Victoria sighed to herself. She was going to miss Chryssie. Munkustrap all ready did, because he was all to himself, and wasn't very happy. He was very quiet, and nothing was said between himself, and other the cats.
Why would Chryssie leave like that? Surely it wasn't homesickness. Was it? She sighed again, and Plato who was beside her, lifted his head up.
"Is something wrong? You're sighing."
"Yes, well I'm just not sure why Chryssie had to leave like that. Not even saying goodbye either. It just doesn't make any sense at all. I can tell everyone is going to miss her. The kittens, the toms, the queens, everyone. She surely is a nice queen, and she makes many cats happy. I miss her a lot too, because she felt like a relative of mine, you know? I look at her like she was a little cousin, or a little sister."
"I know. She was very special. I think she had to go because of her reasons with Munkustrap."
"Do you think they were serious with each other?"
"It looked like they were soul mates, but they can't get it together. She knows he loves Demeter too, so I think she was reassigning her place with him, under Demeter and his relationship. But I think that she is trying to forget him now, and move on to others. But once again, I think that would not be possible, because I don't think she'd risk all that she has for that cat. It's a very torn relationship between them."
"Yes, if only more toms would act like her. Then all of the queens would finally have a proper gentleman."
"Hey wait a minute! I'm a gentleman."
"I said 'More toms'. That doesn't mean that I was including you in that category."
"You scared me for a minute there." Victoria paused a minute, looked at him, then nuzzled him. She felt a small purr escape her throat, as she felt his cheek running along hers. Then her head came to rest at his shoulder.
Plato was one of the only ones she'd feel confident with. She felt as if she knew him very deeply, and that he wouldn't hurt her in any way. He was the only one that she felt that she could truly confide in, of all the male cats, except some.
Soon, she may settle down, just as soon as she outgrew her kittenhood. She was on her last year. Soon, it would be just him and her, and maybe a couple of kittens. Maybe, but not that quickly.
Victoria was a queen, and a very graceful one at that. She always stood tall, and erect, and was very proper.
Cassandra had noticed that Victoria was very proper, and was surprised about it. It almost matched her own graceful, exotic, elegance. There was only one thing about Victoria that bothered Cassandra.
Victoria didn't trust many male cats. Though they almost always took a liking to her, which was something Cassandra didn't like.
In fact, the only ones Victoria trusted were the kittens, Skimbleshanks, Mistoffelees, and Plato.
It was too bad, because Cassandra had taken a fancy to Plato, and thought that he was a powerful, handsome, tom that she could keep for her own. Cassandra had tried to win him over several times, but Plato always thought that she was flirting.
He always teased her back, and missed the obvious fact that Cassandra found him interesting and attractive. It was also evident that he had eyes for another cat, though he would not tell her who it was exactly. He would always tell her that the particular cat was his queen, to whom he had pledged his life into serving, and would obey her every desideratum.
Cassandra would always get frustrated at his dreamy eyed fantasy, and would flounce away in disgust.
Victoria smiled easily. She rolled over, out of Plato's arms. He sighed slightly, not happy that she had to leave him. She crawled over to him, and kissed him, as an apology. His arms went around her shoulders, and just held her there for a little time. Oh, she wanted to lay back down again, but she withdrew and got to her feet. She then left his cave and walked around to see who was up.
She felt lucky to be surrounded in cats she knew, but still she kept her distances from them. The males always took a fancy to her, and she tried to make it seem that she was aloof and superior to them. She hated doing it, because she was always warm and feeling to any cat, but she wanted to protect herself, because she was scared around the cats who liked her. She thought they wanted to hurt her.
She saw Mistoffelees was awake, and cheerfully wished him a good morning. He only groaned.
"What's the matter, Mistoffelees?"
"Oh, disturbing dreams last night, that's all."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes, but I can't remember them now, it was so far away."
"Well, as soon as you remember, come talk to me."
