CHAPTER 2: Bed-Hunting
A tall, slim, brown Abyssinian queen was walking gracefully along the edge of a pile of junk when she noticed a small group of other cats gathered on the ground nearby. Thinking she spied an unfamiliar feline, she decided to go and find out what was happening. As she neared the cats, Rumpelteazer noticed her and yelled out.
"'EY! Cassandra! Come 'n' meet Tatiana!"
Tatiana found herself and Mungojerrie chuckling together.
"Hello," purred the Abyssinian smoothly. "I assume I no longer need to introduce myself. Nice to meet you, Tatiana." She reached out a paw, which Tatiana touched gingerly.
Wow, what an elegant-looking queen! thought Tatiana in admiration. She smiled. "Hi, nice to meet you, too."
"Are you planning on staying?" Cassandra inquired in an effort to be friendly.
"If possible," replied Tatiana.
"Ah, then I take it you are to have an interview with Old Deuteronomy?"
"Yes, Munkustrap said he would see if Old Deuteronomy can come down tomorrow."
"Well, good luck, then." The older queen winked.
Tatiana smiled at her gratefully. "Thanks."
"Well, I'd best be on my way," said Cassandra. "I shall see you around." The tall feline walked away just as elegantly as she had come.
"Wow, she is beautiful!" commented Tatiana.
And so are you, Mungojerrie thought, resisting – with difficulty – the urge to say it aloud.
"Yes, she is," admitted Mistoffelees. "She's Munkustrap's sister. So, when would you like to start learning how to dance?"
"Oh, I'm ready as soon as you are," said Tatiana eagerly.
"Well, then, would you like to start tomorrow night?" offered the magical tom.
"Oh, yes, please!" For once in her life, Tatiana was finding it difficult to keep still. "What day is that? Tuesday. Yes, that would be great. Thankyou ever so much!" Tatiana smiled gratefully.
"Would you like lessons just once a week or more?"
"Oh, once a week would be enough trouble for you."
"No, it's no trouble. I get rather bored sometimes, so if you want lessons more often that just once a week, that's fine."
"Well, if you're sure it's not too much trouble, I would like lessons twice a week…"
"Okay, what about Tuesdays and Saturdays?"
"Oh, yes, that would be marvellous…if you're sure…"
Mistoffelees chuckled exasperatedly. "Yes, I'm sure. I would welcome something to do."
"Oh, thankyou!" cried Tatiana. "How can I ever repay you?"
"Don't worry about that," said Mistoffelees, swatting away the suggestion with his paw as if it were a fly that had been bothering him. "The enjoyment and experience I'll get out of it will be more than enough payment." Before Tatiana could protest, Mistoffelees quickly changed the subject. "Well, we've been sitting here for a couple of hours, and I reckon some of the Jellicles who have their own humans might be coming to the junkyard soon. Maybe we should go and wait by the entrance in case someone turns up?"
"Okay," agreed Rumpelteazer and Etcetera together, Rumpelteazer with her Cock's Knee accent.
The five felines strolled along to the junkyard entrance, where they seated themselves in the middle of the path. All of the other cats had long since disappeared. All, that is, except for Alonzo. Since he was the tribe's protector, it was his job to be on the lookout for new presences and to decide whether or not they might be threats to the Jellicle tribe.
"Back again?" inquired the black-and-white tom rhetorically. He then directed his next question at Tatiana. "So, what do you think of the junkyard?"
"It's the best junkyard I have ever seen," announced Tatiana quietly.
Alonzo smiled. "I'm glad you like it."
Why do felines always assume one likes something if one says it's nice? wondered Tatiana momentarily. Although, in this case, Alonzo's assumption was actually correct.
As there wasn't really much else to say, Alonzo soon tottered off back to his guard position, leaving the group of five to lie in wait for more felines.
It was almost five o'clock, according to a wristwatch that Mungojerrie had supposedly found, by the time another cat finally showed up. The feline who walked in was a young, pure white queen of around the age of Tatiana and Rumpelteazer.
"Hi, Victoria!" Etcetera called to the queen. "Come and meet Tatiana."
"Hello, Tatiana," greeted Victoria kindly. "Are you going to be joining our tribe?"
"Oh, I hope so," replied Tatiana.
"Well, I hope you find us and the junkyard to your liking."
"Victoria is the ballerina of the Jellicles." Rumpelteazer just had to have some input into the conversation.
"Really?" Tatiana smiled outwardly, but, internally, her hopes were sinking – and fast. How could she ever get into the Jellicle Tribe?
Victoria was looking highly embarrassed. "Well, I do a bit of ballet," she admitted modestly.
"I'm sure you're very good," Tatiana assured her. "I can't wait to see you dance."
"Oh, uh, thanks." There was an awkward silence.
"So, Victoria, do you have your own humans?" asked Tatiana, desperate for something to say. She did not like awkward silences.
Victoria nodded. "Yes, I do."
"Do any of the other cats?"
