Author's notes: I thought I'd bring out Tugger's sensitive side. Munkustrap was starting to bore me a little so I thought I'd make him suffer in some way.
Munkustrap managed to open one of his swollen eyes. At first everything was blurred and watery. His vision cleared and he soon realised that he was in a small stone room. The floor was wet and covered in muddy puddles, the only light came from a crack under the door. The room was very cold and he shivered against it, he was also lying in one of the puddles with didn't help him feel warm. He tried to move to a sitting position but that pain was still there, though it wasn't as bad as before.
"Sleepy head's awake…" Tugger muttered somewhere behind Munkustrap.
"Look what they've done to him." A small voice chirped quietly.
"They've done this to him twice now, beat him up I mean, though it wasn't as bad last time... apparently. I heard those strays gloating over it." Tugger explained bitterly.
"What can we do about his arm?" Another young voice asked softly.
"I don't know. There's nothing we can do for him at the moment."
"Where am I?" Munkustrap muttered.
Tugger moved carefully in front of him, he was joined by two other cats… no, two kittens.
"Electra, Jemima, your both alive." Munkustrap smiled happily.
"Yeah, I'd rather be dead though…" Jemima began to sob but she was cut off.
"Why? What's happened to you? They haven't hurt you badly have they?" Munkustrap gasped completely startled.
"It's been so scary, this room is horrible and cold and nasty strays keep coming in and beating us…" The kitten broke down in a flood of tears, cuddling up to Tugger who'd clearly taken Munkustrap's role as carer of the kittens.
"Do these strays have some sort of leader? What does he look like?" Munkustrap asked keenly.
"Yeah, they have a leader. She looks exactly like Macavity." Tugger snarled bitterly.
"It's his sister isn't it? Evevity or something like that."
"Yeah they're related. They could even be twins at a push, same markings though her colours are a little different to Macavity's. Her colours are red, gold, orange, silver and white on parts of her face. She's really beautiful, despite the slight problem of her being evil..." Tugger sighed; Munkustrap knew that this would be one queen he'd never get his paws on, even if he used all the charm in the world.
"They're coming… Jemima please stop crying, you know what'll happen if you make a noise." Electra whispered urgently.
Jemima fought to control the free flowing tears. Tugger gingerly wiped them away with his paw.
The door lock clicked and three strays stood in the doorway. One stepped forward and threw several planks of wood at them. He also dropped an old sheet, right in a muddy puddle.
He grunted and they slammed to door shut, locking it as they left.
"What's that for?" Electra asked eventually, making sure the strays had left.
"We could use it to give Munkus' arm some support." Jemima offered.
"Perfect." Tugger smiled. "Now how are we going to do this…?"
They found a way but it wasn't to Munkustrap's liking. It was decided that they had to force his arm straight and then put it in a splint of some sort using to stuff provided by the strays. They had to hold Munkustrap down with the kittens sitting on his legs whilst Tugger got to work applying the splint. Tugger sat on Munkustrap's back and pinned his free arm with his leg.
At first Munkustrap screamed but he was able to control it eventually to just a mild sobbing, remembering what Electra had said.
"There you go. It's all over now." Tugger soothed softly as he gently stroked his brothers' head.
Munkustrap felt like his arm where on fire, only worse. He wept quietly as he rested his head in Tugger's lap allowing Tugger to comfort him.
Jemima and Electra looked on, feeling guilty that they'd cause Munkustrap so much pain.
"Will he be OK?" Jemima asked nervously.
"He just needs rest. Lots of rest probably." Tugger replied looking down as the still weeping form of his brother. "You rest Munkustrap, that's all you can do right now… Oh, ok then."
Munkustrap had listened and obeyed. He had fallen fast asleep with his head still on Tugger's lap.
"Sooldn' Munkas'rap an' 'Lonzy be back ye'?" Mungo asked.
"I'll go look for them." Misto offered. But before he could leave the junkyard Tantomile ran into him, literally. "Tantomile, are you OK…?"
"They're all gone… dead…!" She flung herself on Misto and cried endlessly.
"Who's dead?" Misto asked, feeling a lump forming in his throat.
"Alonzo and… and… and Coricopat…MY BROTHER'S DEAD!" she cried harder and harder drenching Misto's fur.
"What about Munkustrap?" Though he dreaded the answer.
"He wasn't there when I returned. I went back as I sensed Coricopat was in trouble and when I got there… oh…" She cried even harder at the memory.
"Wha' shoold way do?" Mungo asked nervously, Munkustrap or Alonzo usually gave the orders. This time the Jellicles were on their own.
"We'd better go find them. Mungo round up any cats capable of fighting, send the queens and the kittens somewhere safe." Misto said, feeling like Munkustrap.
Mungo soon returned with all the cats willing to help. Skimble, Pouncival, Bomba, Tumble B and Demeter where present, this list included Evevity.
"I'm coming too." Tantomile decided, she knew that there was something not right about Eve but she didn't know what.
The small army of cats left the junkyard with Jelly in charge and started their search.
After several hours of searching the light started to fade, so they rested again.
"Why don't we spilt up into pairs, we might find them quicker." Evevity suggested.
"She's probably right, Bomba you go with Demeter and Tumble, Skimble with Mungo, Tantomile with Pounce and I'll go with Eve."
Once the group had finished resting they spilt up, agreeing to meet back at the junkyard in the morning at the latest.
"This is going too smoothly." Evevity smirked to herself, but she was feeling really terrible. These cats trusted her and though this usually made no difference, this time it was really hitting home. She started to feel that she should come clean, maybe…
Hmmm, a little short for my liking but I had fun writing it. That doesn't make me sadistic does it? Cause not! LOL!