Part 9
To say that Alonzo was mad was an understatement, this time he was completely livid. He'd left Misto at the yard and then went on a rampage through their territory. Well rampage wasn't the right word. He'd taken his anger and frustration out on a tree. The few humans that saw him thought he was crazy or had rabies or something. He just had to get rid of the steam before he did anything he would regret. He didn't notice the menacing shadow until he was tackled to the ground. He looked up in time to see claws come down on his face. He pushed his attacker off only to be grabbed from behind. He struggled to get loose but the two attackers holding him were stronger than he was.
"Well, well, well what do we have here", Macavity grinned. "A Stray not on his guard."
"Go to hell McDonalds."
"How rude we can be. Tell me Zo is there a reason you're attacking a tree?"
"Yes I was practicing for what is coming for your face!" Alonzo spat at him and Macavity just grinned.
"My dear, dear boy-"
"Oh shut up."
"Didn't your parents tell you to be quiet when other cats are talking?"
"Yes, I just never listened." Alonzo smirked. "And to be honest you're not a cat. You're a monster."
He felt the henchcats' grips tighten on his arm.
"Hey I'm not a stuffed toy", Alonzo barked at them. "So stop hugging me!"
"Why you little…"
"Shut up", Macavity told his henchcat. "Alonzo I see so much fury in your soul. You would do well on my staff."
"Oh shut up you overgrown, moth eaten rya."
"What the hell is a rya?"
"Some kind of rug", Alonzo shrugged. "My father told me about it. Some people on the train were talking about them…"
"Did he just call the boss a rug", the same henchcat spoke again.
"Didn't I tell you to shut up", Macavity hissed at the cat. "Now Alonzo if you can stop insulting me for-"
"Why", Alonzo grinned. "And destroy my fun? No thank you. Nothing an old fur hat can say will interest me."
"Again with the insults", Macavity shook his head. "I want to propose to you-"
"Sorry I don't want to marry a mad rug."
The henchcats couldn't help but snigger but a glare from their boss silenced them.
"As I was saying", Macavity went on. "I want to propose to you that-"
"I already told you bonehead", Alonzo grinned. "I don't want to marry you." That earned him a kick in his stomach.
"Shut up and listen Stray", Macavity spat.
"Oh it's so easy to do when you're being kicked", Alonzo gasped.
"Shut up. If you and your tribe help me get rid of the Jellicles I will let you take as much territory you want in this part of town and I won't attack you or hurt your tribe."
"Considering how much I would love to help you beat Tugger to a pulp my answer is no you levitating psychopath."
"Again with the insults!"
"Suits you too."
"Shut up. Listen Alonzo if you don't help me I will attack you and your pathetic excuse for a tribe."
"Threats doesn't work muff."
"Again with the insults!"
"Are you a broken record or something?"
"Why-"
"Because as hilarious as you repeating yourself is it's getting annoying."
"And you are getting on my last nerve!"
"Too bad… I'm just getting started ouf!"
Macavity hit him in the gut and proceeded to claw, kick, bite and hit him for a good five minutes. Alonzo slumped to the ground and lied there unmoving.
"Leave it", Macavity told his henchcats. Then he bent down to Alonzo's face. "I gave you a choice Stray all this could've been avoided." Then they left and Alonzo's world turned black.
"Where is he", Exotica mumbled as she paced back and forth.
"Don't worry Ex", Admetus said. "When Zo's that mad he stays worked up for hours. He'll be back soon."
"Ad", Tantomile said.
"What is it love?"
"I have a bad feeling…"
Coricopat shot up from his place and hurried over. When Tantomile got bad feelings it often meant something had happened. So it was no surprised to found the other Strays around them.
"What is it Mil", Exotica asked.
"I sense… something…"
"What is the sense Mil", Coricopat asked. "Is it one of death?"
"No", Tantomile shook her head. "But someone's injured… and… unconscious."
"Right", Admetus said. "Ori you come with me the rest of you stay here." He took off into the dusk.
"Where are we going", Coricopat asked.
"We're tracking down our leader."
