Part 3
Six months went by and in that time the Strays became a real close knitted family. Alonzo had started to notice some differences in his kittens. They were both very alike in manners but he'd noticed that Quaxo was more outgoing than Misto. He'd known since he met them that Mistofelees was shyer than his brother but now he also noticed that Mistofelees preferred to sit and read books the now grown toms could bring him while Quaxo liked to wrestle or play fight more. Both of the kittens were very clever, Misto a bit smarter since he was reading so much. Misto was also the strongest magician or conjurer as the twins told them. One reason the Strays' toms and queens weren't afraid of the kittens being magical was that they'd always known Coricopat and Tantomile were magical in another way. Coricopat could read minds and talk to others telepathically and Tantomile could get visions of the future and control other cats' thoughts and movements. She didn't do it so much because it was hard and took an awful lot of power and energy.
Alonzo chuckled when he saw Quaxo trying to wrestle down Admetus, something he couldn't do... yet. Alonzo knew that Quaxo would be a great fighter and hunter and Mistofelees would be the great magician. Both of them practiced their powers and Misto's grew everyday and they were almost in full control over their powers.
"Got ya!" a voice yelled and Alonzo ducked and Quaxo went sailing over his head and landed on the ground before the car Alonzo had been lying on. "Or… I didn't."
Alonzo chuckled and looked down on the kitten lying on its back looking up at him with a goofy smile on his lips.
"You know Q", Alonzo said. "If you want to succeed as a hunter you have to be quiet."
"I was quiet Zo!"
"Q I could hear you all the time and don't think Misto's illusions of you fighting with Ad fool me."
"Why?"
"First thing", Alonzo said and jumped down to him and pulled him to his paws. "Ad is out hunting and won't be back in a while and two... Admetus scar is on the wrong arm."
Quaxo smiled sheepishly and turned to Mistofelees.
"Told you so Mio", Quaxo yelled at his brother and Mistofelees head popped out of a car window.
"No Q I told you the image would get reversed so that's why I put it there but no you told me it was the other."
"Okay you two", Alonzo said and Misto hurried over. "First lesson in sneaking up on people, make sure that the ones you use as a decoy, in this case Q and Ad will be away."
"Ad is away", Quaxo said as Misto let his illusion fade away.
"Yes but we all know that Admetus won't be back until after lunch after hunting."
"That's true", Misto said.
"Lesson numbero two... when you sneak up on people you have to be quiet." To demonstrated Alonzo walked around them and not a sound was heard. "And lesson number three, never sneak up on Ori. He can read minds so he knows you're there."
"That's why he's our best guard", Misto beamed.
"Exactly Mio."
"But can you sneak up on him", Quaxo asked with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.
"Of course I can."
"Nu uh", the kittens said.
"Okay you two watch this."
Alonzo crept forward soundlessly and slowly coming closer and closer to the twin he was going to pounce. He could see the kittens looking at him but to the others it looked as if they were watching the gate to see if Admetus would come through it. Exotica and Tantomile was across the clearing from them having a little queen talk. Coricopat was enjoying a nap in the warm September sun. Suddenly he picked up on Alonzo's thoughts.
"Exotica is keeping her attention diverted." he thought. "Perfect now I can pounce her and show the kittens how to do it properly."
Coricopat smiled evilly and send a thought to his sister. Her ears started to move as she listened after the white and black tom. That was what Alonzo had waited on and he ambushed the tom before him and tackled him to the ground.
"Yay", the kittens cheered and jumped up and down in excitement. The queens looked at them and then started laughing.
"Got ya Ori", Alonzo grinned down at the Siamese.
"Oh I'll get you for that Zo", Coricopat growled.
"Then you'll have to catch me first!"
With that Alonzo darted off him and Coricopat gave chase. The kittens laughed as Coricopat hunted Alonzo around the clearing and soon they joined in.
"Hey no fair", Alonzo said as Mistofelees got in his way and he had to make a quick turn and almost got caught. He ran with them after him and didn't notice the queen jumping at him and she sent both of them rolling across the ground.
