Chapter 2

"MISTO!" Munkustrap yowled at the top of his lungs. I leaped to my paws, banging my head on the roof of the large pipe I had fallen asleep in. My head ached as I crawled out of the pipe and into the large clearing typically reserved for the Ball.

Munkustrap stormed over a moment later, looking extremely annoyed, which was quite unusual for him. "Misto!" he yowled again. I flinched. "That kitten wants to see you!" he growled, then stomped away. Looking around, I noticed that all the Jellicle cats were glaring at me, and I stared back, confused.

Tugger, his mane tousled and hair unruly, looked slightly sympathetic. "That white queen's been screeching that she wants 'the black and white one' all night. None of us have slept a wink!" he explained. I smiled in reply, turning away to start towards Jenny's homely den. She looked relieved when I arrived.

The white kitten was curled up on a shredded cushion, her small ears flattened fiercely as she looked at a random piece of knit work on the tin wall. I cleared my throat nervously, and she jumped up, turning her pretty eyes on me. "Oh, good, you're here. Can you tell this cat to let me go? It's strange here," she said, eyes wide and serious.

"Um, I can't really…Munk would probably be happy to let you go, but…where can you go?" I replied, fiddling with my tail nervously. She blinked.

"What's Munk?" she asked.

I gulped. I really wasn't good at talking to cats I didn't know well, especially not in the deepest hours of the night. "Well, Munkustrap is that silver tabby you met earlier. If you remember him," I added the last part quickly, hoping she wouldn't, but at the last second her eyes narrowed.

"I remember him," was all she offered, making me wince visibly.

"Look, can we worry about this tomorrow? I'm really not at my best right now…!" I meowed, noting with a pang of worry that Jenny had disappeared.

The white kitten's eyes narrowed, and the next moment she'd tackled me to the ground and was sitting on my stomach with her face just inches from mine. "I want to go now!" she mewed, and I heard a pang of desperation in her voice as she stared hopefully at me.

I felt another surge of bravery, which surprised me. Two brave acts in one day? What was the world coming to? I pushed her off of me, sitting up with as much ferocity as I could manage for being the quietest, most peaceful-natured cat in the tribe.

"You are not going to leave the tribe so you can run to that rusty old car," I growled, then stomped to the nearest corner, where I curled up in a ball and tried to hide how guilty I felt for snapping at her. I shouldn't have said that. But I couldn't let her go back to the streets!

She went back to her cushion, looking wounded. I half-opened one eye, then closed it instantly as she stared at me sadly. I stayed in this stiff position for almost a full minute before I jumped to my paws, walked to the white queen's side, and sat down in front of her, much to her surprise.

"I'm sorry, but I don't want Macavity to get you!" I explained, staring at her hopefully and waiting for a reaction.

She sniffled. "I know how to take care of myself," she meowed, and then looked at her white paws. "My name's Victoria, by the way. I was named after where I was born," she added.

At her reply, I figured she already knew very well whom Macavity was. Even if he had a name that sounded like a painful dental problem, you either knew him well or you didn't at all. "Look, will you please stay? I'll even keep you company, if you really want me to," I pleaded. Smiling at her a bit, I added as well, "The name's Mistoffelees, but call me Misto, please,"

She blinked sleepily, then looked up at me, nodding. "I wouldn't mind staying if I knew I had a friend," she smiled shyly. My shoulders sagged in relief as I curled up next to her, and I smiled. I had made a new friend, and I could tell she'd be a good one.