The cat licked the tiny bundle of black fur. She placed the kitten on the ground, and curled around it. A red and black cat walked into the room, and stood over the waking kitten. “Well, BlackShadow?” the male cat growled, he poked the kitten with a paw.
“It’s a girl, Macavity.” The one he called BlackShadow replied, as she blinked up at him.
“A girl?! What do I do with a girl kitten?!” Macavity snarled. The female kitten rubbed his paw with her tiny head, and he smiled. “Well, she may be useful.” He said, as he turned and headed off, leaving BlackShadow and the new kitten behind.
“Macavity, what are you thinking?” BlackShadow thought to herself, as the kitten looked for a place to sleep. “Well, little kitten, you need a name, but I think that your father should pick it out. What do you think of that?” She asked the kitten. The kitten merely meowed at her, then closed her eyes and slept.
Six months later:
“Nightshade, come to me.” Macavity snarled, and a single female cat appeared. The cat was solid black, with white paws and the tip of her tail. There was a solid red line running down her back.
“You called for me father?” She asked, as she crossed the room towards him.
“Yes, I did. Your training begins today.” Macavity said, as she silently slid up next to him.
“Training?” She asked.
“Yes, your training.” He finished. “You are to be trained, you may have inherited my powers of disappearance, and your mother’s healing ability. We have to get you ready.”
“Yes, I understand, father.” She replied, “what do I do first?” she asked, as she looked up at her father.
“You will need to train your fighting ability. HATI! Get in here!” He snarled as another cat walked in, this one was large and mean looking.
“You called for me, Master?” He asked, his voice gravelly.
“Yes. Train my daughter in her fighting ability, but don’t hurt her, or I’ll kill you. Do you understand?”
“Of course. Nightshade, if you’ll come with me, please.” Hati said, as she followed behind him.
Over the next couple of months her training intensified. She learned to make her body completely invisible, and learned the art of healing from her mother. She had grown even more, her body lean, but muscular. She was light on her feet, and had even earned a new nickname. They called her ‘Deadly Nightshade’.
She learned how to fight, and use her opponent’s weight to her advantage, and one day, she went to her father. “When will I get to leave this place, and see what’s outside, father?” She asked.
“Today. Go outside, and look around. Do not speak to anyone. Come back in a few hours. Do you understand me, daughter?”
“Yes, father.” She replied, as she practically ran to her mother to tell her the news. “Mama, he’s letting me go out today!” She said.
“Be careful, Nightshade.” Her mother replied, as she turned over and slept.
“Mama, are you alright?” She asked, concern in her voice.
“Just tired, my child.” BlackShadow replied. “Go now.”
Nightshade walked into the bright sunlight, and blinked. She was so used to the dark. She blinked a few more times to get used to the light, and then padded off. She walked through Victoria Grove, and Tottenham Court, and passed by the Vicarage Wall. Unnoticed, Hati followed Nightshade at a distance.
Old Deuteronomy had been sleeping soundly, when he heard her coming. He opened his eyes and watched the sleek black cat walk by. He noticed the red stripe on her back, he watched her as she went by.
Nightshade felt someone watching her, and turned around. All she saw was an old cat. “Hmph. He’s nobody.” She snarled, as she turned away. Thinking hard, she vanished...
Old Deuteronomy watched her, as she disappeared. “She’s special in some way, I will have to tell Munkustrap to keep an eye out for her, I’ve never seen her before.” As soon as the Jellicle leader thought of Munkustrap, he appeared.
Munkustrap approached the Vicarage wall, his black and silver fur glistening in the sunlight. He leapt up next to the Jellicle leader, and sat next to him. “You look deep in thought.” He remarked.
“I was, I just saw a new cat. Unusual coloring.” He replied, “so what brings you to me today, Munkustrap?”
“I just wanted to see how you were feeling. Who is the new cat?”
“I’m not sure, she was interesting though.” Deuteronomy replied, as he stared at the place where she had disappeared. “Will you keep an eye out for her, especially around the junkyard.”
“Of course.” Munkustrap replied, as the two of them gazed out at the people walking by.
When Nightshade returned, Macavity was angry. She could hear him yelling at Hati all the way outside. “WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LOST HER?!” He was shouting, Nightshade ran in at this.
“What’s going on?” She asked, as she stopped near Hati.
“Where have you been?” He snarled at her.
“You gave me permission to go out, why did you have me followed?”
“That is none of your concern, where did you go?” He asked.
“By the Vicarage Wall. This cat was watching me, I made myself invisible and came back here.” Nightshade replied.
“Did this cat see you turn invisible?”
“No, father.” She said. “At least I don’t think he did.” She thought.
“Go to your mother. She’s sick.” Macavity said, and Nightshade ran to her mother’s side.
“Mama?” she asked.
“Nightshade. You’ve returned.”
“Are you alright?”
“I’m just tired, child. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” BlackShadow said, as she closed her eyes. Nightshade sighed, and curled up next to her mother, soon she slept.
A year after Nightshade’s birth:
“Mama, I’m a year today.” Nightshade said, as she nuzzled her mother lovingly.
“Yes, I know.” Her mother replied, then she shivered.
“Mama, let me use my powers to help you.”
“NIGHTSHADE!” Macavity snarled.
“No, it will soon be my time to depart this life.” BlackShadow said. “Go to your father.”
“Yes, mama.” Nightshade replied, as she rose gracefully and went to her father. “You called me father?” She asked, as she approached her father.
“Yes, tonight, you will come with me. We are going to kill someone tonight, it’s time you learned why your father is so feared.”
“Who is it, father? Why are we doing this?” She asked.
“You dare to question my orders?!” Macavity snarled at her, drawing back his paw, and unsheathing his claws.
“Don’t hit her, Macavity!” A voice shouted. Both Nightshade and Macavity turned at the sound. BlackShadow stood there. Her fur was hanging off her body in folds.
“Mama?”
“I’ll kill you.” She snarled at him. With the last of her energy, she launched herself at Macavity. He caught her in a paw, and held her high in the air.
“Let her go!” Nightshade snarled, as she looked at her father, with a new light in her eyes, hatred.
“This is what I do, my daughter, to those who would betray me.” He said, as he slashed BlackShadow across the throat. The blood splattered Nightshade, but she didn’t notice.
In her eyes the next few seconds passed in slow motion. She saw her mother’s body falling to the ground. She ran to her mother’s side. “Mama?” She sniffled.
“Don’t cry, Nightshade. Just go, get out now, he’ll kill you. I love you. I have always loved you.....” She said, on her last breath and she died in her daughter’s loving embrace.
“Let’s go.” Macavity said, as he held out a paw to Nightshade.
“No.” She replied.
“No?” He questioned, as if to say, ‘don’t be stupid.’
“NO!” She snarled. “You killed her, my mother. I loved her, you brute. She was only trying to protect me, and you killed her. I hate you.” She said.
“Good, go on hating me little one. Just come with me.” He said, as he looked at her. His paw reaching for her...Suddenly, her paw lashed out, catching him, and drawing blood.
“NO!” She hissed, as she turned and ran for her life.
Macavity’s henchmen were ready to go after her and drag her back, when Macavity held up a single paw. “She’ll be back, she has nowhere else to go.”
To be continued...
