Running From Family

By Actress of Broadway

Edited by Skimbleshanks the Railway CAT

I don't own "CATS." I just own the new cats.

Chapter 2: Mute and Scared

That afternoon, Victoria couldn't stop thinking about the injured kitten. She kept looking out of the window and wondering who she was and if she was all right. She knew that her brother wondered the same thing, perhaps even more strongly than she, but he wasn't about to do anything to disobey their parents. She didn't want to disobey them either but her curiosity got the best of her. Gently pushing the window open, she quietly slipped out and headed for the junkyard.

She was very cautious to not be spotted by any cat who would have taken her back to her parents. She knew that what she was doing was wrong but she couldn't help herself. Her curiosity toward the red kitten had taken over her. Finally she made it to the junkyard. She quickly slipped in, hoping that no one saw her. Unfortunately, Demeter saw her and went to tell her parents.

Once inside, Victoria made her way over to the main area. There, she found Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer taking a nap in the corner opposite the red kitten. The kitten had moved a little since Victoria was there but she had only turned to lie on her side with her back facing the open area. As she looked her over, the pure white cat noticed something she never noticed before on any other sleeping cat. The kitten had her arms crossed in an "X" fashion across her chest, the way humans did at what they called a funeral. Wondering why she was in that position, Victoria sat down at the feet of the kitten.

She waited a while, speculating what she should do to help this kitten, when she heard Mungojerrie behind her saying, "What are you doing here?"

Victoria stood up quickly and faced the tom. "Please … forgive me. I just had to know who she is."

Mungojerrie looked like he was trying to decide something and Victoria figured that he was wondering what to do with her. Finally he sighed and said, "You really want to know who she is?"

Victoria nodded.

"Can you keep a secret? Never reveal this to anyone, not to the other cats … not to your parents … not even to your brother."

Victoria started to feel the weight of the secret that he was about to tell her. She knew it was serious if she couldn't tell her brother because she shared everything with Quaxo. But she swallowed hard and nodded. Mungojerrie said in a low voice, "She is … the daughter of—"

"Victoria!" sounded a familiar female voice from the entrance. Victoria winced, for she recognized it instantly, and turned to see her family standing there. Her parents were very angry with her: it was evident from the looks on their faces. Etcetera was trying not to smile for she knew that her older sister was in big trouble. Quaxo was just surprised that she was there since he had never seen his sister disobey rules like this.

Mungojerrie knew that she was in trouble and didn't want to get involved so he just backed up back to where his mate was, who was just waking up and noticing Victoria and her family there.

"When did they get here?" asked Rumpleteazer in confusion.

Mungojerrie didn't answer and just said, "Let's leave them alone."

Rumpleteazer started to protest. "Why?" she whined.

Mungojerrie murmured with a fake glimmer of mischief in his eyes, "I've got something to tell you."

Rumpleteazer took it as something good and listened to what he had to say. With Victoria and her family alone, Jellylorum asked, "Do you care to explain why you came here alone?"

Victoria was about to answer when they heard Rumpleteazer screech from where she stood with Mungojerrie, "YOU ALMOST TOLD HER?"

Mungojerrie quickly covered her mouth and made a motion with his hand to the family to continue and ignore them. When he removed his hand, he and his mate started to argue. Victoria's parents turned their attention back to Victoria and waited for an answer. She hesitated and Asparagus said, "Answer your mother, Victoria."

Victoria looked at the ground. "I'm sorry. I just … wanted to know … who the kitten was."

Jellylorum sighed and said, "We all want to know. But that doesn't give you the right to sneak off like that."

Victoria nodded. Looking up, she noticed that Etcetera was not by their mother anymore. Hearing some clatter, they all turned and saw Etcetera near at the young kitten. Etcetera was trying to restack a stack of cans near the red kitten. She looked at her family and said, "Sorry. I just wanted to take a glimpse at her."

As she said this, the red kitten stirred. Etcetera saw this and started, then ran to hide behind her father. Victoria went back to her spot at the feet of the young cat and Quaxo joined her. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer saw the kitten move as well. They quieted and crept a little closer.

The red kitten stirred and moaned very softly. Her eyelids slowly lifted to reveal eyes black like the night. She looked up and saw the wall of the junkyard. She began slowly to rise but stopped suddenly and clutched her left shoulder. She felt the paper around her arm and looked at it in confusion. Slowly turning around, she finally noticed Victoria and Quaxo sitting at her feet. Immediately, she backed up as far as she could and put her arms in the "X" position in front of her face.

Victoria moved a little closer to the kitten and said, "We won't hurt you." But the kitten recoiled and closed her eyes in fear. Taking a little peek, her eyes fell on Quaxo. Her head raised a little so that only her eyes and nose were visible. Her eyes showed fear but confusion as well. Etcetera joined her siblings and that made the red kitten recoil again.

Quaxo said, "It's all right."

It was obvious the kitten didn't believe him because as soon as he spoke she closed her eyes in fright. Etcetera looked her over and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

The kitten didn't answer but she did stare Etcetera down with glaring eyes. The evil look in the young queen's eyes scared Etcetera so much she backed up and hid behind her mother. When the red kitten looked at Jellylorum and Asparagus, she seemed petrified. Asparagus approached her but she covered her entire head and started to tremble.

