===================================================================== This story was submitted to The Forgotten Jellicle Cats, on Friday, August 4, 2000, by the cat who calls herself Kalika. This story was put up with his permission so all copyrights are still hers -- G-Clef ===================================================================== Vixa-Chapter 2, Constantine & Dantina NOTE: Vixa, now reffered to as Vixen, has become second in command of the Classy Dames, and is a favorite of Macavity. With Caesar dead, she has been given his position as head-henchcat, although, being a Classy Dame, she rarely fights. Teroclaw, and Goldrop's kitten, Betanine, are both older, and Griddlebone is expecting. Here is the thrilling sequel to, Vixa: A True Fonicle. Vixen yawned tiredly. She had spent another sleepless night with Macavity, and as usual, he wasn't there when she woke up. *Probably out murdering a defensless Jellicle*, she thought cynically. Scowling, she urged herself up, and walked into her chamber room, which was right next to the Griddlebone's chamber. She decided to visit her best friend, but she also decided to freshen up a bit. She went through her common routine -stretching, washing her face, grooming her fur, and applying the human makeup, that she though was called, Mask-rah. It made her eyelashes appear fuller, with a bit more curl, and she just loved the effect. She crossed from the mirror to her door, and walked out. "Griddlebone, it's me, Vixen," Vixen called out, "Where are you?" she entered Griddlebone's room and walked over to the bed, which was neatly made. She sauntered over to Griddlebone's bathroom, which had the light on, and door open. "Oh, Griddlebone, there you are," she watched what Griddlebone was doing as gasped amazed, "Why your claws! They're blue!" And sure enough, they were. "Isn't it great? I found it out in the Junkyard, must be some more human makeup. See, you just paint it on, and, well here, try some on! Let's see, you would probably look best with blue or green . . . I have atleast a dozen types of this stuff! Ah, here we are . . . Emerald Green. It'll look great on you!" Griddlebone laughed,"Here let me put it on for you." Vixen nodded. "So, how are things going with you and the Mystery Cat?" Griddlebone smiled mischeiviously. "Don't call him that, and fine. Although, I don't think I really love him, I mean I just go there when he tells me to come."Vixen's eyes softened,"Was that how it was with you and him?" Griddlebone frowned," Yes, like I just went there like a slave. Interesting, isn't it? How the "Fiend in Feline shape" communicates with queens he loves?" "Do you think he even loves us? I mean-" But Vixen was interrupted by a shriek. "Let me go you jerk!" a female voice screamed, "When my brother hears about this-." A gruff voice answered," Your brother is here too, Jellicle, so don't count on rescue." Vixen gasped," That's Macavity, I'd know that voice anywhere!" Griddlebone hushed her up," Come on let's see what's happening." Calitop, a calico Classy Dame, met them at the doorway. "Ay, wut you up to gals?" she asked curiously. "What's going on out there, Cali?" Vixen whispered harshly. "Oh dat," Calitop answered," Dat 'ellicle queen is being given to 'he pound, Macavity's getting ready to drop her off when the next pound twuck comes ah by." The 3 queen rushed out to the Jellicle and Macavity. "Well hello, Vixen," Macavity said in his deep voice," I'm about to drop -this, off at the pound, would you like to come with?" "Uh, no thank you Mac," Vixen stuttered, with fake cheerfulness," Girl's day today, so we're gathering up all our stuff to party," she purred seductively at Macavity," See you there Tiger." She turned and stalked off ignoring the kitten's cry for help. * * * Vixen spent that evening with the Classy Dames, but her mind was wondering, about Macavity, the kitten, who she remembered as Dantina, and Dantina's brother, who was named Constantine. She remembered him being very handsome,but hadn't seen him since he was captured. He had been kept up in a cage for a little more than 3 months, with his sister. And now that his sister was gone, Vixen wondered what torture Macavity had planned for the tom. "Vixen, Vixen, wake up, your zoning out on us," joked a red and gold queen who was also a Classy Dame. She was Goldrop, a queen who had recently given birth to a pretty red kitten, whom she named, Betanine. She had come to the Fonicle Territory, a lonely, pregnant, and talented kitten, and had found some hope, or at least enough to keep her and her kitten alive. "Oh, sorry about that, I am just real tired," Vixen groaned. "Mac been keeping you awake, Vix?" Teased