Prologue
The moon shown brightly over the junkyard, giving off sufficient light for the Jellicle cats gathered there. Alonzo eyed Mr. Mistoffelees.
“Do you have any twos?” he asked.
“No. Go fish,” the magical cat replied with a mysterious look on his face.
“…and would you believe it, the train was late!” said Skimbleshanks to Jennyanydots. “All because the fireman had to have his lunch.”
“I’m sure you tried your best to get him back on duty, dear,” she said comfortingly.
“Of course! Why, I even…”
“I really do think that he likes me,” Etcetera said.
“The Tugger?! No way! He likes me,” Jemima said, thinking of their last encounter.
“Personally, I think he likes Bom,” Victoria said dreamily, lounging across the car.
“Bom?!” Etcetera exclaimed. “Not a chance! Have I told you about the time…”
“Kittens are cute, but sometimes they get on my nerves!” exclaimed Bombalurina.
“Are you just saying that because the Tugger pays so much attention to them?” Demeter asked slyly, a slow grin appearing on her face.
“No! He’s just playing around with them…”
“Hey! I drew a two! Doesn’t that mean something, Misto-“ Mistoffelees suddenly stood up, his ears perked and his tail straight and proud.
“Munkustrap is coming,” he said quietly, yet all the cats heard him.
“Good, there’s something I need to discuss with him,” Skimble commented, leaping off the tire. All the cats looked expectedly to the magical cat, who pointed to the big lead pipe. A few seconds later Munkustrap appeared, walking carefully as if he was afraid of stepping on something.
“Something wrong, Munku?” asked Demeter, concerned.
“You judge for yourself,” said the tabby cat mysteriously. He turned around back inside the pipe. “It’s all right, come on out,” he purred to an unknown thing. First a small tail appeared, and with a push of Munkustrap’s head, a little kitten stumbled into a pool of moonlight.
“Would you look at that?” murmured Skimble as he crept in for a closer look. The tiny kitten was all black from her ears to the tip of her tail except for some reddish patches that looked frighteningly like Macavity’s distinctive coloration. The kitten mewed softly. “She’s not yours, isn’t she?”
“No,” Munku replied.
“Does she have a name?” asked Mistoffelees.
“Me Nefret!” the little kitten shouted exuberantly, picking up on that much of the conversation.
“I guess so,” chuckled the magical cat.
“But is she-“
“-Macavity’s kitten?” asked the twins Coricopat and Tantomile.
“I don’t know for sure, but I can hazard a good guess,” Munku replied, trying to answer the questions being fired at him. “I need someone to volunteer to take care of her,” he announced.
“Why don’t you take care of her yourself?” Bombalurina laughed. “She seems to have grown quite attached to you.” Nefret was purring and rubbing up against the silver tabby.
“Hey!” Munku yelped in surprise. He smiled down at the small kitten. “I guess so…and I wouldn’t mind the job – that is, unless one of you would like to raise her?”
“Go ahead, Munku,” Etcetera said, giggling as the kitten pounced on her tail and tried to capture it.
“Then I have a question; a request, really,” Munkustrap began. “I ask that no Jellicle ever tell Nefret of Macavity.” A murmur went through the gathered cats and kittens. Demeter slowly approached him.
“What purpose would it serve to hide her possible lineage from her? She’s bound to find out sooner or later,” she pointed out.
“Humans have a saying: like father like son. I’m trying to prevent that from happening. Whenever she goes outside the junkyard, I ask that someone accompany her. No doubt Macavity and his henchcats are on the prowl looking for her.” From somewhere outside the junkyard came a loud crash, followed by the piercing cry of a cat. The assorted Jellicles hunkered down and tensed. Nefret ran behind Skimbleshanks as Munkustrap got in a defensive position in front of the cats. The other toms and some of the females also took up a defensive stance, forming a loose protective ring around the younger cats and kittens. They waited like this for a few tense seconds. “Misto, Corico, Tanto,” Munku called out. “Do you sense anything?” A chorus of three ‘no’s came back to him. “Does anyone else?” Nefret huddled close to Victoria, Jemima, and Etcetera and whimpered softly. Skimble straightened and addressed the cats.
“We should leave. We’ll be safer than if Macavity finds us here.” There were murmurs of agreement seconds before another loud crash. The cats scattered.
“Come on, Nefret,” Munku said quickly, picking her up by the scruff with his mouth, and ran back to his home.
