And now he’d found her, and he was helping her again. But this time other cats were involved, this time it wasn’t just her. This time there was a reason for him to stay with her. And she felt as if she’d grown up a little. And then again… she had to save this Queen…
This entire mess was once again her fault. It could’ve been worse, she thought to herself… They could all be dead. Best not to think about that, she thought with a shake of her head. They were getting close… She could smell them… and blood, the Queen’s blood…
"This is /not/ good." Christian hissed and Thistle nodded. There was a small rattle and then followed by a slightly larger crash. Christian and Thistle both cringed, looking at each other. Then Thistle sighed and shrugged her small shoulders. She made her way back down the alleyway, and stopped by the offending rubbish pile. She looked into the sheepish blue eyes of Mistoffelees. He looked like a kit caught with it’s paw in the cookie jar.
"This is the most stupid and idiotic thing you’ve ever done Misto." Thistle hissed quietly, trying not to draw attention to them. "Keep quiet, stay behind us, and no heroics. Got it fuzz brain?" Misto frowned, looking angry and opening his mouth. But his eyes held Thistle’s for a moment, saw the fire burning in them and he wisely shut his mouth and nodded. Now was not the time to complain.
Thistle nodded simply in return, turned and moved back to Christian, this time Mistoffelees followed them in the open. Christian lifted an amused eyebrow as they approached but he too kept his opinions to himself. He then grew serious and began moving on slowly, keeping his noes in the air, and sniffing it delicately. Mistoffelees wondered what he could smell, all he could smell was the overwhelming stench of garbage. What ever it was Thistle could obviously smell it too for the way her tail flicked uneasily back and forth as the two cats now made there way ever so slowly to the end of the ally.
At the end of the ally there was a wooden fence from which fire light shone out from around. It was tall and rickety, much too hard to climb. But there were gaps. Thistle and Christian looked carefully through one, their faces half hidden in shadow. Mistoffelees looked at them for just a moment. They were perfect for each other. Thistle’s fur glowed gold in the firelight and Christian’s tabby fur made him look haunting, frightening, like someone from your worst nightmare. They were fighters, a hardened Romeo and Juliet, meant to be together forever and willing to fight to keep it that way.
Most of the cats in the Junkyard could protect themselves, but not like these two could. They were a backbone the Jellicles could use, with enemies like Macavity. Like Jaded.
Misto turned from them and looked through a crack near him. It took his cat eyes a single moment to get use to the change in light and he stared at the scene before him.
Jaded was lying seemingly lazily against a scarlet pillow that offset his dark coat. Barely a few feet before him knelt Blaze, watched keenly by surrounding dogs. You didn’t have to be very smart to realise just how much pain the pink queen was in. The laziness was of course, an illusion…
"I know you’re there Thistle, you’re much too proud to let others get hurt for your mistakes." There was a pause. "You know if you had just ignored him, forgot him this wouldn’t have happened."
"Don’t believe him Thistle," came Blaze’s firm voice. A surge of pride washed through Misto. "This isn’t your fault-"
There was the sound of a stinging thud as Jaded’s paw backhanded across Blaze’s face. Her head snapped back and she let out a furious hiss, going to move towards the tom. A dog took a warning step towards her, an earth-shattering growl reverberating along the ground. Blaze froze in mid-movement.
Mistoffelees looked to Thistle and Christian in alarm. Only to find the two locked in a silent battle. Thistle was seated bolt upright, her body etched in fury and rebellion. Christian’s arms were wrapped tightly around her, his lips pressed to her temple. The claw mark on her cheek seemed to burn in her anger, the red teardrop pulsed with power. Christian was trying to keep her safe, and she was prepared to go out and into battle for a young Queen she barely knew. That was loyalty… and pure love. Both in battle against each other. And loyalty was winning…
"Would you like me to demonstrate again my dear Thistle?" Jaded asked in a dangerously bored voice. He was inspecting his paw as the claws appeared. "With my claws this time darling Thistle? I’m sure you remember how much that hurts…"
Time paused as Thistle’s eyes turned from the scene before them and to Christian’s smoky blue eyes. They were clear, unquestioning and in so much pain that Mistoffelees, a bare few feet away, fought to breath. Those green depths swallowed you, choked you, and took you over. All the pain and burden of the world seemed to rest in those two deep unbroken pools. For a single second Mistoffelees saw what it was like to be Thistlewait, a tiny moment. All the hurt and pain of all those years of guilt flooded over him.
Then she blinked and the spell was broken. But it had worked it’s magic. Christian let her go bowing his head in something like defeat. She rubbed her head against his chin and stood, moving towards a hole in the fence. It was then that Christian moved to go with her. That brought a look of disapproval from Thistle but there was very little she could do to wipe the look of determination from her love’s face.
Instead they both looked to Mistoffelees, their eyes telling him to stay put before they disappeared through the gap. Mistoffelees had other ideas, moving along the fence.
When they move through the gap Jaded sat up. His eyes darkened at the sight of Christian. "I should have known you’d have you’re shadow following you."
Christian grinned and bowed gracefully in response to Jaded’s comment. Jaded coldly grinned. "Very well." His fingers snapped.
Mistakes in perilous situations were often, almost always, made. That’s how history went. Thistle had under estimated Jaded’s jealousy… and his ice heart. But acts of bravery came so rare, often never used nor thought of. Except when it came to love…
At the snap of his fingers the hound nearest to Blaze charged towards the horrified queen. Jaded eyes glinted like gold ice. The world before Thistle tumbled away and she lunged. Too late… Always too late…
Black… Black velvet sliced through the air. Flung from the rickety fence as it crashed towards the ground and the tiny tom hurled itself toward the pink princess. The thunder of the falling fence, caused by the sudden jolt from the flying cat, was enough to startle the Dog, a few extra moments…
"Blaze!" It was a howl of anger, a cry of pain, a confession of love as the tom flung the full force of his hurtling body into the pink princess and flinging her out of harms way.
The dog settled for the new now stationary target that was attempting to pull itself to its feet. Iron jaws clamped around the tom’s neck, lifting him into the air. Blaze’s scream ricocheted through the silent air as there was a painful snap from the tom’s neck as the dog flicked his head powerfully back and forth. She could do nothing as the dog let him go, letting him fly carelessly through the air and fall in a thudding heap on the ground. Rose eyes burned in sorrow as she flew beside him, looking down at his motionless body.
…He was sleeping… He had to be… he couldn’t be…Love surged through her body as she screamed. Dead… Gone from my life… My light… My star… My smile… Gone… forever gone. Pain tore at her. My Mistoffelees… Lost forever in time… taken from me in a single moment and with me for a life time… Some one save me from this nightmare… Please help me…