Chrychaesa sat on the trunk of the car, sunning herself. She felt sad and lost, because she had lost one who had not even experienced real love. Rawtawny, the only one like Munkustrap. She just felt awful for him. Demeter noticed she was not herself, she was downcast. Demeter knew about Rawtawny but she had thought that Chryssie hated Rawtawny.
"Chryssie, what's the matter? I know you are finally free of Rawtawny."
"No, Demeter. It's not that I'm upset about. I finally found the real Rawtawny, and he learned to love like you two. I had finally found the cat who was the most like your Munkustrap, and then I lost him. My chance of love and I wouldn't have to keep you and Munkustrap apart anymore. We could all be happy and in love at the same time. But Macavity had to kill him."
"At least you got the chance to say goodbye."
"Yeah, that's the only good thing I got out of it."
"You'll find him someday. I promise you that. Now, I want to give you a special job. I have finally found a family that wants me. I am going with them for a few days. They are going somewhere east. I want you to take care of Munkustrap for me. I hear that he hasn't been doing too well lately either, so maybe you two could keep each other company."
"All right Demeter."
"Thank you. There's Mistoffelees, why not you say hello to him, and Asparagus is with him too. They would be happy to see you. You should go around, talk to cats, become close, all that kind of stuff. You can't always hang around me and Bombalurina."
"All right, I'll do that." Chryssie got up and walked over to Mistoffelees and Asparagus who were talking. They looked up and saw Chryssie walking towards them.
"Oh boy, here she comes." Asparagus said nervously.
"Ahh, nothing to worry about, watch. Good Morning Chryssie."
"Good Morning Mistoffelees, Good Morning, Asparagus."
"G-g-good morning." He said, wringing his tail.
"Don't mind him," Mistoffelees said as Chryssie looked at Asparagus in a manner of curiosity.
"He is just a little sluggish this morning."
"OK, so how are your power studies coming along? Learn anything new?"
"Yes actually, I learned how to limit power so I can keep going and I won't have to recharge by sleep so much."
"Ah, so that's why you sleep when you have used a lot of power. Asparagus, tell me a little about yourself, you haven't said much ever since the first Jellicle ball."
"W-w-well there r-r-really is-isn't much to t-t-tell I'm af-af-afraid." She smiled gently at him, and he wrung his tail even more and he started to shake.
Poor Asparagus, thought Mistoffelees. He just doesn't know how to handle pretty kitties, the poor thing, he's so shy. Wait! I know what I'll do! "How would you guys like to dance?"
"What do you mean dance?" Chryssie asked puzzled.
"Well, I have been dying to see pair dancing and well I was wondering if you two would like to do it." Asparagus looked like he was about to have a heart attack.
“Mistoffelees!” he thought. “What are you trying to do? Hey, maybe she might want to dance.” His thought was interrupted by pearls of laughter. Chryssie was laughing hysterically. “Oh, I see she doesn't like me,” he thought sadly. “Maybe she just thinks that I'm too dumb to dance with her. Oh man I probably am too.”
"Chryssie why are you laughing?" Mistoffelees asked with a slight hint of anger in his voice. “Is she making fun of Asparagus?” he thought angrily.
"Oh, poor Asparagus, he looks so sad." Chryssie said when she had stopped laughing.
"What's the matter Asparagus?" She put her hand on his shoulder. He stiffened at the touch and whispered
"N-n-nothing."
"Why were you laughing at Asparagus?"
Mistoffelees asked hotly. Chryssie sprang back as if Asparagus had burned her.
"I wasn't Mistoffelees! Really I wasn't laughing at Asparagus, heavens no! I was laughing at the fact that I can't dance and since Asparagus here is such a great and beautiful dancer, I'd probably land flat on my face. Trust me, in my mind that's a funny sight to see." Asparagus relaxed a little and Mistoffelees cooled down instantly.
"All right then I suppose that Asparagus should show you, with my help. Come on." He started to drag Chryssie and Asparagus off by the wrists.
"Come on, Mistoffelees, I am nowhere near the level that he is. I can barely dance by myself without hurting another or myself."
"That's not so. I saw the figurative dance you did with Victoria and it was beautiful and routine, I demand to see you two dance." He lead them to an open space, away from the other cats. He sat down and ordered,
"Now dance." He got up again and pushed Chryssie towards Asparagus who caught her.
"I-I-I'm not very good at this."
"Yes you are, it's me who isn't. Lets bomb on him shall we?"
"Good idea."
