"Listen, Deuteronomy, I’m not even sure if the ginger devil’s still alive anymore," argued Skinnamalinker, her marbled tail whisking back and forth with irritation. "Why d’you want to know about Maryaridi, anyway?"
He sighed, drawing his fluffy tail around his hindquarters. "One of our kittens is missing, and it seems the sort of thing he would do." His yellow eyes were sorrowful and pleading. "Please, ‘Linker, I’m asking you as a friend."
Her gaze did not soften. "Deuteronomy, I don’t know anything about Maryaridi, and by the time I could contact my connections, the poor kitten could be long dead."
"Dead? Don’t say that, ‘Linker," said Deuteronomy. He racked his brains, but could think of nothing she would want. Skinnamalinker was no Grizabella, so promises of toms would not work on her. He sighed again. "’Linker, for the kitten’s sake…"
"I don’t know anything about Maryaridi! As for the kitten, I’m sorry, but I don’t know her personally so…" She was cut off by Deuteronomy’s triumphant laugh.
"Ah, so you know it’s a queen, eh? I don’t seem to remember mentioning the gender…okay, ‘Linker, you’ve spilled some beans, now spill the rest," challenged Deuteronomy, unable to hide his smile.
Skinnamalinker cursed herself for mentioning the kitten’s gender. "Fine, Jellicle," she hissed, angry for revealing that she knew what she pretended not to. "A few nights ago, a pair of cats—one tom, one queen—made off with a Jellicle kitten named Demeter on Maryaridi’s orders. That answer your question?"
Deuteronomy nodded slowly. "Yes, that should be all I need to know…" He paused. "Wait a minute. How do I find Maryaridi’s lair?"
The mottled queen sighed. "You’re asking a lot, aren’t you? News of Maryaridi and kidnapped kittens, now you wanna know where his lair is? What’re you going to do, Deuteronomy, if I may be so bold as to ask? March right in and snatch Demeter out from under his nose?"
"’Linker," said Deuteronomy. "Tell me where his lair is."
The older kitten shuffled his paws for a few minutes before he ran his toungue swiftly along his lips. "Um, hello, Miss…"
Jellylorum shook herself quickly, her manners taking over now. "Jellylorum. I’m Jellylorum." The other cat smiled gratefully.
"Jellylorum…it’s a nice name. I’m Asparagus, and this is my brother, Admetus," he explained. Admetus nodded his head in a hyperactive manner, drumming his paws impatiently against the ground.
"Admetus and…Asparagus?" Jellylorum’s eyes narrowed. "Any connection to Gus the Theatre Cat, by any chance?"
Asparagus shook his head. "No, but Mother said she admired him as an actor, and she named me after him. Why, do you know him?"
"Know him! He’s my father!" laughed Jellylorum. The male kitten smiled in a slightly embarrassed manner.
"Well, I’d say that counts as knowing him, wouldn’t you, ‘Metus?" Asparagus said, turning towards his younger brother.
Admetus wasn’t in the mood for small talk. "’Spaaaaaragus…I wanna play."
With a quick nod, Asparagus turned back to Jellylorum. "Well, you heard the little stinker. He’d much rather run around yowling his head off than talk…would you like to join us?"
Jellylorum stretched her forelegs and winked. "Just you try and stop me…"
As she and Mungojerrie entered the room behind Hortensio, Rumpelteazer couldn’t help noticing that it was very much like the one they had recently left. The number of cat toys littering the floor was significantly less, and in one corner was a mattress, strewn with old blankets and a few towels, but it was more or less the same. The tabby female couldn’t help wondering if there were any different rooms in this place. From what she had seen so far, the answer was no.
The brown tomcat crossed the room swiftly and clambered onto the mattress, settling down on top of a faded blue blanket, working his claws through the fabric. He turned back towards the kittens, cocking his head to one side. "You can come over here, y’know, I won’t bite…"
Taking him at his word, Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer made their way over, scrambling up on the mattress alongside Hortensio. The trio was silent for a few minutes, shifting around to locate a more comfortable position, pausing to give a paw or tail a quick wash, and shifting some more.
Of course, by the time they had settled down and were content with their places, there was a light scratching at the door. Hortensio growled softly, annoyed with the interruption, but made no move to prevent whoever was outside from entering. A delicate white paw inched its way through the crack and managed to push the door open a little further before sliding sinuously inside.
Hortensio made no move to conceal his evident dislike for the feline who stood before him. "Tsrudakire. What do you want?"
She gave him a disarming smile as Fred slunk in behind her. "Why, Hortensio, whatever is the matter?…"
A low snarl escaped the tomcat’s throat. "’Srudi, Macavity’s not here. I don’t have to pretend I don’t see through that idiot super-sweet-phoney act of yours, because I do." He raised himself up to a sitting position. "So cut the crap and leave."
