An old black tom cat sat outside of a regular house on a regular street on the pleasantly cool pavement on a warm breeze night. There was nothing important about this particular house. It had a roof, a nice coat of paint, and a cheerful family inside. The tom could see the lights in the house slowly start to go out, one by one. But the reason the tom was drawn to this particular house was because of the jellicle cat inside. He went by the name of Mistoffelees, Mr. Mistoffelees. The black and white jellicle was well known throughout the town, and the city for that matter. He was young and shy but already had a reputation, 'The Magical Mr. Mistoffelees' was his title and it fit him well. He was a wonderful Magician. He could disappear into thin air, make objects disappear and reappear somewhere else, and he could make bolts of lighting shoot from his paws faster then you could say pallical.
Yes, Mistoffelees had turned out to be quite a cat, even though he didn't quite have a handle on his powers yet. The black tom looked up at the now dark house. His eyes where sad and had turned weak and tired. He turned his gaze to a small bundle of black fur next to him. It was curled in a tiny ball and lay motionless against his caked with mud paw. He leaned down and gently nudged the small bundle, lovingly. A part of a tiny white face appeared from the black fur and it opened its small golden-yellow, blue rimmed eyes. The eyes were so small but so full of life and hope, that it made the tom's chest hurt, with a pain he knew all to well. The small bundle of black fur closed its eyes and hid its face again.
As the tom looked at the house one last time he thought to himself, "I will see you again my son, I will. Please take care. Be careful, and good luck. You are both in my heart, always." He closed his eyes and gathered up the last of his magical power and searched for the mind of the sleeping Mistoffelees.
***3 Weeks later***
It was a warm night with a slight breeze as Mistoffelees ran through the streets, at top speed to the Junkyard. His velvet black fur glistened in the moonlight as he ran. He hadn't been to the junkyard for weeks. He had been preoccupied lately. But tonight he was very exited as he ran with a smile on his white face. He looked toward the moon as he raced through the night. It was almost full, but already lit up the black sky. Misto smiled to himself again as he made his way to the junkyard.
It seemed like only seconds before he reached the loose board that led to the junkyard. He had no trouble getting in because of his size. Misto slipped through the hole and ran toward the area where he would find the jellicles.
Victoria sat bored out of her mind. The young beautiful white jellicle yawned and stretched. She had lazily draped over the trunk of the old rusted car, and sleepily watched the other cats in the junkyard. Jemima, Electra, and Etcetera tumbled around the junkyard under the watchful eyes of Jennyanydots and Jellylorum, who were spreading gossip amongst themselves. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer playfully bounced around trying to annoy Cassandra and Exotica who were talking about nothing in particular. Augustus was chatting with Skimbleshanks, occasionally glancing at Alonzo, Tumblerutus, Pouncival, and Plato who where gathered around each other whispering something that they liked to keep secret from others.
Bombalurina and Pallaris were giggling like kittens about some tom in the junkyard. The twins, Coricopat and Tantomile, sat close to each other watching the others going about their business. Lavara Nina Ketz and Demeter were sitting in the back area of the junkyard. Sitting and waiting for the right moment to pounce on Rum Tum Tugger and Adumetus, who had really made them mad earlier that night and were getting them back. And of course Munkustrap sat in his usual place on the tire overlooking the scene.
The night had just started and most of the cats were in the junkyard. Victoria yawned again, she wished Mistoffelees was here. He hadn't been in the junkyard for a while. In fact, now that she thought about it, he had only come twice in the last four weeks. Everyone assumed it was because of the recent death of his long lost older brother, Siflay.
Siflay had been killed by Macavity about four weeks ago. The older tom had died in his younger brother's arms, because he wouldn't kill Misto. Macavity called him a traitor and stabbed poor Siflay in the back, right here in the junkyard. It had crushed Misto deeply. Victoria went to see him every day for weeks, and he said he enjoyed the company. She got him to come back to the junkyard every now and then, but he still looked depressed. Victoria had been worried about him since, but he assured her he was fine.
