The Library of Infinite Fanfiction

Notes: This is the prequel to Cat, and I suggest you read Cat first. Usual disclaimer, Cats belongs to RUG, Andrew Lloyd Webber, T.S.Eliot, the whatnot. This fanfiction is merely for the sake of entertainment and expressing my love for Cats.

It was the night of the Ball. The Jellicles were dancing 'The awful battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles.' They didn't realize they were being watched. "Those despicable little creatures are making fun of our kind, Kellen!" "I can see that, Marika. Don't worry...tonight, they will pay." Cold yellow eyes glimmered in the darkness as two shadows padded away from the junkyard, towards a cat's home. They arrived at the old packing crate and looked in. "Good. Only a half-grown queen and her mother's kittens, all fast asleep. Now's the time." The smaller dog slipped her nose into the crate, carefully removing one of the kittens. "here 'ee 'o." She mumbled around it. "'ake it, 'afore I 'rop it." Kellen took the sleeping kitten and placed it in a carrying bag. "There. Now, we will take this back to Trahern." Marika nodded, and they trotted off, heading for 'The Canine's Alley'.

* * *

The two German Shepherds arrived at inside a large empty building that opened off the alley. "Our mission was successful, Lord Trahern." Kellen reported. A dark shape moved and sat up atop a pile of blankets. "Good." A deep menacing voice broke through the darkness and white fangs flashed. "Will you keep her, Marika and Kellen?" "Yes, sir," Answered Kellen. "What will we call her?" Marika asked. "She will be called Vanna, which means 'Revenge' in the ancient canine tongue," said Trahern. "Now take her. Raise her until she is old enough to be the instrument of our revenge!" He snarled.

* * *

One night, when Vanna was about 4 in cat years, her canine parents took her outside to sing. "What do we sing to?" She asked. "The moon?" "No, Vanna." Kellen said. "We never sing for the moon." He spat. "That is what that Jellicle trash sings for." "How can trash sing?" She asked. Marika sighed. "It can't. He means the Jellicle cats. They are the ones who infringe on our territory. They would walk all over us if we let them. This is why we must keep them out and monitor them at all times." "Yes, and remember: We never sing for the moon. Rather, we sing for Sirius. Sirius is that bright green star, the brightest in our sky. We honor the Canis', minor and major, as the Jellicles honor the Heviside." She looked up, and quickly found the star. "I see it. How do I sing?" "Like this." Marika pointed her muzzle towards the star and howled, long and high. Kellen did the same, but in his low bass. So Vanna learned to sing for the dog star, and to shun the moon.

* * *

When Vanna had come of age, her parents told her she was to meet Trahern, the leader of the Canines. "Well, where is he?" She asked. "Have some patience, little one," Marika replied. "We meet him tonight. He will tell you the reason you were brought to us. Now, go wash up. You have to be presentable." "Oh, ok." She ran off, and soon returned clean. "Now we can go." They walked to the warehouse and entered. "Lord Trahern," Kellen called. "We have brought Vanna." "Good," the low voice rumbled through the darkness, and a big timber wolf/dog hybrid strode into the light. "You may leave her with me. I must speak with her alone. You may not see her again for awhile." "How did this wolf-dog get here?" Vanna whispered to her 'mother'. "He was bred to be a nice pet, but the human who bought him abused and neglected him.. He escaped, then came here, where the dogs elected him as their leader. His name means 'Strong as iron'. Vanna, remember: Whatever other cats may tell you, you are canine at heart, where it counts. Don't forget it." Vanna nodded, as she followed the big wolf-dog towards an alley.

* * *

"Now," Said Trahern, "I must tell you some things. I take it you know you are not a dog?" "Of course, sir," Vanna replied. "My parents rescued me from the cats when I was very small." "Well then. We dogs need you to be our eyes on the Jellicles. I am therefore going to - if you accept - employ you with a cat who is not with the Jellicles, so you may learn their ways from him and be able to act like one." He went on to tell her about their plan to employ her with Avity. She accepted.