"Will do. Ahh, here comes Asparagus. Believe it or not, you two act exactly alike, well sort of. You aren't a gentleman's queen, and well, he's not a queen's tom."
"Are you saying my Plato isn't a gentleman?" She felt a little wave of anger quake through her, and she stared at Mistoffelees.
"No, Victoria, I didn't mean that at all. I mean, Plato is rather a gentleman in fact, it's just the other gentlemen you can't handle. You were young when you were absorbed with Tugger, but he is just a kitten model, and his image will wear off when they get older, and you just fell into that crowd." Victoria smiled at the memory of herself screaming like teeny little boppers at the hip-swaying Rum Tug Tugger.
"Yeah, I was a classic when I was little."
"Hey, now don't forget I'm not much older then you."
"Oh yes, nine months to be exact."
"Don't you trust Munkustrap?"
"Sure I do, we just don't talk much."
"To be discreet, never at all, except when you were adopted into the tribe."
"Yes well, at least we talked. Satisfied?"
"Uh-oh, I've gotten the queen angry. Sorry, I'll see you later." Victoria looked after him.
Silly Mistoffelees, she thought.
He thinks I am mad at him. Oh well, he'll learn soon enough that I'm not. I think I'll visit Skimble. Lets see what that jolly orange elf has to say along with formal conversation.
She found Skimble happily humming a tune, and working on something.
"Skimble?" She said softly.
Skimble gave a little cry, and tossed the thing he was working on into the air, and jumped to his feet, looking alarmed.
"Ahh Victoria, Don't scare me like that lass. For a minute, I thought you were trying to scare the life out of me."
"Beg pardon, Skimble."
"So what can I do for you this fine morning, lass?"
"Oh, I'm just going around and talking to everyone. Have you had strange dreams lately?"
"Well, no. Why do you ask, lass?"
"No particular reason, except that Mistoffelees had a strange dream that he couldn't remember."
Skimble thoughtfully stroked his chin.
"Well lass, maybe he is just dreaming, and maybe he is doing what Tantomile and Coricopat do with their strange dream thing."
"I wouldn't have anyway of knowing what goes on in that Mistoffelees', Tantomile and Coricopat's heads at times."
"Tell me something lass, would you be kind enough to do me a favor? Do you see that?" Skimble pointed to the thing that he was working on.
"That is your railway vest."
"Yes, I tore it yesterday. The train had a little rough edges."
"Oh, you're not hurt are you?"
"Me? No lass, bless your heart, not a scratch except for this old vest here. I asked Jellylorum to repair it for me, but she has to work with the kittens. She has to help Jennyanydots watch them. So, if you could kindly take her place, I would be most grateful, so I can get my vest repaired and the kittens could spend some time with you." Skimble smiled a little as he told her,
"Jellylorum and Jennyanydots say that the kittens have been wanting to spend a little time with you, because they think that you have been busy, and didn't want to look after them, so I think it will be pleasant for all, you, me, the kittens, and Jellylorum."
"I would be happy too." Victoria walked to the place where Jennyanydots usually would be.
"Jennyanydots?"
"Oh, come in dear."
"I want to help you with the kittens, so Jellylorum can be free to help Skimble out with mending."
"Mending?"
"Yes, his vest is torn, so he would like her to help him fix it."
"Oh well then, that's all right." Jennyanydots nodded, and then curled up.
"Tell me Jennyanydots, do you think that Chryssie really will come back to the next Jellicle Ball? Will she be escorting Old Deuteronomy?"
"I'm afraid my dear, that I can't tell you what I don't know. But if I know Chryssie, I think she will return. She has made too many dear friends here."
"Right, I think she'll be back. I believe I'm the first she-cat she talked to."
"I believe you are, at that."
"Well, where are the kittens playing?"
"Just out there, by the washer."
When Victoria approached, the kits and kittens all cheered, and danced around her.
Pouncival back-flipped, and then pretended to be a prince. Tumblebrutus knelt on one knee, and pretended to be awaiting instructions. Admetus went into a very low bow. The kittens all curtsied. Jemima pretended to be a lady-in-waiting, and Etcetera was as she insisted to be, the court jester. Electra was a servant to the foe, and Exotica was that foe.
