Author's Note: Well it's been a long while since I posted the first two chapters, but I recently came across some new inspiration. If we're lucky there might even be another chapter coming within the next couple of weeks.

Chapter Two: All Bandaged Up

Munkustrap's mind felt fuzzy. He was aware of more than a few things about the place where he found himself. He was lying on something soft that reminded him of fur. A rough woven blanket covered his legs to his waist. The place he was in felt warm, the soothing heat of a fire burned somewhere near him.

Calloused hands smoothed something sticky over his shoulder. Munkustrap's eyes blinked open and focussed upon a young human with close-cropped blonde hair and tanned skin. It took him a moment to realise that the human was female and her dress reminded him of that of a warrior.

"You're awake," the woman said. Her voice was strong, but quiet. "That was a nasty wound to your shoulder."

Munkustrap blinked up at the woman. He understood that he must be among friends, as his shoulder wasn't nearly in so much pain and crisp clean linnen bandaged his wounds. "Mistoffelees..." He began, his voice a croak. He cleared his throat, then tried again, "Mistoffelees and Etcetera, have you seen them?"

"I'm sorry, friend," the woman replied, "I'm afraid I dont know what you're saying. Neither did Lone Wolf or Banedon from what I hear."

The silver tabby lay back to stare up at the ceiling though his ears followed the sound of the blonde woman's movements across the room. "Lone Wolf wanted to know when you were awake," the woman said. "Dont be frightened when I come back with him and dont try and go anywhere, Viveka is watching the door."

Munkustrap waited patiently whilst wondering what would happen next. He needed to find Mistoffelees and Etcetera lest they came into contact with the same creatures that he had. With very careful movements, Munkustrap raised a paw in examination of the bandage across his shoulder. The material was unlike that he'd ever felt. It was coarser than any fabric he was used to, though it was most definately linnen... Maybe the difference was that it was hand woven?

He had just been attempting to sit when the human woman returned. Munkustrap had decided against continued surprise at the height of the humans. There was no point in worrying about the indiscrepancies of what he was sure was some kind of alternate world.

Munkustrap recognised the blond man from the river, the one who had carried the sword. The silver tabby's whiskers twitched, his ears flicking forward in understanding. The men from the river must have been how he had wound up where he was now.

Lone Wolf regarded the cat-creature with wary curiosity, he sat down in a wooden chair beside the bed upon which the cat-person lay. The young Kai recalled the disciplines of his order and reached out to recapture an almost forgotten skill. Animal kinship was one he hadn't used in what seemed like a very long time so he felt almost hesitant at using it with this creature. Lone Wolf spoke slowly and clearly, reaching out with his mind to forge a connection with the cat-creature.

"My name is Lone Wolf," he said and made sure his voice sounded friendly, "who -or more accurately, what - are you, friend?"

The cat-creature's face registered surprise, his long silver and black tail twitching beneath the blanket. After a long pause, the silver and black tabby cleared his throat. "I am Munkustrap," he replied (and now that he was using the skill of Animal kinship, the voice that spoke sounded far less unusual), "and... I see no point in keeping it from you, I am a jellicle." Munkustrap indicated his bandaged shoulder and then his surroundings with a sweep of a clawed hand. "I understand I have you to thank for this?"

"I and my friend brought you back to the Kai monastery," Lone Wolf explained, the word 'jellicle' still puzzling him a little. "I hope that was not too hasty a decision."

Munkustrap cocked his head to the side as though assessing the likelihood of Lone Wolf's trustworthyness. Finally the 'jellicle' spoke again; "I am concerned about those I was travelling with. A young male and female of my kind, one with whom you may have skills in common, have you or anyone else seen any sign of them?"

Two more of them? Lone Wolf considered. "No, we've had no word of any other... jellicles in the nearby woods."

"Oh..."

"If I have your word that your kind are indeed friends then we would gladly assist you in finding them," Lone Wolf offered. He had decided that he would offer Munkustrap the same courtesy he would to any other traveller in his position and help him in any way he could. "They are jellicles like yourself?"

Munkustrap nodded, a motion which made the longer fur (much the same as any human's hair) on his head flutter. "A black tuxedo and a butter calico," the silver and black jellicle replied; His description sounding as though he were talking about ordinary cats. "They will be travelling alone, and possibly frightened. It may not be best to contact them directly... We haven't had much experience with humans, they may not think you trustworthy."

"Do you think I am trutworthy?" Lone Wolf asked out of sheer curiosity.

"I have little choice in the matter," Munkustrap said candidly. A small smile passed across the jellicle's lips. "You seem to speak my language. I fear that's as close to 'trustworthy' as I'm going to get."

