The Rum Tum Tugger yawned, trying not to show how bored he was. He had been basking in the sun on top of the old, rusty car in the Junkyard, trying to think up a good way to cause a terrible muddle, but so far, he'd been unsuccessful. He stifled the urge to yawn again, then jumped in surpise at Mr. Mistoffelees' voice behind him. Misto laughed and jumped up on the car beside him.
"Care for some fish paste?" he asked.
Tugger snorted derisively. "I'd rather have cream," he answered, still annoyed over Misto's success in sneaking up on him. "Anyway, when are you going to learn not to be such a spook all the time, Mr. Full-of-Fleas?" Misto just laughed and flicked his tail at Tugger, who had to smile back. "Actually, I am hungry," he admitted after a moment.
Misto grinned and reached for the tube of fish paste, then looked around, perplexed. "Where'd it go?" he asked confusedly.
"Can't you keep ANYTHING from disappearing, Mr. Mumbo-Jumbo?" asked Tugger. "I really am hungry!"
Misto looked up in astonishment at Tugger's accusation. "But I really didn't hide it!" he protested.
"Right," snarled Tugger angrily. "Nice trick." He stalked off to find some food, leaving a confused Misto behind.
Before long, Old Deuteronomy appeared, and the Cats all began speaking at once as they tried to explain the bizarre occurrences of the day. Raising a hand, he silenced them all, then motioned for them to speak one at a time.
Things began orderly enough, as Jennyaydots told him about her inexplicably missing crochet needles and knotted-up yarn, at which Sillabub and Etcetera began bickering, each claiming they hadn't done it. Old Deuteronomy gave them a look as if to say, "We have all had a long day," and they realized they were behaving improperly and settled down.
Tugger described the "immature trick" Misto had played on him that morning, and Misto began pouting, then broke in to exclaim, "But I didn't do those things!! Someone else did it! And they hid my kitten-creating hat!!'
"And my pocket watch!" cried Skimble. At this remark everyone broke into a loud arguments, accusations, and theories about the mysterious happenings of the day. Old Deuteronomy began to speak, but the air around the Junkyard suddenly tensed, and all of the Cats fell silent, looking to Coricopat and Tantomile for an explanation of the strange sensation. Victoria shivered next to Misto, and he nuzzled her comfortingly. Then the silence was shattered by a loud yowl from Demeter. The Cats turned to her and she exclaimed, "Something bit my tail!", licking her wounded tail tenderly.
"I saw it!" Electra said excitedly. "It went under that crate!"
Munkustrap jumped to the top of the crate to hold it down, and Alonzo peered underneath it. My two bright black eyes gleamed back out at him. "There's definitely something down there," he announced.
"Purrhaps it's a RAT!!" said Cassandra hopefully, and Demeter let out another small shriek.
"No rats better be biting MY tail!!", she said huffily.
Underneath the crate, I bristled. How dare they call me a rat? I was way worse than a rat. Hmph.
Munku smiled at her gently. "Let's get the little troublemaker out then, shall we?" he said. Alonzo and Bombalurina sat back, giggling excitedly, and Munku finally succeeded in dragging me out from under the box, then held me dangling from the nape of my neck.
"Ooh, it's a kitten!" said Bom. "But where did it come from?" She leaned forward to sniff me, but I yelped and tried bravely to swipe at her nose.
Munku placed me before Old Deuteronomy, whom I had completely forgotten was my relation at this point, having been brainwashed by Macavity for so long. He merely studied me and said nothing as the other Cats formed a curious circle around my crouched form. I cowered before them, wondering what sort of awful punishment they would give me. I tried not to be afraid, but I knew they had me captured, and even if I did escape, I was in a LOT of trouble when I returned home. Macavity would never forgive me for letting myself be seen by the Jellicles and ruining his plan.
"It's kind of a runt to have caused so much trouble, isn't it?" laughed Bom. I looked at her surprised, wondering how she could laugh at a time like this, but understanding that because I had never grown very large, I still looked like the kitten I should have out grown. Her laughter helped me though, because it was then that I decided that she would be the Cat I could trust, rather than fear. Any Cat that would sit there laughing rather than glaring at me was one I liked!!
"Where do you come from, little one?" asked Old Deuteronomy, ignoring her.
"Deutomy bad!" I sputtered defiantly, then darted under Bom, who abruptly quit laughing. She looked down between her front paws at the tiny cat sitting there. I stared at her, begging her with my eyes not to betray me.
"It's such a sad, frightened little thing," whispered Jennyanydots.
"With her upbringing, she should be," said Old Deuteronomy. "The kitten has come from Macavity." The other Cats all looked at him in astonishment. "You can see the markings," he continued, referring to the dark M-shaped spot on my side that contrasted with my other stripes.
I hated him talking about me as if I weren't there, and from my hiding place behind Bom I piped up. "Deutomy bad! Jel`cles bad!" Unfortunately, she picked me up then and dropped me back into the center of the circle. Old Deuteronomy smiled down at me, and I looked around the circle at the other Cats. Some were smiling also, but some looked hostile and cold, and I began to regret opening my mouth.
