Alright another chapter! But this may be the last one for a little while, but I will do my best to get the next chapter up. Keep looking, review, and enjoy!
Chapter 3: London and New Faces
In the streets of London, a lone small white blue and red leopard, tattered, torn, tired and bloodstained, runs through the streets of concrete and metal as black smoke follows close behind her. She runs as fast as she can as the streets fill with black smoke. She turns right and realizes that she is at a dead end. She turns again to look behind her and realizes that there is nowhere to run as the smoke fills the floor of the alleyway. Suddenly, a large black silhouette with red glowing markings and eyes appears and creeps forward toward the lioness. The she-cat tries to fight back with paw and roar, but she has no avail. The silhouette, now identified as a panther, pounces on top of the leopard and prepares the final strike when he is suddenly removed, tossed to the entrance to the alleyway. Moonlight appears from the sky to reveal a large tiger-like creature with a silver body, stripes of ebony, eyes of fire and fangs of snow. He roars to the skies to darken them and summons forth lightning strikes that hit the panther and strike him down. The tiger turns to the she-cat to see her still, frozen like the snow below her. A low dark growl is heard as the panther makes one final strike and all goes black.
Eyes open to reveal small hazel pupils as they are moved in many different directions while breathing is fast and heavy. The black striped silver fur that surrounded the eyes was wet from sweat as it moved with the eyes to scan the surrounding area. The tom that was lying down on the alpaca wool pillow lifted his silver black and white head to see that he was still in his den area, his bachelor pad more or less. The den consisted of trash and junk piled high to form a rounded wall and ceiling of multi-colored paper, metal, cardboard and many more materials that came from the junkyard, his home. His den entrance was guarded by a large dollhouse-like door that moved like a regular cat door but with a lock to keep the cold wind and outside snow from getting in. He looked to the left to see his own little dresser area that held his many collars, all his other decorations that were for special occasions not that he actually wore them, and, placed above in a corner, a newly bought hair dryer with its heat pipe set at an angle so the tom could control the machine. He looked to the right of the door to see his sink-tub. Unlike the other cats, he actually liked taking a bath, thinking that it was the Maine Coon from his grandmother that gave him that gene. The tub was surrounded by forest smelling soaps and lotions from his owners, who were away at the time to celebrate a holiday called Hanukah but were to return within a week or two to celebrate something called Christmas. Further right from the tub was a little tunnel, blocked by a door that split into three separate rooms, should he have guests or relatives over to his part of the junkyard. Another turn to the right shows also sorts of photographs up on the wall of him and his human family, as well as many other cats that were his friends and family. He smiled at the one in the frame on a bookshelf under the photos on the wall. The frame pictured him, a black cat with leopard spots and a mane, and an older ragged cat that has seen stronger better days. This was his cat born family with his brother and father. As memories flooded his mind, he was brought back to the present when a knock was heard on his door.
"Hello? Munkustrap? You up? It's Misto!" shouted a voice from the other side of the doll door.
The silver tom, Munkustrap or Munk for short, sleepily made his way off his pillow and toward the door. He unlocked the little knob and the door flung itself open, slamming the half-awake tom against the wall. Seconds later, the door was shut and Munk found himself looking at a petite, 23 year old tuxedo cat with a white face, one white forepaw, one black forepaw, two white stockings on his back paws with one looking like it had a hole in it, being black. The tuxedo's cobalt eyes looked worriedly at Munkustrap as he helped the 35 year old silver tom down from the entrance, which was leveled a little higher than elbow length.
"Are you alright Munk? I didn't mean to slam the door open on you" Misto apologized.
The older tom gave a yawn and stretched out while he spoke, "It's fine Mistoffelees, now, what brings you to my door?" he asked as he rubbed his eyes.
