A.N. Alright, literally, 10 minutes after I posted Chapter 6, V137 reviewed…THANK YOU! That means so much to me!
So guys, this is Chapter 7. I said I wanted at least 50 reviews by this chapter, but I guess that did not happen. 50 by Chapter 10? Please? Pretty please with Tugger on top?
Also, one of my reviewers pointed out a few good things. I do want to clear up the CoriXTeazer thing and the location.
CoriXTeazer – So I did try to infer that Cori liked Teazer, both with Tantomile's message and with the statement "And…..maybe he was thinking about Rumpleteazer….." but I apologize if that was not clear. I didn't want to infer too heavily because I did want it to be a bit of a surprise.
The location – Alright so here's my image: Macavity's hideout is way out in the middle of nowhere in a forest. About 145/150 yards away from the hideout is this clearing where a lot of the story takes place. Then if you continue through the forest for a couple of miles, you come to the Junkyard.
I hope that helps to clear up those points!
Enjoy! R&R! And I'm sorry if the second half of this chapter is depressing and somewhat sad…
"Don't ever pull that again, Jellicle."
Coricopat groaned, slowly opening his eyes. He, for once, was not in his cell. He was in some sort of little den on a cot. The room had a warm, cozy feel to it. Possibly because it was crowded with injured cats…He looked around, knowing the cat that had spoken to him was Evangeline. Sure enough, the tall Queen was sitting on a neighboring cot, sewing up a large, painful looking gash on her thigh. She glared viciously at the dark calico. Coricopat hoped that at least half of the anger in that glare was from pain. Otherwise, his next training session would be hell. Well, more hell than usual. Evangeline broke the thread using her teeth. She then moved on to a slice quite near her throat. It amazed Coricopat how she kept a straight face while sliding the needle in and out of her skin.
"Turn around! Let me see your face!"
Coricopat turned abruptly to face a slightly stressed looking Pippa. He could still see the hint of wariness in her eyes. He didn't blame her. He had acted like a mental patient the last time they had met. Noticing the various jars and supplies in her paws, he offered a small smile. Maybe this would make up for his prior insanity…
"My sister and I are assistant medics in our Tribe. Do you need some help?"
Wait, had he just offered to help Macavity's cats? What had possessed him to do that? He was too much of a gentleman to take back his offer now, but in the back of his head, his brain was still screaming and reprimanding him. Pippa looked confused and taken-aback, but she handed him four jars and a few rolls of bandages.
"I trust you know how to use these?"
Coricopat lifted the lids of the jars in turn, sniffing the contents. He gave a curt nod. Pippa turned and began doctoring the harlequin Tom next to her. Coricopat looked around for cats in need of assistance. He noticed a small brown tabby Queenkit huddled on one cot, white paws shaking, looking around nervously. He made his way over to her, kneeling on the floor beside her cot. The kit shied away from him, her bright blue eyes widening in fear. Coricopat smiled gently.
"It's alright. I'm a medic. My name's Coricopat. What's your name?"
The little tabby relaxed a bit, allowing Coricopat to take her arm.
"I-I'm Dot," she whispered.
Coricopat gave her another smile as he dabbed a thick yellow paste on the claw marks that littered her arms.
"Well, Dot is a very pretty name. And how old are you Dot?"
"F-Four months…"
Coricopat bit back a snarl. Macavity was training four month old kittens and making them fight! That was just too much! She was barely more than a baby…He forced the smile to stay on his face.
"Wow, so you're almost an adult!"
Dot giggled shyly.
"Uh huh. I'm a real good fighter too. Miss Evangeline says that I learn quicker-er then any of the other kits. Even Cronous! He's the oldest kit. A whole two months older then me!"
The oldest kit was six months? What did Macavity think he could accomplish, training these kits? Either they would turn out to be lethal killers or die before they reached their teenage years. Either way, he would ruin these kits' lives.
"I bet you're a fantastic fighter. There you go Dot, all better."
The tabby looked in awe at her arm, which was now bound tightly and neatly with white bandages. She gave Coricopat a shy smile.
"Thank you Coric-C-Corio-"
Coricopat chuckled.
"You can call me Cori."
Dot giggled.
"Okay. Thank you Cori."
