the persian queen with a movement of his paw, muttering: "Why oh why I'm surrounded of useless idiots." He didn't look at her, so he couldn't see the sad and hurt look in Griddlebone's eyes as she walked away.
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Ohmygod, this was long as life! (That's why it took me so long... but the next one will be posted soon). All kinds of reviews are welcome... Even one-word reviews... and flames... and epic poems... everything's allowed!