a pretty Siamese/Burmese mix, who was usually rather serious. This queen was Ishra, who had come to the Fonicles as a gift with her friend, Griddlebone. "Nah," Vixen purred," I've been keeping him up." she grinned. She was having so much fun with her new life, she knew this was her true home. Yet somehow, she was wrong. * * * Constantine kept awake almost every hour of the day, he never knew when Macavity's cronies would come for him. Finally after 2 months of sleeplessness, he collasped in exhaustion. Macavity's guard there figured this would happen, so he also figured, it was safe for him to lean against the bars of Constantine's cage. He did this for a little while, then fell asleep on his nightshift. And that was about the time, Constantine woke up. *What a fool*, Constantine though, after he kicked aside the unconsious guard, who was still grasping around his throat area. After a half an hour of tryig to get through the maze of Macavity's lair, Constantine was about ready to give up. But thoughts of his little sister, Dantina, charged him ahead. After strategic tries with no avail, Constantine finally reached a lighted area. It was apparently bed chambers. He stepped into the first, and stared. A beautiful golden queen stood before him. She was rather tall, with bright green eyes, and thick eyelashes. She wore a bright, shiny, silver collar, and she was slender, with a full figure. She stared at him in fright and amazement. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Vixen was getting ready for a night with Macavity, when a strange tom burst into her room. It was Constantine! Their eyes met, and something clicked silently. He looked at her, unsure of what to do, then rushed at her, knocking her down. He pulled her up, and held her paws behind her back. Vixen didn't even try to fight, for some peculiar reason. He glanced at her nervously, flicked out a single claw, and held to her throat, pinning her against him. "Promise me you won't struggle and you won't get hurt," he whispered to her softly," And tell me the way out of here." Vixen nodded slightly," I promise, and you keep going straight until the 3rd crossroad, turn left, then turn right, and your out of here," she eyed the sharp claw that was pressed ever so gently against her throat. Constantine watched her for a second and listend to her, but instead of leaving her in her room, he picked her up in his arms and murmured," I'm going to take you as a hostage, so don't fight me." Vixen nodded, and they left Fonicle Territory. * * * Vixen fell into a deep sleep while being carried away from her home. When she woke up, she hissed in fright - two kittens were staring at her! "Hi!" said one brightly, and she realized they looked identical, though one was more slender, so Vixen decided she must be a queen kitten, while the other was a tom. The tom kitten extended his paw," Hello, I'm Coricopat, and this is my sister Tanti." he smiled at her. The queen kitten pushed him delicately, and smiled at Vixen too," Actually, my name is Tantomile, he's just a jerk." The tom pushed her back, and soon the two kittens were in a rumble-tumble fight, while Vixen just stared at them. Just then, a pretty blackish gray queen strolled in, and gasped at the twins," Cori, Tanti, get out of here, now!" The two scurried away. The queen smiled uncomfortably at Vixen," Uh, sorry about that, um, I'm Dea, um, I will be taking care of you while your here." "Why do I need taking care of?" Vixen asked and leapt up, then crumbled back down, with a sharp pain in her back. She mumbled quietly," Oh I see." Dea replied," Um, my mate, Old Deuteronomy, wishes to see you when you have healed, he needs to talk with you." "About what?" Vixen asked suspiciously. Dea shrugged, and asked Vixen to roll, over. Vixen eyed her cautiously, then turned, and the calico queen applied some ointment on her back. "That should do it, you should be healed in a day or two," Dea remarked. "Thank you," Vixen whispered. "Sure," Dea returned. * * * "I don't know, Deuteronomy, she seemed nice enough, or atleast she had manners," Dea told him. "I'm sorry love, it's just that it seems strange that Constantine would bring her, I mean, even as a hostage, I would think that he wouldn't wish to be near a Fonicle at all," Deuteronomy said worriedly. "What are you suggesting?" Dea demanded. "That perhaps, well, perhaps Constantine has fallen in love with this Fonicle. I mean, from what I've heard, she has enough beauty to rival The Glamour Cat." "No!" Dea protested,"That's impossible, he loves Sondra, and he's engaged to her too!" "Not officially, he only danced with her in the mating ritual at the Jellicle Ball," Old