"Well here is some cream for you if you want it. My master left it for you just in case." She slid it close to him. He drank it, then settled down.
"Hmm, I like this pillow."
"Yes it's your bed until you're better. It was mine."
"Oh, I'm sorry of depriving you from your bed, I'll move somewhere else." He started to move. She placed a paw on his shoulder and shook her head.
"No, you stay there. You shouldn't move until you are strong again. It's all right, I have a place. Stay there and relax."
"Thank you, Chryssie, for everything."
"Oh don't worry about it. So, I hope your comfortable. If you need anything, I'll be right over here."
"Chryssie, where is Demeter?"
"Don't worry, I have sent for her. Tugger is on his way now to find her."
"You are so good."
"Well I just figured you might want to have her around because you know her more and trust her more. It's also a good thing to have the cat you love around, so you can make a quick recovery."
"Come over here. I'm not going to bite, why do you have to be way over there for?"
"Well, I just figured you might want to have a little bit of quiet. You know how likely I am to talk."
"Well I'd enjoy talking. It makes me feel better to know someone is with me." she slid over to where he was.
"Now who was that cat we fought?"
"His name is Rawtawny, the town heartthrob. All the she-cats seem to like him, so he let that go to his head. He just assumed that I was another one of the she-cats so he thought he'd take an advantage of me and get a little "friendly." When I wouldn't let him, he just got angry and attacked. He could have nailed me good too, if you hadn't had shown up."
"Oh, I don't like him. I have heard rumors that he wants to work for Macavity."
"No way, really? Oh man, another one bites the dust. Strike one more for Macavity. Rawtawny is rather clever actually, though he isn't much of a fighter. He would be useful to Macavity and he knows it too, so the Jellicles might be in big trouble."
"Right. But we're safe for right now."
"Right."
"Would you really stay with a friend if you know you possibly would get killed?"
"Sure. I did it today didn't I?" she said and looked at him. He smiled gently. He gave her a small affectionate nuzzle just to let her know that he was thankful to have a friend like her.
Then they heard a door crash and they turned and stared right into the angry faces of her mother and father. Before Chryssie knew what was happening, her mother and father grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and threw her outside. She tried to go back in but her parents had barred the door on her. She heard yelling coming from inside. She had to get in there.
She took a running leap and crashed into the door. It broke free allowing her inside. She saw her parents yelling at Munkustrap. She darted up to Munkustrap and then faced her parents.
"Why are you yelling at him?!" She screeched at them. They tried to toss her out again but she shouted, "It's no good, I broke the door!" Then they let her down. They were hysterical.
"How could you do this Chrychaesa? With a cat who already has another?!"
"Doing what Mother?! I don't know what you're screeching about!"
"You know perfectly well what I'm screeching about!"
"Mother, he is my friend and my friend only! If there is anyone to be screeching at, it should be me! He is an injured cat who is thankful for his friend! You just have to stop being so protective! It isn't his fault! Preach it to me, Not him!"
Her father grabbed her by the scruff of her neck again and put her outside. This time he stood over the broken door. She tried to get in but he swatted her away. She wandered down to the lake to sit in a tree, and let the tears fall into the water, for she was scared for what her parents might do or say to Munkustrap. Soon all the yelling her mother did stopped and she saw her mother and father out. She ran up to enter the building but her father still swatted her away. Her mother said with a soft angry voice "Chrychaesa, you are not to see that cat anymore and you are not to go to anymore Jellicle balls. Do you understand?"
"No I don't understand. I don't understand any of this. You have been straining my freedom and now you are taking away what I love most! I don't ever want to see you two again! Already you have deprived my of my kitten hood. I am only two! You are eight and seven. I have never known how to stay with friends and don't forget, friends include female and male!"
She then took off running over the shores of the river and she headed towards the train station. She had to see someone she knew. She had to find someone. She heard her parents call to her to come back, but she kept going. She never wanted to see them again. She ran to the train yard where she went into the cabin of the trains. She looked for the mail train. There she saw the mail engine. She started searching for Skimble.
"Skimble!" she called "Skimble!"
"Chryssie?" a cat appeared from the luggage car.
"Skimble! Oh Skimble, they've done it now!" She said and darted to him where she fell into a tired, frustrated, broken heap where she sobbed. Quickly Skimble took her in his arms in an uncle like way and proceeded to try and comfort her by asking what happened and offering the opportunity for him to help her.
"Oh Skimble, they won't let me see him. They won't let me see him!" She cried hardly able to control her hysteria. She couldn't control it and she went into a sorrowful heap where the tears never stopped falling.
"Who m'dear who?"
