The Junkyard was in uproar. No one could decide where to be. On patrole or in for a meeting? Bengals and Jellicles scampered to and fro until Deuteronomy and Tibalt just called EVERYONE to a meeting. Heaviside willing Macavity would be to busy planning the war to attack the junkyard that morning.
The clearing was packed, Bengals and Jellicles sat side by side discussing the coming war. Deuteronomy sat on the tire with Munkustrap seated below him. Tibalt sat on the top of the trunk with Tadality, Jwata and Ronaloo in the trunk below him.
“Enough!” Tibalt yelled, scaring the cats into silence. “We have very little time! Be quiet and let us get you to work!” With that he nodded to Munkustrap to begin the meeting.
“Macavity had announced ‘no rules’ so we expect he intends to use every trick in the book. We’re hoping you might be able to come up woth your own tricks.” The cats before him looked up at the sky or down at the ground in feirce concentration.
Enigmatat suddenly perked up and began bouncing around beside Mistoffelees waving a paw in the air. Munkustrap nodded to her to speak. “They said ‘all cats welcome’ right?” she asked, at an affirmative nod she began searching the crowd. “Where’s Skimble?” The orange cat waved from the center of the crowd between Jellylorum and a Bengal. “When is the next train to our Jellicle tribe?”
“About an hour. At nine.” he responded with a puzzeled look on his face.
“And when does it get back?”
“Around two.”
“Can we send some cats up there to see if any of our Jellicles will come to help?”
Munkustrap looked thoughtful. “It just may work.” he said at last.
“There is a pride of Bengals up there too, if I know where you come from. Perhaps they could lend a paw as well.” Tadality agreed.
Enigmatat glowed while Mistoffelees purred and rubbed up against her. Amyflit appeared just below Munkustrap from inside the pipe. She looked at Munkustrap and he nodded for her to speak, guessing her mind.
“I have someone who wants to help but he’s afraid you’ll turn him away. He may also be able to persuade some of Macavity’s cats to join our side.” she announced.
“Any ally is welcome in a time of war, Amyflit.” Deuteronomy reasured her. She nodded and motioned for some thing inside the pipe to come out. Slowly, with very careful steps the silver and black spotted Mau emereged. He was tall and lean and his coat shone in the dawn’s light. The Bengals that could see him drew in their breaths but stayed silent. Munkustrap wondered what about this cat so amazed them.
“Toby?” came the amazed voice of Tibalt.
Toby leapt ontop of the pipe, more Bengals drew in breaths when they got a look at him. Flattening his ears he bowed to Deuteronomy and Munkustrap. “I wish to join your cause.” he said simply.
“Toby Night-Stalker.” came Jwata’s tired voice. “A hunter in the night. A killer of souls. Said to be the best warrior in a tribe lead by the evil Maddison. It’s whispered the best warrior in all of Macavity’s army.”
Even Amyflit seemed surprised by this. Toby had not looked up, he just waited.
“Rise Toby.” Deuteronomy said quietly. Toby stood and looked up at the old cat. “Is it true some of Macavity’s cats may join us with your help?” Toby nodded. “Will you fight for us and no others?” Toby nodded again. “Then you are welcome.”
Toby seemed releived as he hopped off the pipe to sit next to Amyflit just inside the pipe.
Tumblebrutus’ paw shot up and he waved it around to be seen. Munkustrap nodded to him and he stood up. “I have some friends who would probably love to lend a paw, but we need a symbole to show who not to attack, and who to attack.”
“What about war paint like in those Indian movies?” Electra called.
Tumble chewed his lower lip. “My friends are kind of color blind.” he told her.
“What about ribbons tied to our tails?” Jenny asked. “Me and my mice could get those made very easily!”
“That would work!” Tumble grinned. “One more thing. I need help getting them out of thier houses.”
Munkustrap raised a furry brow. Tumble wasn’t being very specific but they needed all the help they could get. “Take Mungo and Rumple when you go to get your friends.” Tumble nodded and sat down.
“I’m worried.” Tadality announced. “He said ‘all cats welcome.’ What is he doing with his rats?”
