"They would fortify the henhouse, lock up the silly goose, when the rumor ran along the shore Demeter's on the loose! Wahaha!" Demeter sang, walking towards a nearby farm. Bombalurina was with her and they were planning on getting dinner for the kits and themselves.
"Uh, Demeter?" Bombi questioned, staring at her friend. "Are you okay?" Demeter nodded, grinning. "That's good, cause I could've sworn I just heard you singing Growltiger, replacing his name with yours."
"I did." Bombi raised an eyebrow. "I'm just happy. Munkus is coming home tomorrow. And the kits are the happiest they've been. Admetus has friends now, even a girlkit. Nobody picks on him anymore either," Demeter explained. Bombi smiled, glad Demeter was so happy.
"What are we stealing from the farm today?" Bombalurina asked, deciding to change the subject.
"Bombi! It's not stealing," Demeter scolded. "We're eating. And Etcetera said she wanted cow. I told her I would see what I could do. I say we steal, I mean eat a hen."
"Cow? I agree. Hens are easier to catch," Bombi said, slinking under the fence that lined the farm. Her tail was swaying impatiently. The two queens padded silently towards the henhouse, letting their noses lead the way. Demeter looked inside.
"The coast's clear. Come on," she whispered to Bombi. Together, they surveyed the sleeping birds, looking for the perfect hens: ones they could carry home without too much trouble but had enough meat to feed three kits and themselves.
Bombi pointed a claw at the one she wanted. Demeter nodded her agreement, so Bombalurina walked over to the brown hen. She extended the rest of her claws and cut it across the neck. Grabbing it before it could make a noise and wake the others, Bombi ran outside to wait. Demeter was left alone. Spotting a red hen that was about the right size, she decided to pretend it was Macavity as she killed it.
Sauntering up to it, Demeter extended one claw and began to slowly slit the birds' throat. Caught up in her imagination, she had forgotten the rule of killing chickens that said they needed to be rid of quickly before they woke the others. When the hen screamed in pain, Demeter jumped in surprise. The other hens were now awake, alert, and beginning to attack. Demeter hissed and scratched, trying to get away from the frightened beaks and claws that were after her. Making it to the doorway, Demeter ran. As she passed Bombi, she yelled, "Grab the hen and run for your life!"
Looking up in surprise, Bombi saw the many hens running into each other, only a few of them actually able to make it out of the mass to keep chasing the cats off of their property. She grabbed the dead chicken and ran after Demeter. Neither of them stopped moving until they were a way's inside the junkyard's gates. Bombi spit the hen out at a gasping Demeter.
"What the hell Dem? What did you do?" she demanded to know, doing her best to speak between breaths.
"Red hen…pretended Macavity…killed too slow…attacked," Demeter explained, taking deep breaths to try to slow the adrenaline that was rushing through her down. Bombalurina couldn't help but laugh.
"That's great Dem. I love it. You're so funny." Picking the hen back up, she followed Demeter home. As soon as Demeter stepped in the box, her jaw dropped and her eyes lit up.
"Munkus!" she cried running and jumping on him. "You're home early."
"Only by a day. It's been a long two weeks though, hasn't it?" he asked, hugging her tightly. "Good thing you've moved to a bigger box. Your last one would've just toppled over."
"Oh, sorry about that. Etcy, Pounce, and I were having difficulties fitting into the old one," Demeter apologized as Munkustrap set her down.
"No, that's okay. Alonzo pointed me in the right direction." Demeter raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"That nutcase actually remembered where he went a week ago?"
"Hey," Munkustrap warned, giving his mate a look. "Alonzo isn't an idiot or a nutcase. He can just be spacey sometimes."
"Okay Munkus, whatever you say. Anyway, we brought a hen home," Demeter told him, motioning towards Bombalurina. "There's only going to be a little left though, after the kittens are done eating. Especially if Electra stays again."
"Oh, so her and Etcetera hit it off well?" Munku asked.
"Yeah, those two are best friends. But she's been staying for Admetus. They're girlkit boykit," Demeter explained.