Victoria could think up many imaginary games for them to play, some held their interest long, and some short.
When it was a short day, then she was more than happy to play games with them, and sometimes if they were good they'd play the human game, Dodgeball, with Etcetera's ball. That way, everyone got to play. Victoria always was outside of the circle, because the last time she was in, no one could beat her, so she wanted to be fair.
She would divide the kittens up evenly, four against four, and they would play happily. Sometimes, she would play tag with them, or hide and go seek, though she was frequently "it." She didn't mind, she loved to play with them. She loved to be with them, or with Plato. Those were the happiest times.
Plato was so good to her. He loved her, she knew, and nothing could come between them. Plato, her tom. She was his queen, and she knew it, too. She was happy. He made her happy, and she was all that he wanted. She could remember every little detail about him. That made him seem perfect. The softness of his fur, the feel of his strong arms about her, he was so mighty in fact, that he could crush her, but he was always so gentle. Then she remembered that she was with the kittens, and continued.
"Hello kittens, what would you like to do?"
"Oh, Victoria! We would like to play D-d-.." Pouncival struggled with the human word.
"Dodgeball?"
"Yeah, that's the word! Can we play? Please?" She was engulfed by little tiny pleas.
"Well, where's Etcetera's ball?"
"Etcetera has it."
"May we use it, Etcetera?"
"Sure, it would be a pleasure!" she said and started happily bouncing and prancing. She pranced so highly, that she fell over. The kittens giggled. Etcetera got up, and handed Victoria the ball.
"OK now, who didn't go into the circle last time?"
"We didn't!"
"They didn't!"
"All right then, get in there." The kittens were so honest with her, she was very grateful for that.
Soon the teams had lined up, and started happily playing the game known as Dodgeball. It got heated, and soon they were playing for dear-life. Soon they calmed down, and continued to play nicely, until sunset.
Later that night, Mistoffelees tossed and turned. He kept dreaming, dreaming about Chryssie, terrible dreams.
He woke up, and started breathing hard. He couldn't understand what it meant. What is going on? He wondered.
What am I seeing? What is going to happen? He couldn't sleep for the rest of the night.
Early that morning, Plato rose to find Victoria. She hadn't come to him last night, and so, as a good tom in love should be, he was worried about her. He missed her, and was worried that she was in trouble. He went off in search of her, at the junkyard. There he found her in a mass of wiggling kittens. He smiled as he looked at her. She was so beautiful. Even with kittens surrounding her, she was a beauty. He had just left his kittenhood behind him. She was one year behind. He propped his elbow against the car trunk, and rested his chin on the palm of his hand. There he just gazed at her, with the look of love.
Cassandra slinked up to him, and whispered
"Good morning." in a very appealing tone. He looked over, startled.
"Good morning, Cassandra."
"I see that you are looking at the kittens. Why?"
"Oh, just wondering how they can stand each other."
"Oh really, well why not you look more towards a queens way, hmm?"
"What queen's way is this, Cassandra?" Cassandra just tossed and twirled her tail around.
"Oh, that queen's." he said, sarcastically.
"Sorry to disappoint you Cassandra, but you are two years out of kittenhood, I am one. It will never work."
"Well, how do you know? We could be a match made in the Heaviside. These things do have a tendency to work. I mean, look at Chryssie and Munkustrap. He's five years out of his kittenhood, and she's still in hers."
"Not by our standards Cassandra. She has proven that she is too old to be a kitten."
"How did she do that?"
"She did all the things a grown cat would, and well, you figure it out."
"But still. Why not give you and me a chance? It's still early yet. We could cosy a tad and get to know each other better. Besides, Victoria isn't out of her kittenhood, and you still see her. Wouldn't you prefer someone older?"
"Sorry, Cassandra. How many millions of times have I told you, that I already have her as a queen?"