“What if he tries to take over the junkyard whie we are gone?” Admetus agreed.
Tibalt grinned evily, “We’ll booby trap the junkyard.”
Tad pointed at a margerine container in the center of him modle. “That’s your magic tire. We’ll station the younger kittens there to act as look-outs. Hopefully we can get Deuter to raise it for you so they’ll be a little safer. Now this square magnet in the center of your main clearing is a storm drain the rats will probably try to get up. We intend on surrounding the drain with mouse traps. Havn’t met a rat alive that isn’t afraid of mouse traps. There are two loose boards located here and here.” he pointed attt two stones on either side of his modle. “We will set spring traps on our side of the fence so the rats will hopefully spring themselves to next Tuesday. There is one last place where they might attempt to get in. Now this is the fun part. See this peice of wood?” he pointed to a small chunk of wood on the other side of the junkyard modle from the main clearing. “This is a pipe that the rats like to climb up to get into your junkyard. they tend to push the board up and poke thier noses out to smell for cats. What I intend to do is set-up two ladders that two cats on gaurd can leap off of and smash the rats noses if they try and get up there.”
“What happens if they find another way in?” Demeter asked carefully.
“Then you’re on your own.”
“What are you doing?” Cori asked her.
“Stretching.” she replied simply.
“You arn’t coming...” he began but was silenced with a mental smack from his sister.
“What good would I be here Cori? Sitting around, watching you fight with no way to help? I’d go mad. You know that.”
Cori was startled by her sudden out burst. Tantomile was the quiet type but he knew how angry she could get. Without another word he pulled her to him while she wept in his chest fur. They were both scared, everyone was.
Misto appeared beside Jenny and asked for his own ribbons. When they were tied to his tail he spotted Tat walking off with her own set of ribbons. Misto ran to catch up to her and placed a paw on her shoulder. “Why are you wearing ribbons?” he asked quietly.
“I’m gonna gaurd your tail, lightning bug.” she responded curtly.
“Oh no you’re not. You’re going to stay and gaurd the junkyard.”
Enigmatat frowned. “I will not sit around here and hope you and the others are coming home in one peice. Besides, I saved your tail once, Christmas tree boy, I intend to do it again!”
The two small cats walked off bickering about who was going to save whom and Jenny smiled.
Jellylorum walked by. “He’s hansome, quiet, brave, and probably vary loyal.” she told him.
“Thank you Anne Landers!” he thwuped the older cat.
Bombalurina walked by with a bundle of sharp sticks made of wood and metal. Tugger walked yp behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Would you like me more if I was quiet and loyal?” he asked.
Bomby smiled and turned so they were nose to nose. “I like you just the way you are.” she grinned then tripped hiim. While he lay sprawled in the dust she walked off and made her tail wave in a ‘come hither’ way. Tugger growled playfully and chased off after the female.
Deuteronomy nodded to Munkustrap who climbed ontop of the tire beside him to begin the meeting. Jemima glanced at the old Ford and found Tibalt, Tadality, and Ronaloo seated on the closed trunk looking solumn yet ready to fight.
“Cats!” Munkus began. “We welcome our new allies! The Bengals from up North!” The Bengals nodded to him. “The Jellicles from up North!” A large black and white male nodded from the front of the small group. “And the siames who Cassandra convinced to lend a paw!” A female and the front of the group did a familier hand motion and Jemima recognised her to be Cassandra. “The time draws near for us to head for the battle ground. the Northern Bengals have brought some items that they are willing to share with the rest of us. different items of armor to stop Macavity’s teeth from sinking in. You will collect these after the meeting.” Again Munkus nodded to the group of Bengals that happily displayed several strange peices of metal. “Tumble will breif his allies and bring them to the battle feild when he gets a chance.” Tumble nodded from where he sat with Mungo and Rumple. “Now, Where’s Toby?”
“Here.” came the reply from within the pipe.
Munkus raised a furry brow when Toby didn’t emerge but didn’t remark on it. “You sure some of your friends will join us?”
“It’s my tribe.” Toby responded firmly.
Munkus shook his head, not bothering to find out what the Mau meant. He turned to Tibalt and nodded.
