Notorious Duo Turns Triple
By Mistacor
Part III
Later that night, Mungo peeked out from behind an old paper screen, torn and sheer, that rested against the side of the oven. He had watched Mista's hiding place for a whole hour but he didn't see her sneak out. Occasionally, he'd see one of the kittens going past there sniff inquisitively but they didn't dare try to call her out or see her for fear of getting caught. Some, he noted, wouldn't be able to get in that opening anyway - cats like the Rum Tum Tugger and Munkustrap were either too big or too tall. But he, on the other hand, was perfect.
He was waiting for the right time and the anxiousness was tearing him apart. From behind him, even further in the shadows, was his sister shifting uneasily on her feet.
"Mungo, we shou'-"
"Shhh," he hushed her in urgent softness before whipping his head back to the hiding place on the other side of the Junkyard. Eyes widening at sign of movement there made him quickly scoot back deeper in the safety of shadow but he kept his brown eyes on the movement.
A brief opening of cloud sent shards of moonlight to scatter and Mungojerrie recognized the movement coming from a white and slightly grey kitten. Pouncival, he noted, and not with much shock for that Jellicle had always dared and been the adventurous type. But he also noted something else about this young tom and that was that he fancied her a bit... His keen ears perked.
"Mista?" Pounce whispered into the hole and eyed it. He couldn't see a thing in there and was about to climb in when Skimbleshanks came by.
"Pouncival, get away from there right now."
Pounce nearly jumped and backed away from the hole. "I wasn't doing nothin'," he said defensively. "I was just going to my chair, that's all."
"Well, then, you'd better get there on the double," the railway cat said kindly. "You need your rest, lad. Besides, it's late."
The young, frisky tom nodded and then silently, quickly jumped up on the Ford, then onto the ledge and disappeared from sight.The elder cat had watched Pouncival leave and now stared at the hole for a long time before a sigh finally escaped him. He sharpened when he saw something moving towards him, just as the moon was covered again. "Who's there?" he hissed softly, tensing on his haunches.
"It's just me, Uncle Skimble," a sweet, innocent voice whispered. The moonlight freed itself once more from its cloud prison and Skimble could make out a female kitten outline and the wide-set, beautiful indigo eyes that were Jemima's. He relaxed as she crawled forward cautiously the last few remaining steps. He nuzzled her back affectionately and gave one of her ears a lick before finally speaking.
"Jemima, what are you doing up so late, and away from your human family no less? You should already be fast asleep."
"I couldn't sleep," the dark-shaded calico replied softly. "I'm worried about Mista, Uncle Skimble." She nudged under his chin.
"Now, now, there's nothing to be worried about," Skimble reassured. "Everything will be sorted out and made right."
"But she and Mungojerrie are in love. It's not fair that Munkustrap should separate them."
Skimble gave her an astonished, amused look. "Now, when did a kitten like you come to know about love?"
Jemima shrugged lightly and scratched tentatively at the spiked collar around her neck with a hind foot. "My human girl reads a lot of books called romance novels."
"You can read? " the elder tom asked in a fresh batch of surprise.
"Sure," the young kitten smiled brightly. " Misto taught me. I'm trying to get Alonzo interested so I can teach him how-" The moon faded back behind its white refuge, plunging the Jellicle world dark once more.
Skimble looked up at he sky and then back to Jemima who now looked at him with a confused look. "What is it, child? " he asked tenderly.
"Uncle Skimble? Why did Mista's eyes glow silver like that before?" the question came as if just realizing a mystery.
"I don't know, child.... I don't know..."
~
Munkustrap paced distractedly in the twin's polished tunnel, Tantomile and Coricopat watching him calmly, their heads simultaneously moving from side to side with each pace.
"I love that kitten, too," the tabby was saying.
"Mungojerrie knows that-" Coricopat began.
"-but it doesn't make it easier for him," Tantomile finished.
"I have a reputation to maintain. I can't bend my laws and morals."
"A good leader-" Tantomile started.
"-follows his heart," Coricopat completed.
"And what about kittens?" Munkustrap stopped to look expectantly at the bonded Jellicle pair.
Tantomile and her linked brother refrained from answering. They both knew it was a rhetorical question. Mungojerrie had answered it himself before.
The frustrated, confused tabby adult growled inwardly and turned away sharply. "Why did Father have to go to Heaviside so soon?" he murmured. "I can't do this alone, as I previously thought."
Tantomile spoke gently, her voice soothing away the bitterness he felt in his heart. "You aren't alone, Munkustrap. You have many here who will always be by your side."
Munkustrap scoffed lightly. "If you're talking about the Rum Tum Tugger-"
"You underestimate him. Behind his narcissism, lies a regal, loyal lion."
"The same holds true for Mungojerrie," Coricopat added. "He possesses the same strength and loyalty."
"They are two different personalities," came the denial.
"One steals," Tantomile interjected.
"The other looks in the mirror all day long and disrupts order with his immaturity," Coricopat added.
"Both," the twins stated together, "are dangerous to the young Jellicles."
"And Macavity?" Munkustrap countered.
The two bonded Jellicles exchanged looks before turning back to the tabby coolly.
"Mistacor has had no contact with him," Tantomile answered gravely in the said kitten's defense.
"I was talking about Mungojerrie."
"He hasn't had any contact with him either," Coricopat said.
"Hasn't," the tabby pointed out.
Tantomile's eyes softened and her eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Munkustrap, everyone makes mistakes. How many of us here have made mistakes or wrong choices? And we've always forgiven them and treated them as equals. Surely, you..."
"Old Deuteronomy always made the Junkyard a forgiving haven for every Jellicle," Coricopat added, gently resting his chin on his sister's head who closed her eyes to slits in comfort.
"There is no guarantee that he won't go back to Macavity, "Munkustrap said, his resolve weakening.
"And yet there is no guarantee that he will," Tantomile spoke patiently.
"You're right," the new Jellicle leader gave-in as he closed his eyes.