Beginnings and Endings

When Starrla awoke the next morning, she found, once again, that all the scratches and bruises that had been inflicted upon her by Macavay were gone.

:Heaviside….I’m going crazy…..I must be going crazy.:

Rumpleteazer hugged Jerrie tightly, as she told him of what her kitten had said. "Oh ‘Eaviside Jerrie. Wot are we gonna do? We ‘ave ta talk ta ‘Jaum, we ‘ave ta find out wot’s goin’ on." Mungojerrie nodded and stroked Rumpleteazer’s headfur. "It’ll be alroight hun, dun’t ya worry, Oi’ll get it all straightened out."

Kiahna pretended to be paying attention to the report of the young tom, but actually, she was watching Selerity out of the corner of her eye. Daryn had set everything up, so all Kiah had to do was get Selerity alone in her chambers tonight, so that the rebels could attack. "Shut up for a sec." She said briefly to the young tom that was reporting. He shut his mouth and looked at the floor meekly.

"Selerity, ma’am, I must speak to you in your chambers tonight. Alone." Kiahna said abruptly. Selerity looked up at her lazily. "Whatever for?" Kiah kept her patience. "Because I need to talk to you about the murderer of Macavay, and I must tell you the details for the search of his killer." Selerity sighed boredly. "Why can’t you just tell me here and now?" Kiahna bit her lip. "Well ma’am, were I to tell you here and now, it would cause a great upheaval among your troops, and that would cause unnecessary trouble." Selerity dragged a claw up one of the cushions she was laying on. "Fine then, tonight after dusk." Kiahna nodded and left, not even waiting to hear the rest of the report from the young tom.

"Aroight Jaum, wot’s goin on? Wot’s all this bout Dema?" Mungojerrie said firmly, once they had gotten Mjaum alone. Mjaum fidgeted. "Well…a while back, when I first came here, I was a prisoner of Selerity, and StarrlaRai got me out. Well apparently she’s Dema’s mentor, and Dema’s still alive, working for the strays under the guise of Kiahna. She’s working to bring down Selerity, and Starrla’s already killed Macavay." Mjaum sighed once he’d gotten all that out. "There. Happy? I’ll have you know that I just broke about three vows of silence on the matter."

Jerrie stared at him, gapemouthed. "Dema’s workin fer the strays? Dema’s bringin’ down Selerity? Dema’s ALIVE?" Mjaum nodded each time. "Now hush, everything is at a very delicate balance right now, and we can’t afford any screwups." ‘Jerrie nodded. "An’ when’s Selerity comin’ down?" Mjaum rubbed a paw over his eyes. "Sometime tonight. The rebellion has started."

Daryn and Aerotiger subtly got the guards at Selerity’s chambers replaced with their own cats, ones involved in the rebellion. When Selerity entered her chambers, the word went out. It had started.

Kiahna tapped lightly at Selerity’s chamber door. "Selerity, ma’am? I’m here to report." "Let her in." Selerity called out to the door guards. One opened the door and winked at Kiah. They knew what they were there for.

Selerity looked askance at Kiah. "Well? Your report?" Kiah nodded. "Ah, yes, well….." She looked behind her at the doors, "The thing is, I know who killed Macavay and why….and I’m supporting her." Selerity blinked "What?" She said, getting a deadly tone in her voice.

Selerity jerked as the doors burst open. She had not a moment to speak. Before she knew it she was surrounded by fighters of the rebellion. "You see Selerity, we’re not too pleased with the way you’ve been running things. So we’re taking over." Kiahna said, smirking. Selerity shrieked and attempted to jump at Kiah, but was blocked by Aerotiger. "Good night boss" Kiahna said. She nodded, and the ring of cats moved in on Selerity. The last thing Kiah heard was Selerity’s scream of agony as she walked out the door. The rebellion was over. We had won.

Starrla was screaming at the shadows that were coming for her. "NO! NO MORE! PLEASE MAC! NO MORE! OH HEAVISIDE, WHERE’S MACAVITY? MACAVITY! HE’LL KILL ME!" Starrla started sobbing hysterically, trying to make the shadows go away. The shadows kept converging on her, as she curled up into a ball, hiding her head in her paws.

