Roses Wither Away
note: this one is quite violent at the end, and is probably not suitable for those under the age of 12.
A black cat crept down an alleyway in the middle of London. It was nearly the dead of night, darkness overtaking the city. The black cat was not just headed anyway either. She was headed for a very familiar place, to cats everywhere. The very well-known, well-skilled, but not at well-liked Macavity.
As she crept into the alleyway, it seemed to bump along forever. Like it’d never stop. She thought of turning back, but she was sure he’d kill her. Macavity, that is.
As she made it into a dim light in the alley, she knew she was no longer in the alleyway. She was now in a darkness far darker than any dim light—the darkness of a soul.
A ginger cat towered high above her. Dustly and scraggly, the red, black and white cat looked to the black cat. She had a small kitten in her jaws, alive but not well. He too was scraggly, weak from days of running.
“I was beginning to worry,” the ginger cat said with a smile.
“I doubt it,” the black cat mumbled.
The ginger cat caught a glimpse of the cat. “And what is this?”
“This, Macavity, is a kitten. I—“ Suddenly, fear seemed to take the cat.
“Well? Who does the little thing belong to?”
“Macavity, you’re not going to like this, but—but—he is mine.”
“WHAT?” Macavity hissed. “I ordered you to bare no more children! That was a direct order!”
“I am sorry Master. It was an accident,” the cat hung her head.
“I should kill you both!”
“No, please! He is only a child!”
Macavity got a second thought. “Who is the father?”
“I-I-I do not know sir. But I assure you it is not you.”
“Oh, I’m sure I could have told you that!” Macavity snapped. “I think I’d know if I had a kitten with my own servant—wait, he was the only one?”
“No sir, but I only have one mouth.”
“How many were there?” Macavity asked, trying to stay calm.
“Well, let’s see…” she began to count the faces in her head. “I should say about 4, besides him.”
“Oh? Where are they now?”
“Who knows?” the cat shrugged.
“I could have used them,” Macavity said.
“I’m dreadfully sorry Master.”
“IDIOT!” He raised a large paw and smashed the black cat up against the wall. “I don’t believe you have done this to me!” he raged. She looked up.
“Macavity!” she cried meekly, her skull hurting. “Kill me, but please don’t hurt my son. I have left my other kittens in safe paws…you will never know who they are. I hate you Macavity…I hate you!”
“Good!” Macavity declared. Another hard slap across the face with his claws and she was bleeding excessively.
“It’s too bad you must stay to live with this Santan…” the black cat whispered to the little kitten. That is why your name must be…” Macavity slashed at her face once again. The kitten hissed at Macavity, knowing what Macavity was doing. “…Mistoffelees. With one last swipe the cat lost consciousness. The little kitten would have leapt at Macavity, but he passed out before he could do so.
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Macavity looked at the the kitten, fast a sleep in the dark deep chamber. “I should kill him,” he muttered. “or he will grow to become a Jellicle.” As the sun started to shine through the cracking wall, Macavity turned away. “Or perhaps, I shall make him my servant.”
He woke up the little kitten up later that morning. “Mistoffelees,” he began, after giving the kitten a huge hearty breakfast, “I think you should know that, you are going to be my servant.”
“I am?” the kitten said.
“Yes. Now, this isn’t bad. When I come home, you shall have the floors cleaned and the prisoners fed, but not too much. They must be tortured as well. You must also have my dinner quite ready in my return each day at five. Understood?”
“Um, Mr. Macavity sir, what happened to my mother, exactly?”
“Oh, well, she and I, we, uh, had a fight. And she—left, to um, live elsewhere. She does not care for you. Now, I must be gone.” Macavity dashed off.
Mistoffelees was sad and depressed. How should he do this. He was but a kitten. Could this Tom do this to him?
But day in, day out Mistoffelees did his chores. But Mistoffelees began to notice dark but bright red liquid drenching Macavity’s paws.
“Father,” Mistoffelees began to call him, “what is that red liquid upon your paws?”
“This is… water. Red water.”
“And Father, why must you always throw cats in the dungeon? What happens in there? May I please see?”
“NO! I mean, no, because…because… the dungeon is where I keep the, um, orphans. They play in there until someone comes to give them a nice home. But, you must never go in there, for they are scared of others and will not understand your presence. Do you understand son?”
“Yes.” But he felt that something was not right about this information. Full of stories and lies, he made his way to bed.
Laying on the cold stone floor made his bones ache. The things “Father” had told him—something about them made Mistoffelees feel weird inside. Something was not right. He stared at the ground for a very long time. After a while he began to see pictures, pictures of cats held within the dungeon. But they were not of play. They were of death and pain, though Mistoffelees could almost feel the pain in these pictures. He tried to shake them off. But he could not.
The next day while working in the study, he ran across some odd abjects in which had paper rectangles inside, filled with words. Words that Mistoffelees was surprised to understand. He had never learned to read, yet he was able to read everything. He looked through many of them, finding many interesting words, such as chamber, darkness, and spells. But there was one word that rand a bell somewhere in his brain.
Santan.
He remembered that word. The word the female cat that carried him to this place called Father. It seemed to mean soemthing evil.
