A/N: Yes, I know the last chapter was cut a little short. I knew it was, too, but I just wanted to get something up keep you great readers interested. So, with two pairings out of the way, who do we have left? I think you know the answer to that, my dear readers! Enjoy!
Mistoffelees and Victoria promptly left the den to leave Alonzo to his sulking. They weren't leaving for the same reasons, however. Victoria needed to catch up to Cassandra and demand why she didn't at least give the patched tom a chance. Misto just didn't want to hear his brother complain about queens. Just like he could go on forever about what he liked about them, the same was true with the opposite. That was something the tuxedoed tom-kit wasn't keen to hear. Alonzo could also be quite vulgar about things he didn't enjoy.
As the pair of kits exited the den, they spotted their Abyssinian friend as she stormed back towards the center clearing. They ran after her, with Victoria in the lead.
"Wait, Cass! We need to talk to you!" Victoria called out. Cassandra slowed her pace, but didn't stop walking away. The pair reached her and the white queen stepped in front of her bronze friend to barricade her path. Cassandra didn't resist, but she folded her forelegs over her chest with an irritated scowl.
"Victoria, you're not going to drag me back to that pompous, hormonal mutt of a tom!" The Abyssinian quipped impatiently, "You heard what he said! Bast, I can't stand toms like him! Alonzo has no class, and he definitely doesn't know how to treat a queen with respect!"
Mistoffelees tapped the shoulder blade of the tall queen in front of him, as he was too short to reach her actual shoulder. She turned around with a skeptical expression. "Hey, that pompous, hormonal mutt of a tom is my brother! Be careful who you're talking about; Alonzo doesn't deal well with insults." He growled unconvincingly in his queen-like voice.
Cassandra almost burst out laughing at the small tom's threat, but held herself back. Instead she smiled sarcastically down at him, and then focused her attention on Victoria again because she started to say something.
"Yeah, Cassandra! It's not nice to talk about others that way. Alonzo probably gets his feelings hurt quite easily." She paused as Misto snorted quietly in objection and then resumed, "You should at least give him a chance to get an opinion on him! You weren't even in there for five minutes before you walked out. Please, give Alonzo a chance and I'm sure he'll clean himself up! Right, Misto?" Victoria looked pleadingly to the small tom-kit behind Cassandra. Cass herself turned towards Misto to hear what he had to say about his older sibling. The black and white kit's snorting merely developed into laughter.
The Abyssinian had her answer. She huffed and Victoria didn't block her way as she stalked towards the TSE-1, a dilapidated car next to the giant rubber tire.
The white queen-kit sighed exasperatedly, and glared at Misto who had ceased laughing at her harsh expression. "Great job, Mistoffelees. Now Cassandra won't ever consider your brother as a potential tomfriend." Her face grew somber as her complaint changed into a lament, "Cass is just so lonely all by herself in that den of hers! She has her sister Exotica, but she's never there. I just wanted to find someone to fill those companionless days of hers…Obviously it's not working so far."
Misto hated to see his new friend so down. He unconsciously placed a comforting paw on her ivory shoulder. "Maybe…Maybe Cassandra likes being alone? What if she's just not looking for a tomfriend right now?" He offered softly, and seeing his paw on Victoria's shoulder, he instantly retracted it with a slight blush.
The snowy queen-kit smiled at his reaction more than his words. "You might be right, but sometimes I see Cass really sad and I know why. Her old tomfriend dumped her, and really badly, too. I know she misses having a tom around. Hey look, Mistoffelees…" She pointed behind him to her bronze friend that sat on the TSE-1. Cassandra had her head hung low, and she appeared unhappy. Victoria didn't make a move to go comfort her; she knew Cass needed to be alone during those nostalgic romantic moments of hers.
Misto frowned with concern, but he wasn't going to do anything if Victoria didn't say it was alright. After a few minutes of observing the saddened Cassandra he spoke up, "If my brother decides to hit on Cassandra in the near future, I'll tell him to go easy on her. He understands when enough is enough, and he's really sincere and gentle when it comes to hurt queens."
