A/N: I hope you like this chapter. All of my friends have New Years plans but me. Party.
He'd never seen her look like this. Her coat was usually clean and well groomed, her stripes forming a beautiful calico pattern. The white of her chest was usually pale and pristine, matching the white mask on her face.
His queenfriend definitely didn't look like herself. Rumpleteazer's coat was still red with blood, her white stripes yellow and purple with bruises. The bigger,deeper scratches were bandaged appallingly by Mungojerrie- who'd fallen asleep with rolls of gauze and disinfectant in his paws.
Seelniu sighed heavily, staring down at the sleeping queen. It was late- exceptionally late. The entire Hideout (including Macavity) was asleep, and he'd decided to come visit his queenfriend. He hadn't slept a wink- the overwhelming sadness he felt for his queen, and the guilt he felt.. What if he hadn't been so involved? What if he'd kept their meetings extremely secret? She might not be in this state.
"Milaya moya.. I am so, so sorry," The black tom murmured, pushing a strand of headfur out of her face, before reaching down for the bottle he'd brought with him. He took a washcloth in his hand, pouring some of the water in the bottle on it. Making sure to be gentle, he began to wipe the caked blood off her fur, treating her as though she were made of porcelain.
Several hours later, and the black tom prepared to leave before the sun even began to peek over the horizon. The cloth was red, and his eyes were heavy from exhaustion.
Seelniu stroked her cheek, before reaching for a folded piece of paper on the ground next to him. The calico queen had been teaching him to write- he'd never learnt in Russian, and he was struggling with English. However, he'd put all his effort into writing her an apology.
The black tom placed it in her balled up hand, before kissing her cheek and exiting the barrack as quietly as he had arrived. He had a plan. And this was the perfect time to put it into action.
Thanking Bast for the dark skies, Seelniu slipped through the shadows of the corridor and out onto the streets. His dark fur was a blessing at this moment in time- he wouldn't be seen. Smirking in success, the tom took one last look over his shoulder at the Hideout, before bolting off through the streets. Dawn was impending; he only had about an hour left of total darkness. They'd be awake soon, and if they weren't.. Well, he'd just have to wake them.
'Maybe you'll listen to me next time..' The terrifying rasp resonated through 'Teazer's mind, followed by strong pain. It was agony, her screams stuck in her throat. She wasn't going to be helped, her brother had left. Seelniu was gone. Macavity had killed him. Her twin was exiled. She'd be prisoner to Macavity forever. Shaking violently, 'Teazer jolted awake, wincing in pain at the sudden movement. It was just a nightmare, a replica of her evening with the boss.
Snuffling softly, 'Teazer glanced frantically around her. Wait.. This was her barrack, and her body was bandaged. When she lifted an arm, her fur was clean, but slightly damp. Who- how had she got here? The calico sniffed lightly, detecting two scents. One was stale, but familiar.. Seelniu. And then she remembered. She couldn't see him. Biting her lip to quell the tears, she turned her head in the direction of the much stronger scent.
Mungojerrie. She noticed that his face was sunken and worn out, and he'd fallen asleep knelt on the floor, his body awkwardly sprawled on the bed. Oh Bast- he'd been the one who'd helped, working hard all night just to help her. She loved her brother more than she could say.
The calico queen grunted, shifting over a few centimetres, almost moaning from the sensation of her wounds flaring up. A soft rustle resounded, calling for her attention. Frowning, Rumpleteazer glanced down to where it had come from- it was nestled in her paw. Strange..
Shrugging it off- metaphorically- she unfolded the piece of paper, squinting in the early morning light.
'Kravisaya,
A thousand apologies.. My fault. I should have had care. I hope you like clean fur, I apologize for the dampness. I have gone to help. I return with darkness. I'm so sorry.
I love you.
Seelniu.'
That was all sh needed to see. Several tears formed in her chocolate eyes- she didn't want him feeling so bad. But at least she'd see him that night.. If Macavity didn't twig on. What did he mean by going to help? Plus, he loved her.
'Bast, moi brain iz scrambled..' Rumpleteazer thought, as she struggled to focus. There were so many things racing through her mind, and she couldn't grasp onto any of them. Sighing slightly, and giving in to the drowsiness and pain, the calico let her eyes drift shut, tugging on Mungojerrie's arm before falling back into the realms of unconsciousness.
