The days kept dragging on and on without a much change in the Jellicle Junkyard. Apart from some initial reactions Lenny hadn't even stirred and Jennyanydots was starting to lose hope in a possible recovery of the young black cat. She had tried to warn his brother, but Quaxo was completely deaf to any hint regarding that particular occurrence and so she stopped trying. In the meantime the friendship between the small magician and the bigger Maine coon was growing steadier and deeper by the day. Everybody, included Munkunstrap, had expected the flirt of the tribe to screw up, to push away even the small tuxedo, but as the days passed none of this happened and the two cats were closer than ever.
Of course that meant that someone had started spreading rumors about an intimate relationship between the two toms, thanks to Etcetera's over detailed description of strange noises coming from Tugger's den one night. If the young queen had just been able to see the scene inside she would have found out that the two cats were only trying to disentangle themselves from a rope that Quaxo had conjured during a trick that had definitely gotten out of hand. None of the two cats seemed particularly fazed by the rumors: the younger because he didn't have any "special" cat in mind and was perfectly content in living his life as it was, and the older one because the thought that the Tribe didn't shun them out because they were, allegedly, having a relationship, gave him hope that, when and if his true love was going to be declared the Jellicles were going to be exactly this understanding.
Because the Maine coon had fallen head over heels in love with the still sleeping black cat in the Healer's Den. He couldn't recall the exact moment in which everything had become clear to him but he knew, without the slightest doubt, that the black tom-kit had stolen his heart forever.
Ha had never meant to tell anybody anything, but after a particular rough night with Quaxo, that involved heavy drinking to forget the situation in which Lenny lied, his mouth had open on hi own accord and the truth had come out. The next morning, nursing an hangover from Hell, the memory of his confession had come crushing down on him and he thought he had lost everything once again. Deciding he didn't want to find out how much his best friend hated his guts he had fled from the Yard. It had taken Quaxo, who had a matching hangover, a couple of days worth of tracking, before he was able to locate the coon. Gently extricating him from the mess he had managed to get tangled into he took in the disheveled appearance of his best friend: dirt all over his fur, and knots in the mane and definitely he had gone without eating for more than two days.
Without giving the coon time to flee again he had him roped in mid-air and while he was making sure the older tom hadn't any major internal bleeding said tom was whimpering idiotic and pathetic excuses.
"Oh shut it you moron! If you love him than try to have some love for yourself! I'm not going to be your nanny or have my brother kill me on sight because I let you reduce yourself in this pitiful state!"
Shocked Tugger had only managed to gape, like an idiot, at the younger tom.
"Oh for the love of the Everlasting Cat Tugger! Close your mouth before you ingest a fly! Of course I have nothing against you pursuing my brother! What kind of an hypocrite do you think I would be if I said you were my best friend and then I was going to tell my brother you're scum! Plus it isn't like he needs my permission to hook up with someone! Just…if you hurt him, than you'll wish you have never been born! Are we clear?"
Without waiting for an answer the magician just poofed back into the Yard and back to his own den, smiling all the way thinking about the heart attack the Maine coon was sure to get when Lenny revealed his biggest secret.
You just have to get well again sis! Your biggest dream is about to come true and I really need you! I never knew how you could handle all the pression every time I got hurt in the past…
"Well now you know why I usually stand in the way of anything that might hurt you! I'd rather suffer physically that mentally whenever you managed to get injured!"
A powerful yell followed by a loud and smoky explosion alerted all the Tribe that their magician was experiencing some troubles.
Munkus, followed by Alonzo, Tumblebrutus and Demeter, were the first to arrive to the crime scene, where the whole Tribe gathered a couple of minutes later. When the smoke finally cleared a bit every single Jellicle was completely frozen in front of something that, even the most hopeful of them, never thought to see again.
"Are you completely mental Quaxo? I thought you had your power under control! Oh Everlasting Cat! That blast could have killed anyone that didn't have enough experience to dodge it!"
"You moronic idiot!"
That remark and the sparks flying from the black and white fur had everybody, including Tugger, take a step back. They had never seen the magician so pissed and at his beloved brother nonetheless!
"Why in the name of the Everlasting Cat did you sneak up on me like that? I thought you were on death's door and I was worried sick about you and without warning you just appear out of thin air just to scare me out of my mind? You know that when I'm worried my powers surface!"
"Oh I'm the moronic idiot? Do you really think I don't know you like the back of my hand? Did you really think that I expected you to freak out like this? The only think I didn't do to announce myself was calling the Fire Brigade! I talked, yelled, snapped my fingers, clapped my hands, stomped my feet…the whole shenanigans! But no! Mr. Magician over there was in his personal world! And now is my fault you almost blew us up?"
And with that the taller black cat punched his brother directly in the face and without waiting for a reaction stormed away from the gaping Jellicles who had witnessed the scene.
Tugger was the first one to move after the shock and quickly ran to the smaller cat's side to check any damage. Growling softly he noticed the upper lip starting to swell and decided to take action: oh yes he was head over heels in love with the black cat but he had no right to punch his best friend who had been nothing but extremely worried for him!
Before he could get up and chase the younger tom, the feline beside him chuckled under his breath:
"Oh great Bast! He can definitely pack a good punch! Exactly what I needed, but he always knows what I need even before I do!"
Completely convinced his best friend had gone mad the coon opened his mouth to formulate what might have been the stupidest question of all: "What?"