Victoria nodded slightly to confirm that she heard the tuxedoed tom-kit. She had her mind preoccupied by something else right now, and it wasn't Cassandra. Vicky had spotted a russet and white-patched tom her age approaching from another path that led to a different clearing in the junkyard.
When the new tom was around thirty feet away he began jogging. Misto was behind Victoria, so he didn't see her beaming at this tom. The tuxedoed kit's brow furrowed and he hastily stepped back as the red and white tom picked Victoria up and effortlessly spun her around a few times. He laughed joyfully along with the white queen-kit, and then gently set her back on her feet in a tight hug. He was a good head taller than Victoria, and he had to bend his neck down to her level to peck her on the cheek a few times. Misto immediately focused his gaze on his white-tipped, black feet, which appeared much more interesting than he previously realized.
The russet and white tom suddenly seemed to notice there was someone else in the vicinity and released Victoria. He looked Misto's scrawny body over with shrewd green eyes, and he frowned at what he saw. "So, this is who you've been spending your time with all day? What's so special about this pipsqueak, Tory?" He sneered, jutting his chin out at Mistoffelees.
At this Victoria placed her paws on her hips and retorted in defense of her new friend, "Don't call him that, Plato! Mistoffelees is my friend who came yesterday with his older brother! You shouldn't treat new arrivals like that; it's extremely rude!" Her voice and gaze softened as she turned her eyes to Misto, who was trembling a little bit. "Oh, don't mind Plato, he can be a bit impolite sometimes. He's great once you get to know him, though." She reassured the small tom-kit.
Misto grew more confident at Victoria's words. "Pleased to meet you, Plato, Sir. As Victoria said, I just arrived last night. Munkustrap rescued my brother Alonzo and me. I forgive your rudeness; I'm here to make friends and not enemies after all. I haven't met any toms my age yet, either. Would you mind telling me what you do as hobbies around here?" He smiled innocently. Mistoffelees stuck a paw out towards Plato, who just stared it like it was something revolting. The scrawny tom bit his lip and retracted his paw since it was obvious the taller tom-kit didn't want to shake it.
A few seconds passed, and then Plato burst out laughing. Both Misto and Victoria cocked their heads in confusion. When the russet-patched tom calmed himself, he was still chuckling. "Are you listening to this sissy priss, Tory? What is this queen, from Victoria Grove? He's got me all cracked up!" He exclaimed, much to Mistoffelees' and Vicky's displeasure. Plato's amused expression darkened to a sly one as he smirked, "You want to know what we toms do for fun around here, Misto-fleas?" The tall, russet-patched tom cracked his knuckles and rolled his head from side to side a couple of times.
Misto knew that threatening glint in a tom's eyes like the back of his paw. Plato wanted to fight. Victoria didn't seem to catch on as quickly, but once she saw Plato raise his arm to throw a punch, she immediately put herself between him and Misto. Unfortunately, the white queen-kit was a bit too late and Plato didn't have time to stop himself as he slugged her with full force across the face. Victoria yelped as the left side of her jaw exploded with pain, and she was sent reeling into Misto. Her accidental attacker covered his gaping mouth with his left paw while staring at his right, the one he had punched Vicky with, in absolute shock and horror.
Victoria was caught by Mistoffelees and he gently set her weakened form on the ground. He let out an unpermitted gasp as he saw the large, ugly purple bruise forming on her left cheek. Victoria herself felt like her whole world was spinning and it wouldn't stop. Her head and jaw throbbed fiercely from the blow, and she was beginning to see stars. It definitely was not nighttime, so this made no sense to her. She saw the blurry face of Misto above hers for a moment before her vision faded to darkness.
Plato knelt down to aid the white queen-kit, but he was warded off by Misto. "Stay back! You've already done enough damage!" The tuxedoed kit hissed. For once Plato agreed with him and he sat back on his haunches, looking immensely guilty and apologetic.
Plato held his head in his paws as he muttered to Vicky as if she could hear him, "Everlasting Cat, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to…I didn't mean…" He trailed off as a burning fire sparked inside of him, lighting an angry flame. He snapped his head up to leer at Misto. "You! This is your fault!" He accused furiously.
