A figure slowly moved through the junkyard. It was dark. No one was moving. All the other cats were asleep. Slowly, the cat curled into the corner and fell asleep. She didn't want to wake the others.
Munkustrap was on the prowl. He knew he had heard something over in this area last night. What had it been?
A soft meow caught his attention. Slowly, he crept over to the area where the meowing was coming from.
A black kitten was there, rummaging through a nearby trash can.The kitten turned to look at Munkustrap. It wasn't exactly a kitten. It was more like a full-sized adult cat. Around her green eyes, white was spread out, creating the illusion of a mask. A small white patch ran down her stomach.
The cat wound around Munkustrap's legs."Hey! Slow down!" Munkustrap told the cat. "You'll knock me over!"Munkustrap saved the cat the trouble and sat, inspecting the cat. She wasn't bad at all, really."Do you have a name?" Munkustrap asked.
"Faline," the cat responded. (She pronounced it fay-LEEN.)
"What are you doing here?"
"Don't know," Faline told him.
"How did you get here?"
The cat didn't answer.
"Looks like I'm stuck baby-sitting for today," Munkustrap sighed.
"I don't need a baby-sitter," the cat responded. "I'm old enough to take care of myself. Besides, I don't even know who YOU are."
"I'm Munkustrap, part of the Jellicle Tribe."
"You mean the tribe with Old Deuteronomy as the leader? You mean the one that had Grizabella in it, but she got sent to the Heavyside Layer? THAT Jellicle Tribe?" Faline asked, eyes wide.
"That's the one. Why?"
"Do you think maybe-------I could come into the tribe?" She looked really hopeful.
"Well, we'll see. Right now, I think I should show you to Old Deuteronomy. Are you up for a trip to the vicarage?"
With a nod, Faline followed The two cats slipped in unnoticed by anyone. As they climbed the stairs to the roof, they passed by humans who took no notice of them.
"Old Deuteronomy?" Munkustrap called.
Faline spotted him first. She raced over to the pile of fluff that was the Jellicle leader. The cat rubbed her head against his fur.
Startled, Old Deuteronomy looked up. Faline was gazing into his eyes.
"I found her in the junkyard," Munkustrap explained, after walking over and licking the Jellicle leader's paw. "Do you think we could keep her?"
"She isn't a human, Munkustrap." Old Deuteronomy looked Faline over before giving a nod of approval. "I like her."
Faline smiled and wound around Old Deuteronomy."Can I join the tribe?" Faline wondered, looking up at the Jellicle leader
Faline knew Old Deuteronomy wanted to say yes (him being her father and all), but he had obligations to the Jellicle Tribe. He couldn't just let a stranger come into the tribe without clearing it with the others first.
"I have to talk it over with the others first," Old Deuteronomy told her. "In the meantime, we had better get over to the junkyard."
Faline kept behind them as Munkustrap helped Old Deuteronomy into the junkyard. Several voices joined together. Faline could barely make out the words. Munkustrap directed with his head to a pipe. Faline hid in there.
Skimbleshanks made a leap off the car. He sniffed the air. A new smell! Slowly, he made his way over to the pipe where the scent ended.
"Hey!" Skimbleshanks shouted.
"Go away," Faline mumbled. She accidentally smacked Skimble with her paw. He flew head over paws in the other direction.
Jemima raced over to the pipe. She stuck her head inside. Faline's green eyes stared at her. "The pipe's alive!" Jemima screeched. She raced to the protective paws of Jennyanydots and Jellyorum.
"I'm not a pipe!" Faline protested. She walked out of the pipe. "I'm a cat! At least I was the last time I checked."
The Rum Tum Tugger eyed Faline. She was kinda pretty. He actually had found something for himself that he wasn't about to change his mind about.
"Don't even think about it, playboy," Faline told him.
"I didn't say anything!" Tugger protested.
"Well don't," Faline snapped. "Come near me, and I'll tear off that fur of yours."
"Touchy," Tugger grinned. "I like her."
"I thought I was your favorite," Etcetera told him, only slightly annoyed.
"And you still are," Tugger assured her.
Faline rolled her eyes and walked up to the Jellicle leader.
"This is Faline, everyone," Munkustrap told them. "She's a friend. Don't worry."
"She looks scary!" Jemima said, her voice tinted with fear.
"She looks kinda like me, except for the mask," Mistoffelees added, purring.
"Not you, too!" Faline groaned. Was she going to be booted out like the last tribe? "If I'm not wanted, then I'll leave!"
"No! You can't!" Victoria shouted. The white kitten raced in between her and the way out. "Macavity's out there! He's dangerous!"
"Yeah?" Faline looked doubtful. "So am I!"
"You don't look like you could last a day out there," Rum Tum Tugger told her. "I could teach you."
"The day I accept help from you, playboy," Faline commented, turning around to face him, "is the day I grow wings and fly."
Rumpleteazer was watching from a safe distance. This cat looked all right. Maybe, with a little persuading, she would work for Macavity. Nah. She didn't seem like the type to do that. Now, if only Rumpleteazer could figure out why she looked so familiar.
"Rumpleteazer!" Mungojerrie hissed.
