Christine held the sleeping cat as gently as she could, and placed him in his basket, careful not to put any pressure on his right hind leg. She bit her lip, trying desperately not to cry. She wanted to cry, but she was thirteen, and thirteen-year-olds weren't supposed to cry over their cat dying.
Deuteronomy had gone to the vet's, and it hadn't ended well. She had detected a cancerous lump in his leg, and had surgically removed it. Later tests, however, showed that the cancer hadn't only been in his leg, it had spread throughout his body. Even with treatment, he would die anyway.
She sat cross-legged on the floor beside the cat basket, the tears starting to flow, despite the resistance. Cancer was something that happened to hot blondes on cheesy soap operas, not to a teenager's cat. It wasn't fair.
The veterinarian had suggested that he be put down, so that he wouldn't be in any pain. Christie had begged for a little time, to say goodbye. She knew she needed to, she just didn't know how.
There was a slight squeak as the cat door swung open, and three tom cats padded slowly into the room. She was used to various cats dropping by to visit Deuteronomy, she thought nothing of it.
The three there she had named Streak, Simba, and Tux. Streak was a silver tabby with streaking stripes, Simba had a great mane, and Tux honestly looked like he was wearing a tuxedo.
She wiped her eyes, embarrassed. "He's sleeping right now, but he should wake up soon. Just don't get him frazzled, he just had an operation." She walked out of the room, leaving the cats to their business.
Streak, better known as Munkustrap, eyed her until she was out of the room. "That human is odd. I don't trust her farther than I could throw her."
Simba (a.k.a. The Rum Tum Tugger) snorted. "Crazy, yes. Dangerous, probably not. Living with her, no wonder Old D's half insane."
"Although my body may have seen better days," said a voice that made them jump. "I can assure you, Rum Tum Tugger, that my mind is in perfect condition."
"Tugger's just kidding, Old Deuteronomy," Tux, also called Mistoffelees, said hurriedly. "We didn't wake you, did we? Your human said you just had an operation."
He sighed heavily. "Unfortunately, this is true. Not at all pleasant, I can assure you. And in the long run, it didn't change a thing."
"What do you mean by that?" asked Munk, frowning.
"I will not lie to you, Munkustrap. I am dying, and I won't make it past this Jellicle Moon. I believe I can hold out until then, and send myself to the Heaviside Layer to be reborn."
"But you have healing magic!" protested Mistoffelees. "What's wrong with you that you can't fix? With your level of power, it would have to be strong."
He raised an eyebrow, opening his eyes for the first time since the toms had entered. "You seem to know a bit about my powers, eh Mistoffelees?"
The magical cat bowed low in apology. "I'm sorry, Old Deuteronomy. I just, well, you know…"
"No need for that, Mistoffelees. In any case, I suppose you three deserve to know the truth," He took a breath before beginning again. "I believe it was two months ago, possibly a bit more, and my human was asleep in her bed. I was curled up beside her, musing over my third name. Suddenly, something hit me. At the time, I didn't know what it was, only that it wasn't good."
"You were detecting an illness!" exclaimed Misto.
"Correct. I knew it wasn't in me, so I turned to the only other being in the room, my human. I used my magic to check over her body, and something turned up. I checked her neck, and there was a lump there."
"Cancer," said Munkustrap automatically. The female human in his house was always watching shows about that on the TV.
"Yes, it was. I knew that if it was left there, she would die. I honestly couldn't allow that to happen to such a decent human, and at such a young age. So I removed it."
"But it would have to go somewhere," frowned the Rum Tum Tugger, recalling something Mistoffelees had once told him about magical healings.
"I know," he said, looking at them with sad eyes. "I put it somewhere."
"You transferred it to yourself?!" shouted Munkustrap. "You put a deadly disease in your body that you knew would kill you to save a human girl!"
"I can be reborn, Munkustrap," Deuteronomy said calmly. "She can't."
The silver tabby gritted his teeth, but said nothing. If Old Deuteronomy thought it was right, then he would believe it was right. But he wished he wouldn't make it so difficult.
"The Jellicle Moon's in three days," said the Rum Tum Tugger. "Hang on until then, and we'll come get you before the Ball starts, okay?"
He nodded. "I do not mean to be rude, but it would be greatly appreciated if you do not visit me until then, unless it is absolutely necessary. I need time to organize my thoughts."
They all bowed, and said "Yes, Old Deuteronomy" simultaneously before moving to leave the room.
"Munkustrap, come here for a moment."
He hung back, and sat before him. "Yes?"
"While I am gone, I will need you to lead and protect the tribe while I am gone. That would mean that the safety of every one of the Jellicle cats would be your responsibility. Can I trust you with that responsibility?"
The silver tabby was silent. He didn't know what to say. Everything that he had been fretting over the last nine days had become a reality. It was like his inner windshield had been cracked, and now it was falling to pieces. But then he realized something. For the last year at least, it had been him making most of the decisions. Old Deuteronomy had asked for his opinion, and often used it. The old cat had tricked him into thinking that it was nothing.