"Well normally you're up earlier than the others and this time you weren't. Is everything ok? Your not sick are you?" the little tux continued to ask questions, concerned for the silver protector. Mistofelees, or Misto, looked up to Munk as a son would to a father, since Misto had none. Ever since he was a kitten, Misto looked up to Munk as a role model and hero and he also treated Munk like he was his own father or older brother.
"It's fine Misto, I just had this outrageously strange dream and it must have made me sleep in" replied Munk as he moved around the room to stretch his legs more.
"A dream? What kind of dream? A nightmare maybe?" Misto asked as he sat on Munk's beside.
He then explained his dream to the smaller tux about the leopard, the panther and the tiger and what all happened. Misto looked at him with a frown.
"Hmmm…well…that is interesting. Maybe you should talk to Jelly about it. See if she can explain why you had that dream. Oh! And your brother was looking for you; he wanted to talk sometime soon. Now if you'll excuse me I have to check on my mate and my kits" Misto said as he gracefully leapt off the bed.
"How much longer until your kits are born?" asked Munk with a smile on his face.
"About one to two weeks from now. Vicky's hoping for at least one queen, as am I. I can handle Preston fine, but I think it's time for a queen" Misto said as he bid Munk goodbye and left the den.
Munk then went over to his dresser area, grabbed one of the hand towels that his humans no longer used and walked to the sink to prepare a bath. Once the water was filled, he sprinkled a small amount of fir smelling bath salts to make the dip more relaxing. He loved the smell of fir branch, especially since Christmas was around the corner, for as long as he could remember he loved the smell of pine, fir, and berry branches because the smell reminded him of the forest areas that were near his human home. He then pulled the shower curtain and the sounds of water swashing and relaxed sighs, along with hot steam, filled the den.
After a long soak in the water, Munk partially dried himself, wrapped the towel around his waist and walked over to his dresser. He then turned the hairdryer on high power and turned his body in different positions, letting all the heat surround him. Once he was officially dried, he put on the black and silver scarf that his humans gave him when they first adopted him and took off to Jelly's den.
As he made his way out of the den, he was greeted by sunlight and a cool breeze that froze his still wet whiskers. All of the Jellicles that resided here for the holidays were out and about, some of the kittens playing snowball fights, others were having fun sliding down a nearby hill. Munk smiled as he saw all the smiles on the kits faces. He then started to make his way to Jelly's den near the oven.
Once he was there, a black tom with leopard spots and a mane as wild as a lion's was in there having his wounds checked out by Jelly.
"Well, here I find the two cats that I need to see, and in one place too" smiled Munk as he entered further into the den.
"I was looking for you Munk, but you weren't on your rounds earlier, everything ok?" asked the mained tom.
"Yeah Tugger, I just had a strange dream, that's all. Actually, that's the reason why I am here Jelly, I need your help explaining something" said Munk with a hint of nervousness on his face.
"A dream? What about?" asked Jelly as she continued to look at Tugger's wounds.
Munk then told them about the dream he had, as well as telling them that he talked to Misto about it. "It's just so weird. Why would I have a dream like that? I know that the tribe is scarce on food, but that hasn't brought anyone down. I didn't eat anything rotten or bad last night so it can't be that. But what could it be? Is it a sign of some kind, and if so, what is it about?" asked Munk as he rambled on.
"Well Munk, have you been feeling stressed out lately? Maybe you should take a break and let Alonzo take protector position for a few days" suggested the 56 year old queen.
"I appreciate the thought, but I don't think that will do much" replied Munk with a sigh.
"Well," Tugger started, "maybe it has to do with the fact that you don't have a queenfriend?" he finished with a smirk.
Munk groaned, "Tugger not again. For the last time, I don't find any queen here interesting. Demeter is already with Alonzo, which I am happy about. All the other queens here are fine, but they're just not for me" he stood and walked to the den window "I'm searching for someone different, a queen with a different background, a girl" he paused to think of the right words, "from a different Jellicle tribe" he turned to look at his brother, who wore an annoyed face.