Rumpleteazer looked at her companion. "Look! A new cat!"
"What?" Mungojerrie raced over to look. "Maybe we could make her work for Macavity."
"Nope. I mean, look at her. She's the protective type!"
"I have an idea. We'd have to run it by Macavity first."
"Well, come on! What are we waiting "Catch me if you can!" Pouncival called to Faline.
"Shouldn't be that hard," Faline told him. With a playful growl, the chase was on.
Faline chased him over broken cars, boxes, pipes and the Jellicle Throne. Finally, in one leap, Faline pinned Pouncival. "Gotcha!" Faline crowed. She got off him. "Isn't this the fiftieth time we've played 'Chase and Pin'? And isn't it the forty-eighth time I've won?"
"Sure is!" Pouncival said proudly. "Can we play again?"
"Sorry, Pouncival," Faline sighed. "I promised Jellyorum I'd go talk to Gus today."
//And I also promised Jennyanydots I'd watch the kittens. Why does she have to go train those cockroach boy-scouts of hers today? These kittens are a pawful!//
"Can we come?" Victoria asked. "I want to see Uncle Gus!"
"Uncle? He's old enough to be your great grandfather!" Faline laughed.
"He tells the best stories!" Jemima said happily.
The other kittens walked in front of Faline. "Please?" they asked simultaneously, with big grins on their faces (think Simba's grin in The Lion King).
"Come on," Faline said.
Cheering, the kittens either raced ahead or followed Faline on their quest to find Gus.
"Gus?" Faline called.
"Uncle Gus?" Jemima echoed. "Are you here?"
"I think we had better turn around and head back to the junkyard," Tumblebrutus said.
"You scared?" Pouncival demanded.
"No," came the quick response. "I'm just worried about the others."
"Sure you are."
"I think Tumblebrutus is right." Faline turned around to leave. "Come on, kittens. Let's head home."
"Going my way?" a raspy voice demanded.
Screeching, the female kittens hid behind Faline.
"Who's there?" Faline demanded, claws popping out.
"Who I am is none of your concern," the voice insisted.
"He's one of Macavity's men!" Jemima hissed. "I'll bet my whiskers on it!"
"Maybe it's Macavity himself!" Tumblebrutus whispered. "Don't worry, Faline. Pounce and I will take care of him!"
"You most certainly will not," Faline ordered. "And you had better hope it ISN'T Macavity."
"Why?" Pouncival asked.
"I'll kick his sorry furry little excuse for a tail from here to the Heavyside Layer. THAT'S why not!"
"Pity. I rather like my tail."
Faline whirled around. Behind her was none other than Macavity.Slowly, she began to remember what Bombalurina and Demeter had told her.
"Macavity's a mystery cat. He's called the Hidden Paw; for he's a master criminal who can defy the law. He's the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad's despair for when they reach the scene of crime, Macavity's not there."
"Macavity, Macavity. There's no one like Macavity. There never was a cat of such deceitfulness and suavity. He always has an alibi and one or two to spare. Whatever time the deed took place, Macavity wasn't there," Victoria, Jemima and Faline sang.
Tumblebrutus and Pouncival hurried to the female kittens.
"Guard them!" Faline ordered.
"Why does this scene seem so familiar?" Macavity circled Faline. "Now I remember. This happened when I fought your mother. And now I'm going to correct the mistake I made a long time ago."
"What would that be? Letting me live?"
"Something along those lines."
With a growl, Faline leapt at him. Her silver claws gleamed in the light of the street lamp. The fight raged on for quite some time. Faline managed to trick Macavity once by making him ram into a trash can, but could she pull it off again? Nope.
"I'm surprised you haven't gone running to your father by now," Macavity commented.
"He's more of a father then you ever were to me!" Faline shot back. Swiping a clawed paw into his face, she backed up. Her white patches of fur was showing traces of blood, both hers and Macavity's. Macavity was actually starting to weaken. She leaped on him. Macavity threw her off. Faline went flying in the other direction. The kittens raced over to her. "Faline?"
The kittens nudged her with their heads.
Suddenly, Munkustrap jumped out. "Leave them alone!" Munkustrap growled. "They mean nothing to you!"
"But they seem to mean something to you," Macavity noted.
"You're darn right they do. So lay off!" Munkustrap hissed.
"I don't think so," Macavity told the other cat, circling him. "I won the last time we fought."
"No you didn't," Pouncival shouted at him. "You were scared, so you left!"
"Pounce!" Jemima scolded.
"Next time, Jellicle freaks," Macavity shouted as he left. "Next time!"
"We are NOT freaks!" Victoria and Tumblebrutus shouted after him.
Faline moaned slightly, shaking her head. "Anyone get the number of the truck that hit me?"
Munkustrap got her onto her feet. "Are you all right?"
"Fine," Faline responded. "Even though I feel like a ton of bricks fell on me."
"Come on. We're heading back NOW."
As Munkustrap helped Faline back to the junkyard with the kittens racing behind, he thought he spotted a twinge of hate for Macavity in her eyes. As quickly as he spotted it, it was gone. What was Faline hiding?