The thought of Siflay and that cold night made Victoria's blood freeze. She shivered. "Come on Misto," She thought to herself, silently wishing we would come to the junkyard.
As if on que the twins Coricopat and Tantomile lifted themselves up from their spot, and looked toward the drainpipe. A black pair of small pointy ears appeared from the pipe and Misto entered the junkyard.
"Misto!" Victoria excitedly yelled. She got up and ran to him, giving him an affectionate groom. He smiled and returned the gesture.
" Hi Vicki," he said as he pulled himself out of the pipe.
The twins nodded and smiled to him, and Misto smiled and nodded back.
"Hi Misto," Alonzo called from his group, "it's been awhile."
"Hi Alonzo," Misto replied "I've been . . .er . busy." Alonzo looked at him for a second then smiled and went back to his group.
"Where have you been?" Victoria asked "I've been worried sick about you," she sounded mad but concerned as well.
"I've been busy," He said again "Have you seen Munkustrap?"
"Yeah, he's in his usual spot," she pointed to Munk on the tire.
"Great," he said as he started to walk toward Munk. Victoria watched him for a second, then ran after him.
"Why do you want to see Munk?"
"It's a surprise," he replied with a weird smile. He jumped next to Munkustrap on the tire. Victoria followed.
"Hi Munkustrap," Misto said cheerfully.
Munkustrap looked at him, "Oh, Hi Mistofelees. How are you?"
He shrugged, "Gettin' by"
"That's good," Munkustrap was careful not to mention Siflay, "so what can I do for you?"
"Well . . . " Misto thought on how to say what was on his mind. "I was wondering, why would you call a meeting?"
Munkustrap looked at him, not sure what he was asking.
Mistoffelees saw his Munk's confusion. "I mean besides are regular meetings, why would you call an emergency meeting?"
Munk understood this better. "Well, we would call an emergency meeting if something was wrong, an announcement had to be voiced, a kitten needed to be introduces, a jellicle of some importance needed to say something, a . . . .," Munk didn't finish.
"Great!" Misto exalted interrupting. "Can you call a meeting?"
"But why?" Munkustrap looked at the black jellicle's exited white face.
"Well, it's a surprise," He said. It seemed that was all the clues he was giving out. The black cat jumped off the tire. He looked back at the confused tabby and white cats. "Oh, and Munk? You might want to call Old Deuteronomy to come."
"What?" Munkustrap jumped down and stood next to Misto. "Look Mistoffelees," he said comely as he could, "if you want a meeting to take place with Deuteronomy there, you have to tell me why. I can't just call a meeting and not know the reason for it."
Misto's face fell. "Oh," he sighed, disappointed, "I'm sorry Munk, your right. I just wanted this to be a surprise," the young jellicle sighed again.
Munkustrap gazed at him. He sighed himself, and made a note to kick himself for this. "All right Misto," He seemed to whisper, "I'll call Old Deuteronomy and tell him to come tomorrow night. And I'll call a meeting and have the tribe attend," Misto brightened. Munkustrap stopped and looked hard at him, "But just so I don't get in trouble for this and so I have an excuse, why?"
Misto didn't want Munk to be in trouble so he said, "I've got someone I want everyone to meet," he said with a huge grin.
Munk looked interested, "Who?"
"Munk, if I told you it wouldn't be a surprise!"
"All right, all right," Munkustrap gave up, "tomorrow, an hour after sundown we'll have a meeting here. You'll show up right?"
"Of course Munkustrap. I'm not going to ask you to call a meeting if I'm not going to show. Who would?"
Munk grinned, "You'd be surprised,"
Mistoffelees looked at him for a second then turned away. Victoria ran after him, pulling on his tail for him to slow down. "Where are you going? You just got here."
Misto looked back at her. "We've got to be ready for tomorrow night," he smiled. Victoria was not convinced. She wanted some real answers. "Who's "we"?
"It's a surprise Vicki, it's a surprise," he said again, but he didn't like confusing her so he rubbed his head agents hers, "I'll explain it all tomorrow night, OK?"
