Marolene and Patchabie, lie curled up next to each other. They had become immediate best friends, after Patchabie introduced herself to the grey queen a couple of weeks ago. Now, they were taking a quick nap in the drier she shared with her mate Quaxo. Marolene stirred a little in her sleep, which woke the slim calico. Patch yawned and stretched, accidentally hitting Maro on the head. Maro awoke then, and shook her head.
“Sorry about that,” Patch said as she stood up.
“Where are you going?” Marolene yawned.
“Home, you want to come?” The smaller, but not younger, queen nodded and followed Patchabie out of the drier. Quaxo was entering, just as the two of them were leaving.
“Where are you two headed?” he asked after he’d given Patch a lick on her cheek.
“To my house, and no you’re not invited. This is lady stuff,” the pretty calico informed her tom.
“Fair enough, I’ll just spend the day with Plato and Admetus. See you ladies,” Quaxo replied, then headed for Plato’s spot of the Junk Yard. Patchabie sighed, as she watched her tom scamper off.
“You really do love him, don’t you,” Marolene’s soft voice asked. Patch nodded and Marolene smiled. Then they resumed their course to the calico queen’s house.
“ It’s okay, he’s not going to hurt you,” Patch said after she’d rubbed against the man’s leg.
“ I know that, it’s just that I sense another presence in your house.” This surprised the calico queen. She hadn’t sensed any other presence in the house. What her master said next though, proved Marolene right.
“ Spotty, bring your friend inside. There’s someone here who wants to see you.” Patchabie looked to her master in wonder; then she looked to her best friend. Maro shrugged, and followed the man into the house. Patchabie headed up the rear. After the man closed the door, Patchabie looked around the house to find the visitor. She found what she was looking for on the couch. It looked like another her. Squealing with delight, she rushed to the couch in the center of the room, leaving Marolene in utter confusion. Once on the couch, she found what had so much excited her asleep. She nudged the not much larger, exact version of herself awake. The green eye opened first, then the yellow. They focused in on the cat sitting before them, then grew wide.
“ Patches! They didn’t tell me they were bringing me here!” the voice was definitely male.
“ Does this mean you’re staying?” Patch asked grooming the tom on his ears.
“ Who is he?” Marolene’s sweet voice startled the pair.
“ Oh, I’m sorry hun, I forgot you were here. Why don’t you join us,” Patch said, and Marolene walked to the couch to join her friend. Once she was on the couch, Patchabie introduced the two.
“ Marolene, I would like you to meet Checkatie, my twin brother.”
“ Nice to meet you,” Maro said.
“ Likewise,” Checkatie said. Then to Patchabie he said, “ I am going to be staying with you, probably for the rest of my life. I’ll tell you why later.” Patchabie nodded, and rubbed her head on her brother’s shoulder. She was happy to have him back in her life.
“ Hey, do you wanna talk?” Alonzo nodded. “Well, talk.” Alonzo looked to the white queen, and his eyes filled with tears, and Victoria nuzzled him again.
“ Well, I really loved Cassie you know. She was my first love. All of the other females, well they were just for fun, and fooling around. But Cass, well, she totally changed me. She was the first queen that stood by me, even though she knew I had other partners, but she didn’t care,” his voice trailed off and a tear streaked down his cheek. He hadn’t cried since she left, and he thought now was the best time to. Not caring about his tough-cat image anymore he let the tears flow freely down his cheeks. Victoria began to purr softly in his ear. “ I just never thought that I would be capable of loving anyone after I got separated from my family. I hardened my heart to everything: lady cats, the other toms, even Old Deuteronomy. Cassandra changed all that though,” Alonzo choked.
“ It’s okay, just let it out,” the white queen soothed.
Alonzo did just that. He didn’t care who all saw, even though no one did but Victoria. When he was through grieving, he dried his muzzle and looked deep intoVictoria’s sky blue eyes, and said, “ You know, I thought I wouldn’t love anyone but Cassie, until now. You didn’t frown at me every time I slummed around; instead you just looked to me with those smiling blue eyes, as if you understood,” He paused for a second before continuing, “Victoria, I love you.” It was now Vici’s turn to cry, although she held it in.