Mistoffelees became very engrossed in the books, learning new things. Reaching for another book he found a picture. A picture so familiar he was very surpised. It was like the one he saw in his mind the night before. He flipped a page quickly. The paper slashed his finger. Some red liquid trickled out.
It wasn’t the pain most of all. Such a small cut caused an awful amount of pain. But the fact that Father arrived home with all over his paws at night. But what was it? He absolutely must know. He didn’t know how, but he must know. He set the books back up with one paw, then began to clean again.
That night he searched through many books looking for the definition of a red liquid of some sort. He ran across the word blood around 2 AM or so and noticed the words “red liquid”. Reading along he found that it was through the body of all animals, even humans. It usually came out when there was an opening of the skin, which he discovered was under his fur. That must mean Father had big gashes in his paws—or the blood was someone elses’! Mistoffelees closed the book, frightened of everything he had learned.
He set the book back up on the shelf and stumbled through the darkness of the study. He hit a table and a bucket on top of it shook. Mistoffelees grasped it with his paws to hold it still. He could soemhow hear Macavity above him snoring. He made his way to his chamber, where he fell asleep.
The next morning went as usual. He got up and was told to do his chores. His chores of house keeping were about to become rather easy for him.
“Mistoffelees, did I hear you in my study last night?” Macavity asked, rather gently but strict.
How could he have known? Mistoffelees thought. And should he lie to Macavity? Would Macavity know if he was lying? But how could he, since he did not know that her could read and write. Mistoffelees took his chances.
“I don’t think so sir.”
“Very well. But why would you be in there anyway—you can’t read anywho.” Mistoffelees nearly blushed, thinking the big lie he had told. But apparently Macavity had not caught on.
“Father, what would you like for dinner tonight?”
“Mr. Mistoffelees, I think tonight you may have off. I’ll have someone else make dinner,” Maacavity said, surprising Mistoffelees.
“Really? Oh thank you Father!” Mistoffelees almost hugged Macaivty. Almost.
“Not get to work!” Macavity snapped back into his regular self.
“Yes sir.” Macavity ran out of the cave on his lengthy legs. Misto immediately decided to dust the study. He looked though some books quickly. Then at one point, as he put away a horror tale from a famous poet and shotry story author, Edgar Allen Poe, he got another book from the shelf with ous grabbing it with his paw.
At first, he just looked at the book, wondering how he got it without touching it. He thought he might try it again. So he loked to the books and watched one fly of the shelf, gently landing in his lap. He did it again and again, always workign the same way. Then he began to dust using nothing but his eyes.
Then he heard an evil roar. Macavity! Mistoffelees thought immediately. He jumped off the stool on which he sat. But it was too late. The large stone door flew open with the evil cat standing behind.
“What are you doing in my study?” he hissed.
“I’m sorry sir—I was trying to learn some things,” Mistoffelees uttered.
“NO! I forbade you to come in this study!”
“I’m sorry sir…”
*I can not let him learn or he will know who I really am before I can make him my own,* Macavity thought.
But Mistoffelees heard him. He didn’t know how, but it was so. He said nothing about, but he was very fearful now.
“If I catch you in here again I will kill you!” Macaivyt threatened with a mighty fist above the undersized kitten. “Understand?”
“Yes sir, I understand. I’ll never—“ But then Mistoffelees stopped. He couldn’t lie. He couldn’t say he’d never coem back, cause he had to. He had to know more. He must.
“Say it boy! Promise me!” Macavity said angrily.
“I can’t,” Mistoffelees admitted.
Macavity demanded no more. He dragged Mistoffelees out of the study and tehn stormed away. Mistoffelees meekly rose from the stone floor and carried himself to his chamber.
When he heard a scream. A shrill one at that. Then another, and a shredding and a scrape. A howl, a meow and a hiss…all in a row…all in pain. Mistoffelees’ ears perked up. But he knew he could not leave his chamber. Macavity would surely find him and think he was headed for the study.
Another howl. It was coming from the torture chamber. Tomorrow he knew he must look up “torture” so he knew what he was dealing with. And then he fell into a deep, dark, nightmare-filled sleep.
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No sun rays steamed through the stone walls, but Mistoffelees could feel the world growing warm around him. He awoke and went right to the study. The doors were unlocked as always. He found the “dictionary” and looked up “torture”.
“Anguish? Pain? Hurt?” Mistoffelees said aloud, his eyes practically bulging out of his head. Now he must know what happened in the torture chamber. He dropped the book and ran down the hall, down to the torture chamber. He pulled and pulled and pulled in the big door, but he was too weak. He heard crying within the chamber, and then he heard is own. He knew he must find help.
He jumped around and ran towards the closest exit—the one that led to a junkyard behind it. He was forbade to that exit and that junkyard, but it was the closest and he knew that other cats lived their and they could help.
At first he didn’t know if he should. Macavity told him who lived on the other side. Jellicles. Macavity told him that Jellicles were pure evil and they were not the right crowd to be with—but was that all worth from Macavity’s lips?
He passed a few servants headed toward the exit.
“Where do you think you are going?” One red cat stopped him quickly.
“Father told me to kill a Jellicle today,” Mistoffelees lied quickly.