"Yes," said Mungojerrie, "Jemima does, 'n' some of the older cats do. Munkustrap, Demeter and Bombalurina 'ave 'umans that look after them sometoimes, but they're not their own 'umans. Tugger 'as 'umans, and Misto 'ere used to."
"Did you?" Tatiana cast a glance at Mistofelees to find him looking rather sad.
"Yes," he replied. "I used to."
Tatiana could empathize easily. "I used to, as well," she whispered with a catch in her voice, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.
Mungojerrie put a comforting arm around Tatiana, but no-one said anything. They all understood that it was probably something that upset Tatiana deeply and something that she most likely didn't want to talk about at the moment. Afterall, it had been a while since Mistoffelees had lost his humans, and he still found it difficult to talk about them.
After a moment, Tatiana managed to compose herself. "I'm alright," she said quietly. She noticed Mistoffelees looking at her, appreciating her emotions.
Victoria sat down next to Mistoffelees and curled herself up. The group sat there for a while in silence until another kitten turned into the junkyard.
"Hi, Jemima!" Victoria squeaked and waved to her friend eagerly.
Jemima returned the gesture of greeting. "Hey, Vicki!" Jemima spied the newcomer just as she smiled. "Hi, what's your name?"
"I'm Tat–" began Tatiana, only to be interrupted by Rumpelteazer. Yet again.
"This is Tatiana." Rumpelteazer beamed. "Tats wants ta become a Jellicle. Doncha, Tats?"
Tatiana nodded, trying not to laugh at this very amusing cat.
"Welcome," Jemima said warmly. She sat down beside Tatiana. "Oh, my goodness!" she exclaimed, looking at Tatiana's back. "I love your markings!"
"Oh, thanks," Tatiana replied shyly.
Jemima touched her paw to Tatiana's back markings. "It's a crescent! Wow, that is so cool!"
"Jemima loves the moon," explained Etcetera. "She sings to it every night."
"And Vicki dances to it," added Mistoffelees.
"Well," said Mungojerrie, looking up at the darkening sky, "it's gettin' late, and Oi doubt anyone else will be comin' in tonoight. But Oi reckon Tatiana moight need to foind somewhere comfy ta sleep."
"Yes, I rather think I would need to," Tatiana said, smiling.
"Well, then, what are ya woitin' for? Let's go bed-'untin'!" Rumpelteazer started ahead excitedly with Etcetera hot on her paws.
Tatiana and Mungojerrie grinned at each other and broke into laughter as they followed behind the two queens.
Jemima's voice stopped them momentarily. "I'd better go get myself some sleep. I hope you find a nice bed, Tatiana, and I hope everything goes fine with Old Deuteronomy." Jemima gave Tatiana a quick hug before disappearing.
Rumpelteazer and Etcetera started climbing over the mountainous piles of rubbish, poking their heads in tins and boxes, scraping their paws through the junk. All there was for Tatiana and Mungojerrie to do was to follow suit. After a while of 'bed-hunting', as Rumpelteazer put it, the latter cat held up her paws in triumph. "Oi found a box!" she yelled to the others.
Mungojerrie sauntered over to her. "Is it big enough?" he asked.
Rumpelteazer screwed her nose up at him. "'Ow do Oi know? Ask Tats that question."
Tatiana came up to them and squinted at the box.
"Well?" Rumpelteazer demanded. "Is it big enough?"
"Yes, I think so," replied Tatiana. "Thankyou for finding it, Rumpelteazer."
Rumpelteazer smiled. "That's orlroight. And you can call me Rumpel. Or Teazer. Or Teaz. Whichever toikes yer fancy," she added.
"Um, okay," Tatiana said, a little unsure of whether or not she could bring herself to actually call another cat by a nickname. But she did give me a nickname without asking if it was alright first, conceded Tatiana to herself.
"I think Tats might need something comfortable to put inside the box, though," said Etcetera. "Let's try and find something soft for her. Hang on," – Etcetera suddenly stopped and looked around – "where did Misto and Vicki go?"
The other cats stopped also. Finally, Mungojerrie shrugged. "Dunno," he said.
"Oh, well." Etcetera shrugged also. "They must have gotten tired and gone home."
"Without soiyin' goodnoight ta us?" Rumpelteazer asked, looking hurt.
"Well, I don't know…" Etcetera started heading back down to the junkyard entrance. "Oh, wait, don't worry…they're here. And they're curled up together, asleep!" Etcetera giggled and clambered back to the other three cats. "Let's not disturb them. Now, maybe we should split up to find Tats some bedding for her box." Etcetera kept going straight ahead, while Rumpelteazer turned to the right and headed off.
"But…" Tatiana let her voice trail off. "I don't know the area all that well…" She sighed.
"Don't worry," said a voice beside her. "Ya can come wif me."
Tatiana smiled. "Thanks. I don't really want to get lost – and I am sure to do so if I go by myself."
Mungojerrie chuckled. "Understandably." They walked on in silence for a while before he spoke again. "Oi know of a neat little trunk with lotsa stuff in it. Oi'm sure we'd be able ta foind somethin' comfy fer ya there. That's actually where Oi got some of moiy beddin' from." He lowered his voice. "No-one else knows about it."