Lone Wolf couldn't help a smile. The jellicle had a sense of humour. "If you will tell me their last known location I and my companions may begin a search for your friends."

Munkustrap nodded and the jellicle's clawed fingers fiddled with the linen bandage across his shoulder. "The last I saw of them they were headed east into the forest, away from the stream where you found me. I dont know how much ground they could have covered since then." Munkustrap paused, ears twitching as he thought. "They may be looking for me already."

Lone Wolf nodded once. "I will tell the others to mention your name should they see your friends. It may help dissintegrate the language barrier and let them know that we mean no harm." The Kai lord paused in thought, calloused fingers stroked a well-trimmed beard. "My friend Banedon is a magician of the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star," Lone Wolf began thoughtfully, "perhaps he can craft a spell to allow him to speak with you while the rest of us search."

"Banedon is the man who was with you at the river?"

"Yes." The Kai nodded in confirmation.

Munkustrap's whiskers twitched and a very human expression of caution flickered across his face. Lone Wolf could sense an internal debate within the jellicle's mind. After a long silence Munkustrap finally spoke; "The tuxedo tom, Mistoffelees, he is a conjurer - a magician."

Lone Wolf considered this new information. "I will tell the others to bear that in mind."

Munkustrap lay back down upon the bed and Lone Wolf stood to organise the acolytes into groups for a proper seach party. Petra and Banedon would stay at the monastery in case anything should happen, or the objects of the search appear of their own accord.

Banedon was a young man of the same age as Lone Wolf. He and the Kai shared the same colour of hair and eyes, though neither were related and Banedon was a great deal smaller in both demeanour and size. His robe was ill-fitting and not the least bit flattering, but when the ocassion called for it Banedon seemed to blossom into a powerful and wise magician who seemed twice (if not thrice) the young man's real age.
He veiwed the cat-creature on the bed with muted curiosity. However, his curiosity was only muted because it would have been exceptionally rude to treat the 'jellicle' as some sort of specimen to be studied.

In stead he regarded the silver tabby with the same amount of outward curiosity that one might give to a traveller who had a few interesting stories to tell. Munkustrap seemed to be regarding him in much the same way.

"Lone Wolf tells me that you're a magician." Munkustrap spoke suddenly. His voice penetrated the silence that had fallen while Banedon concentrated on the patterns of power in his mind that would call up a spell of translation.

It took a few seconds for the spell to take effect and when it had Banedon nodded. "He tells me that one of your companions is also a magician."

"Mistoffelees," Munkustrap agreed while still regarding the magician with curious green eyes. "He is one of a few with mystical powers in my tribe."

"Tribe..." Banedon rolled the word around his mouth as though it were some kind of verbal delicacy. The only tribes he had any experience with were those that lived in the deserts of Vassagonia, or the barbarian tribes that lived in the far north in the icy regions of Kalte. "Do you know how you came to be here? Were you travelling anywhere in particular?"

"I haven't a clue," Munkustrap confessed with a shrug (and a wince at moving his wounded shoulder). "We never intended to come here. I confess I dont even know where 'here' is."

"You are at the Kai Monastery in central Sommerlund," Banedon stated. He watched the jellicle closely for any sign of recognition. "A few days ride away from the capital city of Holmgard."

Munkustrap sighed, an action that made his whiskers flutter. "That means nothing to me."

"I'm sorry," Banedon replied, for it seemed to be the only way he could reply.

"Those creatures," Munkustrap began suddenly and his expression was unnaturraly sharp and focussed. "The creatures that attacked me - I'm sure you know the ones - what were they?"

"Giaks," Banedon replied without hesitation. "The mindless infantry of the Dark God's army. They are the expendable soldiers and labourers of the darklords of helgedad."

"Darklords..." The jellicle frowned. "Lords of darkness?"

"The servants of Naar," Banedon explained. He sensed that the jellicle would know nothing of Naar or his servants, which removed any possibility of Munkustrap's species being steeped in evil. "Helgedad is the fearsome city that they populate, far out into the wastelands of the north. There were twenty darklords, though some of them have been killed over the years. They exist for the sole purpose of destruction and the enactment of vile deeds." The young magician paused. "There are other creatures of darkness. Hellspawn, flying creatures and the walking dead."

"Yours sounds like a very fearsom reality..."

"You dont think we belong to the same world?"

Munkustrap eyed the magician with a very shrewd expression on his very human face. "How can we? If I have never heard of these things, and you have never heard of my kind?"

It was a good point, Banedon conceeded. A very good point indeed.