Chapter 2: Their Greatest Advantage
Chapter 2: Their Greatest Advantage
The coming night dissipated most of the heat from the day making it more comfortable for moving around but it could've been twenty below for all Wisp cared. It had been a hard two months for him; having to deal with the loss of his beloved Swansea felt like someone had taken a dagger and cut his heart from his chest. There had been days where he couldn't bring himself to do anything except lie in his pipe, remaining invisible, watching the world move around him. Other times he couldn't bear to stay in there; he had to move around, he had to see her again. Those days he would go down to the Thames and sit on the spot where Macavity had brutally murdered her listening to the rolling water and imagining her sitting next to him. His heart would ache tremendously and a couple of times, he caught himself nearly crying.
As time passed however, things had changed. He no longer went down to the Thames; there was no point now. She was gone and he had to accept that. She wouldn't want him to mourn her forever. He didn't visit the fish restaurant anymore either; not because of painful memories but because the last time he went there, he discovered the chef who used to feed him was gone. The new chef, just his luck, happened to be a human who hated cats and had no problem throwing his work boot at him or trying to douse him with a pot of water. Not that it mattered much; Wisp had never had much use for humans anyway.
Wisp wandered quietly, unseen, through the darkening streets of London, not particularly going anywhere, just…wandering. He didn't really care if he came across a former hench cat of Macavity's or one of the Jellicles or anybody for that matter. Some cats had said that he was starting to act like the Hidden Paw; cold, uncaring and cruel. Wisp scoffed at them; they didn't understand what it was like to lose the one you cared for the most in this world. To be unable to help her when she needed you and being forced to watch her die; it would change anyone. They didn't understand is all; no one did.
Hearing a familiar noise nearby, Wisp stopped and glanced to his left. Speak of the devil. Two calicos were hurrying along with sacks over their shoulders just down the street from him. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer no doubt; he'd seen those two plenty of times over the last two months, if not he heard Rumpleteazer's giggle, but he never allowed them to see him. Seeing them always brought back memories of how he'd been tricked by Macavity and tonight, he was in no mood for memories.
Turning right, Wisp wandered down an alleyway that he hadn't tried before; whenever he was out wandering, he always went left. He became a bit more cautious as he moved through the alley keeping an eye out for any unwelcome problems. He wasn't afraid; with the way his powers had grown in the last little while, he felt he shouldn't be afraid of anything. Almost nothing could touch him.
Stepping out of the alley, he instinctively jumped back as a group of five Pollicles trotted past. Right behind them was another group of three. Odd; Pollicle packs hardly ever traveled together and judging by the way these two groups were moving, they all seemed to be hurrying somewhere. His curiosity peaked, Wisp waited until the second pack had passed him then slipped out and followed them, being sure to keep his distance.
The two groups of dogs trotted through a dirty, run down section of London; Macavity's old territory if Wisp remembered right. Why were they here? Pollicle territory was the entire east side of the city; they had no reason to come here. A few minutes later, they arrived at the Napoleon of Crime's former lair and quickly went inside. The silver cat followed shortly after them and had to clamp down on a gasp the instant he stepped inside.
What in Bast's name?
A huge grouping of Pollicles littered the floor of the warehouse; Wisp had never seen so many dogs before. It gave evenhim the chills. It looked like nearly every dog in London was here but for what? Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. Wisp quickly stepped aside as two more dogs came in behind him and started making his way around the massive group; he had noticed some movement at the other end of the floor and wanted to see what it was. He moved carefully; though he was invisible, one wrong step could mean instant death. Some dogs were known to have keen senses of smell also; if one of them caught his scent it was over. Nearing the other side of the warehouse, Wisp noticed a large Irish Wolfhound, the biggest Pollicle he'd ever seen, speaking to a pair of equally huge Bull Mastiffs. The silver cat stopped where he was and watched as the Wolfhound stepped onto a small pile of crates that served as a platform.
"My friends," he called out in a dignified manner; all the chattering quieted and the dogs focused on him. "I thank you all for answering my summons."
So it was him who brought all these mutts together, Wisp thought bitterly, that's just perfect.
"Allow me to introduce myself," the Wolfhound continued, "I…am Magnus the Great." He stood with his head high as if saying his name would put the dogs in awe of him. A few snickered at his title earning them vicious glares from the Mastiffs.
"I have summoned you all here because we have a common bond," Magnus said, "Our equal hatred of the Jellicle tribe." The dogs grumbled in reply. "Many of our kind have tried to eliminate them and all of them have met with failure."
He waited for a moment for the grumbling to quiet. "I have studied their tactics and they were sound plans," Magnus continued, "If it had not been for the Jellicles greatest advantage over us, the tribe of cats would've been wiped out long ago. And I trust you all know what that advantage is."
The dogs agreed in unison. Greatest advantage, Wisp thought, what the hell is he talking about?
"So what do you plan to do?" a Pollicle called out, "You said in your message that you have a way to ensure the Jellicles are wiped out and so far all you're doing is beating around the bush. Spill it already!" Several others agreed with the interrupter.
"I was getting to that," Magnus said a little irritably. "As I was saying, you all know the advantage I speak of. Now, imagine if you will, the Jellicles greatest advantage…turned against them."
Surprise rippled through the assembled dogs which turned quickly into excitement. They chattered between themselves; yes, why hadn't they thought of that? If they could use the Jellicles advantage against them, they would wipe them out in no time.
"That is why I've asked my two associates here…" Magnus indicated the two Mastiffs on either side of him, "…to bring in any Jellicles they happen to find. For once we find the source of their advantage; we can use it against them and rid our city of their filth."
The dogs began to cheer and Wisp's heart froze; he didn't know what this advantage Magnus kept referring to was, but he knew one thing for sure; he had to get to the junkyard and warn the tribe. Moving back around the group of cheering dogs as quickly and quietly as he could, Wisp grimaced; he had no idea how the Jellicles would react to him returning there. Would they even listen to him? A nagging voice in his mind told him that they wouldn't; that he shouldn't even bother going to junkyard in the first place. After all, these dogs weren't even after him; this was the Jellicles' problem, not his.
And if the Pollicles wipe out the Jellicles, his rational mind snapped, can you live with the fact that you allowed them to die?
Wisp sighed quietly. He had no desire to go back to the junkyard but it had to be done. As he neared the door, his tail brushed against the back of a cheering Pollicle who instantly turned around. The silver cat didn't bother stopping but hurried out the door.
"The heck was that?" the Pollicle asked the dog next to him.
"What?"
"I felt something brush against my back just now," he said still looking around.
"Who cares," the other dog said turning away. The Pollicle looked around a little bit more then dismissed it as nothing. With so many other dogs around, it was probably one of them.