by Kali

Author's Notes: This story originally appeared on The Vortex of Infinite Felinity with the author listed as Ampersand. Ampersand was a name I used when I wrote this story, but I now write under the name Kali, and so have used that name to put this story here. So I have not stolen this story and am not passing it off as my own - I did write it, but under a different name.

CHAPTER ONE

Victoria was outside the main area practicing her solo for the Jellicle Ball coming up the next week, when she saw another cat peering out at her from the trunk of an old car. Curious, the graceful white queen silently moved over towards the car, but as she got nearer, the ajar door slammed shut, and a clicking sound signified it's lock being put into use. Later, Victoria reported her sighting of this other cat to the rest of the Jellicles. Rum Tum Tugger dismissed it as nothing more than a stray kitten; Munkustrap didn't seem so sure. "Are you sure you asked everyone where they were?" he asked Coricopat, whom he'd detailed to find out where all the cats had been while Victoria'd been practicing. "Each and every one," Coricopat said.  Turning to Tantomile, his twin sister, he said, "Correct?" Tantomile assured him it was so, than turned to Munkustrap and said, "It could have been Grizabella." At this, all the cats blanched openly, and Alonzo seemed about to scratch Tantomile's paw for merely saying such a name. "It is possible," Munkustrap said dubiously. "It's more than possible," said Tantomile defensively. "It's extremely likely!" Coricopat finished his sister's sentence, as they were apt to do. Sighing, Munkustrap replied to the twins' impatient stares, "I'll see about it." "But we should tell Old--" Electra began, but Munkustrap interrupted her. "No! No one AT ALL is to speak of this to Old Deuteronomy. He's been under a lot of stress lately with the death of that friend .  Do you understand?" Everyone sullenly, reluctantly agreed not to tell their wise, benevolent leader, but as they left from the meeting, (at which Old Deuteronomy had not been present)Etcetera decided to do something...

CHAPTER TWO

"Should I tell him?" she asked Demeter. "What? Oh. Yes, of course, whatever you like,dear," Demeter said absently. Etcetera stomped her paw. "Demeter, I'm trying to talk to you!" Demeter sighed, and turned to Etcetera, her attention for the moment focused on the gray and copper kitten. "What?" she asked. "If you'd been LISTENING, you would know, now wouldn't you!" Etcetera began angrily, but Demeter hushed her with a "Oh, just be quiet for once, will you Etcetera?" Etcereta boiled with rage, and could do no more than bite Demeter's tail. Than she stomped away, not paying attention to Demeter's shout of protest. A loud noise brought them both to their paws quickly. "What was that?" Etcetera asked nervously of Mistoffelees, who had also come, along with Alonzo, Tumblebrutus,Pouncival, and Plato. "Shh," they all replied, so the kitten promptly, but angrily, became silent. However, she couldn't stand not knowing what was going on, and she was to short to see over all the other cats' heads. "What's going on?" she whispered to Alonzo, who kicked her paw. "Oh, just be quiet," he said. Etcetera got mad (justly) at this, and stormed away. As she got near the other end of the junk yard, she felt a pair of paws suddenly scratch at her back;but, upon turning, she found no one there. Etcetera chided herself for being scared of her own shadow, and continued walking. But she kept looking fearfully back over her shoulder to be sure no one was following her. She could have sworn she felt someone watching her.

CHAPTER THREE

She had soon gotten to the broken oven where she liked to spend her time, and she quickly forgot about the mysterious cat when she began playing with her ball of yarn. But after a little while a noise behind her startled Etcetera into leaping with fright. "Is-- is that you Jemima?" she asked, her voice quavering. "Electra? I know you're there. Come out, Pouncival. Come on. This isn't funny! Electra? Pouncival? Jemima?" The little kitten's voice took on a panicky tone, and soon she was racing madly for the old rusty car where she knew Tugger would be. Before she got even close, however, a small shape came hurtling down out of the darkness of the late night. As Etcetera  screamed, the cat (for she could tell, even through her panic that it was a cat,) placed it's paw over her mouth. "Shh!" it whispered. "D'ye want to bring the pollicle's down on us?" The figure got off Etcetera to let her up, and Etcetera got to her paws, dusting off her coat as she remarked "I knew it was you, Jemima." The figure shook it's head. "I don't know what you're talking about," it said. "I'm not Jemima." "Electra than. Come on, Electra, let's go where there's more light, eh?" The figure shook it's head again. "Nor am I Electra." Etcetera knew it couldn't be Victoria; she was much taller than this one. "Well than, who ARE you?" she cried. The figure didn't speak, but brought out a match and struck it against the oven door. In the eerie light, Etcetera saw that the stranger was a small black kitten, who smiled as Etcetera looked her over curiously. "I am Orincotoro," the kitten said.