Then I saw a young black Cat sitting on the other side of the circle. I took a tentative step towards him, sniffed, and realized it was the same kitten from my first trip to the Junkyard! I didn't even know his name, but I knew he recognized me too. He was bigger than I was by then, but he was one Cat I was definitely not afraid of. Taking courage from his presence and hoping that some of the other Cats would be kind like him, I walked towards Old Deuteronomy and sat before him, adopting the pose I used when awaiting my punishment from Macavity, tail tucked under, head lowered, eyes shut, claws sheathed. If I was to be punished, I would take it with dignity. I was scared out of my kittie brain. When he said nothing for a long moment, I opened one eye to peek up at him, and saw something strange in his eyes, something like recognition.
Just then, Macavity burst into the Junkyard, yowling and fighting with the black and white Cat who had been standing guard. The Cats all scattered- Munkustrap and Tumblebrutus went to help fight Macavity, Misto nudged me towards Bom as if asking her to protect me, then escorted Old Deuteronomy to a safe place. Bom saw Demeter run by with a panicked look on her face, and turned to Tugger with a pleading look.
"As if I didn't have enough trouble with Sootaput?! I'm not being a babysitter again!" He protested at first but reluctantly took me on and Bom ran off. Luckily, he didn't pay much attention to me as I snuck towards the fighting Cats.
Coricopat and Alonzo were chasing away Macavity's minions, and Munku and Macavity circled each other, hissing. I hid behind a box.
"Surrender the kitten," Macavity hissed. "She is mine. She belongs to me." Munku hissed right back at him. "You cannot help her," the evil Cat continued. "I am all she knows. She doesn't know the ways of the Jellicle Cats; you cannot keep her here. Her mother is gone; none can care for her but me." Munku growled and leaped at Macavity, and they fought viciously for a few minutes, then fell back, circling each other again. I wondered why he was risking himself trying to protect a worthless little kitten like me, and ran towards the two Cats.
I shot between then, then glared up at Macavity. "Macavie mean!" I hissed. "You lied. You say all Jel`cles were bad, but they are nice. I want to stay with Bom!"
"Inconcievable," he hissed back, slitting his eyes. "Just you wait until we get home. You're nothing but a little traitor." Then he added in a derisive growl just loud enough for me to hear, "Jenni-Curse." I felt a twinge of fear, but his power over me had been broken by my knowledge of his lies, and I stayed where I was.
Munku, forgotten for the moment, stepped forward again. "She will stay here." I nodded. "I not going home with you, Macavie." Macavity snarled and stepped towards Munku again with his claws bared, but stopped when he saw Misto, Alonzo, and several other Cats forming a line behind Munku. Knowing he could not defeat all of the Jellicle Cats, he ripped down a wire from the fence with his claw, causing a loud shocking noise that created enough of a diversion for him to escape.
When he was gone, the Cats all returned to the Junkyard, and I was once again brought before Old Deuteronomy. This time, I knew that he recognized something in me- I could see it in his eyes, his smile, the way he regarded me as he spoke. I still couldn't gather what it might be though. I was not afraid of the Cats any longer, and sat straight before him. He looked down at me for a moment, then posed The Question.
"So what shall become of this strange young kitten?"
The other Cats all looked at each other for a few minutes, then began to speak. "She helped fight Macavity!" "But she does not belong here." "Does she have any owners? She hasn't a collar?" "She has nowhere else to go.." "You heard Macavity, he said he would get her back.." "Maybe she could just become a Jellicle and stay here?" The last line was spoken by Munku.
Old Deuteronomy looked at him. "How do you propose to do that?" he asked. Munku just gazed down at me.
"Her colorings aren't right, you know," said Rumpleteazer. "You of all Cats should know how unimportant THAT is,"
Munku defended me. "Look at Bom and Dem. Look at yourself.."
"She is a street cat, apparently," said Jennyanydots. "Isn't it our responsibility to look after fellow homeless felines?" Munku nodded. "As for the test..." he began, then trailed off.
"I believe she has passed enough of a test, for now." said Old Deuteronomy. "She has stood up against Macavity and proven herself to be more loyal to the Jellicles. And if I'm correct... I believe she has traveled a great distance and surpassed many obstacles just to be here." He looked down at me again.
"What's your name, little one?"
"Jenni-kerz" I replied.
"Only Macavity would call a kitten a curse!" said Bom.
"And Rum Tum Tugger!" teased Demeter.
"Jennilee?" asked Old Deuteronomy. I looked up at him, shocked. I hadn't heard anyone call me that since the day my mother had been taken away. I thought back to that day, and then I suddenly remembered my mother's advice- to go to Old Deutereonomy, my grandfather, during a crisis. I broke out into a kittie- smile and nodded happily. He nuzzled me gently and then told the other Cats about my heritage.
"However," he finished, "she has grown up among evil and darkness, and doesn't know how to do things as we Jellicles do- sing, play, dance, sew, climb.." he trailed off.
Jennyanydots stepped forward. "We could teach her," she offered.
Deuteronomy smiled. "When she has learned, she will become a true Jellicle." I smiled happily and scampered off with Bom and Jenny to begin my training.
"If we're lucky, we can have you ready in time for the next Jellicle Ball.." said Jenny. I glanced back at the Cats, who were returning to their normal business, and saw Misto looking after us. When he noticed me watching, he winked, and I knew that he had not forgotten our adventure together. It became our little secret.