"Oi wake up", Tugger grumbled and poked the still body with his paw. At his side were Munkustrap, Cassandra and Victoria.
"Tugger", Munk growled.
"What? He's just lying there."
"He's hurt."
"I wonder who it is", Cassandra asked. "He's so cut up and bloody that you can't tell by looking at him."
Munkustrap crept forward and gently shook the body and was rewarded by a swat that gave him a gash on his shoulder.
"Ouch", he yelped and jumped back. He tripped and fell in the bloody grass. Tugger laughed and bent down to help but fell into the bloody grass. Munkustrap rose and pulled him up and bent down to the bloody form again and gasped.
"What is it Munk", Cassandra asked.
"I-it's Alonzo!"
"Oh", Tugger said. "Then let's go."
"Tugger he's hurt we can't just leave him here!"
"Why not? This is his territory you know."
"Wrong", a voice hissed. "This is our territory!"
Tugger was thrown back as was Munkustrap when they were pushed and rammed by two forms. The brothers sat up and watched as two toms stood protectively over Alonzo's body.
"Cori", Munkustrap said but the Siamese only hissed and swiped at him. "Whoa buddy calm down."
"What did you do to Zo", the grey tom beside him yelled.
"We didn't do anything", Cassandra yelled.
"Oh then why the hell are those two idiots covered in blood?!"
"Ad…" came a hoarse whisper.
"Zo", Coricopat bent down and Cassandra blushed when she took in his muscles.
"Ori…" Alonzo said weakly. "Not… them…"
"They didn't do this to you? Okay."
"What", Admetus asked confused by the last word.
"He shook his head. You could barely notice it." He bent down and heaved Alonzo into his arms. "Ad do us all a favor and get rid of this trash." He nodded towards the Jellicles.
"Hey", Tugger said.
"With pleasure", Admetus said and cracked his neck and knuckles (does cat have knuckles?). Then he barred his claws and teeth.
"Whoa, whoa calm down", Munkustrap said. "Cori, Admetus please we only came here to-"
"To what", Coricopat yelled. "Insulting us more? You may not have been the ones doing this but it was your fault that Alonzo was out here on his fucking own! Go and rot in some doghouse or even better go and play with Macavity! You seem to be just like him!"
"Now that's unfair", Munkustrap said. "I won't tolerate you to talk to us like that."
"Oh but we must tolerate your fucking brother talking bad about us", Admetus hissed. "Or that queen and princess being as stupid as a pollicle?!"
"Colossus", Alonzo mumbled.
"He's not a pollicle", Admetus grunted.
"No 'e means Oi'm 'ere", said a dark voice behind the Jellicles and they spun around and saw a Great Dan looking down at them in anger.
"Colossus", Coricopat grinned. "Can you do us the honor and help Ad chase these trespassers out?"
"'ey work for… whot's 'is face…"
"Macavity", Admetus said. "No they don't they're Jellicles."
"Oh… Oi go' nuffing agoins' Jellicles."
"It's their fault Alonzo look like this", Coricopat yelled and Colossus looked at the injured Stray leader and started to growl.
"That true?" he growled at Munkustrap.
"No!" this yelled. "We came here trying to find the Strays and found him on the ground!"
"He wouldn't be out on his own hadn't Tugger the rotten shaving brush angered him with Mrs. and Ms. Ugly over there", Admetus grumbled.
"I'm not ugly", Victoria yelled.
"Whatever you are you're not pretty", Coricopat hissed.
"Ori… Ad…" Alonzo mumbled. "No personal attacks… we don't want to act as Jellicles."
"Oi get rid of 'em Allie", Colossus said.
"An' oi'll 'elp", Admetus grinned and Colossus grinned at him.
"Run", Munkustrap yelled and the four Jellicles took off.
"Ori get Allie back to tha yar' woill ya", Admetus called over his shoulder.
"They did what", Demeter exploded when she was told what had happened.
"They…" Tugger said gasping for air. "They sent a bloody pollicle after us!"
"Technically it was a Great Dan", Asparagus said and they glared at him. "Sorry…"
"Looks like this time they won't be as forgivingly", Bombalurina said.
"They gave us forgiveness before", Cassandra said.