“ You’re not going to believe me, but I love you too,” she said hoarsely.
“ I do believe you. But, let’s take it slow. Okay?” the white and black tom, said just as softly as her. She nodded through her tears of happiness and laid her head on her paws. Alonzo licked the top of her head, then placed his head next to hers.
“ Right,” the grey queen said firmly.
“ Um, Maro, would you mind terribly if you went back to the Junk Yard, there’s something I need to tell my uncle and sister. It’s family stuff. You understand?” Checkatie asked softly. Maro nodded.
“ Well, may I accompany you until the Junk Yard?” Checks nodded. Patchabie then stood up, and stretched out her legs, which had been cramped underneath her. The other two stood also, and followed the calico when she jumped off the couch and to the front door. She began to meow to let her masters know she wanted out.
“ They really need to get a cat door!” she mumbled under her breath. Maro giggled, but Checkatie didn’t hear his sister. Just then her master lady came into view, and walked toward the three cats.
“ I guess you want out, don’t you?” she opened the door and the three cats slipped out into the cool spring day.
After she was gone, Checkatie followed Patchabie to the Vicarage Wall, where she knew their uncle would be. Check silently trudged on beside his sister, until she broke the cold silence.
“ What’s the matter Checkers?” Checkatie looked to his twin, and slowly shook his head, then said quietly,
“ I’ll tell you when we reach Old Deuteronomy.” Patch just frowned at her brother, but continued on her way.
“ Well hello sweetie,” Bom said when she noticed the little queen walking toward her.
“ Hello,” Maro said when she sat down next to the larger female.
“ Where’s Patch at?” Bom asked, noticing that the young calico wasn’t with her.
“ She took her twin brother to meet Old Deuteronomy,” Maro replied as her eyes scanned the Junk Yard.
“ She has a twin brother?! I didn’t know that!” the red queen screeched in pleasant shock.
“ I didn’t know either, until I met him this morning over at her house.” Just then a very disgruntled Tugger came up to the pair.
“ Tugger, what’s wrong?” Bom asked the haggard looking tom.
“ I was kicked out of my home, but not before the old hag gave me a couple of good swats,” the maned cat sighed.
“ You poor baby,” Bom said nuzzling him.
“ So, where ya gonna go?” Maro asked.
“ I don’t know, but that confidant of yours warned me that this would happen. Who knew she would be right,” he said bitterly as he scrunched up his nose, now realizing more than ever that he really did deserve the scratch she gave him. He should have never hit her. “ Well, I guess I’d better go find ‘Cat Burglar Jr.’,” Tugger said and started off. Bom stopped him though.
“ Why do you need to go find him?”
‘Duh’ the black tom thought to himself. “ Well, he found Alonzo a home, didn’t he?” Bom nodded, and watched Tugg walk off, shaking his head at her.
“ He really needs to get himself a better attitude,” Maro snorted.
“ I know, but Patchy already told him that,” Bom said tapping Maro on the nose with her long claw. Both queens erupted into laughter.
“ How did you know that?” the slim calico demanded.
“ I just did,” Checkatie smiled, then got up and walked to the wall on which his uncle sat. Patchy ran in front of him, and jumped onto the wall first, startling her old uncle. Checkatie soon joined his sister on the wall. Once Old Deuteronomy noticed it was his niece that had startled him, he smiled and asked,
“ What can I do for you my child?”
“ Uncle D,” Old Deuteronomy cringed at the name, and politely said,
“ It is not proper for a female of your age to call me such a kittenish nickname.”