Tsrudakire appeared horrified. "Hortensio! What are you saying?"
Hackles bristling, Hortensio stepped off the mattress and onto the floor, facing the other cat. "Get. Out. Now."
Of all the things Tsrudakire might have been, a fighter she was not. She ran her toungue nervously along her lips, then slowly backed away. "Have it your way, Hortensio…but Macavity will hear of this!"
He didn’t move. "Macavity knows I’ve got uses besides reeling in toms, and so I doubt your words, however honey-coated they may be, will have much effect on him, fop! You aren’t even supposed to be here, you’re supposed to be taking Fred to your sleeping area…"
Tsrudakire gave a dramatic sigh, then turned away. "Come on, Fred. We’re going." With a swift lash of her tail, she stalked out in a huff. Fred paused to shrug before following her out.
Hortensio remained where he was until he was sure Tsrudakire had gone and was out of earshot, then burst out laughing. Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer exchanged worried looks at the sight of the tomcat rolling around on the floor as if on catnip, unable to control his snickering fit.
"Erm, ‘Ortensio?" Mungojerrie ventured, eyes widening. "Yew a’right?"
The tomcat sighed happily, getting to his feet. "I think so, Mungo…" He shook his head, smiling. "But that Tsrudakire…such an idiot…I wonder why Macavity trusted her with a trainee. I certainly wouldn’t." With another quick snicker, he climbed back up onto the mattress, resuming his old location.
Rumpelteazer watched cautiously as the tomcat laid his head on his forepaws and slowly fell asleep, then turned to Mungojerrie, whispering as she did, "Did yew see ‘er lookin’ a’ us…?"
vIn the relatively short time-span it took for Tsrudakire to lead Fred away from Hortensio’s room and towards hers, Fred soon tired of her. When she wasn’t complaining about Hortensio’s lack of manners, she was talking of which queens and toms would be best matched come springtime. The kitten found both conversation topics to be stupid and useless, and so Tsrudakire was left to babble on herself.
He should have realized something was wrong when she fell silent for a moment and turned back towards him. Fred licked his lips nervously, tail flitting against the floor.
Tsrudakire smiled, a disarmingly sweet smile that made Fred’s stomach churn. "Now—Fred, wasn’t it?" All she received in response was a sullen nod, but she continued heedless. "Those two kittens with him…do you know them?"
Fred paused. "Whoy?"
She shook her head. "Oh, no reason…" The female was silent for quite some time, then said lightly, "They would be cute, don’t you think?"
It took a few minutes for this to register with Fred. The meaning of the words was lost on him, and he sat there as they sunk in. Once they did, he was horrified. "They’re siblin’s!"
Tsrudakire blinked. "Well, wasn’t that silly of me…" She shook her head. "My, I feel so stupid…come on, Fred."
Tail whisking nervously behind him, the grayish-black kitten slunk behind her. He sensed there was something about her that wasn’t right, something more to her than there seemed to be. What was it Hortensio had said about the ‘super-sweet-phoney’ act? Well, Tsrudakire did behave in such a way, and there was doubtless a method to it. Now, however, was not a time for figuring these things out.
Fred sighed. This certainly was an odd place, full of odd cats. Macavity, the ginger tomcat, who harbored a thinly concealed dislike for his mother and sibling. Aemilia, the reddish-brown queen with a screech that could bend steel. Hortensio, the brown tomcat who had convinced them to go along with this. Meriardi, the black tomcat with a twisted mind. And, of course, Tsrudakire, the altogether too-perfect queen, with a flair for sticking her muzzle where it didn’t belong.
What had he gotten himself into?
If she had been travelling with a companion, Jennyanydots wouldn’t have admitted it to them; but with a companion, she probably wouldn’t have gotten lost. Efficient and motherly as she may have been, she was no pathfinder, and her attempt to find Deuteronomy had only gotten her lost, wandering unfamiliar streets.
"Why doesn’t the Jellicle Leader have the sense to stay where he belongs?" she muttered sullenly, tail lashing furiously. "When I find him, I’ll…"
"Jenny!"
The marmalade queen turned her head suddenly in the direction the voice had come from, and felt slightly relieved. Coming her way was an orange tomcat, striped with ginger, and roughly her own age. There was something reassuring in his glass-green eyes, and she hurried towards him.
"Skimble!" Jennyanydots cried. "What’re you doing here?"
"Ah could ask th’same o’ye," Skimbleshanks replied, studying her critically. "Ah thought ye’d be at th’Junkyard, watching the kits…"
Jennyanydots took a deep breath. "I was, but Bombalurina came into the Junkyard, and…Demeter’s missing. I was looking for Deuteronomy."