Mjaum awoke to an excited squeal. "Whu…?" Suddenly he found himself being pounce-hugged by his mate Electra. "Lec…what’s going on? Are you all right dearest?" Electra threw her paws around Mjaum’s neck and kissed him. "I’m having kittens!!" She squealed. Mjaum blinked in astonishment. "We are?? Er…you are??? Lec! That’s wonderful!" Mjaum hugged Electra tightly, and wondered what he had done to deserve so much happiness in his life.

Kiahna shook Aero’s paw. "Thanks for everything Aero….you sure you can handle the remaining loyals?" Aerotiger nodded. "Yup, an’ Oi’ve got Daryn ta ‘elp meh, so Oi’ll be aroight." Kiahna smiled. "I’ll go get Starrla, I don’t know why she didn’t show up to help us dispose of Selerity." Aerotiger frowned "yea, Oi knew she wonted ta get a bit o’ th’ action." Kiahna left, looking for Starrla.

Macavay smiled cruelly and started making Starrla bleed again. He dragged his claws down the side of her face, and kissed the scratches, reveling in the blood dripping everywhere. Starrla was sobbing, completely exhausted. Macavay held Starrla up and looked into her eyes, and spoke softly. "Maybe I should be nice for a while…..after all….you are carrying my heir." Starrla gasped, and started shuddering in complete self-loathing and despair.

Kiahna was walking down an alleyway when she heard low voices, and someone sobbing. Curious as ever, she turned down the next road, and found the source of it all, and was horrified beyond belief. There was Macavay, holding up a battered Starrla, who looked like she wanted to die.

"Starrla!" Kiahna ran towards Macavay, claws outstretched, ready to beat Macavay into a pulp. Unfortunately, she did not know about Agsded hiding in the shadows. With a burst of power, her knocked her over, unconscious. Macavay dropped Starrla, and ran, where there was one cat, there would come more.

When Kiahna awoke, she found Starrla lying nearby, sobbing pitifully. "Starr….Oh Starr I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you." Starrla looked up at her. "Dema….help me…" Kiahna nodded, and picked up her friend, and gasped in shock. Starrla was so frail! It was such a change from her strong muscular friend who could beat up any tom she came across, and still have time to laugh while she was doing it.

Coricopat and Tantomile left Starrla in a room with Dema. They had attended to her scratches, and let Dema do the emotional counseling. Dema had not stopped to talk to anyone until she had gotten the services of Cori and Tanto. Bombalurina ran into the room, and stared at Dema.

Demalurina looked at her mother and burst into tears. Bombalurina ran over to Dema and hugged her tightly. "Oh kitten….I’m so glad you’re home….I’m so glad you’re home." Dema hugged her mother back. "Starrla’s asleep, where’s Plato and Pristala?" Bombalurina put a paw to Dema’s cheek. "They’re with your new brother." Demalurina blinked. "I have a brother?" Bomba nodded. "His name is Zarquen." Dema smiled. "I’m going to go see them….will you keep an eye on Starrla?" Bomba nodded.

Demalurina ran up to Plato and hugged him tightly. Pristala ran up and pounced on Dema. "DEMA!!!" She hugged her big sister tightly "I missed you so much! We got a brother Dema! He’s over in the pipe." Demalurina hugged Pristala again and ran over to the pipe.

A young tom, not even a tom yet, still a kitten, who looked like Mungo and Plato mixed up stared at her. "You’re Dema, aren’t you?" Demalurina nodded and took her little brother’s paw. "I’m sorry I wasn’t here sooner." Zarquen nodded. "I understand." Dema smiled and hugged him. Zarquen grinned, and crawled up to sit on Dema’s head. Dema giggled, and walked out to be welcomed home by her friends.

That night, the peacefulness was shattered by Starrla’s screams. Dema sprinted to Starrla’s room, and found her locked in a nightmare, there was blood everywhere, and a gaping hole in Starrla’s stomach. Dema stared, horrified. Suddenly….eerily Starrla opened her eyes and started screaming again. "I DON’T WANT HIS KITTENS! THEY’RE PURE EVIL! KILL THEM!! FOR THE LOVE OF THE EVERLASTING CAT KILL THEM!!" Starrla started digging at her stomach again with her claws.

