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 12: Saving a Sister

After traveling for a few minutes, the group arrived at Macavity's hideout. They would have gone directly in but there were two black guards standing at the door. Ringmenka tensed up. "Great … just great. I thought everyone was off on training."

Mungojerrie didn't expect this either. "They should be. This is unusual."

Mistoffelees stood up a little. "I can get inside."

Ringmenka gripped his shoulder and pushed him down roughly. When he was down to her level, she pushed him down out of sight. "We don't need your help, cat."

Pulling her away, Mungojerrie explained, "If you were to just appear inside, that would cause attention that we don't need."

Mistoffelees shot Ringmenka a glare. "You could have just told me without pushing me down!"

Ringmenka ignored him and looked at Mungojerrie and Munkustrap. "Can you two take care of the guards? If they see me or Mistoffelees, they'll kill us as soon as look at us."

Munkustrap nodded and the two toms left to engage the guards. Mistoffelees wanted to say something but Ringmenka clamped her hand over his mouth. "Don't talk to me. You did enough of that."

Mistoffelees removed her hand to reveal his signature smile. "Oh, did I? I assumed that I did the right thing, seeing that you and Quaxo are now mates. You shouldn't hate me. You should be thanking me."

Ringmenka tried to ignore him but his words muscled through. "I suppose. But you didn't have to be so cruel. I got it when you said you didn't like me. You didn't have to explain it."

Mistoffelees nonchalantly shrugged. "Hey, it made you forget me … not at first but eventually."

Ringmenka shot him a glare but didn't say anything more. Hearing Mungojerrie whistle, the two Jellicles came out of hiding and joined their fellow toms. The guards were knocked out but they had put up a fight, which was evident from the scratches on the tiger and silver striped toms. Too focused to feel guilty for them, Ringmenka pushed the door slowly open and led them in.

Just as Mistoffelees disappeared through the door, Victoria and Admetus appeared in the tree in front of the lair. The white cat was a little nervous.

"Maybe this was a bad idea."

"You didn't have to come."

Victoria gave him a look. "I know. But I want to help my friend. She may need our help."

Admetus tilted his head forward in a slight nod and muttered to himself, "That and I have to protect you or Plato will have my head."

Barely hearing him, Victoria asked, "What did you say?"

Admetus just leapt down and motioned to her to join him. She leapt down and they entered, cautious of what they might find. They didn't know that someone was watching them from above.

---

The small group trekked through the lair with Ringmenka leading the way, keeping a weather eye open for Macavity's adherents. Thankfully, there were no cats to be seen to try and stop them. They started to pass an open door when she stopped and looked through it.

"What the…?"

The three toms looked into the room, curious. The walls were covered with human jewelry and fancy collars. There were silk pillows scattered around the room, in various shapes and colors. In the far corner, there were a few dishes that were chipped but looked like pearl. Ringmenka scoffed in disgust and Munkustrap noticed that. "What's bothering you, Ringmenka?"

Ringmenka scowled. "This used to be my room! I didn't have any of this stuff! I just had the bare walls!"

Mistoffelees raised his eyebrow. "You had this room…and you had nothing?"

Ringmenka pushed his head down without taking her eyes off the room. "That's what I said. Now let's move."

She started to climb over the magical cat when Mungojerrie gripped her shoulder. "Ringmenka, the one you're looking for is in this room."

Ringmenka turned her head and was about to say something to her friend. But she was interrupted. Mistoffelees lifted his body, his back touching her stomach. He grinned at the touch and moved his body, enjoying her fur. "Oh, this feels nice."

Face red hot, Ringmenka pushed his head into the ground and moved to Mungojerrie's side while commenting to herself, "And I thought The Tugger was bad."

Mistoffelees lifted his head and covered his nose. "I was just making a statement. You didn't have to hurt me."

Munkustrap agreed. "That was a little much, Ringmenka."

Ringmenka just nodded, not really paying attention. She peered into the room, in the direction Mungojerrie pointed. Curled up in a ball on a bunch of pillows lay the gray and white cat that Anonmusent brought back from watching the dance. Ringmenka let out a small gasp. "Mulinka…"

She crept into the room, Mungojerrie watching carefully. Munkustrap started to follow her but the tiger-striped tom held his arm up, stopping him. "Let them be for a minute."

Mistoffelees looked in and noticed, "Hey, that's the cat you were snubbing with the dance."

Munkustrap covered the black cat's mouth. "Listen to Ringmenka and be quiet."

Mistoffelees gave an attitude look as he removed the silver tabby's hand but he kept quiet.

Ringmenka approached her friend with care, not wanting to startle her. When she was close enough, she said to her gray friend, "Hello."

