In the moonlit junkyard of the Jellicles, just a week after Demeter's recovery, all the cats were happy.
Chrychaesa knew that something had changed between Munkustrap and herself. He seemed not so confused or harsh or in fact, jealous anymore. Well, not as much. He still got a little edgy when it came to Tugger or any other male cats, but he had backed off. Chryssie felt an emotional bond between them.
Demeter seemed to know about it too, but she was still smiling and if she had any, gave no sign of pain. Munkustrap had been good to her, and Chryssie didn't feel the little twang of her heartstrings when they nuzzled. Now it only felt like a slight vibration, nothing like the emotional earthquake she'd have. But she was happy that Demeter was happy and comfortable as well.
Chryssie sat alone in the moonlight. All the cats had gone to rest. She could see Victoria in the washer, next to Plato, dozing. She also saw Etcetera on top of it, dreaming kitten like dreams. Chryssie heard a voice from the shadows calling to her.
"Chryssie, Chryssie, I am here. Look what time and separation has done to us. We have been separated too long. Chrychaesa, come with me, you flee the Jellicles, I'll flee Macavity. Come, we can start our own family, and you will be treated as a queen should be treated." She knew the speaker all to well.
"Chrychaesa I am not your enemy. Munkustrap has mislead you. He can't even decide for himself. I know who I want. Believe me. Munkustrap doesn't want you, and I am aching in my desire, come with me, Chrychaesa."
Rawtawny is trying to lead me on, trying to get me to come to him, Chryssie thought. Well he isn't going to get me.
"Chryssie, come into the shadows, let me show you what love really is. The shadows will hide us, in the darkness, the love shows as pure as day."
If he is trying to tempt me he is doing a good job, but I don't want him or the reputation of having litters before my time, Chryssie thought. She stayed in the light and said in the same seductive tone that he was using on her. "Rawtawny, stay away, I cannot and I will not. My place is here beside Munkustrap and my friends, your place is beside Macavity and all his minions of darkness. There is no way to change that."
"I will return, you wait and see. I will have you and you will love me some day, my sweet. Be careful not to make that mistake." Chryssie sensed that the speaker had left. She then darted towards the place where Munkustrap usually stayed. She hoped he wasn't with Demeter because she had just recovered from illness and this matter was too upsetting for her to hear. She also trusted Munkustrap since they now were so close. She found him alone and in sleep and looked so peaceful that she didn't want to wake him. She shook him and he awoke.
"Chryssie? What's the matter? You usually don't wake cats up during this hour of the night. What is it? I know something's wrong."
"Listen, I have just been visited by Rawtawny." She told him of Rawtawny's offer.
"Hmm, do you think he might be up to something?"
"I don't know. I just don't want to be alone tonight, I have a bad feeling about his visit."
"Stay here then."
"Thank you Munkustrap, but I think I have been a thorn in your side long enough. I mean, I know that this is an unreasonable hour."
"Chryssie, you aren't a thorn. Stay, I don't want you to get into trouble. It's the least I can do, for someone who has gotten my life out of trouble more then enough times. I think you have gotten us in and out of enough of that, don't you think?"
"Yes."
"I probably should keep an eye on you tomorrow as well, I don't want anything else to happen."
"Munkustrap, don't worry about me, we'll figure out a way to get out of it in time. I promise that." She lightly tapped his cheek with her paw. Then she curled up and fell asleep.
He looked down at her for a moment. “She is so good to me, I wish Demeter could experience this. She'd trust her with all her heart and would understand that she is very important to me. She's important to her too, but Demeter doesn't even realize what is between Chryssie and me”, he thought. He then curled up and went back to sleep. They both woke shortly after dawn.
"Feel better?" he asked.
"Much, now that I am rested." Bombalurina walked up to them.
"Oh so you're here too, you weren't where you usually sleep. Anyway, there is a party going on tonight. Demeter wants you both there, to make up for all the trouble that she has caused, she says."
"She's caused no trouble." Munkustrap said.
"No, to make you all go out there to get a flower for her recovery."
"As he said, she's caused no trouble." Chryssie said.
"Well would you go anyway?"
"Sure we'd like to see Demeter party."
"Great, you guys are the best."
That night all the cats assembled. Munkustrap and Chryssie met along the side.
"Well fancy meeting you here." Chryssie said.
"Yes, quite." Munkustrap said smiling. Music for the invitation to the Jellicle ball was on. Chryssie took Munkustrap's arm and lead him through the crowd to Demeter. There he hugged and kissed Demeter. Demeter then hugged Chryssie. Chryssie smiled and then stepped out into the dance area, where the powerful music began.
She and Victoria did a figurative dance together. Rawtawny watched from the shadows.
She is so beautiful, the most beautiful there. She was only worthy of me. I won't let Munkustrap have her, he thought. Then he snickered slightly.
Double abduction, he thought gleefully. Just as soon as Macavity shortens out the lights.