Dema broke out of her stupor, and ran over to Starrla pinning her arms down, away from her stomach. "Starrla!! You won’t have his kittens! Please Starr! Wake up!!" Starrla blinked a few times and sobbed in agony. Coricopat and Tantomile ran in, and started working to repair Starrla’s stomach. Dema backed out, and looked around the junkyard.

Dema saw a dark figure hiding among the trash. She moved in closer and saw who it was. "MACAVAY!!" Macavay turned to look at her and snarled. The stupid queen wouldn’t keep my heirs! She should be proud to bear kittens that will be pure evil! No matter though….I can have you bear them." Demalurina gasped in horror, and disgust. "NEVER! You bastard! You hurt my best friend! You’ll pay for that!" Macavay slapped Dema upside the head, and ran back to where Starrla was.

Dema tried to shake off the impending dizziness from the attack, and screamed hoarsely "EVERYONE LOOK OUT! MACAVAY’S COMING!!" Munkustrap ran in, it was apparent he had ran all the way from his house. He looked at Dema in astonishment, and then ran to where she was pointing.

Macavay knocked over several cats, in order to get to Starrla, he grabbed at her tail, and started dragging her away. Coricopat and Tantomile suddenly found themselves on the ground unable to move. "NO! Starrla!" Tantomile screamed. Starrla was moaning softly. The healer cats had not had time to finish sewing up Starrla’s stomach, so her intestines were beginning to fall out, and trail along behind her. Macavay grinned and dragged her along faster. The bumps in the ground, and the random rock here and there caught on her trailing intestines, ripping them out farther, leaving a thick trail of blood behind them. Starrla screamed in pure agony, she was dying and she knew it.

Demalurina got up again, and saw Macavay, She tackled him and started ripping him apart, she was furious, she saw what he had done to Starrla, and felt a madness of a sort come over her. "YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!!! YOU’RE KILLING HER!! YOU CAN GO TO THE FIRESIDE LAYER AND ROT THERE! I HOPE YOU BURN IN HELL FOREVER!" With that last scream of fury, Dema, in a flash was once again Kiahna, and used everything that Starrla had taught her, she sliced at his legs and arms, rendering him immobile, she then gutted him, while he was still alive, and finally ripped out his throat.

Dema gasped for air, and crawled over to Starrla, who was breathing shallowly. Starrla turned her head slightly and smiled a bit. "Th- that was a bit messy….but I’m proud of you…." Dema put a paw to Starrla’s mouth. "Hush…save your energy." Starrla let out a weak snort. "why? We all know I’m dying. I’ll be dammed if I didn’t survive everything else he did to me, it was just this last trip that did me in. You were a wonderful friend Dema….you were my only friend….I-I’ll never forget you….and I doubt you’ll forget me." Dema shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "no…don’t think like that…we’ll get you fixed…and you can find a tom that’ll take your bullying and…." Starrla laughed weakly, which turned into a gagging cough. Dema supported her neck, until the coughing subsided.

Dema held Starrla’s paw in her own. "Starr….you’ll be all right." Starrla shook her head slightly. "Stop deluding yourself dammit. Tell Aero that he’d better find himself a queen, or I’ll come back from the Fireside layer to haunt him." Dema shook her head "Starr…you’re not going to the fireside layer….I think you’ve been forgiven for all that you’ve done." Starrla smiled a bit. "Well I’ll be dammed….someone believes in me. Now I can die in peace." Dema shook her head "No…no you can’t die Starr….I need you.." Starrla glared at Dema. "Oh shut up, it’s my time to die. You don’t need me. You’re a grown queen, and you know how to fight….and you…you…" Starrla blinked. Dema bit her lip, and watched her tears fall onto Starrla. Starrla stared at something straight above her. "I’m…okay……." Dema wailed as she felt Starrla’s life slip away from her….She watched the light fade from her eyes, and turn glassy. Dema took her paw from Starrla’s stiffening paw, and rolled herself into a ball and wailed hauntingly.

A month had passed since they buried Starrla. Life was going on as they all knew it would. But it would go on with one less friend to share a joke with, but it would also come with a new batch of kittens to lighten up the day. Electra was glowing, the whole junkyard knew that she was pregnant. Pristala began working with Ferreta on mysticism. Dema waited for Jonnyonnydots to come back. The days passed, and days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, and still no word. Deep in her heart she knew he was not gone forever, but that didn’t stop the hurting. And there was plenty of hurting to be had.