Part One: The Orphan

Chapter Two

At first, my humans did not like my trips to the junkyard. They tried to keep me inside, but I always found ways to escape. Nothing could keep me from spending the day with Demeter and the other kittens. Eventually my humans realized that I would always return home, so they began to let me come and go as I pleased. Soon I knew all the Jellicles by name and began to feel at home with them. Jellyorum became like a mother to me, teaching Demeter and me how to hunt for mice and climb fences and all the other little tricks that a Jellicle should know. Demeter and I were like sisters; we became inseparable. We learned to stick up for each other when the boys would tease us. Soon the other kittens wouldn't so much as sneeze at Dem when I was around, for fear of what I would do to them if they did. I may have been a pampered house cat, but I had long lanky legs and was bigger than most of the others. Plus, I had a fighting streak that would make a grown cat think twice.

Our little troupe—Alonzo, Plato, Corico, Tanto, Dem and I—would race about the junkyard, causing michevious havoc upon the adult cats. Alonzo had two other littermates—Munkustrap and Rum Tum Tugger—but they usually didn't play with us. They considered themselves "too old" for such games; which was odd because they were the exact same age as Alonzo and Plato. Alonzo said that Munkustrap had always been the quiet, serious one. Perhaps this was because as firstborn, Munku was destined to be the leader of the Jellicles whenever Old Deuteronomy decided to go up to the Heaviside Layer. Munkustrap seemed to be the only kitten who looked to the future, who actually thought about the consequences of every action. The rest of us were just ignorant kittens, dashing through life at a maddening pace.

Despite our daredevil antics and occasional pranks, the adults all adored us and watched over us with hawk like sensitivity. The Jellicles had always been protective of their young ones—apparently there was a time when tribes of dogs roamed the streets, picking off the innocent kits and ravaging the Jellicle population. That was a very long time ago—before the Great Rumpus Cat struck fear and loathing into the heart of every Peke and Pollicle. But still, the Jellicles kept a wary eye on the kits.

There was, however, one cat who did not like us kittens at all. Her name was Tyrophilia, but every one called her Tyro. She was Deuteronomy's sixth wife. She appeared shortly after Alonzo's mother was hit by a car. By the time I came to the junkyard, Tyrophilia had already given birth to a litter. Only two survived: Admetus and Arkanainia. Tyro was terribly catty, even for a feline. She was a tortoise shell, and not a pretty one at that. Plato and Alonzo were suspicious of her; we all generally avoided her.

For some reason, Tyro bore a certain grudge against Jellyorum, perhaps because Jellyorum refused to respect to her as the wife of the Jellicle Leader. Needless to say, her dislike for Jellyorum was transferred to Demeter and me. Tyro never missed a chance to torment us with stinging criticism and other biting remarks. Being kittens, Dem and I were too afraid to return her comments, although we did make fun of her behind her back.

One day, after a nasty run-in with Tyro, Dem and I found Jennyanydots and Jellyorum were sunning on their usual car hood. We pounced them, catching Jellyorum's tail. Jellyorum just laughed, deftly flicking her tail out of harm's way, "You little rascals."

Dem nuzzled her mother, purring innocently—a ploy she often tried with little success. Jellyorum licked her daughter's ear, "Nice try, young lady. I know a bad kitten when I see one."

I pranced up beside Jellyorum and stretched out on the nice warm car hood.

"My, you are growing like a ragweed, Bombalurina," Jellyorum noted in an amused tone. "I think you'll soon be the tallest Jellicle we have."

"That's because she's a house cat," Jennyanydots said. "She has humans to give her proper nutrition, which allows her to grow to her full potential."

Jennyanydots always knew the answers to things like that. Jellyorum said it was because Jennyanydots could read and she often spent evenings in her human's library.

Demeter began complaining to her mother about Tyro, "She's so mean, mother! Today she called me Monkey-Tail!"

Demeter's little mouth gave an angry pout. Jellyorum smoothed her daughter's fur reassuringly, "Darling, you are the prettiest little kit this junkyard has ever seen. Don't listen to that awful cat. She's just jealous. We can't all be beautiful, you know."

"Yes, but why does she have to be so mean?" Demeter sighed, curling up beside me.

"I don't know," Jellyorum admitted. "But she's always had a mean streak. Acts as if the world owes her something. I'm afraid there's nothing you can do to change her."

"We could beat her up," Demeter said, preening herself.

"Demeter!" Jellyorum looked at her severely. "Jellicles do not attack one another like wild animals! I don't want to hear you say that ever again."

Demeter mumbled some form of "yes mother" and the four of us sat in silence, soaking up the sun. Jennyanydots had become uncharacteristically quiet. She focused her gold-flecked eyes on me. "You know, Bombalurina, more and more you remind me of Grizabella."

"Don't say that name," a growl rumbled in Jellyorum's throat. I didn't know who Grizabella was, but apparently it wasn't a compliment.

Despite the raised hair on Jellyorum's back, Jennyanydots continued, "Well, just look at her, Jellyorum, sittin' pretty like that. Just like the Glamour Cat! And the way she prances around, it's just like—"

"Enough!" Jellyorum hissed, her green eyes narrowing into angry slits. This time, Jennyanydots saw her friend's anger. She sat up, smoothing the fur on her chest nervously, "I-I'm sorry, Jellyorum. I didn't mean anything by it. I was just saying—"

"You've said enough," Jellyorum stood and gracefully leapt to the ground. "Come, kittens."

Demeter stood for a moment, staring at Jennyanydots in disbelief. I stared at Dem, not fully understanding the situation, but hurting because my sister was hurting, and angry at Jennyanydots for causing that hurt.