The next segment of powerful music began, but instead of blue light, there was only darkness. The cats all gasped in surprise. Chryssie felt Victoria scurry off. Then she felt arms encircle her and start to lead her off. “This isn't Munkustrap, he's smaller and not as rough. His paws are not the velvet I love so much”, Chryssie thought, she didn't know.
The lights came back on and Munkustrap saw Chryssie being forcefully lead off. Chryssie saw Demeter and she also saw Macavity. She looked and saw Munkustrap heading towards herself. She screamed "Munkustrap, save Demeter!" Then the heavy paw clamped over her mouth. Munkustrap got her message and dashed off to Demeter. On the way he ordered Rum Tug Tugger to see if he could get Chryssie back or at least to follow her abductor and see where he was heading off to. Chryssie saw Tugger start to follow her. She wanted desperately to see her captor and she wanted out of his uncomfortably heavy grasp. Rage bubbled in her, for she hated being like this, helpless. She could only depend on Tugger.
She felt herself being taken into a large cave. There was nothing or no one around her. She was dropped on a cloth carpet and her captor moved past her. Who was it? Chryssie didn't want to find out. She wanted to get out of there. She started crawling towards the exit.
"Ah, Ah, Ah, you shouldn't do that." She recognized that voice immediately.
"Rawtawny, do you have some nerve."
"Yes I know, I'm glad you're impressed. You should be happy here, it's a good place to raise young ones." She stood up in shock.
"Young Ones?! You actually think that I....?!"
"Yes, that's why I brought you here my darling." She felt him come closer to her. Why wasn't he trying to force her now? There wasn't enough light for her eyes to be able to see clearly, all she could see were dark hazes.
What is wrong with me? I am getting so hazy, I can't think, she thought unclearly.
"Yes, the passion flower you took from Macavity still has effect. Your mind is still hazy, that fraud Munkustrap didn't cast a spell on you fully."
"What are you going on about? He didn't cast a spell, your master did."
"You're wrong Chryssie, Munkustrap performed the spell the spell on you, he wasn't right with you, you're beginning to see that now."
"No I'm not." She was becoming dizzy, all this intoxicating darkness, his seductive voice picking at her soul, she couldn't breathe, all the rapid feelings changing every way in her heart.
She felt a touch, and a body close to hers. She felt Rawtawny's arms encircle her and pull her close to him. What was he doing? She couldn't think, she couldn't move. She felt kisses on her lips, hard and wild, she had to get out.
Suddenly a shouting corrupted her from her emotional frenzy. Rawtawny dropped her and growled. She heard seven male voices yell, ones she distinctly knew. She then felt familiar cats around her and they carried her off as she fainted, exhausted from what she had experienced. She slept.
The male cats gathered around in Munkustrap's cave.
"Whew, tha' was a close 'ne." Mungojerrie's cockney accent exploded, echoing off the walls.
"Aye lad that it was." Skimbleshanks agreed, his Scottish accent mixing harmoniously with Mungojerrie's.
"Keep it down, she's trying to sleep, the poor kit." Rum Tug Tugger said in a low tone.
"Well I think we can thank our stars that we were in time." Alonzo said relieved that the little kit was all right.
"Right, we sure showed that old Rawtawny, I think that the magic worked wonders." Mistoffelees said in a pleased tone.
Asparagus couldn't hide the slight worry in his voice when he asked Munkustrap
"Will you go in and check on her? I don't think she should have been out this long." Munkustrap walked into the place where Chryssie was recuperating. He put his velvet paw on her cheek and stroked it, in a gesture which was of comfort.
She sat up with a bolt and saw darkness and haziness. She backed away from Munkustrap and eyed him as if he were a pollicle.
"Hey Mistoffelees, lets have some light in here. I think something's wrong." Instantly all the males were in the room and light flashed on. She looked clearly into the eyes of Munkustrap.
"Munkustrap? I couldn't see your face. I thought you were Rawtawny. I'm confused, my mind is in a haze, I can't think straight. I'm afraid something might be wrong. I can't see right in darkness, I just can't think right, I don't know. Skimble, Alonzo, Tugger, Mungojerrie, Mistoffelees, Asparagus, why are you here? Were you worried about me?"
"We were. Tugger came and told us where to find you. Macavity had been scared off again because all the cats attacked him. Munkustrap wouldn't let us wait another minute. We raced to the cave and saw Rawtawny and you. From the way you two were, we were going to leave you alone to do your thing, but Munkustrap wouldn't hear of it." Mistoffelees explained
"You two looked like lovers." Asparagus said. Alonzo asked
"What was going on in there Chryssie? You looked like you loved him."
"I don't know. Like I was saying, I am and was hazy, and I can't think straight. The darkness, his voice, the haze all made it seem like a nightmare, I was so dizzy, and I can't think." There came footsteps and then they saw Demeter, rushing towards Chryssie.
"Oh, my gracious are you all right? I saw you get dragged off by Rawtawny." She looked at Demeter and smiled.
