Part 4
Two months later, on a chilly November day, a kitten ran down the street blindly while crying heavily. He ran and ran and didn't care what he was running to or where he was running to. He'd never learned to tell if it was what or where he was running to. He ran into an alley and collapsed onto the cold ground crying heavily. He'd been running and crying ever since that morning when he'd come to the yard and Jenny had walked over and hugged him. She had had tears in her eyes. He'd asked what was wrong and she'd told him that his mother Crystal had been killed by Macavity. The Napoleon of crime had hunted her out in the middle of the road so she was run over by a truck.
"I hate him", Plato cried and hit the ground with his small paw. "I hate her too! Mums are not supposed to leave! She promised she'd always be there for me!" He sobbed for a little while longer and then felt his stomach rumble. He'd hadn't eating anything since before coming to the yard and that was hours ago. He rose on wobbly legs and looked around the alley. Somehow he'd ended up behind a restaurant and he slowly walked over to a dustbin that had fallen over. He sniffed inside and found some leftovers and started to eat. He sobbed while he eat and didn't pay attention to his surroundings.
Had he done that he'd noticed the small cat, a kitten his own age advance towards the dustbin and maybe he'd been able to avoid what happened next. Plato was just taking a bite of some chicken when he felt a stabbing pain in his back. He jumped and hit his head on the inside of the dustbin.
"I got one", the kitten behind him yelled. "Zo I got one I..." the black and white kitten stopped when he saw what he'd gotten. "Hey you're not a rat!"
Plato looked at him, bared his teeth and swatted at him with his claws.
"Q how many times do I have to tell you", another voice said and Plato saw a black and white tom round the corner. "You have to... Hello there."
Plato just hissed and the tom walked over to the black and white kitten and looked at Plato again. When he saw the blood on his back and butt he sighed and cuffed the kitten beside him around the head.
"Q I've told you", he said sternly. "What's the first rule when you're hunting?"
"Be quiet", the kitten said.
"No that's rule number two."
"Nope rule number two is 'always make the kill as harmless as possible'."
"No that's rule number three."
"No you're getting them mixed up Zo."
"I do not", the tom said and cuffed the kitten again.
"You do! Yesterday you said the first rule is 'always be quiet'."
"I did", the tom scratched his head confused. But Plato caught the twinkle of mischievousness in his eyes. He was obviously teasing the kitten.
"You did!"
"Okay, okay, what's the third rule then?"
"'Don't exhaust yourself hunting something you can't kill... yet'."
"The fourth?"
"'Uh... Oh always check what you're hunting! Don't just jump at the... first... sound...' Oh!"
"Yeah", the tom said. "Oh..."
The kitten, Q, turned to Plato.
"I'm sorry", he said and really looked sorry. "I thought you was a rat."
Plato hissed at them. The tom shook his head.
"What are you doing out here kitten", he asked softly.
"None of your business!" Plato yelled.
"Whoa little one I'm just trying to be friendly."
"Do you call jumping at others from behind friendly?!"
"No", the tom said and looked at the other kitten pointedly. "Q here made a mistake okay? He's still learning. We hunt every other day together so he'll learn."
"Y-you're teaching him to hunt", Plato asked and his anger gave way for sorrow again.
"Yeah", Q said. "Zo is teaching me everything he knows. It's fun to hunt with your parents although Zo isn't my dad he's my-"
"Q", Zo said sternly. He'd noticed the unknown kitten's bottom lip start trembling and tears starting to pour.
"What?"
"Be quiet."
"But-"
Zo gave him a stern look and then turned to Plato again. "Are you okay little one?"
"N-no..."
"What's wrong then?"
"M-mum always says don't trust strangers."
"Well maybe this time she'll let you make an exception. Come on little guy what's wrong?"
"M-mum told me she'd t-take me hunting today."
"Yes."
"B-but when I-I came to the yard Jenny told me my mummy was dead!"
Zo's eyes widened and Q looked at the ground with sad eyes and Plato started sobbing harder again. Suddenly he felt something at his side. Zo had crept inside the bin and was lying beside him and purring softly to calm the kitten.
"What happened to her", he asked. Plato didn't answer. "Kit it will feel much better if you tell me."
"I-I came back to the yard from my new home... I was adopted by a human yesterday."
"A housecat", Q grumbled.
"Q", Zo snapped and the kitten pouted. "It's nothing wrong with them or us."
"I know... I just stated the facts."
"Well do that in your head."
Q huffed and turned away. "At least inside there I won't be scolded."
Zo shook his head and turned back to the white kitten with the ginger head fur. He could swear he'd seen him somewhere before.
"You have to excuse Q", he said. "He's still pretty young."
"I am not!" Q objected. "I'm-" But a warning glare from Zo shut him up.
"Go on kitten", Zo urged.
