Part 4

Munkustrap woke when he heard a faint tapping on the window. He looked up and saw his mate Demeter and her sister Bombalurina sit in the window. He nudged Tugger and the manned cat looked at the window and his smile widened.

"Good wakeup call", he said and stretched. "And the rain has stopped too."

Munkustrap was out of the house as fast as he could. Tugger trotted after him.

"Dem", Munkustrap said and hugged her. "How are you?"

"We're all fine and we need you badly."

"What", Munkustrap asked. "What's wrong?"

"We better show you."


The four of them rounded the corner and would be at the junkyard when the two toms stopped dead in their tracks. The gates were closed!

"Oh no", Munk said and hurried over to the assembled cats.

"Munkustrap", Skimble called. "Thank Everlasting cat. Look at this!"

"I see it Skimble."

"Whoa", Tugger said. "Can't we get in?"

"No", Mungojerrie said he had a bump on his forehead. "Me an' Teazah 'as been 'round the w'ole yard. But there's no way oin."

"How about your entrance", Munkustrap asked.

"Gave Jerrie 'is bump", Teazer said. "We ran in an' su'enly Jerri jus' stoppe' an' cuss'. 'e 'it 'is 'ead in somethin 'e did."

"Have you made contact with Alonzo and the others?"

"No", Skimble said then sighed. "And we think Pouncival might be with them too."

"What", Munkustrap exclaimed.

"The lad was supposed to go with Victoria and Tumble so we thought he was with them."

"And we thought he'd decided to go home with Jelly and Gus", Tumblebrutus said.

"Right", Munkustrap said and sighed. "Let's get contact first. Who is the loudest shouter?"

Everyone looked at him.

"Fine", he grumbled. "Cover your ears... ALONZO!"


The four cats inside the yard looked at each other and Alonzo took off and jumped into the water and swam over to the gate. He got to where the pipe was, but it was under water so his paws barely reached it. When he got a good footing he looked up towards the gate and saw a small window-like hole. He took a jump... but missed and fell into the water. He got up and tried again. This time he got it. He hung onto the hole and peaked out and saw the entire tribe. No one saw him though and Munkustrap was about to yell again.

"Munk", Alonzo yelled.


"CORICOPAT!"

No answer.

"Did anyone hear a splash", Demeter asked.

"I only heard my dear brother", Tugger grunted. "Can't you scream a bit louder?"

Munkustrap glared at him and prepared to yell again but then...

"Munk!" They all looked around.

"That was Alonzo", Cassandra said.

"Alonzo", Munkustrap asked and looked around. "Where are you?"

"Up here!" The cats looked up and saw a black and white face in a small hole. "Glad you all look dry and comfy."

"Alonzo", Munkustrap exclaimed. "Are you okay?"

"I'm hanging on", Alonzo answered and shrugged.

"What does it look like from where you are?"

"Well you don't look any better from this height and distance if that's what you mean."

"Very funny."

"Hey give me some slack! This place is a mess... wait more like a lake."

"Is Pouncival with you", Tumblebrutus asked.

"He's... across the lake."

"What lake", Tugger asked.

"The new junkyard-lake whoa!" Alonzo lost his grip and this time everyone heard the splash.

"Alonzo", Munkustrap exclaimed. "Are you alright?"

They waited for a moment and then saw two paws grab onto the edge of the hole again.

"Yeah I'm fine Munk... Now we want to get out and you want to get in."

"Yeah", Tugger said. "Any idea on how to do that?"

"Yes... move that rotten car engine blocking the pipe. The four of us can't do it on our own. But if some of you goes into the pipe and push we might be able to pull it aside enough for the water to leak out."

"Can't you just blast it away Misto", Quaxo asked his brother.

"If you want an explosion that might hurt anyone then yes I can", Misto answered. "Won't it be dangerous for those in the pipe?"

"I suppose", Alonzo said. "But what choice do we have?"

"Right", Munkustrap said. "I'll do it... who's with me?"

"I am", Admetus said.

"Me too", Asparagus said.

"Count me in", Plato said.

"That should do it", Alonzo said. "Just hang on while I gather my troops. Oi! Ori, Mil, Po get over here!" Alonzo disappeared and a splash was heard again.

"Who the heck was he talking to", Tugger whispered to Tumblebrutus.


"Are you sure about this", Pouncival asked the other two.

"It's just like running Po", Tantomile said as she got into the water. "Ori take that rope with you."