Jellylorum and Asparagus realized that this young kitten had been abused. They took a few steps back and began discussing what they should do with her. Etcetera stayed at her mother's heels. Quaxo and Victoria stayed in front of the kitten. Quaxo asked his sister what she thought had happened to her.

"I don't know. But we can try to help her."

With that, she turned her attention back to the red kitten. She held her hand out and said, "It's OK. We are not going to hurt you. You can trust us."

The kitten gazed at Victoria. She was still trembling and her eyes showed a lot of fear. But they were also trying to decide whether or not she could trust Victoria. Sneaking a peak to her left, her eyes fell on Mungojerrie. He nodded and she nodded once slowly. She turned her attention back to Victoria. She lowered her hands down to her chest and started to reach her trembling hand. Finally their fingers touched and the red kitten smiled a relieved smile. Quaxo tried to touch the kitten's hand as well but she took her hand back. Victoria said, "He won't hurt you. He's my brother, Quaxo."

The kitten looked at Victoria as if she was asking what her name was. Victoria said, "My name is Victoria."

"And I'm Etcetera!" Etcetera said as she joined her siblings in front of the red kitten again. The red kitten jumped at Etcetera's sudden appearance but nodded her hello. Etcetera then asked, "What's your name?"

The red kitten didn't answer and she looked like she was debating whether or not she should answer. As Etcetera was impatient, she asked, "Do you have a name?"

Quaxo asked, "What type of question is that? Of course she has a name."

The red kitten nodded. Seeing her nod, Etcetera asked, "So what's your name?"

The red kitten put her fingers in front of her mouth. Victoria thought that she understood what that gesture meant. "It's a secret?"

The red kitten hesitated and then shook her head. Victoria was about to ask again when Mungojerrie said, "She's mute, Victoria."

Rumpleteazer looked at him in surprise. He made a motion with his head and she nodded.

Victoria asked the frightened kitten, "Can you write down what your human family called you?"

The kitten looked at Victoria confused. Quaxo asked, "Do you have a family name?"

The kitten shook her head. Coming up with an idea, Victoria asked, "Shall we call you Veronica?"

Quaxo and Etcetera looked at their sister. Etcetera asked, "Why that name?"

Victoria just said, "It's a pretty name. I think it fits her."

The red kitten, now called Veronica, lit up and nodded her head to say that she liked the name as well. Overhearing what her kittens were talking about, Jellylorum approached them. Veronica looked at the adult cat and tensed up.

Jellylorum asked, "What are you going to do?"

Veronica just shrugged. Victoria asked, "Can she stay with us?"

Veronica moved next to Victoria and gave Jellylorum the pleading eyes. Asparagus came up to the kittens. At his appearance Veronica hid behind Victoria. Asparagus said, "Yes, she can stay. But only until we find her family."

Veronica nodded slightly from behind Victoria. Mungojerrie said in an aside to Rumpleteazer, "Like she's going to want to find her family."

Rumpleteazer nodded in agreement. Veronica noticed the two of them and shook her head at them with her pleading eyes. They nodded their heads to her. Veronica stayed close to Victoria as the family left the junkyard. On their way out, Jellylorum told Rumpleteazer to tell Munkustrap that Veronica was with them.

Rumpleteazer nodded. Once the family left, she shoved Mungojerrie. "I can't believe that you almost revealed where Veronica came from!"

Mungojerrie stared her down, for he didn't liked to be pushed. "I thought Victoria could be trusted."

Rumpleteazer said, "No one can be trusted with Veronica's secret."

"Why do you say her new name like that? You're going to have to get used to calling her by Veronica."

Rumpleteazer groaned. "How long do we have to call her that? It's not what I'm used to calling her."

Mungojerrie said, "We'll call her Veronica until she tells everyone her real name." Rumpleteazer groaned but nodded as they headed for the exit of the junkyard.

Back at Victoria's home, Jellylorum and Asparagus left the kittens at their bed for the night. Etcetera jumped into the bed quickly and Quaxo followed her. Victoria started to climb into bed when she noticed that Veronica was hanging back. "Are you coming to bed, Veronica?"

Veronica went up to the bed and felt it with her hand. She then regarded it with disgust and backed up. Etcetera shook her head and said, "If you're not going to sleep with us, where are you going to sleep?"

Veronica held up her hand, to tell them to what a minute, and left the room. While they were waiting, Victoria asked her siblings, "What do you think is wrong with her?"

Quaxo shrugged. Etcetera said flat out, "I have no idea."

Just then, Veronica returned with a sheet of newspaper in her hand. Ignoring their stares, she fashioned the sheet of newspaper into something that looked like a nest and lay down in it. She pointed at the nest, as if to say, "This is my bed." Then she went to sleep with her arms crossed in the "X" fashion. Etcetera paid her no mind and went to sleep. Victoria and Quaxo watched Veronica for a little while and then went to sleep themselves.