"Mistoffelees!!" came a voice from across the junkyard.
Mistoffelees' eyes flicked open at the sound of his name. 'Great,' he thought. He had been attempting to sleep on the trunk of the car and this was the second time he had been woken up in the past hour. He raised his head and saw that Munkustrap was calling him. Halk-awake, he hopped off the car and padded over to where Munkustap sat. .
"Hmmm?" he said groggily..
"Mistoffelees, I have a favor to ask you," said Munkustrap..
"What?".
"It's the start of a new year...."
"I am aware of that," Mistoffelees cocked his head to one side. "What exactly are you getting at?"
Munkustrap cleared his throat. "Would you mind terribly walking around the neighborhood and seeing if there are any new cats Old Deuteronomy and I haven't checked out?"
Mistoffelees though for a moment. "Yes. Ta ta." He began to walk away but was stopped by Munkustrap's paw holding his tail. He sighed. "Sorry I disagreed, it won't happen again, blah, bla-"
"Ok, Misto, heres the deal," Munkustrap interupted. "You, me, and Pouncival are the only ones in the junkyard. Pouncival is two monthes younger than you and is acting like an incompetent fool at this point in time." Mistoffelees glanced over at Pouncival who was batting around a stinkbug. Munkustrap continued. "I have to stay here and watch the junkyard. So I am begging you to check out this neighbor hood. Only seven houses."
"Fine, fine." said Mistoffelees crossly. "I'll go. But you're wrong. There are nine houses in that neighbor hood." Munkustrap grinned.
"Uh, Mistoffelees," said Munkustrap as Mistoffelees was walking away.
"Don't tell anyone I begged you."
"Would they even beleive me?" came the reply.
"Probably not. Happy cat hunting."
Mistoffelees banged his nose against the screen and waved his tail. Jemina's head snapped around and she grinned.
"Hi," she called. The to Victoria she said, "Look who it is."
Victoria giggled. "We were just talking about you," she said, grinning.
"Um, okay," said Mistoffelees, slightly confused. "Anyway, would you two happen to know if there are any new cats in this neighborhood? Munkustrap sent me cat hunting. Jemina glanced at Victoria who started giggling again.
"Be serious, Vicky," Jemina told her. Victoria put on a serious look and said very gravely, "I believe so."
"Do you know where?" continued Mistoffelees.
"Yes," said Victoria, still very stoic. "Down the street in the blue house a composer has moved in with a kitten about my age." She started acting nomal again. "Grey with a black tail. Poor little thing. Musta been abused. Or maybe just scared. We tried to say hello, but she just ran off. She's just the smallest, skinniest cat ever-"
"Mighta had a run in with Macavity," suggested Jemina nonchalently. "Anyway, I think thats all for new cats in this neighborhood," continued Victoria. "The composer is quite a character. He wants to write a musical about cats," she giggled. "It'll never get off the ground."
"Well, I gotta go," said Mistoffelees, laughing at the thought of a musical about cats. "Thanks for your help."
"Anytime," Victoria and Jemina chorused in unison. Mistoffelees jumped off the windowsill and started towards the blue house.
"Hello?" he called. The tail stirred and disapeared completely under the pile.
The a little voice called, "Leave me alone, Macavity! I'm not a stray anymore."
"If you'd just come out for a second you'd see that I don't look a thing like Macavity," called Mistoffelees impatiently. He had better things to do than coax kittens out of piles of paper. Just than a head apeared from out of the pile.
"Oh," the cat said seeing the small black and white cat sitting on the window sill. "You don't look anything like Macavity."
"Thank you, I think..." said Mistoffelees. "Anyway, I'm from the Jellicle tribe down the street in the junkyard and I've been asked to check out any new cats to see if they are a jellicle or with Macavity, etc. So I'd like to ask you a couple of questions."
"Shoot," the kitten came out completely from the pile. She was very slim, and all grey, except for her tail, and about Jemina's size, although she seemed older.
"Your name."
"What about it?"
"What is it?" asked Mistoffelees impatiently.
"Oh. Marolene Morgan. Or just Marolene."
