It was morning and the air smelled of the morning dew. The white scaled clouds painted the vast blue sky as the sun slowly pierced from behind the awakening city from afar.
Mistoffelees sat contently on the hood of the rusted old car in the junkyard, munching on an apple as he watched the sunrise. His good friend, Alonzo soon appeared and joined him after taking a long morning stretch and shook his head.
"What are you doing up so early?" Alonzo asked his black companion.
"Can't a cat come out and watch the sunrise?" he asked with a chunk of apple in his mouth. He immedialty then noticed Exotica coming towards them. She jumped up beside Alonzo and asked as she elegantly groomed herself, "Is a female allowed in this conversation or is it just guy talk?"
Before any of them could answer, Munkustrap jumped out from behind the car startling them all. Mistoffelees dropped his apple.
"What's the matter with you?" Mistoffelees asked, annoyed that he lost his morning snack.
"Sorry." Munkustrap chuckled, "Just trying to keep you all awake. I haven't been able to sleep now that I know Demeter is due at any moment."
Mistofelees' eyes widened in shock, "Really? She is?"
Alonzo rolled his eyes and with a grin said, "Yeah, Munkustrap's been by Demeter's side like twenty-four hours a day."
Just then Jennyanydots appeared, full of excitement as she exclaimed, "They're here!"
The four cats on the car's hood froze.
"Now?" Munkustrap asked surprisingly.
Jennyanydots nodded frantically with a huge smile. They all jumped off the car as Mistofelees exclaimed, "My God Munkustrap! You're a father!"
The others congratulated him while Munkustrap thought he would faint at any moment.
"Well don't just stand there!" Exotica squeeled, "Let's go check out the litter!" And they all left, following Jennyanydots, filled with anticipation.
"What are you naming them?" Ectetera asked.
Munkustrap shrugged, "I agreed to Demeter I would name the boys and she would name the girls. Since the one Gus is holding is a boy I'll name him after Gus. His name will be Agustus."
Gus smiled and thanked Munkustrap. He felt honored having one of Munkustap's kittens named after him.
They all continued to awe over the kittens as the rest were handed out. Demeter soon emerged and was immediatly congratulated. In her arms were two female kittens.
"And who are they?" Electra asked.
"Meet Kitana and BlueBell."
Suddenly Mistoffelees' ears were quickly erect and his eyes darted about. Noticing Mistoffelees' strange behavior, Skimbleshanks asked, "What's the matter?"
The question was ignored as Misto sniffed the air. Just then his back fur sprung and he started to hiss revealing his white fangs. The others were alarmed by this as they stared at the spooked black cat. Then the twins, Tantomile and Coricopat felt it as well. It was something new and very big. The ground began to tremble beneath them. Then a boistrious sounding was heard resembling thunder. The cats, not knowing what to do or where to go, stood there looking around frantically for the first sign of danger.
Just then a large wall of garbage came crashing down causing the cats to scatter. A large van thundered its way in and parked where it was. Men then emerged from the vehicle with large nets and rifles. The cats panicked and ran for cover. Nets were thrown capturing many of the jellicles. Jemima screamed as a heavy net fell apon her. Mistoffelees saw how a kitten was left alone in the middle of the junkyard out in the open and dashed after it. He grabbed it by the scruff of its neck and turned to get away only to find a huge net land on him and tighten at the ends. The man lifted the net with him inside, hauled it on his back and began making his way to the back of the van where cages awaited them, open and ready to be filled. Mistoffelees made sure the man wasn't looking when he silently used his magical powers to melt away the thick
netted rope in his hands then slipped out. The human felt his load get lighter and turned to see the black cat making an escape. He dropped the net and ran after the cat but Mistoffelees was able to get away with the kitten by squeezing through a tiny crack in a pile of rubble.
Tantomile ran behind Coricopat for cover when Tantomile was grabbed by one of the men. She hissed and screamed for help. Coricopat quickly turned and jumped on the man's back scratching and biting him fierociously but was grabbed by another human. Coricopat hissed and the man immediatly dropped him. He looked around for the man who had Tantomile but was gone.
Suddenly a gun fire was heard. Rumpleteazer fell to the ground.
"No!" Mongojerry yelled and ran back for her. She looked back at her wound which was in her hip area. A small feather stuck out of her fur and she began to feel dizzy. She was about to be picked up by the man with the gun when suddenly Mongojerry leaped and severly clawed the man's face. The man cried out in pain as he stepped back with his hand over his bleeding face. Mongojerry nuzzled Rumpleteazer's head but she didn't move. Jerry's eyes began to water as he thought of her dead. However, she was merley asleep. The man recovered and in revenge gave Mongojerry a painful kick in his side, sprawling him across the floor, away from his beloved feline. And the man picked up the sleeping female and she was placed in one of the cages that were quickly filling.
