"Remember, when they open the door, put on your best cute face, and try to make your eyes big, like you're about to cry," said Munkustrap, sitting on the front step.
"Like this?" Deuteronomy asked, sticking his bottom lip and widening his deep brown eyes so that, if one looked close enough, one could almost see tears forming.
The tabby blinked. "Wow. That's good. Alright, I'll scratch on the door, and they'll open it. Just keep that face on. And it wouldn't hurt to throw in a few weak, helpless meows." He clawed at the door, yowling like a crow.
Inside, a female human sighed. She really had to convince her husband to install a cat flap instead of having that animal ruin the door every time he wanted in or out. She walked into the entry hall, and opened the door. To her surprise, there wasn't one grey cat, there were two.
The second was much smaller, and was a multicoloured blend of greys, instead of her own cat's sleek tabby silver. He had big brown eyes that seemed to say 'love me', and he had the Look kittens could give so well.
"Aw! How adorable! Did you bring home a little friend, Theodore?" she cooed, picking the tiny cat up and cradling him in her arms. "And what's your name, little one? Oh my, you don't seem to have a collar. Are you a stray, darling?"
Deuteronomy had no idea who Theodore was, but he widened his big brown eyes even more, and stuck his bottom lip out further. Cuteness, full throttle.
"A kitten as small and as adorable can't be out on the streets all alone! It's my duty as a good citizen to take you in before you get hit by a car. But what will George say? Oh, never mind him! You'll stay here until we can find you a home of your own!"
She carried Deuteronomy into the kitchen, with the tabby following behind her. She put out two bowls of cat food and two bowls of water.
The tiny kitten quickly dug into the dish of food. It had been the first decent meal he had had in… He couldn't even remember. It was paradise.
Munkustrap ate more slowly, and kept glancing over at the Jellicle leader, making sure he wasn't going to inhale the stuff. All he needed was to tell the tribe their leader had come back and then choked on a dish of cat kibble.
"You'll need a name, of course," said the human, who had been sitting at the table. "Something dignified, you have such a regal look to you, especially in your eyes. How about… Alexander! Alexander the Great! I'll get you a collar tomorrow, and your own bowls, too. And I'll have to take you to the vet's for shots and a check-up. And you'll need some kitten food, Theodore's stuff will be too rough in the long term."
"Munk?" said Deuteronomy, finally slowing down enough to talk. "Why's she calling me a different name? And who's Theodore?"
"Every Jellicle cat has three different names," explained the tabby patiently. "There's his common name, the name humans call him. Mine is Theodore, and yours is now Alexander. But don't worry about that, only humans will call you that."
"Oh, good. I don't really like the name Alexander," he said, wrinkling his pink nose.
"The second name is their Jellicle name, which is given to a kitten by the Jellicle leader, you. I've been doing it in your absence, of course. My Jellicle name is Munkustrap, and you are called Old Deuteronomy."
"But if I name the cats," he said slowly. "Then who named me?"
Munkustrap opened his mouth for an explanation, and then closed it. "You know, I don't actually know. I suppose someone in your first life did. I'll have to ask Jennyanydots tomorrow, she might know. In any case, there's also a third name. Only the cat knows his third name, and can never tell anyone. The third name is born with the cat, and is inside of them."
"I understand that bit," he said proudly. "The third name is more like a feeling, right? Deep down inside and you can't really describe it, but you know what the name is."
The silver cat nodded. "Exactly. Any more questions?"
"What's the vet?"
"She's a person who treats you when you're sick, and gives you needles so you don't get sick. It's not really a pleasant experience, but I suppose it's for our own good."
"I think I remember something about that place…" Deuteronomy said slowly. "You were there, and you were wearing something. But I can't remember what it was…"
"I don't think that was anything," said Munkustrap hurriedly. "In any case, the human female will put you in this cage and drive you to this big building. You sit in the cage for a bit, then you move into this smaller room, and you come out. The vet weighs you and checks your heartbeat and your ears and stuff like that, and then she gives you needles if you need them. Then, you go back in the cage and come home, and the humans usually give you extra food that night."
"Do the needles hurt?" he asked apprehension in his voice.
"Not much, just a bit of a prick. And she gives you a treat afterwards if you don't try to bite her," Munkustrap didn't bother adding that he himself didn't get many treats.