"Got ya", Exotica said and held her arms around his torso and refused to let go. The kittens jumped on top of them and started to tickle Alonzo. He laughed and tried to get them off but Exotica was holding his arms still.
"Help", Alonzo laughed. "Ori! Mil! Help me!"
"No", Coricopat said and Tantomile shrugged and hurried over and pulled Exotica off of their leader.
"Backstabber", Exotica yelled.
"Nothing personal Ex", Tantomile said and grinned. "But three against one isn't fair."
Alonzo could now push the kittens off of him and rose. The kittens looked at him innocently.
"That was fun", Misto said.
"Yeah", Quaxo said. "Seeing these two run so fast amazed me."
"Why?"
"They're so old."
Coricopat walked up to Alonzo's side and the toms shared a look and then grinned evilly.
"Uh oh", the kittens said and took off with the toms hunting them.
In the Jellicle junkyard there was one new kitten. Jelly had lost her but Flinga and Safir had gotten a pure white kitten. She was named Victoria after the queen. Munkustrap, Tugger, Asparagus, Demeter, Bombalurina and Cassandra were now grown cats. Well Asparagus would be in two weeks and Demeter in a few months. Munkustrap had begun training to Jellicle protector with Edan and Hugo as his mentors. Edan was the protector until Old Deuteronomy's son would be ready and Hugo was his second in command. But it hadn't gone one day without Munkustrap missing Alonzo and the other strays. They had heard nothing from or about them since they left. The older cats had told him not to worry because the strays were used to take care of themselves.
"Hi Munk", Demeter said and sat down beside him.
"Hi Deme."
"Are you thinking of them again?"
"Yeah... are you?"
"Sometime. I usually think of Lonz since he's my brother and all. But I wonder... have they stuck together or gone separate ways and... would I recognize them if I met them out on the streets?"
"I have the same questions myself but the ones I think of most is: does Lonz hate me for hurting him and are the kittens still with him?"
"They are", Demeter said with a soft smile. "I can't see Alonzo abandon kittens."
"Since he was abandoned himself?"
"He was not abandoned", Demeter growled. "It was attempted murder!"
"Calm down Deme I know."
"Have you heard", a voice said on Munkustrap's other side and both him and Demeter jumped.
"Everlasting cat Asparagus", Munkustrap said when he got over the fright. "Don't do that!"
"Don't do what?"
"Don't make no noise!"
Asparagus chuckled. "But seriously have you heard?"
"Heard what?"
"You guys, you guys", Bombalurina yelled as she ran towards them. She jumped up on the tire and tackled Munkustrap and sat on his stomach. "Have you heard?!"
"I was just about to tell them", Asparagus said.
"How did you know", Bombalurina asked.
"Dad told me."
"How did he know?"
"Skimble was told about it by a street cat."
"What?! It's gotten outside the yard already?!"
"Uh it began on the streets."
"What?!"
"Hold it", Munkustrap yelled and they turned to him. "I sense two different stories here. So why don't you go first Asparagus since you were her first."
"Okay."
"And Lina..."
"Yes Munk?"
"Get off me!"
"Oh sorry."
As the four cats settled down in a ring Cassandra and Tugger joined them, sensing gossiping.
"Well", Munkustrap said to Asparagus. "What do you have to tell us?"
"There's a new tribe in town."
"Really?"
"Yeah they took over parts of Macavity's territory and have kept him away from getting it back."
"So Macavity has some competition", Tugger said and shrugged. "Big deal."
"It is! At least to me and us."
"Why", Demeter asked kindly.
"A street cat told Skimble about that tribe. He said their name is the Strays..."
The others looked at each other and then at him again.
"So?" Cassandra asked.
"And they got seven members, three grown toms, two queens and two kittens."
The others looked at each other and then him again.
"And?" Tugger asked.
"For the love of... Their leader is a black and white patched tom."
The others looked at each other and then him again.
"And your point is", Bombalurina asked.
