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 5: Impatience and Challenges
For the next four months, Veronica kept visiting the junkyard whether the other kittens were there or not. However she almost always had Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer with her. Veronica explored the junkyard, making herself very familiar to the area. As they watched her, the two troublemakers were glad to see that she was happy. One day, Mungojerrie took Veronica to the junkyard alone.
"Veronica … I'm glad to see that you've changed."
Veronica stopped looking in a hole in the wall and gazed at her friend curiously. Mungojerrie smirked. "I'm just saying … that I never saw you happy like this while you were growing up. As you remember, I've been in your life ever since you were about Jemima's age … and … you were never happy."
Veronica shook her head. Mungojerrie shook his head as well and took Veronica's hand. "I'm glad you were able to get away from him. And don't worry; I will never tell him that you're here."
Veronica smiled and hugged Mungojerrie. Mungojerrie hugged her back. Veronica felt the scars on his chest with her head. She looked up at him and gave him apologetic eyes. Mungojerrie shook his head. "Don't worry about it. You needed help and I was willing to protect you … even though I knew that I would be punished."
Veronica's eyes softened as she looked away, remembering that day. Seeing her look, Mungojerrie let her go and said, "Come on. I'll take you home."
The two cats exited the junkyard and headed for Veronica's home. Just as they arrived, Rumpleteazer came running up to them.
"Rumpleteazer, where have you been?"
Rumpleteazer took one look at Veronica and motioned to Mungojerrie to come closer. Mungojerrie moved a few paces from Veronica and Rumpleteazer said quietly, "The boss wants to see you. He's says it's very important."
She was talking about Macavity and they both had a good idea of what was so important. Mungojerrie looked at Veronica, who was chasing a butterfly, and said, "Keep her busy … and don't tell her where I am."
Rumpleteazer nodded and Mungojerrie took off. Seeing that he was gone, Veronica looked behind Rumpleteazer. Rumpleteazer shook her head and said, "Mungojerrie had to be somewhere. But we can have fun by ourselves. What would you like to do?"
Veronica just shrugged. Becoming irritated fast, Rumpleteazer suggested, "Want to take Mungojerrie's place and be my partner in crime?"
Veronica lit up and nodded vigorously. Smiling slightly, Rumpleteazer asked, "Where do you want to make trouble?"
Veronica thought about that for a moment. She looked at her home and shook her head. Getting an idea, she pointed to Rumpleteazer. Raising her eyebrow, Rumpleteazer asked, "Why are you pointing to me?"
Veronica pointed to Rumpleteazer and then at her home. Rumpleteazer asked, "Are you talking about my home?"
Veronica nodded. Getting even more annoyed, Rumpleteazer hissed, "Why didn't you just say so then?"
Veronica's eyes narrowed and motioned with her head, asking if they could go. Rolling her eyes, Rumpleteazer nodded and led her friend to Victoria Grove.
As the day wore on, Rumpleteazer's patience wore thin. She and Veronica were having fun, causing trouble for the humans. However Veronica kept "talking" to Rumpleteazer with motions with her hands and head. Rumpleteazer was very annoyed with the movements and kept saying, "Veronica, use words to talk to me."
But every time she said that, Veronica would glare at her and go look for something else to break. Finally, as the two felines started back for Veronica's home, Rumpleteazer was ready to lose it. Giving Veronica another chance to use words, she said to her red friend, "Did you have fun today?"
Veronica smiled and nodded. Rumpleteazer's eyebrow twitched a little and she said, "Try again. Did you have fun today?"
Wondering what her friend was talking about, Veronica nodded again. Patience spent, Rumpleteazer asked, "Veronica, how much longer are you going put up this act?"
Veronica was insulted. She shook her head but Rumpleteazer grabbed her head and said, "Stop doing this! You don't need to do this anymore!"
Veronica removed Rumpleteazer's hands and jumped up on the wall. Rumpleteazer followed the red Jellicle and said, "You are not under his control anymore! You're free!"
Veronica looked at her friend and shook her head: she was not free. Rumpleteazer was not going to give up on her though. She continued, "Veronica … you are free from that cat. Mungojerrie and I can see that clearly. Why can't you?"
Veronica just looked away. Rumpleteazer groaned. "I can't believe you. Mungojerrie and I are risking our lives to keep your current home a secret from him and you can't even acknowledge that you are away from his claws for good."
Fur standing up on the back of her neck, Veronica pounced on Rumpleteazer. However Rumpleteazer was able to back up and Veronica fell to the ground. Rumpleteazer joined Veronica on the ground.
"Look … you and I are friends. We've been friends ever since we met that day. But … you don't need to act like this anymore. You are free to do whatever you please."
Veronica looked at Rumpleteazer doubtfully. Scratching the back of her neck, Veronica closed her eyes and shook her head. Rumpleteazer leaned against the wall and said, "Will you at least take this challenge of mine?"
Veronica looked at Rumpleteazer with a small smirk on her face and nodded. Rumpleteazer smirked as well and said, "I challenge you to speak after the next Jellicle Ball."
Veronica's eyes grew wide. She looked at Rumpleteazer a little stunned. Rumpleteazer crossed her arms. "It's fair. You can't put up this act forever."
Veronica thought about that and just shrugged. Rumpleteazer shook her head.
"I'm going to go home. Don't forget my challenge." Off Veronica's nod, Rumpleteazer rolled her eyes and headed back for Victoria Grove.
Veronica picked herself up and continued home. Along the way, she ran into Plato. Plato nodded at her and started to walk past her. But Veronica touched his shoulder, surprising the tom. He looked at Veronica and then at her hand, which was still on his shoulder. "Does this mean … that you trust me now?" he asked.
Veronica smiled and nodded. Relieved, Plato touched Veronica's hand with his. She slightly flinched but didn't withdraw. Plato said, "You shouldn't be out here all alone. Would you like me to walk you home?"
Veronica nodded and Plato took her home. Once home, Veronica nodded her thanks. She then hesitated and gave Plato a small, quick head rub. With a small smile she jumped down into the yard. Plato smirked, feeling good that Veronica now trusted him, and went home himself.
Meanwhile, Rumpleteazer had arrived at her home. She looked around for Mungojerrie and couldn't find him anywhere. She looked all over the yard until she finally found him behind a bush. Her eyes grew wide as she took in her mate. He was covered with scratches and blood. He was currently trying to clean a scratch on his right arm. Looking up, he saw Rumpleteazer standing over him and said, "Hi."
Rumpleteazer bent down and took over cleaning the scratch. While she was doing that, she asked, "What happened to you?"
Mungojerrie winced from his injuries and said, "I was interrogated."
"What?"
"Macavity wanted to know where she was. I told him that I didn't know and he didn't believe me. It was only after all these scratches and my continuing to deny knowledge of where she was did he finally believe me."
Rumpleteazer helped Mungojerrie up and said, "I'm glad you didn't say anything."
Mungojerrie nodded. "I made a promise to her. I intend to keep that promise … even if it means my death."
Rumpleteazer looked at her mate with worry in her eyes. "Please don't talk like that."
Mungojerrie apologized. "Besides … he believed me. He thinks that I'll come tell him when I find her."
"You told him that?"
Mungojerrie nodded as Rumpleteazer started to lick clean a scratch on his face. He winced and said, "But I will never tell. I can't take her back to that sort of life."
Rumpleteazer agreed. "No cat deserves what she went through."
Mungojerrie nodded and Rumpleteazer continued to clean him.