Mulinka started and sat up. Seeing her red friend, she sighed. "Ringmenka, don't do that. You can't be sneaking up on me."

"Mulinka, don't talk like we've been in touch all this time. I haven't seen you since your father tried to run away with you," Ringmenka said sternly.

Mulinka smiled and gave her friend a huge hug, almost knocking the red cat over.

"Hey, easy there! I have a few injuries here!"

Mulinka laughed brightly but then stopped suddenly. "Um … who is he?"

Ringmenka twisted to look at Mungojerrie and Munkustrap at the door. She twisted back to face Mulinka. "That's Munkustrap. Don't worry. He will protect us if anyone comes."

Mulinka wasn't convinced. Ringmenka turned her head again as she realized someone was missing.

"Wait, where'd Mistoffelees go?"

Mulinka was about to ask who Mistoffelees was when he appeared next to them, looking the gray and white cat over. "Hm … cute."

Ringmenka gave him a look. "You want to get pushed down again?"

Mistoffelees gave her a mild glare back. "Ha ha. Very funny."

Mulinka bit her finger in her nervousness. Ringmenka touched her friend's shoulder and turned to the two toms waiting at the doorway. "Can you two go ahead and take care of anyone who may try to stop us with Mulinka?"

The toms nodded and left. The queens and Mistoffelees stayed behind. Mulinka whispered to Ringmenka, "He's cute. Is he available?"

Ringmenka rolled her eyes. "No. He's just the other personality of my mate."

Mulinka registered that as Mistoffelees looked a little insulted. "You make it sound so common, my dear."

Ringmenka was about to say something rude when they heard a male voice say, "It is common … and it makes me sick."

They turned to see Anonmusent standing in the door. He had his arms around Admetus and Victoria's necks. Mulinka hid behind her friend as the red and black Jellicle posed for attack. Ringmenka hissed, "Let them go!"

Anonmusent smirked and tightened his grip. "And what will you do if I don't?"

Ringmenka let out a little growl and bared her claws. She was about to attack when Anonmusent pointed out, "I wouldn't do that if I were you, little sister. You might hurt your friends in the process."

Ringmenka knew he was right. Mistoffelees watched her, wondering what she was going to do. She sighed. "Fine. What do you want me to do?"

Anonmusent grinned evilly. "That's more like it. I'll make you a deal with you. I'll let all your friends go without a fight … if you come back and obey Father."

Ringmenka grit her teeth but lowered her head. "All right."

Mistoffelees and her hostage friends looked at her in surprise. Mulinka protested, "Ringmenka, what are you doing? Are you mad?"

Anonmusent looked at the young female. "I'd keep my mouth shut, little one."

Mulinka whimpered and shrunk down. Mistoffelees tried to say something but the red Jellicle held up her hand. "Don't try to stop me. I know what I'm doing."

Anonmusent let his hostages go and pushed them away. They stand up immediately, alert and ready to prevent another crippled situation. But they knew better than to attack the older fiend. Anonmusent then took a red rhinestone bracelet off the wall. "I had Father keep your collar … because I missed seeing you afraid and the bracelet brought back memories."

Ringmenka kept her head down, not answering. Anonmusent stepped in front of his sister and put the bracelet on her neck. "Welcome back, Ringmenka."

Ringmenka chuckled and her brother asked, "What's so funny?"

She lifted her head to reveal a smirk on her face. "What's so funny is … you've been trained to come up with brilliant lies … and yet you didn't see through mine."

With that, she slowly lifted her hand and bared her claws. Anonmusent didn't think anything of it because he knew that he was the better fighter. To his and everyone else's surprise, she punched him in the stomach with the other hand. When he hunched over, she straightened him up, gave him an evil grin, and stabbed him in the chest. He wavered, surprised by the attack, and then toppled, looking to all appearances to be dead. The group sat stunned.

"What?" Ringmenka asked innocently.

Spoke Victoria in a hushed voice, "Ringmenka … you … killed him."

Ringmenka looked at her brother's body and then at her bloody claws. "So?"

Mulinka smiled. "He deserved it."

Admetus stood and helped Mulinka up. "I agree. But never mind that. Are you all right, young one?"

Mulinka looked at him and froze. "Um … yeah …"

Ringmenka shook her head and whispered to Victoria, "I think Mulinka found someone to go after."

Victoria smiled. Just then, Mungojerrie stuck his head round the doorframe. "Come. We're leaving." Seeing Admetus and Victoria there, he stopped for a minute and asked, "Where did you two come from?"

Admetus shook his head. "Long story."

The cats hurried out, leaving Anonmusent's body on the ground. They didn't see that his hand slowly clenched into a fist.