"Come on", Asparagus started to lose it. "You guys can't be this slow! Seven cats, three toms, two queens and two kittens, they call themselves the Strays and their leader is a black and white patched tom!" He looked at their blank faces. "Everlasting cat!"
"Asp why do you get so upset", Demeter asked and put a paw on his shoulder.
"We don't see the whole picture", Munkustrap said. "Is there anything more you can tell us?"
"Well", Asparagus said with a sigh. "Skimble was given the name of the leader or at least his nickname... Zo."
"Doesn't ring a bell", Tugger said with a shrug but Demeter started to understand.
"And", Asparagus said. "When Skimble told my father this he was close to tears."
"Alonzo!" Demeter suddenly yelled and they looked at her. "It's them isn't it?"
"I'm not sure", Asparagus said softly. "But that's what dad, Skimble and I've figured."
"So they're still alive... and together."
"Whoa wait a minute back up", Tugger said. "Are you telling us it's the strays that are the Strays?"
"It makes sense", Munkustrap said and looked around. "Alonzo-Zo Zo-Alonzo, black and white tom.... yeah it makes sense."
"Wow this makes my gossip worth nothing", Bombalurina said and looked at Asparagus. "Come on Gussie Jr. What more do you know?"
"Nothing", Asparagus said.
"What was your gossip Lina", Cassandra asked.
"Oh just that Jerrie and Teazer broke into a house on Victoria grove and got caught and are now living there."
"Poor unfortunate souls", Cassandra said. "The humans I mean."
"Agreed", the others said.
"I leave for hunting and when I come back I get tackled to the ground", Admetus said as he was cleaning off some mud from last night's rain. "Why?"
"We were practicing sneaking", Quaxo said innocently. "Ori and Zo have taught us Ad."
The two toms looked innocently at Admetus and grinned.
"If I wasn't so tired after the hunt and pity-kitty-wrestling", Admetus began.
"Hey", the kittens said.
"I would kill the two of you", Admetus went on ignoring the kittens.
The two toms rolled their eyes.
"You could try", Exotica said and chuckled.
"Sometimes I wonder", Tantomile told her. "Who are really the kittens Q and Mio or Ori, Zo and Ad?"
"Hey", the three toms said.
Mistofelees jumped into one of the newer cars at the yard and was looking at the radio with interest. He created a small lighting and by doing that he started the car's battery and the radio went on. Music came from the speakers and Mistofelees in fright and shook teleported behind Alonzo. The entire tribe had jumped when the music came on.
"Hey", Exotica said and jumped down from her car. "That's the music from Swan Lake. Remember when Grizabella played it over and old radio?"
"Yeah", Alonzo said and smiled at Mistofelees. "It's okay Mio."
"Ex", Tantomile asked when the dark Abyssian went into the clearing and started to move to the music. She moved with soft moments when the music was soft and more powerful when the music was powerful. Alonzo grinned and hurried up to her and joined the dance. The others watched in amazement and joy. Misto and Quaxo started to imitate Alonzo's ballet like moves and the others looked at them. Exotica and Alonzo was too busy with their dance to notice at first. Not until Alonzo lifted her off the ground they noticed the two kittens moving like professional dancers. Alonzo stopped, with Exotica on his shoulders. The kittens danced around him and Exotica.
When the music stopped so did the kittens and the grown cats applauded them.
"Well done", Exotica laughed. "Now Zo... can you put me down?"
"Absolutely pretty lady", Alonzo grinned and put her down by doing like Munkustrap does to Victoria in the beginning of the movie.
"Thank you pretty tom", she said and kissed his cheek.
"Ooooh", the twins grinned.
"Hey", Admetus said and put his paws over the kittens' eyes. "Not in front of the kids."
"Oh do shut up", Alonzo said and walked over to the radio and turned it off. "Good now we have music if we feel like dancing."
"It was fun", Quaxo said and shook Admetus' paw off.
"Oh believe me", a menacing voice said and they turned to see ten black cats and one ginger one. "The fun has just begun."
"Macavity", Alonzo hissed and bared his teeth.
