Title: Stealing a Goddess (5/6)
Rating: K+
Notes: A little time has passed since "The Guardians," and Munkustrap is much more comfortable among the Jellicles now. Things seem to be looking up for him. This is set during "Power to be Strong."

Really, you should be reading this arc in order, as each story builds upon the ones which came before it.

Many thanks to Puddycat for providing Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer with their voices!

The Cats RP I participate in (as Munkustrap, Etcetera, Tumblebrutus, and a variety of minor characters) is in dire need of several characters, especially a gay Quaxo/Mistoffelees (more details on the site) and Plato, Admetus, Rumpus Cat, Jennyanydots, Jellylorum, Macavity, Electra, Bustopher, Gus, and Skimbleshanks. Come check us out at o u r j e l l i c l e s . p r o b o a r d s 5 1 . c o m

Also, I cannot resist the urge to brag (and can't believe I've kept forgetting to add this to every chapter of this story!) – I HAVE A REAL-LIFE RITZY NOW! His name is Munkus (guess what it's short for), and he's an eight-month-old silver tabby. He's the CUTEST thing! h t t p / i 2 . p h o t o b u c k e t . c o m / a l b u m s / y 6 / F a n t i s m a l S p i d e r / 2 0 0 7 0 5 0 8 N e w 0 0 0 6 . j p g

h t t p / i 2 . p h o t o b u c k e t . c o m / a l b u m s / y 6 / F a n t i s m a l S p i d e r / 2 0 0 7 0 5 0 8 N e w 0 0 0 1 . j p g

For each of these pictures, make sure there is a colon and two backslashes after the h t t p part, and also insert an underscore after the 2007.

I can't keep him for long – the landlord is objecting, but until we can find a permanent home for him, he's mine

Moving on to the second-to-last article of business - Reward time!

I am incredibly grateful to each and everyone of you who've reviewed the Ritzkin Arc thus far. Really, it's for you, the fans, that I continue to write as much as I do – without someone to read it, the fun in writing would be severely diminished.

To show my gratitude, I want to give everyone who has reviewed any Ritzkin Arc story thus far a gift, a piece of writing. If your name is on the list below, feel free to request a pairing, a prompt, a scene… anything that you think would be fun to read. I'll do my best to provide. Let me know the highest rating you want too – no smut, though. I've tried, and I just can't write it. Also, let me know if you want the story set in the Ritzkin Arc or not.

Rewards will be for: -X-Loner-X-Starlight-X-, Arya, JestaAriadne, ladyjr16, Moria Lestat, MungoRumplelovah, Puddycat, rita-malone, Sarah Elizabeth Emily Woods, Shannon, Sleeping Tiger, XxXcatXxX, and Yoshiko Turada

Eminems6 – I'm working on yours already!

I do not own Cats, but I do own Simbol!

Stealing a Goddess

Munkustrap curled up in an uncomfortable ball, watching as Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer tried to outdo each other in a gymnastics contest. Each one was pulling off more and more outrageous flips, twists, and turns, and sticking out their tongues at each other. Munkustrap sighed and reached up to scratch an ear, but Rumpleteazer was immediately there, batting his paw away and touching up his sooty covering. "No touchy!"

"It itches!" Munkustrap shot back.

"Well, then think about mice," Mungojerrie suggested, coming over to the others. "Stop thinkin' 'bout how much it-"

"Shush!" Rumpleteazer pointed toward the hole. There were voices, two cats in the room now.

"Macavity, I…" A queen's voice, soft and hesitant, unsure of herself.

"Shh. Come on."

Munkustrap shivered at the voice of his brother, but he crawled to the edge of the hole and peeked in… and there he was. Macavity. Like Munkustrap, he had grown, but there was a wildness to his fur now. It was longer than Munkustrap's, and not as well groomed. Still, Munkustrap had to admit, his brother didn't look gross or ugly, like so many other ungroomed Monniks. There was something dangerous but alluring about the ginger tabby… something absolutely fascinating… Macavity really was rather charming, come to think of it… rather nice…

Munkustrap jerked back, shaking his head. Macavity was using magic! He was hypnotizing all the cats who looked at him! A glance at Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer showed that they were just as fascinated by his brother as he had been. "Stop it!" he whispered, giving them both a sharp tap from his paws. "He's bewitching us!"

With the smacks, the siblings snapped out of the trance, staring at each other in horror. "Did you know he could do that?"

Rumpleteazer shook her head. "Did you?"

"Just keep your eyes on the queen," Munkustrap advised, pointing to the pretty little gold and black queen that Macavity was leading toward the bed. "Is that Demeter?" When Rumpleteazer nodded, Munkustrap took a deep breath. "All right. I'm going in. Wish me luck."

"Luck!" the siblings chorused quietly as Munkustrap began making his way down the fallen beams. When he was a little closer to the floor, he closed his eyes, let out the loudest yowl he could, and leaped. As soon as all four paws hit the ground, he took off running.

"Hey! Trespasser!"

Munkustrap barely heard the zip of the lightning Macavity flung at him and rolled to the left, managing to dodge the electricity, though it made his fur stand on end as it passed.

"Get back here! I'll have you gutted for this!"

With Macavity hissing and running after him, Munkustrap forced his legs to move faster. He focused on the gap in the door up ahead and imagined he was racing Admetus. If Macavity caught up to him, he was a dead cat!

Another bolt of lightning cracked against the door as Munkustrap dove through it, screeching as his tail took some of the zap. That stung!