“You lie!” the servant easily caught on. So without another word Mistoffelees swifty past them, and that was it. He tumbled through the darkness of a long tunnel into a sunny, bright and wonderful world—the Jellicle Junkyard.
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“Wow.” Mistoffelees gazed into the junkyard. The sun touched his fur and he could see how dirty his fur was. He never knew how bright and beautiful the world was, for he had never left Macavity’s lairs. He looked up to the sun and wondered what it was. He had never seen anything so bright and warm. But he remember he must help the prisoners of the torture chamber.
He carefully stepped down from what he was standing on—a big pile of papers and cats and other garbage. Yet he was surprised that their was so broken glass,
and no jagged rocks or hard stone. But when he landed on the ground, he only felt a green, soft something brush his paws.
He walked around, looking at the warm colors brilliantly flashing around every corner. He hid behind garbage cand and big bags to stay well hidden however. He did not want to scare these cats.
As he came closer to a pipe, a rather large cat (compared to his size) jumped in front of him. He tried to hiss, but nothing came out.
The cat was practically three times his size. He was mostly black with a big mane around his neck, a leopard spots on his feet and chest. And he was also laughing hysterically.
Frightened half to death, Mistoffelees just froze in place while watching the big cat laugh at him.
“You’re an interesting little cat.” The cat chuckled a little. “What do they call you?”
“Um, my name’s Mistoffelees,” he managed to spit out.
“Hmmm. I’m the Rum Tum Tugger—the Curious cat of course,” Tum Tum Tugger said. “But you can call me Tugger. All the ladies do.” The Curious cat winked at a passing female cat and Mistoffelees could automatically see he charmed them.
“I guess I shall have to show you to the leader of the Jellicles, Old Deuteronomy. He is very wise and knows all. Come on.” Tugger lead the way to a large wall in which surrounded a church on a side of London.
“I see you have with you a small cat,” the cat said. He was very large and obviously old, brown ragged fur and all.
“Yes Old Deuteronomy. I found him on my way to Bombalurina’s. He seems to dirty and hungry. Perhaps he is lost?” Tugger suggested to the old cat.
“Perhaps, Rum Tum Tugger. I wish you to be off.”
“Gladly,” Tugger muttered, plainly contented to leave the wall.
“Now, where are you from?” Old Deuteronomy asked Mistoffelees.
“I do not know sir. I was adopted by a cat—you may know him—Macavity, and—“
“Macavity?!” the cat interupted in surprise. Mistoffelees said nothing. “Go on.”
“And I was just coming to find help for the poor cats he has held prisoners in his lairs.”
“I see. What is your name young one?”
“Mistoffelees.”
“Well, Mr. Mistoffelees, I will see it suitable for you to stay here since you have nowhere to go now, and certainly not back to those seep and dingy lairs. You will stay with our very responsible cat, Alonzo. He will surely love to have company.” Mistoffelees nodded respectfully.
“WHAT?!” Alonzo exclaimed at Munkustrap, Deuteronomy’s helping assistant. “He can’t stay with me, I don’t want a kitten in here!”
“PleaseAlonzo, he has no family elsewhere,” Munksutrap pleaded.
“But I don’t need a worthless little kitten in here!” Mistoffelees had heard quite enough.
“I am not a worthless kitten!” Mistoffelees exclaimed. I can entertain you with my magic!” Munksutrap and Alonzo just glared at him. “Watch.” He stared a blanket for a moment and it lifted into the air.
“Fine!” Alonzo sadi angrily. “He can stay here for awhile. Untlil he can go
somewhere else!"
“Thank you Alonzo,” Mistoffelees said gratefully.
“Yeah, well don’t mess with me and those cheap parlor tricks, you little kitten.” Alonzo stormed to the back of the shack in which he lived. Mistoffelees frowned. “Cheap parlor tricks they are not!”
That nights, it was so peaceful and quiet, Mistoffelees couldn’t sleep. What if Macavity knew where he was? What was Macavity going to do since he hadn’t come home?” Before he could answer these questions he fell fast asleep.
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The next morning he woke at daybreak. He came face to face with another kitten. A very YOUNG kitten—maybe born a few weeks before.
“AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!” Misto screamed.
“AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!” the kitten screamed even higher. They scrambled away from each other.
“What’s going on out here?” Alonzo stormed out of his room.
“That cat attacked me!” Mistoffelees screamed.
“Why is he in our house?” the kitten cried.
“Oh brother!” Alonzo smacked his forehead. “Mistoffelees, this is my SISTER, Jemima. Jemima, this is our new roommate, Mistoffelees.
“Oh. Pleased to meet you!” Jemima stuck out a friendly paw. Misto shook it.
“Sorry if I scared you,” Mistoffelees.
“It’s okay.”
“Now I’M going back to BED. o-KAY?” The two cats nodded.
Later that morning, Munksutrap walked into the shack. He was a rather handsome gray tabby. “We need to take your blood test, Mistoffelees.”
“My blood?” Mistoffelees choked. A flash image of Macavity’s red paws, he new it had been blood, a frightening red liquid that came from a cat’s body in pain. Could Macavity have been right abou the Jellicles? Could they want to hurt him too?