Rum Tum Tugger, being a big cat that he was, fought for Bombalurina, who was being dragged into one of the cages. Once Bombalurina's cage was securely locked, the doors were closed with the crying cats inside. And when the last man was inside, the van came alive and drove the same way it came.
"What happened?" Misto asked as he began to wipe away the blood.
"I was slugged." he answered.
"Where's Cassandra?"
Alonzo looked away as he hung his head in sorrow and slowly walked away. Mistoffelees understood and was sorry he asked. Misto followed Alonzo over to Munkustrap who was assisting to Mongojerry.
"You okay?" Alonzo asked.
Jerry cringed at the pain in his side as he sat up. "They killed her!" Jerry cried.
Misto shook his head, "No they didn't. She was tranquilized. She's but asleep, not dead."
Jerry was more calm after hearing that. Alonzo's eyes widened as he remembered and said, "Good God, Munkustrap! Your kittens! Where's Demeter?"
Munkustrap wiped a tear away as he said, "She was taken." The others could see he too had put up a fight, for his shoulder was bleeding and his right ear was tattered. "The kittens too I'm afraid. There was nothing I could do!"
Just then Misto ran off and brought back with him the kitten that he had rescued. Seeing the kitten, Munkustrap smiled and thanked Mistoffelees.
"I'm sorry I couldn't save more." Misto said as handed the kitten over to him.
Just then they all heard soft meowing coming from the den. They all went to check it out and were surprised to see Gus with Jennyanydots and the kittens!
"Are they gone?" Gus asked.
Munkustrap's spirit rose as he hugged his litter one by one. "Oh, Gus thankyou!!!!" he cried but froze when he saw how two were missing. "Where's Kitana and BlueBell?"
Mongojerry gasped, "They were with Demeter! Which means they must have been captured too!" Just then Pouncival, Coricopat and Rum Tum Tugger entered.
"Is this it?" Tugger asked, "Everyone else was taken?"
"I'm afraid so." Alonzo said sorrowfully.
"Tugger, your hurt!" Misto said. Tugger was bleeding from the side of his jaw down his neck and on his shoulder.
"I'm fine, it's just a scratch."
"A scratch?" Mongojerry exclaimed, "That's an awful lot of blood for just a scratch."
They all suddenly realized Munkustrap was not with them. They all emerged from the den and found him at the top of a pile looking off in the distance. Being good friends of his, Alonzo and Mistoffelees joined him.
"What are you doing up here alone?" Misto asked as he followed his gaze far beyond at a large city.
"I've got to get Demeter back." he said.
"Don't worry Munkustrap, we'll get them back." Alonzo said placing a paw on Munk's shoulder.
Misto glanced at Alonzo and asked, "How?"
"What do you mean how?" Munkustrap shouted which frightened both Misto and Alonzo. In desperation, Munkustrap grabbed Misto's shoulders with a jerk and said with a high pitch of hope, "You could bring her back with your powers. You could bring them all back!" Munkustrap's grip tightened. Misto tried to back away but couldn't as Munkustrap continued to yell at him, "Bring them back Mistoffelees, please! Bring Demeter back now!"
Frightened by his friend's actions Mistoffelees whispered, "I can't."
"What do you mean you can't? You did it with Old Deuteronomy. Why can't you do it with Demeter?"
"I don't know where the others were taken. When Macavity took Old Deuteronomy I knew where he was and at least who had taken him. As for the jellicles, I havn't a clue as to where they could be or who those people were. There's nothing I can do. I'm sorry."
Full of anger and agony, Munkustrap said, "What kind of magician are you?"
Offended by that, Mistoffelees said with a rude look, "A better one than you."
Realizing his temper wasn't getting him anywhere, Munkustrap released his friend with an apology. Ashamed by his sudden outburst, Munkustrap ran off. Misto and Alonzo followed.
"Gus, I want you and Jennyanydots to take care of my litter." Munkustrap ordered.
"Where are you going?" Jenny asked, quite concerned.
"I'm going for Demeter and the others."
"Not alone you're not." Misto said.
Admiring his friend's loyalty, Munkustrap smiled, "Okay."
"I'm going too." said Alonzo.
"Same here." said Mongojerry.
"Dito." Coricopat replied.
"Can I come?" asked Pouncival.
"Sure you can. We need all the help we can get." Munkustrap said.
"You mean you're all telling me you're going into the city for them?" Tugger asked.
"Yeah, you coming?" asked Alonzo with a grin. "Do you know what you all are getting yourselves into? Have any of you ever been in the city? It's a living nightmear. You could all be-"
Mistoffelees impatiently rolled his eyes, "You coming or not?"
