In had been years since Macavity or Demeter had been seen in the yard. A very long year indeed. Nothing felt quite right in the yard now. Bombalurina was upset, why wouldn't she be? She had lost her sister. The scarlet queen didn't flirt around as much as she used to. The pain of her missing sibling eating away inside of her.
Munkustrap also wasn't behaving the same. He would still patrol the yard, he had really given up on that since his mate disappeared. In fact, he made sure that there was always someone on duty, looking for any signs of the black and gold queen. The grey tabby looked tired all the time, more so than usual. His eyes holding little brightness but more darkness to them. The bags under his eyes growing day by day. He was suffering over all which had happened and yet tried to not make it show. He was the protector, he needed the other Jellicles to trust him.
Tantomile and Coricopat hadn't really come out of their den since the incident. They usually kept to themselves anyways, so them staying inside didn't come across as weird behaviour. The tri-coloured tom was lounging on his bed of pillows and blankets. His eyes were open slightly so he could watch his sister. Tanto was busy cleaning the den, something she did when something bothered the queen, something which lingered on her mind day and night.
"..What's wrong?" The tom spoke up, sitting up and resting on his shoulders.
"Nothing, why should there be anything wrong? Everything is just great Cori." His sister replied as she frantically cleaned the bookshelf over and over again, muttering that it wasn't clean enough yet.
"The way you are cleaning says there is something wrong, sis."
"Can't I clean now? Do you want to be living in a dirty old den? With cobwebs in each corner? Which reminds me to clean the cobwebs in the corner.." She spoke, glancing over to the room's corner, to a spider web.
"Hey! You can't! You know my pet lives there." Coricopat stared, biting his lip. "Don't kill !"
"I never said I was going to kill the stupid spider, its just not clean enough!" Tanto huffed, rolling her bright blue eyes at her brother. She slumped down into a cushion, playing with the cloth which she had used to clean with. Coricopat raised an eyebrow at her. "Why have you even got a pet spider?" She asked after a moment of silence, looking confused.
"Hmm. I don't really know. Its something which will listen and won't answer back to you." He answered, giving a small chuckle at the idea. "That's crazy, I talk to spiders.."
"You aren't crazy, Coricopat. You are wonderful." His sister smiled, slowly going over to him and nuzzling him. The nuzzle which Cori gracefully accepted and returned to her.
"Tanto.. Why won't you tell me what's bothering you?" He asked, sighing as he rests his head on her shoulder. "If you don't, I'll be forced to go into your mind.."
"No!" She screeched, pulling away from him. "You promised never to go into my mind Cori! Never.."
"I know!" He said quickly. "But now I am worried about you. I'm your brother for bast sake, I deserve to know. Do I not?" He watched his sister, hoping she would tell him and not make the wrong choice over it. The tri-coloured queen just sighed and took a deep breath. She gulped slightly, knowing it would be hard to say to him.
"Cori.. If we told the tribe what I had seen, in that vision.. Maybe.. We could of saved Demeter.." She spoke quietly, so that no one outside the den would be able to hear. However, just outside the den, Tugger and a couple of other toms were talking. Mostly about the queen. They stopped when they heard the name of the black and gold queen. Silently, the toms and Tugger listened in.
"Tants.." Cori sighed, putting a comforting paw on her shoulder. "Your vision had nothing to do with Demeter. If we told them about it, they would of just protected you from him. It would of made it easier for Macavity to get Demeter."
"I guess. But Cori-"
"No buts Tanto. It wasn't your fault, or ever will be. What happened, happened. We can't go back in time to erase that. We need to think of the future now.. She'll come back to us. Munku will find her."
"Cori! It was my fault though. If I just let him kiss me then and there, let him touch me.. Let him have his way. Then he would of never come to the yard to take Demeter." Tantomile whispered harshly across at him, glaring. Cori looked as though he had lost his breath. He stared down at her before looking away and sighing.
"Tanto. Forget about it please. None of it was your fault. Macavity is a delusional pest." He stared back over at her, his eyes fixed onto hers. Slowly he narrowed his eyes, as if he was sensing something. "Answer me honestly.. Do you love him?"
"What? No!" She answered, a little too fast.
"You do! Tantomile! How could you love a freak like him?"
"A freak, Cori? A freak? Just look at us! We can read minds, see into the future! Are we not the freaks too? Just waiting to be shipped of to a circus on Coney Island? " Tantomile defended, hissing softly. She could see how that remark hurt her brother. He had always been known as the freak in the yard, and was picked on because of that. Without another word he stood up and walked numbly into his room, not even saying night to his sister. Tantomile sighed.
"Way to go.." She muttered bitterly. From outside, Tugger tripped over Addie's tail. Causing them both to fall to the ground with a thud. Of course, this didn't escape Tanto's ears. Quick as a flash she peered outside, seeing the spying toms. "Tugger! Addie.. Were you two spying on me and cori?" She asked, giving each tom around the area a death threat of a glare.
"Maybe we were." Came Tugger's reply, snarling. "We heard about you having a vision and not even s haring it with the yard. If Demeter is dead, then I don't see anyone to blame but you." He sauntered off, swaying his hips as he did. The rest of the toms looked apologetically at the mystic queen before following the lead of Tugger. Tantomile stared after him. She couldn't get the blame for all this. It wasn't even her fault, and the vision never showed Demeter in it. She sighed heavily.
