Ok, now, a word of warning - this chapter is extremely GRAPHIC, and, it gets extremely WEIRD! If you don't understand any part of this chapter, please don't review with flames. Be as polite and understanding asyou can, and I'll do my best to make the next chapter more sensible.Finally, the truth about what happened to the 'tragic lovers', Growltiger and Griddlebone...also some interesting news revealed...oh, I'd better just let you read the damn thing...

Growltiger lunged forward, and slashed at me. I ducked, then swiped at him. He dodged. For a few minutes, we went on like this swiping, missing, dodging; slashing, stumbling, ducking. Then, finally - CLANG - our swords met, and the real duel began. Though I'd never had any training in sword-fighting, I soon got the hang of it. But, I was nothing compared to Growltiger, and, as he beat me further, and further back, I realized just what I'd let myself in for.

Desperately thinking, I managed to throw my attacker off balance just long enough to dash to the edge of the ship. But, when I got there, I found my last hope of escape had disappeared, for we had, somehow, sailed right out of London, and were now floating in the middle of the OCEAN!

I just could not hold back the gasp that echoed from my throat. Turning around, I saw Growltiger closing in on me, a nasty sneer on his face. Griddlebone was nowhere in sight. For a split second, I considered my options, then seeing no way out of my horribly fatal-looking situation, I sighed deeply, before throwing my sword to 1 side and raising my paws in surrender, knowing the end had come. I fancied I could almost see the Heaviside Layer approaching now. I closed my eyes, waiting for The Death Strike.

It never came. I looked up, to see Growltiger standing with his back to me, calling Griddlebone. Suddenly, I knew what I had to do. Lunging sideways, I grabbed my sword, rolled to my feet and flew at Growltiger, ignoring my mother's screams. With a well-placed swipe, I managed to knock his sword from his paw (I think that was mainly down to luck), and drive him backwards - towards the plank! Hearing a yell behind me, I turned, and my sword stabbed Griddlebone's stomach. Disregarding this, I yanked it out, turned with lightning speed to continue driving the villain back - and received a vicious slash to my shoulder. Growltiger had regained his sword! Pain struck me, but I ignored it and continued fighting, mustering all my strength, and finally knocking Growltiger's sword flying once more.

Realizing it was now or never, I dived forward, and drove him back, until he was finally on the edge of the plank. I was about to drive him off, when it struck me that that would probably be no good, as he was naturally a sea-cat, and could most likely swim (I realized later that this quick thinking was the best thing I could've done, but for an entirely different reason). Looking into his eyes one last time, I surged forward, and, and...

...gave a triumphant yell, as my sword penetrated the fiend's heart! I stabbed it as deep as I could, then, with an almighty heave, pushed him off the plank, listening for the splash, as he hit the murky waters.

Finally satisfied, I turned to try and find an escape route - and found half the crew closing in on me!

Realizing my options were try and swim for it or die, I chose the preferred choice, and leapt off the plank - landing back in the River Thames! I looked up, to see the barge still looming over me. Figuring I was probably not on the crew's 'Favorites' list, I struck out for the bank, and arrived within moments. However, by this time I was incredibly weary, and only the sound of something hitting the water behind me made me drag together my last ounces of strength, and pull myself up a chain hanging from the bank.

When I was safely on ground, though I very much wanted to take a breather, I could hear someone swimming towards the bank, and fearing 'slightly' for my well-being, I began to dash off into the night - then I remembered Bomba and changed direction. Soon, I was hidden in the front yard of one of the old warehouses. Deciding I'd better find Bomba as soon as possible, I snuck into the warehouse and began to search for her, always on the alert for a hidden. After thoroughly searching the entire warehouse, without luck, I returned to the exit, and was just about to leave, when a silky voice froze me on the spot.

"Looking for something, are we?"

It was neither a feline nor a canine voice - it sounded like both! Slowly, I turned on the spot - and gasped when I saw, not 2 metres away, staring at me from unblinking, amber-brown eyes, a vixen! Though I had heard of foxes (and literally heard them too!) I had never come into contact with such a beautiful, yet deadly creature as this, nor did I have any desire to do so. Backing up slightly, I stammered "N-n-no, I was just, um, having a look round, to see if I could, er, find a place for me and my friend to- to stay tonight."

She clearly didn't buy it, but pretended she did.

"Oh, really," she whispered (almost purred) in that voice that was so enticing, and yet so lethal ", well, in that case, I don't believe we can, be of service to one another. Of course," she added, slyly ", if you happened to be to be looking for a ginger queen, well

...but I don't suppose you are. Oh, well, that would be my ticket to leave."

So saying, she swirled her marvelous tail, and turned to leave, but suddenly, all my fear was replaced by curiosity, and I said, in a rather small voice at first "Um, excuse me?"

Pausing, elegantly poised with 1 paw raised in the air, she turned and smiled at me.

"Yes?"

Gaining a bit more confidence, I said "Er, you, er, mentioned a, a red queen?"

For a second she seemed to pause in thought, then she said, all the while grinning "Ah, so you are looking for her! Well, I might just be able to help you out there."

Turning, she walked slowly back towards me, sitting down about a metre away from me. My nerves returned and I quailed slightly, but I knew that I had to find out where Bomba was, so I said, sounding - and looking - much more confident than I felt "Um, so could you please tell me where she is?"

"Well, I could," she sighed ", if, perhaps you could do me favour in return!"

I just stared. Do her a favour! How on earth was I, a cat, supposed to do her, a fox, any favours? Surely there was nothing I could do, that she couldn't. Or was there?

Sensing my unease, the vixen laughed softly and said "Don't worry, cat, I'm not asking anything big."

I gave her a quizzical look, making her laugh harder, before holding up her tail. I'd been so busy admiring her earlier that I hadn't noticed it before but now I did - tied to that gorgeous bushy tail, were three tin cans. The fur around the cans had been pulled back, and even pulled out in places (I guessed the vixen had tried to get them off, without success).

All my fear suddenly gone, I said "Who did this to you?"

"Human's. A group of merciless children," she answered, a slight snarl on her lips.

I nodded understandingly, then without bothering to ask her what she wanted done, I moved closer to the vixen, and studied the cans. Then, I set to work. My sharp little teeth soon made quick work of the cans, and the vixen stood up and swished her tail, free once more.

I waited for her to tell me where Bomba was. After a couple of swishes, she sat down again, and said "So, I suppose you want to know where this queen of yours is then?"

I nodded eagerly. She gave me a rather serious, before saying "Well, I don't know if this will be any consolation to you, but she was taken away by the night-patrol. I saw them come with their van and nets and other human nonsense. They've taken her to the pound, I'm afraid!"

I sighed, but secretly I was kinda glad. At least nothing really bad had happened to her. Thanking the vixen I turned to leave, but she called after me.

"Say, cat, I didn't catch your name!"

"Tugger," I replied, turning and grinning at her ", Rum Tum Tugger."

"Vixeytiket," she said, with a grin ", but, if we meet again, or if you need me, ask for Tiket. That's what everyone calls me."

I nodded, and then left. As nice as she was, I didn't think I'd be meeting her again - she wasn't really my style, and I preferred the safe life anyway...