I didn't think I was going to thank anyone this time but Emily has snuck in some reviews while I've been writing this chapter, my thanks once again.
I'm putting this up a little quick. It's was supposed to be a short chapter and more of a setup for the finale but I got carried away and when you're on a roll you may as well go with the flow.
Jerrie is actually Australian (that's what the accent sounds like to me anyway and it's my story) though I haven't tried to write it in. Like I said on the last chapter. I suck at writing accents, but considering we're all the descendants of convicts down here it kinda fits that he's a thief.
And because I was asked. Yes. I own cats.
2 of them to be precise and one pollicle, 2 kids and a wife, though we're not sure who owns who in that case to be honest and I think the answer would disappoint me.
Now on with the story.
…..
The last thing the crying kitten saw was her pollicle friend Toby looking out the window of the car as he was taken from her life, forever.
"I didn't even get to say goodbye" she sobbed…
…..
***Six years after the events in "Repercussions" and 8 months after the events in CATS***
…..
Demeter and Victoria were sitting on the TSE-1 with the other queens gossiping about the recent events in the tribe.
"Did you hear that Electra was expecting now as well?" asked Victoria caressing her swelling abdomen, a habit that seems to form with every expectant mother.
"No, no I didn't even know that she and Pounce were trying?" replied Demeter and pouted "I'm too young to be a grandmother."
"I don't think they really were, but when you spend that much time in your den together then something's bound to happen" giggled the happily pregnant queen.
"More information than I needed to know, thank you very much Victoria" said Demeter and laughed along.
…..
The last 8 months had seen a flood of matings within the tribe. With the disappearance of Macavity after the Jellicle Ball, the youngsters in the junkyard had taken it as a sign and pairings flourished. Plato and Victoria had started it all off, of course, at the ball, but they were followed closely by Demeters son Pouncival and Electra, an adoptee of the Jellicles. A couple of months later there was a surprise mating of the quiet Admentus and the much younger and excitable Etcetera, it seems that opposites really did attract.
Jelly's daughter Rumpleteaser and Mungojerrie finally formalised their relationship after announcing that they were going to be parents (to Jellies shock). Deciding to become responsible they had given up their thieving ways and Jerrie had been appointed the information officer for the Junkyard.
Another surprise mating that occurred, not because it was unexpected but because nobody ever thought that they'd ever get around to it, was that of Demeters sister Bombarulina and Rum Tum Tugger. He'd turned around 3 weeks before and proposed to her in front of the entire tribe, she'd stood there in the afternoon sunshine whilst the entire population looked on, not even daring to breathe. When she tearfully said yes, the cheers were so loud that a passing human came into the yard to see what the ruckus was about. Neither of them had quit their flirting ways, but it was well known that it was now only in fun and anyone who thought otherwise was quite firmly put in their place. The tribe had waited too long for this mating to happen to have it spoiled by a misunderstanding.
The last pairing up that had all the tribe abuzz, though it hadn't resulted in a mating yet, was that of Misto and Jemima. The little tuxedo Tom had taken Munk and Dems daughter aside one moonlit midwinter night and professed his love for her. A love which she'd returned unashamedly. The tuxedo tom had been there for her in the aftermath of losing her friend Toby and had rarely left her side during the rants and sulks that the young queen had made the entire tribe suffer through. He'd been there the night that she began to sing once more. Gone was the pure innocence of her kitten melodies, replaced with heart wrenching songs of loss and love, and Misto had not missed a single one. They'd approached her parents with their intentions to mate after Jemima came of age at the next Jellicle ball and the tribes' protector and his mate had given their blessing.
…..
Mungojerrie came into the clearing and approached the lounging queens, "Hey Dem, Vic. Ladies" he nodded to the gathering politely. "Have you seen Munk anywhere?"
"Yes he's down patrolling the southern fenceline with Alonzo" said Demeter.
The two brothers had made up over the years, sealed with Alonzo's rescue of the protectors mate at the Jellicle ball earlier in the year and his reinstatement to second in command, much to Admentus' relief.
"'k thanks" said the Aussie Calico. "I'll go look down that way then."
"Is there anything we need to know about, Jerrie" asked a concerned Vic.
"No. Not really. Just getting some strange reports from my contacts outside" replied Jerrie.
"Oh, ok then" said Demeter and waved the tom off.
"I still love his accent" giggled Victoria as he moved away.
…..
Jerrie hurried down to the south fence and started searching for the two tomcats.