Her twin startled awake, almost falling forwards. He'd been using his sister as a pillow, and her disappearance meant that he lost the support. Blinking to clear the fog, he glanced around for her, heart racing in panic. It settled when he located his twin, a few inches away, with enough space for another cat next to her. Had she moved? Bast- she'd moved up for him.
"Ya silleh queehn," The tiger striped tom chuckled lowly, before stretching out next to his sister, a protective arm around her shoulders.
"If aneh'one wan's ta 'arm yah, thoiy're gonnah go through moi this toime. Physoicalley. We arehn' stoiyin' ere, 'Teazah. Tha' oi can guaran'ee."
It felt as though he'd been running for hours. Seelniu's heart pounded in his chest, his breath coming in sharp rasps as he leant against the wrought iron gate. The streets were illuminated in early morning light, and the vast clearing behind the gates was well lit. A hard packed dirt ground, bordered by trash and an array of junk.
This was the Jellicle Junkyard. Shivering in anticipation, the black tom closed a paw on the gate, merely waiting for their Protector to apprehend him.
"Halt! Who are you?"
Yep. Typical Jellicles.
Sighing, Seelniu held his paws up, gritting his teeth to prevent himself from lunging at the silver tabby in front of him. From the stories his queen had told him.. This was Munkustrap. He'd initiated her exile, but he was no Macavity. All he required was a mere conversation and some help. Then he'd leave.
"My name is Seelniu Trazkiowczky. Agent to Macavity.. Tomfriend to Rumpleteazer, companion to Mungojerrie. I come seeking Jennyshanks and Skimbleanydots. I have news," The black tom replied, warily staring at the silver tabby opposite. He was a foot shorter, but the steely expression on his face didn't falter- until he mentioned Rumpleteazer and Mungojerrie.
Seelniu's hopes began to rise, but quickly fell, as Munkustrap scoffed and turned his head away.
"If that's /really/ all my brother can do, then he is stupider than I thought," The silver tabby rolled his eyes in disbelief, folding his arms and beginning to walk away.
"Govno," Seelniu muttered, his foreign tongue coming back in his sudden haste. Clearing his throat, he called out to the silver tabby, his voice filled with desperation.. And fear.
"Please! Please, look, I am without weapons. Your brother did not send me- I am fallen from grace at the Hideout. Please, it's about Rumpleteazer. Something's happened," Seelniu continued, his grip on the gate tightening.
Munkustrap, surprisingly, ceased in his walking, before turning on his heel. He'd normally shrug it off- Macavity's employees made their own choices- but it was all his fault the twins were there. They wanted them back in the tribe; even after Macavity's attack. Skimbleshanks had told Alonzo that Mungojerrie wasn't attacking him, and the tribe felt even more guilty.
The Protector surveyed the black tom, taking in everything from his desperate expression and tha bags under his eyes, to the way his tail twitched in agitation. What would Jenny say if he turned him away, and if Rumpleteazer was in trouble? What had happened to her.
"Alright. Tell me, then I will take you to Skimble and Jenny," Munkustrap relented. Relief washed over the black tom- his face instantly relaxed, and his tail ceased in twitching.
"She was placed under my guard for being so upset about you all. Our story of coming to be is unimportant now, but it happened. We became a thing. Macavity does not permit me to take leave. Especially for a queen. She had no care, she say that it was worth sneaking around for myself. We were secret, but Macavity found out," He rambled, biting his lip.
Munkustrap's hackles rose, in anticipation of what the Russian tom would say next.
"He ask her to his office. Her twin and I, we wait for her nearby. I hear her yelp, and sound of violence and whimpering. She thrown out hours later, covered in blood and bruises. Mungojerrie sent me away, but I went to see her. She is extremely hurt, and our medical supplies are limited. I do not know if Macavity is through with her, either,"
That was all the silver tom needed to hear. He instantly leant to unlock the gate, allowing the black tom inside before turning in the direction of the twins' parents' den.
"Come. Nothing dangerous or you're gone," Munkustrap commented shakily, before leading the way. Seelniu followed, his tail twitching nervously. What if these cats were the monsters the twins had been led to believe? Well, they'd been filled with the idea, but whether they believed it or not..
