Griddlebone's Continuation
"Lady Griddlebone?" I opened one eye, and had to open the other to adjust my vision. It was Tumblebrutus, he Pouncival, RumTumTugger, Bombalurina, Electra, Ecetera, Silabub and Munkustrap were hanging around the old ford.
Bomby and Tugger were up above the roof of the ford, cuddling, but looking at me. Tumble was sitting beside me, Silabub and Pounce were side by side on the tire, and Munkustrap was sitting with Electra and Ectecera.
"Can you continue your story Lady Griddlebone?" Tumblebrutus asked, for a fleeting moment, sounding like Growltiger.
"Oh, yes. Certainly. Well, later the next day, Genghis came to talk to me, and over the course of the night, I had learned that he had killed Growltiger, and planned to kill me unless I sided with him. I told him I could be trusted, and he led me up stairs. Though at a very close watch. He took me up into a room with radar.
‘This is the room where we monitor all my ships.’ Many Siamese were sitting at chairs, watching monitors and hitting buttons. Genghis pointed to a latter. ‘After you Lady Griddlebone.’ He said, almost politely. I climbed up, and found myself in a bar. A cat bar. Many drunken pirate cats, siamese, Persian, tabby, ally, calico all kinds. Mostly toms. Some of them looked over at us as we passed, some were to drunk to care.
A few queens, a few rather slim queens were walking around carrying trays. Waiters. ‘Just a few more stairs…’ Genghis said. ‘I’m sorry about all the stairs, but would you rather have a room closer to the bar?’
‘Oh of course not!’
‘Here you are, a nice room, hopefully to your liking. If not, I can arrange for someone to fix it up.’ I stepped into the room. It was small, but lovely. It was painted in a light pink, not to bright, but one of those, ‘just right’ kind of deals. There was a make-up table, a nice, soft, and comfy looking bed, a scratching post, and a diner table.
‘It’s very lovely, thank you.’ Genghis smiled and kissed my head as he left."
"Silabub, did we really want her to start at the beginning, we just wanted to hear about Tumble…. I don’t like all this mushy stuff." Pouncival muttered.
"Well I wanna hear it Pounci!"
"Well, I guess if you really want to hear it…." Silabub smiled. I grinned.
"Genghis soon offered me a job as waiter, he also showed me a few of the sites around this little town he and his siamese had built. It was just like an Arabian city you’d see in one of those pop-up books. It had a cloths market, a food market, a jewelry market. He said I was free to go where ever I wished, and I could buy what ever I wanted with the money I would make being a waiter.
So, I soon took up being a waiter, and during the period of about a month, I had totally transformed. I was once a pure, innocent, kitten, like Victoria here,"
I said, indicating to Victoria who had wondered over with Plato.
"My fur was all one length, I was a clean cut, all around ‘good kitty." But being around the sailors, and ‘bad cats’, I turned into what I am today."
I stood up to demonstrate the different lengths in my coat, a fur-cut given to make the appearance of lingerie.
"I started swearing, flirting, and… well…. You get the point. Until one day…
I was in my room, flirting with Genghis, his paws were on my waist, my arms around his neck, my left leg around his waist, rubbing noses.
‘Uh, Genghis sir.’ A Siamese burst into the room. Genghis was furious, I made a slight ‘humph’, and stood up, putting my hands on my hips at this interruption.
‘W-w-w-we’ve got a problem sir. A.. uh.. code T sir.’
‘What?’
‘A code T.’
‘Damnit!’ The Siamese left, Genghis turned to me.
‘What’s a code T?’ He turned away and began to pick up his things. ‘Damnit Genghis! You never tell me these things! Is it really more important?’ I said, seductively, moving towards him. ‘More important then me.’ He huffed.
‘Look Gridd,’ He said harshly, my jaw dropped at him referring to me as ‘Gridd’ I turned away and crossed my arms over my chest.
‘It’s really important. I’ll play once I’ve taken care of the problem.’ He grinned devilishly, and left. I watched him leave, and gathered my apron, it was almost time for my shift.
I was angry as I went downstairs, so that already put me on the lower list for a tip for that day. I began by wondering around the tables, making sure the pirates had what they wanted. Now normally, a few paws on my waist as I drifted by wouldn’t have bothered me, I kind of got to like the feeling of it, but today…
‘Look mista, you can look, but ya can’t touch.’ I said, hitting the paw of the sailor away. He stood up abruptly, and leaned forward.
‘Oh yah, sars who? Ya ain’t nutin’ buts a filtha ol’ hag in a whites coart at a baw!’ He pulled up his paw as if to hit me, and a rough looking tom walked over, and grabbed his wrist.
‘Show sum ‘spect to da lady.’ He said, in a firm and harsh tone.
‘And whos ya to be ‘ellin’ me wots to do?’ The drunken tom said back, I backed away to the counter as the two toms broke into a fight. I couldn’t help but glance again and again at the tom who’d stood up for me.
He looked so…. So…… wait! It was Genghis’s brother, Grubucksin.
I watched the fight for a few more minutes, Grubucksin punched the drunk in the stomach. Soon the entire bar was cheering, either for the drunk they now called Towtorike or for Grubucksin.