* * *

Vanna followed Trahern towards the stray territory. Soon they came to a small shed, on one side of a vacant lot. "This is where this powerful cat lives?" She asked dubiously. "No," Trahern said. "This is merely an entrance. Be careful, and follow me closely." He trod carefully on a small rock, almost completely concealed beneath the shed, then nosed three knotholes in the boards of the shed in a pattern. Slowly, the entire shed slid to one side, squeaking as if having rusty gears, and revealed a stairway leading underground. They walked slowly down the stairs, which were quite rickety. "Excuse me, sir, but could you tell me why it's so slimy and damp down here?" She asked, "We can't be that far underground." "It is because this section of the sewer -- for that is what we are in -- is still partially in use. The water seeps through from the sections around it." They continued through a labyrinth of pipes, finally reaching a dryer section of pipe. At the pipe intersection, they met up with a large, fierce-looking stray. Vanna stayed behind Trahern, who said to him simply, "I must speak with Avity." The stray nodded, banging a paw on the wall with a loud sound. A moment later, another cat came in, a queen. "I'll guide you to our Master," She said. "Follow me." They followed the queen through long winding pipes and tunnels, finally emerging in a large cavern. Vanna looked around in awe. The place was huge, and entirely underground, except for a few, glass covered holes that let in light. Strays stood guard or lazed around on piles of stuff...some on piles of what looked like gold or jewels. At the far end was a large arm chair, standing high on a pile of crate and secured to them and the wall by cables. The chair itself was covered in expensive materials, silks, satins and velvet. A large ginger tom sat on the chair. He crouched and looked down at Trahern. "What do you, Canine, want with me?" Trahern, not backing down in the slightest and secure in the knowledge that he was more than a match for any five of these strays, outlined his plan. Then he asked Vanna, "Do you consent to employment with this cat?" She agreed.

* * *

As soon as Trahern had left, Avity had assigned her a group. "Let's see, medium sized, interesting pattern...light brown splotches on dark brown with a white stomach....You'll go in the more intensive group, as I expect you've learned only dogfighting and such..." Vanna nodded. "So you'll go with Luana, Trudon, and my son, Macavity. Your instructor is Randleflank. Obey him. LUANA," He called, "Take Vanna to the Destroyer group's room, and introduce her..."

* * *

Luana was a Russian blue, and Vanna followed her blue-gray tail down the tunnel, from which they emerged into a good-sized but not huge room, where three other cats were relaxing. "Hey, Destroyers, This is Vanna....she's our new teammate, you could say. Vanna, this is Trudon," She indicated a muscular tom with a patchy brown coat, who half sat up and grinned at her. "This is Macavity," She pointed to a tall young ginger tom, the image of his father, though not quite as tall....though she suspected he'd be outstripping his father soon. He grinned at her as well, displaying an impressive array of fangs in the process. "And this, " Luana went on, "Is our instructor, Randleflank." He was a big, tough-looking tom covered in battlescars. "Now...I think it is time to begin our lesson," He growled. "Line up." They stood in a line, and he began teaching them fighting skills, according to their level.

* * *

About a week later, Vanna had caught up with the other Destroyers in level, thanks to being put in the intensive group. She never did lose her dogfighting skills, though, and fought with a peculiar mix of cat and dog. Randleflank stopped trying to train this out of her, though, when she used a canine move to bite Trudon in the back of the neck during a sparring match, then hold on and get him down on his stomach on the floor, when she immobilized him with one of the moves Randle had taught her. That night, Randleflank called a quick meeting. "You kittens are ready, I think, to try a simple, supervised mission." The Destroyers grinned at one another, and Vanna and Luana, who had become good friends, exchanged a discreet high-five. "Avity agrees," Randle went on, "And so tonight we will go down to the junkyard and watch them, try to eavesdrop, look for hidden entrances and so on. We will NOT allow ourselves to be seen. Is that clear?" The destroyers nodded. "Clear, sir!"

