When I woke again, I heard voices I did not recognize, sharp, high- pitched squeaks echoing down the alley. Before I knew what was going on, several large rats had swarmed into my box. They cocked their heads at me, more surprised at seeing me there than afraid of my tiny claws, then grinned, baring their gross, pointy yellow teeth. "Yeah, that's her alright." one squawked. I tried to fight as they began dragging my box towards a basement flat across the street but only managed to get in a couple of scratches because I was totally outnumbered. They dumped the box unceremoniously down the stairs to the flat, and I tumbled out and bumped into the door. Confused and afraid, I looked for somewhere to hide, but there was nowhere to go. The rats lined the upper step of the walk, and I cowered in the corner, hoping against hope that they would leave so I could run away and try to find my grandfather, Old Deuteronomy. My mother once told me that he lived with the Jellicle Tribe in an old junkyard across town, and that I would be welcome there if any harm ever befell her. I wished I was already there, instead of trapped there with those rats.. but I wasn't. The rats' black eyes gleamed at me viciously.
Then Macavity slunk out from the doorway. I knew instinctively that he was the one I should be afraid of, because his appearance gave me chills all the way down to the tip of my tail. The rats all scattered, save one large, hairy beast. "Here she is," he crowed, triumphant over my capture. Macavity simply nodded and stared down at me. "Ah, at last, my little one," he said, in a voice as soft and terrible as silk sliding over shards of broken glass. "You have arrived. Our plan can now begin.." He trailed off and looked at me expectantly.
"Plan?" I asked confusedly. He shook his head in disgust.
"Your mother cannot protect you from us any longer, little Jennilee. I am all the family you have now.. and you will do as I say. You will be my instrument in exacting revenge upon Old Deuteronomy. The Cats all know me... but they would never be on such a sharp lookout for a lost, innocent little kitten!" He laughed maniacally, making my fur stand on end. I did not undersand then what he was saying, the vile plans his evil mind was capable of producing, but I knew I should not trust him, and began crying for my mother again as he picked me up and carried me into his secret basement lair.
That night, locked securely in a curiously comfortable nest in an old rusty birdcage, I pretended to sleep until Macavity had retired for the night and all the rats had dispersed. "Mumsie, I'm lost.. I don't know what to do!!" I cried, for I knew he was sleeping. Then I fell deep into sleep, where I imagined I heard my mother's voice calling me from the Jellicle Junkyard.. but when I awoke, I was still in the cage.
And that's how I came to grow up in Macavity's care, learning his diabolical ways and planning for the day when I would join his ranks as his right-hand kitten..
My first trip out to the world of the Jellicles was a disaster...
Misto came around the corner and noticed the slight tail of a small striped kitten waving in the air. He mistakenly assumed it was Sillabub who was spying on Electra and Sootaput, who were right around the corner. The kitten was preparing to pounce. Smiling cattily, Mistoffelees used his magical powers to sneak up on the kitten. He crouched down, ready to jump. At the last second before leaping, he let out a small "mrow, Sill" to let her know he was coming. By the time I whirled around, startled, and he realized that I wasn't Sillabub, he was in mid-air. He tried to stop but was on a direct collision course with my face by that point. Fortunately, I ducked right in the nick of time and he slammed into a stack of boxes, and I took off, flying out of the Junkyard. I knew he was a Jellicle Cat, and would land on his feet and come after me to defend his territory. Macavity had always taught me that no matter how much you thought you could defeat an adversary, you should never underestimate them.
Sure enough, I heard the pattering of paws on the concrete behind me, and I ducked into a dark alley, through a hole in a fence, and then fell down through a huge hole that lead into a dark, dusty basement. Fortunately I managed to twist around and grab hold of a cardboard box, but I saw the small black kitten fall behind me towards the hard floor. Pushing off from the box, I attempted to catch him or break his fall in midair (all the while thinking, what am I doing??) but he seemed to vanish. I hit the floor on the other side of the room, then scrambled up quickly, looking around for the kitten. I didn't understand why I cared- maybe I just felt guilty for getting us stuck in the basement in the first place. After a moment, I spotted his eyes gleaming bright green from the other side of the room. I realized I wasn't scared of him, for he wasn't any bigger than I. He was probably 8 or 9 months old at the most. I stayed defensive anyway. "How'd ya do that?" I hissed, slitting my eyes at him. He shrugged, circling me as I tried to avoid him. Neither of us was willing to let the other gain any ground, and after about 5 minutes, I quit pacing and sat down. He took a step towards me, but I ran to the other side of the dark room and sat, licking my paw and trying my best to appear unconcerned. He, however, paced the room, looking for a way out and leaving an obvious circle of space around me.
Finally I sighed, and said "Why dontcha just zap yerself outta here, the way ya did when ya fell?" He looked at me in surprise, as if he hadn't even thought about it, then disappeared, leaving me alone. A few seconds later, his head reappeared at the opening of the hole and he called down, "How are you going to get out?" I thought about not answering him, because I disliked talking and I didn't really like him either. Macavity always said my grammar and pronunciation was an abomination to an educated cat such as himself. Finally I made up my mind.
"I'll think about that meself," I said loftily, turning my back on him. I heard him snort softly, and figured it was probably the scene of my scruffy little self trying to apear all haughty and independent while I was stuck in a cellar that was making him laugh. A few seconds later, I felt a soft touch on my back, and the next second I was sitting outside next to the hole. I leapt to my feet and hissed at him, my fur standing up where he had touched me, and growled. "Why did you do that!! I didn't need your help." He started to say something back, then cocked an ear, and ran off towards the Junkyard. I shook myself, unaccustomed to physical contact. Macavity never touched me except to punish me, for he said affection would just turn a kittie's heart to mush. I shook myself once more, then slunk back towards Macavity's, knowing I would recieve a scolding for not having anything positive to report. He was only too often reminding him that I was nothing but a nuisance to him, nothing but a Jenni-Curse.
