“Invasion!” Someone screamed. Munk leaped
forward and into the centre
of
the junkyard. Macavity’s gang was going through
the rubbish. Munk
went to
the top of a pile of junk and watched. If they
came any closer… The
gang
dragged something out the rubbish. It’s a cat.
Munk thought. He
looked
harder. The cat was struggling to get away but
was to weak to do
anything.
What if it’s one of the Jellicles? Munk panicked.
He led the toms
into the
centre of the gang.
When Macavity’s gang had gone Munk and some of the
other cats
surrounded the
bundle. “It’s not one of ours.” One of
the queens sneered and
wandered
off.
“She’s hurt.” Munk said.
“We’re told not to bring strangers into the junkyard.”
Pounce reminded
him.
“And we’re supposed to leave her here to die?”
Victoria asked.
“We can’t.” Alonzo objected. “We’re not
murderers.”
“But she’s a stranger.” Jemima worried.
Munk decided what to do. “We’ll take her back
to the junkyard. Take
her
back to my lair then if there’s trouble I’m responsible.
We’ll keep
her
until she’s ok then ask her where she comes from.”
Munk grabbed the cat by the scruff of the neck and
took her to his
lair. He
dropped her in front of the fire and looked at her.
She was covered in
mud
and shivering miserably. Munk sat down next
to her and nuzzled her
face.
She looked up. Munk got a shock. A pair
of huge brown eyes looked
back at
him. Munk cleaned the rest of the mud off her
face. A grey tabby
looked
back at him. The queen, Munk realised, was only
a kitten, a young
kitten at
that. She started licking the rest of the mud
off herself. Munk gave
her
some water and sat back. This kitten entranced
him. “What’s your
name?”
He asked. She didn’t answer but meowed at him.
Her whiskers drooped
and
she still looked cold. Munk pulled a blanket
over her. “I’m calling
you
Angel.” Munk told her. “You’ve appeared
from nowhere.”
“How is she?” Tugger looked in.
“No idea.” Munk shrugged. “She’s called
Angel.”
Tugger obviously thought that the kitten had told
Munk her name.
“Cute.
She’d better be good looking to deserve a name like
that.”
The kitten meowed again and Munk rolled his eyes.
“I’m not her
flipping
father.”
“Let’s see her.” Tugger looked at the kitten.
“Blimey.” He laughed.
“Are
you sure you’re not her father? She’s identical
to you.”
“No I’m not.” Munk shook his head. “And
she’s got white paws.”
Munk woke up. It was very late that night.
“Munk?” A voice asked.
“What?” Munk turned on the light. The
kitten was sitting up and
looking at
him. Maybe she’s not as young as I thought.
Munk looked loftily at
her.
“Where did you come from?”
“I ran away. Macavity attacked us. I escaped.
He hunted me. I
thought he
was going to kill me.” She burst into tears.
“Well we rescued you.” Munk went to her.
“My family’s dead.” The kitten sobbed.
Munk froze. If this kitten’s family was dead
she had nowhere to go.
The
other cats would want to throw her out when she got
better. “Don’t
worry.”
Munk told her. “We’ll work something out.”
“When’s that kitten going to go?” Grisabella
asked one day. “She’s
better.
She was chasing leaves with the other kittens
yesterday. If that’s
not
better what is?”
Munk groaned. “She’s a kitten and her family’s
dead. What are we
supposed
to do? Go and give her to Macavity? If
we put her out on the streets
they’d capture her within an hour.”
“It’s not our problem.” Jelly joined in.
Munk bristled. “So if you died you would like
us to throw your kittens
out?
Great idea!”
“Go and ask Deuteronomy.” Grisabella suggested.
“He’ll tell us that
we’re
right.”
Munk growled. “I’m second in charge.”
“I’m older. And wiser.” Jelly challenged.
“If we keep the kitten…”
“She does have a name.” Munk reminded her.
“Angel?” What sort of a name is that?”
Jemima asked. “And she’s
staying
with you. That’s not right. A kitten staying
with a tom?”
“If she stayed with any of you lot she’d probably
have been chased out
within an hour. She was crying yesterday because
someone was being
horrible
to her.”
Suddenly someone appeared beside Munk. It was
Angel. She’d grown but
hadn’t got past the fluffy stage yet. “I’m leaving.”