"They wont let me see him. Munkustrap.." and then she collapsed in his arms into another fit of mournful tears. The taking a deep breath quickly explained all that had happened. Skimble listened carefully. Just when he had some advice to offer her, a sound echoed through the station.
"Chryssie? Chryssie? It's me Tugger."
"And me Demeter! Chryssie come out! I know what happened! I am not angry, I am just worried about you."
"Come on out Chryssie! Old Tugger and Demeter aren't enemies." Chryssie could not find her voice so she nudged Skimble to answer for her.
"She's right here, m'friends. She just can't find her voice the poor thing is so upset." Then the faces of Tugger and Demeter appeared. Demeter saw what condition her poor friend was in so she came up and gently hugged her.
"Shh, it's OK. Tugger, Skimble and I are here."
"An' we're here too!" Two voices echoed. They all looked down and saw all the cats of the ball.
"Tugger and I had seen what happened and we decided to call everyone. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteaser helped quite a bit because they knew where everyone is. Jemima wouldn't come though. She didn't think you were worth it."
"Oh my poor dear." Jennyanydots said as she gently stroked Chryssie's fur. She was glad for this truly motherly gesture. Mr. Mistoffelees blew powder into her face and then touched her cheek and then a flower came to his hand. He gave it to her and said,
"Give the flower time to grow." Victoria and Plato gently gave her shoulder a pat and smiled down at her. She knew they were there for her. Etcetera started acting as silly as a teeny lil' bopper that was, she lost her balance and teetered off the train. she fell a few feet and landed perfectly on her feet. Chryssie giggled because she was so cute. Cassandra sat beside her and Demeter sat on the other, Skimble was in back and Bombalurina was in front. Chryssie saw herself surrounded in her friends.
"Come on you guys, I am going back and I am going to see for myself that he is all right." They all cheered and started to follow her out. Skimble even followed, for his work was done. She walked back home where she saw her parents. They gasped in surprise of all the cats that followed her. She merely looked at them and continued to the garage. Her mother ran in front.
"No Chrychaesa." She warned. Rum Tug Tugger and the rest of the male cats joined in shouting.
"Let our friend pass!" Chrychaesa's mother saw all the male cats who had shouted at her and saw Chrychaesa starting toward the garage again. Demeter accompanied her. They reached the door where her father was snoozing.
He woke up and saw his daughter trying to get past. He grabbed the scruff of her neck and threw her away from the door. He then saw her tumble to the ground. He immediately was sorry for it and was relieved when she got up. But he then saw all the cats. They were staring at him as if to say, "do that again and we'll make you let her pass."
He quietly backed down and Demeter and Chryssie entered the room. Munkustrap was gone. Frantic, they raced out. Chryssie turned on her parents and demanded
"Where is he?"
"What, he isn't in there?"
"No he isn't."
"That can't be Chrychaesa, we let him be in there."
"See for yourself. He isn't in there." Chryssie then darted back inside. Her parents followed. Sure enough, the garage was empty.
"Well dear, it looks like he slipped out." Her mother said dully and pointed to a little hole that smelled like Munkustrap. She also saw some bandages.
"Maybe now you'll start behaving?"
"Get out of my way." She growled and then headed towards the Munkustrap made exit. She crawled through and tried to guess where he might head.
"Well lets see. I think he went this way." Demeter reasoned. All the cats started to follow them.
"Right."
All throughout the route that Munkustrap had outlined for them , Demeter looked worried. Chryssie looked puzzled.
"An injured cat came this far this fast." Then they came to a fork in the road.
"He went this way." Demeter called.
"With someone else" Chryssie noted "Rawtawny."
The cats all looked at her with fear.
"Yes that makes sense. The second scent picked up a few minutes ago. That would be the only reason he could have traveled this far this fast."
"You're right m'dear." Skimble praised.
"Come then we don't have much time. I shudder to think of what Rawtawny might do if he hasn't done already!" Demeter cried.
"Demeter we can only pray we are not too late." All the cats rushed, trying to follow Rawtawny's scent, and always smelling Munkustrap.
"We're HERE?" Asparagus exclaimed. They found themselves at the Jellicle cat ball site.
"Hmm, why do I sense a trap here? Some of you post yourselves, spread out. Stay in the open, but don't let any of yourselves stay together. We want to make it as hard as we can for them to catch us. Now we wait."
"Clever girl." a voice said and Rawtawny stepped out with a smirk on his face. All at once the smirk stopped and a frown appeared. Once that happened, Macavity's cats surrounded them. They stayed back. "Now we are fit to bargain. We'll give you what you want if you give us what we want."
"What is it that you want?"
"The cat known as Demeter, for the cat known as Munkustrap." A small hushed gasp echoed through Chryssie's crowd. Demeter cowered in fear.
