CHAPTER 4: THE WAITING GAME
This was not the first time Old Deuteronomy had paced up and down in the medical room waiting to see it someone he loved was going to live or die, when Munkustrap and Macavity were 4 months old their mother Moonbeam was attacked by 2 large Pollical dogs, both his sons had been with her at the time along with his first daughter Seletty, they had all made a run for it toward a junk heap to hide in but only Munku and Macavity had made it. As Seletty was only 3 weeks old, she was not able to run on her own so Moonbeam had carried her which meant slowing the mother down, when the Pollical had taken hold of Moonbeam she had launched her young queen toward her older kittens but they hadn't managed to grab her in time as the second Pollical pulled Seletty away from the toms outstretched arms and began tossing her about. No one except Munku and Macavity know what happened next but something had scared the Pollical Dogs away and the brothers had brought the two queens back to the junkyard and to the medical den. After what seemed like an eternity Jennyanydots had walked into the waiting room and broke the sad news that both Moonbeam and Seletty had died from their wounds.
"Old Deuteronomy" Tantomile cut through the old cats thoughts,
"Tantomile, what's the news on Tigger?" asked Munkustrap jumping up.
Old Deut did not need to be told that it was bad news from the look on the female twin's face,
"I'm sorry Old Deuteronomy, Munkustrap but Tiggsita is very ill, from what me and Coricopat can sense she has not got long left to live, I am very sorry," Tantomile solemnly said.
"Wha…what is wrong with my daughter?" Old Deut demanded close to tears, "No this can not be true, I WILL NOT LOSE ANOTHER DAUGTHER!" he was now yelling, the tears pouring down his face .
"Please father calm down, getting angry will not help," Munku put a paw around his father and sat him back down to Tantomile he asked calmly, "please do you know what is wrong with her?"
"When she fell she broke 2 ribs and they have torn through her stomach and heart, she has internal bleeds," Coricopat answered walking into the room.
"How long has she got left" came a sad voice from the corner of the room, everyone turned surprised to see Macavity in tears sitting curled up on the floor.
"Only a few hours, do you want me to inform any members of the tribe Old Deuteronomy?" Coricopat offered.
"Yes, could you please fetch only Tugger and Alonzo, thank you," both the mystical twins left the medical in search of the two young cats.
"Macavity how long have you been there?" Munkustrap quizzed his brother. No one could ever understand Macavity, he seemed to be a loner who had rarely spoken to any one except Munkustrap and Old Deuteronomy. That was until his little sister Rin Tin Tiggsita was born, Macavity had taken a real shine to the little queen and spent hours with her talking and playing (a side never seen in him before).
"About a hour…, why is this happe…(gulp) happening to her, what has she done to disserve dieing," Macavity wailed. Munku stared at his brother in surprise, Maccy had never been like this, even when their mother had died Macavity had not shed a tear.
Munkustrap was about to ask Macavity about it but at that moment Alonzo walked in carrying Tugger.
"Daddy, what goings on?" Tugger whispered as Alonzo put the small tom down. No one had told him what was going to happen to his sister, Alonzo had just picked him up and taken him to the medical den, Tugger had struggled until he'd seen the look on his dad's face.
Old Deuteronomy lifted his son on to his lap and gently hugged him, "Tugger my dear dear boy," Old Deut said softly trying to hold back his tears, "I'm afraid I have some bad news, Tiggsita is very ill and very soon she will be going to sleep and will not wake up again."
"why will she no wakey up daddy" Tugger whimpered tears forming in his eyes.
"Erm because…" Old Deuteronomy could not think of a thing to say to his youngest son.
"Because the Everlasting cat wants her to be with him, he love's her and wants her to live in the Heavyside lair for with him until he can bear to let her go so she can be reborn and bring another family the joy she has given us" Macavity cut in.
Everyone (except Tugger) looked at Macavity dumbfounded, they had never heard him speak like this and he was far from being a warm hearted cat who cared about other peoples feelings.
"Thank you Macavity, now do you understand what we are saying," Old Deut asked looking from his second eldest to his youngest sons.
"I don want 'er to go," Tugger screamed bursting into tears, "That Everylasten cat carn have 'er (sniff)." Tugger buried his head into his fathers fur and cried, every now and then he would shout 'it's not fair'.
5 hours had gone when Jellylorum told Old Deuteronomy that it was time to say last good byes. The way this worked was an hour before a cat passed away each family member could spend some time alone them say their personal good byes.
It was decided that Jennyanydots, Skimbleshanks, Jellylorum and Asparagus could have a few minutes alone with Tigger as she had become part of their family's too. Each cat had a few minutes with her until they left her to be with her true family.