Tadality spoke while Tibalt was gradually loosing the battle to keep his mask of indifference. “As you all know we lost Jwata, our Alpha female to the fever this morning. First we’d like to enact a moment of silence to honor her memory.” All the cats gathered bowed thie rhead in mourning until Tad began again. “Tibalt, myself, and Ronaloo would likle to make a request. We’d like to dedicate this battle to Jwata.”
Every cat assembled nodded enthusiasticly and Ronaloo smiled and shouted, “For Jwata!”
The cats smiled back and chanted with the kitten. “Jwata! Jwata! Jwata!”
*** Munkustrap wandered the junkyard inspecting the various booby traps Tadality and the leader of the Northern Jellicles devised. He stopped to look at a spring divice when he heard someone running towards him. He turned his head to see Toby running towards him, fur on end, claws extended. “Traitor! He’s going to kill me!” Munkus’ mind screamed as his own claws came out.
Toby leapt into the air and Munkus braced for the impact that never came. Toby sailed over his head and embedded his claws into a mangy brown cats rib cage. Toby dealt the unknown cat a swift slash to the throat then turned to Munku. “You sure I wasn’t sent to look after you?” he smiled slightly. “I didn’t like him anyways. He wasn’t right...in the head.”
Munkustrap watched him walk away then looked up at the sky where the moon was beginning to rise, with large and frightened eyes.
“Because it’s a secret.” Tuble replied simply.
“No use buggin’ ‘im luv. ‘e won’t tell us.” Rumpleteazer smiled at Mungo.
“Here we are. C’mon you two!” Tuble laughed at the pair and climbed over a fence into someone’s back yard.
Mungo and Rumple exchanged glances then climbed up behind the kitten. As they topped the fence they watched Tumble walk nonchalontly across the grass. They jumped carefully down into the yard and followed him, not liking the scent of this place.
As they neared the back door to the house a rumbling growl came from the doggy door as a monsterous boxer emerged and ran towards them. Mungo and Rumple froze like deer in headlights.
So now they were engaged in a fight of which worked better, the conjuring turn, or a toe to ear hand swoosh.
“I beg to differ, Sunseri. The turn gives you less of a chance of getting tackled by the enemy.” Misto told the larger male.
“However, the swoosh allows you to immidiatly point and shoot without having to find a balanced position again.” Sunseri countered.
“Misto! Time to go!” Tugger called.
“We’ll talk later. “ Misto said and ran off after Rum Tum.
“Sunseri? We need your help fixing one of the spring traps.” the Northern Jellicle heard a small white female call and he ran off to follow her.
“They arn’t going to show.” Wileysnark grumbled and rolled onto his back to look at the stars.
“They’ll come.” Macavity snarled while Sootaput turned to burn off a couple of his whiskers to proove her ‘uncles’ point.
“You’re sure this will be breif? I don’t want to be here when the people come.” a large gray cat below Macavity asked.
“It should be short. The Jellicles have not been fighters for generations and two days isn’t enough time to learn.” Macavity replied with a lopsided smirk.
“The Bengals will be something of a problem.” a frizzle haired cream cat announced.
“My fighters couldbeat the bengals, paws down!” a grimy brown cat said proudly.
“Don’t be so sure of yourself, Madison.” Vendartin hissed.
Madison glanced up at the siamese then looked at Macavity whose attention was drawn to the feild as his overshot grin grew to a sadistic smile.
All eyes turned to the hill as a lone figure appeared. The cat stopped at the top of the hill and survayed Macavity’s forces.
“Munkustrap.” Macavity hissed through his teeth as he recognised the all to familier gray and black tabby.
Two darker, leaner cats appeared and stood beside the Jellicle. “Tibalt and Tadality.” Wileysnark smirked, amazed the Bengals would risk thier tails for a kitten.
A white cat with black stockings and tail mounted the hill to stand just back of Tadality.
“Who’s that?” Sootaput asked.
“I don’t know.” Macavity replied, standing to get a better look at the cat.
“It’s a Jellicle.” remarked the grey leader.
“I’ve never seen that one before.” agreed the creme leader.
