Author's notes: I was aiming to be dramatic in this chapter, I've probebly failed miserably but I've tried. This is another descriptive chapter and it's longer than the last! Enjoy, please R&R.
"How long… estimate… recovery… be?"
"It's hard… tell from… injuries. We'll just… to wait… see."
Etcetera could hear muffled voices near her. She couldn't place where they were but she recognised the voice of Old D. The worry and concern in his voice was only too evident. The other cat's soft and gentle voice informed Etcetera that this was a queen, obviously not of the junkyard. Etcetera suspected that she was some sort of doctor or nurse.
Numbness was caking her, giving her an odd floating feel. Her fingers and toes tingled while a strange throbbing sensation beat from her body. She tried to move but something was holding her down, even though she felt no restraints anywhere on her. Before she had time to start panicking, the queen was talking again and this time Etcetera's hearing had greatly improved.
"The mix of herbs should keep her still. She will not be able to move for a while and you must make sure to feed her this mix every morning and evening. She needs to keep taking this because there is the slight possibility that she'll lose her memory, is that understood? Good, I will return to check on her progress within the next couple of weeks."
"Thank you, you've helped so much."
Old D's apology sounded slightly stale but Etcetera dismissed it as a mixture of relief and emotional torture. Suddenly her thoughts turned to Munkustrap. What had happened to him? Where was he now? Was he hurt badly? A torrent of questions swum through Etcetera's mind, distracting her from what Old D was doing. Suddenly her mouth was open and a rush of foul tasting water was forced into her mouth. She choked on the icy liquid and instinctively swallowed it down in several forced gulps.
"There, that wasn't so bad was it?"
Etcetera's heart skipped a few beats; did the old cat know she could hear him? Before she could come to a decision, his heavy paw steps thumped away from where she lay.
"Are you cold, Etcetera?" The queen asked.
Etcetera nodded and shivered. The queen reached out for something, suddenly Etcetera found herself wrapped up in a blanket of bright butter yellow.
"Look here Etcetera; I've sewn you into the corner."
Etcetera eyed the curled up kitten with awe. She knew that she'd never be that good at sewing.
"Now Etcetera there's something you should know. I am going away for a while."
"Why?" Etcetera mewed
"Because I'm going to meet up with an old friend of mine. Unfortunately, the captain of the boat I'm taking wouldn't let anyone who can't help on. I'm sorry Etcetera but you're just too young."
"Are…are you leaving me?"
"Of cause not!" The queen cried, bringing Etcetera into a tight but gentle hug, "I wouldn't give you up for the world! Don't worry my little Etcetera, I'll come back, I promise."
"Who's taking you to your fwends?"
"It's a tom that I've grown quite attached to. He's called Gr…"
Etcetera screamed and sat bolt upright. A searing pain beat through her body and a white hot agony stabbed at her heart and soul. Her eyes flew open in wide terror and she shook violently. The dark room she was in heightened her terror and she scrambled clumsily off the mattress she'd been lying on. As she stood shaking in the cold dark room, her fearful eyes searched the room, looking for any way out. Finally, she found a door… but it was missing a door handle. Panicking, Etcetera scurried around the room in circles, desperation flooding her in great torrents. The pain was slowly ebbing away but that didn't help Etcetera at this time.
Just as she was about to give up, she noticed a gentle glow of light in the furthest corer of the room. She approached it cautiously, and then fell silently to her knees to peer through the tiny crack in the wall. She could just make out a figure of a cream coloured mother with a kitten in her arms. The queen stood up and carefully took the kitten out of the room. On the other side of the door she could see light!
Etcetera waited for a moment to make sure the queen was gone then started to shift the loose bricks.
After half an hour, a pile of rusty coloured bricks had built up behind Etcetera and in their place was a small hole just big enough to fit her through. Gingerly she lay on her stomach and started to crawl slowly into it, brushing aside small pieces of brick that lay in her path. She heard a small click from the room behind her and a group of footsteps. Etcetera felt her heart jump to her throat as she realised whoever had taken her (Well, she was sure she'd been catnapped, she didn't know where she was) was back to finish whatever they'd started.
"HEY! She's trying to escape, grab her!"
Etcetera screeched and crawled faster down the tunnel. Suddenly she felt a cold paw grasp her ankle. Screaming and crying, Etcetera kicked out at the paw's owner. A loud crack and a cry informed her that she'd broken their nose. She dragged herself forward and pulled herself out of the hole and into the room she'd seen the queen and her kitten. She glanced back through the hole to see a number of paws trying desperately to grab her. Etcetera turned to see three doors in the lightly furnished room and ran towards the nearest of the doors. She flung it open and ran down a small stone passage towards a faint glow at the very end.
She nearly screamed again as she heard a loud shout behind her.
"There she is! Stop her!"
With a rush of adrenaline, Etcetera bolted for the light at the end of the passage. She could hear the advancing paw steps gaining rapidly on her, they seemed so close that Etcetera felt they could reach out and grab her. But she was nearly there; the light was so near yet so far, so she ran harder.
She heard a triumphant shout and felt something brush against her elbow. Screaming at the top of her lungs, Etcetera put the last of her dwindling energy into the final sprint for the light.
"I'm nearly there, nearly there…" Etcetera thought tiredly.
A paw grab she shoulder and Etcetera collapsed to the floor in a pile of unconscious fur.