Chapter 6: End Dying

"A Grimalkin," Jazz said, disbelievingly. "Are you serious?"

"Completely," Bageera said.

"Oh, come on," Jazz said. "Sure he has powers. But that's no reason to believe he's a Grimalkin."

"It makes sense," Bageera said.

"In order for him to be as much Grimalkin as you say, one of his parents needs to be-"

"How would you explain it, then?" Bageera asked.

Jazz was silent for a few moments before saying, "I don't know."

"Is it so hard to believe that there are still some around?"

"But they were all killed centuries ago."

"We're here, aren't we?" Bageera asked.

"There's only a tiny fraction of Grimalkin blood in us," Jazz said, quietly so passing Jellicles wouldn't hear.

"And look what we can do," Bageera said. "You can practically smell the truth. I can spot miniscule details that would go unnoticed by anyone else."

Jazz was silent for a moment. "Then there's that sparking thing we do."

"Exactly," Bageera said. "And if we can do this," he held out his paw and sparks flew from it with a sharp snap, "then just think what Mistoffelees can do being half Grimalkin or more."

"Assuming he that is half Grimalkin," Jazz said, rolling over to go to sleep again. "You're crazy."

"Very well," Bageera said, getting to his paws.

"Where are you going?" Jazz called after him.

"Out," Bageera said.

Jazz watched him as he left the old crate they were in. After a few moments, she got to her feet and followed him into the cold evening air.

"Look," Jazz said when she had caught up with him. "Even if his parents were Grimalkins, why would Old Deuteronomy hold it against him?"

"You've heard the same stories I have," Bageera said. "They were never trusted. The only way Mom was allowed into our tribe was because she kept the fact that she was a great-great-great-whatever-granddaughter of a Grimalkin a secret. She never told anyone except for us. Not even Dad knew."

"And what does it have to do with this case?" Jazz asked.

Bageera wasn't sure if she believed his theory yet, but she was at least willing to humor him. That was good enough. It gave him a chance to explain.

"I think it might have everything to do with the case," Bageera said. "We both know that Macavity has a tool in this tribe. A cat who spys for him and makes sure things go right from the inside."

"Of course," Jazz said. "That's how he functions."

"And whoever Macavity's source is could not have known Mistoffelees was a Grimalkin. Otherwise, they would have known Mistoffelees would use his abilities to get Old Deuteronomy back and Macavity wouldn't have struck. That would also explain why there was no counter attack. Macavity learned about the Grimalkin and knew any furthur attacks would be useless."

They were walking pretty quickly. Bageera seemed to know exactly where he was going.

"But that still leaves everyone as a suspect. Nobody knew he was Grimalkin," Jazz said. "Old Deuteronomy just told everyone that Mistoffelees' powers were too dangerous."

"Old Deuteronomy knew that he was part Grimalkin," Bageera continued. "And I'd bet my collar that he would have told Munkustrap."

"Great. So we can cross off Munkustrap," Jazz said.

"Word would have spread," Bageera continued, "no matter how quiet Munkustrap was. He would have told someone, Alonzo most likely, then he would have told someone and so on and so on. Or, they could have been discussing it and someone could have over heard it. And I would bet that the Rum Tum would have learned about it in his duties. And with all of the young Queens he entertains, he's sure to have let it slip once or twice."

They were coming up on the area where the majority of dens were grouped. Bageera began to move from one den to the next, looking in them as discretely as possible. He wasn't sure which den he was after, but he knew it would be here.

"Then who?" Jazz asked, quietly. "What? Where are you going with this?"

Bageera paused outside of one den, an old desk half, and made a grin.

"Right here."

Bageera burst into the den, surprising those within. The two Jellicles looked at Bageera and Jazz in shock and somewhat in fear. The queen let out a screech of fear as the tom pulled her behind him. He herded her into a corner and tried to hide her completely from view.

"What's going on?" the queen asked.

"What do you want?" the tom asked.

"All right, Mungojerrie," Bageera said, glaring at the thief with hate dripping from his gaze. "You and I are going to have a little chat."

xxx

Bageera grabbed Mungojerrie by the chest fur and slammed him into a wall. Then he threw him to the ground. Mungojerrie went rolling into Rumpelteazer, who knelt down and held onto him.

"What's going on?" Rumpelteazer whined. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"This is Jazz and Bageera," Mungojerrie said.

Rumpelteazer's eyes widened. Bageera ignored her and grabbed Mungojerrie again. He dragged him across the den and threw him down on the pillows and such they used for bedding.