"An’ whit was ‘e gone fer?" questioned the tom. "’E’s th’Jellicle Leader, in’t ‘e?"
"I don’t know!" sighed Jennyanydots in exasperation. "He never said!"
Skimbleshanks paused, deep in thought, before answering. "Weel, Gus was performin’ t’day, weren’t ‘e? Mebbe Deuteronomy’s back a’ th’Junkyard wi’ ‘im now."
Jennyanydots snarled under her breath. "I could kick myself…" It seemed so simple now. "Yes, you’re right, Skimble. He’s probably back there now."
"Nae problem…Ah’ll escort ye back. D’ye mind?"
"Not at all, Skimble…I’d like it very much." "Weel, I’tha’ case…c’mon!"
Feeling slightly better about this whole thing, the marmalade queen followed Skimbleshanks, glad to have met someone who knew their way back.
Macavity shifted slightly on the shredded pillow in his audience chamber, wrapping his tail around his hindquarters. "Yes…come in."
"Uh-huh. Thanks for the permission," came a dry voice a little off to his right. The ginger cat allowed himself a thin smile as its owner moved into view.
It was a queen; that much could be told from the slenderness of build. Unlike Tsrudakire, she wasn’t merely delicate; this queen was thin in a more sinister way. Her smooth coat was a medium-brown in color, with thin tendrils of darker brown winding along her sides, back, and flanks. A paler brown, almost beige, colored her chest and undersides. Her eyes were Oriental blue, and seemed bizarrely in place with her form.
The Hidden Paw shifted once more. "Ah, Zanzibar…good to see you."
With a thin smile of her own set on her lips, Zanzibar inclined her head in Macavity’s direction. "I heard there were new kittens for training, and I thought I’d see about fulfilling my role…"
"Well, if you wouldn’t mind starting tomorrow? I’ve assigned them mentors. There are three kittens, but I’m sure you’ve heard already…"
The corners of Zanzibar’s lips twitched upwards a little further. "Of course I have. Let me know when you want me, and I’ll come." With a flit of her tail, she slunk off into the shadows from which she had come, and was gone.
Macavity smiled, eyes narrowed as he stared after her. "I’m sure you’ll know before I do."
Deuteronomy nodded slowly. "I think I understand where…but do you know why?" His yellow eyes radiated worry, tail flicking nervously from side to side. "’Linker?"
The queen gnawed her lip. "Well…" She fidgeted. "I’m not sure about this…"
Snarling low in his throat, the Jellicle Leader glared at her. "’Linker, this is no time to get fluffy and think I’d rather not hear! If you know, tell me!"
Skinnamalinker sighed heavily. "Okay…I’ve heard that Maryaridi took her because his son Macavity was looking for a future mate."
"A mate? Demeter?" Deuteronomy managed to choke out.
"Would you have been better off not knowing?" Skinnamalinker shot back. "You said it was no time to get fluffy! Now you know!"
"We’ve got to go after her…"
"Be serious, Deuteronomy," snapped Skinnamalinker. "One of you—plus that half-grown queen out back—going into Maryaridi’s headquarters, crawling with his fighters. What are the odds of either of you doing Demeter any good?" Her orange eyes blazed like hellfire. "Bet you didn’t consider that…"
Deuteronomy lowered his head. "Well, what do you suggest I do?"
The mottled queen curled her lip in exasperation. "Take Jellylorum back to the Junkyard. Call your Jellicles together. Make a plan…then go rescue Demeter."
With a slightly embarrassed smile, the Jellicle Leader nodded. "What you say makes sense, ‘Linker. I’ll do that…you think we can stand to waste the time?"
"Deuteronomy—Demeter’s a kitten. Macavity himself isn’t even entirely full-grown yet. They’re no fools…Demeter’s safe. At least, as safe as she can be, under the circumstances," Skinnamalinker said, her tone softer.
He nodded. "Come with us?"
"What?"
Deuteronomy rolled his eyes. "What I said…you and your kittens. Come back to the Junkyard with us…at least until this mess gets sorted out." He raised an eyebrow at her hesitation. "’Linker, we need someone like you. It’s not just your informational sources we need; you’ve got quite an agile mind. Help us—please."
Skinnamalinker smiled. "Well, when you put it that way…"
Gus laid a gentle paw on Bombalurina’s shoulder, trying to find out more about Demeter’s disappearance. "And when was she taken?"
The reddish kitten considered this question. "Well…I last saw her two days ago, but Mom might have seen her in between then and now. I’m not sure…I spent some of the time in the Junkyard, then I went home, and Mom was in hysterics…" She shrugged. "I’m not exactly sure."
With a sigh, the Theatre Cat nodded. "Thank you, Bombalurina." She nodded, then loped off to talk with the other kittens. Gus shook his head slightly, staring off into space. "Everlasting Cat, why?"