Tatiana was surprised. "Surely someone else would have discovered it by now?"
"Well, yes," Mungojerrie explained, "but they don't know what's in it. They don't even know that it's ever been opened." He grinned and lowered his voice. "'Cause no-one else can open it."
Tatiana followed the tom, confused but somewhat curious as to Mungojerrie's meaning. Soon they came to a trunk that looked like a treasure chest. Mungojerrie's proclamation that it was a 'neat little trunk' was quite the understatement…the trunk was HUGE!
"Wow," breathed Tatiana.
Mungojerrie grinned at her. "Woit 'til ya see insoide!" He bent over the lock and appeared to Tatiana to be fiddling with it for a minute or so until there was a click. "Ah, got it!" He opened the lid of the trunk and Tatiana peered inside.
Tatiana gasped. True to Mungojerrie's word, there was a lot of 'stuff' inside the trunk. There were dolls, a wristwatch, a string of imitation pearls and a pile of silk scarves, among many other trifles.
"Oooh…" Tatiana put her paw inside and scooped up a pawful of scarves. "One of these would be perfect…!"
"Take two," advised Mungojerrie. "Jes' ta make sure ya really are comfy."
Tatiana looked a bit unsure, but said "okay". She scrutinized the scarves for a few minutes.
Mungojerrie finally spoke. "Are you going to get two?"
Tatiana nodded. "Yes, I'm just deciding which ones I want."
"Oh…" Mungojerrie looked a bit confused. Moiybe it's jes' a queen thin', he thought.
At last, Tatiana chose two scarves – one of dark purple and one that was black with a hot pink pattern.
"'EY!" Mungojerrie yelled after closing the lid and relocking the chest. "We've found 'er some beddin'!"
Tatiana giggled.
"What?"
"You sounded exactly like your sister just then," Tatiana told him.
"Oh," Mungojerrie laughed. "S'pose Oi did, rather, didn't Oi?"
"Yes, you did, rather."
Right on cue, Rumpelteazer popped out from behind a pile of rubbish, causing Tatiana and Mungojerrie to collapse into hysterics.
"What?" demanded the stripy queen.
"Nothin'," Mungojerrie said, unsuccessfully trying to keep a straight face.
"Anywoiys," Rumpelteazer went on, "'ere's yer box. Oi 'ope ya sleep comfy tonoight now."
"Thankyou, I'm sure I shall," replied Tatiana.
Etcetera appeared beside Rumpelteazer. "Oh, you all set then? Goodnight!" With a cheerful wave Etcetera vanished into the night.
"That was abrupt," Tatiana commented.
Rumpelteazer shrugged. "She orlwoiys is."
"Now ya'll jes' need ta foind somewhere ta put yer bed," said Mungojerrie, turning everyone's attention back to the issue at hand.
"Ummm, yes, I suppose so…" Tatiana looked around. "Do you know of –" Tatiana turned back to talk to Rumpelteazer, but the queen had disappeared and left the box set before Tatiana.
"Oi know of a good spot," Mungojerrie told her. He winked. "Come with me."
Tatiana followed, an apprehensive feeling rising within her. I hope he's not going to be like the others, she thought.
Soon they came upon what appeared to be the edge of the junkyard. Mungojerrie led his new friend over to a large box made comfortable with a pillow and half of a sheet.
"This is where Oi sleep," he said proudly.
Tatiana smiled, but her eyebrow was raised. She was wondering what this piece of information had to do with anything, and, although Tatiana was too polite to say anything, Mungojerrie sensed this.
"Oi know of a noice spot near here," he said, "where ya moight loike ta put yer own bed." Mungojerrie walked over to the nearby fence, where there was a small bush. Two planks of wood sturdily leaned against the fence just to the side of the bush.
Tatiana raised her eyebrows sceptically. "They're not going to fall, are they?" she asked, nodding at the planks.
Mungojerrie shook his head. "They won't."
"But how can you be so sure?" persisted the queen anxiously.
"Let's put it this woiy: they've bin 'ere since long before Oi came, and they 'aven't fallen yet." He gestured for Tatiana to come over. "'Sides, they'll give ya shade of a doiytoime."
Tatiana walked over and placed her box close to the bush, between it and the closest plank. She then turned to Mungojerrie and smiled gratefully. "Thanks for everything."
Mungojerrie returned her smile. "Ya've nothin' ta thank me fer. 'Ave a good noight's sleep." He stepped closer to Tatiana and pulled her into an embrace.
Tatiana's heart started beating faster. What was he going to do? Was he going to try something? However, Mungojerrie merely pulled back and smiled at her again.
"If ya need me, Oi'm jes' over there."
"Thankyou. And goodnight," Tatiana called after him as he returned to his own bed.
It had been a long, eventful day for the young queen, and she felt very tired and very dirty. Tatiana slipped behind the bush to wash herself. When she had finished, she settled into her new bed. She noticed Mungojerrie finishing licking his paws before doing the same. Tatiana settled into a deep, peaceful sleep with a smile on her face.