Author's note: O.k. here is the next chapter. Sorry about the evil clifhanger last time, really I am sorry please believe me. Thank you reviewers for, well, reviewing. Other people who don't review: Koragg gives them the puppy-dog look Aww, come on, how can you ignore the puppy dog look?

Chapter 8: The Price

"There is two ways to take off a magic restraint." Andrian told the young black cat, "One is with a key, which we of course don't have."

"What is the other way?" Mistofeeles asked

The older cat pointed to the tiny indents all around the blue band on Misto's leg. Funny, how he never noticed them before.

"You must press the grooves in a certain pattern to release the lock."

"I get it," the black cat nodded eagerly, "but how do you know this?"

Andrian lifted up the long fur on his left leg to reveal the shorter fur to be pressed down in a circle.

"I've been there months ago and I had to figure it out on my own."

The pale orange cat began working on Misto's band. It seemed to be no problem for him. Mistofeeles watched him flying through the pattern and after a minute the magic cat remembered something that Andrian had said earlier.

"Wait." the black tom said suddenly, "You said it came with a price. What is it?"

After a few seconds of silence, Andrian said softly, "It doesn't matter. We just need to get out of here."

The younger cat wasn't fooled, "Tell me what it is."

A long pause

"It will take my hearing a way for about a week." he said without stopping. "If I'm lucky." he added too quietly for the other cat to hear him.

Misto couldn't believe how calm he was. His hearing would be gone for a week! Cats depended on their sharp ears and eyes constantly. Not being able to hear was…. Unimaginable. Misto didn't think he himself could go a day.

"Andrian, you don't have to do this. We can find another way." Misto tried to reason with him.

The orange tom shook his head. "No, I must go save the kittens. It's my responsibility and anyway," here he smiled and put his paw on the last groove, "I'm done."

…………

Rumpleteazer came back to the Junkyard after searching for Macavity's lair with the same results as before: nothing. She couldn't even find any henchcats, which was very weird……..

…………

Andrian felt a shock run through his body and was assaulted by a heavy silence.

He sighed inwardly, expecting the lack of noise this time. Last time he had been in a full- fledged panic.

He noticed Misto looking at him in concern and his mouth moving rapidly, but of course he heard nothing.

The now deaf tom shook his head. He pointed at Misto, then the door.

The black cat understood what he meant and concentrated determinedly. His paw glowed a very light blue and Mistofeeles grinned, overjoyed to have his magic back.

The magic cat laid his paw on the door and it swung open silently. He poked his head out and looked around, no one was in sight. He motioned to Andrian that it was clear and started creeping down the hall.

It was eerily quiet and Misto's first instinct was to run while he could, but he knew Andrian was bound and determined to find those kittens and he wasn't about to leave him here alone completely deaf.

…………

All of Macavity's henchcats had been called for inspection. There must have been about 200, all lined up neat lines. They were divided by what kind of henchcat they were: spy, force, thief, or assassin. Then they were divided into degree, which could mean either how long they had been there or how much skill they possessed.

In they assassin category, third degree there was a cat who didn't want to work for Macavity.

He was an extremely dark brown and had a white patch on his left ear. He had been here only as long as the first degree, but had moved rapidly up the ranks, to his discord.

…………

They had checked several rooms, with no sign of the kittens or any enemies.

Suddenly, Misto heard a faint meow behind the door ahead. He caught Andrian by the shoulder and pointed at the door in question.

The pale orange tom was about to grab the handle, when Misto noticed a cat almost imminently behind his friend. He yelled a warning, forgetting that he couldn't hear him.

Andrian felt claws dig into his sides and his head snapped back as it triggered his other injures into protest. The grip was too tight to wriggle out from and the pain forced him to his knees.

He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe, and perhaps he couldn't live.