“ I’m sorry, may I call you Uncle Deuteronomy?” He nodded. “ Okay, I would like you to meet my twin brother, and your nephew Checkatie,” Patch motioned to the tom who sat behind her. Checkatie walked toward his uncle and bowed before the wise tom before him. Old Deuteronomy smiled and patted his nephew on the top of his head, and said,
“ Rise my son.” Checkatie slowly raised his head, to look his beloved uncle in the face.
“ It is very pleasing to meet you,” Deuteronomy said, a smile in his voice and in his dark grey eyes. Checkatie blinked to hold back tears of happiness and of sorrow because of the news he brought of his mother.
“ May I speak,” the calico tom said softly.
“ By all means,” Deuteronomy said.
“ Old Deuteronomy, Patches, I have news of Tinsletoot, your mother,” he said looking to his sister, “ and your sister,” he said now looking at his uncle. He swallowed hard before continuing.
“ She is going to have to be put down.” Patchabie screamed in terror, which fixed every elder’s eyes on her. Old Deuteronomy simply bowed his head.
“ It can’t be true, it just can’t!!” Patch screamed. “ Not Momma. Oh, Momma.” Patchabie buried her face in her brother’s chest and cried her heart out. Old Deuteronomy, who had tears running down his wrinkled cheeks also asked,
“ When, my son, will she be put down?”
“ Tomorrow. They said she was getting too old, and weak. Also she has some illness, that they can’t treat,” Checks choked. Old Deuteronomy simply nodded, and wiped his cheeks. Checkatie began to lick his sobbing sister’s ears as hot tears began to slide down his own face. This was going to be a tough time for the trio.
“ What is it?” the sleek red queen asked.
“ Something’s not right, Patchabie’s hurt,” Marolene said, and Bom looked to her in horror.
“ Hurt, how. Is it Macavity’s henchcats,” she hissed and laid her ears flat against her head.
“ No,” Marolene said softly, “ She’s been crushed emotionally.” Bombalurina’s glare, now turned to a look of sympathy.
“ How do you know this?” Bom asked, which shook the grey queen.
“ I don’t know, I guess we have some sort of connection like the twins do.” Bom nuzzled against Marolene, and asked,
“ Will she be alright?”
“ I don’t know?” was all Marolene could say before she began to cry also, for she had received the reason why her best friend was hurt, and it hurt her deeply also. Bom pulled the young queen to her.
“ It will be okay.”
“ Do you feel better now?” Checks asked after he’d dried his own face. Patch slowly nodded, but she was lying. She was never going to see her mother again, and there was nothing she could do about it, unless—
“ Uncle Deuteronomy, we have to go now, we’ll be back later, ok?” Patch asked, for she had gotten an idea of how she could see her mother again. Old D nodded, and sighed. Patch grabbed her brother’s paw and yanked him off the wall.
“ Hey, what are you doing?” he asked confused.
“ To test an idea,” the slim calico said gripping his paw tighter and running faster than she’d ever run before to the Junk Yard.
“ Misto, I, we need your help,” Patchabie gasped. Misto looked to her confused,
“ What for?”
“ Well, you did bring back my uncle from Macavity’s clutches the Ball before last, right?” Patch asked hopeful.
“ Yes, why?” the black and white tom yawned as Joqui nuzzled against him in her sleep.
“ Well, our mother is going to be put to sleep tomorrow, and I’d like to see her again before it happens,” Patch said very softly. Misto’s eyes opened wide, and pain filled them. He hadn’t gotten to say good-bye to his mom either, before she died, or disappeared. He didn’t know what happened to her. Slowly, he nodded.
“ Good, now get up. I think Uncle Deuteronomy would like to see her also,” Patchy said grabbing the magical cat’s paws and pulling him to his feet.
“ Woah, wait. What about them, who’s gonna watch them for me?”
“ I will,” Maro’s soft voice said from behind him.
“ No you won’t, because you’re coming with us,” Patch said as she walked over to hug her best friend. “ Have you been crying?” the slim calico asked, when she saw her friend’s red rimmed eyes. Maro nodded, and said quietly,
“ I’ll tell you later.”