“Shut up. Both of you. Who cares who it is! Lamb before the slaughter!” Madison snarled.
A tall silver cat mounted the hill and looked down at Macavity’s army. A whisper spread through Macavity’s forces as the cat was recognised. When Madison heard the whisper he leapt up and hit his head on the top of the tire he’d been laying in. “WHAT?!”
“Madison...” came Macavity’s threatening voice. “He’d better be on that side of the feild because you placed him there as a spy.”
Sootaput purred down at Madison and grinned. “I don’t think so Uncle. I think that cats on the Jellicle side.” she smirked, delighting in the fact Madison would probably be clawed to ribbons in the near future. “So who is it?”
“Toby Night-Stalker.” Vendartin told the younger kitten.
A small gray and white tabby stalked magesticly onto the hill and survayed the feild. “It’s that strange female!” Wileysnark shuddered. Abruptly the female’s tail was grabbed by a black sparkly paw and she was dragged back down the hill.
“We’re sopposed to wait till they tell us to come up!” he growled at her, then gave her a funny look. “What’s with the paint?” he asked, pointing at the blur ink covering half her face.
Enigmatat grinned. “War paint!”
“Toby Night-Stalker” Tadality replied calmly.
The Jellicle scoffed. “No way. Toby Night-Stalker is larger then the Rumpus Cat!”
“Aye!” came Engimatat’s voice as she spoke to the cats awaitng thier turn to mount the battle feild. “The Night-Stalker you know could level this entire army with one hairball, shoots fireballs from his eyes and lightning from his arse!” Toby’s ears flicked back and he closed his eyes, shaking his head. “He IS Toby Night-Stalker!” she finnished.
“Tumble!” Munkustrap said quietly as the cat came up behind him. “Hold your freinds back. Toby has an idea.” Tumble nodded and disapeared again.
*** “Madison...If we wern’t at war, and I didn’t think the Jellicles are going to carve thier names into your hide, I’d do it my self. Get your pride ready, they’re going to the front.”
Madison cringed and disapeared to find his pride.
“Madisons! Forward!” Madison called and his fighters jumped forward.
“Daffy bastard named his tribe after himself!” Tadality muttered.
Tibalt stifled a chuckle as he watched Madison mount the feild behind his fighters.
“Go!” the two leaders screamed.
Munku, Tibalt, Tad, Toby and the black and white Northern Jellicle charged forward, thier army’s close on thier heels. Madison’s tribe surged forward while Madison sat down to watch. In complete silence the two armies charged at eachother, grim determination set on thier faces. As the two armies neared Toby manuvered himself to the front to face his former tribemates.
Macavity smirked as the two forces were about to meet, the carnage would soon begin.
Abruptly both forces stopped. Madison stood up, wondering what invisible force feild had halted the charge. For a few breathless seconds the opposing army’s simply looked at eachother. Sheathing thier claws the two army’s walked together and began greeting eachother with friendly paw shakes and purrs of “Hey!” and “How you doin?”
Toby poked Munkustrap on the shoulder and the Jellicle turned to face the Mau. Toby had a huge smile on his face. “I told you it was my tribe!”
Madison stood in complete shock. His own tribe had turned against him. A deep rumble came from behind him and he turned to find several hench cats standing there, snarling. Madison hissed and ran to the tire castle to stand below Macavity.
“It was not my fault! I never knew!” he screamed at the ginger cat.
Macavity smirked down at the cat who trembled.
“Father...” Macavity heard Vendartin’s strained hiss. Pulling his attention from the traitor to the feild he looked up at the Jellicle army. They’d returned to the hill with the Madisons and gazed down at Macavity’s army as huge dark shapes clambered over the hill to stand around the cats.
“Are those whatI think they are?” the gray cat asked quietly.
“Pollicles...” Wileysnark answered.
Dogs of various breeds and sizes smiled wickedly as they waited to be set loose on Macavity’s cats.
“This is suicide! They out number us in numbers and strength!” the gray cat snarled.
“Shut up, Nicodeemus! What they have in numbers we match in skill!” Macavity hissed at the gray cat. “Besides. My rats will soon flood thier precious junkyard and they will be lost!”