"OK, take me, let's pretend that we are going to do this, but we turn and run instead."
"When you say three."
"Got it." They stood close and in opening dance position. Then she whispered
"One- Two- Three!" They both rushed off, back to the other cats. Mistoffelees just sat there flabbergasted. They started laughing out loud at Mistoffelees expression.
"Did you see his face?"
"I sure did, wow, what a look!" "Asparagus continued laughing but stopped instantly when he remembered he was with Chryssie. He then lowered his eyes to the ground.
"What's the matter Asparagus? You were happy not even a few minutes ago."
"M-my moods change fast I guess."
"No, I think you're shy."
"N-no I'm not, I just don't feel myself when with she-cats."
"That's called SHY, dear. What do you have against she-cats?"
"Well they make fun of you when you screw up."
"Not true. Actually we can be a whole lot nicer to mistakes then the male cats are."
"Pretty ones hate losers."
"Are you a loser?"
"Are you pretty?"
"No"
"Oh wow. You would say you're not pretty because of a shy cat."
"Well look at me. Am I pretty? No, pretty discreet. I am nothing like Victoria or Bombalurina or Demeter."
"Oh, no you're very pretty." Chryssie looked up at him with a smile on her face. He realized what he was saying and looked down sheepishly.
"Hey, don't be embarrassed. It's nice to say someone is pretty." When Chryssie and Asparagus reached the open, they noticed the cats in a circle around something. They approached the area where they saw a cat who looked very much like Chryssie.
"Am I seeing a taller version of myself?"
"Oh, hello there, I'm Testra. Ahh there she is, hello Chrychaesa. It has been a long time."
"Have we met before?"
"What's going on out here?" Munkustrap came out of the cave where he had been playing with the kittens.
"Oh Chrychaesa, you really must introduce me to that cat."
"Why? Should I know you?"
"You don't remember me? Oh that hurts. I am your older sister."
"My what?"
"Oh Chrychaesa, didn't Mother or Father tell you of me?"
"No, they didn't."
"Well since she's family, welcome to the tribe." Munkustrap greeted.
"Chryssie I need to see you." She followed Munkustrap into his den. "OK, now is she really your sister? She looks just like you."
"No, she isn't. I am the only one of my family. See, I was the eldest of my litter and well, I believe my younger brothers and sisters perished during birth. She can't possibly be my sister because I was the eldest. Besides, does she look to be a little older then me? No she looks about Bombalurina's age. She isn't two like me."
"So who is she?"
"I don't know, I just don't know."
"Chrychaesa, introduce your sister to your friend." Testra came up from behind.
"Oh sorry, this is Munkustrap, Munkustrap, this is..."
"Testra and a pleasure it is to meet you. I hope we can be as good friends as you are with my little sister."
"Yes that would be nice." Munkustrap said pleasantly but under his breath he murmured "Though highly unlikely."
Chryssie smiled but she thought, “Who is this cat who wants to impersonate a relative of mine?”
That night Chryssie stopped by Munkustrap's cave to say goodnight. She heard voices and crept in. There she saw Testra and Munkustrap talking. She then walked into the light.
"Oh there she is, wondering where her sister was. All right Chrychaesa, I'll go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow Munkustrap. Come on Chrychaesa show me where you sleep."
"Uh, right this way." She lead her to the little comfortable cluster of newspaper, dried leaves and a small bit of velvet that was her bed.
"Oh thank you Chrychaesa, that would be quiet nice, and away from the rain too."
"Oh, you're welcome." she said then soon heard Testra snoring. Dirty ratcatcher, she stole my bed, she thought miserably.
Well I hope Munkustrap won't mind having company tonight if he already doesn't have it.
She made her way back to Munkustrap's cave where she saw him resting comfortably. Munkustrap heard her footsteps and saw her come in.
"Chryssie?"
"Yeah, it's me."
"What's wrong with your burrow now?"
"False sister took it."
"Oh, that bites doesn't it. All right, come on." Chryssie gratefully snuggled up against his soft fur.
"So what were you talking about with Testra?"
"She described her life and explained how she was taken away at a young age, and she says she's surprised that you don't remember her."
"Well, she for one doesn't have my family's air, that's for certain, and she sounds so evil. There is no possible way to tell. I mean, my parents don't like to talk about what had happened. In fact, I think they've given up and just let me go. I mean you'd think I'd be home by now."
"Well, I am glad you're staying with us."
"Yes. I think I'm happier here too."