The black and white tom-kit threw a baffled look at Plato before dropping his head again to continue checking Victoria for any other injuries, besides the one to her jaw. "How is this in any way my fault? You're the one who punched her, dumbass." He remarked absentmindedly, delicately prodding Victoria's head and neck. He was searching for any signs that might reveal she had a concussion or neck injury. The unconscious queen-kit moaned slightly in pain as he pressed on a spot at the back of her head.
The russet and white tom narrowed his eyes at Misto. He snarled loudly as he declared, "If you weren't here, then this never would have happened!"
Mistoffelees froze in place. His ochre eyes flitted from Plato to Victoria for a moment. He realized with reluctance that the red and white tom was correct. "Hmm…Then maybe it's a good thing that Alonzo and I are leaving as soon as his foot is healed enough." He mumbled to himself. He spoke softly enough so that Plato couldn't overhear him. Misto continued in a louder voice, "Vicky might have a concussion. It's not safe to move her right now, but the best we can do is get her a doctor."
"A what?" Plato queried. He had never heard the term before, for the only cats that practiced medicine were referred to as "nurses" or "healers".
The small tom sighed in frustration. "You don't know what a friggin' doctor is? Get someone who can help Victoria; I don't care who!" He snapped anxiously. Plato immediately understood and raced off to fetch someone.
While Plato was gone, Mistoffelees held the white queen-kit's head upright with both paws, as he had been taught by the doctors at his father's hideout when they had educated him on basic first-aid. This gave him an opportunity to study Victoria's features in more detail. He already knew her fur was short and perfectly white, like freshly fallen snow. Her dainty nose and delicate lips were a soft shade of pink. Misto let his eyes linger on her lips, and he wondered what it would be like to kiss her.
"Hold on, what in Heaviside am I thinking? I can't kiss Victoria! I barely even know her, and besides, Plato's obviously her tomfriend. He'd do much worse than try to knock me out of he caught me kissing his queenfriend!" The tuxedoed kit scolded himself. He glanced around him and observed that the junkyard was deserted; even Cassandra was gone. There wasn't a soul around to act as a witness. Misto squirmed against the unfamiliar urges that overwhelmed his body and mind at the moment. He decided to risk it. Mistoffelees surveyed his surroundings one more time to make sure no one was watching. The junkyard was empty and silent.
Misto took a deep breath and leaned over Victoria. His heart pounded in his ears as he closed his eyes and brought his head down. Just as his lips barely grazed hers, he snapped out of his romantic reverie as faint voices reached his ears. He jerked his head up in the direction they were coming from, and spotted Plato and a middle-aged queen as they rounded the corner of a trash pile not far away. He was sort of glad to see them; Misto didn't know what he would have done if he actually kissed his ivory-white friend. Plato and the older queen, who he could make out as orange and yellow now, rushed towards him with concerned faces.
The pair reached Misto and Victoria within minutes. The yellow and orange queen waved Mistoffelees off and took his place, looking over the snowy queen. She frowned as she felt the tender spot on the back of Vicky's head, and also discovered one on her neck that Misto had not been aware of. Plato stood a few feet away, lashing his tail anxiously. He bit his lip often and fidgeted with his paws as the yellow and orange queen's diagnosis wore on. When the older queen finally glanced up at the two tom-kits, her mouth was a tight line.
"The blow to her head isn't too serious. That bruise will clear up in a few days, and her neck should be fine as long as we don't move her head too much. Now, with that cleared up, I need to have a word with you, Plato." The middle-aged queen didn't appear to mind that Misto was within earshot as she went on in a stern voice, "I can't believe that you would try to hurt a visitor of ours! This young tom-kit here did absolutely nothing to you, yet you found it perfectly acceptable to commit violence against him! I'm going to tell your mother about this, and I want to know what you have to say for yourself!"
The russet and white tom-kit averted his gaze as he replied in shame, "I…I just didn't like seeing Tory with another tom, that's all. I guess I got jealous. I promise to never do it again, Jenny, really! This was the last time I let my anger get the better of me!"