“Yes Mistoffelees. We need to see your blood. So we can show Old Deuteronomy to see if he can trace back your family. It won’t hurt the way we do it. Not much. And we only take a little."
He had no choice but to trust him. They were his only hope.
A young, fluffy gray cat walked up to him and introduced herself. “Hello. I am Rellyo. You may call me Rel, as most Jellicles do. I am more or less known as the Nurse Cat. I often help with this sort of thing. And I assure you that you have nothing to worry about.”
A small pinch and not even a cry, it was over. Rel had taken some blood apparently, he didn’t even have to look at it.
“Now, I should think you best go see the other cats.” The wll-known Rum Tum Tugger, Bombalurina and Demeter were still kittens at this point in their life. Rel showed him to them. Just the same, he couldn’t help but admire the fluffy cat. There was soemthing about her that was so sweet.
“Where’d that thing come from?” A cat asked, motioning to Mistoffelees.
“He looks a bit ragged,” said a red and beautiful cat.
Another cat, possibly her sister said, “Perhaps it’s Macavity in disguise.” Mistoffelees was too shy to say anything, but he didn’t appreciate that comment. The cats continued to ruckus over him, somethings said were rather cruel.
At last, the familiar large maned cat stepped in front of them. “Is this teasing I hear?” he asked.
“No, no.” The cats mumbled.
“I didn’t think so.” He turned his back and faced Mistoffelees. “Sorry about them. They’re NUTCASES. So where ya from?”
Mistoffelees gulped. He didn’t want to say. “Ma-Ma-Macavity’s Lairs,” he answered bravely.
Tugger raised an eyebrow. “Oh? He try to kill you?”
“Some would say so.”
He grinned. “Well, you’re safe now. Sort of.”
Mistoffelees didn’t ask any questions.
“Where’s your Mom and Dad?”
He shrugged.
“Oh. Sorry. Macavity got ‘em?”
Mistoffelees looked up, a little surprised. He had never thought that Macavity may have… killed her.
“Well?”
“Um… I don’t know.”
“I ain’t tryin’ ta put you on the spot or nuthin’, it’s just that, see, I’m a bit confused why you’re here.”
“Me too.”
As if just in time, Munkustrap appeared by them. “Mistoffelees, Deuteronomy couldn’t trace your Mother and Father, but he did trace your siblings. And two are right here in the junkyard.”
Mistoffelees’ ears perked up.
“Alonzo and Jemima.”
Mistoffelees gasped. They were related to him? Wow. All this time, they had been so close, yet so far away.
He was frozen. He didn’t know what to say.
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After Alonzo came out of shock from finding out that ‘the little squirt’ was his brother, it was decided that Misto would stay with the Jellicles. It was where he belonged, much less be with Macavity.
As he grew, he began very intelligent an very dangerous. Not that he would ever hurt any of the Jellicles, but Macavity was not happy with his disappearance, because he knew where Mistoffelees had gone.
“I knew he would learn too much and become one of them,” he mumbled to himself. “How could he do this? I raised him. I treated him well, I fed him. He was living fine. Why’d he have to go and be on the Jellicles side?”
The more he thought about it the worse it became. He knew that he knew all the entranced to his lair, all of the hideouts and all the robberies… besically, he kenw too much. Which meant he must be eliminated. Though he’d come quite attached to the little thing, he must be done away with. He must.
Macavity called one of his servants. “Dijon?” The cat poked his head in.
“Yes Master?”
“Who knows the most about us?”
“Mungojerrie, of course.”
“And who knows the most about his past?”
“You and Munkustrap.”
“And who knows the most about Mistoffelees?”
“You sir.”
“And?”
“And, sir?”
“Who else?”
“What do you mean, sir?”
“I mean, we know the most about Mungojerrie, but so does Munkustrap. So who do you think knows the most about Mistoffelees?”
“I told you sir, you.”
“Idiot, I mean a Jellicle!”
“Oh, Munkustrap, sir.”
“Exactly. Fortunately, Mungojerrie didn’t know enough to put this operation in jeopardy. Mistoffelees does. And anything he knows he’ll tell Munkustrap, because he trust Munksutrap. And Munkustrap won’t hesitate to tell somebody who can really do some damage.”
“Yes, of course sir, but, dare I ask, who?”
“Rum Tum Tugger.”
“The Curios Cat?” Dijon looked confused.
“He wasn’t always prince charming, after all.”
“He wasn’t?” the servant implied.
“I thought we already discussed this?”
“No. But that’s okay. What your order.
“Kill Rum Tum Tugger. Now.”
“Yes sir.”
“And leave Munkustrap alone.”
“What about the kitten?” Dijon asked.
“The kitten? Why, he shall die in the process of elimination. If I know anything about Jellicles it’s that they always get in other cat’s fights. And that will be a death we cannot be blamed for.”
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Mistoffelees pounce on Rum Tum Tugger, but the lion-cat was too strong for him. He rolled Misto over on his back and let him up.
“I win again,” he said.
Munskutrap watched from the side of the junkyard. He was still young himself, one and a half, not yet a full adult. But he was taking on responsibilities that were above his age. He felt pride in himself at these times, knowing he was doing good work. He and his mother, Jennyanydots watched them play all the time.
