Journal of Etcetera
by Barbalurina

Part 4:

Well, things were better.  Papa eventually began to
speak to me again.  He never mentioned Mungo, but I
think he was slowly coming around.  I don't know if
he'll ever LIKE Mungo, but he wants me to be happy.  

The one who was most vehement against my
relationship?  Mama.  She even came by my box to talk
to me about it.  She NEVER came to visit before.  

"Etcetera?"

"Mama.  Something wrong?" I couldn't imagine why she
would come by unless there was.  

"Yes.  Why are you consorting with that young ruffian?"

I knew she probably wouldn't approve, but her opinion
wasn't all that important to me. 

"You mean Mungojerrie, right?  He's my Mate.  That's
why."

"Why him?"

I was dangerously calm.  I wasn't going to let her get
to me.  "Why not him?  He's attractive, kind, and he
loves me."  I just flung that out there.  Mungojerrie
had never said so, but I hoped it would come in time.

"Just because you get a tom behind you, doesn't mean
he loves you."

"WHAT!?" I never thought I would hear such talk from
Mama.  She was such a......lady!   

"Just what I said.  I think you may have confused sex
with love.  It's easy enough to do."

My temper wasn't going to last much longer.  Why was
she doing this?  

Then it hit me...she's EMBARRASSED! I shamed her, or
so she thinks.  It's not even about me!

I faced her.  "Let me get this straight.  You think
that Mungojerrie only wants me for sex?"

"Most Toms are that way.  You don't have to go back to
him."

I can't think why I went out of my way to try and
shock her, but....."So what if he was that way?  I
enjoy it!  I like when he touches me, takes me!  He
makes me feel good!"

I thought she would react badly, talking so crudely
about Mating, but she only seemed to take it in
stride.  "Of course.  That's why it seems like love."

"We do more than Mate, Mama."  Actually, we hadn't
mated since the day after the Jellicle Ball, but Mama
seemed to have the impression that that was all we did!

"I just don't want you to continue this mistake.  Some
way or other you would get in with that dreadful gang
of Macavity's.  He'll convince you that you love him
and then he'll betray you."

"Mama!  You don't even KNOW him!"

"Please, think before you really make this permanent.
He's not the only Tom who can Mate with you, you know."

"True, but he's the only one I WANT to Mate with me."

She shook her head.  "So stubborn.  Just like your
father."  She left before I could get a word in.

Why did she do that?  She knew the way to get to me,
by comparing me to Papa.  

What if she was right?  What if I only THOUGHT I loved
Mungojerrie?  Would I feel the same about him if the
physical experience had been bad?  

How does anyone really know if they are in love?

There was no denying the strong physical attraction.
I liked looking at him, and felt tingly when he looked
at me.

After that first awkwardness,  I found I liked talking
to him, too.  

We didn't have all that much in common.  Did we really
have to, though?  I am pretty much independent.  I
didn't need him to be around every minute, and he
wouldn't want me to be clingy, either.  He's very
busy, after all.

I needed to talk to him, anyway.  It wasn't quite time
yet, but we needed to make arrangements for when my
heat cycle came around again.  

I won't deny that I was looking forward to it.
Remembering our previous encounter always brought a
silly smile to my face.  

I never asked him about it, but I wondered if it felt
as good to him.

"What are you thinking so hard about?"  Electra asked
as she climbed into our box.

"Oh, Love and Mating."  

"What about it?"

"Well, Mama came by.  She told me that just because a
Tom mates with you, it doesn't mean he loves you.
 Among other things."

"Obviously she wasn't watching Mungojerrie at the
Ball."

"What?"

"You weren't, either.  When it got around that you and
he were....well, I thought back to the Ball, and he
was around, near, or next to you, most of the evening."

"Really?  He wasn't looking for a Mate that night."

Electra laughed.  "He might not have been, in his
mind, but he was always near you.  I think you had him
hooked before he even realized it himself!"