Once he was out the door, though, Munkustrap's troubles were only just beginning. This was the heart of Monnik territory, and Macavity and Demeter weren't the only two cats inside. Queens and toms alike looked up from their wrestling and gossip and games, getting out of the way as first Munkustrap and then Macavity tore through their midst. "Stop him!" Macavity shouted, flinging another magical bolt. Munkustrap dove behind a white tom, shoving him into the path of the lightning. Macavity growled and vaulted over the fallen cat. "Get out of my way! Give me a clear shot!"

The other Monniks had begun to reach for Munkustrap when Macavity called on them for help, but when the white tom fell, they all began shoving each other to get out of the way of Munkustrap and Macavity. Munkustrap was both grateful for this (it gave him a clearer path, and meant they weren't trying to grab him) and upset by it (it didn't give him as many obstacles to slow Macavity with). At least, he still knew his way around the warehouse, and nothing had been altered. There were the gossip crates, which he wove between, then the tables where the cats played cards. He shimmied under those, yelping as Macavity followed with another shock. This one caught him in a hind leg, and he stumbled for a moment, but then pressed himself on. His paw tingled and was stiff now, but Munkustrap could still put weight on it. For now.

On the other side of the tables was the armchair Leviticus presided over the Monniks from. Supposedly, a human had brought this chair into the building shortly after the fire that gutted it.

Supposedly, the human fed the Monniks for several weeks before a Pollicle made off with its bones.

That was all before Munkustrap's time, though, and so he didn't know how accurate it was.

The big Monnik leader was lying down, watching Macavity's actions with a smirk on his face. If Munkustrap remembered correctly, there was a broken window immediately behind the chair, with a gap that he'd be able to squeeze through. Of course… that required him to get over Leviticus.

Admetus is chasing me, Munkustrap thought, changing his course so he was charging at the leader. He's almost caught me. If I can get out before him, though, then I win! All I have to do is get over that chair… The tingling in his paw was wearing off, sending a bolt of pain through Munkustrap's leg with every step. Just get over that chair… Gritting his teeth, Munkustrap leapt up toward his father.

Leviticus gave a yowl as Munkustrap landed on him and jumped again, scrambling onto the back of the chair and over it. He swiped out with his paws, and Munkustrap screamed as the old cat's sharp claws dug into the thigh of his injured leg. He jerked free, tumbling onto the head of a black-furred guard who sat behind Leviticus' throne, guarding the window hole. Munkustrap yowled again, having forgotten about this sentinel. Luckily for him, the sentinel had been expecting an attack coming through the window, not from above, and was too surprised to immediately react. Taking advantage of the black cat's surprise, Munkustrap pushed through the hole, wincing as a shard cut into his back. This just wasn't his day. He yelped as he fell, twisting around to land on his paws, and again when he did land, his injured leg crumpling. Not good! Not good!

Panting heavily, Munkustrap pushed himself back up again, trying vainly to ignore the pain. His entire leg felt like it was on fire now… but at least he could still feel it. That was good, right? He twisted his head around, looking up at the window. The sentinel was hissing and spitting, growling threats and curses at Munkustrap. He was too big, though, to follow Munkustrap through the hole. From inside the warehouse, Munkustrap could hear the Monniks making a ruckus, and Leviticus' deep, booming voice trying to settle them down.

Gritting his teeth, Munkustrap began to limp off. This was not good. If any other Monnik found him… if they followed the trail of blood he was certainly leaving… Well, he just had to hope he was the better fighter.

"There he is!"

"'Straps!"

Munkustrap didn't think he'd ever be so glad to hear Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer ever again. The two thieves came running up to him, the petite Demeter sticking close to Rumpleteazer's heels. "We got her out… You're bleedin'!"

"Macavity got my leg," Munkustrap mumbled between gritted teeth. "I can't run."

Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer exchanged glances over Munkustrap's shoulders, biting their lips. Mungojerrie nodded slowly. "I think I can carry you," he said. "But… Demeter, I'll need you and Teazer to help balance him, so we can run and he doesn't fall off."

Rumpleteazer nodded quickly, but Demeter just wrung her paws. "M-maybe… I can try…"

"You'll do fine," Rumpleteazer said. "Get down, Jerrie. Let's do this, quick, 'fore they come out here!"

Mungojerrie crouched down, and Rumpleteazer helped Munkustrap onto his back. She stuck to his right side, and Demeter moved up to take his left. She rested her paw against Munkustrap's side, like Rumpleteazer did, and Munkustrap noticed that it was trembling.

"Ready?" Mungojerrie asked. "Let's go!" He took off running, the queens able to keep pace with him. Munkustrap wrapped his arms loosely around Mungojerrie's neck and held on.

"Hey! Hey you!"

"Faster!" Rumpleteazer screeched as several Monnik guards came running after them. At least, it wasn't Macavity.

"I'm goin' as fast as I can!" Mungojerrie shot back. "An' I hope you can swim!"

"What!?" Rumpleteazer turned big eyes to her brother.

"Swim!" Mungojerrie repeated. "Cause we're gonna hit the river!"

"I can't swim…" Munkustrap barely heard Demeter's whisper. He turned to look at her, at her wide, frightened eyes, and the way her paw trembled… what had Macavity done to her? No cat should be this skittish…

"Too late!" Mungojerrie jumped, and Rumpleteazer jumped, and Munkustrap clung to Mungojerrie's neck, and Demeter fell with a scream, because she hadn't been paying attention to the road in front of her, and didn't realize that it ended with the river in time to stop.

Reviews are always loved! Always, always, always!