After 15 minutes or so of searching he heard their voices. Even with the disappearance of The Napoleon of Crime the cats maintained a daily patrol of the junkyard perimeter.
"We'll need to get down here in the next couple of days and shore up that post and repair the hole" came the voice of Alonzo.
"Uh huh" was a muffled reply.
"Munk? Are you over there?" called Jerrie.
"Jerrie? Yes we're over near the fence" replied Munkunstrap. "What's up?"
"Nothing serious, I hope, but I've been hearing some strange rumours outside. There are reports that something big is on the rise" reported the calico.
"What kind of reports?" asked the silver tabby.
"Nothing definitive, but there's been sightings of some large pollicle packs roaming around, and something else that nobodies seen, but it's leaving some pretty damn big tracks, and a lot of them" replied Jerrie.
"Hmm. Ok then. Alonzo take note. We need to step up patrols and go over the panic plans with the queens again. I want you in my den tonight with a patrol schedule for me to look over. I want everyone prepared in case of the worst" planned the tom, showing why he'd been named as the tribe protector. "At least this time we don't have any kittens to protect. For a few more months at least, but I want safe dens setup for the pregnant queens."
"Oh they're gonna love that" murmered Jerrie.
"They don't need to love it. They just have to do it" grumped the tom.
…..
Like predicted the expectant queens kicked up a fuss over being singled out for special treatment. Secretly they were quite impressed at the care their mates were giving them, but there was no way known that they'd admit it.
The patrols were increased and everything in the junkyard seemed to go along quietly for a few more weeks. Reports on strange happenings continued to filter in. Pollicle packs had been seen roaming the city and fights and deaths were becoming increasingly common amongst the beasts. Still nobody knew who it was that was killing them. The only bodies ever found were that of the pollicles and while there were occasional bloodstains, there was never any evidence of their foes left behind.
All through this period Munkunstrap became increasingly concerned. The junkyard seemed to be an island of calm in what was becoming a fairly turbulent area of the city.
One night after yet another report of a pile of pollicle bodies found only a block away from the junkyard, he decided to call a tribe meeting.
All the members of the tribe gathered in the centre clearing of the junkyard around the great tyre.
Munkunstrap began to explain the current situation that had gotten him on alert and was just beginning to go over the latest incident outside the yard when his attention was drawn to a figure entering the clearing.
It was a cat, but not one that he recognised.
It had long red and black fur but was bald and its head covered in scar tissue like it had been burned alive.
He jumped down off the type and approached the Tomcat. "Can, can I help you?"
The red tom just looked at Munkunstrap. "You really don't recognize me do you?" he said with a raspy voice.
"No, I'm sorry, I don't. Should I?" asked Munk.
The red tom just glared, and then suddenly in shot out a violent right hook straight into Munks chest, winding him and knocking him back into the crowd of cats.
Then he laughed and Munk knew. Every cat there knew and Demeter uttered the cry she thought she'd never have to use again.
"Macivity!"
…..
Munkunstrap was helped to his feet. "What do you want here you animal" he growled. Alonzo, Skimble and the other toms moved up to his sides.
"What do I want?" giggled the clearly insane criminal.
"It's quite simple" Macavity let out a low whistle. "I want you to die. I want dear Demeter to die. I want to skin your daughter and wear her skull as a hat. I want to feast on your entrails and dance on your bones."
A sight to quail to strongest toms appeared behind Macavity. A line of mongrel dogs (A/N. I've separated these deliberately from normal pollicles and they will be known by the human term of dogs to avoid confusion) entered the yard and grouped up behind him.
"Everlasting Cat" thought Munkunstrap, "there must be 100 of them."
"You ruined all my plans you see. I had everything I ever wanted except for one thing. I wanted you all gone, but you stopped me" ranted the cat. "You hurt me and left me crippled. My henchcats lost their fears of me and deserted me in the hour of my triumph, and you all lived. Well that all stops tonight."
He giggled again, "Now all you can do is die."
Macavity turned to the slavering animals behind him and uttered a single command as he walked away.
"KILL"
…
Munkunstrap sprang into action.
"Queens to the tunnels! Toms to defend. We evacuate. We can't fight this" was the command as the pollicles advanced.
The Jellicles began to scatter to the tunnels as the toms ran to meet the oncoming beasts.