"Oh," Munkustrap said, slightly surprised. When he left, Admetus hadn't even had any friends. I guess a lot can happen in two weeks.
"Momma!" Etcetera squealed, running into the box. "Pounce is chasing me with mud!" Etcy quivered behind Demeter's leg as Pouncival ran in, muddy paws outstretched.
"Halt mister," Demeter ordered. Pounce stopped mid-step. "Get back outside. No mud in the house, and you know it. Don't come back in till your paws are clean."
"Yes ma'am," Pouncival said, running back outside. Peering around Demeter's leg, Etcetera spotted Munkustrap.
"Momma, who's that?" she whispered. A hurt look spread across Munku's face as the quiet words reached his ears.
"Oh, sweetie, don't you remember Munkustrap? He's my mate," Demeter reminded her.
"Oh yeah, I remember now," Etcy said after thinking for a minute. "Hi Munkustrap!"
"Hello Etcetera. Are you enjoying living in the junkyard so far?" Etcy nodded enthusiastically.
"It's lots better than living on the street."
"All clean now," Pouncival told them, coming back into the box. "What's for dinner? Munkustrap!" he cried, finally seeing the silver tabby in the corner.
"Hey Pounce!" Munkustrap was obviously happy that one of his new kits remembered who he was. "What have you been doing these past two weeks?"
"Playing."
"Oh." Demeter could tell Munku didn't have much experience with talking to kittens.
"To answer your question Pounce," Demeter began, preventing an awkward silence, "we have hen tonight. But there's only enough for you two and Admetus. Maybe Electra. Sorry again Munkus."
"Why don't you sing them your song, Dem?" Bombi asked, reminding everybody she was still in the box. Demeter shook her head.
"I want to hear it Demi," Munkustrap said. Demeter still refused.
"Why don't you tell them why we only have one hen then?" Bombalurina suggested.
"No, Bombi, please don't." Demeter knew Munkustrap was still upset by what had happened between her and Macavity, and she didn't want his first night home to be ruined. He would just get angry if he knew she was still thinking about it, mad, and terrified.
"I think I'll tell them then. Well, I went in there and caught my hen perfectly fine. Apparently, after I left, Demeter saw the perfect sized red hen and," looking up, Bombi saw Demeter flinch and bite her lip hard. Realization dawned on Bombalurina. "And decided to have fun with it," she came up with quickly. "She killed it too slow though. It screamed and woke all the other hens up. They chased us off the farm." Demeter smiled in thanks as Munkustrap burst out laughing.
"That's great Demi. I wish I could've seen that," Munku told her, wrapping her in a hug.
"Gee, thanks Bombi. I have to find Admetus." Demeter pulled out of Munkustrap's arms.
"No, you don't. He's eating with Electra and Jennyanydots tonight," Etcetera told them.
"Okay then. Thanks for letting me know," Demeter said, a bit surprised. Electra ate over here, not the other way around. Her little tom was growing up. A few tears prickled the corners of her eyes as she realized that, soon, Admetus would be leaving her.
A/N: Another chapter. And it's longer than the rest, I think. Although still short. So sad. I wish I was better at making longer chapters. It would probably make the story more interesting. Anywho, yeah. I guess there's not much else to say.
Mima-Love: I think it's too long. It's all pretty pointless, actually. Two more chapters and we get to the real part of the story. Everything before this is just pointless fluff though. Oh well. And Vikkie's boyfriend and other people's boyfriends weren't taking up my computer time. Just Midget's.
Krissy-Lids: Yes, that is what would've been expected, but they had to make fun of him one last time. For reasons that are coming soon. Hollah-ing back!
Lozzypop: Like I told Krissy, they can't lighten up yet. They'll be taught there lesson soon enough.
Mystitat: It is a bit like a jr. high soap opera. Glad you think it's still cute though.
Bompalynx: Actually, I just combined some things to make longer chapters, but that's okay. I talk like Ad, eh? Interesting.