"Look, Munk," Tugger stood, "you have got to bring that head of yours down from the clouds soon. There's no other Jellicles besides us. And even if they were, there is no way that they would come here, to us. So, I'm sorry brother, but you have to find a girl sometime, and you better make it soon cause you're almost out of your prime. Soon you won't have it and you're going to regret it" he walked to his brother and placed a paw on his shoulder "I'm not saying this again to annoy you. I'm saying this because I am your older brother and I care about you. True, I may not be the best role model, uncle, or father, but the best that I can do is be a caring older brother looking out for his responsible younger sibling. Just remember what I said ok? Pretty soon, that charm is going to wear out. Best to use it while you still can" The 37 year old mained cat ruffled his brothers head fur and laughed a little as Munk did the same.
"Come on, the reason I really wanted to see you was that father wanted to talk to us. We better head over there before he moves on those frail bones of his. Thanks for the healing Jelly!" shouted Tugger as he left the den.
"Your brother's right Munk. You'll have to find a girl soon. That handsome face of yours won't last forever. Just give the girls here a try, alright?" suggested Jelly with a soft smile.
Munk nodded to her and thanked her for the help, although there really wasn't much she did, and exited the den to meet up with his brother and father.
Later that day at the train station
Thick smoke filled the sunset air as the train station came alive with life with new trains loading off passengers and waiting trains with passengers loading on. In the very back of the train, Skimbleshanks slid the door open and was greeted with a gentle, cold winter breeze as small snowflakes met his whiskers. He stepped out and motioned the three other cats that were on the train with him out into the snow.
Once the group assembled, Skimble looked at Millie and Racel, "Alright you two, I have to be on this train for the next few days to keep watch on the passengers and keep the train in top shape. Jenny will take you to the Junkyard where you will meet Deuteronomy and the other Jellicles. And, just for your own safety, I wouldn't show them your cat roars, magic, or anything like that for the first few days. The visionary explanation you can do, but only do it when the Patriarch asks for the explanation, do you understand?"
The two cats nodded and gave Skimble one final hug before he went to his first station duty.
"Come along" said Jenny, "The Junkyard's this way" she started running in a certain direction as the snow lightly fell upon the ground. The two kits started running after her, taking in all the details around them to remember the path. After what felt like an hour, the trio finally came to an area outside of town where foliage was starting to grow between the concrete lines and light posts were surrounded with vines and branches. As they moved further away from the city, they come to an area with a large fenced border encased in dirt and brush. Jenny made her way to a part that was not in the dirt and made a loud thump against the metal boards.
"Alonzo! It's Jenny! I'm back from the railway!" she shouted to the top of the line.
A minute later a white cat with black dots appeared from above looking down.
"Glad to see you're ok Jenny!" he said as the 26 year old tom looked at the two younger cats behind Jenny, "who are they?" he asked, eyes narrowed.
"We are Meliora and Paracelsus, two members of the Paisley Jellicle tribe, and may as well be called the last two surviving members!" Racel spoke, looking up at Lonz with a straight face.
Alonzo looked shocked at the two, then paused as he looked to the side for one minute then went behind the door to let it open up for the three cats. What was laid before Millie and Racel was what was seen only in movies.
A junkyard that reached the top of a London decker bus and spread out as far as the eye could possibly see.
"Alonzo" Jenny asked as she turned to the black and white tom, "Go and tell Deuteronomy that we have guests who would like to stay"
"Yes Jenny" said the tom as he ran toward the patriarch's den.
Millie and Racel looked to each other before looking nervously at Jenny.
"Are you sure about this? What if they don't accept witches cats?" asked Millie.
