Neptune
TeaGray stood in the doorway of her human’s house, scornfully
looking at her kit. She hated the young cat, and even refused to
name it. It was her mate who had named her. Why did they have
to kill him? ‘It’ could have lived with him… she thought, thinking of her
humans when they had discovered she had mated with a common alley cat.
Czar loved her, and she loved him the same, but she was a Jellicle purebred
British Shorthair, expensive among humans, and he was “scum”. She
missed him deeply, but refused to let their kit live with her. The
following day, she left the kit in a cardboard box in the back of the dark
alley…where she had met Czar… The kit whimpered, but TeaGray just walked
on.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Only three months later, the kit looked like she was already
grown. Still a kitten, she had the angelic face, but it was slightly
scarred, from battles with Pollicles and some of Macavity’s workers.
She was very muscular, but you wouldn’t be able to see that since she was
always so dirty and dusty. She looked very light brown in color,
but that was just dust. No one knew what color she really was, not
even herself. She was never able to clean herself, because she was
always running from humans, Pollicles, and Macavity’s gang, not to mention
trying to find a sufficient amount of food. She looked like a true
alley cat. No one would be able to tell she was a true Jellicle…Oh, no.
She saw Macavity coming down the street. This can only mean trouble…
*~*~*~*~*~*
As Alonzo sat guarding the entryway to the Jellicle junkyard,
he saw a brownish blur being chased by a reddish blur. Meanwhile,
in the heart of the junkyard, Tantomile, Coricopat, and Mistoffolees’ senses
were running wild. They could sense a Jellicle in the area, but they
knew everyone by their aura, and this Jellicle’s aura was completely different.
They rushed of to tell Munkustrap what they were sensing.
As they got there, they saw Alonzo, telling Munkustrap that
he thinks he saw Macavity in the area. Tantomile and Coricopat
broke in. “Munkustrap, we three are sensing a Jellicle in the area-”
“-no kidding...” he muttered loudly. “- But it’s no one we know.
It has a completely different aura than anyone we’ve ever known.” they
finished together, looking at Munku. He sighed, and said “Maybe that’s
the brownish blur Alonzo was talking about. Let’s go check it out.”
Altogether, they ran off the entryway.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Just as the kit looked behind her, Macavity pounced.
They fought and rolled on top of each other on and on, until Macavity pinned
her. Digging his claws into her shoulders, he rasped, “You know,
I can understand you not wanting to join me the first time I asked you.
You didn’t know me, and you were scared. The second time I can also
forgive…I admit I was just a teensy bit mad that day. One of my henchrats
failed to get me my meat…Anyway, I cannot forgive the third time…” he said
as he clenched his hand on her throat, ready to rip it out. “I’ll
never join you, Macavity. I don’t work for evil…” the kit spat at
him. He tightened his grip. “No, no, no…You see, either you join
me now, or I eat your esophagus for lunch…with some fava beans and a nice
Chianti…. Ha, ha, ha! But I seriously doubt you’ll let me do that-”he
said as she spat in his face. “That’s it, kit…you’re gone…”
*~*~*~*~*~*
Munkustrap was racing out the entryway when he saw Macavity
on top of a cat…Or was it a kitten? Munku couldn’t be sure. All he
knew was that if he could get Macavity off the cat/kitten, he would save
an innocent Jellicle life. “Misto, Tanto, Corico, go back inside.
Let me handle this.” Munku said, looking on. When he saw Macavity
raise his mighty ginger paw, he sped up, hoping to catch Macavity in mid-strike…
before he could use his kill strike Munku had seen so many times…he pounced
on Macavity when he was about 4 feet away from him. The unknown cat
was knocked unconscious, however, and after Munku had (once again) told
Macavity off, he had to gently pick up the cat…he noticed how small it
was and decided that it had to be less than a year old… he had to get this
kit help…
“Jenny! Jelly! I need you, quick!” Munku raced back
into the junkyard, the kit dangling from his paws. They both came
and took one look at the kit and Jellylorum said, “ Get her into Jenny’s
trunk… she need to be cleaned up right away.” While this was happening,
Misto was watching, perched on a narrow pipe. That poor kitten can’t
be any older than I am…I hope they can save her… As Jenny, Jelly,
and Munku started cleaning the kit, her true fur color started to show
through. “Well, Munku, I think this kitten is going to survive.
And look, she’s a true Jellicle. Black and white, and rather small.”
Jenny said, smiling. The kit was almost all black, except her entire underside,
her left front and back right paws, and a small spot on her nose.
