How Long is Forever?
by
Draco's Daughter
Disclaimer: Cats in no way, shape, or form belongs to me. It belongs to the wonderful T.S. Eliot and Andrew Lloyd Webber. I promise to put the cats back in their carriers when I'm done.
A/N: Went and saw Peter Pan last night with my friend, Anne, we have the best time! It was hilarious. Capitan Hook enters for the first time, right, and everyone starts hissing and booing. Hook, in reply, says: "I haven't done anything yet!" Anne and I were stuck on that line for the rest of the night as well as this thing the Twins kept doing, (they would put up their hands like claws and growl) later we decided that she and I would be Twin 1 (me) and Twin 2 (her) and whenever we greeted one another we'd do that. Call us childish for seeing it but, it's Cathy Rigby's farewell tour. She's going to hang up the tights after 18 years of playing Peter. She's played him longer than any of the past "Pan's". The one thing I'm really excited about issss: Wicked! It's coming June 2007 and I cannot wait! (does the happy dance) Right now I'm chilling to the "Aida" Original Broadway Cast Recording. Ahhhh, I love going to the theater.
Just to get back on track, we watched Cats when we got back to my house. Anne's discovered that she's a Rum Tug Tugger and Mistoffelees fan girl.
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Last Chapter
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"Would you like me to leave? I do have other things to do," Mistoffelees stated, starting to groom one of his front paws.
"Listen, I need to talk to Old Deuteronomy and you're the one who always knows where he is," Tugger replied. Mistoffelees stopped his grooming and jumped off the car.
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"Did Munkustrap have a second-in-command? Someone to take over if he was ill or something happened?" Old Deuteronomy asked. The other cats looked at one another, trying to think.
"The general consensus was that Alonzo might take over incase something went wrong," Rum Tug Tugger offered, quietly.
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"What's been going on? Why can't I just go back to the realm of the living?" Munkustrap asked. Pan shook his head.
"It's not that simple. The Everlasting Cat must decide whether you have some part to play in her plans. If you do, then you will get to go back to the realm of the living. If you don't, you'll remain in the realms of the dead. Don't worry, you've got cats like me and your father defending you but, remember this, if you are allowed to live you can only cheat death once," Pan replied.
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Chapter Three: A Surrogate Guardian
Alonzo ran quickly to Old Deuteronomy's call, despite the rain that poured. Before entering, the black and white bi-color gave himself a good shake. Munkustrap never did like water tracked into his lair.
"What's going on? Where's Munkustrap?" He asked. Tugger sighed, the more he told this story the sadder he became. Fortunately, it was Mistoffelees who spoke up instead.
"Munkustrap's been hit by a car. He's in a veterinarian's office right now. Things are changing rapidly," Mistoffelees replied.
"What? Why do you need me? I'm no match for Munkustrap," Alonzo replied, working himself into a near panic.
"It's only temporary, Alonzo. Munkustrap may be alive yet. Only time and the Everlasting Cat will tell," Old Deuteronomy explained, placing a paw on Alonzo's shoulder. He gave a small half-laugh as he paled a bit.
"You'll have help, Al. I'll try and stick around as much as I can," Tugger added. Of course, Rum Tug Tugger never has been much help to anyone but himself.
A pair of sapphire eyes and smoke-colored ears watched and listened in on the small group. Cassandra slowly and cautiously walked out of the Junkyard. The Egyptian Mau-mix broke into a run as soon as she was away from the prying eyes and ears of the hidden Junkyard tribe.
Across town, in a hidden lair, lay a female Egyptian Mau with a smoke coat and black markings. The lithe and limber form of Cassandra entered the lair and bowed low, back to the older cat.
"What news?" The older cat asked.
"Munkustrap has fallen, Alonzo has been chosen to take his place. It's only a matter of time before Macavity rises to power, Milady Isis," Cassandra reported. Isis twitched her tail in annoyance.
"Macavity isn't that stupid to try and get in my way. But that's only if Mistoffelees decides to return to our little operation," Isis mused, flicking her tail slightly.
"If I may be so bold, I do not think that Mistoffelees will return to us, even if we pressure him into it," Cassandra said.
"Oh but he will. Mistoffelees has no choice. But we must set aside our plans while chaos and her minions control the Junkyard," Isis replied, flicking her tail faster.