"And whose fault is it we lost it", Asparagus grumbled.
"I heard that", Tugger said. "Not all of us are Stray-lovers. Why don't you join them?"
"Maybe I should."
"No", Munkustrap exclaimed. "Asparagus you can't we need you!"
"All you need from me is my muscles", Asparagus grumbled.
"No that's not true… I need my second in command."
Asparagus stared at him. "You serious?"
"Why wouldn't I be? I can't think of anyone more suitable."
"I could", Jelly thought.
Exotica and Misto was taking care of Alonzo's wounds. Exotica had been horrified when Coricopat brought her mate back to them looking like someone had cut pieces out of him. She sniffed and Misto put a paw on hers.
"I'm sorry Mio", she said and dried her eyes.
"Don't be", he said softly. "I'm upset too."
"We're all upset", Quaxo said and joined them. "How is he?"
Alonzo was sleeping and they watched his chest raise and feel softly.
"He's stable but will be very sore in the morning", Exotica said.
"I-is this our fault", Misto asked.
"No", Exotica exclaimed and pulled both kittens to her. "No you can't think like that so stop doing it. It was Macavity's fault. No one else's. If we blame the shaving brush and his lot we'll be just like them."
"Everlasting cat forbid", Admetus said and joined them with the rest of the tribe.
"Oh yeah", Coricopat spat. "Who want to be like a walking shaving brush?"
"Tugger obviously", Tantomile grumbled.
"Well he's always been an idiot."
"Never was a truer word spoken Ori", Admetus grinned.
"What happened to them", Exotica asked as she sat down beside Alonzo, still with the kittens in her arms.
"Me and Colossus hunted them out of our territory", Admetus grinned. "We didn't harm them but I might have uh… how do you say it…?"
"Ad", Coricopat asked and grinned. "What did you do?"
"I used my claws to pull out a pawfull of Tugger's fur… on his tail." The Strays snickered.
"That must have been a sight", Tantomile said and nuzzled his cheek.
"I don't think anyone of them Jellicles noticed… they were too busy running. Munk has lost shape… Before he could easily outrun me but now I almost ran into him."
"Maybe you're anger gave you wings", Quaxo grinned.
"Right Q", Admetus grinned. "That happened when someone throws a dice and it shows seven."
Misto took out a dice and threw.
"Well what do you know", he grinned. "Seven."
They heard a soft chuckling and Exotica looked down on her mate's now open eyes.
"He got you there Ad", Alonzo said softly.
"Shut it…" Admetus mumbled. He was relieved his leader was okay. "What happened?"
"The old rya rug attacked me…"
"Macavity", the others said in unison.
"If you know why do you insist on asking?"
"Shut up", Coricopat grinned.
"Looks like hunting Jellicles did you good Ad…"
"How come?" Admetus asked.
"You lost some weight."
The kittens and the other grownups laughed and Admetus took an old glove and threw it at Alonzo.
"Hey careful", Coricopat grinned. "Don't hurt the cripple!"
"I'm not a cripple", Alonzo grumbled. "I'm just a bit scratched."
"Enough for you staying in bed for at least three days", Exotica grinned.
"Aw Everlasting cat", Alonzo grumbled. "I feel sorry for you." Then they all laughed.
Seven months later Old Deuteronomy watched as Hugo was taken to the Heaviside layer. The relationship between the Jellicles and the Strays was even worse now. Asparagus had tried to talk to them but they had just told him to leave and not to come back. Tugger had gotten it worse. He'd run into Tantomile and had tried to flirt with her… only to be beaten up by her brother and Admetus. Munkustrap had run into Alonzo once but the Stray leader had glared at him and walked away. Old Deuteronomy sighed and looked at the assembled cats. He saw that Pouncival and Plato had become friends again. Something that always happened at the ball, quarrels were forgotten and everyone had fun together and…
"Everlasting cat!" he thought. "Of course why didn't I think of it before?! Now I know how to bring us all together again."
Thanks to all my reviewers:) Reviews makes me happy. But sorry for the shortness... I promise that next will be longer and they are my favorite parts.
TBC