Jellyorum's voice rang out again, in a tone that would not be disobeyed, "Demeter, now!"

We jumped down and followed Jellyorum out of the junkyard and down the street. After several blocks, I had built up my courage enough to ask, in a voice as tiny as I felt at the moment, "Who is Grizabella?"

Demeter shot a furtive look at her mother, who was walking ahead of us and too lost in thought to hear my question.

"Grizabella the Glamour Cat," Demeter said, almost reverently. "She was my mother's sister. Mother says she was the most beautiful cat in all of London. I wouldn't know," Demeter added sadly. "I never met her."

"What happened to her?" I asked, my curiosity sufficiently piqued.

"I don't know," Demeter's eyes grew wide. "Mother doesn't talk about it. Jennyanydots said Grizabella left 'cuz she thought she was too good for the Jellicles. But Skimbleshanks said that she was never any good and that the Jellicles ran her off. Alonzo said he overheard Deuteronomy talking about it one time; he thinks it was something bigger."

"Like what?" I whispered, totally engrossed in the tale. Demeter leaned in, checking to make sure Jellyorum was still ignoring us, "She broke one of the Jellicle Laws."

I gasped, "Which one?"

"I don't know," Demeter replied gravely, her light green eyes full of solemnity. "But it must've been one of the big ones, if she was exiled."

I nodded in solemn agreement, my mind trying to remember all the Jellicle Laws that Jellyorum had taught me. There were only two "big" ones that resulted in exile: murder and betrayal.

The next few days were rather tense at the junkyard; Jennyanydots and Jellyorum refused to speak to each other. Deuteronomy watched this with sorrowful eyes, but Plato said his father would never interfere in a dispute between two Jellicles unless it involved bloodshed. Alonzo quipped that his father really just didn't want to get caught in a fight between two queens. We all laughed and went on with our games. Things like that didn't really concern us kittens.

After awhile, Coricopat softly sidled up to me. In his usual quiet voice, he said, "You know, Jennyanydots really is sorry for making you feel bad. She wasn't calling you a traitor. She was just saying you were pretty."

I looked at him, unsure of what to say. Coricopat had amazing intuition, and Jennyanydots was his mother as well; I knew he must be telling the truth.

"Thanks, Corico," I forced a smile. He smiled back shyly. Suddenly, I felt an odd sensation, "Corico, are you sneaking around in my brain?"

"Sorry," he grinned sheepishly, and the sensation disappeared. "I just wanted to make sure that you really were OK."

"Don't read my thoughts," I looked at him—not menancingly, but so he'd know I was serious. "That's not fair."

Corico nodded in agreement. He was a couple of months younger than I, and so he took my word as law. It would be many years before he tried to read my mind again.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the pretties," Tyro called out one day, in her usually taunting manner. Dem and I stopped in our tracks, bracing ourselves for the onslaught of criticism that was to come. Tyro sashayed around us, her fluffy tail fluttering behind her like the flag of a battleship, "Look at you, little Demeter—your body has almost caught up with that hideously long tail of yours! Good thing, too. I was beginning to think your father was a monkey."

"Hey!" I stepped in front of Demeter protectively. "You leave her alone."

I could hear Dem's gasp of surprise. I had never stood up to Tyro. The tortoise shell's eyes flashed with devilish delight, "Oh, has the red one found her tongue? And where are your parents, little one? Oh, I forgot—yours abandoned you the minute you were born," she smirked. "They probably took one look at that face and that horrible red fur and realized you were a lost cause."

I arched my back and felt a growl rumble in my throat. This wasn't the first time Tyro had made a comment about my lack of parents, but something had finally snapped. I wasn't going to take her acidic treatment anymore. I remembered Dem's suggestion from the day before. Maybe someone could beat the meaness out of her. There was only one way to find out

Noticing she'd hit the right nerve, Tyro continued, "Too bad the Jellicles didn't just leave you there. No, Jellyorum was too kindhearted." She snorted. "Typical. Jellyorum has always had a thing for lost causes. Like Grizabella."

I let out another high-pitched yowl of warning. Tyro leaned forward, her voice dripping with honey, "That's just was you are. Another Grizabella. Oh, don't be angry little red. Just accept it. You will never be one of us. You will always be an outsider. And one day, the Jellicles will get sick of you prancing around and preening like a goddess, and they'll run you out. They'll run you out just like they did Grizabella."

I lashed out with my claws, catching Tyro squarely on the cheek. Tyro stepped back in disbelief, a thin line of red appeared on her face. I couldn't believe it either—even when Dem and I fought the boys, we never drew blood.

Then Tyro recovered and stepped forward once more, "Brave move, little Grizabella. But I bet you won't have the courage to do it again."

I hissed; I could feel Demeter arching up behind me. We didn't take threats lightly.

"Go on, Tyro taunted me, her voice as smooth as silk. "Scratch me again, Orphan. But just remember: when I finish beating you up, you won't have a mommy to go running home to."

That was the final straw. I leapt at her, my front paws swinging wildly. With one good whack of her paw, Tyro sent me tumbling. I heard a cry of rage and turned to see little Demeter tackling Tyro with a fury I had never seen. Tyro bit Demeter's ear viciously and Dem gave a cry of pain. I jumped to my feet and rejoined the fray. This time it wasn't about avenging my pride; I had to protect Demeter.

Tyro was at least twice our size, but there were two of us. And for all that big talk, Tyro was not a fighter.

A booming voice interrupted us, "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"

It was the voice I heard the day I was found. It was Old Deuteronomy.