A/n: Here's the next chapter, which is sort of a transition chapter really. However, it is also an important one. Also, if anyone is wondering about Alonzo, I thought I'd plug one of my other stories that could possibly tie in with this one. It's a oneshot, graphic, slash and rated R/NC-17 so be warned, but it can be found on the Bordello and it's called Under Orders. Aside from that, not much more to say – so read, review, you know the drill.

Chapter 9 – Help is Hard to Find

"... and the next thing I knew, I woke up here." Mistoffelees finished his story with a sigh. The strange assortment of animals had listened intently as he explained about Macavity, and the Jellicles. He was anxious to get back, to help them, but he didn't know where to start. He was pretty sure he could trust these animals by now, they'd been kind and saved his life. Perhaps they could help, get Macavity out of the Junkyard for good. Mistoffelees didn't know, but there was no harm in trying.

"I need to get back to my tribe, they need my help." he explained, hoping one of them would offer a solution.

"We might be able to help, but that depends on whether you're prepared to help us." Freki spoke up first, and Mistoffelees turned to stare at the wolf, taken aback by the slight warning in his tone.

"Well, you helped me, so if I can do something to help you in return, then I will," the tuxedo tom answered nervously, Freki still frightened him a lot.

"Glad to hear it," Diazi piped up cheerfully.

"What do you need help with?" Mistoffelees asked now more curious than scared. If they could help him think of a way to get rid of Macavity, he was happy to help them out first.

"Tell me, have you ever heard the ssstories of the Scottish wildcats?" Situla hissed, lifting her head so that she was eye-to-eye with the tomcat, her forked tongue flicking out every couple of seconds. Mistoffelees shook his head, watching the snake now.

"No. What about them?"

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The marmalade tabby tom hissed in pain as the train shook roughly. With a groan, he made another attempt to pull off that bright blue sticky stuff wrapped around his front paw. It was annoying, but he couldn't get it off. The disgruntled Skimbleshanks was forced to leave it alone. His train journey back to London had so far been a very uncomfortable one, due to his various injuries. Those injections the vet had given him, and the tablets that he was forced to take didn't help much. He was somewhat relieved he'd been found, and recognised, by one of the ticket collectors from the station. After the fight with that other cat Skimble had found himself with a broken leg, among other things, and he was sure he would have died had the human not found him. He had even been glad of the trip to the vet, if only to get his wounds cleaned up.

He had no idea what had happened to that tomcat, but Skimble had come very close to losing the fight. He was relieved now, to be on his way back to London, to the Junkyard. He'd been exempt from his normal duties on the train, which was nice. The conductor had said something about him getting some rest. He couldn't get comfortable on the chair, because of his injuries, and decided it might be nice to find something to eat. They were still an hour away from London after all. He got to his feet, rather unsteadily, and carefully climbed down from the seat, biting his lower lip to keep from yowling with the pain. He finally made it to the floor and limped out of the compartment and down the corridor, hoping to find some food somewhere.

Some nice humans in the first class compartment dropped Skimble a few titbits, probably feeling sorry for the poor cat, with all his injuries. He let them pet him, and fuss over him for a while, until the on-train announcement sounded that they were approaching King's Cross and would be arriving in five minutes. Skimbleshanks planned to go straight back to the Junkyard to report what he'd found, so he left the compartment and sat patiently by the door until the train stopped. When the doors opened, he jumped straight down onto the platform and took off through the station before any of the humans could stop him. It took much longer than it normally did, but he soon saw the Junkyard ahead of him the gates orange in the glow from the streetlights.

I was pacing again, something that I found myself doing more and more these days. It helps while away the time when I'm waiting for something. Which I was. Skimbleshanks had been due back hours ago, he was usually back before dark. He said he'd be back today, and I couldn't help worrying about him. Skimble was the most reliable tom I knew, he was never late.

Alonzo was watching me pace, silent and expressionless and sitting in what looked to me like a very uncomfortable position but it didn't seem to bother him. He spent most of his time at my side, I was the only Jellicle he would speak to voluntarily and the only one that would speak to him. He knew what he was doing, and I valued his advice so I didn't mind him being there. I had realised that he'd been just as hurt by Macavity's rule as the rest of us, despite what it had looked like to us. There was no way to explain that to the tribe though, they wouldn't understand. I didn't understand but I wanted to. Anytime I had asked, tried to get him to talk to me about it, he closed off and simply wouldn't speak. I glanced sideways at the patched tom, not pausing in my pacing. He didn't move. It was just too weird.

My thoughts returned to Munkustrap, I hadn't made any more progress with him and I was at a loss for what to do. Hopefully Skimbleshanks had found something useful, but he wasn't here yet. Immediately my mind was back to going over the worst case scenarios. What if he'd been attacked by Pollicles? What if something else had happened? It was driving me mad.

"Tugger."

I barely heard Alonzo's voice and didn't notice that it was my name he'd said or maybe I thought I was imagining it.

"Tugger!"

Louder this time, I did hear it and stopped to look at him. He said nothing more but simply pointed behind me, towards the Junkyard gates before returning to his earlier pose as if he'd be hurt if he didn't. I shook my head, ignoring that for now and turned to look where he'd pointed. Oh shit. I was torn between relief and panic and a mixture of both. On one hand, I was thanking Heaviside that Skimble was okay, on the other he had clearly been injured and badly. That limp was obvious a mile away, and that was without the bright blue bandaging wrapped around his paw. I had always hated that stuff. I ran over to greet him and to help him.

"What happened?" I asked urgently as I reached the marmalade tom.

"A fight, I'm fine." He dismissed, but it didn't stop him leaning on me for support. I knew he had lots to tell me, and something made me think that it was not all going to be good. I put a paw around his shoulders to help him to the tyre where we could sit and talk.

Alonzo quickly followed us and between us we helped the older tom get onto the tyre and sit down. Alonzo then sat down next to him, being careful to keep his distance and assuming that same posture he'd sat in earlier. I'd only really started noticing these little things, they were far from overt but it was starting to concern me. On the plus side, if it was what I suspected, perhaps eventually the tribe might forgive him for what he'd done under Macavity's rules.

With that in the back of my mind, I turned to Skimbleshanks.

"What happened?" I asked again, worried about the injuries that the marmalade tom had sustained.

"I found out a fair few things in Glasgow, but I'm no sure whit tae make o'them. I'll exlain a'that in a minute, but don't worry about me. I got intae a fight with some tom, I've got a funny feeling he's got somethin' tae do wi' this. One o' the ticket collector found me an' took me tae the vet, I'll be a'right." Skimble explained briefly.

"Okay then," I said, not buying it, I could see he was still in a lot of pain but there was no arguing with him. "What did you find out?"