"Well," Deuteronomy asked, smiling as a look dawned on the young tom's face. "Can I trust you with the safety of the Jellicle tribe?"
"Yes," he said, smiling inside but remaining stone faced on the outside. "You can."
The next three days went by slowly. The old cat slept through most of the day, but he also thought deeply about his happy memories, those that survived the Heaviside Layer, and would allow him to re-access the rest. He thought of his days spent as a younger cat and horsing around with the other toms, of lying in the sun while the kittens played Pounce, of sitting on the piano bench as his original owner played pieces of classical music, and of curling up on his current human's stomach as she read to him.
He tried to keep up hope, but his leg pained him greatly, as did the rest of his body. He couldn't walk more than several steps, and it got worse as time went on. He had noticed his human crying a lot. He wished he could tell her that he was going to be reborn, that he would be happy again, and that he had saved her life. But even eyes such as his couldn't say all those things.
The night of the Jellicle Moon was a Friday. Christine's parents were out to dinner with some of their friends, and would probably not be home until after midnight. She was stretched on the couch, trying to read A Wrinkle In Time, but her heart wasn't into it.
The cat flap squeaked a bit as Streak, Simba, and Tux entered, and padded into her bedroom. She looked up for a moment, only to return to her book, only to put it down and rise from the couch.
The Rum Tum Tugger had to admit, Old Deuteronomy didn't look good. He looked old and tired, and somehow seemed pale. He could also see that the old cat was in pain.
Munkustrap noticed this too. "Can you stand?"
He shakily rose to his paws, but could only support himself for a second before having to lie down. Even with the help of the three toms, all of the cats knew they could never make it to the junkyard.
Unknown to them, Christie was watching from the doorway. They were trying to help him walk, she reasoned. But to where? It must be important.
"Maybe we could put him in a blanket and carry him," suggested Mistoffelees.
Munk shook his head. "I think that three cats carrying another in a sheet would seem a bit strange to humans watching. We can't magic him there, he wouldn't survive. Oh, how are we going to do this?"
"Um, excuse me?" said the girl, making her presence known. "I know I'm a human, and I can't understand you, and you probably don't trust me, but I can help. You need to get Deuteronomy somewhere, don't you?"
"She knows your proper name?" hissed Munkustrap.
The old cat shrugged. "She deserved to know it."
"I can carry him there," she continued. "You can lead me there, and I can bring him. I have a feeling that you all know something I don't, and I probably never will. But if Deuteronomy trusts me, then I can trust you."
"What do we do?" asked the Rum Tum Tugger, looking towards the leader. "Should we lead her to the junkyard?"
"We can trust her," said Old Deuteronomy. "She's a good human. Wise beyond her years, as the saying goes."
"Mistoffelees, magic back to the junkyard after we go," ordered Munkustrap. "Tell all of the Jellicles to hide. We'll have the human bring Old Deuteronomy there, then leave."
Deuteronomy gave his human a look of approval.
Christine threw a windbreaker over her sweatshirt, as it looked like it was about to rain, and used a thick brown blanket from her closet to bundle Deuteronomy up, extremely careful not to put any pressure on his bad leg. She cradled him in her arms, as the cats she knew as Streak and Simba led her down the streets of London. Thankfully, they didn't meet many people. One man asked, and she said she was taking her sick cat to the vet's, which was really only a half lie. He was her cat, and he was sick. They weren't going to the vet's, but she was sure that wherever they were going, Deuteronomy's misery would be ended.
When they reached the junkyard, it was deserted except for Tux, who was sitting near a tire. Christie placed the old cat on it, and pulled the blanket away from his face. He was giving her an odd little feline smile.
She grinned sadly. "I'm going to miss you, Deuteronomy," she said, stroking him between the ears.
He looked up at her with his deep brown eyes as if to say 'don't worry'.
Tears began to fall. "I won't. Although I don't know how I'm going to get my schoolwork in on time without you reminding me about it. Thank you for letting me know your name." With that, she stroked him one last time, then left.
Once she was gone, the Jellicles crept out of their hiding places, and gathered around the tire.
"An odd girl," commented Alonzo.
Deuteronomy gave a weak smile. "Yes, she most certainly is."
Munkustrap, who was at his side, gave his paw a quick squeeze. "Are you ready, Old Deuteronomy?"
He looked at the silver tabby, his eyes holding a fierce look despite his condition. "Yes, of course. You remember your promise?"
"Yes, Old Deuteronomy, I do."
"Don't make me regret it," he said, smiling, as the tire began to rise.
The Jellicles sang, although their hearts weren't all into it. They were sad to see the old cat go, even if they knew that he would be reborn. The Jellicle Moon where a leader was sent to the Heaviside Layer was a solemn one.
As soon as the floating tire touched back down, Munkustrap felt something rush into him. He knew instantly what it was. It was the key to the Heaviside Layer. He now possessed it. He wouldn't mess it up, he told himself firmly. He was going to make Old Deuteronomy proud.