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Among the realms of the dead sat Munkustrap and Pan.
"Why does the Everlasting Cat have to decide weather I'm still useful or not?" Munkustrap asked. Pan looked forward, as if something else held his attention.
"It's because her plans are a delicate fabric that must be woven carefully in order for events to fall in just the right way so everything turns out okay in the end," Pan replied.
"You know allot about the Everlasting Cat to be dead only a year," Munkustrap observed.
"That's all it's been? Time here flows more swiftly than in the mortal world. I feel as if I have been here forever. But, as for your question, to keep myself busy I talk lore with the Everlasting Cat, when she has a free moment. There are plenty to feline myths that we never knew about. If I could, I'd write them down in a book and give it to all the Guardians to study, but I cannot," Pan explained, shaking his head.
"Did you ever want to be Guardian? Replace my father or anything like that?" Munkustrap asked.
"No. I was happy with Growltiger's rule. He was a little eccentric and paranoid about the Siamese, but that was easy to overlook if you genuinely knew who he was," Pan replied.
"Then how do you know so much of the lore? More than my father ever told me?" Munkustrap asked.
"I was your father's second-in-command, trained by one of the last Lore Masters. I was the StoryKeeper for your father. He didn't like to trouble himself with learning the ancient lore and didn't like to spill it out every year. He let me tell the stories for him. But StoryKeeper is an old position that was being assimilated into the Guardian's role when I took it. The Guardian has taken all but one of the old positions and that is the position of Leader," Pan explained, tears rolling down his face at the memories. "Look at me, blubbering like a kitten. I have no regrets about my life, only that I wish I could have figured out who exactly was behind your father's murder at the hands of the Siamese. It wasn't a Siamese that ordered the attack or gave them suggestions as to when and where, it was someone else, someone inside the tribe."
"If I am allowed to live, I will try and remember that. I swear that I will find this insider and see that my father receives justice," Munkustrap spat, enraged by this new piece of information.
"A nice little tribute, my thanks will be great, son," was the gruff voice of Growltiger's reply. Munkustrap spun around to face the one eyed and one eared cat that was his father.
'Oh Bast, I've forgotten,' Munkustrap thought as he started at his father. The two cats looked very much alike, it was the silver gene that showed up on Growltiger that make both of them Silver Tabbies. The only difference, besides the scarring, was that Growltiger's tail was much bushier than his son's.
"Pan, she wants to hear from you now," Growltiger said to his second. Pan nodded and stood, he winked at Munkustrap before leaving father and son alone.
"Munkustrap, it's true what they've said, you've grown into a fine cat," Growltiger complemented, rubbing heads with his son.
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The rain had finally let up back in the realms of the living. The Junkyard Jellicles had all crept out of their lairs to hear what Old Deuteronomy had to say. The only cats that weren't present were Demeter and Bombalurina. Demeter would not move nor allow herself to be moved and Bombalurina was determined to stay with her sister to make sure she wouldn't try to hurt herself.
Rum Tug Tugger, Alonzo, and Mistoffelees all sat behind Old Deuteronomy as he raised his paws for silence. The chattering from the assembled tribe stopped.
"By now you all must have noticed that there is a cat missing. Munkustrap has had an unfortunate accident. He was hit by a car while fighting with Macavity," Old Deuteronomy announced. The tribe first started to whisper, then get into a heated debate, and some started to cry especially among the kittens. Jemima looked at Old Deuteronomy as if he had announced that the world was ending. Old Deuteronomy raised his paws for silence again. "Do not mourn entirely just yet, Munkustrap was taken to the Veterinarian's office by the same humans that hit him in their car. We will not give up hope that Munkustrap is still alive, it is all in the Everlasting Cat's gracious paws. For the time being, Alonzo will take over Munkustrap's position until Munkustrap returns to us. Should the worst befall our beloved Guardian, we will send for a true replacement from the Guardian Trial Administers." Alonzo stepped forward.
"I know that I will never even be half the Guardian Munkustrap was but I will try to uphold his standard and do my best," Alonzo added. There was no applause or cheers, just a quiet Tribe all worried for the Guardian that had always been there, for the friend who had always been there, for the father that had always been there...
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That's it for tonight. Thanks once again to Bombalurinasarah, Puddycat, and Crazy Little Feline for reviewing!