"I'm OK, at least I think so, I think whatever he did, it will wear off." Demeter enfolded her in a hug.
"I am just glad you're safe." Bombalurina also entered and waited for Demeter.
"Chryssie are you all right?" she asked.
"Yeah, I am fine." Chryssie smiled.
"Then come on, we'll dance and have fun, and we'll make sure nothing will happen. We'll have cats with you at all times. Please Chryssie, you can't stay in hiding or you won't have a life to live. We'll make sure you and Demeter are safe." Bombalurina never lost the idea of a party. The male cats agreed and they all walked to Old Deuteronomy's pedestal. There they let Chryssie sit and they began to dance. Demeter and Munkustrap were soon the only cats left on the floor, where they began to dance a slow, graceful dace together. They were beautiful. Chryssie felt that old familiar twang in her heart. She lowered her eyes and searched inside herself.
"What is going on? That isn't like me, I don't... do I? It must be that thing Rawtawny did to me in there, he did something to my mind and emotions, that make me feel like this. But since when was I vulnerable to love? I only felt this way when I am drowning in my desire for him."
"You see my sweet, this is how I feel for you every minute of everyday, and of every night. Let me show you. There will be no secrets between us, no lies. Just passion and deep feeling. Chrychaesa, look what you're throwing away, passions and pleasure for a lifetime. You aren't blind. Look, he will never give you what I am offering you now. I am offering you my very soul, my passions, myself. Chryssie, you know that I wouldn't deny you anything. Come with me, forget him."
"I can't see you."
"You don't need to see me, I can hear you. You can hear me through my thoughts. I can hear you through your thoughts as well." Chryssie puzzled over this.
"Chryssie, I'm dying in my desire, come to me please." Then he left her alone, where ever he was. Chryssie sighed.
"Rawtawny, you tempt me. I realize that part of what you say is true. He will never offer me what you have."
"I con't believ' she miss'd i'."
"Nyetha' con Iye. Wow, she mus' 'ave rea'y been in dee' thou't wasn' she?" Chryssie looked around at the faces of Rumpleteaser and Mungojerrie.
"What? What did I miss?"
"Oh, 'ou miss'd ol' Munk'strap kiss tha' the'e Demeta' an' 'ou wer'n' wotchin.' Wha' we'r 'ou thinkin' abou', Chryss'y?"
"Nothin' in particula'?"
"Well 'ou go' this loo' in yo' eyes."
"What look?"
"Tha' 'ou wer' thinkin' of somethin' or some'ne elwse, 'en usu'lly 'ou wotch Munk'strap li'e 'ou wer' in love."
"Oh, no. Not here, not now. I have something heavy in mind that I'd like to clear up."
"Aow." The two looked at each other as if they didn't get it and then wandered off looking down hearted and confused. They were used to her, trying to hide herself and now, she seemed like she didn't want to try to hide anything. The mystery was dissolving.
After his dance, Munkustrap noticed Mungojerrie and Rumpleteaser walk sadly away and wondered what had happened with them and Chryssie. He walked to the two and asked
"What's the matter?"
"Well, Chryss'y i'n' octin' li'e 'erself. She lik's to keep th' feelin's in 'erself 'idden. Now, she e'pressed 'erself freelay' an' we don' know wha's wi' tha'."
"Righ' and she us'ally li'es to tease us, bu' now she jus' wasn' actin' li'e she wan'ed or needed to 'ave fun. We think she migh' li'e to be alone fo' a while."
"Oh I see, well I'll try and talk to her."
"'ou do tha'. She to'ks to 'ou freely an' she li'es yo' comp'ny." They said and then continued on their way.
"Chryssie, something's wrong. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteaser are worried about you."
"I'm OK. Do you remember what I said about the haze? Well now Rawtawny spoke to me, and he tempted me. But he was nowhere to be seen, and he said 'I can hear you through my thoughts and you can hear me through mine' or something like that and I don't know what he means. He sounded incredibly close like behind me or somewhere close and I looked about and he wasn't here. I don't know what's going on inside my head, but I am starting to get hazy again. I can barely make you out. It happens when there is too much darkness."
Munkustrap looked in her eyes and saw clouds, the same yellow clouds that he had kissed away in the island, very faint but still visible.
"Oh my goodness."
"What's going on? Munkustrap you have alarm in your voice what is it?"
"Well, do you remember the haze that you had when you had the power of the flower as an influence? The mist I saw in your eyes is there but not as strong. It's light. But still I think you are still influenced."
"No, I still have full control. I can think clearly right now and I have control of my body. Munkustrap?"
"I think you should stay with me tonight. I am worried about that haze in your eyes and I have no idea what may happen."
"If you insist."
"I do, I think you're in something serious Chryssie." He then escorted her back to his cave. The other cats had already settled down and was waiting for sleep to come. Munkustrap allowed her to roam his cave and soon was ready for sleep. She was already ready and he saw that she had found a comfortable spot. Munkustrap then curled up in his spot and started to doze.