"When I came to the yard", Plato continued. "Jenny came over and told me mum was dead... M-Ma-Macavity had hunted her out in the middle of the road and she got run over by a truck..." he started sniffling and felt another form beside him. Q had joined them in the bin. Zo pushed both kittens out so they'd get better room.
"Macavity", Zo growled. "Bastard."
"Yeah", Q said. "Spawn of a pollicle."
Plato was astonished that Zo didn't reprimand him from using that kind of language.
"So", Zo said. "What are you doing out here?"
"When Jenny told me... I... I just ran."
"I understand the feeling."
"You do", Q asked playfully. "In that case it would be one of the few things you do."
"Shut it kit."
Plato allowed himself a small smile. Then he looked closer at the tom. He looked very familiar.
"D-do I know you", Plato asked.
Zo smiled at him. "Give me your name and it might ring a bell to me. You look familiar to me too."
Plato pouted. "That's not fair! Mum said never trust strangers and never give them your name... a-and I asked first!"
"No", Zo grinned. "I asked you for your name before. So?"
Plato looked at the patched tom and something in his eyes told Plato he could trust him.
"Plato", he said and he saw sadness fly over Zo's face.
"So you're Crystal's baby boy then?" he asked and Plato's eyes went wide. "You've grown since I last saw you. You might not remember me. My name is Alonzo."
"And I'm Quaxo", Q said grinning.
"Look Plato", Alonzo said. "I know it might... no it won't make things better. But your mother was a very nice queen." Plato was still staring at him. "Kit? You there?"
Then Alonzo felt small arms around his throat and Plato hugged him.
"I missed you", the kitten nearly yelled. "You and Tanta most."
Alonzo returned the hug. He'd missed the kitten too. He sighed; Plato could not come with him. He had to take him back to the Jellicles.
"Q", he said and turned to the black kitten. "Can you make it back home on your own?"
"Yeah... why?"
"I'll have to take Plato back to the Jellicles."
"I can come!"
"No", Alonzo said sternly. "I won't risk it. You remember what happened the last time."
"Yes", Quaxo grumbled.
"Hey", Alonzo said softly. "Don't worry we'll go out hunt tomorrow instead."
"Fine... It's so fun go hunting with you."
Plato looked up at Alonzo's face and saw the patched tom smile fondly.
"And why is that", Alonzo asked.
"You're the best... but not if you believe the Amazing Admetus! Well at least that what he calls himself."
"Amazing my butt", Alonzo said and rose. "Come on Plato let's get you home."
"Bye Plato I hope I'll see you again", Quaxo grinned and started running.
"Hey Q don't think I didn't notice what you called Macavity", Alonzo called after him and the kitten stopped and grinned. "We'll talk about it when I get home."
"Okay mommy" Quaxo muttered under his breath.
"Hey I heard that!" Alonzo yelled as his kitten disappeared around the corner. "Come on Plato, let's get you back."
At the yard Jennyanydots had almost gone into hysterics. Plato had bitten her and then run off and no one had seen him or had found him. They'd even been at his new home. Plato and Munkustrap had been caught yesterday and while Munk waited for his owners to pick him up he heard Plato's new address as the family chose him also ordered a name tag for a collar with the address on it.
"Oh where is he", Jenny told Jelly. "I'm getting worried and it's getting dark."
"Don't worry Jenny", Jelly said although she was worried too. "They'll find him. I'm sure he ran to Skimbleshanks or maybe Bustopher Jones or even Tugger."
"Hugo talked to Skimble and he said Plato hadn't been there... and Edan went to Bustopher and he was thrown out."
"That might mean Plato is there."
"No it means Bustopher was late for dinner because of Edan questioning him. Oh now it's really a shame Polly was chosen to go to Heaviside. She always knew how to find that kitten."
"She got an awful lot of training with her twins", Flinga said as she sat down beside them with her sleeping daughter Victoria in her arms. "Poor Crystal. I will miss her a lot."
"Yes", Cassandra joined them too. "Mum said it must be horrible to lose your parent when you're so young."
"I really wish Lonz and his club was here", Asparagus said. "They'd been able to help."
"How so", Safir asked when he came over with Hugo. They'd been out searching.
"Well I know that at least Cori and Tanta and Ad lost their parents... so they must know how he feels."
The Jellicles all sighed. Edan kicked a can in anger. Macavity had been a thorn in his side for years now. Seven years to be precise. Even since the day he was born. Macavity was the son of Edan's brother Vulcano and his mate Miriam, both died... killed by their son when he was four and officially became an adult. (In this version cats are looked upon as grown toms/queens when they're four) That's why he got kicked out.
Alonzo peeked in through a hole in the wooden fence at one side of the yard. He saw the tribe assembled and pondered if he should go inside or just wake Plato up and tell him to go inside. Plato had fallen asleep, exhausted after a horrible day and Alonzo had carried him the entire way.