"Hooked?  You make it sound like I set a trap!"

"Don't we all?"  She smiled knowingly.  

"Electra!  You've mated!  Who?"  That sly kitten!
Well, not NOW, anyway.

"Coricopat."

"Wow."  Who would have thought? 

"I know.  No one really thinks of him or his sister in
that way.  At least until now."  She smiled
again.  "Anyway, I just came back to tell you that I
was going to stay with him, now."

I was stunned.  It had always been Electra and me in
the box!  It must have showed on my face.

"You'll be all right, won't you, Et?  I bet you could
stay with Mungo, now.  Have a nice roof over your
head."

Stay with Mungojerrie?  It never occurred to me.  I
valued the freedom of living out here.  

But now Electra was going.  I was going to
alone.  "I'll be fine, El.  Don't worry about me."  

She looked uncertain, but went anyhow.  

I curled up in my corner of the box, thinking hard
again.  I was happy for Electra.  I really was.  I
just didn't think she'd actually pick up and MOVE.
 Now the box seemed too big for just me.

Maybe I should go find somewhere else to sleep, too.
Much as I'd like to stay with Mungojerrie, he lived
with humans.  

I don't really care for humans.  I wasn't cute enough
for them.  When my sister got selected for a home, I
was left behind with Mama.  Even her human eventually
just put me outside, telling me to scram.

Well, that was all in the past.  I could take care of
myself.  I prided myself on it!  I didn't need anyone
in the box!

I crawled out and made my way to the junkyard.

Several days later: 

Three LONG days.  I didn't realize how much Electra
had been a part of my life until she wasn't in it
anymore, or at least, not as much.  

I spent most of my time at the junkyard, just to be
around other Cats.  I didn't tell THEM that, of
course.  They probably just thought I was being more
social.  

I was sitting on top of the old oven watching
Pouncival and Alonzo mock fighting in the middle of
the yard.  One false move and Alonzo sent Pounce
flying.....right into ME!  

We both fell off the oven in an ungraceful heap.  

"Get off me!"  

"Sorry, Et."  Pounce actually looked ashamed.  

Alonzo apologized, too.  It was funny, really.  They
both started being overly gallant and trying to outdo
the other in their apologies.  

I stepped between them.  "All right, guys, I get it!
I accept your apologies.  Okay?"  I waved the end of
my tail under each of their chins, then walked away.

"Etce'era!" Mungo!  I hadn't even known he was in the
junkyard!

I had just jumped back up on the oven when Mungo
called.  He joined me.

"Hmmm?"  

"Don't do that."

"What?"

"Don't tease them."

Huh?  "Tease them?  I accepted their apologies.
That's all."

He sighed.  

What was I missing?

"Et, you really 'ave no idea, do you?  You're not a
Kitten to 'em now."

Maybe I was just slow that day.  I sure I must have
looked like an idiot.  "I'm not a Kitten.  So?"

He shook his head.  "You really don't 'ave a clue
about 'ow you affect them.  They want you.  Don't
tease them."

"They want me?"  Pouncival?  ALONZO?  No way!  Did
they?  

"You're surprised?  They can't keep their eyes off
you."

I glanced over at the Toms in question.  They
immediately turned away.

"Wow," I said, mostly to myself.  

"Right, wow.  Keep this," he indicated my tail, "to
yourself.   It's not a game to 'em." 

"You mean they would - " I found myself a bit
flustered at that point.

"In a 'eartbeat."

"But I don't want them."  

"When you wave your tail 'round like that, they think
you do."

"Hmmm.  So, I can wave my tail at you, then?"  I
tickled one of his ears with the very tip of my tail.

His ear twitched.  He looked at me.  "You may do
anythin' with me, just not with them."  He leaned
close.  "It's almost time again, isn't it?" he
whispered in my ear.

Oddly enough, I wasn't sure when my time would come
again.  It seemed to have sneaked up on me
before.  "Maybe."