"Munkustrap and Old D won't blame you Tanto." She mumbled to herself as she walked slowly and sadly to her room. "They've known you for way too long.. but then again, Demeter was one of the popular queens in the yard, and the mate to Munku.. He surely wouldn't care who takes the blame, as long as Dem gets home safe." The tri-coloured queen bit her lip, staring around her room before faceplanting the bed, a mix of emotions running through her like a rollar coaster. A soothing tune appeared in her mind, almost a trance in a tune. The queen lifted her head up slowly, she had only been in her room for a minute or so. She breathed in softly, somehow feeling an all too familiar scent. Slowly, she turned her head round to glance over at the origin of the scent. However, once she saw the ginger and black tom in her room, she instantly stopped to breath. The tom himself smirked widely before disappearing, leaving her in a world of darkness.
"Tanto? Tanto?" A voice spoke up, sounding scared and worried. The queen groggily opened her eyes. "Everlasting you're awake! What ever happened?" She noticed it was Coricopat who was hovering over her, panicked. "You hadn't woke up this morning, you looked pale as a ghost!"
"Cori.. Cori! Calm down." She mumbled, "And keep it down. I've got the worse headache." She muttered bitterly, before realising that they wasn't in their den, but in Jenny's.
"I'm so glad you're awake! You had me nervous." He continued, pacing the room. "What happened last night? Something must of happened, otherwise you wouldn't of been that pale.. Tanto-" He stopped short as Jenny came into the room, looking irrated.
"Coricopat. Please. She's just woken up, bless her. Give it a rest with your constant talking" The gumbie cat rubbed her head, sighing. She looked over at Tantomile, "I think we've all got a headache, dear. Your brother hasn't been quiet for the past couple of hours." She laughed softly. "How are you feeling?" Tantomile smiled at the other cat's remark about Coricopat.
"I'm fine, confused though. Why am I in here?" Tanto asked, pushing herself up with her elbows before resting on them.
"Cori was just worried about you. And I do see why, you were as pale as a ghost this morning. High temperature too. But its nothing now, you look as healthy as ever." The gumbie cat smiled slightly, rubbing Tanto's arm reassuringly. Coricopat sat down next to the bed.
"I worry too much, Tants. But its all for a good reason. I would hate if anything happened to you." He admitted, sighing. Jenny smiled softly at their bond, the mystics talking to each other through their minds. The Gumbie cat was checking Tanto over, happy to release her soon.
Coricopat stayed with Tantomile through the day, as Jenny hadn't returned to release her yet. Of course, this made Cori worry.
"What if there's something wrong with you?" He asked, once again panicking.
"Cori, will you relax, please. There is nothing wrong with me. I'm perfectly healthy, as she said." The queen mumbled, her eyes narrowing as she heard the same trance like sound enter her mind once more. This time though, she couldn't smell the intoxicating scent like before. The queen's mind became fuzzy as Coricopat babbled on, not noticing anything. Tantomile let out a small gasp when she saw Macavity's face in her mind, he was smirking.
"Ah. Tanto." He mumbled, "Sorry I couldn't pop in, your brother makes that difficult." He sighed, picking at his claws. Tantomile just stared at him, although, to Cori, it looked like she was just staring at the ceiling. Mac let a cackle out as he glanced up at her. "My sweet, Tanto. How about joining me?" He asked, reaching out a paw.
"I-I can't!" She yelled, shaking her head. Coricopat looked at her, tilting his head.
"Tants? You can't? What?" Her brother spoke, looking confused.
"What do you mean, you can't? Join me Tanto." He repeated, making it sound more like an order than anything else. Tantomile continued to shake her head, growling at the red tom.
"You can't order me around. Just leave me alone!" She screamed. Mac smirked widely, seeming to be enjoying himself. He slowly clicked his red furred fingers, causing a wave of pain to hit Tantomile. The queen screamed and held onto her head, feeling like it was burning. Coricopat stood back, afraid and confused.
"Say you will join me and this can all stop." Mac informed her, clicking his fingers again and again. The pain tearing through her body with each click of his fingers. Though, she wasn't going to give in so easily, why should she?
"Never. I would rather die than join you Macavity." She spat. The name sent chills down Coricopat's spine. He glared and entered his twin's mind. Once in he could feel the pain Tanto was in, but he could also see Macavity. The ginger tom waved mockingly at Cori.
"Look who's joined us, my sweet Tantomile." He said, hate falling off his tongue. "Here to save the day, but honestly, do you think you can save her today? Or any other day for that matter?" He asked Cori, making sure he was clicking his fingers slower and more dramatic. "Don't you just love to hear them scream?" He laughed, smirking. "Its like music to my ears."
"You're sick Macavity." Cori hissed, wincing at how much pain he heard his sister was in. "Just leave her alone. What's she ever done to deserve this?"
"Do I need a reason for my actions? Do I ever need a reason? Tanto loved me once, but when I showed her I loved her, she denied me and ran away. Away from me, caused all of this! If she had never of ran away, I would of never left the yard." He smirked.
"If you love her, why are you hurting her? Just let her go!" Cori pleaded, begging the ginger tom. Macavity sighed.
"You know what, Cori.. Just for you I will.." He smirked as Cori glanced up, smiling gratefully. "..Not stop doing this." He continued.
"You're a bastard!"
"Thank you." Came the ginger tom's reply, laughing crazily.
"She will never love you now! Macavity, she still loved you. She always has loved you. But probably not anymore. Why would she love someone who is causing her pain?" Cori spoke, trying to guilt trick him out of this form of torture. "Let her go, and she may grow to love you again. Then you can be together, I promise.." Macavity sighed and without another word disappeared. Coricopat sighed in relief and left his sister's mind.
Tantomile smiled weakly at her brother before slipping into a deep slumber, having been torn away from her energy. Jenny had entered the room by now. Quickly helping out wherever possible, sending Cori out of the den so that his sister could rest.