The kitten's face relaxed. "Good. I remember pain, like when I fell on the dumpster, and when a big tom scratched me when I was living on the street," He paused, before continuing slowly. "But I remember more pain. Pain all over my body, but it really hurt in my right hind leg. I don't know why."
Munkustrap frowned. The pain had obviously been felt in his last years in his former life. But Deuteronomy had told him that happy memories were usually recalled first over the sad and painful ones.
"I don't hurt now," the small tom said hurriedly, seeing the look on the tabby's face.
"That's good," he said, dropping the scowl. "It seems you have some memories of your former life, Old Deuteronomy, they just don't fit together. Maybe if you can string together what you remember, you'll have total recall."
The door swung open with a bang as it hit the wall. Two male human kittens ran into the kitchen. One looked to be about ten, and the other had to be around six.
"Mom! Mom! Jared won his football game!" squealed the younger one, obviously very proud of his elder sibling.
The older boy was calmer, and a bit more observant. "Hey, it's a kitten! Dad! Mom got us a new kitten!"
"She got you a what?" asked the adult tom human, who had just walked in. "Carol, I thought we agreed on no more pets."
"Oh, but George! He was out on the streets alone, and look how tiny he is! And you can see the poor thing's ribs straight through his fur, he hasn't been eating well."
"Look how dirty he is! He could have parasites or rabies or something!" he protested.
"I'll give him a bath in the morning and take him to the vet's."
"Can we please keep him, Daddy?" begged the smaller boy. "Please?"
He sighed. "Oh alright, Ben. We'll keep it until we can find him a home. But he's not staying here forever, got it? One cat's enough!"
"I named him Alexander," offered the female, as the older boy, Jared, picked up the kitten and cuddled him.
"He's so fluffy!" exclaimed Ben, petting his tail.
"And small!" agreed his brother. "Poor little kitty! Is Theo your big brother?"
Deuteronomy seemed to love the attention. He swished his tail around and licked Jared with his tiny pink tongue. He didn't protest to being held at all.
"Alright, you two, put the kitty down," said their father. "I'll get him a box to sleep in for tonight, you wash up for dinner."
Munkustrap led the kitten down to the basement, where the human put a box lined with an old blanket. The tabby curled up in his cat basket, while the leader settled into the box. Normally the tabby wouldn't have turned in so early, but it had been a long day.
"Try to get some sleep, alright? You're going go be reintroduced to the Jellicles tomorrow, so you'll need your rest"
The kitten nodded obediently.
"Good night, Old Deuteronomy," he said, tucking his head into his arm.
There was silence, and then darkness as one of the humans shut the basement door.
"Munk?" whispered the kitten in a quiet voice.
"What?" he asked, already half asleep.
"I'm scared of the dark," he whimpered.
"A cat that's afraid of the dark? You've got to be kidding me."
"I'm not. I don't know what it is, I just don't like it. I can remember being tied up in the dark, and big rats were all around me but I couldn't see them and Ijusthatethedark," he stammered out quickly.
The tabby sighed. That must have been when he was captured by Macavity. He rose, and rummaged through a box of stuff the humans had left open until he found what he was looking for. Holding it in his mouth, he trotted over to the electrical socket, and butted it into the outlet with his head. Munkustrap flicked a switch with his paw, and a pale glow of orange flooded the corner of the room.
"Better?" he asked, turning to the kitten.
"Much," the Jellicle leader said, nodding. "Thanks."
"No problem," he yawned, curling back up in his basket. "Now get to sleep, you've got a big day ahead of you tomorrow."
There was several more minutes of silence.
Before long, however, the silver tabby felt something poking him. He opened one eye. "What is it now?"
"Munk," he started unsurely. "It's kind of cold down here and I know there's a light and it helps but I still can't see everything and… Can I sleep with you in your basket?"
Munkustrap considered sending him back to his box, but then he thought back to the days after Deuteronomy had fished him out of the gutter when he had been a kitten himself. The tabby had spent at least a week huddled against the old cat until he had regained his strength.
He sighed. "Climb in."
The kitten gave him a broad smile, and curled up tightly against his stomach. "Thanks. Night, Munk."
"Good night, Old Deuteronomy," he said, settling his head down, and finally falling asleep without any interruptions.