Chapter 6
Cambriana had been so pleased that Mungojerrie wanted the kit tested. She'd just gotten back from setting up a request. She had just happily picked up the kit, told Barley to watch 'the tom', and she was off. Barley left minutes after that, after reviewing the rules with his son. It was kind of a ritual between Barley and Mungojerrie. For every night Cambriana disappeared for her thronish nights, Barley left too. Mungojerrie always got the shelter to himself. Even though there was nothing to do, the responsibility kept Mungojerrie from complaining.
Outside the window, two black queens were whispering.
"Mama, he'll reject me!"
"He's a year younger than you. He's in that gangly stage and his mother's been babying him is whole life; he's a softie for pleasure."
"Wait, hold up. If he…"
"We can claim it his fault, you'll be on the throne within… 51 days. We're gonna WIN!"
"Mama…"
"GO!"
Mungojerrie was finishing his meal of grouse when a timid little knock came from the east side window frame.
"Uh, come in." Mungojerrie puffed himself up and lowered his voice, trying to sound like a full-grown, scary tom. When a black kit squirmed between the glass pane and the wooden sill, Mungojerrie deflated. He was alone, in the dark house, with Tilly. What could be worse? Oh yeah. He'd let her in.
"Hey." Tilly said quietly. She padded softly over and sat down in front of him. Very close in front of him.
"Hello." Mungojerrie replied meekly. She didn't speak again for a minute. She was just gazing. And every being, from a mouse to a human to a zebra, finds it difficult to avoid a cat's stare. Oh, what green eyes she had. Mungojerrie had never noticed them before.
"I, uh, heard you were alone." Tilly broke their gaze with her words. It took Mungojerrie a minute to reply. Alone… what's that? Holy matrimony, where am I? Oh, yeah… uh-oh, she's expecting a response… boy, she looks pretty in the dark…
"Yeah. Alone." Mungojerrie managed to get the pathetic words out. Mungojerrie didn't even know when she had started to stroke his fur. He just knew it felt awfully good…
Mungojerrie was holding the queen and running his paws over her when he came to his senses. It was more the Pollicles outside that brought him back. I hate this queen, what am I doing? I've got to stop… He was very aware of the consequences. If he took her body, he was doomed to her. Forever. And ever. But forever didn't seem to matter. Now did. The longest this could last was what, a night? Forever was a million trillion quadrupledrillion nights. Logic was running through the tom's head.
Mungojerrie pushed Tilly away. Queens are amazingly strong and ignorant. Tilly didn't even realize he was trying to get rid of her. She just pulled herself closer. They ell on the floor. The tom; to use the floor as leverage to get her away, the queen; to get comfortable. Tilly was trying to talk to him in one of those annoyingly tempting voices; obviously she wasn't getting what she wanted and was trying to convince him it was okay…
An hour later she was gone. As far as Mungojerrie knew, nothing had happened. He had fought and he had no idea if he had won. He had kinda gone all fuzzy for a minute or two… or more… But there was hope. What had made her leave? Oh yeah, the yelling of her little brother. And she had said 'maybe next time'.
Mungojerrie felt horrible. What he'd almost done… or had done… it would (or could) have left him in a moments ecstasy, then in years of pure torture. Fear and appallment seemed to take over him. Screw hormones and becoming an adult! And of all the queens to fall victim to!