* * *

Later, the group met outside in an alley near the junkyard. "Now," Randle whispered, "let me see you use those disguising skills I taught you." They all found dirt, dust ,water and such, and used it to become shadowy, dust-colored feline wraiths. "Now, you find a nice spot to watch from...I'll be watching from a slightly different spot, but I will be able to see you. Now, go." They chose a hiding place in the boards of an old bed, not too high up, but not right on the ground either.

* * *

Just before Luana and Vanna decided to braid Macavity's mane out of sheer boredom, a few kittens scampered over, playing a game of hide and seek. One young tom, a marmalade tabby with bright green eyes, started crawling into the bed slats...he was going to get right into their hiding place! He scrambled faster as the kitten who was seeking started looking. They tried to squeeze farther in, but Trudon was just too big and Macavity was too tall, and his fluffy mane was a problem, so Luana whispered to Vanna, who nodded and slipped around so the orange kitten's tail was within reach. She grabbed it and swiftly yanked, then scooted away as the kitten yowled. "I found you!" Came an excited voice from the junkyard. "Come out, Skimble." The orange kitten crawled out, grumbling about catching his tail on something. The Destroyers sighed in relief in unison, then had to clap their paws over their mouth's so as not to laugh out loud. They did, however, go to another hiding spot...a less accessible, easier to escape hiding spot. Later that night, when they were coming back, Randleflank handed them each a small, semi-precious stone, Turquoise to Trudon, hematite to Luana, Tiger-eye to Macavity, and Peridot to Vanna. "First heist, as we say...I did a bit of thieving while we were there, and you four deserve these." They had a four-way high five and continued walking.

* * *

A few months and several spying/stealing trips later, Randle informed them that they could now try going into the junkyard on their own, as long as the rest of the group was there to back them up. "And you need a cover story, in case you ever get caught...So be sure to think some up." He then left for a meeting with Avity. The Destroyers grinned at each other. "Finally, we can go on our own!" Luana crowed triumphantly. "I'd like to try getting some stuff without Randle breathing down my neck....But I don't know how I'm gonna think up the cover story." "That part's easy," Macavity said, rolling his eyes. "It's the getting in that worries me...how am I supposed to get in without being seen with this mane?" "And how'm I supposed to get in at all?" Said Trudon. "I'll never fit through some of those cracks." Vanna laughed. "Shoulda gone for the acrobatics instead of the muscles." She grinned. "But I'm sure you'll fit into some of the places....after all, some of those Jellicles are no pixies themselves." Luana grinned. "So, when do you cats want to go?" Macavity grinned nastily. "Tonight." Trudon nodded, grinning in the same way. "Yeah!" Vanna nodded, eyes slitted. "Ok, then!" Luana nodded, and they began getting their thieving supplies ready.

* * *

They arrived at the junkyard late that night, and were able to make off with a few good bits and pieces from human's homes along the way. "Here's a good spot...I'm going to try a bit of spying, you guys want to stay here and back me up?" said Luana. "Yeah, sure," nodded Vanna. "Just like in our training." Macavity, Trudon and Vanna wedged into various hiding places near the alley, and watched her slip stealthily into a pipeway, not forgetting any details of her spy training. They watched the tunnel intently, then suddenly heard shouting and snarling. "Gotcha! You little sneak, work for Avity, don't you?" Growled a tom, and by the yowls of pain he was grappling with Luana. The other destroyers looked at each other in shock. Macavity shook his head. "She forgot a cover story," he moaned, as they heard her stuttering excuses, which would never be accepted by any Jellicle. They jumped off the junk and sprinted around the alley, trying to get to where they could help. Too soon, though, the yowling stopped and a large silver tabby came out of the pipe, threw it into the alleyway, and walked off to wash the blood off himself. They ran over to the still form on the ground. Luana lay on her front, gasping for air and unable to lift her head. Trudon and Macavity started checking for broken bones. "Luana?" "Turn me....turn me over..." Luana coughed weakly. Vanna gently took her shoulder and carefully turned her over. Vanna gasped, Trudon leaned over and threw up in the gutter, and even Macavity looked disgusted. Luana's entire front was a bloody mess, you could see the bare bones of her ribs, blood was gushing over the asphalt, and various....entrails.... were spilling onto the street. Vanna growled. "That silver tom did this to you?" Luana nodded weakly, her eyes already misting over. "He believed me when I told him I was alone...But he wouldn't believe that I wasn't Avity's cat...He was right." She coughed, spitting blood. "I...didn't find anything out...he caught me...freak accident, not my fault, I did things right..." Luanas eyes closed and her breathing became more and more faint, and a moment later, blood stopped pumping from the wound as her heart stilled. Vanna snarled. "That Jellicle," and she spat the word like a curse, "is going to pay dearly for thissssss!!!" She hissed.