“My, your brother will be a strong and handsome male,” Jennyanydots told him. “Just as you will gorw to be a firm and intelligent leader.”
“Thank you, Mother. I love to hear that from you, one of the most successful teachers and inventors of cat history.”
“Oh, you should of known your father. Sharp as a tac he was. And strong. And handsome. He would have been leader if he had not been killed. But that Macavity was not to blame.”
“Mother, what did happen to him?”
“Humans. Some say they skinned him alive. No one really does know. Not even me. But we do know that he was kidnapped and never seen again… oh how I do so miss him. I wish I could see him just once more. He never got to see his beautiful litter. There was only three of you. And who knows wherever your sister could be.”
Munkustrap sighed. “I’m a bit surpised,” he changed the subject, “that Macavity hasn’t attacked yet.”
“All in time, I’m afraid. Macavity is not dumb. He is very smart, and he is planning. Planning horrible things. As a leader you will learn this. There are some things that are dangerous that do not seem so. Macavity for instance. He would not be dangerous at this point in time had we not taken Mistoffelees in. but as Jellicles, it is out duty to do so, and find his parents as well.” Jennyanydots stopped he rknitting for a moment and looked her great tabby son straight in the eye. “Misto has created a danger than is not at his fault. He is but a young kitten, grown up in a world of fear and violence. But he will differently here…” Jenny lightened up and smiled. “—especially playing with my lion of a son.”
“Don’t worry Mother. When he comes, we’ll be waiting.”
“Well, then, son, you’re already making a mistake.”
“I am?”
“Yes. I doubt he is going to show up as he did when he beat all of fur out of dear Mungojerrie. He has probably come up with a more secretive plan with more depth and fear-racking pain. And if we’re not all alert for out personal sake, we have no chance.”
“What are you saying? That if we shouldn’t work together and be “all for himself”?”
“No. I’m saying that this time we have to look out for our own safety more than others. Because more than likely it won’t be the others who have to deal with pain. It will theones who usually are first to help the others ashore and then drown.”
Munkustrap knew that Jennyanydots was a very clever, wise and joyous queen. But he didn’t understand how personal safety could be better than helping others. Still, he nodded his head. “Alright Mother.”
Rum Tum Tugger barreled into Munkustrap. “Gotcha, big bro!” he cried.
Munkustrap jumped up. “Jeez. You could at elast tell me when you’re coming!”
“Munku!” Jenny scolded with a laugh. “The name of the game is sneaking up on the target.”
“Then why am I always the target?”
“Because you’re never the dart!” Jenny said. “You need to get out there and place once and a while.”
“And even more than that!” Tugger said. “I’m just teaching little man here how to pounce.”
“I think he knows. It’s instinct.”
“Oh… Well, I’m teaching him again!” His mother laughed all over again.
Days went by and though Mistoffelees was still very shy, he became more friendly towards the other cats.
One day, he came upon a pipe. He couldn’t help his senses, he had to follow it. He went through the dark, rusty tunnel, to come upon the Vicarage Wall. There sat Deuteronomy, fast asleep. He had never seen Deuternomy, but there he was, sure as the sun’ll come up tomorrow.
He didn’t want to wake him, so he immediately turned back, and came face to face with Rellyo.
“Mistoffelees…” she nearly gasped.
“I was… I was…” he wasn’t sure what he was doing.
“It’s okay. What’s over there?”
He was very surprised she didn’t know. “I…I thought you knew?”
“No… only the adults and Munkustrap know.”
It was then he noticed that Rellyo was a kitten, and he was shocked by her beauty.
“I… well… the Vicarage Wall, I think.”
“Oh Misto, we have to go back, I don’t wanna get you in trouble.” Rellyo turned around quick and swiftly jumped out of the pipe. “We’re not allowed form the Junkyard.”
“Why not?”
“Safety reasons… Alley cats, dogs… Macavity.”
Misto shuddered.
“You can’t trust anyone anymore.”
Mistoffelees said nothing.
“I fear there are many other things you should be afraid of. Like Macavity’s actractedness to you.”
“Huh?” Mistoffelees loked at her in confusion
“He doesn’t want you with the Jellicles. He wants you with him, and him only. He’s going to try and stop us from keeping you. Unfortunately, that result in pain… even death.”
Mistoffelees gasped.
Rel nodded. “It could happen. It might. Particularly your safety is necessary. Because we know he’s after you.
“We? I thought the Jellicles didn’t know about Macavity’s strategies?”
Rel’s cheeks turned a faded red. “When I say ‘we’… Oh, how should I put this? I mean… well, I don’t mean ‘we Jellicles’.
“You’re not a Jellicle?” Mistoffelees a little conscerned that she could be one of Macavity’s henchcats.
“No, I am, it’s just I work elsewhere…”
Mistoffelees’ eyes bulged out of his head. That could mean she was a Macavity worker. “Where?” he asked seriously, swallowing as much fear as he could.
“I—I can’t tell you. I’m sorry. It’s secret. And you can’t tell a single soul that I work elsewhere at all. They musn’t know. Please Misto, you have trust me… please.”
Mistoffelees wanted to trust her. But he didn’t know if he could.
