A week had passed. To the orange and black tabby queen, life was a complete mess. Mungojerrie had gone missing. Tybalt had gone missing as well.
Rumpleteazer had been a wreck since Mungo had left, and finding out later that Tybalt was no where to be found was salt to the wound. She had been hiding away in her box since, except late at night when she knew no other cats were around and she could look for her lost mate and son without any questions from the other Jellicles. She would talk to no one. Not her friends, not her siblings, not even her own parents. She had basically seperated herself from anyone else, except her other kittens.
Peridot and her little sister, Cali, had no idea what had been going on. All they knew is that their pushy big brother was suddenly not around, and their father was gone too. They didn't seem to miss Tybalt so much, but Mungojerrie, on the other hand, they missed a lot. He was the one who would always make them laugh. He would always play with them, when Mom was too tired or busy. (Which, to them, seemed like always.) He was like their big-best friend. He was their father. He was always there for them, except now. Why now? They didn't have a clue. They did notice that their mom wasn't the same either. She would take care of them, sure, and love them as any mother would, but she always seemed like her mind was constantly on other things. In reality, they were.
The entire junkyard was full of worry, wonder, and suspicion. Everyone knew now that Rumpleteazer's kittens did not belong to Mungojerrie. Everyone knew that Rumpleteazer had cheated on her mate. Since no one could talk to her, more like she wouldn't talk to them, that is what they knew. Rumors were also spreading. Tales of Rumpleteazer constantly hanging around some large and bulky tom, who never existed, every Saturday night in the back of the junkyard was the current story some gossip-loving queens, and even some toms, would love to discuss amungst themselves. (Though the story would change from time-to-time.) Some Jellicles' opinions on Rumple had changed, and they didn't look upon her so nicely anymore. Some couldn't believe the "truth" that she had cheated on her mate, and felt sympathy for the young queen. They all felt sorry for poor Mungojerrie, who no one in the tribe had seen in a weeks time. Some assumed he left for good. Some thought the distrot tom might have ended his life on his own will, or something could have happened to him. That was also what they had assumed happend to the young tom, Tybalt, who was missing as well. They figured the poor kit was too young to fend for himself and probably came across a vicious pollicle or maybe even a human machine on wheels.
=^..^=
The sky was cloudy and the stars just didn't seem to shine. The moon was full, but hidden. Mungojerrie sat, starring up at the sky, in an alley pretty far from the junkyard. He hurt. He hurt badly. No, not physically, but his emotions of love, family, and trust were shattered. He did want to go back, oh how he did... To go back to his little kittens.. well, to the kittens he took care of, and to his mate whom he loved since they first met so long ago.. all in their box.. all together as a family. Family. That word had no meaning anymore. He had no family growing up, and it seemed he didn't have one now. What does he have? Nothing, he thought. No love. No family. No trust. He just had nothing. All he had was his life, but did he even want to keep that?
=^..^=
"Rumple, dear, please open up." JennyAnyDots pleaded as she knocked on the door of Rumple's box.
There was no answer. Rumple heard the knocks from her bed and knew it was her mother, but she wouldn't answer. She just couldn't. After lying all this time, and hurting her mate, she just didn't have the energy to talk, more like explain, anything to anyone. They probably wouldn't believe her anyways. She knew what the junkyard thought. She knew of the rumors. What effect would the words of that "two-timing queen, Rumpleteazer" have on anyone? Probably none, she thought.
"Rumple!" Jenny said, more sternly this time. "I know you are in there. Please open the door!"
Still she didn't answer. She pulled herself into a sitting-up position on her bed, glancing over at her kittens who were asleep in a designated bed for the kits, in a corner of the box.
"Rumpleteazer!" Jenny yelled. "Open this door! Please! I haven't seen you in awhile, and you're really making me and your father worried.."
Rumple frowned, glancing at the door. Now she was worrying her family? She sighed and got up from her bed, walking slowly and lifelessly to the door. She paused, but finally opened it up, not looking directly at her mother. She still stayed silent.
"Rumple.." Jenny frowned, getting her first glance at her daughter in a while. Rumple's fur was matted, her eyes seemed to glaze, with dark rims surrounding them. Jenny leaned in and hugged her daughter. "..I have been so worried about you.." she said, still hugging.