'Morgan, Morgan,' thought Mistoffelees. 'Sounds awful farmiliar. Better check it out with Munku.'
"Um, I'll be right back," he said to Marolene. Then he hopped off the window and raced back to the junkyard, leaving an awfully confused Marolene behind him.
"Misto, whats wrong? You never run."
Mistoffelees glared at him as he caught his breath. "New...cat...kitten...small..last name...Morgan....ring a bell?" he panted. Munkustrap's eyes widened.
"Ask her who her father is. Hurry!!" Mistoffelees shot Munkustrap a look then tuned around a raced back to the house.
"Who is your dad?" he gasped.
"Uh...do you need a drink?" asked Marolene pointing to her water bowl. Mistoffelees nodded and gulped it down.
He looked up to see Marolene grinning. "What?" he asked defensively.
"You look REALLY funny!"
"Just answer the question." Marolene squinted as if trying to remember something.
"Cat Morgan..." she said faintly. "Yes. Cat Morgan." she said louder as if to affirm her thoughts. "But he's dead," she added remorsefully. Marolene then looked over to see Mistoffelees racing back to the junkyard twice as fast as before. She shook her head and giggled.
"It's Cat Morgan's kid." Munkustrap turned to Old Deuteronomy who nodded.
"Go back and bring her here," said Munkustrap. Mistoffelees glared at him and ran back to the house for the third and hopefully last time.
"Whoa," said Jemina grinning. "What's your hurry?"
"New..cat...related...to...Cat-" Mistoffelees coud barely get the words out.
"Yes, most of us ARE related to cats," interupted Victoria.
Mistoffelees shot her a look as her gasped for air.
"Related...to..Cat...Morgan..." Jemina's eyes widened.
"Oh," she said. "That could make you hurry." Victoria wrinkeled her nose.
"Who's he?" she asked.
"Only one of the most respected Jellicles in Old Deuteronomy's time," explained Jemina. Mistoffelees nodded.
"Have to go..." he rasped and took off down the street again.
"You will have to come with me," he said.
"Where?" she asked defiently. The odd black and white cat sighed and began to look rather annoyed.
"It would be a whole lot easier if you would just cooperate...what's your name again?"
"Marolene."
"Yeah..." He shifted in his place. "Are you coming or not?"
Marolene avoided his gaze. This was getting uncomfortable. "I don't even know who you are, why should I trust you?"
He sighed again. "How long are you planning on giving me a hard time?"
"'Till I know I can trust you," said Marolene looking at him skeptically. Mistoffelees motioned towards himself.
"Do I look the least bit threatening to you? Just come, you can walk behind me and run off whenever you think I'm evil." He immeadiatly regretted saying that. This was one jumpy cat. She would be gone before they were even halfway there, and Munkustrap would have hist tail for it.
But much to his surprise, Marolene jumped gracefully off the table and said: "Let's go."
"When I first came to your house, you said something about Macavity...am I right?" Marolene nodded. "You didn't work for him, did you?" Marolene shook her head.
"I was kidnapped when I was a stray."
"You were a stray?"
"Uh huh."
"Oh geez..." Mistoffelees knew how complicated this made things. "You weren't one for very long, right?" Marolene shook her head and looked down at the ground sadly. Mistoffelees turned back around and started walking. He didn't like when things got emotional.
"Oh well, you're Morgan's cat, they hafta let you in," muttered Mistoffelees as they approached the gate to the junkyard.
"Oh great...another new cat..." said Tumblebrutus. But Alonzo just squinted.
"She looks awful familiar...oh well," he said. Then he laughed. "What if she swipes at Tugger too! That would be two new lady cats swiping at him in the same week."
Patchabie came over and sat down next to them.
"Hey guys, watcha doin'?"
"New cat." said Tumble and Alonzo pointed.
"Ooh, yay!" said Patchabie and ran off to meet her. This new cat looked like someone she would like.
"Mmm hmm..." Marolene nodded at the striped grey tabby that stood in front of her. These cats sure seemed to be interested in him.
"You woudn't happen to know much about him would you?"
Oh sure, thought Marolene. Wise, gracious, respectable, lover of fish, etc. "No," she said and moved her eyes to the floor. This questioning was too intense for her.