"Skimble and I believe that you will be accepted, either on the first day or the week after your arrival. You should be fine for the first while, some cats will warm up to you soon enough while others will need time" reassured Jenny. "Now come on, it's best if we head over there. Follow me kits" she said with a warm smile on her face. She began walking in the direction of the center of the junkyard. Millie and Racel soon followed her, staying close to one another and her as they walked by many cats of genders, sizes, colors and shapes. At a time, at least one of the kittens rolled in close to the two and looked at them curiously. The two just went around the kit to move along. Then, close to the den where Deuteronomy stayed, two cats appeared. Once was a black she-cat with a wild leopard mane, gold rimmed sky blue eyes, and a smile only a cougar could have. She appeared in front of Racel who was shocked by the sight and moved one step back. The other cat appeared in front of Millie, a brown tabby with orange marks and perverted copper eyes. He swayed his hips in front of Millie and scooted close to her.
"Heya angel, how about you and I go for a ride on cloud nine?" he said in a very seductive tone.
Millie just gave a bored expression and groaned. She pushed passed him while saying, "Not interested" irritably. She then moved to her brother, grabbed him out of the way and gave a fiery dead glare at the she cat and spoke, "keep away from my brother if you know what's good for you". The duo then reunited with Jenny at the entrance of the den, leaving the two perverted cats in shock of what just happened.
Inside, the cats see a cat that looked like an exact replica of the cat who flirted with Racel except for being a tom cat, a handsome silver tom with Hazel eyes, and an elder cat who the siblings presumed to be Old Deuteronomy.
"Are these the ones that Alonzo told me about?" asked the elder, looking at Jenny.
"Yes sir, this is Meliora and Paracelsus, or Millie and Racel for short. These two have come from such a dark background and I believe that they know of Macavity's whereabouts when he isn't here in London" explained Jenny. All the cats, including Alonzo and two queens who looked like sisters, one gold and black, the other red and white, stood up and on edge at the mention of this information. The tom with the wild mane took a step forward and looked at Racel.
"Is this true? And not a trick that could deceive us?" he asked, eyes narrowed, mane fluffed up.
Millie spoke for her brother, "We wouldn't be here if we were lying. After all, what else would the last members of a Jellicle tribe do in the time after the massacre caused by Macavity?"
The mained tom looked at her with shock and fear, "What?" he asked astounded.
"Massacre? What massacre, there's been no such thing here" asked Munk, worried and skeptical.
"The massacre that we're talking about happened in our home of Paisley in Scotland! And we wouldn't have come here if the situation wasn't dire" Millie was cut off by a brown hand from her brother.
"Perhaps it's best if we show you what we mean, that is, if you will let us" he asked looking at Deuteronomy. The elder cat gave a nod, intrigued and worried by the story. Millie and Racel stood at separate ends of the den area and summoned their staffs. Racel did his part in explaining and Millie did hers, leaving the adult cats shocked in fear, horror and disbelief. The queens held each other as the scene of the dying newborns stayed in their minds. The mained tom had his ears down in embarrassment from not believing the two earlier. Munk however looked at Millie and then Racel with sympathy, thinking that they could explain his dream.
"I've known Macavity as being destructive and a criminal, but this is beyond belief! His new leadership must have given him a dangerous lust for power!" shouted an astounded Deuteronomy.
"To be completely honest" Millie spoke up, "I don't think that it's Macavity who really started this. If any cat were to have an influence on him, it's his son-"
"WHAT?" shouted all the cats, making Millie's ears go flat against her head.
"Macavity has a son? He must have raped a queen then! I'll bet Macavity killed that cat too! And now his son is working for him? Oh Bast!" shouted the mained tom.
"Tugger stop shouting, we know what you are trying to say and you don't have to say it so loud" said Munk as he removed his paws from his ears, he then looked at the two kits. "You were saying?"
Millie nodded in thanks, "Anyway, as I was saying before I was interrupted, the two of us believe that his son is the mastermind while Macavity just soaks up the idea and wants to execute it like an amateur painter to a blank canvas" Mille raised and lowered her staff again to reveal red smoke appearing from the bottom forming the shape of a cat that looked just like Macavity, only with a darker appearance.
