Gracietta's life improved considerably over the next few days. For one, the Henchcats left her alone. They didn't want anything to do with her now that she had shown what she was capable of. For another thing, Zazor seemed to have retreated for the time being. From what she could gather from overheard conversations, he had locked himself in the cabin, and would see no one.
This seemed quite strange to Graci. He was acting strange. He usually concentrated on sexing her, and not on having time to himself.
Two weeks after the Malazor incident, Zazor finally called on Graci again. She cautiously made her way to the cabin (she still did not entirely trust that the Henchcats would leave her alone) and walked though the hanging door. Zazor was yet again waiting on the small bed in the middle of the room. He gave her a grin that was anything but comforting. "Welcome."
Graci took her normal seat near the door, and crossed her legs. She had found (through trial and error) that, by crossing her legs, she was able to delay Zazor raping her, if only by a little bit. Zazor only continued to smile. "Why so tense, my dear?"
Graci stared at him, "Are you really asking me that?" she said dryly.
Zazor only laughed, "Yes, I am."
He eased up next to her, and lay down on his side, watching her intently. Graci sighed. He was going to play with her before he came in for the kill. She would not submit to his mind games easily. "Because you're an evil basterd with no conscience."
Zazor chuckled, and ran a claw down her back. "You've learned well. I guess that is true. I have no conscious at all!"
There was silence for a moment. Then he turned and looked her straight in the eyes. "You really want to hate me, don't you?"
Graci was taken aback by this question. "I…I don't want to hate you…I do!" She turned away from his strong gaze.
"I don't think that's true, kit." Zazor said softly, "You may fear me, you may dislike me, hell, you may even want to kill me! But hate me? I don't think so."
"I think that's all the same thing. I mean, I wouldn't want to kill if I didn't hate you." Graci muttered.
Zazor laughed, and shook his head. "You are such a child. So unable to comprehend."
Graci stared up at him, and he stared calmly back. "You know what? If I didn't know any better, I would say that you wanted me to care for you!"
Zazor looked completely taken aback by this. "You impertinent little kitten! I ought to kill you for that!"
"You won't." Graci whispered, "I know you won't."
Zazor's jaw clenched. "Hold your tongue, kitten!!!"
He grabbed her by the scruff of her neck, and threw her out of the cabin. Remarkably, she landed right next to the cellar door. Though she was bruised, and she ached all over, she closed her eyes, and gave a small smile.
Zazor gazed at the moonlight that was seeping through the window. That stupid kit…She didn't know what she was talking about…
"Is that kitten gone yet?"
A thin female with the same markings as Zazor's slunk out from under the tiny bed. "Quit your moping, Zazor, she's just a kitten. Besides…Only two weeks until this is all over…"
"Yes…Finally, we can have our revenge…Sillabub, you can have Munkustrap, and that poor excuse for a fur coat, Tugger. Macavity and Old Deuteronomy are mine…"
Soon, the banished siblings would have their revenge.
Macavity's head hung from his neck like a limp piece of spaghetti. He hardly felt the chains around his wrists anymore. He had been held in those chains for two weeks straight. It was amazing that he was even still alive. He had eaten nothing since his capture. The fact that he was alive was probably only due to his constant living as a scavenger.
The worst thing was that Bombalurina hadn't even come to see him. He knew that the Jellicles were probably doing all they could to keep her from coming, but she could sneak out…He knew he had taught her that much, at least.
At that moment, Munkustrap appeared. He wore an expression of worry. "This ought to be good." Macavity thought.
"Macavity, what is this?"
He held out his paw. Clutched there was a scrap of yellow parchment. Macavity raised his eyebrows. "That would be a piece of paper."
Munkus glared at him and turned the paper over. There, written in what seemed to be red ink, was a note.
Jellicles,
Beware. The real Napoleon of Crime is coming for you.
There was no name on the note, but Macavity knew exactly who it was from. "…Zazor…" He murmured.
Munkus stared at him, bewildered. "What?!"
Macavity glared at him, "Nothing that you would care about!"
With a sudden burst of strength, he pulled against the chains. They rattled and strained, but didn't break. "LET ME GO!" He shouted, "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE DANGER YOU ARE IN!"
Munkus's eyes widened as he jumped backwards. "You…You're lying!" But there was a hint of doubt in his voice.
Suddenly, there was a crash, and Bombalurina skidded around the corner, pursued by Demeter. "Bomba! Stop! This won't make things any easier for you!"
She came to an abrupt halt in front of Munkus. "Munkus…I…Bomba wanted to see…"
But she stopped, watching the memorizing scene in front of her. Bombalurina had slowed done, staring up at Macavity's limp form. He raised his head, and his eyes widened as he recognized the Queen in front of him. Nobody spoke. Nobody moved. Then there was a cry as Bomba rushed forward and pulled Macavity into a tight embrace. He could not hug her back, but he laid his head on her shoulder. A small tear, quite possibly the first one in his life, leaked out of his eye.
Munkustrap stared at the two cats. Something seemed to click, and he pulled Bomba away from Macavity. Macavity let out a fearsome snarl, and Bomba gave a loud cry. Munkus spun her around so that she was facing him, and shoved the small note in her face, "Is he real?"
"Wha…What?"
"Is he real?" Munkus repeated, saying each word slowly and deliberately.
"Z…Zazor? Yes…"
Munkus stared almost skeptically at Bomba, and then at Macavity. After a moment, he raised his claws, and sliced through the chains that bound Macavity to the pole. Macavity fell down, and landed on all fours.
"What's this?" He said as he straightened up, "Are you finally coming to your senses?
Bombalurina rushed back to Macavity's side, and clung to the red Tom. Munkus did not answer him, but spoke directly to Bomba. "Are you sure about this?"
Macavity interrupted Bomba before she could even start to speak. "Of course she's sure! Who do you think wrote those lies?" He jerked his thumb towards the writing on the pole.
Munkus bit his lip, and looked at Macavity, his eyes unreadable. "When…When he they attack?"
Macavity smirked, "The Jellicle Ball, of course. Zazor isn't the most original Tom in the world, always stealing my ideas. But he won't come alone, that's a new idea of his. He's not as powerful as me, and he knows it. He'll bring other Henchcats, lots of them, and quite possibly…Graci."
He hadn't said her name for a long time. There was an uncomfortable silence. Munkus finally broke it, "Well….We can't just stay here like sitting ducks. Come on…We have to prepare…"
Zazor and Sillabub sat on top of a broken down truck, not far from the outskirts of the Junkyard. A mass of dirt Toms sat in front of them, all watching the two cats with rapt attention. Graci was on Zazor's left, deliberately not looking at him. "How many siblings does Macavity have…?" She thought quietly to herself, sneaking a glance at Sillabub.
Zazor looked out at the crowd of former Henchcats. "Now is our time!" He cried, "Macavity is held hostage, and the Jellicles are woefully unaware. Old Deuteronomy is old and weak! Now is the time to attack!"
The Toms growled at roared at the words. Zazor grinned. Tomorrow…
Bombalurina and Macavity stood in front of her den. The Jellicle Moon was sitting on the horizon, just ready to rise. The Ball was planned to go on as normal. Almost everyone agreed it would be the safest way to do things. They would have the element of the surprise on their side, at least. Munkustrap, Alonzo, and Skimbleshanks were positioned at the entrance to the Junkyard. They would have a warning. Everything was going to be alright…In theory, at least…