Chapter 8>

The ball was under way now. Munkustrap had invited the Jellicles to all join in and they had begun to tell stories of the possible cat who would get to travel to the Heavyside Lair before the dawn. But he was well aware of the missing cats and preparing in his mind to go after them should he have to soon. Mungojerrie was anxious and fidgeting and not in much of a mood to participate as he took his perch on the bonnet of the automobile trunk.

All was merry except for Mungojerrie and Ecetera and a couple of the others who were genuinely worried for the missing Jellicles for the rest were sure that they would soon be there.

Suddenly, Demeter shot straight-up and pronounced "Macavity!"

The kittens scurried to safety while the elders stood there ground. Munkustrap signaled for the others to take cover as he covered Demeter with himself and his claws spread wide at the ready for attack. A healed Alonzo, Plato and Skimbleshanks did not back away. They prepared to attack as well. When Macavity himself appeared. He was escorted by a beautiful yet beguiling Griddlebone. She searched out the cats until she found the black eyes that had held her stare before. Asparagus, the younger gray theater cat looked strangely sad to Jemima just then.

With a wicked resounding laugh Macavity commanded the cats into a trance-like stare with his transfixing gaze.

"Your suspicions are correct, Jellicles." he spat out . "I have moved-on perhaps more closer than your liking, but it is not where you think and you will find out soon enough."

Griddlebone still appeared uneasy there as she joined him in his laughter. Then, they seemed to disappear as quickly as they had come.

The bewildered cats looked about to each other. Munkustrap drew them in together.

"And we'll be ready for them." He answered with certain assurance.

Mungojerrie was now more than ever at unease about his sister out missing as he joined the others in their huddle.

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Rumpelteazer and Electra raced down the street and through the traffic. They were practically there when a wonderful sight stopped them in their tracks. Old Deuteronomy was approaching the junkyard. He turned to see the queens as if he just knew they were going to be right there. He lowered his regal fuzzy striped head in acknowledgement and reached out a gentle paw to the two cats. They dashed towards his warm smile and hugged him enthusiastically.

"There's been much talk among the tribe about the two of you lately. You know, all that you need is here already."

He released them and walked-on. They stared in awe of their wise leader as he approached the Jellicle yard.

"Wait! There's one more thing that I have to do!" Electra cried out.

It took a minute to dawn on Rumpelteazer. "Oh yeah, thas roight!"

They ran around to the far side of the junkpile where Pouncival's chair sat at the crest. Electra scaled it with amazing ease for she knew that his small lair was within just below that chair. It was messy, as she had figured it would be. There were bits of yarn and a pirate's hat and of course, Victoria's ball.

Rumpelteazer listened to the others rejoice at Old Deuteronomy's return and fought the urge to join them as she waited for Electra to reappear.

Electra was back within a flash and proudly holding the ball she had taken from Pouncival's lair.

"Yeah!" Rumpelteazer shouted but no one else heard for they were telling Old Deuteronomy that Macavity had just been there.

Electra tossed the ball to Rumpelteazer and came back down the junk pile. They went to join the other cats.

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Jellylorum stood back from the other cats and listened as they explained to Old Deuteronomy how Macavity had appeared and disappeared with threats of moving close to their territory. But not all of the cats were so interested in relaying the tale.

Plato noticed Pouncival making odd gestures as if to mock re-enact the story as they were telling it and he gave him a shove which sent him falling over Tumblebrutus who rightly jumped out of the way in time and took a swipe at Plato who ducked and almost put his head into Ecetera's shoulder.

"Now that's enough from the three of you. Is it so much to ask for you to behave on this night?" Jellylorum was in no mood for nonsense just now.

The other cats had all turned their attention towards Jellylorum and the rascal toms.

"It is fine, dear Jellylorum. If the kittens act-up on this night. For it is a bit much to ask of them to behave." Old Deuteronomy said to put everyone at ease.

They all laughed.

Electra and Rumpelteazer suddenly appeared to roll into sight. They were laughing as they tossed back and forth the ball Electra had "stolen" back. Electra stared directly at Pouncival as she tossed Victoria's ball back to her. Victoria smiled gleefully as she caught it for she had thought that she would not see it again. Pouncival wore an expression of shock, amusement and something else all at the same time.

"And where have you two been all day!" Jellylorum had reached her limits.

The suddenly wide-eyed young queens looked to each other with blank expressions for an excuse. They realized that they were still in a lot of trouble.

"Nowheres." They giggled impishly.

"I'll be making sure you're going nowheres." Jellylorum said as she walked over to the troublesome two and grabbed them by the ears to bring them into the center of the crowd.

"Oi told you she'd do that!" Rumpelteazer shouted to Electra.

They shook their heads and rubbed their sore ears as the others laughed.

Rumpelteazer suddenly felt a firm paw on her shoulder and turned to see her brother standing beside her.

"Jerrie!"

They hugged so tightly that they looked like on big column of orange, black and white stripes.

"Noice ta see that oi can be so easily replaced in jiff, moi Teazer."

"Aw, she ain' 'alf as good as you but she's learnin' , Jerr."

"Wot's this?" Mungojerrie noticed the gold rings on Rumpelteazer's leg.

"It's a gift from 'Lectra and me." She said as she took one of the rings and gave it to her brother.

Being more observant from extensive experience, Mungojerrie remembered these rings from when they had first cased that flat and knew they were no more than fallen curtain rod rings but coming from them two who were now home and safe, they might have as well been made of gold.

As Rumpelteazer pulled away from her brother she noticed a reproachful yet amused look from Admetus so she figured that she might as well get back in his good graces too with a good ol' fashioned bear hug as well. He was totally taken by surprise as were some of the others when they began to wonder what was going on there.

Electra and Ecetera were inseperable for a while but it was Pouncival who seemed to shadow Electra's every move even though she ignored him for the fun of it. It was most of the way through the night before they had finally made-up. Just before the mating dance.

Old Deuteronomy carefully instructed his cats as he had in years before and just before dawn, it was time for him to declare that Old Gus the Theater Cat was ready for the Heaviside Lair and to come back soon in a new Jellicle life.

The End.