Author's notes: Sorry I took so long to post this chapter. I had a terrible case of writer's block when I came back from Devon. It's longer than the last and I'm quite happy with the progess this story's making. Please R&R.
Warning: Contains references to mutalation and acts of a sexual nature (Well I can't think of any other way to put it). You have been warned!
6 months later
Etcetera sat nervously in Macavity's office. The heads of previous victims and henchcats hung from the walls, pulling faces of agony and grotesque angles. Jars with their severed rotting paws lined a shelf behind the hidden Paw's desk, slowly pickling in some sort of browning substance.
Etcetera, currently the only living thing in the room, shivered at the sight of the cats… and dogs.
The head of a young ash coloured queen always made her heart race and her stomach squirm. Jill, as she was fondly called, was about Etcetera's age. She had been one of Macavity's whores and had been forced to be so by the Hidden Paw. For whatever reason, Jill not satisfied his 'needs' as he would have hoped so he added her to his collection. Her shrivelled paws floated in a jar below her head, still tied together at the wrists. The sickening but strangely hypnotic sight pulled Etcetera's eyes between the head and the paws. Although she didn't want to look, Etcetera found she couldn't look away. A click behind her brought her back to her senses.
"I see you like my little collection."
Etcetera glared at Macavity for all it was worth. "This is sick, only a psycho would do such a thing."
Macavity leered down at her. "Then I'm a psycho."
"What do you want?" Etcetera demanded, getting increasingly uncomfortable with the way Macavity was looking at her.
"I want to bend you over my desk, right here right now." Macavity sneered, taking a step towards the gob smacked queen.
"You want to do what?" Etcetera almost screeched, jumping to her paws and backing away from the advancing tom.
"Come on Etcetera." Macavity growled, grabbing the queen by her waist before she could get away. "You know you want this just as much as I do."
Etcetera had a glimpse of Jill's head and realised the terrible danger she had probably put herself in.
Macavity saw where her eyes had travelled to. "Hey, I'm not going to add you to my other masterpieces, you're not worth the trouble."
Although it insulted Etcetera, she felt more relieved than she ever had in her life.
Macavity spun Etcetera round and had her face pressed to the desk before she could retaliate. Holding the immobile queen skilfully in his grasp by one paw, Macavity began to run his paw up the queen's leg to more sensitive areas.
Etcetera thanked the Everlasting Cat that this wouldn't be her first time as Macavity started to probe at her entrance with his paw. Etcetera tried to wriggle away from him but he held her tightly, with an almost burning pain.
"Hold still, I promise you'll like this." Macavity ordered, slapping Etcetera with his free paw across her buttock.
Etcetera felt herself giving in to the tom, he had the upper paw. She couldn't move, he could overpower her physically and if she didn't do as he said, either she or her mother could get hurt. There was only one option left to her.
"Good girl, hold still for daddy now." Macavity sneered, slipping a few fingers into her.
Etcetera turned her head as far as she could to face him. He was so preoccupied with what he was doing that he didn't notice her paw hook behind his ankle. With a violent jerk Macavity was send tumbling backwards, pulling Etcetera with him.
With a loud bang, Macavity slammed his head against a nearby chair.
As the dazed tom lay in a state of sub-consciousness, Etcetera picked herself off the floor and sprinted for the doorway.
Careful to open the door quietly, the shaking queen sprinted quickly and quietly down the long winding corridors of Macavity's lair.
As she rounded a corner on the 3rd section of floor B, her way was blocked by Anana, one of Macavity's regular whores. The deep brown Siamese looked down at her with her bright black eyes. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"
"I… I'm late for something." Etcetera lied quickly.
Anana raised an eyebrow completely unconvinced. "What have you done?"
In the distance Etcetera could hear the shouts of henchcats. Her name was mentioned along with the word 'kill'. She quickly explained to the Siamese what she'd done in the hope that she'd let her through.