“Mistoffelees, I don’t know how to promise you that I am doing for the good. Because I can’t tell you what it is. But… it is to help fight Macavity.”
Mistoffelees stared at her in thought. Her eyes were so soft and truthful. But what did that mean?
“I-I-I—“
“Do you think that I work for Macavity? A Nurse Cat?”
“No. I won’t tell anyone.”
“Thank-you Mistoffelees. I’ll repay you somehow.” She licked Misto’s cheek quickly and scampered the opposite direction as he, out of the junkyard.
And then he was alone again. But not for very along.
“Hey Misto!” a familiar voice called.
“Yeah?” he yelled back.
“Come on! Mungojerrie has Munkustrap pinned to the ground. In full excitement he forgot Rellyo and bounced in his friends’ direction.
“One…two…three…four…five! He’s down!” No matter how hard he tried, Munkus could not free himself of Mungo’s strong grip. At the “five” in Tugger’s counting Mungo let him go. Munkus stumbled to his feet. “Sorry, you lost again.” But the gray tabby was headed back to his mother’s flat. “Sissy!” Tugger called after his brother.
“Next vic’im?” Mungojerrie called.
“Why don’t you take him?” Tugger asked Misto.
“Me? But I’m—“ But Tugger shoved him in next to Mungojerrie.
“One, two, three!”
“Ding!” Mungojerrie’s twin sister Rumpelteazer called.
Mungojerrie made the fastest leap that Misto had ever dealt with. He was pinned easily and swiftly. Tugger began the five second countdown, when to Mungo’s surprise was blasted from Mistoffelees’ body.
Jerrie just sat in the corner for a second, trying to figure out what had happened. So was everyone else.
“What’d you do?” Teazer asked, running to his brother’s aid. “Are you okay?”
“Yea, Oy’m fine.”
“How’d you do that?” Tugger asked the small kitten. “Only I can beat him.”
“Sorry. I just lost control…”
“I’ll say. But control of what?”
“My powers. They—“
“You’re powers?” Tugger’s eyes bulged from his sockets.
“Yeah. I have some magical powers, like knocking Jerrie off me. Apparently that was a little more power than I expected—and he expected.”
“We’ve known you for a month and a half and you didn’t tell us you had powers?!”
“Well, yeah. I figured that I’d keep it too myself so no one thought I was nuts or nothin’…” Misto became shy again.
“Well, jeez, that was a lot of—a lot of—well, a lot of it.” Misto smiled.
Mungojerrie limepd over to Mistoffelees.
“I’m sorry Jerrie,” Mistoffelees apologized. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Oy’ll be okay. You bet’er go tell Mun’us you ‘ave powers, ‘fore someone else does.” Misto nodded and walked over to Jennyanydots’ little spot in the sunshine.
“Jennyanydots, where’s Munkustrap?”
“Why, he’s inside practicing his fighting and sharpening his claws. You best not interupt him. Is it something you can tell me?”
“Um, no, it’s okay. I’ll talk to him some other times.” Misto sheepishly walked away.
That night and many nights after he wonder what Mungojerrie meant when he said “before someone else does.” If he told them he ahd powers, would they kick him out fo the tribe? Rumpelteazer had acted very astonished and almost angry when he accidently hurt Mungojerrie.
But he dreamed of harder times, of living with Macavity. The way he had always angry been with him. All the horrible things he had done for Macavity. Maybe the Jellicles knew and decided he couldn’t be trusted.
His nightmares held thoughts of blood, pain, and horror of rejection.
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A paw yanked Dijon’s collar so furiously he felt blood sour in his throat. He knew had done something wrong.
“Dijon!” he jumped half a mile at the sound of his master’s voice. “What were you suppose to do?!”
“Well, let’s see. I washed the tormentry chamber, dusted the throne room—“
“No, you idiot! What DIRECT order did I give you?”
“Which one?”
“MURDER!”
“AAAHHHHHH!” Dijon jumped again and leapt behind a large boulder.
“DIJON!!!” Macavity was losing his patience. “What are you doing?”
“I was just—“
“Never mind, I don’t want to know. I told you to do away with Rum Tum Tugger.”
“The Curios Cat, sir?”
“He wasn’t always mr. charming, after—wait a second—I am not having this same conversation. Just do it!”
“Yes sir!” Dijon made a dash for the exit.
He didn’t want to see the sun glare in his sensitive eyes, but he had to do what his master ordered. And that was to kill Rum Tum Tugger, the Curious Cat. Somehow, he was a link to defeat. Dijon had to break that link.
He traced Mistoffelees scent into the Junkyard. The smell of Jellicles was not rancid and sour as in Macavity’s Lairs, but sweet and warm. But them only easier to trail.
He knew, however, he could not get Rum Tum Tugger until the night. The daylight weakened his muscles, and there was too much awakeness at this time. He had to find a good hiding place where he could rest until nightfall.
He quietly slipped behing a stack of decaying rubber car tires. He was careful to stay behind things that were large; tall and wide, so his shadow would not be seen. Another reason the light was bad for his sort of business. It cast his shadow when he was sneaking about.
He founda box just big enough for a cat his size, a small calico tom. He curled up in the box and wrapped his long tail over his eyes. When he was sure he was unsee-able, he fell into a light sleep.