"Demeter?! No!" Bombalurina shouted and embraced her friend. "Chryssie, can you do something?"
"I might. Let us see Munkustrap first. Then we'll consider it."
"All right. The great Macavity had expected that and agreed." They brought out a small form. His knees were dragging on the ground and his head was down. He was just hanging from his arms when they dragged him in.
"Let me see him." Chrychaesa demanded.
"Macavity expected that too. Go on up to him and touch him." She cautiously approached, followed by Tugger, Alonzo and Asparagus.
"You will not need your friends. We are only making a deal."
"Be ready in case one springs." she told them in whispers and they stopped. She approached Munkustrap and knelt before him. She lifted his face. His eyes slowly opened. He looked tired and in pain. Tears sprang to her eyes. It was Munkustrap.
"Munkustrap, it's Chryssie."
"What have these monsters done to you now? Are you hurt?"
"Only from what I see before me. All your suffering. Munkustrap.... I don't know what to do."
"Come on, get on with it!" Rawtawny's impatient voice snapped. "We haven't got all night."
"Chryssie, what do they want?"
"Munkustrap, they want to give you back for Demeter."
"No, not Demeter!" He said and struggled. The two guards held tight. "Chryssie, I'm not worth it. Don't let Macavity get Demeter. She has escaped him once and I can't bear her going back to his will. I love her. Let me stay in their grasp. Just don't let them get her." Chryssie once again felt the feeling when she saw Munkustrap and Demeter nuzzle for the first time. Her heart broke again. He looked into her eyes with such pleading and she knew she was not worth anything compared to the love they shared.
She patted his cheek and he looked into her sad eyes. "Munkustrap.. They won't get her." She whispered in his ear. "You two will be together again. I promise you that. We'll not make the appropriate exchange. You two will have each other."
" And You..?"
"Will be with you no longer." He took a minute to think about this and then got it. He saw it in her tearful eyes.
"Chryssie no, I can't let you do this. Chryssie...No!" She turned her back to him and walked back to the cats.
"All cats huddle." The cats turned around her and listened.
"Mr. Mistoffelees, and Demeter come into the middle."
"Why Chryssie what's going on?"
"I am going to save you two, Demeter, because what you two have, nothing can compare to it. Mr. Mistoffelees. I want you to turn me into Demeter, and Demeter into me. I will pose as Demeter and she will pose as me until you all get Demeter out of here. Then Mistoffelees you turn her back into her form and get the two out of here as fast as you can." A gasp came through the cats so quiet that Macavity's men and Rawtawny could not hear it.
"Are you a mad cat?"
"Do you see any other way?"
"Unfortunately I do not but why you?"
"Do you see any other volunteering?"
"No but still you mean a lot to all of us."
"Well, I'd rather die then see these two in unhappiness. Because if we don't accept, then Munkustrap will surely die, and Munkustrap won't let me trade Demeter. But it's not like I would anyway. Please, let me do this." The cats all sadly nodded their heads. Demeter cried and hugged Bombalurina. Then she said to Chryssie
"We'll find a way to get you out of there. My life swears it."
"Thank you Demeter. Now Mr. Mistoffelees." Mr. Mistoffelees waved everyone close and put a sheet over them and then dusted it with his magic. Then he pulled the sheet away. They saw Chryssie and Demeter.
"Chryssie?" Tugger asked. Demeter turned her head.
"It's me Tugger. Mistoffelees' magic worked again."
"Demeter?" Bombalurina said to Chryssie. She nodded.
"Now Demeter or should I say Chryssie, announce that we have made a deal. Don't worry you sound like me." Demeter, as Chryssie, then walked to the front of the cats and said "We have made a bargain. Give us Munkustrap and we'll give you Demeter."
Then Rawtawny said "Let me see her." Chryssie walked to the front. She walked just as Demeter did. She had tears streaming down her face. Rawtawny nodded approval. The guards laid Munkustrap down before their feet. He looked up at the false Demeter and saw that it was Demeter. She had done what he had told her not to do, because Demeter looked at him with such sorrow that it had to be the real Demeter. Then the guards seized her and took her away. She went peacefully. The cats picked him up and left.
"How could you do that Chryssie? You sacrificed Demeter." Mistoffelees hurried the cats along until they came to a clearing.
"Hurry now hurry, They could be following us. We need to get them back to Chryssie's farm. Macavity's cats don't like it there. It's too open. There isn't enough places to hide.
"Mr. Mistoffelees knows them well." Chryssie said. Munkustrap only glared at her. Skimble was too woeful to even speak. He had lost one of his favorite little "nieces." All the time tears fell from his face. Soon the cats reached the farm. They all formed a circle around the cats Munkustrap, Chryssie and Mistoffelees. Chryssie's parents came to the circle and they saw their little girl safe.