My boss, Skambleflank stepped forward.
‘I hate to break up the entertainment boys, but dat dere lady ain’t nutin’ to fight over, go sit down, and she’ll bring ya another ‘round of catnip. On da ‘ouse.’ I couldn’t help but scowl at Skamble as he walked over. ‘Dat dere lady ain’t nutin’ to fight over. What was that all about Skamble!’
He turned to me, and placed to bottles of catnip on my tray. ‘Fur last ‘ight, lady Gridd.’ He muttered and turned to take care of some business."
Bomby started laughing. "Man Griddlebone, your sure got around!" She started laughing some more, and soon Tugger was laughing with her.
"If you don’t mind, Bombalurina, Tugger, I’d like to hear the rest of her story. Hm?"
Tumble said, I smiled, the young tom certainly did take after… well, never mind.
"Go ahead." He smiled.
"I took off early, and stormed up to my room. After a short nap, I woke up, and decided to go to the dock, and watch the ships as they came in.
I gathered my coat, and purse, and headed towards the dock. On my way, I bought a bit of salmon to munch on while the ships loaded and unloaded their cargo. I sat on the edge of the boardwalk, my paws dangling over the edge, when I saw a very blue ship. On the side of the ship was the name tag ‘Blue Bird’.
Now, I studied the ship for some time, trying to remember where I’d heard the name ‘Blue Bird’ before."
"That’s the new ship Growltiger’s human wanted to get!" Electra said, then put her paws over her mouth. "Oh! I’m sorry!" She grinned, and looked embarrassed, I smiled at her, and continued.
"Well, it took me a bit longer then it did Electra to figure out that that was the ship Growltiger’s pet wanted. Well, I ran down the dock as fast as I could to the end of the boardwalk. The man on the boat didn’t look at all like I recalled Growltiger’s human. He was young, with red hair, and blue eyes. He smiled at me as he and another human walked down the boardwalk.
I peered around the large rope as a cat strolled off. This certainly was not Growltiger. I frowned. The tom who’d walked off the boat was all gray, with a few brown spots here and there. He smiled slightly as I turned away.
‘There a problem m’lady?’ He asked kindly.
‘No sir, I just thought this ship belonged to someone I once knew.’
‘You wouldn’t, perhaps, be talkin’ ‘bout Growltiger now would you?’ He asked. I turned around quickly.
‘Why, yes I would! What do you know of Growltiger?’
‘Eye Missy, he’s earned quite a reputation fur himself! I’m Sir Carbuckety of the Blue Bird, who might you be?’ He asked, and sat down on the boardwalk. I sat down in front of him.
‘I’m Lady Griddlebone, what has become of Growltiger?’
‘Well, ‘es got a reputation that’s more then a cat can bare! You’ve not ‘eard of ‘im? Well, I guess he only travels da seas. ‘Es driven so many innocent cats off ‘is plank, people fear ‘em. ‘Is human died long ‘go, bot not even da humans won’o git on dat ship. ‘E’ll captua yure ship, ‘e and does five crew mates, dey’ll take all ye cargo, and pursh ya off da plank!’ I couldn’t believe it, my Growltiger, had turned into this! But Carbuckety wasn’t finished yet!
‘From Gravsend up to Oxford ‘es pursued his evil Ames, rejoicing in his title of…’ he lowered his voice to a whisper. ‘The Terror of the Thames.’
Now, I’ve heard of this cat in the bars, the ‘Terror of the Thames’. From what I’ve heard, the cats that survived his attacks were to be praised. He stole cargo, and shoved them into the ocean! My my! What had driven my love to become this evil!
‘Well missy, would ye mind showin’ me wheres I con wosh up? A baw perhaps?’ Carbuckety asked.
‘Oh! Oh yes, of course, follow me.’ I said, and lead him to the bar. Asking him more and more of Growltiger."
"Lady Griddlebone," Tumblebrutus interrupted, innocently. "Carbuckety is my father…" He gave me a questioning glance. Some of the others stirred.
"You knew my father?"
"Rather well…. After I had heard more stories from Carbuckety, I invited him to my room, out of hospitality." I added, looking over my shoulder at Bomby and Tugger.
"But it turned into more then hospitality." I said, hoping Munkustrap wasn’t to upset at me for being… ‘blunt’ with the young kittens.
"So…." Tugger started, Munkustrap stopped him.
"Tugger, I think we all get the point." I turned to look at Tumble, his eyes were scanning the bumper of the ford.
"So……. If…… well, if Carbuckety slept in your room…then…."
"Slept in her room…" Tugger snorted, Bomby whacked him over the head, I glanced up at them, then back to Tumble.
"I’m not related to Growltiger, I’m related to you. You’re my mom?" He asked, though he said it more then asked it. I nodded solemnly.
"OH! Lady Griddlebone, please continue! I know we just wanted to know about Tumble, but.. I want to hear what happens! Did you find Growltiger again! What about Genghis?"
Silabub asked, Pouncival yawned, she looked at him, and he smiled.
"I would be delighted to, this is were the fun begins.."
