Sorry for the long wait. Senior year is definitely a lot more work than I expected. I'm hoping to write more while on Thanksgiving break, hopefully I will update again before Christmas.
Demeter's Secret
Chapter 11
*Rumpleteazer/Celeste*
I sat on one of the most comfortable cushions across from the male and female who carried me away from the clearing. Cori had introduced himself and his sister, Tanti, shortly after we arrived in their shared den.
"You've put the tribe in some turmoil these past two weeks." I shrugged and avoided eye contact with the strange twins.
"No' meh faul'. Ya tribe seems ta need some help." Tanti let out a breath of air that some could call a chuckle, the first sound I've heard her make since I laid eyes on her. Cori touched his sister's arm and they appeared to have a form of unspoken communication before Tanti stood nodding her head politely at me and left the room. Cori smiled slightly then whispered,
"Sorry about that she's got quite the headache" Shattering of glass was heard from the back room Tanti disappeared into. I smirked forgetting the current situation.
"Ya should be nicah ta ya sistah." A smooth voice responded from the other room.
"I like her Cori, nice as her mom, she is." Tanti mentioning my mom had me whimpering and pulling my knees to my chest. Cori cocked his head to the left giving me a curious expression.
"I thought you wanted to find her. It's all you've been thinking about." He was right, in a creepy way, but it hurt to know that Macavity was right. Eyeing him suspiciously I voiced my thoughts.
"Yea, but Macavity was right. She didn't want me." Heavy footsteps sounded behind me and I tensed waiting for something to go wrong. A deep voice resonated from the cats' mouth.
"Don't say that, Mac is never right." Munk hissed at Macavity's name. "She risked her mating to protect you, and she never gave up looking. Even after the twins said you were dead." Although Munk had a point, my emotions was in control. Hissing I spoke harshly to the protector.
"I grew up in a warehouse, alone and scared while she got away. I'm so sorry she had to think about the little black spot on her past." I sniffled advancing towards him. "All I wanted was to know somebody loved me." Munk shook his head sadly, but left the room without responding to my anger filled rant. I felt myself swaying from exhaustion, before I could pass out Cori quickly directed me to a small nest of pillows and blankets in the corner.
Jumping up the den was lit by candles spread sporadically around the room. Cori and Tanti were sat in the back corner with a look of horror on their faces. After shuffling near them, I could detect mumbled words spilling off their tongues. I listened carefully attempting to decipher what the twins kept repeating.
"Mother and daughter will be bonded together in front of danger once more. Separate they are strong, but conjointly they will eradicate a shared history and fuse the broken relationship." Mulling over the words, I was surprised by a crash from outside. Cori and Tanti snapped out of their stupor also,
"Rump, we must rest, do not leave the den." Tanti explained quickly and quietly. I obeyed the order I was given and elected to explore the mystics' den. Hours passed before my lonely world gained a member. Tanti exited the back room and cocked her head to the left, like her brother had earlier, and raised a smooth eyebrow. "Can you read that?" She pointed to the book I was studying. Biting my lip in embarrassment I shook my head. Tanti, who appeared to be comfortable in her private den, smiled genuinely and sat next to me. "Your Mother, Cori, and I could teach you if you'd like. Actually I'm sure your mother would love too" If Tanti wanted a reaction, me flinching probably satisfied her.
"Yea, maybe. What happened earlier?" Tanti shivered and looked to the backroom ignoring my question. Jemima entered the den excitement clear in her face.
"You're gonna miss it! Tanto, Cor hurry." Tanti smiled adoringly at the young kit, and a past relationship shown through in their actions.
"Celeste! I've been looking everywhere for you!" I was tackled into a hug, and for once didn't mind it. Kittens tended to find themselves nowhere near me, after I have a little talk with them, but Jemi was different. I felt protective over her. Now that I thought about it my feelings apparently were warranted. Jemi is my half-sister. I hadn't thought about that part of the new situation, and it made me smile to say I had family.
"Late for what Jem?" She grinned and pulled me out the door and to the clearing. "The Jellicle Ball!"