"Well, well. That's the first time any of his whores has done that."
"I'm not his or anyone's whore!" Etcetera gasped outraged.
"All queens under Macavity's employ will become whores or they get added to his trophy room."
"Please let me past, I don't want this life, please!" Etcetera begged with the deadly sound of thundering pawsteps approaching.
The queen reached out and grabbed Etcetera's paw. "Follow me and DON'T say a word, don't question what I do."
Etcetera nodded and was dragged down the corridor by the Siamese. Anana glanced around her before pushed a brick in the wall. Almost instantaneously, a small gap in the wall appeared, just large enough to fit them through. Anana gave Etcetera a violent shove before tumbling after her into the tiny gap behind the wall. The Siamese quietly shut the entrance way then pulled Etcetera to her paws.
"Anana…" Etcetera began to say.
"Shhh!" the queen whispered urgently. "Don't make a single sound. We're in the cavity behind the wall, no one apart from me and you know this place exists. It's your only chance of escape from this place without being seen. If we're found, we'll be killed, do you understand?"
Etcetera nodded fearfully. Anana pressed her back against the cold stone wall and Etcetera did the same. The two shuffled sideways down the ever tightening passage and paused briefly to the sound of henchcats rushing past.
Anana pointed to a small hole in the floor and it became clear to Etcetera that they'd have to climb through the floors. With a nod of Anana's head, the two continued the incredibly slow and incredibly dangerous descent through a hole in the floor.
As they passed the 1st floor and were about to enter the sewers, an unmistakeable and spine tingling voice filtered through the wall.
"She must be found at all costs! She can't escape!"
"But my Lord, we're searched everywhere. The 3rd floor, the 4th floor and the 2nd floor. She's just vanished…"
"THAT'S NO EXCUSE! FIND HER NOW!"
The patter of terrified paws shuffled away and the two queens were holding their breath, praying they wouldn't be heard. Etcetera glanced down to see the sewers beneath them, the strangely clear river was just feet away from them but neither dared move, not while Macavity was just a foot away. Quite literally a thin wall separating them.
"Let's see…" Macavity muttered, "She's not on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th floors but she is still in the complex. It's impossible to have left without being seen. She must be having inside help…"
Etcetera glanced at Anana, the Siamese was clearly terrified.
"…She must be having inside help…" Macavity was obviously onto something by the tone in his voice. "She's having inside help… inside…"
A brief and deathly silent pause sent the queen's fur on edge. Etcetera felt beads of cold sweat forming on her fur and her limbs were shaking slightly.
"Inside… I wonder." Suddenly Macavity knocked on the thin wooden wall.
Etcetera nearly screamed but Anana grasped her paw tightly. Macavity knocked again then there was complete silence. The seconds ticked by into minutes and Etcetera became more agitated.
"Is he gone…?" Etcetera whispered.
Anana's head snapped to face her with a look of the utmost despair.
BANG!
Pieces of wood flew at them and dug deep into their fur. Etcetera screamed as Macavity's fist swung towards her. Anana held Etcetera's paw tighter then jumped, just as Macavity's fist connected with the young queen's face. Etcetera felt a violent jerk and was pulled head first into the river. In a space of time that seemed to take eternity, Anana swum to the surface and pulled a breathless Etcetera along with her. As they broke through the surface of the water, Etcetera gasped for the air that had been knocked out of her when hitting the water.
"Are you alright?" Anana demanded urgently, wrapping a strong arm around the shivering queen.
Etcetera nodded weakly as the ice cold water whisked them away down the grimy tunnels and out of Macavity's sight. Anana could obviously swim because she lay on her back and held Etcetera sort of on top of her, acting like a float.
The cold penetrated Etcetera's fur, chilling her to the bone. Her eyelids became heavy and soon she could hold them open no more. With a final shudder Etcetera was plunged into blackness.
Well I'm pround of that chapter. The next will be along in the near future.