“ Um, that still leaves us with them. Who’s going to watch them?”
“ I’ll watch the little dears for you,” Jenny said coming up to the small group.
“ Thanks Momma Jen,” Misto smiled.
“ Okay, now all we have to do is find Munkustrap and be on our way,” Patchabie said, and started off.
“ Just a minute,” Checkatie said placing a paw on his sister’s tail, “ What do we need him for?”
“ Well, he is our cousin, don’t you think he’d like to see his aunt before she’s gone?” Patch scoffed.
“ I suppose you’re right,” Check said letting off of her tail.
“ Alright then, let’s go find Munku, so we can get going,” Maro said. Patch smiled at her friend.
“ You heard her, let’s go!!” Patch said backing up her best friend. The small group obliged and set off after the queens.
“ Um, excuse me, Cousin Munk,” Patch said interrupting him. He looked to her and smiled,
“ What can I do for you ladies?”
“ Hey, that’s not fair, we was talking to you first!!” Sootaput cried.
“ That’s okay, I’ll talk with you two some more later, I promise,” Munku said to the kittens. Sootaput pouted, but Vici took her in her mouth and walked off.
“ Thanks Munku,” Maro said.
“ Now, what do you want?”
“ Cousin Munk, I have some bad news, would you like to escort us,” Patch said motioning to herself, Marolene, and the two toms behind her, “ to the Vicarage Wall?” The large grey tabby nodded, and walked with the queens to the toms.
“ Um, Patch, I don’t believe we’ve met?” Munkustrap said looking to Checkatie.
“ Oh, I’m sorry. Cousin Munk this is my twin brother Checkatie.”
“ Nice to meet you,” Munku said extending a paw to the calico tom.
“ Likewise,” Checkatie said placing his paw in Munku’s.
“ Alright, now that we’ve been introduced, can we go now?” Patch whined.
“ Yes, we can go,” Misto said, and transported them all to the Vicarage Wall.
“ Oh, back so soon,” he said wiping tears from his cheeks. Munku was pained to see his father crying, and walked over to him, and nuzzled him. Now he knew that this was serious.
“ Yes, we brought Misto, with us, so he could transport Momma here,” Patch said as she grabbed Misto’s hand. The old tom simply nodded, and leaned on his son. Maro turned to Misto.
“ It’s all up to you now,” she said softly to the magical cat.
“ What did you say your mother’s name is,” he asked Patch.
“ Tinsletoot,” Checkatie replied, before Patch could.
“ Thanks,” Mistoffelees said, then he began to say some magical words, pausing only to say, “ Everyone join paws and close your eyes.” They did what they were told, and the black and white tom continued. Soon, a very tiny and very weak calico was in the middle of the circle. Once Misto felt her presence he let go of Patchy’s and Checks’ paws as a sign that they could open their eyes now. All the cats did. They all gasped, except for Checks, at the sickly cat before them.
“ Momma?” Patch said walking over to the frail calico.
“ P-p-patcha-a-ab-b-bie?” Tinsletoot said weakly.
“ She’s weaker than Gus was, before we sent him to the Layer,” Munkustrap thought to himself. Patchy nuzzled her mom, crying her heart out once more. Tinsletoot surveyed the cats around her, and her eyes filled with hot tears when she looked her brother in the face.
“ Deuteronomy.” The old grey tom smiled through his own tears as he said shakily,
“ Hello Tinsletoot.” The old calico proceeded to her brother her children helping her. When she sat before him, he wrapped his huge arms around her tiny body, and pulled her close. She began to sob uncontrollably into her brother’s chest. Maro was holding Patchabie close as she also sobbed uncontrollably into her best friend’s shoulder.