Not too long after Dijon fell asleep, a soft paw knocked him in the shoulder.
“Dijon! Dijon!” it said in whispery hiss. Dijon cracked his eyelids open.
“Huh?” When he could see straight, or soemwhat straight, he saw he was looking into a gray, fluffy cat. “Rel?” he asked.
“Dijon, it’s me, Rel,” she said as if he had not heard his question.
“Rel… where have you been? Mac is gonna go ballistic if you don’t come back.”
“Don’t worry about me, Dijon. I’ll ber fine. It’s you you should be worrying about.”
“Why? I think of you every night, wishing you’d come back.”
“I will. But I can’t until I get these Jellicles… off of me.”
“What are you talking about? The Jellicles think you’re one of them?”
“Yes. I can’t help but stay. There’s this one Jellicle who is trusting that I am against Macavity.”
“So? Who cares what—“
“It’s Mistoffelees.”
“You mean that kitten with magical powers?”
“Yes. I saw his powers—he blasted Mungojerrie half way ‘cross the junkyard. With age, he would be perfect for Macavity. But I can’t let him lose trust in me. I can lure him there. Tell Mac that you think I’m dead or something.”
“Okay. Anything for you,” Dijon agreed.
“Thank you. I’ll miss you while I’m away.”
“I’m not. I’ve been ordered to kill the Rum Tum Tugger.”
“Him? He’s not easy…”
“I know. But he knows too much and he’s too strong against us. You remember that day—“
“Yes. I better get out of here before they suspect something,” Dijon nodded
“Right.” But neither of them moved. Rellyo and Dijon were embraced in the paws. They didn’t let go, until Rel pulled away gently. “Good night, Dijon.” And she draped away into the darkness.
Well then, he must have been sleeping for quite some time after all, because it was dark out. He sharpened his claws on a piece of wood and practiced baring his teeth. The Curious Cat was about three times his size. But size made no difference when you’re going to kill someone.
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Mistoffelees curled up next to Alonzo on the floor of his shack. Alonzo had taken a liking to the little kitten.
Mistoffelees was warm cuddling next to his big brother. He wondered how he had ever found such a wonderful place as the Jellicle Tribe. He smiled to himself as he dozed into a sleep.
There was a hiss outside the door, and Mistoffelees’ ears perked up immediately.
Hissssss.
“Lonzo, wake up!” He shook his brother. “Waker up!”
“Huh?”
Another hiss and then a growl. Alonzo jumped up. “What it is?”
“I don’t know,” Mistoffelees answered.
There was a blood-curdling yowl, and Alonzo flund through the kitty door.
There was Rum Tum Tugger brawling with a very familiar cat, to Mistoffelees.
Alonzo made no hesitation to jump in front of the opposing cat and slash at him. Mistoffelees was still trying to place the opponent, when he saw his best friend was quite in pain. He jumped into the dirt surprisingly into a thin pool of blood.
“Come on Tugger, you have to get up. You have to fight… fight… fight…” Mistoffelees thought franticlaly in his mind for the cat’s name. “…fight… Dijon!”
The cat looked at up at hearing his name. For the split second his attention was turned away Tugger jumped up as quick as possible and slashed across his face. Tugger gigantic paw nearly knocked him senseless, but he was able to retrieve himself.
Mistofflees at last decided he had to help. But how? He wasn’t sure. Dijon was the strongest cat he knew, he could kill a cat if that’s what he wanted to do, and he had a feeling that was the plan. To kill Mistoffelees’ best friend.
As rain started to pour down and turn the dirt to mud, a historical laugh echoed in the junkyard.
Macavity, in a flash, he was standing before him, his friends and his enemy.
Macavity was ready to fight. He had a serious look on his face, not even an evil smile.
But before he could make a move, Munkustrap dashed from the monsooning rain, and growling fearlessly on his way. He leaped in front of Mistoffelees in intended protection.
“Back off Munkustrap,” Macaivty ordered. Munkustrap didn’t move.
“I suggest you move once more.” But Munkustrap wouldn’t.”
“Munkustrap, please move,” Mistoffelees pleaded. But Munkustrap only refused all over again.
“You give me no choice.” The evil grin flashed onto Macavity’s scraggled face as he jumped on top of the gray tabby and scratched mercilessly at his face.
“Stop!” Misto said, not wanting to join the fight. But he had no choice.
He jumped on Macavity’s back. The big cat only threw him off. He tried again and again, but his strength was nothing to Macavity’s.
From under Macavity, Munkus felt the blood splashing around him. The rain was making it jump back up after is cat seeped from his cuts.
Mistoffelees used all his might and blasted Macavity with all the magic he could muster. Macavity tried to get back up, but he went unconcious.
“Munkustrap, are you okay?” Mistoffelees asked.
There was no answer.
“Munkus, say something. You have to!”
No reply.
Misto shook his furiously, but the loss of blood was killing him right there. If he wasn’t saved quickly, he’d die. Right in fron tof Mistoffelees’ very eyes, and he was not sure that he could bare that kind of pain. That would hurt more than physical pain. That would kill him inside. He couldn’t let it happen.
“SOMEONE, HELP!” he called.