* * *

The three remaining destroyers carried Luana's body back to their hideout, burying it near the small window. Randleflank shook his head. "A shame that something like this had to happen on your first time out," He said, after they related their story. "But it does happen when you're a top-class criminal. You all do need to get used to things like this," He went on, directing it slightly at Trudon, who looked embarrassed. "It's unpleasant, but things happen, especially when one side or another gets stirred up for some reason." They then went to their beds, not looking at the cushion Luana had used. That night, Vanna crept out to the roof and sang the canine deathsong to the moonless night around her. Trudon surprised her by coming out onto the roof himself, a bit later. "What are you singing?" He asked carefully."This is the Canine deathsong. I used to sing it with my adopted parents whenever one of our number died," Vanna answered. Trudon sighed. "You don't think I'm a weakling, do you? I mean, for getting sick like that?" Vanna laughed and gave him a playful shove. "With those muscles? Nah, we just weren't expecting something quite so brutal...and it was disgusting." Trudon grinned. "Hey... Do you think you could teach me that song? We could sing for Luana together." Vanna nodded and began teaching him the canine style, and soon Trudon's Baritone joined Vanna's alto in the canine Deathsong.

* * *

The next day, Vanna went herself to see Avity. "Sir," she said, her eyes snapping, "I am ready to begin infilterating the Jellicles." Avity smiled nastily. "Good. Trahern will be pleased with that. Shizzaleia," He called, "You are to train this queen in acting, and to help her with a realistic background story." A thin brown tabby queen walked up to her. "Come, I'll take you to my place and we'll get started," She invited. Vanna followed her into her niche, and Shizzaleia gave her some lessons in acting. At the end of the day, she went back to the destroyer's room and slept. She continued with these lessons for some time, then one day Shizzaleia told her she was ready. She went before Avity again. "I am ready, Master." Avity nodded. "Then take what you need and go. You will be reporting once a week to one to the destroyers. They will come and wait in the alley for you." Vanna nodded, then left.

* * *

Vanna left the tunnels and began to walk towards the junkyard. On the way, she stopped to roll in dust and mud andsuch. At one point she rolled through some thorn bushes. Now well scratched and dirty, she ran at top speed all the way to the Junkyard, panting, she skidded through a gap in the junk. She sat down, gasping for breath. "Who are you?" Asked a tall, silver tabby tom. "I am Ghandra. I'm sorry to intrude, but a Pollicle was chasing me, and I..." "I see. We don't often have strange cats rampaging through the junkyard." "Oh, is this the Jellicle junkyard?" She asked, pretending surprise. "I've heard of this place...used to live nearby, I did." "Well, then, why don't you sit over here to wash and tell us about yourself." So Vanna fed the Jellicles a story about how she'd lived at an old dock, when animal control officers took the other cats all away. The Jellicles believed it, and agreed when she asked to be one of them. After awhile, once she had made 'friends' with many of the Jellicles, including Munkustrap (This was the silver tabby) and his brother, Deuteronomy, she began going down to the alley and giving reports to whoever had come, usually Trudon. So she stayed there, biding her time untill she could avenge Luana's death.