CHAPTER FOUR

Etcetera decided to bring the kitten back to the main junkyard tomorrow, after it got light. Meanwhile, she and Orincotoro were having lots of fun, tossing Etcy's ball of yarn back and forth, telling ghost stories, and just generally chatting. Etcy saw in Orincotoro a kindred spirit, and put herself forward as such. Not bothering to ask any questions past the obvious 'Where're you  from? Who're your parents? Why don't you live with them?', the gray and  copper kitten chose to make Orincotoro as comfortable as possible, which was  a wise decision. "Who do you like best in all the world?" she asked her new found friend. Orincotoro smiled. "You, now," she replied cheerfully. Etcy smiled, and the two went back to the scratching of their claws upon an old armchair. After a moment, Orin asked Etcy the same question. Etcetera thought for a  while before answering, "Hmm. I suppose Old Deuteronomy. Everyone does." Orin shook her head slowly. "He must be a wonderful leader to generate such love and devotion," she said. Etcy didn't understand what she said, but got the the first part, and said "Oh yes. Old Deut is wonderful. But apart from him, I guess I must say Jemima or Electra. Lectra's my sister, and Jemima is another kitten in the tribe. They're nice. Course, I like Victoria too, (she's Jem's sister) but she's a bit old. I mean, she's not a kitten any more, and she acts all superior and stuff when we're near her. Jem said she's perfectly  insufferable at home. I REALLY like the Rum Tum Tugger too. He's perfect... Do you like straussburg pie?" To this abrupt subject change,Orin could only say "Yes, " and the two kittens began talking about their favourite foods.

CHAPTER FIVE

Munkustrap awoke feeling guilty. Probably he SHOULD have told Old Deuteronomy about the strange cat...after all, it could have been one of Macavity's cats. Before he could do anything about it, however, Alonzo pounced on him. "What do you want, Alonzo," Munkustrap said wearily. Alonzo grinned widely "I went out searching last night with Plato and Admetus , and guess what we found!" "I can't possibly guess, Alonzo. Tell me." The black and white cat went on, ignoring the sarcasm in Munkustrap's voice. "We found a set of pawprints leading away from the car, where Vici said she saw this cat. And guess what?" Once again, Munkustrap had to try hard to keep from strangling Alonzo. "What?" "They led to the warehouse! You know, the old one on the river where Macavity and his henchcats stay?" Immediately Munkustrap looked up, impatience forgotten. "What? Are you saying this cat was one of Macavity's?" Alonzo nodded his affirmation, then smirked and said "You know,  it was my idea to search, and that the cat might be one of Macavity's." With that, Alonzo dashed off to boast to the Rum Tum Tugger about how well his idea went.. Chiding himself, Munkustrap made his way to the vicarage wall, where he told everything to the benevolent Jellicle leader. Old Deuteronomy, naturally, had a few questions to ask. "Why didn't Victoria speak to the cat? She'd probably have thought it wasn't one of Macavity's, thought it really was."Munkustrap answered this with a shrug. "According to Vici? She scared the stranger away." Munkustrap stood up. "Anyway, that's all. I just thought you'd like to know." Old Deuteronomy patted Munkustrap on the back, and he left.

CHAPTER SIX

By the time Munkustrap got back to the junkyard, however, a loud commotion had broken out. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer were back, and they had apparently stolen a string of pearls from Bombalurina, who demanded them back. The silly couple vigorously denied all accusations, pointing round the cats at random and shouting "'E did it!" Munkustrap decided to step in. Getting in between the cat burglars and the furious Bombalurina, he searched Mungojerrie's sack, which Alonzo had confiscated. After searching Rumpleteazer's also, and finding no pearls, he declared the two cats innocent, and they ran off giggling about something. Bombalurina glared at Munkustrap, and stormed off with Demeter, who also had her nose in the air. Munkustrap sighed. "Not easy being the second in command, is it Munkustrap?" a voice said. Munkustrap leapt around, but relaxed when he saw it was only Mistoffelees. "What do you want, Misto?" the gray tabby asked. Misto hung upside down from a pipe, and said "Oh, nothing really, just thought I should warn you that Etcetera's on her way here with a strange kitten in tow." With those final words, Misto disappeared in a blaze of glitter. Munkustrap sighed again, and turned to peer at the horizon, where he could make out Etcy and another kitten. Preparing himself for anything, Munkustrap hopped down from the tire. "Hello, who's this?" he asked. Etcy replied proudly "This is Orincotoro, the kitten that Victoria saw yesterday." Munkustrap's head turned and he gave a sharp look at the small black kitten, who gave a nod of affirmation. In a low monotone, he said to Etcetera, keeping his eyes fixed on Orincotoro, "Etcetera. Will you come here please." Etcy obeyed, and when they were out of hearing from Orincotoro, he told her of Alonzo's find.