The older queen, Jenny, nodded firmly to indicate she found the answer satisfactory. She motioned Misto over and instructed him to hold Victoria's head steady while she carried the rest of her body. Plato trailed behind, muttering insults to himself.
When the four cats reached their destination, which happened to be Jenny's den, she directed Misto to set Victoria down in a vacant nest of blankets. Jenny made the white queen comfortable by tucking a blanket around her shoulders. She then prepared a bag of ice by placing a few ice cubes from the only functioning battery-operated mini-fridge that Misto had ever seen. She wrapped them up in a thin, beige rag. Plato volunteered to hold it against Victoria's head, but Jenny declined politely and offered it to Mistoffelees. The tuxedoed tom-kit gladly took it, feeling superior to another tom his age for once. He gently placed it where the adult queen told him to, and stroked Vicky's shoulder lightly as she winced. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Plato boring his envious eyes into him as he sat in a plastic chair at Jenny's square wooden table. Misto couldn't help but smirk ever so slightly.
When the ice melted fifteen minutes later, Jenny took it away to dump into a plastic bin of water. "I think that's enough ice to reduce the swelling. There's not much more we can do for Victoria except wait until she wakes up. Would you two like some tea in the meantime?" She asked both tom-kits. They eagerly nodded, and Misto stood up to go sit at the table. Jenny placed three mugs on it from a shelf by the wall and lit the wood-fire stove in the corner, which had a kettle filled with water on it. While the water was boiling, she picked out some dried mint leaves from a small box on the shelf and put some in each mug.
Misto sniffed the leaves in his cup curiously. They were previously unknown to him, and he never had tea in his life before. "I don't mean to sound impolite Ma'am, but what are these leaves called?" He queried, trying to identify the species of plant just by smell.
Jenny giggled and Plato groaned. Misto heard the latter mutter, "Prissy twerp" but he ignored it.
The yellow and orange queen noticed Plato's comment, however. "Mind your tongue, young tom! I don't want that kind of language in my den." She chastised, and then turned her attention to Misto with a softer gaze. "Now…Mistoffelees, was it? Those are mint leaves, and they smell and taste wonderful, especially in tea. You'll love them, I'm sure. Hmm, I don't think we've been properly introduced. My name is Jennyanydots, but please call me Jenny. I'm one of the two nurses who look after any injuries or illnesses here. The other nurse is named Jellylorum, and I'm positive you'll meet her soon enough." She smiled kindly, and Mistoffelees found himself smiling back. He had smiled more in one day here than he had in a month at his father's warehouse.
Jenny turned around to tend to the kettle, which had begun to emit a jet of steam from the spout along with a shrill whistle. Just as she was about to set it aside, a commotion caught her attention from outside the den entrance. She smiled as two rambunctious calicos rushed into the den. One was a queen and the other was a tom. Both were Alonzo's age.
"Mum! Mum!" The queen shouted excitedly in a thick Cockney accent as she ran to her mother.
"We 'eard from Cass tha' someone got knocked out! Who was it?" The tom continued seamlessly in the same accent.
The yellow and orange queen harshly shushed the pair and pointed a finger to Victoria, who was curled up in the nest of blankets. Her marred cheek gave a stark contrast to her snowy fur.
The two calicos gasped and the female one demanded, "Someone punched poor Vicky? Whot koind o' a disreputable, sick moron would do tha' ta a sweet, innocent queen loike 'er?"
Plato tentatively raised a paw and cleared his throat to get the calicos' attention. They turned around and glared threateningly at him. "Plato, 'ow could ya? Vicky's ya queenfriend, fo' Bast's sake! Ya're worse than Macavity an' Demetah!" The male tom accused.
Jenny, by this point, had poured hot water in each mug. She banged the ceramic kettle down on the table forcefully, and startled everyone in the room. "Mungojerrie, didn't I tell you and 'Teazer never to say the name of that horrid tom in my presence? Settle down and sit like normal, civilized cats!" She raised her voice, and the boisterous pair gazed down at their feet like guilty kittens, not daring to utter another sound. They sat down at the table as ordered, and Jenny prepared two more mugs of tea for them.