Rumple didn't hug back. She sighed again and shut her eyes.
"You shouldn't worry.. about me.." Rumple managed to mumble.
Jenny leaned back from hugging her daughter and stared at her.
"Rumple, dear, you're my kitten. I always worry about you. Even when you are just being you." Jenny smiled just weakly.
Maybe it was because of her words, or maybe it was the lonelyness she had recently, whatever it was, it made Rumple hug her mother tightly, even start to cry. She didn't have any control of it, she just had to cry.
This did surprise Jenny, Rumple's sudden display of emotions from before being totally confined. She hugged her daughter back tightly, stroking her head softly with her paw.
"There, there, dear." she said. "Cry all you want."
=^..^=
"Tiger!" the young human girl called, as she began to search her room. "Where are you?"
The little red striped kitten tried his best to stay hidden, as he looked for a way out of the room, which seemed to be covered in every shade of pink possible. He made the mistake of trying the window, when he knocked over a porcelain doll and making enough noise to get attention.
"Aww.. Tiger! There you are!" She giggled as she slowly walked over, then picked up the kitten. She found him a week ago, wandering around near her home in Victoria Grove, all alone. She had to nogotiate with her parents, but she finally got them to say Yes to keeping the little kit.
Tybalt had been lost since he left the junkyard. Lost and alone, and for the first time ever, he was scared. He had roamed around endlessly, all around the area, until he found a small and very rich looking neighborhood. He didn't mean to come across the young human as she was coming home from school. He didn't like being held captive by his parents, and he sure didn't like a human doing it either. Though he tried and tried, he just couldn't get away from the little human, all week. So was the case now. He squirmed in the grip of the little girl, but she wouldn't let go.
"Tiger! What'sa matter? Don't ya wanna play with me?" She asked, still giggling. "Aw, I know you do!" She petted him and took him over to a corner of her room, which had a small table and chairs. On the table, set up very nicely, was a plastic tea set. In the chairs were a bunch of stuffed animals, them all seeming to droop down in their little wooden seats. (Even the stuffed animals looked like they didn't want to be there.) She hummed to herself as she pulled over a baby doll buggy, complete with fake baby accessories.
Tybalt had no idea what the human was doing, and continued to squirm and mew like crazy.
"Settle down, Tiger!" she said as she grabbed a small bib. "We're going to play tea party!" she giggled loudly. She placed the bib around his neck, despite his resistance, and then forced him to sit in the baby buggy. She then tried to cover him with a variety of blankets.
He meowed and manged to jump out, going to sprint off again, and at the same time biting at the stupid thing around his neck that itched.
"No! Tiger!" the girl chased after him. "Come back! I just wanna play!"
Tybalt made a quick turn and out the door to the girl's room. He started to run around the very large house, once again starting a chase between him and the girl human. They usually had one or two a day.
=^..^=
"Why didn't you tell me?!" Jenny asked, shocked.
"..Because.." Rumple started. "...because Macavity warned me not to. But then I was going to, but then when I found out I was going to have kittens, everyone looked so happy.. I.. I just didn't want to spoil that. Especially.." she sniffled. "..especially my Mungojerrie.." she trailed off and buried her face in her paws.
"..I see.." Jenny replied, frowing. Rumple told her everything. What Macavity had done to her, why she lied, about what she told Mungojerrie, everything. "Oh, deary.. I wish..I wish I could have done something." she said as she slowly walked over and sat beside her daughter, putting her arms around her and hugging her.
"I know, but.. you couldn't have.. no one could have." Rumple said, still sniffling and hugging her mother back.
"Yes, but still.." the Gumbie sighed, and then began ot growl. "If I EVER get my claws on that HORRIBLE Macavity I'll.."
"No, Mom." Rumple said, looking up at her mother. "It's not worth it. Macavity has always done things like this. You've heard the stories about him and Demeter? It's just what he does when he is mad. He blames me for Mungojerrie quitting his gang. This was my punishment." she sighed. "..and Mungo's punishment as well."
Jenny shook her head in dismay and hugged her daughter again. "I'm so, so sorry, dearest. I wish Mungojerrie would come back so we could straighten things up."
