Demeter found Bombalurina just where she left her a few moments earlier, and she was still grooming herself. She looked up when she heard someone approaching, though. She gave her sister a quick smile, then asked,
“ Who’s this attractive little thing?” Bombalurina asked still smiling.
“ My name’s Patchabie, and your Bombalurina, right?” she asked looking to Demeter who gave her a reassuring nod, to let Patch know she was right. Bombalurina gave Patch the same kind of welcome that her sister had given her earlier, and once again Patchabie gave one back.
“ She’s the newest member of our group,” Demeter informed Bombalurina.
“ She’s cute Dem, let’s keep her around us, and teach her all we know,” Bom suggested.
Demeter agreed, but she knew it was up to Patch to decide. “ Has she met Tugger yet?”
“ No, I was going to save him for last. Come on, let’s go show her to Jenny and Jelly.” Bom got up and followed the two younger cats. They found Jellylorum and Jennyanydots engaged in a conversation when the three young cats approached them.
“ Excuse us, Jelly, Jenny,” Demeter said interrupting their talk.
“ Yes my dear,” Jenny asked.
“ We’d like you to meet Patchabie, she’s our newest member,” Bombalurina said as Patch came from behind her.
“ Well hello!” Jelly said motioning for her to join them on the mattress where they lay. She jumped up, to land beside Jellylorum and rubbed her head on her side. Then she went to Jennyanydots, and rubbed heads with her.
“ My, aren’t you an attractive little thing,” Jenny said getting a good look at her face. “ Is it me or do you have one yellow eye and one green eye?”
“ I do, I don’t know why, I just do,” Patchabie said. “ What are you’re names again. I’m sorry, I’ve met so many cats today.
“ I’m Jennyanydots,” the golden yellow tabby with orange spots and stripes said.
“ And I’m Jellylorum,” the white, brown and black cat said.
“ Well we’d love to stay, but she still has a lot of cats to meet,” Demeter said placing her front paws on the mattress.
“ Come back to see us when you’re done,” Jelly said.
“ I will,” Patch said, after she’d jumped off the mattress. Now it was time for her to meet the Tugger.
Bombalurina and Demeter looked at each other and shook their heads; she had no idea what she was about to meet next.
“ Hi Exotica, have you seen Tugger?” Bom asked the almost black cat, whose lighter brown stomach was facing the sun’s rays.
“ No, can’t say that I have. Why?” she asked without opening her eyes.
“ We were going to introduce Patchabie, whom you haven't met either, to him,” Demeter replied sitting down next to the thin cat.
“ A new cat?!” Exotica said rolling over to her side, she loved meeting new cats.
“ Yeah, just became a Jellicle today,” Patch said, thinking that the cat stretched out in front of her was very pretty. Exotica opened her black eyes, and looked at Patchabie.
“ Well, it looks like you’re going to have some competition, huh, Bom?” Exotica said grinning devilishly at the red cat before her.
“ Yeah, and if everyone keeps telling her that, she’s going to get a big head.”
“ Am I really that pretty?” Patch asked.
“ More than you know,” Bom admitted.
“ More than who knows?” Tugger’s voice surprised them all, as he jumped onto the car from behind Exotica.
“ Me,” Patchabie said looking at the lion like cat who sat beside Bombalurina.
“ Woo hoo, hoo, and you are?” Tugger asked, looking Patchabie up and down.
“ Patchabie,” she replied, not liking having herself looked at, the way Tugger was looking at her.
“ Well Patchy, baby, why don’t you come over here and sit next to me, so we can get to know each other better.
“ Yeah, right!” Patch said frowning at the muscular cat, who’s jaw dropped down to the car when she said that. He stood up, gave her a ‘Thuwp’ and left. Bom and Dem both gave Patchabie surprised looks.
“ Who does he think he is. ‘God’s gift’ to female cats?” she said as she flipped her tail angrily back and forth. Exotica, then said,
“ You know what Patch? You are the first female who doesn’t think Tugger is attractive.”
“ Well maybe after hearing what I had to say to him, he’ll cool off,” Patchabie said, and Bom and Dem began to giggle.
“ Come on, let’s take you back to Munku,” Demeter said standing up. “ See you later Xoti.”
“ It was nice meeting you Exotica,” Patchabie said, licking Exotica’s ears.
“ Likewise,” Exotica purred. Patchabie and Bom jumped off the car, and Exotica rolled onto her back again, to let the sun warm her stomach. She soon was asleep.
Munkustrap had also fallen asleep in the large box, in which he lay. He began to whimper, and Quaxo, who happened to stop beside the box, heard him. He slipped inside the box, and began to nudge Munkustrap.
“ Munkustrap, hey wake up!”
“ What?” Munkustrap awoke with a gasp. He looked up to find Quaxo staring at him. Munkustrap looked confused.
“ You were having a bad dream,” Quaxo mewed quietly. Munkustrap nodded at the light brown and black cat. “ Are you okay now?”
Munkustrap nodded again at the tom. Just then Demeter entered the box.
“ Oh, hi Quaxo,” Demeter said grinning at him. “There’s someone outside I want you to meet.” Quaxo smiled at her, then left. Once out of the box he was face to face with the striking calico.
“ Oh, um, um, hi,” Quaxo stammered.
“ Hi, I’m Patchabie. Newest Jellicle member, and you?”
“ Huh, oh, I’m Quaxo,” he said smiling sheepishly. She thought he was cute, and rubbed her head on his chest.
“ Boy, I’m rubbing with everyone today,” she thought to herself.