"Please excuse my kittens, Mistoffelees. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer can be quite the pawful." The middle-aged queen apologized in her usual placid tone. "'Jerrie, 'Teazer, why don't you introduce yourselves to our guest?" She continued, but with a discreet sternness laced into it. She motioned a paw to the small tom seated across from 'Jerrie.
The two calicos exchanged glances, and then looked to Misto. They both reached paws out to him and he shook them heartily, despite his weak appearance. "Oi'm 'Jerrie. T'is a pleasah ta meet ya, Misto. Do ya moind if Oi cawll ya tha'?" Mungojerrie greeted. Mistoffelees shook his head and the calico tom smiled.
"Moiy name's 'Teazah. We've 'eard awll 'bout ya from Etcetera. Is it true tha' ya ah' tha son o' Tha 'Idden Paw?" 'Jerrie's sister questioned, ignoring the sharp glare from her mother.
Misto nodded and Mungojerrie's smile widened. "Tha's crazeh! Oi wont ta meet ya fathah when Oi'm an adult. Oi could teach tha' tom a thin' o' two! But tha's a couple years off." He boasted. Jenny cleared her throat noticeably and 'Jerrie ducked his head, drooping his ears.
"You will do no such thing, 'Jerrie. Stop talking about such nonsense and finish your tea." Jenny contradicted her son. 'Jerrie pouted, but he didn't say anything more as he sipped his steaming beverage. When both he and his sister were done he queried, "When is Dad comin' back tanoight? 'E said 'e would bring us a surproise, remembah?"
The older queen's serious demeanor switched to a more cheerful one as she gathered everyone's mugs and set them in the plastic bin of water to clean them. "He's coming home around three in the morning, so you'll get your surprises when you wake up tomorrow."
Mungojerrie seemed to be satisfied with this answer, but 'Teazer wasn't done with her questions. "Can we stay up late ta meet 'im, Mum? Please?" She requested with pleading eyes. Her brother joined in with the begging, and added his own desperate expression.
Seeing her children's faces, Jenny laughed softly. "If you can stay awake that long, you may. I'm not giving you coffee this time, though. You remember the last time that happened, don't you 'Teazer?" She eyed her daughter knowingly, and the young calico threw her paws up in exasperation.
"So caffeine makes moi go loopey fo' a lil' whoile! No big deal, Mum! C'mon 'Jerrie, we've got pranks ta plan. Noice meetin' ya, Misto!" The calico queen waved good-bye, and she and her brother headed off.
The yellow and orange queen sighed and shook her head a few times. She focused on her two guests, who were quiet as mice. "Do you boys want to stay here until Victoria wakes up, or would you like to go play outside? It's a beautiful day and it would be a shame to waste it." She offered, but both tom-kits declined. Jenny didn't press any further, and continued washing the mugs. While she scrubbed, she mused about her day so far. It had been relatively uneventful until Plato came bursting through her den entrance, looking as if the Apocalypse was upon him. Her thoughts switched to Mistoffelees, who was one of the most polite tom-kits she had met thus far. She would never have guessed he was the son of the dreaded Macavity. Jenny smiled at the obvious rivalry between Misto and Plato. If she wasn't mistaken, Mistoffelees had a fancy for Victoria. It was quite plain to see when he tended to her head with the ice. He was so attentive and gentle towards her. Jenny had never seen so much tender affection in a tom's eyes, except for that of her mate towards her.
The trio stayed in the den until sunset, but still Victoria had not awoken. Plato stayed glued to his chair most of the time, watching Mistoffelees like a hawk. The red and white tom sometimes sat by his queenfriend's side, stroking her headfur and murmuring sweet nothings to her as if she could hear him. Misto always averted his gaze when that happened, for he couldn't bear to watch. The tuxedoed tom frequently thought about what he had almost done, and now he felt completely silly about the whole thing. He wouldn't dare tell Victoria, at least not now. It embarrassed him too much and he thought it would make him look like a lovesick fool. Plato was the lovesick fool, not him. Still, Misto couldn't help but feel a stab of jealousy tear through him every time Plato kissed Victoria's cheek or forehead. The black and white tom-kit had a vague awareness that he had a crush on the white queen-kit, even though he had only known her for barely a day. Misto didn't believe in love at first sight, but it seemed that perspective was changing.
