Macavity’s Love
By : Plato

Macavity was about two weeks old when his mother abandoned him in the warehouse where they had lived. Dont get the wrong idea, she left him there to live with his father who never really knew how to care for his son. As days went by, Mac often asked Growltiger about his mother and most of the time, got the same answer, "Your mother is not one of us, therefor she left you in my care so that I could train you to be a henchcat." Mac did not want to become a henchcat and let his father know it, and was the subject of abuse afterwards. Alone at night, Mac would cry himself to sleep knowing that one day, he would eventually give in to Growltiger's orders. A month later, Mac woke to find his father standing in the doorway of his room. Mac quickly sprung out of bed and started towards Growltiger's throne room. Growltiger followed his son, who walked slowly with his head down the whole way down the hall until they reached the door. Growltiger then opened the door to let Mac and himself in so that he could begin Mac's training. "It is time for you to begin your training sessions Macavity," Growltiger said, "and I dont want to hear you say that you do not want to become a henchcat either!" "Yes father" was all Mac could say.

That night at dinner, Mac sat quietly so as not to upset his father. When they finished, Growltiger took Mac outside for a little fresh air. Mac looked up at the stars and was taken in by their wonder. Then he looked at his father and said "Father, what is love?" Growltiger never answered him, he just sat there until it was time to go back. Growltiger was putting his son to bed while he told him that love is something that you can never be sure of. He then went on to say that as long as you are with me, you will never know what love is because it is based on trust. Mac then fell asleep as he thought over the idea he had about his father, 'Does my father love me?'

A year later, Macavity had just finished his henchcat training sessions and was almost ready to begin his life of crime. He never thought much more about love because the sessions that Growltiger had given him were tough. Mac and his father left the warehouse to see what Mac had exactly learned in the past few months of training and Growltiger was pleased to know that Mac could stifle a Peke and rifle a jewel case at almost the same time. That night, Growltiger was talking to Mac and telling about what a wonderful job he did today. "Macavity, it is time for you to take over my operations of crime for you have learned far more than I could teach you. You will eventually need to find a mate to be your queen, but until then do not trust anyone. I'm leaving tomorrow to start a new life overseas, I know you'll make me proud." Mac replied "Yes father" and then went to bed. The next morning, Mac woke to find that now he was the Napoleon of operations, which meant he was in control of everything.

A few years later, Macavity was stalking for breakfast as he did every morning. By now he was used to being in control of his fathers court of henchcats, that he did nothing out of the ordinary. The day came for Mac to find a queen as his father had told him before he left, so he sent one of his henchcats, Lucky, to find one for him. Later that day, Lucky returned and asked to see Macavity. He then walked down the hall to the throne room when told that it was ok, and knocked on the door. "Enter" Mac said. "Boss, I think you'll like what I've brought you" Lucky replied and pulled something in the room towards Macavity. "Where did you find her?" Mac questioned Lucky, who responded, "I found her outside a junkyard not far from here and told her to follow me that I would help her find her way home." Mac laughed and then turned to talk to the red and black queen that was standing in front of him. "Don't you know who I am?" he asked. "What do you want with me!" she growled. Mac couldn't say anything that would be of a threat to the queen so he put her in a room adjacent to his room for the time until he could tell her why she was there.

A week later, Macavity knew exactly what to say. He went to talk to the queen in her room. She had settled in nicely to her new surroundings and she seemed to enjoy being there as well. When Mac finally reached her room, he knocked on the door and patiently waited for a response. Inside, Demeter was just about to go to sleep when she heard the knocking and went to open the door to see who it was that knocked. "I need to tell you something" Mac said to her and slinked into her room. She then closed the door as he had wished so the henchcats couldn't hear. "What do you want to talk to me about?" Demeter said. Macavity started to tell her of his life story.

"Ever since I was a little kitten, my father trained me "to become a henchcat. After my training was over, I took control of his operations as his wish. My father told me before he left that I would need a queen and not to trust anyone until I had found one. All my life, I grew up not knowing what love is because of this and I was just wondering if there was any way that you could show me how to love and trust someone like you."

After hearing those words come out of Macavity's mouth, Demeter started to cry knowing now why she was there. He needed somebody to love him for who he really is on the inside, not what he appears to be. She leaned over towards Mac who seemed to notice that she was even more beautiful now than ever before. Macavity walked to her and stood behind her, placing one paw around her neck, but not choking her. Then he whispered in her ear, "Do you trust me enough to help me fulfill my wish to be a father?" Demeter placed her paw on his cheek and replied "Yes Macavity, I trust you."