(Disclaimer: I AM NOT, NEVER HAVE BEEN, AND PROBABLY NEVER WILL BE AFFILATED WITH ANDREW LYODD WEBBER, RUG, or CATS. ((Reality rears its ugly head.)) Don't own, just writing weird stories about it for fun. )
Nine of Spades
The Knell of the Union
Demeter had called that grubby car boot her home for fourteen hours now. She'd watched the moon rise and set through a hole in the roof where the metal had worn thin. Although her new den was homey enough- if not rundown, there was something wrong. Throughout the entire night Demeter had cried into her blanket. She had been cold. So very, very cold that she was certain she'd die before the night was over. It wasn't that it had been a particularly cold night- winter had past and spring was now settling in, giving the nights a balmy quality. No, it was hardly that. That night had been the first she'd spent since the council meeting. That night was the first without her mate beside her to keep her warm and whisper to her when she awoke in a fright. Of course, there would be no awaking as she couldn't even sleep. The tribe that they had decided to help- they'd come sooner or later. Demeter wouldn't be there to greet them. She wasn't going to leave her den ever again.
A few weeks passed in such a fashion: Demeter in hiding and Bombalurina bringing her leftover mice from the big slaughter they held every night- a Jellicle Dinner, if you will. Thoughts of things remaining this way forever seriously crossed Demeter's mind but a sweet voice called her out of hiding.
"Demeter?" The said voice called from outside. Demeter lifted her head. She knew that voice- it was Cassandra's. She reflected briefly on how she missed her friend- she hadn't spoken to anyone but Bombalurina since the council meeting. Standing up, she pushed her way out of the car boot. Cassandra's ears pricked as her friend came into view. "There you are, Demeter. You've had me worried sick." She said, fretting over Demeter's messy headfur. The golden queen simpered forcefully and then spoke, her voice week from miss-use.
"Sorry… so is that why you've come to look for me?" She asked, batting the Brown's paw away from her face.
"No, actually. You've been called for council duty. You and Lurina both." She explained, withdrawing her paw. Demeter's face fell. She'd forgotten that she was still on the council.
"Oh… alright. We'll be there." Demeter said with a nod, turning slowly back to her new den. Cassandra swallowed hard, wanting to say something. Demeter had really let herself go- her headfur was messy and her coat lacked its normal luster. She just hoped Demeter would be okay.
000
Etcetera was sprawled across the tire, batting lazily at a feather she'd found on an old feather duster. She was talking to her companion, Tumblebrutus, who was also sprawled out, although he was below her on the ground. He wasn't really listening to what she was saying, rather, the sound of her voice.
"Well, I'm sorry, but that just happens to be the way I feel about it." She said, leaning over the edge of the tire. "What do you think?"
"What?" He asked, snapping out of his trance. Etcetera frowned.
"Nobody ever listens to me. I try to be serious, but…" She rolled back onto her other side so Tumblebrutus couldn't see her anymore. He inhaled sharply.
"Uhm, well… I think-" He began, but he was cut off by Etcetera's sharp trill.
"Don't even bother." She said, sitting up. Tumblebrutus stood as well, leaning on the tire to balance himself. "I can't believe, you of all cats." She said, shaking her head.
"Cettie, honestly. So, I zoned out once. Once in how many times?" He asked as she examined her claws. She sighed after a long, tense moment.
"You're right. I couldn't be mad at you for very long, anyway. You're special to me." She apologized quickly. Tumblebrutus's heart skipped a beat. "Like a brother." She added, smiling off into the distance. He felt a sort of twinge in his stomach, but settled down again none the less.
"So, anyway, about Pouncival. What do you think?" She asked again, lying back on the tire.
"Wha-at?" He stammered, shaking his head quickly.
"Do you think I should ask him out? Like, on a date?" She asked again, batting her feather up in the air.
"I… ah… I have to go." Tumblebrutus blurted out quickly as he made a beeline for the hall. He felt broken inside.
000
Bombalurina exhaled loudly as she pushed past others to get to the bottom level of the grand staircase, taking no mercy. She really didn't want to collapse at Tugger's feet again, the way she had last time she left him. It was embarrassing, and she knew it was a huge boost to his ego. No, she wasn't going back to him this time. Never going back.
She ran into somebody, not particularly caring who, until that said somebody apologized.
"I'm so sorry, Bombalurina." Jemima said, her nose twitching. Bombalurina froze, caught up in Jemima's huge brown eyes.
Jemima wasn't anything like her sisters or either of her parents. She was deep mahogany, with underlying hints of pink and fiery red. She was calm and predisposed to thought, unlike Skimbleshanks, let alone Etcetera or Electra. She sang in a high soprano and danced with ease, her small body allowing her to perform certain acrobatic stunts most of her big-boned family couldn't manage. Jemima was very, very different.
"Bombalurina?" The queen's high and fair voice shook Bombalurina from her trance.
"Right dear, it's quite alright." The fiery red queen assured the small kitten, hurrying on her way.
000
Demeter slinked out of the meeting den quickly as soon as it had ended, trying to make her stealthy escape. To no avail. A silver paw caught her shoulder and turned her around forcibly, making her squeal in discomfort. Munkustrap smiled softly before speaking.
"Sorry. I needed to ask you something." He explained calmly as she brushed her shoulder off.
"I don't want to talk." Demeter said bitterly, trying to turn to leave again.
"Wait, I just need to ask you something." He insisted, grabbing her shoulder again.
"Okay, fine. What?" She spat. His stomach twisted at the harsh tone of her voice.
"Will you help Alonzo set up the storage den for the new-new tribe tomorrow?" He said hurriedly. She nodded and turned to leave again, scampering down the hall. "I-" She turned around again at the sound of his voice, looking somewhat pained, somewhat… hopeful. "I hear you and Mungojerrie are dating." Her face fell and she buried it in her paws.
"You heard wrong." She murmured, high-tailing it out of the Hall. Munkustrap could have sworn she was crying as she left.
"Demeter…" He murmured, rubbing his temples.
000
"Another tribe? That's two in less than a month." Bombalurina said quietly to the group of toms and queens that followed her. She exhaled loudly and several others did the same before she spoke again. "Well, what do we know about them?"
"They're called the Eliouqy tribe, they live in the suburbs." Cassandra spoke up, pulling information of the top of her head.
"Their leader, Grandmother Nothorpe, passed away in the attack, leaving her great grand nephew Sambal in charge of the tribe." Alonzo added, nuzzling Cassandra's shoulder as he spoke. Demeter twitched.
"They're staying in the storage hall?" She offered, shrugging. Bombalurina sighed.
"Okay, that's enough." The red queen declared, settling down on an old tire. "When are they getting here?" She asked the group at large.
"Tomorrow." The Rum Tum Tugger replied with a nod of his head as the others dispersed. "Can we talk?" Bombalurina's heart sank. These next few minutes would be very long ones.
000
((THUS ENDS THE CHAPTER. -evil laughter- 'Kays, it's been fun but now I must run and… do things pertaining to tech rehersals. I know it's been forevers since I've updated, but roll with me here. And sorry for all the different melodramatic romances… it'll get better, promise!))