“ I have missed you so,” Old Deuteronomy said as the tears poured down his cheeks. Misto began to cry at the thought of his own parents, and turned away from the group, but Munkustrap embraced the younger tom. All of the cats were crying, for this brought back so many separate memories to the cats. Patchabie and Checkatie’s memories were of growing up with just their mom, never knowing their father. Marolene cried when she thought about her parents getting killed by Macavity. Munkustrap cried, for he was finally able to forgive his mother Grizabella for running out on him, when he was just a baby, and Old Deuteronomy was weeping, for the loss of not just his sister, but his best friend. Tinsletoot let go of her brother and turned to her children.
“ I have something to tell you. It’s about your father,” Patchabie and Checkatie ceased crying for the moment, as Tinsletoot continued. “ Your father was Cat Morgan.” Marolene’s jaw dropped as well as Patchabie’s. They looked to each other, and squealed with glee, as they hugged each other tighter.
“ We’re sisters, and you’re Checkatie’s sister,” Patch laughed, but stopped cold when her mother’s body hit the wall hard. She had passed out. Munkustrap went to her side and checked to see if she was still alive, she was.
“ Misto, transport us to Jenny’s oven NOW!!” Munkustrap screamed.
“ I-I-I I can’t, I used up all of my powers transporting us here, as well as Tinsletoot,” Misto said backing away from the enraged tabby.
“ I’ll do it,” Old Deuteronomy said, shocking the group.
“ You have magical powers?” Mistoffelees asked.
“ Only for emergencies can I use them.” With that Old Deuteronomy transported all of them to Jenny’s oven. Once inside, Munkustrap and Mistoffelees took off to find Jenny and Jellylorum. For Tinsletoot was slipping fast.
“ Oh, my gracious. The poor dear,” she heard Jenny say.
“ Well, we have got our work cut out for us, don’t we?” Jelly replied sadly. Jemima decided to investigate. Slowly she walked up to the door of the oven and peeked inside. She saw Patchabie clinging to Checkatie, and Maro hugging her around her waist. Then she saw Tinsletoot. The weak calico made her gasp loudly, which quickly brought attention to herself.
“ What are you doing here?” Munku asked her.
“ Well, I kinda followed you here,” she stammered. Misto came up to her then. “What’s going on in there?” she asked her eyes wide.
“ That is Patchabie’s mom you saw. She’s dying,” Misto said hugging her.
“ Oh, poor Patch. Do you think Jelly and Jenny will be able to help her?” Jem asked hugging her mate tighter. Before Misto could answer her, Jelly was shooing all of the other cats out except for Old Deuteronomy.
“ We’ll know later,” Misto sighed. Jem sighed also, then went to give Patchabie a hug. Patch embraced the small queen, and cried on her shoulder.
“ Shhh, it will be alright, you’ll see,” Jems said stroking the back of Patch’s head.
“ That’s what we’ve been telling her,” Checkatie said.
“ And you are---?” Jems asked glaring at the calico male in front of her.
“ Checkatie, her twin brother,” he hissed back.
“ Hey, now there’s no need to be fightin’,” Maro said to the both of them. Patch pushed away from Jemima and ran off. All she wanted was to be alone, with Quaxo.
“ Do you really think Aunt Tinsle is going to make it?” Maro sighed.
“ I don’t know,” Checkatie said softly.
“ We’ll know soon enough,” Munku said.
“ Wait, did you say ‘Aunt Tinsletoot’?” Jems asked confused. Maro nodded her head. “Then that means that you guys are related,” Jems said still confused.
“ We just found out that we’re sisters,” Maro said smiling, for her best friend turned out to be her very own sister.
“ Well, half sisters,” Checkatie said correcting the grey queen. “ You see, our father was Cat Morgan, which was Maro’s dad, but she had a different mother.”
“ Oh, I see,” Jems said as Misto rubbed against her.
“ I need to talk to you,” he whispered to her, so that no one else heard. She nodded, and they bid the three of them good-bye.
“ Well, I’m going to go find the twins,” Maro said, and left Munkustrap and Checkatie by themselves.
“ I guess we should get to know each other better,” Munku suggested to the tom that was a little smaller than him. Checkatie nodded.
“ Where do you want to start?”