That night neither Plato nor Mistoffelees fell asleep easily. They were too worried about their snowy friend, but eventually their tired bodies pulled them into a fitful, shallow slumber.
Cassandra awoke in her nest of blankets feeling fully rejuvenated and relaxed. As her mind came out of the depths of peaceful unconsciousness, she inhaled a familiar scent that she had not come across for over a month. The Abyssinian glanced over her shoulder at the nest beside hers. She smiled as she saw her sister Exotica sleeping soundly in it. Her slender, dark bronze body was covered with a thin sheet. Exotica never liked to stay in one place too long, but she frequently visited her sister unannounced, often coming in the dead of night.
The lighter Abyssinian knew she had to tell Munkustrap about Exotica's arrival, just so it wouldn't be a huge shock to see her suddenly reappear after a month and a half of absence. Something tugged at the back of Cassandra's mind as she silently got up and tip-toed out of the den. The early morning air felt crisp and fresh in her lungs. She knew Alonzo was still recovering in The Jellicle Protector's den, but she found it odd that the patched tom even crossed her mind at all. Cass couldn't care less about him, so why was she trying to avoid him? The bronze queen contemplated this all the way to the silver tabby's den, but the answer eluded her even as she knocked and stepped into Munk's dwelling.
"Munk? I just wanted to…"The Abyssinian glanced around for Munkustrap, but he was nowhere to be found. She took a few steps forward to get the full view of the den, in case he was at the stove that couldn't be seen from the entrance. The silver tabby was not there. Cassandra looked to the left at the nests of blankets by the wall. Mistoffelees was comfortably curled up in what was supposed to be Victoria's bed, and Alonzo was stretched out in Munkustrap's. She couldn't help but look over the older black and white tom, as most of his body was exposed.
Alonzo had one arm folded behind his head as a cushion, while the other rested on his midsection. One knee was bent, but his other leg hung over the side of the nest, displaying his toned thigh. Cass felt heat rise to her cheeks and her heartbeat quickened as her eyes traced the patched tom's outline further down his torso, without her mind's permission. His lean abdominal muscles rose and fell in correlation with his deep breathing, but Cassandra didn't dare look any lower.
Cass shook her head vigorously. She couldn't believe that she had just ogled Alonzo, someone she had rejected just yesterday! In the back of her mind though, she pondered how it would feel to trail her fingers along his firm chest and midsection, or to feel him shiver with pleasure under her touch…"Stop it! He's an uneducated, corny brute, remember? Stop swooning over him!" Her logical mind cut in, and she was more than glad to come back to the world of reality.
The Abyssinian glanced at the patched tom's face, and a small gasp escaped her lips. Alonzo was awake, blue eyes looking bemusedly up at her. She could have sworn he was asleep a second ago. Alonzo smirked knowingly at her. "Like what you see, Cassandra?" He purred, running the back of his free paw down his body and over his extended thigh to emphasize his words.
The bronze queen's blush grew deeper and she averted her gaze. "N-no…"She stammered, and her breath hitched in her throat. After a few seconds, she had calmed down enough to ask hastily, "Have you seen Munkustrap?"
Alonzo tapped his chin, taking his time to think. Munk had informed him he was going to see Victoria, who was in Jenny's den, before he went back to sleep. He enjoyed prolonging Cassandra's anticipation, though. "Let's see…He went to Jennyanydots', I think. Something about Victoria…Did you hear Plato knocked her out? Misto told me last night." He replied casually.
Cassandra nodded curtly and turned to leave. She hadn't even taken three steps when she heard Alonzo call her back, "Wait, Cassandra…Can we talk?" The Abyssinian tensed and hesitated, but obliged. She pivoted on her foot to face the patched tom again.