In the few hours that I spent with Cori and Tanti the clearing had been renewed. Everything shined as though it had been replaced with a new version, straight from a store. Jemi pulled me by her grip on my arm over to where several young princess kits sat chattering. Slowly, the other Cats entered from different directions. Many I had seen or met, but there was more than I originally believed in the tribe.
So many cats of different ages and looks sat around talking happily and I had never felt more out of place. Slowly, I slipped away from Jemi and her friends. Finding a corner away from everyone else I curled my knees into my chest suppressing the need to cry.
"You're different from the kit I watched grow up." Jer spoke from above me. I glanced up and sighed.
"it's no' loike Oi mean' ta change." Jer dropped next to me pulling me into his side with an arm around my shoulders. After nuzzling his face into my fur Jer spoke once more.
"Oi didn' saeh i' was a bad change. Oi know everehthin' now, bu' I' doesn' mattah ya still belong hahe. Find me tomorrow if ya still don' belong." With a chaste kiss, he was gone. I noticed Deme and Bomba sitting alone on the opposite side of the yard and I quickly tried pushing the longing to join them out-of-mind. Sensing my stare Bomb tore her gaze from Munk and instead watched me very carefully. I moved to stand by her side, but at that moment every tom, queen, and kit dropped into a dead silence. Munk was the first to move and slowly others joined him singing and dancing with joy filled faces. I could not understand how they knew exactly what to sing, or where to move. I watched the others carefully, and after a while I felt another pull from the back of my mind to join in. I danced around kind of randomly till joined Jer and ran to the front. Together we sang lyrics that appeared into my brain as if by magic. Repeatedly I found myself being entranced by the music and forgetting the troubles of my past and present thinking only of the future. Munk stood in the very center of the clearing and dramatically introduced 'The Gumbie Cat'. I sat in the background allowing my natural curiosity to settle in my mind. I laughed as the kittens dress up as mice and cockroaches to aid the story surrounding Jenny. While listening to my mother, Bomba, and Jelly sing backup. I closed my eyes realizing I knew one of those voices from the early years of my life.
"Thank you my dears." Jenny finished her song with a smile. The music didn't stay quiet for long as a fast paced beat sounded and Tugger appeared with a, what he calls sexy, meow. I cringed at his song and exited the clearing walking around so I wouldn't have to watch him make a fool of himself. I saw Skimbleshanks sitting on the car hood and emerged from the shadows to join him.
"Ach, Lassie thahe ya ah'. Ya look bettah now. Woi aren' ya dancing' with those othah princess?" I smiled at his fatherly tone. I reminded myself to thank him later for returning me to the junkyard.
"Oi rathah no' join them and look loike a fool dancin' fo' him." Skimble laughed wiping away fake tears at the edge of his eyes. A twinkle remained in his eyes as he observed the dancing.
"Lassie, ya don' have ta dance fo' him, dance fo' yourself. Go on enjoy yourself." I shook my head in amusement, but slipped off the car anyways joining the love struck kittens.
The night continued on with music, singing, and laughter filling the night air. I sighed happily at this moment no stress or sadness about the past could bring me down. Until Deme screamed out in warning,
"Macavity!" Everyone scurried away to hide, but Jer grabbed my paw. He motioned for me to follow him back to the clearing where we began singing a song all about us. I chuckled at our antics that we acted out during the song. Somewhere behind my happiness, I felt sorrow for the fun times I had with Jer. I'd have to ask him later if we could still go thieving sometimes.
"And there's nothing at all to be done about that." I panted as Jer and I laid down on the car hood trying to catch our breath. I nuzzled my face into his neck and we both purred happily. Cori and Tanti stood staring off to one direction and they sang in sync.
"I believe it is old Deuteronomy." I glanced around and saw everyone's faces filling with excitement to see this cat I hadn't met yet. I got an anxious feeling in my gut as I remembered how Jer told me this was the Tom who officially decided if I could join the Jellicles. What if he didn't like me?