"Me too, Mom. Me too." she sniffled and shut her eyes. "I miss him so much. So very, very much. And now with Tybalt gone.."
=^..^=
It was another dark night. Mungojerrie crept around the alleys of the city, aimlessly. He had no where to go, and no where to stay, so he was always walking around. Now he was making his way past the back of a resturant, looking for some scraps to eat. He jumped up onto a trash can, starting to paw around.
Another figure was creeping around the alley, slowly. He looked out from the corner of his eye, spotting the dark orange and black striped tabby searching through the trash can. He sauntered over, and with one strike, knocked the trash can over.
As the can fell, so did Mungo. He hit the ground and rolled a few feet. Groaning, he pulled himself to his feet, starring up at the cat before him. "Macavity!" he said with a start.
"Agent Mungojerrie." Macavity grinned, but then made himself pause. "Oh, I'm sorry. Former-Agent Mungojerrie."
"Yes..." Mungo said slowly, sitting down in a small distance on Macavity. His tail twitched rapidly, always being nervous around his former boss.
"So, my former top agent, how are things?" Macavity asked, with a small smirk. "Life in that happy little junkyard going well?"
Mungo sighed and looked away from him. "Not really.. I left.."
"You left?" the Hidden Paw asked, acting surprised, but he wasn't really. "But why?"
"It's not important.." Mungo replied slowly, still not looking at him.
"Mungojerrie, please.. I thought we were friends. You are no longer an agent, just an aquaintence." He smirked again, but smiled.
"No. It's really not important. I just.." He sighed and paused, figuring it wouldn't matter now if he told Macavity. It wouldn't matter who he told. He wasn't going back to the junkyard anyways. "..I just found out that my mate cheated on me, and had another tom's kittens, without even telling me until it was too late."
"I see.." Macavity replied, at first not realizing all of what Mungojerrie was talking about. Then, it hit him. So, Rumpleteazer didn't tell Mungojerrie the truth? She lied to him? And now they have kittens.. it was almost too perfect. What he did caused so much trouble to the two, he almost couldn't believe it himself. He didn't know all the details, but he didn't need them. A small grin appeared on his face as his mind began to work. He could tell that his dirty deed had hurt Mungojerrie beyond belief, but that really didn't matter to him. No one quits working for Macavity. No one. And he would make Mungojerrie pay even more.
Mungo sighed. "I should go.."
"No. Stay." Macavity said, in a deep and almost growling tone. "It's been so long since we talked, talked about different things.."
Mungojerrie paused, not liking the tone of Macavity's voice, and started walking faster.
"..Okay, fine, go. Run away. It's no wonder your mate wanted me over you, you coward." Macavity grinned, sitting down, and waiting for a response.
"Wh..what..?" Mungo turned around quickly, staring at Macavity. "What did you say?"
"You heard what I said, Mungojerrie. Your mate didn't want to stay with a cowardly tom like you. That's why she came to me. Behind your back the whole time."
He was stunned. No, he was more than stunned. He finally shook his head. "No! I don't believe you!"
"But it's true, Mungojerrie. I don't lie about things like these." Macavity grinned.
No, it just couldn't be. Rumple with Macavity? Behind his back!? Suddenly, it made sense. Tybalt didn't look like himself, he looked like Macavity! He acted like Macavity! And Rumple, this is who she cheated on him with!? The news shocked him. He thought his heart had stopped. He yelled and turned again in the other direction. "No!!"
Macavity laughed, watching him. "You know, Mungojerrie, your mate is pretty fiesty. You know that?" He laughed again, knowing this time he REALLY made Mungojerrie pay.
Mungojerrie didn't answer, he kept mumbling as he ran out of the alley. He was running as fast as he could, his mind racing almost faster than his legs. He just couldn't believe it. Not in a million years could he see his Rumple mating with Macavity behind his back. But she did. And there was proof, and the proof was Tybalt and the other kittens. It didn't make sense.. but it did..
His mind was filled with so many thoughts at once, his heart was broken, and his attention was to everything else but what was going on around him. Maybe thats why he didn't see the car...
=^..^=
Part three coming soon!