Tugger shrugged, "Sure, why not? But it's only for all of yal’s protection."
"We're going into that mess?" Pouncival asked.
"How are we going to find them in that?" Jerry asked.
Munkustrap glanced back at his companions with a shocked expression on his face as he said in a disappointing vioce, "What's wrong with you guys. Are you afraid all of a sudden? They're just people."
"Yeah, the same people who destroyed our pride." replied Tugger.
"Let me remind you, we were once worshiped by people."
"That was back then in Egypt, this is now. Now they see us as petty mouse chasers and guitar strings." said Mistoffelees.
"Well, don't forget, we have something those pesky humans don't have."
"What's that?" Pouncival asked.
"A keen sense of smell." Munkustrap replied as he pointed to his nose, "We'll find them." and then he turned and began his way down the hill.
The others looked at each other doubtfully, then followed Munkustrap into the immense city. The slope was very steep and Pouncival lost his footing and ran into Coricopat who collided with Mistoffelees and the dominoe affect continued. Soon the seven cats were rolling, sliding and tumbling down the hill and onto the hard pebbled street. Cars brushed by them with lightning speed, just missing the cats by inches. They manuvered their way off the street and on the sidewalk. To prevent being stepped on by the overcrowding citizens, they ran behind a building away from the crowd. Suddenly, Pouncival fell through a man hole in the ground.
"Pouncival, you okay?" Mongojerry asked as he peered down the hole. His voice echoed inside.
"Wow! You've got to come see this!" he hollared from below.
The cats all looked at each other. Munkustrap shrugged, "Well, we just can't leave him down there." and he jumped in the hole after Pouncival. One by one the others followed.
Tugger looked down the hole and mumbled, "Why can't we?" and he jumped in.
They all gazed around at the vast area. They found the place to be very strange, for the walls were tiled and lights covered the cieling. It was desolate, dim and cold.
"What is this place?" Mongojerry asked in wonder as his voice loudly echoed throughout the area. Mistoffelees noticed a drop and looked down. He was shocked to see railroad tracks. He followed them and saw how they led down a deep dark tunnel.
"Railroad tracks under ground?" Alonzo was just as stunned.
Mistoffelees grinned, "Wouldn't Skimbleshanks get a kick out of this!"
Munkustrap then spotted a door that was half opened on the other side of the tracks. "Come on," he said, "Let's go this way." and he jumped down on the tracks and toward the door. Tugger glanced down at the dark tunnel and felt a gust of cold wind blowing from it. Something about this place frightened him.
"I don't think this is such a good idea." he replied. But Munkustrap ignored him as he told everyone to follow him. Mongojerry was the first to respond as he leaped on the tracks and followed the gray feline. Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath their feet and they all heard a loud deep blowing horn. A train horn! They could see the dim ray of light making its way around the corner and lighting up the tunnel.
"The train!" Tugger yelled, and hollared for them all to hurry. Coricopat jumped in and dashed across to the other side. Mistoffelees did also. After him went Alonzo and then Tugger. Pouncival, being a small cat, carefully jumped onto the tracks. The train was now in sight and the gigantic headlight blinded them. Pouncival, who still was on the tracks, froze as he stared at the immense light with his jaw open, his fur standing on end in horror and his pupils as small and narrow as pins. He stood there terrified in a frozen state as the train approached with incredible speed and roaring like thunder.
"Pouncival!" Mongojerry hollared.
"Get off the tracks!" Mistoffelees yelled. But their cries were drowned out by the train.
"Mistoffelees, do something!" Coricopat screamed and immediatly Misto zapped his powers on Pouncival causing him at the last second to dissappear just as the train roared by. They all closed their eyes and covered their ears from the loud noise and screeches of the subtrain as sparks flew from beneath the locomotive. When it was over and the train continued its way down the dark endless tunnel they looked around for Pouncival. They were relieved to find him curled up with Mistoffelees.
"You alright?" Alonzo asked.
Pouncival looked up at the black and white cat and still trembling from the experience said, "I'm so sorry. I don't know what happen. I saw the light and I froze. I-I couldn't move, I-"
"Shh, you're okay now." Munkustrap said in a gentle tone as he combed Pouncival's staticed fur down.
"What are we doing here?" Pouncival cried, "This is no place for a cat. We shouldn't have-"
"We're not giving up now." Munkustrap said, "We've got to find the others. Don't worry Pouncival we won't let anything happen to you." and Munkustrap turned to address the cats, "We are all going to get through this. We will find the others and bring them all back alive."
They were all touched by Munkustrap's courage and determination but deep inside they wondered if his words were true.