"So you've heard of me?"
"We've been hunting away your goons every other day."
"Oh... Who of you pathetic creatures are the leader?"
"I am", and with that Alonzo flew at the Napoleon of crime and his friend flew at the henchcats.
Misto and Quaxo worked together like always. Misto created illusions of Quaxo as his brother fought two toms. The two henchcats stared in confusion at the now five kittens surrounding them and was even more surprised when it didn't hurt when they hit on them… Until the real Quaxo hit them. By the shock of it the two henchcats yelped and then hightailed it out of there. Quaxo and Misto shook paws. Quaxo looked over Misto's shoulder as a henchcat ran at them. When he was behind the conjurer Quaxo used a grip Coricopat had taught him and Misto. He used both his and Misto's strength to pull his brother above his head and when he did Misto's feet hit the henchcat's chin and he fell backwards. The two kittens high fived.
Admetus and Coricopat were back to back and was fighting five hencats. Three had already left when they were scratched badly.
"They're getting less and less useful don't you think", Admetus said.
"Oh yeah", Coricopat said as he kicked towards his opponent. "Get lost filth!"
"No", the cat cackled. "Come on hit me! Hit me!"
Coricopat shrugged and tried but the cat ducked and kicked Coricopat's feet out from underneath him.
"Ori!" Admetus exclaimed and missed to duck from the paw coming his way. He fell too and rolled out of the way when a paw came down towards his face. The two toms got to their paws and glared at their opponents as they were back to back again.
"Ad when I give the word... Duck."
"Okay Ori."
The two henchcats hurried towards them and jumped.
"Duck", Coricopat yelled and they dropped to the ground. The henchcats collided above their heads. The two Strays rose and shook paws with evil grins.
Exotica and Tantomile had been done before them and Tantomile had used her powers to make Coricopat and Admetus' opponents move like that. So exotica was supporting her while they watched the blur of red, white and black in the middle of the clearing.
"Leave McDonalds", Alonzo hissed. "Your friends are down for the count." He jumped at the older tom and buried his teeth in his shoulder. Macavity grabbed his arm and flung him off.
"Maybe but I'm going to kill you little leader", he said and lunged at Alonzo and buried his claws in Alonzo's side.
Alonzo yelped in pain and suddenly a growl like thunder was heard and something big grabbed Macavity and flung him across the yard. His body crashed into a car. When the Napoleon of crime looked back at the tom he'd been fighting he saw a Great Dan stand above him in a protective way.
"Ge' ou' you lousy cot", it said and bared its teeth. Macavity looked around and ran out of the yard. His henchcats followed as fast as they could.
The kittens hurried to Alonzo's side.
"Zo, Zo are you okay", Quaxo asked and hugged him.
"I'm fine MQ", Alonzo said to them and hugged them. "Thanks Colossus."
"Oh no bi' deal Alonzo", the dog said and licked him and the kittens. "Whot's one u'l cot agains' moi pow'ful tooths."
"Teeth", Tantomile said as the rest of them came over.
"Soime thingie Taintomilk."
The kittens chuckled as the dog couldn't say her or Coricopat's names yet. That's one of the reasons they'd shortened them.
"Anyway", Alonzo said and rose and blushed when Exotica nuzzled his neck.
"Oh kitty-love", Colossus said. "Don' le' me dister'." (disturb)
"Thank you old friend", Alonzo said as the dog left picking up an unconscious henchcat as he walked by it. Alonzo looked at Exotica.
"Okay", Admetus said and grabbed the kittens and started to pull them away. "I'll take these two to bed."
"What", Quaxo said.
"No we ain't tired", Misto said but their protests soon was gone when the three older cats pulled them away.
"I was so afraid he'd hurt you badly", Exotica said and started to clean Alonzo's many gashes.
"Nah he's not so tough", Alonzo said and grinned.
"Please be careful next time", Exotica said and looked at him. Alonzo kissed her nose.
"I will", he said and they cuddled up together as the sun set and the stars came out.
TBC