"B-but..."

"Po", Alonzo yelled. "No spoilt kitten remember?"

"Okay, okay Zo I get it! Everlasting cat..."


"Whoa", Misto said, he'd levitated up to the hole carrying Munk with him to give them some view of how it looked. "It is a lake."

"Yes", Munk said. "And look who's swimming in it..."

They saw Coricopat and Tantomile and Pouncival swim towards the gate. They also saw Alonzo take the rope from Coricopat and dive beneath the surface and then reappear.

"Munk", Alonzo then yelled. "We're ready!"

"Okay", Munk yelled back and they went back to the ground. "You three come with me!"

The four toms went into the pipe and were ready to push.

"On three", Munkustrap spoke and so did Tantomile who was relaying his thoughts to the others. "One..." Alonzo and Coricopat dove. "Two..." Pouncival and Tantomile started to swim. "Three!" Both teams pulled and pushed and small opening appeared and water started to zip through. "One more time! One two three!" They managed to move the engine a few centimeters more and water cascaded into the pipe.


"This will take too long", Coricopat yelled to the outside. "We have to get rid of the engine!"

"Misto", Demeter said. "Can't you shrink it?"

"Maybe... everybody stay clear!"

"Wait", the strays and Pouncival yelled but no one heard them and Misto got to work. With a small poof the engine shrunk and the pipe could now lead out much water. The strays had grabbed onto anything they could and Alonzo held on to an old barrel with one paw and he held on to Pouncival with his other arm and the kitten clung to him in horror as the water rushed out. When the water slowed down and wasn't as high the strays let themselves drop into the water. They could still stand but on wobbly legs. Pouncival hung onto Alonzo's back, since he was so much smaller.

"I hate water", a voice said from the pipe and they saw Munkustrap struggle against the water to get inside. "You guys okay?"

When he got inside Alonzo allowed himself the luxury to collapse on his side and lied there panting.

"Just wonderful", he said. "Sweet Everlasting cat..."


Soon all the cats could get inside and looked around to note the damage... most of the dens were destroyed by the flood. Jelly was hugging Pouncival to her and refused to let him go. Everyone else was nuzzling the three tired and weak strays. Munk was at Alonzo's side as soon as he'd nuzzled with the other two and refused to leave. The black and white tom looked awfully sick. Tugger tried to raise the mood telling the four very wet cats that they looked like drenched rats. That only got him glares from the cats in question.

"You okay Alonzo", Munkustrap asked after a while.

"What do you think?" Alonzo answered weekly. "Man we only had time to get a small amount of dry food just before you arrived... before that we've not eaten in a blasted week."

"Alonzo saved my life a few times mum", Pouncival said. "Cori and Tanto did too and I've learned how to swim!"

"Everlasting cat", Skimble laughed. "The poor lad is turning into a stray!"

Not three but eight growls raised one extremely loud from Alonzo. The patched tom rose and lunged at the other cat pressing him down.

"It's nothing wrong with being a stray", Alonzo yelled. "Got it?"

Everyone stared at Alonzo in shock; he was exhausted but had gotten enough energy by his anger to press down Skimble.

"Alonzo calm down", Munk pulled him off of the railway cat.

"I'm sick and tired of being looked down upon because I'm a stray", Alonzo growled at him.

"So are we", the twins spoke.

"If you think it's so bad being a stray maybe the three of us should just leave right here and now."

"No", Tumblebrutus yelled and ran forward and hugged Alonzo. "No you can't leave! I don't look down on you for being strays! I envy you?"

"What?"

"You're so free", Tumblebrutus continued. "So strong. You could survive anything... we can't."

"I shouldn't have if it wasn't for you Lonz", Pouncival said. "Strays are good too. You're just different."

"And sometimes", Munkustrap said friendly. "Different is good and needed."

Alonzo sighed. "I don't speak for the twins... but I'll stay."

"We will too", the twins spoke. Pouncival noted how different they were now. More mysterious and they only spoke in unison. "But if there are more of these remarks we will leave."

"Then we'll have to try and keep those comments to our selves", Munkustrap said. "So... now the four of you just need to dry off and rest. Tomorrow we'll start cleaning up this place."

"Note to self", Alonzo spoke as he limped away to get some sleep. "If you're tense when you feel there's a storm in the air... check the trunk and emergency exits."


The end - my first cats fic... found it while I was looking through my computer