The black and white tom fidgeted nervously as he mumbled, "Look, about yesterday…Mistoffelees told me all about your past relationship and how it ended-"
"He what? How could he have known such a thing?" The bronze queen interjected harshly.
Alonzo put up a paw for silence. "Let me finish. He didn't say any details, but he did tell me that it would be better for you if you had a tom around. I just wanted to apologize for letting my emotions get the better of me and making me act like a jerk. Can we start over?" He asked sincerely, holding a paw out.
The bronze queen narrowed her light blue eyes at Alonzo. She eyed him skeptically for a minute to make sure he wasn't bluffing. Nothing in his eyes or expression suggested he was. "Why the sudden turn around?" She snapped in response.
"I know I'm a flirt and all, but if there's one thing I can't stand, it's seeing a beautiful queen lock her heart away because she's been hurt before. I know it sounds like I'm just saying this to get you to go out with me, but I really mean it. I'm not completely ignorant towards a queen's feelings, even though it seems like that. While I'm here, I just want to help you move on now that I understand your past a little more. What do you say?" Alonzo explained, still holding out his paw.
Cassandra stood there for a moment, not knowing whether to run to take his paw. She didn't trust Alonzo enough to take his eloquent words to heart, but at the same time her heart yearned to say yes. She found herself moving forward towards the patched tom, as if he had a gravitational pull that brought her closer. She reached her own paw out and let him gently take hold of it.
"That's the spirit. Can you give me a tour of the junkyard, please? I'm sick and tired of being cooped up in here with nothing to do." Alonzo smiled genuinely.
A worried look replaced the Abyssinian queen's cautious one. "Are you sure you can walk?"
The patched tom chuckled, which caused Cassandra to smile slightly. "I ran ten blocks on this paw. Walking shouldn't be too difficult, but I'll need some help to get up. Hold on, I'll tell Misto I'm leaving." He said, and sat up to shake the tuxedoed kit's shoulder.
Misto stirred, but didn't open his eyes. "What is it…?" He murmured groggily.
"I'm going out for the afternoon, okay? See you at dinner." Alonzo whispered. Mistoffelees nodded half-heartedly and curled further into a ball with a yawn.
Cassandra supported the patched tom as he stood up, but even with the extra help it wasn't easy. Once he was on two feet, Cass observed him as he limped along without her help. She walked beside him as they reached the den entrance, and Alonzo leaned against the wall. He gritted his teeth a little, but showed no other signs of pain. The bronze queen had to admire his pain tolerance and determination. They stepped outside, and Alonzo smiled broadly as he took in his surroundings.
"Nice place you have here…Bast, I never thought the outside world could be this magnificent…" The black and white tom commented.
Cass shot him a confused glance, but then she remembered what she had overheard Misto saying to Victoria and her two friends just before Electra and Etcy fled the previous afternoon. Alonzo was also Macavity's son. "Your father never let you outside? Why?" She questioned.
Alonzo shrugged. "To prevent Misto and I from escaping, I guess. He couldn't have had his two heirs run off, or it would have been a big inconvenience for him. So, where do you want to go?" He changed the subject to a happier one.
The Abyssinian turned right and strolled along at Alonzo's pace. "We're going to see Munk. Hopefully he's still at Jenny's and I can tell him my sister is back." She elucidated, and then glanced down curiously at the patched tom's bandaged hind paw. "If you don't mind my asking, what did happen to your foot?"
The black and white tom bit his lower lip, contemplating whether or not to tell the queen the gruesome tale. After a few minutes of silence he said quietly, "My father shot a bullet through my foot for talking back. As I explained before, I ran ten blocks to escape, but then I blacked out from loss of blood. Lucky Munkustrap was there to save both my and Misto's ass. We'd both be dead if it weren't for him."
Cassandra didn't reply because they had reached Jenny's den. She knocked on the wall and padded inside. Jenny and an orange tabby tom wearing a waistcoat sat at the table with Plato, and Munk was just helping his daughter sit up. The group of cats looked at Cassandra and Alonzo with interest.
