Title: The Protector (11/14)
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Character death
Summary: When some Jellicles are cat-napped, Munkustrap has to descend back into Monnik territory, back into his old life, and must confront his biggest fear - the truth escaping.

Roleplays:

If you're not into RPing, feel free to skip this part.

Ourjellicle (o u r j e l l i c l e s . p r o b o a r d s 5 1 . c o m ). is a normal Cats RP set after the Jellicle Ball. Currently, Macavity has taken over the junkyard, but the Jellicles escaped safely. They're enlisting the help of a crew of pirates, though, to reclaim their yard… but that decision may cause more pain than pleasure.

One of These Nights (w w w . s 8 . c r e a t e p h p b b . c o m / o n e o f t h e s e n I g h t / I n d e x . p h p ? m f o r u m (equal sign) o n e o f t h e s e n I g h t) is an AU RP where the Jellicles are human members of a band (named Jellicle). Tugger (taken) is the lead singer, with Bombalurina (taken), Alonzo, and Plato (taken) as other members, and the rest of the Jellicles helping out as friends, stage hands, special effects, etc. Munkustrap (taken by me) is the manager of the band, and his father, Deuteronomy, is a huge music mogul. Macavity (taken) leads the rival band, the Depraved. Most of the characters are still available, though. If you're interested, come on by!

The Protector

After they were well away from the guards, though, and Munkustrap was just about to free Simbol, the older cat lunged at him again, pinning him against the wall and hissing. "Sir! No! It's Munkustrap!"

"I know who you are," Simbol growled, leaning his weight on his arm that was pressed into Munkustrap's throat. "I've known who you were, Ritzkin, ever since you first started playing with Tugger. Little Ritzy and Rumsy, thinking you were so clever, ducking across the border on both sides…"

Munkustrap's eyes widened and he felt his knees give out – Simbol knew? Simbol knew the truth? Simbol had known… all along?

Simbol grabbed Munkustrap by the throat and flung him away. Even beaten up as he was, the Protector was still incredibly strong. Munkustrap winced as he hit the wall of a brick building. "Oww…"

Opening his eyes a sliver, Munkustrap could see Simbol on the other side of the alley they were in, glaring at him… but wrapping his arms around his chest? He was breathing heavily, every gasping breath rasping wetly. Something was very wrong with Simbol. Munkustrap could tell that just from where he was lying. Unfortunately, he wasn't a healer, and didn't know how to fix it.

He also had the disadvantage of Simbol's wrath being directed at him now.

Very, very slowly, Munkustrap sat up, holding his paws out. "Sir, please, listen to me," he begged. "Yes… yes, I'm Ritzkin. I'm a Monnik. I was a Monnik. But I'm not anymore…" He closed his eyes. "And I guess I'm not a Jellicle, either. I'm a nothing. But I'm not going to hurt you!" He opened his eyes, looking over at Simbol again. The older cat hadn't moved. He was still glaring at Munkustrap, still holding his chest. "I was trying to get you out," Munkustrap said quietly. "Admetus and Alonzo and I… we came in to get you out, you and Cattivo. Plato… Plato made it back to the junkyard and told us what happened."

Oddly enough, at that, Simbol collapsed, sagging to the ground. Munkustrap quickly leapt to his feet and ran over to him, wincing as Simbol flinched away. He reached out, though, touching one of Simbol's arms. "Sir… what's wrong? How badly are you hurt?"

Simbol brushed Munkustrap off, sitting up again with a wince. Munkustrap backed up a step or two and crouched there, watching the older cat. "Plato… Plato is alive?"

Munkustrap nodded. "Alive and well, though last I saw him, Jenny was smothering him."

Simbol actually smiled faintly. "And Cattivo… he's dead?" he whispered, the smile gone just as quickly as it had appeared.

Munkustrap nodded again. "Admetus brought his body back to the junkyard," he said quietly. "And he's taking care of Alonzo too – Alonzo fainted when he found out."

"Skimble and Gus?" Simbol asked next.

"Alive and healing," Munkustrap said. "Jenny said they should make full recoveries."

Simbol pushed himself to his feet, leaning heavily against the building. "That leaves… just us."