He sniffed delicately at me.  "No, not yet.  Soon."  

I shivered, leaning into him, purring.  Just having
him so close to me I felt some heat.  I thought it was
too bad that Mating didn't happen more often, just to
be close, or even for fun.

"You want to go somewhere?"

I didn't move. "Where?" 

"Your place or mine?"  I could hear the smile in his
voice.

I looked at the sky.  It was clear.  No bad
weather.  "My box."

I jumped down off the oven, and he followed.  We were
walking together toward the pipe that led out of the
junkyard when a loud voice interrupted.

"I challenge you, Mungojerrie!"

We both turned around.  I had no idea what was going
on, but he did, it seemed.

Pouncival was standing in the middle of the yard,
where he'd been mock-fighting with Alonzo.  He
repeated the challenge.  

"What is going on?"  I wanted to know why Pounce was
challenging Mungojerrie!

Mungo turned to me.  "He wants to fight me for you."
He walked to the center of the yard.  They stared,
almost eye to eye, only Mungo was a bit taller.

"Hey!  Don't I get a say in this?"  Toms are an
unbelievable lot at times!

I might as well have been a brick wall.  Neither Tom
listened to me.  

They began circling each other.  Other Cats came to
watch.  

The fight was short.  Mungo was older with more
experience.  He didn't really hurt Pounce, just let
him wear himself out, then knocked him down a few
times until he gave up.

Watching this fight should have made me mad, and I was
mad for a minute.  But then I realized.....they were
fighting over ME.  

Like Macavity and Munkustrap over Demeter.  

I had no idea that Pounce felt that strongly about
me.  How brave to stand against an opponent so much
more experienced!  It was foolish, but endearing.

Mungojerrie didn't want to let me go......and he could
have.  He really DID want me!

I felt a sudden flash of heat go up my spine.  

Mungojerrie slowly walked away from where Pounce was
still on the ground.  He came toward me with a look I
can only describe as predatory.  

It excited me.

He stopped in front of me.  "Mine."  

I nodded, not knowing what to say.

"Let's go."

We left the junkyard together.  Only now there was a
different sense between us.    

We got to my box.  I wondered what we were going to
do.   I don't have very much stuff, and nothing to eat.

Maybe we could talk about what just happened. 

I sat in middle, and Mungo paced slowly around
me.  "You liked that, didn't you?"

"Liked what?"

"Havin' us fight over you."

"Well - "

"I confess that knowing those other Toms desire you,
and knowing they can't 'ave you, makes me desire you
more."

Oh, yes, the heat was definitely returning.  "Well, I
did like that you fought to keep me."  I lowered my
eyes.  

He stopped pacing.  "I would fight anyone to keep
you.  You're mine."  He lowered his voice.  "And I'm
yours."

"It's too bad."

"What?"

"Too bad that my heat cycle doesn't come more often."

He chuckled.  "Why's that?"

"Uh.....well, I just feel like...." I was getting
flustered again, and he was looking highly amused.

"Yes?"  He was grinning from ear to ear.  

He knew what I meant!!!!  He probably just wanted me
to SAY it.  

I laughed nervously.  Odd, how I could just talk so
blithely about Mating to my mother or Electra, but
when it came to Mungojerrie....I felt much more shy
about it.

He took pity on me.  "You feel like you want to Mate,
an' you think you can't.  Right?" 

I nodded, looking at the ground.  I turned away.

"Who said you can't?  It can be done.  It jus' takes a
li'l more....preparation."

Preparation?  I was afraid to ask what he meant by
that.

He came around where I could see him again.  

Suddenly, he lay down on his back, looking up at
me.  "You know, you don't 'ave to be embarrassed.  I
feel the desire, too.  'Specially now."

Somehow, with him on the ground, I felt a little less
flustered.  "R-r-really?"  Great, Et, stuttering will
impress him!

He flipped back over, and stood up.  "Yeah."  