"Munk, I just thought I'd let you know Exotica is back. How's Victoria doing?" The bronze queen inclined her head towards the kit in the nest of blankets.
Victoria answered that for herself. "I have a terrible headache, but other than that my jaw throbs something nasty. That's about it."
Both Cassandra and Alonzo nodded, and the queen of the pair motioned towards the orange tabby that sat beside Jenny. "Alonzo, this is Skimbleshanks. He works on the Midnight Mail at the train station."
Alonzo's face contorted in confusion. "What's a train?" He asked, and everyone in the den except Munk, Victoria, and Cassandra laughed.
Skimbleshanks smiled amusedly at the patched tom. "Nice to meet you, Alonzo. Munk has told me all about you and your brother. I hope you'll stay with us for a while longer." He greeted in a Scottish accent. Alonzo dipped his head respectfully, but didn't say anything. Cassandra bid the cats in the den a good afternoon and she left with Alonzo.
They spent the next two hours strolling along the different paths of the junkyard. Cass pointed out all the important landmarks and which den belonged to who, and she actually found that she enjoyed herself. Alonzo was attentive and polite as a cat with no manners could be, and he even stopped to grab an old steak knife to spear a mouse for the Abyssinian queen. She was impressed with his skill and accuracy, and hunted down a rodent for him in turn. They ate their lunch on the TSE-1, as it was around noon by now.
Once they were finished Cassandra stretched herself out on the hood, patting the spot beside her. Alonzo smirked and lay down, purring contentedly as the warm metal made contact with his fur and skin. He rested his head on his front paws and closed his eyes. Before he knew it, two hours had gone by. Cassandra shook the patched tom awake, and he sat up in the blink of an eye.
"Wow, you wake up really fast. It takes me at least five minutes to become fully awake." The Abyssinian giggled, and as Alonzo scratched his head and stretched.
"Force of habit…Macavity doesn't like to wait. Hey, is that my brother?" The black and white tom squinted. Indeed, he saw the small tuxedoed tom-kit walking across the center clearing with Victoria and Plato beside him. Alonzo sighed sadly. "Poor Misto…He's already made friends and we're going to have to leave soon…"
Cassandra cocked her head. "Leave? Why do you want to leave? You're safer here than anywhere else from your father."
Alonzo's frown deepened. His shoulders sagged as he expounded, "I know, and I don't want to leave either. It's just that I don't want to put anyone else in danger if Macavity comes looking for me and Misto. If he catches us, it will only be us in trouble, not this whole tribe. Macavity's ruthless when it comes to searches. He'll tear up half of London looking for us if he has to. I don't want you or anyone else to suffer on my account…"
The bronze queen gently reassured the patched tom as she placed a paw on his shoulder. "We'll protect you no matter what happens. Please don't leave; it would make a lot of us who know you and Misto sad. The tribe can hold its own against Macavity. We've done it before and we'll do it again." She smiled encouragingly, and Alonzo returned the smile.
"Thanks…I might reconsider now that I know someone will fight for me. You know, I've only known you for 48 hours, but I think you're the best thing that has ever happened to me, besides alcohol, of course." The patched tom chuckled, and it was Cassandra's turn to frown.
"You drink?" The Abyssinian raised a skeptical eyebrow.
Alonzo ducked his head at her disapproval. "I did at the hideout. I'm not an alcoholic, don't worry. So, where to now?"
Cassandra sighed in relief, but didn't move from her spot. She pointed a slender finger in front of her, and Alonzo looked in that direction. Electra and Etcetera had raced into the clearing, laughing and shrieking as two toms a year or so older chased after them. One was a brown and white-patched tom-kit and the other was black, brown, and gray. They wrestled with the queen-kits and Alonzo watched inquisitively.
All of a sudden a high-pitched yelp reached his ears, and it came from the path that Misto and his friends had disappeared down. Alonzo forgot about his injured foot as he scrambled off the tire and ran with Cassandra in the direction of the noise. The four playful kittens followed not far behind.