"Away." he answered as he ckept walking with the gray tom trying to keep up. He frowned at Titus' answer and said, "Hmmm...you're going to have to help me out on that one. Give me a hint. Oh wait, I know, you've been out with one of my queens havn't you?" Suddenly, Titus slammed his gray companion against the cold stone wall with his hands around his neck and growled, "Look, I aint in the mood for your jokes! I'm trying to think here! I was at a place where I should't have been!"
The gray tom squirmed under Titus' grip, "Hey man, calm down! It's me, Willy! Loosen up! I was just messing with ya!" Titus decided to release him and continued his walk. Willy rubbed his throat and ran after him, "Sheesh, what rat crawled up your-" but Titus stopped him with a growl warning. Willy quickly threw his hands up in surrender and replied, "I'm kidding! Nevermind!" Satisified, Titus jumped in a sewer hole in the ground and landed with a splash in the shallow murky waters. Willy followed him and together they slushed there ways down the echoed pipe.
"So you were at a place where you shouldn't have been, eh?" Willy ventured, "Dare I ask where that is?" But before Titus could answer they came to the end of the pipe where it opened into a large vast dome infested with large sewer rats and roaches. It was dark and gloomy. The only source of light were two large beacons on each side of a large stone chair made of cement blocks. On the floor near the base of the chair on each side stood two small cracked old gargoyle statues which were found in a condemed building and brought here to add to the sinister affect. On the stone chair sat a dark figure haunched over with it's head resting on its hands which were supported by the elbows on the chair's armrests. "What do you want?" came it's deep, demon like voice that echoed throughtout the dome.
"It's me, Titus."
"Titus?" came the sinister voice, "Step into the light." Titus glanced at Willy with uncertainty and Willy shot the same glance right back at him. The maned cat finally stepped forward allowing the fire's glow to reveal him.
"Where have you been Titus?" Titus quickly replied, "I was out on the other side of the city streets causing rucus over there and roughing up a few pollicles." The dark figure stood from it's throne and descended from and slowly slinked into the light. His crimson eyes became slits. His mixture of red, orange and black fur was ragged and tangled. His claws her the size of fingers and his face was stirn and cold. He stepped close to Titus and cold smell the oder of a jellicle - a distinct smell he could never miss. The large red and orange cat placed a large talon under Titus' chin forcing his head to rise slightly and growled, "You're a good liar."
Willy gulped hoping he wouldn't do anything rational to Titus. "Look Mac," began Titus, "I'm not lying. I was -"
"You were with a jellicle weren't you?"Macavity interupted. Titus was silent and his eyes wondered to Willy. Willy just stood there helplessly watching. The talon began to dig into under the tom's chin as Macavity growled loudly, "Answer me Titus! You were with a jellicle weren't you?!" Titus hesitated then replied in a low whisper, "Yes sir. I was."
Willy looked away in shame, afraid of what Macavity would do next. Macavity slowly brought his claw down but kept his cold eyes narrowed on Titus. He slowly turned as if going to back to his throne and said, "What do you take me for, Titus? A fool?"
"No sir!" he quickly and strongly replied. Macavity continued, "Did you actually think I would never find out? Do you think I'm an imbasil?!"
"No sir, I don't." Suddenly, Macavity swung around slashing Titus on the side of his face and slammed him against the wall as he roared, "THEN WHY DID YOU GO?!" the echo boomed throughout the dome and gave of a slight quake causing rats and roaches to scurry. Willy cringed at Macavity's sudden strike and took a frightening step back hiding himself in the shadows not wanting to be seen.
"AND ON TOP OF IT LIE TO ME!" Macavity continued. Four bleeding scars ran from the corner of Titus' forehead to the side of his chin. "It was an accident!" Titus cried. Macavity frowned, "An accident?" "Yes! I was in the junkyard scavenging around when I ran into a young jellicle queen and-"
"Jellicle queen?" Macavity interupted again. "Was she white?" Titus shook head, "No, she was a mixture of colors and just about out of her kitten years. But I did see the white-" he quickly caught himself but it was too late. He had said enough. Macavity's eyes widoned, "You saw the white queen too?" Suddenly a horrifying thought came to mind as it looked as if Mac would have a heart attack at any moment. His grip on Titus tightened as he asked, "My God! You saw the whole tribe didn't you?!!"
Titus was silent for a moment realizing how much trouble he was in and that there was no way out. Willy stood off to the side not believeing this was happening. Titus hesitated as he answered, "Yes sir. I saw them all, Munkustrap, Demeter...all of them sir. They offered me into their tribe and-" but before he could finish, Macavity harshly slung Titus to the cold cement ground. And with incredible strength, he lifted the gargoyle statue from its sitting and lifted it above his head, ready to throw it down upon the Alley Cat on the ground. Willy quickly dashed out into the light and yelled, "MACAVITY!! WAIT!!"