Munkustrap rose and stepped forward, touching Simbol's arm again. "Sir… I'm sorry… I wanted to tell you… I wanted to tell you so bad… I hated lying to you… but I couldn't! I couldn't tell anyone the truth, or…" He bit his lip, looking down at his paws. "Or this. Or everyone would hate me." He clenched his paws into fists. "I'm not Ritzkin anymore, Sir. I'm not! I'm Munkustrap, of the Jellicle tribe. And that's all I ever want to be. I just… I had to be Ritzkin again, to get you out…"

Simbol looked over at Munkustrap with that familiar and irritatingly unreadable expression. He held out a paw. "Get these off me."

"I…" Munkustrap stepped forward and took Simbol's paw in his, checking the cuff over. The lock didn't look too complicated, and while he was no Mungojerrie, the thieves had taught him a few things. He slid out a claw and got to work.

Simbol watched Munkustrap silently, and when he finished and the cuff slipped off, Simbol held out his other paw. This cuff was a little easier, since Munkustrap knew what he was doing now. Once both paws were free, Simbol unwrapped the chains from around his throat and pulled them off. He rubbed at his neck, and Munkustrap could only imagine how it hurt.

"Sir," Munkustrap said quietly. "We need to get out of here before the Monniks come."

Simbol nodded and pushed away from the wall, beginning to head back toward the Jellicle territory. Munkustrap walked beside him, watching the blood trail from Simbol's open wounds. The Monniks would be able to follow them easily. Munkustrap sighed and rolled his shoulders. Simbol was in no shape to fight, so he'd have to do all the protecting.

With every step they took, the silence they walked in seemed to grow more and more tense. Munkustrap hung his head, his ears back, tail drooping, as he walked a few steps behind the older cat. His sharp eyes didn't miss any of Simbol's faltering steps, or the stiff way he held his tail (it looked broken) or the blood that stained his white fur and continued to drip sluggishly to the ground. Nor did Munkustrap miss the fact that Simbol's breathing was growing increasingly labored with every step.

Much to Munkustrap's surprise, they managed to make it all the way out of Monnik territory without drawing the attention of a single cat. Sleep was apparently not to be disturbed. Munkustrap allowed himself a smile as he and Simbol stepped off the bridge and onto Jellicle land, but when Simbol collapsed again, Munkustrap's smile fell. He rushed to his Protector's side, but Simbol pushed him away.

Munkustrap had had it. He crossed his arms and scowled. "Sir, this isn't fair! If it were anyone else who had done what I did, if it were Admetus or Alonzo or Skimble or anyone, you would have been fine with it! I'd have been doing what was necessary to do what had to be done – I disguised myself as the enemy to infiltrate the enemy's hold… Sir… Simbol, please…" He laid down beside Simbol, reaching out to touch his arm. "Ever since I found out about the guardians, I've wanted to make you proud of me," he said. "I've worked my tail off to be the best guardian you have. I… I turned back to what I hated to get you out." He wriggled a little closer to Simbol. "I'm not proud of what I did when I was Ritzkin, Simbol. I'm not proud of what I did just now, to get you past those guards. What I am proud of, though, is what I've done under your leadership, of what I've become." He rested his head against Simbol's arm. "Everything I am today, all that is good about me… it's all because of you," he whispered. "Please, Simbol… please don't hate me…"

There was silence between the two, disturbed only by the rush of passing human cars and the rasp of Simbol's breathing. Eventually, the older cat stirred. He didn't lift his head, but he did turn his arm, catching Munkustrap's paw in his own. "Thank you," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "For bringing me back here… so I can die… at home…"

"No!" Munkustrap leaned over Simbol, trying to pull him back to his feet. "No, Simbol, no, you're not going to die! We're not too far from the yard, come on! Jenny and Jelly are both there, they'll take care of you, you'll be fine. You'll make a full recovery, I know you will…"

Simbol laughed, but it turned into a cough. He wiped his paw across his mouth, and Munkustrap saw blood – but was it fresh, or had it been there before? "Munkustrap… Ritzkin… my little guardian." He squeezed Munkustrap's paw. "I know my limits… I cannot take another… step…"

"Simbol…" Munkustrap closed his eyes and bent over the older cat, fighting back tears. "You're not going to die, Simbol… you're not…"

Simbol didn't answer. He didn't die, either. He just laid under Munkustrap, fighting to breathe. To Munkustrap's surprise, though, Simbol was purring. Even here, even now, after everything that had happened… Munkustrap closed his eyes and bit back a sob. Simbol was purring.

(hugs Simbol) I really do love this OC. He's the first OC I've ever felt so attached to.