Bombalurina appeared squinting through the rain. “Munkustrap!” she screamed. She immediately ran to his side. “What happened?! Tell me what happened to him?!” she demanded.
“Not now. Just help him,” Mistoffelees instructed.
He turned to the other fight. Alonzo was bleeding against a garbage can. His black and white fur no longer shown white, only red and black. Mistoffelees ran to his aid next. But there was nothing he coul ddo for him either.
“Hold in there buddy,” Misto encouraged his brother. To Misto’s prayer, Alonzo faintly nodded. Misto took a deep breath and leaped in front of the Rum Tum Tugger.
“Mistoffelees, get out o fmy way!” Dijon shouted.
“No!” Misto answered.
“Can’t you see I’m busy?”
“You’re not going to hurt him!”
“Why, so you can?”
“I would not!” Mistoffelees snapped, but his voice only came through faintly.
“Wouldn’t you? I remember that cat that brought you in—you killed her!”
“What?” Tugger gasped for breath.
“No—no I didn’t. I did not!” Mistoffelees jumped for Dijon, but he was already on the other side of him.
Rum Tum Tugger tried to get up, but he fell down again.
“It’s okay Tugger. I’ll—“
“No, Misto. It’s not okay. It never was okay. Because I’m going to kill you both.”
“NO!” Mistoffelees jumed as fast as he could and slammed Dijon into a rock. His skull made a horrible split. Mistoffelees jumped backwards as he saw he had drew blood from a fellow cat. He felt ashamed, even if Dijon did work for Macavity.
Dijon only lacerated at Mistoffelees again at just the right angle, slicing open the side of his face. Mistoffelees dropped down to his knees in pain. But through qll the pressure of the rain and the anguish, he stumbled to his feet and scarred Dijon’s side. Dijon did the same, dropping to his knees. Mistoffelees took a quick advantage and pinned him, and ironically slashed angrily at his face.
“STOP!” Someone cried. He did so as he turned to meet the voice, but he didn’t get off him. “Please, don’t kill him!”
Kill him? Was I going to kill him? Mistoffelees asked himself. He looked at his enemy, scarred and probably blind. He let off of him, very ashamed of his anger.
The voice was Rellyo. She ran to Dijon, not stopping for anything. “Dijon, speak!”
“I…”
“Dijon!”
“I can’t…”
“Oh no, what have I done!” Mistoffelees asked himself. He ran to Dijon.
“Dijon, I’m sorry. Please… I don’t want you to die. Please live, we can get you Jellicle help…”
“I…I’d…like…that…” Dijon muttered. “But…” He tried to open his eyes. “…I’m not going…to…make it.”
“Yes you are, don’t say that! Please!” Mistoffelees cried.
Rum Tum Tugger limped to Mistoffelees’ side. “He’s gone.”
“No… He can’t be dead! He has to live!”
“Yes…he…can!” Macavity muttered. Everyone turned to him, even Munksutrap, slowly.
“No!” Rellyo exclaimed. “He has to live.”
“No he doesn’t.”
“Tell…him…I don’t…that if… I was going…to…live… I’d quit…his…dirty…work.”
“You’ll live!” Rellyo said desperately. They she calmed and tears welled in her eyes. “You’re my only love. You’re like… a rose, shimmerin with the morning’s early dew.”
“Even roses wither away,” he managed.
“NO!” Macavity leaped at the bunch of cats. None of tehm moved, but his weight knocked them out of his way. His weight crushed the barely breathing Dijon. And that was it. The calico that promised to repent himself from Macaivty’s evil ways—was dead.
“How could you?” Mistoffolees rasped.
“I…” even Macavity couldn’t even believe what he had just done. The bloody body was nothing now. But he didn’t know if he meant to it.
“You killed him,” Rellyo stated blankly. And then, with more fiercness, she repeated: “You killed him.”
Macavity dashed off into the darkness before the dredged gray cat could think of following. But she had no intentions of following.
“No.” She started whimper and broke into tears. She dropped next to Dijon’s dead body. “I loved him. I didn’t even get to tell him.”
“He knew,” Mistoffelees assured her.
She glanced up.
“How do you know?”
“I don’t know. I just know that he knew you loved him. He was going to repent for you. Because he loved you.”
“But I work for Macaivty—well, I did.”
And you were going to stop so you could be with him?”
“How’d you know?”
“Because Macavity was afraid you two would have kittens and they’d become Jellicles. When he saw you two so close, he was afraid you had fallen in love. So he killed him. Though he didn’t want to.”
“Mistoffelees,” she cried all over again.
“Hey, it’s okay kid,” Tugger put a heavy paw on her shoulder. “You can stay in the Jellicles.”
“But all that ever mattered to me—my rose—is gone.”
“It’s okay. I undestand,” Mistoffelees hugged her.
Munksutrap and Bombalurina managed to drag each other over to their friends.
Rellyo looked up to Munkus apologetically. “I’m sorry. Sorry that I lied.”
Mistoffelees managed a smile. Behind his back he conjured a bright red rose. He pulled it from behind and handed it to Rellyo. But right before he did, one of his magical teardrops gently splashed on one of its soft petals. “Look, a new day…has…begun.”