"Oh Chryssie we are so sorry. We are just so afraid. Come into the house little one." Chryssie didn't seem to hear. She just cried.
"Do it now Mr. Mistoffelees. I can't stand this any longer." Mr. Mistoffelees warmed up his magic.
"What are you going to do with our child Mistoffelees?" Father asked.
"Well for starters, you'd better know right now that this is not your child." The parents looked confused. He then formed a lightning blast and zapped Chryssie. Her parents recoiled in shock and almost started attacking Mistoffelees when they saw Chryssie's face disappear and then Chryssie's mother fainted when Demeter was all that was left of their illusion of a daughter. Munkustrap who had been sorrowfully crying in the circle saw his Demeter. He rushed toward her. But then stopped short because if this was really Demeter, Where was Chryssie? Then he knew what Chryssie had done. She had sacrificed herself to Macavity for them. Demeter turned and hugged Munkustrap, crying in his fur with her misery. Skimble was bawling and all of the other cats looked tearful.
"Demeter, why did she do this?"
"She did it for us."
"No." a voice came from behind. They saw Jemima standing there with dry eyes and a straight face.
"I know exactly why she did it. It wasn't for these two." All the cats stared at her. They asked her "Why did she do it then?"
"Because she loves Munkustrap. That's why she'd do that for him. She loved him so much that even when it's not her he desires, then she still wilts when she sees he is unhappy. She's even been fighting herself this past year. When I tell everyone, she wants to have enough stamina to deny it. But she's not here, and everyone else is. Well Demeter. How does it feel to know that she did nothing for you but all for him?"
"What evidence do you have of her feelings Jemima?"
"I've asked her parents what she does when she has something that she doesn't want to admit. They said she gets quiet and thoughtful. She doesn't act the way she feels. They say that she cries when she is in deep thought and that's because she is jealous of Demeter."
"I don't believe you Jemima. She just made an unfeline sacrifice for us. To have a chance together. She said so."
"But did you look in her eyes? Munkustrap, did you look into her eyes the last time she talked to you? Before she made her great sacrifice?"
"Yes I did."
"What did you see in them?"
"Something I can't define. It looked like sorrow."
"When she looked at you as Demeter, you thought she was Demeter right?"
"Right."
"Well She looks at you like Demeter does, love filled eyes all that?" Then the cats got it. She did love Munkustrap. Even Demeter understood that.
"No she has to because she believes in us."
"No she doesn't." Jemima persisted. "She did it because she loves your Munkustrap."
"But she understands that she's only my friend." Munkustrap persisted as well.
"That's because she realizes as long as Demeter is here then she'll have no chance. Don't you see that? I do as plain as day. She loves you Munkustrap. That's why she did this." Demeter said as a realization
"She does."
"She does." Munkustrap agreed. "She has to fight herself. But she fights herself so we would be happy."
"I have pledged my life to getting her out of there. I will do it." Demeter determinedly said.
"I will fight along right with her." Munkustrap pledged. Al the cats pledged themselves while Jemima just stared in shock. She had exposed Chryssie and they still took her side.
One day I'll have that cat out of their trust. She thought and slid into the darkness.
Munkustrap, after all the noise had died down sat by the lake.
Why? Why would she love me enough to do this. He wondered.
He hadn't meant to drive her through this madness. It just happens as it did with Jemima.
Does this mean that I'll lose her too? he wondered again.
He thought of her at the realm of Macavity, maybe even fighting him off to keep him from defiling her. Demeter sat down by his side and stroked his head. She then laid her head on his shoulder and asked
"What are you thinking about? Chryssie?"
"Yeah, How could she love me like that. I don't understand. She's like Jemima. A kitten who loved me too. But she fights herself for you. But I can't bear the thought of you or her at the hands of Macavity. I can't. She is my friend you know. She's your friend too."
"I know. We both know she loves you now. But she knows of your feelings too. If anything happened to us I have a feeling that she'd never forgive us. She wants us together and she loves you too. That is a great sacrifice to herself. But she bears it for us because she Believes in US."
"Yes, but I still find it hard to believe, but I know." he sighed "I know."
At Macavity's cold lodging, Chryssie stood by a small open spot looking at the stars. The tears hadn't stopped streaming and then her heart shuddered with startling realization. So silently she whispered to herself the distressing news.
"She knows, they know." She sighed and blinked away another tear as another one started to form.
"He knows."
Cats is property of T.S Elliot. All the characters with the exception of Chrychaesa and Rawtawny are T.S Elliot's as well.