"What do you know about Mistoffelees?" Bageera demanded.

"What?" Mungojerrie asked, rubbing his face to make sure the scratches hadn't started to bleed again.

Bageera grabbed him by the chest fur again and lifted him up so that they were face to face.

"I'm not in the best of moods, right now," Bageera said. "I suggest you stop screwing with me and start talking."

"He doesn't know anything," Rumpelteazer sobbed from where Jazz had her. "He didn't have anything to do with the Ball. He doesn't work for Macavity anymore."

"Shut up!" Bageera bellowed at her at the top of his lungs. The sound was loud enough to rattle the drawer rails of the desk they were in.

The queen shrank back in spite of herself.

"Now start talking," Bageera said. "Mistoffelees. What do you know about him?"

"He…" Mungojerrie stammered. "He came a couple months ago and was denied-"

"I know that part," Bageera said. "Who sponsored him in the first place?"

"A queen named Grizabella," Mungojerrie said. "She was named the Jellicle Choice at the Ball."

"And who sponsored him the second time?" Bageera snapped.

"The Rum Tum Tugger."

Bageera sighed through gritted teeth. He let Mungojerrie down and frowned, placing a paw to his head in thought.

"Do you know what a Grimalkin is?" he asked.

"Yeah," Mungojerrie said. "They were the familiars of witches, possessing some measure of their master's power, but they were supposed to have all been killed centuries ago. Why?"

Bageera was silent, waiting for the pins to click in Mungojerrie's head until he finally volunteered the desired information.

"Wait a minute," Mungojerrie said. "You don't think Mistoffelees is a Grimalkin, do you?"

"Do you?" Bageera asked.

Mungojerrie was silent for a while. He looked over at Rumpelteazer, who was trying to get past Jazz. Then he looked back up at Bageera. His voice was steady when he spoke.

"Yes. Yes I do. I was nosing about near Munkustrap and the Tugger a while back, a few days before Quaxo was accepted. I heard them talking about it."

"Who have you told?" Bageera asked Mungojerrie.

"I haven't told anyone other than Rumpelteazer," Mungojerrie said.

"And how many have you told?" Bageera asked Rumpelteazer.

"Nobody," the queen answered. "Mungojerrie told me not to say anything."

"Jazz?" Bageera asked.

"I don't think so," she answered.

Bageera's head snapped in Jazz's direction. "You're positive?"

"Yeah," Jazz said.

Bageera let out an irritated snarl of disappointment. Then he turned and stormed from the den. Outside were the Jellicles that the noise had drawn out. Bageera ignored them and stalked back to his den. The crowd parted for him. Jazz was right behind him.

xxx

"What the hell was that about?" Jazz asked once they were back in their crate.

"Why'd he do it?" Bageera asked, more to himself than anything. "Everlasting Cat damn it, why'd he do it?"

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you just got yourself into?"

"I don't remember you trying to stop me," Bageera said.

"Because I wouldn't have been able to," Jazz said. "So I figured I might as well let you do what you were going to do."

Bageera began to pace. "He had a reason," he muttered. "There has to be another motive."

"Mungojerrie?" Jazz asked. She already knew the answer. But she also knew Bageera well enough to know that it was the only way to get him to continue.

"You're certain," Bageera said. "You are absolutely positive that Mungojerrie wasn't lying about knowing Mistoffelees is Grimalkin?"

"As sure as I can be," Jazz said.

"How about who they told?"

"He was telling the truth," Jazz said. "Why? What are you thinking? Talk to me."

"If Mungojerrie were Macavity's source, he would have told Macavity about Mistoffelees; Macavity would never have tried to take Deuteronomy if he even suspected a Grimalkin was nearby. Especially if that Grimalkin wanted in as badly as Mistoffelees, who would do whatever he could to be accept-"

He stopped abruptly. His eyes widened as something crossed his mind. He thought desperately, trying to bring images and ideas to the front of his mind. How could he have missed it? Was he that angry at Mungojerrie? Was his rage really that blinding? So blinding as to obscure what was so obvious? That was the reason! It could still be Mungojerrie!

"That's kind of a stretch, isn't it?" Jazz asked, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"I need to see Mistoffelees' old den," Bageera said, ignoring Jazz's remark.

He began to make his way to the door, but Jazz stopped him.

"You can go in the morning," she said, ushering Bageera to his sleeping spot.

They laid down and curled up. Jazz was asleep in minutes. Bageera was too busy brooding over this new information.

It can still be Mungojerrie, he thought. It has to be.

xxx

Please review and revisit for chapter 7.