“Kind of like our eavesdropper Mistoffolees!” Jelly said, laughing and
pointing to Misto on his perch. Misto looked nervous. He didn’t think
anyone would realize he was there. “Umm…. Uhh…Presto!” he sounded
kind of wavery, but he disappeared without flaw. He reappeared in
his pipe. “Poor dear…I wish he’d stop being so shy.” Jenny said,
shaking her head.
Finally, after a half-hour, the kitten woke up. She
moaned from the pain, but sat up ramrod strait when she realized that she
wasn’t in an alley. She felt paws push her gently down, and she hissed
and looked up to see who was there. She saw a silver tabby standing
up above her. “Please don’t try to get up yet, little one.
You are too weak.” “Who are you?” she asked, giving a glare but shaking
a little. He was really strong, she noticed, and he was right, she
was weak. “My name is Munkustrap. I’m the second in command
of our tribe, the Jellicles. What’s your name?” “Why should
I tell you?” she asked. “I just want to know. I don’t want to have
to call you ‘Little One” for the rest of your life” he said. “Fair
enough. It’s Neptune. And…did you say the rest of my life?
What do you mean?” she asked, with hints of worry and inquiry in her voice.
Munku sighed. “What I mean is, you are a Jellicle, or a least your
mother was. If I remember, TeaGray had a black and white kitten…You
should have been living with us, but since you were abandoned, we never
found you. But anyway, you are one of us now.” “Wow.
I would have never guessed…will this be a permanent place to stay and eat?”
she asked, looking into Munku’s green eyes. He nodded. “We can even get
you a human, if you want.” “I don’t think I want one…where will I
live here?” “We’ll go pick out a home for you, tomorrow, and meet
some of the other cats. Ok?” “Alright, Munkustrap.” And Neptune went
to sleep, excited about the next day.
When Neptune woke up, she saw that Munkustrap was still asleep.
She playfully pawed at his ear until he woke up. “ Huh…wa…what?”
“Come on, groggy, you said you would take me around the junkyard to meet
the other cats and get my home.” she said, licking one of the sores on
her shoulder. Munkustrap was surprised at how much more kitten-like
she had gotten since yesterday. “Alright, Si, let’s go.”
When they walked around, Neptune walked behind Munkustrap,
and he obstructed her from the view of the other cats. When they
saw Rum Tum Tugger sitting on Misto’s pipe, Munkustrap turned around to
tell her his name. Tugger noticed this, and said, “Are you
talkin’ to your anus, monkey Munk?” “No, Tug, I’m talking to Neptune.”
he said sarcastically. “If you really want to know who I’m talking
to, she’s right behind me. Her name’s Neptune.” Neptune brushed
up next to Munku, and looked at Tugger. He couldn’t tell if she was
a kitten or an adult, but he thought she was gorgeous. He jumped
down from his perch, and rubbed her, but she scratched his face.
“ Ow! Why’d you do that?” Tugger said, going cross-eyed trying to
look to see if his perfect face was bleeding or not. “Don’t you think
you’re a little old for me? And by the way, crosshair, you’re not bleeding,
so get over it.” she said, staring at him. “Uh, well, um, I think
Bomby’s waiting for me!” and he left with a start. “Pitiful.” Neptune said,
shaking her head.
As they walked on, they passed by an overturned, old-fashioned
washer. Munkustrap pointed to it and said, “How would you like to
live here, Neptune?” She looked awed. “Here? In this huge place?
Oh, I-I couldn’t…I’m not worthy…” “You are worthy, Neptune.
You didn’t join Macavity. That’s one of the best things you could
ever do.” Munku stated, looking into her deep blue eyes. “I’ll go
and find some blankets to line it.”
After awhile, Misto came to visit Neptune. He was very
quiet at first, but then he opened up to her. After awhile of talking,
a piece of fluff went past Neptune’s face. Misto snatched at it,
and the fur on his paw made her sneeze. As she sneezed, whitish black
lighting bolts flew from her hand.
*~*~*~*~*~*
4 months later
On that day that Misto visited Neptune, he had really hit it off.
Now they were almost old enough to mate, but until then, they were basically
boyfriend and girlfriend. Since they were both magic, they could
practice duo spells and charms. They were so close that they never
fought, and they protected each other. One day when they were nuzzling
on the roof of a car, a familiar laugh penetrated the air around them.
Then they saw him: it was Macavity. He bellowed, “I want Neptune!”
“I won’t let him get you, Neptune. I won’t!” Misto told her. Then
Macavity jumped.
~ To be continued ~