CHAPTER SEVEN

"But that's not true!" Orincotoro cried at the trial which had been set up. "Etcy, tell them it's not true! You know I'm not one of Macavity's cats!" Etcetera could only sit and cry, huddled into a corner of the junkyard. At the sight of her new friend's broken faith, Orincotoro, too, began to cry. Munkustrap looked uncomfortable. He wasn't used at having to put crying kittens on trial. "Listen, Orincotoro, or whatever your name is," Alonzo spoke up. "How can WE know for sure that there will be some cream for dinner tonight?" Orincotoro hiccuped, and stopped sobbing. "You can't, not for sure." she said. "Exactly." Alonzo said as he smiled smugly. Nobody else could figure out his logic, except maybe Pouncival and Tumblebrutus, so they went on with the trial. Orin's argument was this: "I thought those two cats over there, what's their names, Mangoberry and Rufflegeezer, I thought THEY worked for Macavity." Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer looked offended at having their names said wrong, but before they protested, Skimbleshanks butted in. "They don't any more," he said. "Oh yea? How about if I gave you proof?" Munkustrap found his tongue, finally, and said "And how would you do that, missy?" Orin looked about to speak, but closed her mouth and looked frightened. "Good question," she said hastily, as though covering something up. Munkustrap shook his head. "Orincotoro, you are found guilty of being Macavity's henchcat, and are sentenced with death. Trial adjourned."

CHAPTER EIGHT

Most cats started to dissipate, finding it rather sad that one so young should die, but Tantomile and Coricopat stood up, their movements the same.  Together they spoke out loudly. "What about innocent until proven guilty?"  Munkustrap turned to them. "They were proven guilty," he said. Tantomile and Coricopat spoke again. "Where's the proof then?" Munkustrap looked uncomfortable. "Well," he began, but Etcy broke in. "Yea!" she cried as she stood beside Tantomile. "Where's the proof, huh Munkustrap?" "If you're going to condemn her to death, Munkustrap," Misto said, joining them, "Be prepared to defend your decision." Bombalurina and Demeter looked at each other and moved over to join Tantomile, Misto, Coricopat and Etcy. Jenny and Jelly came also, and more and more cats joined until finally only a few stood with Munkustrap: Alonzo, Pouncival, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, and Tumble. Munkustrap sighed, and, sitting down on the tire again, he said "All right. Trial in session." Everyone (except for the cats who'd been on Munkustrap's side)  cheered, and everyone sat down and debated it. The trial ended with Orin innocent, and everyone was satisfied. As they got up to leave, a thunderclap crashed overhead, which was odd, seeing as how it'd just been a beautiful day. Demeter shrieked "Macavity!" and everyone ran for cover, except for Munkustrap, of course. A loud laugh made Orincotoro poke her head out. It was a lean, ginger, red, and black cat sitting in midair.The cat laughed again, and this time Orin realized it was Macavity. He floated slowly to the ground, and stood in front of Munkustrap, who got ready for a fight.

CHAPTER NINE

"You were right, cat," Macavity said. "She is my henchcat." Without warning, Macavity swung at Munkustrap, and  slashed his face with his claws. "Let this be a lesson to you!" Macavity yelled. Munkustrap fought as best he could, but soon he was on the ground, wounded too badly to fight any longer. Alonzo got up, and dashed for Macavity, but he too was downed. Several more cats tried but couldn't even hurt the Hidden Paw. The Jellicle's were near despair when Orincotoro got up and shouted "Macavity! I'll work for you no longer!" With that, the black cat got up and tried to claw at Macavity, but the hidden paw was too strong for her, and she soon fell to the ground, moaning with pain. Macavity laughed his triumph to the wind, and was about to grab Old Deuteronomy and make off with him, when a voice behind him said "Oh no you don't." Macavity whirled around. There, standing on the hood of the car, was Mistoffelees. "Oh, it's you, the original conjuring cat," Macavity sneered. "Well, I'll show you who's boss!" Before Macavity could harm him, Mistoffelees zapped him with a lightning bolt which shot from his claws. The Hidden Paw fell, and groaned. Then he slowly disappeared. All the cats who were not to badly hurt got up and thanked Misto, who modestly disappeared. Electra looked around. "Where's Etcy?" she asked. She found her friend crying in a corner. Electra hurried over. "What is it?" she asked. Etcetera could only sob harder over the still body of her best friend, Orincotoro.

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