“ So, are you new in town?” Quaxo asked when she began to lick his face.
“ Mmm hmm,” she said with her throat. Then she stopped to study his face. It was a creamy brown like hers, he had a dark grey patch next to his right eye, and somewhat around it, and he had a very light grey, almost white circle around his mouth. The top of his head was mostly black, with a few spots of the same light grey as around his mouth. She then walked a circle around him to look at his body. Just like Munku had done with her earlier that day. He was a light brown like her, only he had black stripes on him. “ Wow, you are one good looking tom,” she said as she sat down beside him. She had never seen a cat blush before, but she’s certain that’s what he did when she said that.
The two cats were unaware that Munkustrap and Demeter were watching them. Then Patchabie walked over to the box, and noticed that Munku and Demeter had been watching them. She asked if they could hold off on introducing her to the other cats for right now. Munkustrap smiled at her and nodded. She ran back to Quaxo, and playfully raised up on her back feet, and came down on his head. He shook his head, and her paws fell. Then he jumped onto her, and they began to wrestle. Demeter and Munkustrap laughed at the two, and Demeter asked if Quaxo had ever been with a female cat. Munku said that he didn’t know, and they watched the two cats once more. Quaxo began to chase her, and they took off running around the Junk Yard, laughing and having a wonderful time.
Quaxo took Patchabie to his little hideout in the Junk Yard, it was a dryer that was missing a door near the exit of the Yard. He had dragged a couple of pillows into it, to make himself a bed. Once inside the dryer, they curled up together, and Quaxo began to groom Patchabie’s face and ears, which made her purr loudly, and knead the pillows. He stopped for a moment, and asked her if she’d ever been with a male before. She said no, and he replied that he hadn’t been with a female either. They also said that they didn’t want to right now. He resumed his head groomimg, and she soon fell asleep with his fore leg around her upper chest, just under her fore legs. He stopped licking her and placed his head on her shoulder, and was soon asleep with her.
“ But Munku, the Jellilcles love you!” Demeter cried.
“ I know, it’s just that I’m so afraid that I’m going to fail you guys, but I’m the most afraid of failing you. I don’t want to lose you Demeter,” Munku said burying his head in her chest.
“ I don’t want to lose you either,” Demeter said, and licked his neck. Suddenly Mistoffelees poked his head into the box, and said,
“ Hey Munku, Deuteronomy is here, and he wants to know where Patchabie is.” Munkustrap quickly got up, and went out of the box.
“ You know where Quaxo’s hideout is right?” Munku asked Misto.
“ Yeah, why is she with Quaxo?” Misto asked making a funny face.
“ Yes, she took a liking to him real quick, and disappeared into the Junk Yard with him.”
“ Quaxo?” Misto asked again very surprised that Quaxo had found someone that liked him.
“ Yes, Misto, Quaxo,” Munku said looking to the direction of the large tire upon which Old Deuteronomy sat waiting for Munkustrap to show up. “ Do me a favor, go get Patch for me,” Munku said, then took off to greet his leader. Mistoffelees didn’t know that Demeter was standing next to him, until she sighed, and said,
“ I’m worried about him, Misto.” Mistoffelees looked at her puzzled.
“ Why?”
“ He thinks that he’s going to fail us, once he becomes our leader.”
“ What?! No way. Did you tell him that he was talking crazy?” Misto scoffed.
“ Yes, but he won’t listen to me, but he’ll listen to Deuteronomy. Our leader will help him out of this. I know he will.” Mistoffelees agreed. Old Deuteronomy was good at situatioins like this. He told Demeter he’d see her later and went to get Patch.
When Munkustrap reached the magical tire, his eyes welled over with kitty tears as he looked at his benevolent leader, who he loved dearly as a father. He ran up to Deuteronomy, and buried his face in his long fur, and cried like a newborn kitten. Old Deuteronomy was shocked.
“ What’s the matter Munkustrap?” he asked patting the top of his head with his large paw. Munku looked up to his leader, and said in a shaky voice,
“ I don’t think I can follow in your place. I’m afraid I’m going to fail, or not live up to my title.” Old Deuteronomy smiled at Munkustrap, he had gone through the same thing, when he found out he was next in line. He brought his paw up to Munku’s face, and dried his tears away.
“ Munkustrap, I went through the very same thing that you are going through now. Becoming a leader is a scary job, but believe me it gets easier. Besides, I’m not going anywhere for a long time.” Munkustrap began to laugh along with Deuteronomy. Then he nuzzled against his leader until Patchabie and Quaxo showed up.
“ You wanted to see me?” Patchabie asked as she sat on the ground in front of the tire. Quaxo sat next to her.
“ I did. I wanted to ask you something. What was your mother or father’s name?”
“ My mother’s name was Tinseltoot, and my father’s name was, um, grrr,” Patchabie said trying to remember her father’s name “ I don’t remember, I didn’t know my father that well. He was never around.”
“ You said your mother’s name was Tinseltoot, correct?” Deuteronomy asked and Patch nodded her head. “ I thought you looked familiar. Tinseltoot was my sister.” Patchabie’s, Quaxo’s and Munkustrap’s jaws fell.
“ You mean that my little Patchie, has been a Jellicle Cat, ever since she’s been born?” Quaxo said excitedly. Old Deuteronomy smiled and nodded his head. Quaxo leaped for joy, that she was a born Jellicle, just like him. Patchabie, and Quaxo hugged each other the best they could considering they were cats. The celebration went on as scheduled that night, and everyone was happy, (yes even Tugger, though he’d been told off by her) that they had a new Jelllicle in their home.