* * *

After months of endearing herself to the Jellicles, she saw her opportunity. Munkustrap planned to go out to an alley which was quite a ways from the Junkyard. She asked to accompany him, and he allowed it, so that night she spoke to Trudon quietly. He wasn't too sure about her plan, which just didn't happen to involve Avity's permission, but he agreed. The next day, she walked with Munkustrap down to the alley, which ended in a dock, chattering aimlessly. Then she got him backed against the wall. Then, as they were talking, she suddenly bared her fangs and slashed his face with the full strength of her claws. Munkustrap yowled in pain. "What are you doing?" He hissed as she jumped for his throat. He fought back, then, but she already had the advantage, and held his shoulders while she slashed viciously at his underbelly with her hind claws. "Yessssssss," She hissed. "Feel what it's like. Remember that little russian blue? She didn't have a chance. Now you're on the recieving end. HOW DO YOU LIKE IT, EH?" She shouted at him, scratching deeper. She clawed at his throat. "NOW YOU JOIN HER!" Vanna ripped and tore, Trudon, who'd come out from under the dock, stood behind her as backup. He wasn't needed though, as soon the big tom shuddered and went limp. Trudon stepped in the seawater and jumped around all over the place where Vanna and Munku had been fighting. Then he waved goodbye and ran back for Avity's place where he was supposed to be. Vanna, bleeding, went back to the junkyard, pretended to be a lot worse beaten up than she was, and told the Jellicles a wharf cat had attcked them and that she thought Munkustrap was dead. The Jellicles verified this, and a funeral was held.

* * *

Unnoticed by Vanna, a few weeks later on, one of the queens hd kittens. One of them was a silver tabby. Dueteronomy said he was to be named Munkustrap, after his brother.

* * *

Vanna stayed with the Jellicles a long time after that, passing information along to the Canines and Avity's group. She and Trudon (Who was pretty much the only one to collect information now, Macavity being trained to take over from Avity and Randle being busy training him.) had a litter of kittens together, which Vanna raised Jellicle, thinking they'd likely have a better life if she left it that way and telling the Jellicles that their father had been killed by a car. She sometimes went off on raids with Trudon, though, mostly to human's houses. It was on one of these raids, though, that she met the end....

* * *

She and Trudon walked along the gutter, just a pair of stray cats out for a walk. Unfortunatly, they were found by an animal control officer who'd gotten complaints about the wild cats in the area. The officer walked towards them, calling softly, "Here, kitty kitty kitty...." She held out a net and a few other things, ready to catch them if they bolted. Vanna knew that this particular company usually euthanized the cats. Then, without warning, the officer swifty swung the net at Trudon, who couldn't run without being caught by something or other. Vanna, spotting a semi truck coming down the road, saw a desparete chance. Leaping, she thudded into the humans chest, pushing her directly into the path of the truck. With no time to turn at all, the truck rolled right over both human and cat. Trudon raced over. "Vanna? Vanna!" Vanna was lying on top of the dead human, completely crushed from the waist down. "Trudon...? Our kittens....are they safe? Yes, the Jellicles....will take care of them. Good-bye, Trudon..." "Vanna! No! You can't die!" He said frantically. Vanna summed up strength for a reply. "Look at me, I'm crushed into this human....I'm not gonna make it, boy. Live with it." He whimpered. "You should go...before the humans come...Love you, Trudon..." She swatted him in the face to make him go, and spent the last of her energy. Once she had breathed her last, Trudon turned and bolted, for police cars were zooming up the street.

* * *

Vanna was born. She had a very young mind, but could still sense something wrong....where was her fur? How could she open her eyes so young...?

* * *

Morwenna was born, her first and possibly only life, no-one knows if human have more. The young girl could sense something wrong as well, though...possibly because she was awfully hairy, was being....licked? and couldn't open her eyes.

* * *

Vanna aged at the same speed as a cat, making doctors think she had a strange hereditary disease called pergeria. Her mind aged at a cat's speed as well, though, befuddling the doctors. Morwenna aged at the speed of a cat, too. Apparently there are inconsistancies in the Heaviside layer. She became a pet to a rich old lady. But that bit doesn't matter, and the rest of the story is in the fanfic, 'Cat'.