Munkustrap went first. He walked round to the side of her bed and gently placed her paw in his, "I will never forget you sis, I want you to know I love you. Always have, always will," Munkustrap could feel the tears running down his face as he continued, "I will always treasure the time we had together, the Everlasting cat may be taking you but he can not take my memories. I'm going to miss you so much." Munku leaned over and softly kissed his sister inersent face, he moved his lips to her ear and whispered "Goodbye Rin Tin Tiggsita I love you." Munkustrap straitened up and silently left the room sobbing as he got to the door her turned toward his little sister and said "say hello to Moonbeam and Seletty for me."
Next was Alonzo. He kneeled by his young sisters bed and cried into her fur, when he'd finished he looked up at Tigger and finely choked out "I understand why the Everlasting cat wants to take you back Tiggy, your beautiful and wonderful and I love you will all my heart," Alonzo took a few deep breaths and continued, "when you see the Everlasting cat Tiggy you make sure you give him hell for taking you away from us ok, I'm going to miss you loads sis, it's not fair." Alonzo stood up and kissed Tiggsita lightly and pulled her into a gentle hug, "Goodbye my lovely Tiggy". Alonzo then turned and walked out the door crying with his head hung.
Macavity went next. He stood by Tiggsita's bed and stared at her unconsciousness form, he slowly walked toward her and lightly rubbed his paw against her angelic face, "please don't leave us Tigs, don't leave me, I don't think I can cope with you gone." Macavity slowly kneeled down still clutching Tiggsita's paw, "I wish it was me lying there not you,sigh I have never told anyone this Tigs but just before you were born I tried to kill myself but obviously I failed, I wanted to try again but then you came into my life and I could not bring myself to do it, there was something about you that made me feel closer to you then anyone else," Macavity's tear were now making the little queens fur wet, "you brought a new light into my life and I love you for that, you seemed the only cat who would listen to me and not criticize me, I'm going to miss you every day, I love you so so much, Goodbye my little angel, I hope you come back to me someday. Macavity kissed Tiggsita's paw and then her face and left the room. Once outside he never said another word.
When it was Tugger's turn, Old Deuteronomy went in with him. "What do I say?" Tugger panicked.
"Anything that's in your heart" Old Duet told him.
"Ok, hello Tig-Tig, daddy told me that yous is leaving us to go and be with the Everylasten cat, I don't want yous to go but I've been told yous haves to" Tugger started sobbing again, "I will miss yous forever Tig-Tig, I love yous and I'm not being a sissy, I means it, Goodbye Tiggsita." Tugger reach over the bed and hugged his sister crying hysterically.
Once Munku had managed to pry Tugger of their sister and lead him out of the room, It was Old Deuteronomy's turn to say his goodbyes to his Daughter.
"My little queen, you have brought so much love into my life and now you have to leave it. I wish I could have seen you grow up, find love and have kittens of your own." Old Deuteronomy say on the edge of Tiggsita's bed, "I have lost many family and friends in my life but losing you seem to be the hardest." Old Deut looked at the item in his hands, "When your mother departed us she left you a present for when you are older but as this will not happen I am giving it to you now, it's a collar studded with rubies and black sapphires." Old Deut carefully secured the collar around his daughters neck before continuing, "you look so beautiful, I wish I could hear your voice just once more but alas I can't, I'm going to miss you my love and I will never forget all the things we have done together and all the laughs we've had. When you up in the Heavyside lair please watch over your brothers and our tribe, I know you will be our guardian angel." Old Deut place a kiss on his daughter's forehead and whispered, "Goodbye my little Queen".
Old Deuteronomy called his son's into the room and when they were gathered round the bed he began to sing
When the day is long and the night,
the night is yours alone,
when you're sure you've had enough of this life,
well hang on.Don't let yourself go,
everybody cries and everybody hurts sometimes.
Sometimes everything is wrong.
Now it's time to sing along.
When your day is night alone,
(hold on, hold on)if you feel like letting go,
(hold on)when you think you've had too much of this life,
well hang on.Everybody hurts.
Take comfort in your friends.
Everybody hurts.
Don't throw your hand. Oh, no. Don't throw your hand.
If you feel like you're alone,
no, no, no, you are not alone
If you're on your own in this life,
the days and nights are long,
when you think you've had too much of this life to hang on.
Well, everybody hurts sometimes,everybody cries.
And everybody hurts sometimes.
And everybody hurts sometimes.
So, hold on, hold on.Hold on, hold on. Hold on, hold on. Hold on, hold on. (Everybody hurts. You are not alone.)
As Old Deuteronomy sung the last word all 4 of his son's bowed their head and cried.
"Good bye Rin Tin Tiggsita," they all said.
Tiggsita took one last breath and released it, when she didn't take another one they knew she'd past on.
The family stood there for a couple of minutes in silence, then one by one they turned to leave, Tugger was the last to turn but as he did something caught his eye, he turned back suddenly, was it his imagination or had he just seen Tiggsita's chest rise and fall, "Daddy…" he started to say when there was a loud gasp. Every cat in the room spun round in shock.
There on the bed was Tiggsita sitting up shaking and crying her lungs out.
"DADDY!!" she screamed.