"Poor little fella..." Alonzo thought. "Well it would be cruel to wake him up... and since Tugger is nowhere in sight... or Bustopher Fat for that matter." He picked up the sleeping kitten again and walked towards the gate. To his surprise no one was watching it.
"Must all be worried about my little fella... oh well time to face the music."
"I feel so guilty", Jenny sobbed. "I mean I was holding him but when he bit me I-I couldn't hold on to him."
"Don't worry mum", Bombalurina said and nuzzled her cheek. "Some nice cat will find him and bring him here. I'm sure of it."
"But what if there isn't?"
"Yeah… what if it is one of those strays", Safir said and got glares from several cats. "I didn't…" He trailed off as he saw a white form stumbling towards them sleepily. "Everlasting cat! Look!"
They all turned and looked and saw Plato walk towards them. Jenny had him in his arms seconds later and hugged him hard.
"My poor dear where have you been", she asked rocking him back and forth."
"Running", Plato answered sleepily.
"Where did you go", Edan said. "We've all been worried and out looking for you."
"Sorry Edan…" Plato yawned. "But I'm better now."
"Poor thing is exhausted", Flinga said. "How did he get back here?"
"Where was he", Edan said and looked sternly at the kitten.
"Don't know", Plato said. "I just ran…"
"Plato", Safir asked calmly. "How did you get here?"
Just before the kitten fell asleep in Jenny's arms they heard him mutter: "Alonzo…"
The Jellicles all stared at each other and Munkustrap sniffed the air and caught a familiar scent and took off running.
"Munk", Edan yelled and ran after him. Outside the yard Munkustrap sniffed again and caught hold of the scent and was about to go after his friend when Edan stopped him.
"Edan please let me go!"
"No… Obviously he didn't want to meat us… not yet. Since he didn't face us with Plato he might think we would attack him. Let it be."
"Last time I just let him go it led to us losing him!"
"Munkustrap that's enough! I know what it led to. Now get back into the yard. Don't force me to make it an order mister."
Munkustrap sighed and looked down the dark road and then headed back.
"I have something I want to discuss with you", Exotica said to Alonzo as he got back. He saw Quaxo look at him apologetically.
"What is it Exy?"
"Don't Exy me tom", she said and poked him in the chest at each word. "You let Quaxo walk home… on his own!"
"Exy I had to get Plato back."
"What", Exotica's face went from anger to confusion and Alonzo looked for Quaxo but the kitten had suddenly disappeared.
"Ah I see your sources forgot to mention that little detail", Alonzo said. Alonzo told the grown cats everything and Tantomile even cried a little. She had liked Crystal a lot.
"We should pray for her soul", Exotica said and the grownups joined paws.
"Everlasting cat", Admetus said. "An innocent soul."
"A soul with a heart of gold", Coricopat continued.
"A soul of love and care", Exotica said.
"A soul of a mother, daughter and a sister", Alonzo said.
"And the soul of a friend", Tantomile finished.
"Was ruthlessly brought to you", Admetus continued. "We pray she will be well met by you and cared for until she may be reborn. May her son Plato grow to a fine and strong tom and may her love for him guide and lead him."
"And may she always smile down from the stars she loved so much", Tantomile finished and the grownups ended the prayer.
"Now", Alonzo said and turned around. "I have a date with a kitten's mouth."
"Then you'll have to catch me!" Quaxo's voice came from somewhere in the dark. Alonzo disappeared for a second and then came back with a struggling kitten in his grip.
"There", Alonzo said. "Caught you."
"Alonzo", the kitten whined. "Let me go!"
"What do you have to say first?"
"Sorry for not telling Ex the whole story… I was just so excited from coming back on my own."
"And?"
"I won't ever use that phrase again."
"What phrase", Alonzo asked to test him.
"That would be using it."
"Good boy… now where is your brother?"
The other grownups groaned.
"We've been calling him for hours", Coricopat said. "We just can't find him. We saw him go to their practice are hours ago. But when we got there he was gone and we've been calling him."
Alonzo narrowed his eyes and walked over to a car with the license plate "HAL 358", an old Swedish car Colossus had told them. Some Swede had moved to the town and had brought his car and when it broke down he dumped it here. He looked inside and the others did the same. There on the driver's seat laid Mistofelees sleeping.
"Oh well…" Admetus said and left to get some sleep too.
"I never", Exotica said.
"Was there ever…" Tantomile said, shook her head and left to join Admetus.
"Was there ever a cat as clever as Mistofelees", Coricopat asked and Alonzo chuckled and Quaxo joined his brother and slept soundly the second later.
The remaining grownups went to sleep too… well Coricopat kept guard. He was going to see if Admetus planned something… Tantomile was his sister after all.
TBC