Unfortunately for Munkustrap, the "calmness" of the tribe didn't last long.
As days went by, he saw less smiles and more worried faces from the cats – kittens to old, toms and queens.
He once announced that Plato getting hurt had nothing to do with the redevelopment – since he was hurt by a teenager – but this didn't help so much with the growing anxiety. Of course, this was quite obvious; more humans came to the junkyard now, and there were spray marks almost everywhere in the junkyard except the dirt ground.
Even the Rum Tum Tugger seemed a bit worried every time Munkustrap glanced at him. Surely, things were not going so well.
Etcetera couldn't cry anymore for she was out of tears; she just sat at the corner of the meeting area, hugging her knees and her face down.
Jemima and Electra didn't smile anymore.
Munkustrap now thought of this whole depression as his fault – Why didn't I prevent Plato from getting his tail half-crushed? Why didn't I make sure to tell that everything will be alright to the tribe? Why don't I have a more efficient plan?
One cloudy afternoon, Munkustrap went to the back entrance of the Junkyard – a few minutes of walking from where most of the dens and also the meeting area are. He didn't want anyone to see what he was about to do.
He let out a great wail and, hugging his knees, let out a few tears, then more, then more…
It was too much of a responsibility to him… Making sure all Jellicles were under control, making sure that either the Junkyard is preserved (which is almost impossible) or that the tribe finds a good new home…
He cried tears and wails that he did not cry for years…
And when he was done with doing so, he just laid in the dirt, letting sleep come…
He heard a loud yelp. That of a queen. He also heard a human cursing. He quickly stood and tried to find where the sound came from… when he was suddenly knocked down by a orange queen. The momentum of the cat that was running like the ground was falling was surely enough to make the protector fall with such a loud thump…
She was shaking, and she did not let go of the silver tabby. Instead, she held tight to him and hugging him.
"Ru…Rumpleteazer…is it?" said Munkustrap, trying to get up. He almost said Aren't you the troublemaker?
It was clear that Rumpleteazer was shaking like there was an earthquake. She just cried and cried with sobbing noises.
After letting her do so, Munkustrap finally got up and asked her, "What's wrong?"
"The… human… the human… he… he… kicked… kicked… me… in… in… the… ribs… and I'm… so… like… like… scared… and…"
Munkustrap gave a look to her side – it was bruised and bloody. He quickly licked the wound to make her feel better. It seemed that the human was wearing shoes with sharp features, enough to cut such a large cut at the cat's ribs. It was rather peculiar to see the Rumpleteazer be so frightened by being kicked (although quite bloodily). Isn't she used to being hurt or almost getting hurt by humans from all her robbing around and things? he thought.
Munkustrap just tightly hugged Rumpleteazer to calm her down. How ironic to help a cat that snatched away flowers I picked for my lover, he thought. But that didn't matter. Troublemaker or not, he had the responsibility for safety of all Jellicles.
"Rumpleteazer, I thought you were brave enough… I mean, what you do and all that,"
"But I never… you know… got bloody wounds… and… and… I'm kinda scared of… of… blood… and you know… I'm so worried and stressed about the redevelopment thing… and…" she confessed.
"Wow, I never saw that side in you, being scared and all," whispered Munkustrap. This made her cry even more.
"I'm… I'm… really… kinda… terrified at seeing blood… whether it's mine or others'…" she said.
"Oh… I see… well… calm down, it's alright. The evil human is gone, I'm here to protect you…" said Munkustrap. He gave her slow pats on the back to chill her down.
"I'm… really… really… sorry… about… what I did to your flowers…" she apologized while still having her face buried in Munkustrap's chest.
"It's really alright… try to forget it…" he said.
He laid down the poor troublemaker nearby him and both closed their eyes, waiting for sleep…
When he opened her eyes, it was already night. When gasped in surprise when he found a small heap of flowers – even in the dark, he could see they were very colorful – in front of him. He crept to Rumpleteazer, still sleeping, and whispered in her ears, "Thank you."
"It's my apology… It would be really nice if you accepted it…" she said, still half-asleep.
"Of course it's accepted. Now I'll get you on my back… try not to move so much…" he said.
He carried Rumpleteazer in such a way back to the main area.
When they got there, Rum Tum Tugger was sitting on the dirt. "Dude, where have you been? All of us were worried to freakin' death!" he said, "And is that Rumpleteazer on your back?"
"Yeah, it is her. I've been out to… do something…" Munkustrap answered.
He walked with Rumpleteazer still on her back to Jellylorum's den.
"Jellylorum… Rumpleteazer got her ribs broken. It has a terrible cut too… quite bloody," said Munkustrap.
"Oh dear, that Rumpleteazer? Just… do lay her down right her," she pointed. Munkustrap did so.
"Good night," he said.
"Well, good night too you as well. I still don't get how the Rumpleteazer got hurt…" she said.
Munkustrap hesitated to answer, but said, "Don't tell this to anyone else; a human did it to her."
She gasped.
Munkustrap then walked towards Mugojerrie and Rumpleteazer's own den and knocked. Sleepy Mungojerrie opened the door slowly; when he saw that it was Munkustrap, he gasped loud enough to wake himself up and asked, "Munkustrap… oh… oh… hi… uh…"
"Shut up and look at me, Mungojerrie. Your sister is hurt. Bloody. She is right now at Jellylorum's, but don't go there tonight. Don't tell this to anyone else, but a human hurt her. Broke her ribs and gave her a nasty cut. If you tell to anyone that a human hurt her, we are going to fight. Fight until one of us drops."
"O…okay…" replied the troublemaker tom. He seemed rather frightened by Munkustrap.
"Goodnight," said Munkustrap with an angry face. After all, it was Rumpleteazer who apologized about the flower-snatching, not him…
"Good… good night," replied Mungojerrie.
Munkustrap was desperate to make sure that only a limited number of Jellicles knew about what happened… no, he was okay with cats knowing about that… but not why she got hurt. If all the Jellicles knew that it was a human that hurt her, than there would definitely be group panic. No cat could be still calm after hearing about the redevelopment, Plato getting hurt, and now Rumpleteazer getting hurt by a human, after all…
I guess I have uploaded more than three chapters this weekend! I don't know how it's going to be next weekend, though… Anyways, I would really appreciate a good comment! Like really appreciate! :)