"Well, I'm glad as I said before."
"I'm happy being, not only here but here with you too." Their eyes made contact and he knew she was being serious. She was fighting another battle.
"Well, I like having you with me." She knew he was fighting and losing too.
But it just didn't seem like time to care, they didn't want to but they knew they had to. Chryssie sighed a sigh of content and laid her head down, so she could hear Munkustraps steady breathing and beating heart. Munkustrap put his arm around her shoulders. She moved her head so it was on his collar bone and put her arm around his waist, then fell asleep.
She awoke with a skittish sensation of being watched. She got up and looked around, though she couldn't see anything, she just couldn't shake the feeling. Munkustrap noticed she was gone and saw her skittish around the room.
"Chryssie what's the matter?"
"I get the feeling we're being watched."
"I don't."
"Yeah, it's probably just me, but still I always get this way when something is going to happen." Munkustrap got up and walked to her. A thunderclap struck and she yelped out,
"Holy catnip with.."
Another thunderstrike
"Leapin' goldfish!" Munkustrap smiled and then put a paw on her shoulder.
"Do you always get this way when it comes to thunder?"
"Well lets just say I don't like things that take me by a loud surprise."
Munkustrap moved in front of her and wrapped his arms around her. She remembered the feeling of his gentle and massive paws around her, and the feeling sent shivers running down her spine. He felt the shiver and smiled a little.
Chryssie allowed her arms to go about his shoulders and they just stood there, waiting for the shivers to stop and enjoying the others touch. Through her skin, Munkustrap could feel Chryssie's heartbeat speed up slightly.
A crash of thunder erupted and he could feel her hold on him tighten. Lightning reflected off her eyes and face, and she looked white and afraid. Chryssie had looked at him when the lightning flashed and it bounced off his features, so much that it startled her. He gave her an affectionate press to remind her that it was only him.
She took a step closer to him. Then she pulled his head down, whereas he tilted her chin up. They gave each other sweet kisses, each growing more passionate. Through her mind she thought of how something this wrong could feel this right. He was thinking the exact same thing though he felt as if he could never stop kissing her sweet lips.
She felt light and heavy at the same time, floating and falling, but she couldn't stop. Passion and pleasure drove her on. She wanted to stop but she couldn't because his kisses were too intoxicating, so much in fact that they overwhelmed her. They were soft, warm, everything the most perfect kiss could be, hardened with the growing passion. He held her so tightly in his arms, and she felt as if she belonged there. What a strong hold he had on her. It felt as if she could break away if she wanted but at the same time it felt like a lock and key.
As soon as it had begun, it was over. They both summoned enough will to tear themselves from each other. But they stayed in each others arms, gasping for breath, and weak.
"What came over us?" She asked breathlessly.
"I couldn't tell you." He said as breathless as she.
That kiss was over, but she wanted more. But he probably wouldn't give it to her. It was hard enough on him then her, but they both were weak in the knees and unfeline cravings for more kisses, and passion came between them.
She felt so weak she wanted to sit down, but she was afraid her cravings would come again and they would lead each other into something worse then what they had just experienced. She forced herself to stand though her knees were buckling. She rested her head on Munkustraps shoulder and she could hear his heart pounding. He could feel hers and felt the constant pounding as well.
He's such a devil cat, I want more of that sensation he gave me. Just even a slight taste.
How does she do it?
Chryssie looked up into Munkustraps face. He looked at her as if he was dying to know a secret. She could also see the hot passion in his eyes, and she could feel that he was struggling to distinguish it. She wasn't going to let him this time. She wanted just another taste of that passion he had locked up inside his heart.
She pulled his head down, taking him by surprise and kissed him again. It was light, but soon he realized what she was after and then gave it to her again. Once again she felt several different sensations. Was all this his passion? Or was there more of it? She couldn't be sure.
Munkustrap felt through her kisses that she was searching for something. Was she searching inside him, he had to find out. This curiosity was just driving him crazy, what was she searching for within him, what was she trying to find? Then he relaxed and started wondering if there was something that he was missing inside this volcano of rapid frenzy. Could he have missed the deep well of passion.
Chryssie felt that he was searching inside. She had had enough. She pulled back.
"What am I missing?" she murmured.
"You were searching for something."
"As were you."
"Did I miss anything?"
"No, I'm just tired."
"As am I." Relaxing, she released her hold on him and backed off to her place on the floor. Sensing no possible danger of feelings with her since the kisses were radical enough, he dropped down beside her.