Demeter had frozen in fear. Her wildest nightmare was coming true and she was sinking back into that night, so long ago, where she'd escaped the sadistic master criminal and but for the actions of her future mate, would have died in the jaws of the beasts that he'd set upon her.
Then something caught her eye and snapped her out of her trance. "Jemima!" she screamed.
Munkunstrap, whipped his head around spying his youngest daughter who'd stumbled and been separated from the other Jellicles by some of the pack.
…..
She backed away from the red eyes and foaming jaws of the dogs in front of her, slowly moving until she ran into a wall at the edge of the clearing. Looking wildly left and right, Jemima realised that she had no escape. She peered through the legs of the oncoming dogs to see her mother being dragged away by her dad, and knew that there was nothing they could do but run, and live.
She went to close her eyes to wait for the end, before shaking herself mentally and refusing to allow herself to give in to her fear. She'd face her death like the cat she was. Like the cat her parents had raised her to be. Like a Jellicle.
The dogs closed on her, jaws dripping, and then everything and everyone stopped.
…..
A piercing howl sounded from her left above the great tire.
A great figure sat there. His head thrown back screaming his defiance and majesty out to the sky. Then another howl sounded to the right, another figure, twin to the first or so it seemed. Then another appeared and another. Great long furred pollicles all sitting with their heads back announcing their presence, as if to say "Look at me and tremble. Bow down to me and beg my forgiveness for you are not welcome here." The howls died out and the great pollicles surrounding the clearing looked down at the mass of stunned cats and dogs in silence.
One of the dogs facing Jemima. Braver than the others, or perhaps more stupid, leapt towards her.
A flash of white fur intercepted the beast and with a slash of teeth tore out the dogs throat.
"YOU WILL NOT TOUCH MY MOTHER!" snarled the pollicle positioning himself between the dogs and the bewildered cat.
"To… Toby?" cried Jem. "You. You can talk?"
"Yes I can talk. I'll explain later but for now, get back to your friends" and with that charged into the dogs separating Jemima from her parents.
As if from a silent signal the other eleven pollicles jumped down from the junk piles and attacked.
Jem stood there for a moment and the dashed across the gap to her mother and father, clutching them both.
"Jem. Jem" panted Munkunstrap. "I don't understand. What is going on?"
"It's Toby" she cried. "I don't know how but it is. He saved me and the rest of us."
Munk shook himself and looked at the great melee of canines in the clearing.
"And I'll be damned if I let him do it alone. TOMS ON ME" he cried out to the Jellicles thrusting Demeter into his daughter's arms. "Take care of her."
"Leave the Huskies, but kill the rest."
"Um. The what?" asked Tumble.
"The white pollicles. Leave them alone but the rest are fair game" yelled the tribe protector as he led his troops into the fray.
…..
What seemed like hours or even days later, first one and then another until it was like a flood of wounded dogs fled the battlefield. They left over 50 members of the pack behind them, dead or dying. Those that were taking their time about it were helped along by vengeful cats.
The queens ventured out of the reinforced dens and set up a triage in an open spot of the clearing. Not a single member of the defenders had escaped without a wound. Bites and tears were commonplace but some more serious injuries had been inflicted as well. Plato had lost an eye when he was caught across the face by the dewclaw of a dog and Tugger had broken an arm and a leg when he was thrown through the roof of a den.
As silence fell across the battlefield a single image stood out. That of a great white figure lying amongst the bodies of their foe, with a small cat holding his head in her lap.
The huskies approached their fallen comrade, followed by members of the Jellicle tribe.
Jemima looked up at the approaching animals. "He only wanted to save me, to protect me. He didn't deserve this."
Jelly dashed over to ascertain Toby's wounds. After a moment of inspection she looked up at Jemima with tears in her eyes and shook her head sadly.
"Mother" whispered Toby weakly. "Did we win? Are you safe?"
"Yes, yes we won" she replied burying her face in the ruff of his neck.
"That's good" and he breathed his last.
The huskies suddenly threw their heads back as one and howled their grief to the stars, accompanied by the scream of a distraught cat who'd found her friend only to have him stolen away again.
The great white pollicles surrounding their pack mate continued to howl, but the tone began to change. It began to take on a note of triumph and joy, of welcome and victory, of happiness and relief...
…..
Well that's it for this chapter.
What did you think? Please read and review.
Did you like the portrayal of Mac? I kinda prefer to look at him in the same vein as Heath Ledgers Joker in Batman, a complete psychopath with moments of lucidity.
One more to go to finish it all off.