Mungojerrie snuck back to the junkyard that night. He could only take so much time in the house before feeling the need to get out. The tabby tom passed Plato at the entrance. "How's being a protector then?" he asked the grey tabby. "Brilliant," came the reply. Plato, usually so serious, grinned broadly at Jerrie. "Have you heard the other news?" he asked excitedly. "What?" "I asked Exotica and she said yes!" exclaimed the young protector. "You mean … you two are mates?" Mungojerrie asked, not quite believing his ears. "That's right," Plato delightedly confirmed. Mungo clapped his friend on the shoulders. "Good luck. Whatever you do, look after her," he said seriously, before breaking into a grin. "Congratulations," he called as he hurried into the yard.
Mungojerrie boggled at the concept. Plato and Exotica mating? Plato had had a thing for Exotica for ages, but Mungo had no idea that the secretive, mysterious queen felt the same way. It occurred to him that they were all growing up. He, Plato, Quaxo, Rumpleteazer, Exotica and Victoria were all mated. Tumblebrutus was courting Electra. If his intuition was any good, Erik and Jemima would be officially getting together before too long. That left just Admetus and Bill Baily, the former of which was quite happy to follow in his uncle's footsteps as an obnoxious queeniser. Maybe it was time for him and Teazer to properly settle down, start a family, curl up by the fire in the evenings and chase mice around the house. Or even move out the junkyard permanently. He looked around the yard. The rusted cars, mountains of rubbish, hidden dens, old tractor tire and dancing space felt more like home to him than the house ever had. He felt the cool night wind through his fur and looked up at the moon, low in the sky.
He felt a presence behind him. "Beautiful isn't it," a crystal voice remarked. Jemima paced up to him, sitting by his side. "What's up?" he asked the little queen. "Erik's being murdered by my father," she remarked matter of factly. She smiled at her friend. "He's boring poor Erik to death." "So Erik asked him if he could take you out?" Mungo asked her. "Yeah" the happy teen giggled. "Sillabub is so jealous." "You and me both know that Sillabub is more kitten than queen," the tom quipped, causing them both to laugh. "How did you know that Rumpleteazer was the one for you?" she asked. "Did you fall in love at first sight and that was why you heroically rescued her?" "I don't believe in love at first sight," the tabby cat answered. "I stood up for her because it was the right thing to do. I knew that I loved her when we were just friends and she said her family was going on holiday, and I wanted to beg her not to go because I'd miss her so." He turned to his young friend. "That's what love feel like, as close as I can tell. When you feel like every moment not spent with someone is a moment wasted, when any day without them isn't worth living. Is that how you feel about Erik?" he asked. Jemima thought, looking up at the moon she so adored. "I feel like we were meant to be together. Like when he's away there's a part of me missing. When he hurts, I hurt. When he's happy, I'm happy. Is that what you mean?" "Yes," Mungojerrie replied, stretching out on the ground.
"Look after him Jemima. Erik's damaged on the inside, and I think you're the only person who makes him feel fixed again." Jemima sniffed. "Why would someone do something like that to him?" she asked. "He told you?" Mungojerrie queried, surprised. "He told me about Macavity and the fighting," Jemima confirmed. "It sounds horrible." "Macavity's a horrible cat," was her friend's only response. "Do you think he'll ever stop?" Jemima whispered, looking around fearfully. "I think that your father is too noble to kill him, and Macavity is too evil to stop. Our best hope is that the Pollicle's get their paws on him and make it really slow," Mungojerrie growled. Jemima looked shocked. "You'd want to see him dead," she gasped. "It's the only way to stop him," Mungo replied. "He's already catnapped your mother and Old Deuteronomy once, he tried to get her a second time along with Victoria, Exotica and… and…" Suddenly Mungojerrie sat bolt upright. A connection he had for so long missed stood out in his brain. A memory he had long buried screamed for attention. Rows of cages, with all the cats that Macavity had taken locked inside. Mungojerrie himself letting them go, disgusted at Macavity's actions. Suddenly one thing all the captured cats had in common became clear. "They're all foreign," Mungojerrie muttered. "What?" Jemima asked, concerned for her friend. "He only catnaps foreign cats," Mungojerrie muttered again, too low for her to hear. Suddenly Mungojerrie spun around, racing to find Munkustrap or any of the protectors.
Mungojerrie burst into Munkustrap's den, starling the occupants. "What's going on?" Demeter demanded. "I know what Macavity's after!" Mungojerrie exclaimed. Munkustrap and Erik looked at him quizzically as Jemima tore through the open doorway behind him. "What are you talking about?" Munkustrap demanded. "I know why Macavity's been attacking us," Mungojerrie excitedly announced. "He's a criminal lunatic who hates us," Munkustrap pointed out. "What other reason does he need?" "Foreigners," was all Mungojerrie said. Everyone gave him a blank look. "Erik, when you escaped from Macavity you freed the other cats being held, didn't you?" Mungojerrie continued, deciding that they need more evidence. "Of course," Erik muttered. "Did you notice anything about the cats?" Mungojerrie asked. Erik thought. "Well … we were kept in two areas. There was a smaller bit where the other fighters, a couple of his enemies and I were caged up. That's where he put Rusty and Syrie to." "And the other area?" Mungojerrie asked. "Much larger. Loads of caged, stacked one on top of the other. The cats were even worse off and I never saw any of them in the ring." "That's what it was like when I was there," Mungojerrie agreed. "But all the cats in that larger bit. Did you notice what they all had in common?" Erik's eyes went wide as realisation dawned. "They were all foreign breeds," the black cat gasped. "He's been targeting cats whose breeds aren't from Britain," Mungojerrie explained. "He's tried to take Old Deuteronomy, Demeter, Victoria and Exotica from us so far," the tabby pointed out. "Old Deuteronomy and Demeter aside, they're all foreign breeds. Exotica's Abyssinian, Victoria's a Turkish Angora. Almost all of the cats I saw weren't British." "Victoria and Exotica are British," Jemima exclaimed. "They are, but the breed's aren't" Mungojerrie explained. Munkustrap nodded, understanding what the young cat was saying. "We know that Macavity associates with Griddlebone. Maybe he's taken up her old lover's crusade against foreigners." "But then why did he go after me and Old Deuteronomy?" Demeter asked, twitching from the memory. "Oh don't misunderstand me, he hates us and Munkustrap particularly. He'd do anything if he thought it would hurt Munkustrap. But as a more general rule, he's targeting foreign breeds." At that moment a scream pierced the night from outside.