I felt my breath catch.  "Y-you w-want to M-mate?  N-
now?"  How I managed to get it out, I'll never know.  

He sat by my side.  "Only if that's what you want.  I
didn't want to scare you, but I can see I did.  I'm
sorry."

Before I could stop myself, I was saying, "No!  I want
to, but...." I stopped.  I guess I was more scared
than I thought. 

"Shhh.  It's all right."  He nuzzled me.  

I began to relax, then to think.  Why was I so
scared?  We'd already been together, so what was my
problem?  I knew he wouldn't hurt me, not on purpose,
anyway.  

Eureka!!!  I thought I found my problem!

I turned again so I could face him.  "Mungo....you
aren't going to....well, be so cold to me after, are
you?"  I didn't know if I could take it again.  At
least, not so meekly as I did.  I was pretty sure I
would fare better than Pouncival did in a fight.

He looked stung.  "I suppose I 'ad that comin'.  No, I
promise, this time will be different."

I immediately felt awful.  Why did I ask that?  "I'm
sorry.  That was rude of me.  I know why you - " I
babbled on for a minute in that vein.  

"All right!  I think we've apologized enough
tonight."  With that, I felt his teeth sink into the
flesh of my neck. 

I shrieked!  I couldn't help it.  It hurt, but it was
good.  

When he did that, heat immediately coursed through
me.  He probably knew that.  It must be part of
the 'preparation'.

Did he require any 'preparation'?  

I would have asked, but I found I literally could not
speak, so I turned and whined at him, hoping he’d get
the message that I was ready.

He got it.  

He was wonderful.  

When we were finished, he stayed.  He licked my face
and my neck, cleaning where he’d bitten.  

I sighed.

“You’re so beau’iful,” he whispered.

For reasons I didn’t yet know, I started crying. 

He said nothing, but waited for me to calm, still
licking my neck.

“You really think I’m beautiful?”  

He nuzzled me. “I don’t THINK you are.  You ARE
beautiful.”

I sniffled.  “I’m sorry.  You say something really
nice to me, and I go and blubber like a Kitten.  I
must be daft!”

“Has no ever told you you’re beautiful?” he sounded
disbelieving.

I thought about it.  No, no one ever had.  Mama always
went on about Vicky’s beauty.  Papa always said I was
cute.  

Cute.  Cute was for Kittens.  Cute was Jemima.  

I shook my head.  

“Well, then THEY’RE daft!”

He stayed with me until we were awakened by the rather
RUDE voice of my mother outside.

“…..he didn’t even wait until she was in Heat,
Skimble.  What kind of Tom does that?”

I was all set to jump out and defend Mungo, but he
held me back, signaling me to be quiet.

“Jelly, she’s an adult now.  That means that she has
to make her own decisions, and yes, even her own
mistakes.”

“Even if it means her death?  She’s not safe with him.”

“No one and nothing is completely safe.  She’s settled
down a lot, and she’s happy.  Everlasting Cat help
her, but she is.  I’m not going to take back the
Ritual.  Etcetera is not Aleanna.”

“But –“

“I said no.”

“Fine!  Then our daughter’s blood will be on your and
Mungojerrie’s paws!”

After a minute of silence, I figured that they must
have gone.  

“Why didn’t you let me defend you, Mungo?”

“Because while I appreciate it, she definitely
wouldn’t.  You can’t force ‘er to change ‘er mind
about me, anymore than she can force you to do the
same.”

I fumed.  “All right.  I don’t have to like it,
though.”

“Cheer up.  At least your father doesn’t seem to ‘ate
me as much.”

“That’s true.”

“Well, Love, I ‘ave to go.  When your time
comes ‘round again, just come to Victoria Grove.  I’m
usually ‘ome at night.”

With that, he leaped out of my box and was gone.  

I sat there with my goofy smile on my face.  

He’d called me Love.


Part1.23.5.6.7.8.

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