Before his, and all the Tribe's curiosity, was satisfied the tux, again poofed out of there and on the tallest pile of junk in the Yard, where his brother was staring at the horizon. Without uttering a single word except a soft "Thank you!" he opened his arms and lost himself in the soft black fur of his, for now, taller brother.
They had been staring at the horizon for less than five minutes when Jenny's love-struck yell of "BUSTOPHER!" had both their hearts jump in their throat!
Misto what do we do now? Uncle Bustopher knows you have a twins sister and definitely NOT a black, lean and taller that you brother! He'll expose us!
Ok, don't panic Helena! You just awoke from a terrible incident right? So you shouldn't be up and about to greet Uncle, so I can manage to direct him to our den and you can talk to him in there?
How on earth are we supposed to get rid of everybody and most of all how do we keep everybody from telling him about Lenny's condition?
Oh Great Bast Lena, I really don't know!
"Quaxo!"
And here we go, be ready to run like the wind sis, because I think our cover has just been blown to pieces!
"Quaxo my dear nephew how are you?"
"I'm fine Uncle Bustopher, and you?"
Misto, why hasn't he called with your given name? I mean he should know that Quaxo was our cousin's name and that you are Mistoffelees…
I really haven't got a clue, but maybe everything will play out in our favor if he had me confused with our cousin. He did have a brother right?
"Oh well, nephew never better! The clubs are in uproar at the moment so all of the best society in out and about! Where that good-for-nothing brother of yours? That Kenny?"
Good-for-nothing? I'm definitely NOT good-for-nothing and neither was sweet cousin Kenny! He simply despised being an uppity cat! I don't see anything bad in that!
Lena calm down please! I know Kenny was your favorite cousin and all but now his reputation is exactly what will save us from being exposed so play along and be a good kitty! I promise you we'll go hunting together and we'll practice our powers when this is finished.
"The name is Lenny Uncle, and he just recovered from a terrible accident with a Pollicle! At the moment he is in our den, resting, but I can call him if you like to have a word with him…"
"I knew he was trouble the first time I saw him! He should come and live with me so he can get straightened up a bit!"
The enormous black and white cat hadn't even finished speaking that the small tux had lounged for him, claws unsheathed and power ready to be used.
Luckily for the Cat about Town that attack never landed on his person having been blocked mid-air by a black shadow that punched the tuxedo and pinned him down in order to restrain him.
"Quaxo STOP! I won't go anywhere and you know it! He has been saying this thing since we were kids and I always refused to follow him! Nothing is different now!"
Misto please! Come back to you senses! I swear I'm not going anywhere! Nothing will separate us, but now come back to me big brother!
Lena? What are you doing? Why are you pinning me down?
You blacked out into the power when Uncle told you he wanted to take me away…
Oh Bast! Did I actually harm anyone? Uncle?
He is fine! I'm a bit bruised and sore because your power managed to overpower the small defenses I had up, but other than me, nobody's harmed. Now can I let you go? 'cause everybody else is getting edgy! We've been growling at each other for the past five minutes!
And with that the smaller feline felt the pressure lifting and was able to get up and smile at the Tribe, so to reassure them, and especially Tugger, that he hadn't gone completely mad.
Munkunstrap smiled back, he had understood, as well as everybody else what had compelled the magician to react like this. His brother had just come back to him and now Bustopher had suggested to separate them again. The Silver Tabby just knew he would have reacted in the same way. But apparently Bustopher wasn't a very forgiving cat:
"I just knew you two were trouble the moment you came into the world! I told your mother that but she didn't listen! Why couldn't you be like Mistoffelees and Heleiana? Those two definitely are good and polite cats!"
A hollow and terrifying laugh erupted from the chapped lips of the black tom-kit.
"Be like sweet little Heleiana and Mistoffelees you say? Oh yes they were both nice and polite cats but, Uncle, the key word, is were."
"What do you mean Kenny?"
"They. Are. Dead!"
A collective gasp came from the entire tribe. Nobody ever knew what had compelled the two brothers to run and come to the Jellicles in desperate need of protection. Sure, they knew that their family had been slaughtered, but nothing more and nobody had evere had the courage to ask one of the felines to relieve those horrible moments. But apparently their curiosity was about to be satisfied anyway, and possibly in the worst way ever.
"The Cat about Town doesn't know the latest gossip? Oh c'mon Uncle…this is not even new stuff, I mean all the facts have happened almost six months ago. You seriously didn't know anything?"
The sarcasm was heavily evident in the younger cat, but none of the Jellicles made any attempt to scold him of force him to use a more subdued tone. Something told them that the story they were about to hear wasn't going to be a pretty one and the two brothers probably needed as much shielding and comfort they could manage.
"No, nephew I have heard a single thing, probably because what you're about to narrate doesn't concern the good society!"
"Oh well Uncle, I might agree with you that it doesn't concern the good society, but somehow I have this feeling that it might concern you!, Probably best if you seat down, I'd really do not want to haul your sorry ass from the pavement when I'm done…"
Misto, brother, just get out of here, or at least seat with Tugger. I know that what I'm about to narrate isn't going to be easy for you to relieve and I'm sorry I have to do this…
Lena, sister, loved one, I survived the ordeal…relieving it will not be as painful. Plus you might act strong and mighty but I know you have a very fluffy core inside of you. I'm not leaving your side, nor now nor ever.
"It all happened one moonless night almost six months ago…"