"Sorry! To, uh, cut ya off!" Everyone turned to look at Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, they were looking really mischievous.
"’Ey Munkustrap, we’re gonna let ya in on a litta secret!" Rumpleteazer grinned and waved Munkustrap over.
"Go ahead and continue without me Lady Griddlebone, this may take a while…" Munkustrap got up and went to talk with Rumpleteazer and Mungojerrie. He stumbled backwards, shot a glance at me, then continued talking, amazed at whatever it was they said. Rumpleteazer started laughing, and stumbled out of the group.
I cocked an eyebrow, but continued. "As I was saying, this is where the fun begins, I traveled with Carbuckety and his human for about a year, taking luggage this way and that, I even began to enjoy Carbuckety’s company, and…. I guess you could say fell for him. That was until, one stormy night."
"I love stormy nights.." Rumpleteazer remarked, sitting down. Now she, Munkustrap and Mungojerrie were sitting in a line in the back.
"Sorry Gridd, continue."
"As I was saying, until one stormy night, when our ship was attacked! A rowdy, thin, and gruff crew scrambled aboard. Carbuckety tried to stop them, but they tossed him over board."
I paused to look at Tumble. "Luckily your father could swim!"
"The crew, against my wishes, tossed me onto their ship, and began to raid Carbuckety’s. I screamed, naturally, and heard laughter behind me. I turned around.
‘Don’t scream lady, otherwise I’ll have to throw you over board as well.’ I nearly fell over, I turned around sharply, he was in the shadows, I couldn’t see him. But, oh, I knew it was him! I knew it by the sound of his voice. I heard him gasp.
‘G-g-g-g-griddlebone?’ He said, amazed. He stepped into the dank moonlight, after long years, my eyes were given a new life upon seeing him again. He was now missing an eye, and an ear, but he was the same. ‘Growltiger!’ I screamed, and ran forward into his arms.
OH! What a happy reunion that was! He called his men from Carbucketty’s ship, and we took off. We talked for long hours down in the bunks, catching up on what had been going on for the past few years."
"You must have had a lot of catching up to do." Plato said, Victoria nodded, batting at his tail.
"Oh yes, years and years had gone by."
"Lady Gridd," I turned upwards, Bombalurina was asking this time. "This might sound a bit strange, or unimportant, but did you know you were expecting?"
"All queens know when their expecting dear. It’s like…. Our sixth sense." Bombalurina nodded solemnly. I wondered, but continued.
"Unfortunately, our meeting was cut short…
Now, on a peaceful summer’s night all nature seemed at play. The tender moon was shining bright, the barge at Mosely Lay, which was Tiger’s new ship. In the moonlight it lay rocking on the tide, and Tiger was disposed to show his sentimental side.
I was on my side by the mast of the ship, Tiger was in front of me, singing in Italian.
Tiger had no eye or ear for ought but me, and I was simply enraptured by his manly baritone. Disposed to relaxation and awaiting no surprise, little to our knowledge the moonlight shone reflected in a thousand bright blue eyes."
"Bright blue eyes?" Electra asked, then gasped. "Siamese have bright blue eyes!"
I nodded.
"The Siamese were sneaking up on you! Did you know?" Pouncival asked. He and Tumble seemed very interested now.
"Oh no, we had no idea!
But closer still and closer, the sampans circled around, and yet from all the enemy there was not heard a sound. The foes were armed with toasting forks and cruel carving knives, as Tiger and I spent our last few hours together.
Then, Gehngis gave the signal to his fierce horde, abandoning their sampans, the chinks, they swarmed aboard. Abandoning their sampans, their pullaways and junks, they batted down the hatches on the crew, with in their bunks.
Then I gave a screech, for I was badly scared, I’m sorry to admit it but I quickly disappeared.."
"You escaped with ease right? Because you couldn’t have been drown."
"Of course, but a steady ring of flashing steal Growltiger did surround. The two toms fought for hours and hours, until, finally, Growtiger… was…. Was forced to walk the plank."
I looked down.
"Growltiger was a great swimmer, but… he wasn’t the cat he used to be, and it was dark out, plus, the waves were to rough. He couldn’t have survived."
"So, that’s where the story ends then huh?" Tumblebrutus asked.
"No’ really.." Mungojerrie said sinisterly. Rumpleteazer giggled. I looked over at the both of them confused.
"That’s where the interesting part of the story ends Mungo. The rest of the story is about my travels here. And you don’t really want to hear about that do you?"
"Maybe we do…" A voice said from the tunnel of the junkyard. It was a strangely famillar voice… I knew I knew who it was… "Of course, it couldn’t be any more troubling then mine."
That’s when he walked into the junkyard. I looked at Mungo and Rumple, the biggest grins I’ve ever seen in my life were on their faces.
"Growltiger?" I said timidly. The rest of the cats looked at each other and smiled.
"I can swim even in the darkest of oceans."
"Oh Growltiger! I thought you were dead!" I ran forward and nuzzled my love.
The cats behind me smiled, and turned to walk away, leaving Tiger and I do to some more catching up. Though, I felt we would never have to do it again.