"A good question, Gus."
Gus spun around to see who it was who had addressed him. "Oh, Rhea, it’s you."
The speaker was a full-grown queen; at least, one would hope so, considering she was the mother of Demeter and Bombalurina. Her short, glossy coat was mostly of a reddish-gold shade, broken only by the white patch that covered her muzzle, chest, and forelegs. Her eyes were a bewitching shade of emerald green that went nicely with her fur color. Right now, they were filled with worry, worry at the loss of her younger kitten.
"I guess she hasn’t been found yet, then," sighed Rhea sadly.
"No, Rhea, I’m sorry," Gus admitted reluctantly. "Deuteronomy’s out trying to find her now."
She nodded, then turned away to call for Bombalurina. The kitten turned away from her friends and saw whom it was, then hurried to her mother’s side. Rhea placed a paw around Bombalurina’s shoulders, lowering her head to nuzzle the kitten gently. As a father, Gus could understand her need to know her kittens were all right, and he was glad he hadn’t yet had to worry that way about Jellylorum.
Of course, if Deuteronomy didn’t hurry back, he might end up having to…
Jennyanydots hadn’t really wandered all that far from the Junkyard, but the mad rush to find Deuteronomy had sent her into unfamiliar territory, playing tricks on her mind and convincing her she was too far away to return swiftly. Skimbleshanks’s appearance had caused great relief, for he apparently knew the way back and could take her there without too much delay.
She followed behind him, the only talking they did was for her to communicate what Bombalurina had said before she had left to find Deuteronomy. Skimbleshanks had digested this information in silence, and the two continued on.
The marmalade queen was beginning to lag behind a little, deep in thought, and it was for this reason that she didn’t immediately notice that Skimbleshanks had stopped; it took bumping into him to notice.
"Skimble…" she said. "What happened?"
He didn’t seem to notice her; instead, he was speaking to another queen that he had apparently run into. "Ah’m sorry, lassie, Ah wasn’t watchin’ were Ah was goin’…"
The queen was mottled in varying shades of brown, black, and ginger, with white patches, and strange orange eyes. In her mouth, she held a brown, gray, and white kitten by the scruff of his neck. She was nodding, as if not really paying attention to what Skimbleshanks was saying.
"’Linker? What’s wrong?" The voice that interrupted suddenly was one Jennyanydots was incredibly relieved to hear; it was Deuteronomy. He moved into view, followed by an unfamiliar half-grown tom, and someone else she recognized: Jellylorum.
"Deuteronomy!" she said. "I’ve been looking for you!"
"Then you’ve heard about Demeter, no doubt," said Deuteronomy gravely, nodding acknowledgement in Skimbleshanks’s direction. "We—," he nodded at the mottled queen and the younger cats, "—were just on our way back to the Junkyard. If you don’t mind, we’d appreciate it if you’d come with us."
"Jus’ on our way o’selves," nodded Skimbleshanks. "C’mon, Jenny."
Jennyanydots nodded, moving so she was alongside Deuteronomy before whispering, "Who is she?"
The Jellicle Leader eyed the marmalade queen thoughtfully, then whispered back, "Her name’s Skinnamalinker. The kitten she’s carrying is her younger son, Admetus, and the half-grown one with Jellylorum is Asparagus."
She frowned. "That’s not what I meant."
"So young, yet wanting so much to be a part of adult affairs," Deuteronomy sighed, flicking his tail idly at her.
"I’m not a kitten anymore!" said Jennyanydots angrily. "You—,"
"You’re right—you aren’t a kitten," agreed Deuteronomy. "But neither are you full-grown. Skinnamalinker is. Much as you’d like to believe you could watch over the whole Junkyard, you are not the Jellicle Leader. Kindly remember that, Jenny, and please refrain from questioning my decisions."
Thoroughly snubbed, Jennyanydots was silent, allowing Skinnamalinker to stride ahead of her. Though she had taken care to make sure the mottled queen hadn’t overheard there was a strangely knowing smile on her face, and a curious expression in her orange eyes. Kitten dangling from her mouth, Skinnamalinker moved forward to take the marmalade queen’s former position alongside Deuteronomy.
"Somethin’ troublin’ ye?" Skimbleshanks said, in a soft tone that did not carry to the older cats ahead of them.
Jennyanydots sighed, watching them. Watching the Jellicle Leader and the new queen walking alongside each other. Watching Jellylorum, one of her closest friends, give her no more recognition than a quick glance before turning her attention back to the tom, Asparagus. "Not really."
"When yer through lyin’, lemme ken," answered the orange tabby, closing his glass-green eyes momentarily as he flitted his tail and stalked ahead.
With a heavy sigh, Jennyanydots followed behind, picking up her pace ever so slightly.