"Yes, but sometimes even soldiers get rebellious."
"Betray My Queen!? Are you nuts? Or have you been in the catnip too long?"
"Now that you mention it, I think I want some cream. Join me?"
"No thank you, I don't feel like getting drunk today."
"Oh, but where's your spirit of adventure. There has to be a first time for getting drunk. Trust me, it's fun, and you won't feel a thing."
"Until the cream has worn off. Then you have a headache, and you wonder 'What in Heaviside was I doing to myself'. Sorry Cassandra, I have no interest in getting drunk with you."
"Suit yourself." She angrily paced away.
Victoria woke up amidst the bodies of the kittens. They were wriggling and twisting. She heard little sighs of content, and she realized that she had survived a sleep over with the kittens.
Victoria wriggled out of the mass of kittens, and walked over to a very tired looking Mistoffelees. She didn't see Plato, and she wondered where he was.
"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"
"Victoria, I hope you aren't making a joke."
"Well, no. I was merely being courteous."
"Well Victoria, something is weighing so heavily in my mind, that I have no time to be courteous."
"Well, kindly tell me. What is weighing on your mind?"
"Well, every night I see....." suddenly, Jemima came running, with fear in her eyes.
"Victoria! Mistoffelees! It's Arsenic! She's in the yard! She's wounded! Munkustrap is already there, and he's not allowing her to come forward until everyone is there. Come with me, please!"
Victoria and Mistoffelees followed Jemima. There, surrounded by a circle of wary cats was Arsenic, making no move for an attack. She just stood there, and she was very still.
Victoria noticed that she was bruised, and bleeding. Still, there is something phony about her, Victoria concluded.
"I have a request." Arsenic said, when all the Jellicles had assembled.
"I wish to stay here, for protection." All the cats started whispering amongst themselves.
"It could be a trap for Munkustrap." Victoria whispered to Mistoffelees.
"Yes, considering all the times she tried to kill him."
"Please, Please, listen to me! I was abducted by Macavity when I was a young kitten, and all my life, I have known only evil. I found that my ways are wrong, and I want to repent." Arsenic put her head down, and smiled a little.
"I found it out because there was a little kitten, who had fallen down. To hush him up, I picked him up, and put him on his feet, and he smiled at me and quieted down. From that moment on, I felt good that day. Then I realized that what I did was called kindness, and the only thing that I had been using to make me feel big, was insults and lies. I knew I wanted out. I found my way out of Macavity's lair." She raised her head, and her expressions grew tight.
"But Nakcheem saw me, and beat me, trying to get me so weak that I couldn't go. He didn't succeed, nothing could have kept me away from a chance to be in goodness and harmony. He nearly beat all nine lives out of me. I really wish I can join here, and be safe and happy." She pleaded to Munkustrap,
"Munkustrap, I tried to kill you on order of Macavity. I was forced to do it. I always never really wanted to, but Macavity would torture me, and I've heard so many awful sounds coming from the dungeon."
Thunder struck, just of a thunderstorm, and she crouched and shook.
"Please, let me stay, I want to repent!" They could see tears streaming down Arsenic's face, as she cried out her grief.
Munkustrap's hard, cold set face softened, and he allowed her to join the cats.
"You have convinced us Arsenic, though surely there has to be a name other then Arsenic we can call you."
Arsenic thought a moment, and said "Testra, in honor of Chryssie. Where is she now?" Munkustrap stiffened and turned away, saying as Mistoffelees looked at him, "She went home, to her farm. She'll be back the next Jellicle Ball." Victoria knew that he was hiding the pain in his voice. Demeter heard and realised it too.
Then Munkustrap walked to his cave. Mistoffelees looked after him, sympathetically. Munkustrap passed by Mistoffelees.
"Don't worry Munkustrap, You'll get her back. From the way you feel, I bet she is feeling the same way."
Munkustrap patted Mistoffelees' shoulder once, then walked into the cave. Demeter ran in after him, and didn't return immediately out.