“Halleluiah.” Jelly muttered.
Munk gulped. He didn’t dare say anything.
“If you’re really going
I’ll
walk you through town.” He looked at the other
cats. “Any
objections?” No
one replied.
Angel and Munk walked through town. “I’ll come
with you.” Munk said.
“Stuff the Jellicles. I lo…”
Angel shook her head. “No Munk. You’ve
got to stay. I’ll get by. I
promise.”
Munk argued. “You’re a kitten. You’ll
get eaten by a Pollicle,
captured by
Macavity or by a human! You can’t go alone!”
Angel shrugged. “You’ve walked me across town.
I’ve heard of a farm
where
there’s a barn. I think I might have been born
there.”
Munk gulped. “I want to go with you.”
“You’re leader of a tribe. You can’t.”
“Watch me.” Munk said.
Angel suddenly scratched Munk hard. “Talk sense.
You broke rules
letting
me stay with you. I’ve heard the whispers.”
Munk stared at her. “I’ll come and find you
one day. Promise.” He
kissed
her. He suddenly didn’t care about what the
other Jellicles thought.
“Ok.” Angel nodded, and vanished.
Tugger threw the football at Munk. It bounced
off him. “Come on
Munk.”
Tugger grumbled. “She’s been gone months.”
“I love her.” Munk exploded at his friend whose
jaw dropped. “Ok? I
love
her. I wanted to go with her but she wouldn’t
let me!”
Tugger dragged Munk into the junk. “Are you
telling me you were about
to
give up your place here to go with a homeless kitten?”
“Yes.” Munk nodded.
“But she’s a kitten. You’re a tom.”
“I’m not a flipping OAC (old age cat).” Munk
roared furiously.
“I’ll go and find her myself if only to improve your
temper.” Tugger
sighed.
“Invader.” Someone yelled.
Munk sighed. “The last time someone said that
was when we found
Angel.”
Tugger raced off to see what was going on.
Munk sighed. He missed Angel so much it hurt.
He relived all the
times
he’d curled up with her and listened to her cry about
how much she
missed
her family. “Munk!” Tugger came racing
up. “It’s Angel. She…”
Munk went off like a bullet. He saw some queens
surrounding her and…
Munk
stared. They were scratching at her. He
exploded them apart. “What
are
you doing?” He was furious. He was going
to leave with her…
“Munk.” Angel gasped. “I came to warn
you. Macavity’s going to
attack.
He’s going to…” Angel fainted.
There was a long silence. Munk had caught Angel
as she fell. He tried
to
be calm. “Someone risked their lives coming
here to warn us and this
is how
you repay her?” He looked round. “Prepare
for attack.” Some of the
kittens came up. He looked at them. “You
kittens. Take Angel to
Deuteronomy. Warn him to keep her safe.
Stay with her. All you
others,
get into position.”
Munk got onto the roof of Deuteronomy’s lair.
He always guarded
Deuteronomy
and the kittens. This time, his only thought
was Angel. Everyone
watched.
Suddenly one of the queens leaped off the junk.
“It’s a set up. She’s
trying to scare us.”
Suddenly swarms of henchmen flooded into the clearing.
Munk gasped.
If
they’d all been in the clearing they wouldn’t have
had a chance. He
saw
Macavity look round in confusion. He gave the
signal and several of
the
cats surrounded Macavity and his gang. Some
cats tried to burst out of
the
circle and only one managed. Macavity!
He went to Deuteronomy’s lair
and
Munk dropped on him. Munk found Macavity’s fur
and bit. After several
minutes had elapsed Macavity gave up. He fled,
along with the rest of
his
gang.
Deuteronomy came out. Munk brushed past him and
hugged Angel.
“Angel.” He
told her. “You’ve probably just saved our lives.”
Angel smiled. She was still injured. “I
thought I was going to lose
mine
then. I’ve never been so scared. I had
to warn you though.”
“Munkustrap!” Deuteronomy called. Munk
picked up Angel and carried
her
out. “I’ve heard what’s been going on.”
Deuteronomy suddenly bowed to
Angel. “And we all are in your debit.
Whatever you want, you shall
have.”
“I want to stay here.” Angel looked at Munk.
“With you.”