"This is Maurus," said Racel, "A cat born from the debts of hell. He is ruthless, merciless, and cruel. He was the one who had the idea of attacking us in the first place, or so we were told. If Macavity was defeated, it would mean nothing. If Maurus were to die first, then we would have a better chance of defeating these two. The Paisley Jellicles could have defeated him, if not for one problem" Racel said as he looked down to the side.
"What problem is that?" asked the red queen, who was later identified as Bombaulerina.
"This clan holds their ball in summer when the moon is full, correct?" asked Millie. The cats around her nodded in response to her question. "Then, unlike you, the Paisley Jellicle Ball is held in winter when there is no moon, where we have our forms and powers weakened to offer our praise to our ancestors and to give the moon it's strength to be reborn. This is the first year that it has been interrupted, and because of that, the dead moon, as we call the black moon, took much of our magic strength and power" explained Millie
"And because we were unable to make the proper sacrifices, our powers may not return until the next Paisley dead moon, which won't happen for another year" finished Racel.
The cats in the den looked to one another and then looked to Old Deuteronomy. He stood and walked, as best as he could, to the two kits and placed a paw on their shoulders. "This is quite serious. We're not sure what we can do to help, but we will help you anyway that we can. But for now, in the time of peacefulness, take a rest. It has been a long journey so far for you" he said with a warm smile.
"That's nice of you father," said Tugger "but now the question is, where ARE they going to stay?"
"That is a good question" said the quiet gold queen, later known as Demeter, "Alonzo and I don't have any room left since Kafi was born"
"How about with Jenny?" suggested Alonzo.
"I think we might have caused enough trouble for Jenny, and besides with the storm settling in, there's bound to be trouble ahead. Best that we don't increase the burden" said Millie as she looked at Jenny, who gave a sad nod in response.
"Then who?" said Tugger, obviously looking annoyed.
Munk rolled his eyes at his brother and looked at the two kits, Racel and Millie chatting with Jenny. It's obvious that there wasn't enough room in the Junkyard for two more mouths. There was barely enough food to keep the clan in any shape possible right now. But that was no excuse for shunning these two out. There has to be somewhere for these kits to stay. He then remembered the three rooms that he had in his den. Surely he can make room for two more, then if the mother comes, she can be in the room beside her kits. Munk blinked and gave a mental nod as he stood up to speak. "I'll house them"
Everyone looked at the silver tom who just spoke. Millie and Racel turned in surprise and shock to see that a tom would take them in.
Millie then made a step towards him, "Do you have the room needed for the two of us? We do not wish to be burdens if it's not enough"
"You two will be no burdens at all. I have the room, in fact, I have three" said Munk.
"Yeah, after all, he's the oldest bachelor here. No queen or roommate to keep him company. So keeping you two with him is perfect" said Tugger, happy as a clam with a teasing smirk on his face.
Millie, Racel and Munk then rolled their eyes and said "Oh everlasting". They then turned to each other with awkward faces, stayed silent for a minute. The silence was then cracked and they laughed at what happened.
"So, what do you say?" said Munk.
"After all the two of us had been through, why not? Besides, it looks like you're the only option we have other than sleeping on snow, ice and cold junkyard" stated Racel as he shook paws with Munk.
"I'm Munkustrap, by the way, but just call me Munk for short" he said as he shook paws with the tom, then to the queen.
"Paracelsus, call me Racel"
"Meliora, but please, call me Millie"
"Well then, Racel and Millie, I think it's best if you two come along with me to my den before the storm settles in" suggested Munk.
"Lead the way Munk. Goodnight everyone" Racel stated as he bowed to the other cats and gave Jenny a hug. Millie said goodnight as well and gave Jenny a long hug. The trio of cats made their way to Munks den as the wind started to pick up and rear its ugly head again.
Like I said guys, I will do my best to get the next chapter up, but just keep looking, review and look forward to more chapters coming ahead.