"He was very well known and respected here," said a kindly old brown cat siting behind the grey tabby. He continued. "Do you know what a Jellicle cat is?" The smaller black and white cat, who was occupying the set next to the old cat rolled his eyes, as if some long explanation was to follow. The word sounded familiar, even though she hadn't heard it for sometime. But somehow she know what it was...kind of. Expecting a no, the tall grey tabby sat down and looked around.
"Sort of." If only I had a camera to catch the looks on their faces right now, thought Marolene.
"You're kidding," said the black and white cat.
"Well, that saves us some time," said the old cat, looking very surprised indeed. "But of course, I suspect you know...well, you are a Jellicle cat already...because of your father. And might I add, you look exactly like him."
"Skinnier," added the grey cat.
"Uh..thank you," said Marolene, trying to be as polite as possible.
"And now it's time for introductions..." said the old cat. "I am Old Deuteronomy. This is Munkustrap," he said pointing at the grey tabby before her, who grinned. "And this," he continued as he pointed at the black and white cat, "Is Mistoffelees, our conjuror in residence. Care to show her a trick, Mistoffelees?"
"Please, I just ran about five miles," Mistoffelees said, looking very tired. He glanced at Marolene who was looking a bit confused.
"Another time," he promised. Old Deuteronomy looked around.
"We just had a new cat join us last week...where is she?" As if in response, a pretty calico skidded around from behind the dryer and ran up to them.
"Speak of the devil," muttered Mistoffelees.
"Hi!" chirped the calico. "I'm Patchabie! Who are you?"
"Marolene," said Marolene.
"Wanna come with me? You can meet all the cats!" Marolene glanced at Munkustrap, who nodded.
"Sure," said Marolene. Old Deuteronomy grinned at Munkustrap as the two cats walked off. They began to talk, but were torn away by a loud
"Oof." Mistoffelees had fainted dead away from exaustion.
"You needen't yell so loud, Patch!" she scolded. Then she turned to Marolene. "Why aren't you just a sweet little thing!" Marolene grimmaced, she was much older than she looked. Then the brown and white cat gasped. "Well I never!" she exclaimed. "You are just the image of Cat Morgan!"
"He's my dad," explained Marolene. The cat gasped again.
"Imagine that...." she murmured. "Well excuse me, my name is Jellylorum, and you are..?"
"Marolene." Jellylorum sighed and smiled. Marolene turned to Patchabie. "They all knew my dad," she said to her. Patchabie nodded then pointed to an orange cat carrying some doilyies.
"That is Jennyanydots, you'll meet her later," said Patchabie. Then to Jelly, she said, "Maro has to see the other cats, will you excuse us?" Jelly nodded and walked over to Jenny. "Follow me, " said Patchabie and walked over to the car where Quaxo, Alonzo, and Tumblebrutus sat. She introduced them and then took Marolene away to meet some of the others. When they were out of hearing, Tumblebrutus said,
"Skinny little thing."
"Skinny like Cassandra...." said Quaxo and glanced over at Alonzo who scowled at him.
"Shut up," he grumbled. "There is no replacing Cassandra." Quaxo
shrugged. "Think of replacing Patchabie," he continued. Quaxo shuddered.
"Sorry Alonzo, I wasn't thinking.
"Oh yeah," she said I hope she isn't scared or something." Patchabie walked up to them.
"Hey guys, this is Marolene. I'll be right back, be nice," Patchabie ran over to Quaxo.
"Hi!" said Jemina. "I'm Jemina and this is Victoria,"
"Hi," said Marolene. Then she looked to Victoria. "You aren't mad at me for running off, are you?"
"No!" exclaimed Victoria. "Why should I be! I thought that you would be scared of me or something!" Marolene shook her head. "I'm just a little jumpy, that's all." As if to solidify her remark, Munkustrap tapped her on the shoulder and Maro jumped up, shreiked and turned around. "Oops,' she said sheepishly. Jemina and Victoria giggled. But Munkustrap was much more serious.
"Come with me, he said to Marolene. "We need to discuss something."
Marolene grin changed to a look of worry-she knew this was about her and Macavity.
