Sorry it's quite a short chapter- the next one will be longer, I promise!

Demeter had no idea how much time had passed. It could have been an moment, it could have been a moon. There was no way of knowing- no natural light filtered down to... wherever she was.

Macavity was standing before her, grinning again.

'Wakey wakey,' he teased. 'Did you sleep well?'

Demeter said nothing, and recieved a slap for it.

'I asked you a question!'

Still she remained silent in defiance. This time a vicious kick was her reward. Her leg buckled at the impact. She was vaguely aware of something warm running down her face. She licked at it. The salty taste of blood stung her tongue.

'Hungry, my dearest?'

This time she couldn't stay silent. She let out a moan and a despairing nod. He threw half a scraggly rat towards her. Ravenous, she ate it all, crunching on spindly bones, not noticing the flavour- or lack thereof.

'Say thankyou.'

She refused.

She was hit.

'Thankyou.' she whipered through white-hot pain. Still, she relished the light in her head, welcoming the change from gloom.

'Better.' he grunted before pushing his queen back into a pile of slop. Demeter recoiled as something slimy wrapped around her tail.

She couldn't go on like this. It must have showed in her face, because Macavity held the answer. He leaned down, foul breath cascading over her bruised senses.

'If you were my mate, I could give you proper accomodation. With me. Dry, safe, secluded...' he winked suggestively.

Demeter realised she was running out of options. There was only what Macavity wanted, and staying here to rot in squalor.

Neither of them were appealing. Succumbing to the immeadiate problem of bloodloss, Demeter let her eyelids droop.

Hazy black reached out for her. She took it.

Bombalurina yowled into the night, calling her sister home. Finally, the two brothers caught up.

'What's wrong?' Tugger asked.

'She's gone! Demi's gone!'

Instantly Munkustrap was all ears. 'We have to find her quickly. Do you know where she was last?'

Bomba's eyes danced frantically from place to place. She shifted fearfully. 'She went out hunting, near the park, I think.'

Munku nodded at his brother, who took Bomba's arm gently and led her towards her house. He turned and ran for his father's home. They had to save that kitten!

He told Old Deuteronomy everything. His father listened intently, then called the Toms to him.

'We have to find the missing Kitten...'

Munkustrap was supposed to fill in the name there- but with a jolt he suddenly realised he had no idea what it was. He shook his head. Deut looked at him incredulously. Thinking he should say something, Munku stood up.

'She's Bombalurina's younger sister.' he offered.

'How young?' Someone called out from the back.

'Erm...' Munkustrap couldn't answer, he didn't know.

Deut saved him. 'Age doesn't matter. What's important is that there's a young queen out there. Macavity's been sighted. She could be in real danger.'

The toms all nodded, muttering to each other. The topic wasn't reassuring. It was soon decided that they should all split up to search different areas.

'I'll take the back alleys,' Munku said to his father. After a brief argument ('You're too young to do this on your own, Munkustrap') It was agreed, and he moved off swiftly. I'm not too young- I'm brave and strong. I can find her. I will.