Victoria searched his dark blue eyes for answers, but found none. Reluctantly she nodded and rubbed her head against his white chest fur.
"I'll see you tomorrow night Vicki," he gave her one last smile and rushed out of the junkyard, threw the drain pipe just as quickly as he had come in.
Victoria sighed, and looked back at Munkustrap. He gazed down at her, and shrugged. He cleared his throat. "Um excuse me, can I have everyone's attention, please?" He called to the jellicles around the junkyard.
Slowly the cats around the junkyard started to drop what they were doing and walked slowly up to the tire.
"Well," Munkustrap started, "it seams that I had a request to have a meeting tomorrow night after sundown."
A few jellicles started to mutter to each other, some wondered who it was, and some didn't care. Munkustrap jumped down off the tire, "so I expect to see all of you here tomorrow night." The jellicle agreed and then slowly went back to what they were doing before Munk had interrupted them.
"Skimble, Agustus?" Munk called, " Can you two keep an eye on this place for a while? I'll be right back."
"And where might you be goin' lad?" Skimbleshanks asked.
"To tell Old Deuteronomy about the meeting tomorrow," he sighed. And with that he disappeared behind some trash cans. Skimble and Agustus looked at each other and shrugged.
Munkstrap made his way slowly to the Vicarage wall, where he would find Old Deuteronomy. The silver tabby stared at the ground as he walked. He was thinking about what Misto had said, and it kept confusing him. Mistoffelees wouldn't have someone to introduce to the tribe, at lest he didn't think so. Munk concluded to wait and see what Old Deuteronomy said.
He came to the Vicarage wall only 15 minutes later. Munk made his way to were he would find the grand jellicle leader. He found Old Deut staring with a smile on his face, at the almost full jellicle moon. Munkustrap found the smile on Old Deut's face mesmorizing. His whiskers were twitching slightly, his eyes were set on the beautiful night sky, and Munk could hear him purring lightly.
Old Deuteronomy senced someone was there and smiled even more when he saw it was Munkustrap. "Well, hello Munkustrap," he said, " what do I owe this pleasure of this visit?"
"Well, I came here to tell you about a meeting tomorrow night", Munkustrap jumped next to him.
"Oh?" Old Deut seemed surprised, "I didn't know there was a meeting tomorrow."
"Well there wasn't, but . . .," Munk shifted uncomfortably.
"What?" Old Deuteronomy gazed at him.
"Well, Mistoffelees came up to me just a little while ago and asked me to call a meeting, and he requested you to be there. When I asked why he said he wanted to introduce someone, but he wouldn't say who. He claimed it was a surprise. I don't think I was right to agree to the meeting, I don't even know what to expect!" Munkustrap stopped and looked at Old Deuteronomy. To his surprise he was smiling.
"Well Munkustrap, I think it was a good choice," he said, "Mistoffelees is obviously very excited I assume," Munk nodded, "Well it's just one of those things that you have a gut feeling about."
"But . . ," Munk stopped. It had been a long night and he looked like he needed sleep.
"Don't worry," Old Deuteronomy said, patting him on the back, "I wouldn't miss this. I'll be sure to come to the meeting."
Munkustrap smiled at him. "Thank you." He turned to go.
Deuteronomy stopped him. "Munkustrap?"
Munkustrap looked back. "Humm?"
"Do you ever look at the stars?" He asked as he gazed up at the sky.
"Well, yes I do . . . sometimes."
"Look," Old Deuteronomy pointed to a small star, that seem to flicker, brightly.
Munkustrap held his breath as he gazed at it. It was beautiful.
"That ones new," Old Deuteronomy said slowly, "It's been getting brighter every night, getting stronger, getting ready."
"For what?" Munkustrap asked still looking at the twinkling star.
Old Deuteronomy smiled. "It's preparing itself. It will soon be time for it to go out into the world," he stopped and then whispered, "And she will be ready. . . . "
To Be Continued . . . .