The dark calico Tom smiled as she jumped off the cot and scurried away. He noticed the tuxedo Queen from the battle glaring at him, a frightening ferocity in her yellow eyes. He quickly looked away, moving on to the next cat. A pure black Queen faced the other direction on her cot. He tapped her shoulder, only to have her whirl around, raking her claws through the air quite near his face. Coricopat leaned backwards, avoiding the blow. He held up the jar in his paw.
"I-I'm a medic."
He noticed that the Queen wasn't completely black. One white stripe ran through her headfur, a stark contrast with the rest of her pitch black fur. There was something not right about her blue eyes. They were both vacant and overly focused, giving them a strange and unnerving glow. She tilted her head to one side, a slightly crazed look coming over her.
"A Jellicle as my medic? That is not right!"
She began giggling maniacally. Coricopat swallowed nervously, backing away a few steps from the Queen. He backed right into another Queenkit. The short golden-brown tabby whirled around and, seeing Coricopat's predicament, she held out her paw for the jar. Her rich gold eyes shone with wisdom many years her senior.
"I know how to work with her."
Coricopat gladly handed over the jar, hurrying away. He looked over his shoulder as he went, watching the small Queenkit treat the deranged black Queen with no signs of fear. He turned around too late, for he ran straight into Evangeline. She grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, dragging him out the door.
"You are coming with me. I have a training session and you don't have any guards at the moment. No way are you escaping…"
Coricopat hissed quietly, but allowed himself to be dragged along. He closed his eyes, just wishing he was somewhere else…
Cori! Cori! Cori please say you're there!
The voice of Tantomile in his head sounded distressed, almost as if Tantomile was, or had been crying.
Tanto, I'm here. Something's wrong…what happened? Is everyone alright?
C-Cori, Plato's dead.
Coricopat's heart stopped. He dug his heel into the ground, causing Evangeline to halt. She gave him a strange look.
"What's the hold up, Jellicle?"
Coricopat glared at her.
"Quiet," he snarled.
He closed his eyes again, focusing on his sister.
Tanto, what are you talking about? Plato he…he can't be dead…
But he is Cori! I was fighting right next to him. I saw it…
Tantomile's last statement ended in a despairing wail. Coricopat felt tears welling up in his eyes. Plato was one of his closest friends. His best friend. They had been like brothers since they were kits. Some of Coricopat's favorite memories were hunting with Plato and Tantomile. Plato had even confided in him that he had the biggest crush on Tantomile. He couldn't be dead. That quiet, calm, and friendly Tom could not be dead. He just couldn't…
D-do you know who killed him?
It was a Queen, but Cori she was like a ghost! S-She was so quick and nimble and I didn't see it coming…she was black…with one white stripe in her headfur. She fought like a trained assassin…
Coricopat whirled on Evangeline, throwing her paw from the scruff of his neck. He saw a worried glint pass through her green eyes.
"Who is that black Queen?" he snarled. "The mental one. Who is she?"
Evangeline glared at him.
"That's Bone. We call her Skitterbone. Why the hell are you asking me this?"
"Why? I'll tell you why! That psycho murdered my best friend! She murdered him!"
He fell unwillingly to his knees, the normally calm and collected Tom sobbing. He didn't care who saw him. Dead…Plato was dead…
An unexpected paw landed on his shoulder. He saw through his tears that Evangeline was kneeling next to him. Her normally rock hard green eyes seemed limpid, a few tears lingering in the outer corners of her eyes. Her paw made calming circular motions on his back.
"I'm sorry. Bone she…Macavity trained her as an assassin. She'll kill whoever he says with no regrets. There is something psychotic about her…we haven't figured it out yet but there is…"
Coricopat continued to cry, allowing the burning tears to slide down his cheeks.
"Please stand up. If anyone saw this…there'd be trouble on both ends…"
Coricopat looked miserably up at the Queen, silently begging her not to make him. To his awe, Evangeline quickly kissed the side of his face. Her lips were like ice to his burning skin and they sent a strange calming sensation through his body. He sniffed and stood, tears still falling from his green eyes.
Tanto, how is Victoria dealing with this? Or Tumble and Pounce?
Victoria won't come out of her den. Sh-She hasn't stopped crying-wait-oh, oh dear EC no-C-Cori -oh dear EC no!
Tanto! What's wrong? Are you alright? What's happening?
Oh EC Cori, Jerrie just ran over to me…he's frantic a-and he's crying. Cori-dear EC-Cori,'Teazer's missing!