Part 3
Alonzo was so tired, too tired to stand, too tired to think and absolutely too tired to climb up a pile of junk, which he knew was needed when the pile they were lying on started to glide.
"Alonzo", Pouncival shook him. "Come on we have to move!" The rain had finally stopped and the storm was over. But the strays were all weak; Pouncival was the only one that was still strong. The kitten had fallen into the water a few times and the other cats had had to save him. That's why they were so tired, that and the fact that they hadn't eaten for a weak. Alonzo had managed to catch a bird that had been stupid enough to get out in the rain. It had been forced to land on the opposite of the small "lake" and Alonzo had swum over and killed it, swum back and gave it to the kitten. He told Tantomile and Coricopat he needed it more than them. They had both agreed.
Pouncival looked at Alonzo's sleeping face. He'd tried to wake Tantomile and Coricopat but hadn't succeeded. Now he started to panic, so he started to sob and a tear hit Alonzo's cheek.
"Wake up please Alonzo", Pouncival said. "Please... I can't wake the others. I need you Alonzo. You're supposed to be second in command! You can't just give up like this!" More tears fell on Alonzo's face.
"I thought it had stopped raining", Alonzo grumbled and opened his eyes.
"Yes Alonzo", Pouncival cheered.
"Po", Alonzo asked as he sat up. "What is it?"
"This junk pile is starting to glide Lonz. It will soon be in the water! I can't wake Tanto or Corico."
"Okay", Alonzo rose and swayed a little, then he rolled he shoulders and look as good as new. "Po I'll need your help."
"I'll do whatever you say."
"Good... you'll need to swim."
"Swim?!"
"We need to get these two", he pointed at Coricopat on the ground beside his feet and Tantomile inside the den. "To that!" he pointed to a junk pile across the lake. "Munk and Dem's den is there and so is Cassie's. That pile is also more secure than this one and won't start to glide. I can't carry three cats over the lake so you will have to help me Po."
"I-I can't."
"No it's not time to be a kitten", Alonzo growled and hurried over to an old door and pulled it over to were Coricopat lied. "Stick with the situation Po!"
"But I can't swim! It's unnatural! Cats don't like water! Only strays does!"
Alonzo glared at him over his shoulder as he moved Coricopat's sleeping form to the door.
"You say that as if it is a bad thing", Alonzo growled.
"I-I didn't mean t-"
"Po this is not the time to be a spoilt kitten. Look around you. Two of your friends are in danger because you are afraid of getting wet! You will swim end of discussion. You're a stray now Po! Deal with it!" With that last words screamed he went inside his den to fetch Tantomile and put her down on the door.
"Now get yourself useful", Alonzo snapped. "Get over here and into the water!"
"Alonzo... I-I'm just a kitten..."
"When I was your age I fought pollicles out on the street, I ran from humans, I fought and ran from foxes and I swam! Pouncival, you're much braver and stronger than you think. All you need to do", he sank into the water and grabbed the door with one paw and held the other out to Pouncival. "Is dare taking the step and get into the water."
Pouncival looked at the patched tom, then the water and then took Alonzo's paw. Alonzo smiled and held on while Pouncival sunk into the water.
"Good", Alonzo said. "Now since you can't swim... hold on to the door with your front paws and kick with your back paws. I'll swim in front and drag this boat along." It was a rope attached to the door which Alonzo took between his teeth and started to swim. Pouncival did as he was told and kicked with his paws and smiled widely when they moved forward.
"I'm doing it!" he called happily. "Alonzo I'm doing it!"
It didn't take them too long to reach the other pile and just as they were dragging the door onto it they saw how the other fell into the water.
"There goes my den", Alonzo shrugged and put down Coricopat on the ground. "Hey sleeping beauty get up!"
Coricopat stirred and his eyes fluttered open. He sat up slowly.
"Zo... where are we", he asked confused.
Alonzo explained what had happened as they got Tantomile to shore and into the den. Coricopat stayed inside to sleep, but Pouncival went outside and sat down. Alonzo came and sat down beside him.
"You did good Po", he said softly. "Better than I thought you would."
"Thanks."
"You know the first time I fell into the water I was with my parents." Pouncival looked at him with big eyes. None of the kittens knew of Alonzo's story, the patched tom had always been there and no one had been brave enough to ask about his parents.
"We were in the park see", Alonzo continued. "And I fell into the Thames and my parents thought I was dead. I was swept far away from them... I still don't know where they are. I knew that to survive I had to do something. I tried to run." Pouncival couldn't help but snigger at that. "Mind you I was younger than you. But it turned out... that is the way to do it. Run in the water. When I managed to get to shore I was fished up by a cat... guess who."
"Old Deuteronomy?"
"Nope."
"Jelly."
"Not even close."
"Oh I know scrawny Lilac!"
Alonzo laughed. "He sure wasn't scrawny then. But yes... how do you know about him anyway?"
"Tugger told us about him. How he climbed flagpoles to steal the top and flag, how he jumped between houses and rooftops, how he ran across London and how he swam across the Thames!"
"Much of that isn't true. But Lilac fished me up and took me here. Jenny and Jelly took care of me and then I met Munk, Tugger and Coricopat and Tantomile."
"Did you try to find your parents?"
"Yes... Gone."
"Dead?"
"No just gone. Would you call my name English?"
"No... not really. More Italian or Spanish... Oh your parents were not English!"
"Nope they sure weren't. I had a hard time here at first since I only understood and spoke Italian. Now I don't think I'd understand much. My parents and I were travelling on a boat. When I 'died' they must have left with it."
"So Lilac... did you speak Italian when you he got you?"
"Yeah... he didn't understand. But for some reason Old D did. He talked to me and calmed me down. Munk was a great help teaching me English."
"Cool."
"Hey you two", Tantomile said. "Munkustrap and Demeter might just have saved our lives."
"How come", Alonzo asked tiredly.
"Boss and boss lady kept a stash in here", Coricopat said as he came out with some dry food. "Eat it."
They enjoyed their meal but suddenly Alonzo stood up.
"What is it Zo?" Coricopat asked.
"Did you guys hear that?" Alonzo asked.
The other three listened and first there was nothing but then...
"Alonzo", came a faint voice.
"Munkustrap they exclaimed.
TBC