Mind dwelling on this, it took a few seconds for him to notice that they'd arrived at a den. The door was open, and the inside was a mess. The floor was strewn with blankets, and several bookshelves sagged under the weight of many volumes. A medical table was resting in the corner, and several bottles of Scotch littered a small, wooden table next to it. Sat at the table were two cats- a spotted and tiger striped queen, and a golden tabby. These were his queenfriend's parents. And they were staring at him. Excellent.
"Jenny- Skimble- I'm sorry to disturb you, but I found this tom while patrolling. His name is Seelniu, and he came here requesting to speak to you both. He told me why, and I can guarantee that he is not here to harm. He has genuine information. If you need me, call," Munkustrap informed the two, before hastily bowing out of the den. He didn't want to be in there- he felt guilty about Rumpleteazer.
Skimbleshanks and Jennyanydots stared up at the black tom, their paws clasped together. That made him smile a little, but it quickly evaporated at the thought of his own queenfriend.
"Well? Sit down," Skimble spoke hesitantly, gesturing for him to join them at the table. Seelniu did so, after a few seconds of deliberation.
Jenny's head snapped up, getting a huge lungful of the black tom's scent. He smelt of her daughter- and he smelt of her daughter's blood. Upon closer inspection.. No. That clotted fur was dirt, surely.. But no. It was blood.
"S-skimble.. What happened? Why are you here?" Jenny choked out, a paw clasped over her mouth in horror. She was dead. Her child was dead. Macavity had sent him to tell them. Oh, Bast..
Skimble's eyes widened, as he, too, inhaled the scent. His mind was racing with similar thoughts to his mate.
"What happened to our daughter? Is she.. Dead?" Skimble whispered, as the black tom noticeably shuddered.
"Maybe I should begin from start.."
The black tom dove into his explanation, and talked for what seemed like forever. He described Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer's feelings about the Jellicles, and Rumpleteazer's confinement with him for missing her family. Jenny choked up at that, but he pressed on with his story. He documented- with some hesitation- what had happened, and how he'd fallen for the calico queen. He felt the need to give them a brief summary of his life- at which, both cats visibly relaxed, expressions sympathetic and slightly guilty. The black tom guessed that they'd believed the stories, too.. However, that was unimportant.
Seelniu continued to tell them of how he'd gained Mungojerrie's approval- a rare feat- and then, of how he'd been keeping his relationship a secret. Then, the dreaded part..
"Macavity found out. He beat her for hours. She's so badly hurt, and I want to help her.. And Mungojerrie. For now, she's completely out of medical supplies- all Mungojerrie has is simple antiseptic. I cannot see her.. But now I see what Macavity does.. I think in time.. She and 'Jerrie would come back.. I want to know.. Do you hate them? What happened?"
Jenny began to cry softly, but left the table and bustled over to the corner. Skimble sighed, leaning back in his chair. He felt rage about what had happened to his daughter, but there was no point permitting anger right now.
"We do not. It was Munkustrap trying to shock them into changing.. We miss them, and have done every day.. We didn't want to hurt them- they're our twins!" Skimble replied earnestly.
"Yes.. Yes, I will relate this, when I see Mungojerrie.. I am glad. I did not believe in the family hate.. I am also, so very sorry. It is all me," Seelniu sighed, ducking his head.
"Darling, no. From the sounds of it, you made our daughter happy when we didn't. You're just in a bad living situation.. Thankyou for coming. And thankyou so much for wanting to help- you might have managed to completely resolve a years long problem," Jenny replied- she'd come back. In her paws was a basket, filled with bottles, gauze, herbs, books..
"These books detail how to use the herbs. Mungojerrie will know how. Well, he should do.. And this is for you," Jenny explained, pressing a small book into his hand. It was a simple story, not too difficult to read.
"It'll help," She smiled, recieving a huge grin from the black tom.
"Thankyou- perhaps I learn English better," He smiled, taking the basket she held out to him. "Thankyou for listening."
"Look after Rumpleteazer. Please, tell her and 'Jerrie all we told you.. I think it's time they came home."
"I agree."
A/N: How perfect a boyfriend is Seelniu? Damn, where can I buy one? I'll see you all next year ;) Please leave a review. Xx Have a great new year