Deuteronomy replied. "He's our son!"cried Dea,"Do you want him to shame you in front of the other Jellicles?" "He won't shame anyone, nor will the twins. Our children can look out for themselves, Dea. Tantomile and Cori may have a nose for mischief, but they are very intelligent, as Constantine is," Old Deuteronomy said gently. Dea smiled and sighed," I hope your right." * * * "Where is she? Where's Vixen?" Macavity yelled at Griddlebone and the other Classy Dames. Griddlebone replied timidly," We think she was taking hostage by the Jellicle, Macavity, the one who escaped." Goldrop spoke up," The spies believe she is being held prisoner in Jellicle Territory. And they have found some cat tracks leading there." "I saw 'em leave," Calitop meowed," I tried to stop them but by the time I got there, they were ah gone." Macavity stared at her," How did he just happen to find the way to escape?" "I don't know Mac," Calitop told him," Could be just ah bit o' luck," she gave him a side smile. "Hush!" Macavity roared. "Yes, 'idden Paw," Calitop uttered, then gasped. She knew Macavity hated names like that. And sure enough, he was boiling. "Get out of here!" He grabbed her by the scruff of her neck, and tore down the hallways, dragging her behind him. When he got to the entrance, he threw out as hard as he could, sending her spinning threw the air. She landed in a pile of leaves. Now, she too, was on her own. She picked herself up wearily, and turned towards Jellicle Territory. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Constantine watched the sleeping gold queen with fascination. After talking with his younger brother and sister, and promising them a trip to the city, he had found out her name was Vixen. It didn't totally suit her, for she looked like a princess, not a stray flirtatious queen. Althought there was a wildness in her, he could tell, when he looked into her green eyes, before they left Macavity's lair. Her eyes fluttered open softly, and then widened when she realized he was watching her. "What are you doing here?" she hissed and made an attempt to get up, she let out a meow of pain, and collapsed on the floor. Constantine helped her to her bed again. "How did I get injured like that?"she asked a minute later after gaining consciouness. "When I got here, I was very tired and weak, and," he gulped guiltily," I dropped you on your back." She glared at him, then her fierce stare softened, "Why did you take me hostage? I told you what you need to know." Constantine sighed," I don't know," he said simply. "You don't know!" Vixen scoffed, then remembered the strange moment when he came into her room, and then hesitated putting his claw to her neck. She turned to him gently," Please bring me Mistoffolees, and your leader." "How do you know about Mistofflees?" Constantine asked warily. "He famously known, not to mention he's Macavity's nephew," she replied cooly. Constantine pondered this, then nodded, and went to fetch Mistoffolees and Old Deuteronomy. Vixen, now alone returned to her thoughts. If she could get the conjurer to heal her, she could probably arrange a bargain with the Jellicles. And- "Vix?" a familiar voice broke her thoughts. "Calitop?" she turned quickly, ignoring the gnawing pain in her spine," Cali!" The calico queen was there. Cali rushed over to hug her," What's wong with ye back? Are ye'll right?" she asked caringly. "It's a long story -but nevermind that. Did Macavity send you to help me escape?" Vixen asked excitedly. Suddenly Calitop looked nervous, "Not exactly, Vixie, um, he . . . Oh all right! He kicked meowt of te tribe." Vixen gaped at her," What!? Why?" "I accidentally called 'im te 'idden Paw," she rolled her eyes," And ye know how ah much he 'ates dat!" "But what are you doing here?" Vixen wondered. "Don't yah remember? When the Dames first met yah, we told yah about ourselves, and I said that I was a Jellicle, and had come to Macavity's tribe looking for work," she meowed, frustrated," So I'va'h come here to rejoin the tribe." "You might just might be able to do that Calitop," a deep voice interrupted the two queens. They turned and saw -Old Deuteronomy. The leader of the Jellicles wasn't very old, he had just been reborn many times in the Heaviside Layer. In fact he was one of the handsomest toms. He was a little past his prime, but very wise still. "Deuteronomy!" Calitop whispered, and immediately bowed, while Vixen stayed put, refusing to bow before a Jellicle. Along with him was Constantine, Dea, two young toms, a grayish brown, and a orange, a calico teenager, and a black male kitten -Mistoffolees. Dea rushed foward," Is your back alright? You moved too much." Vixen flinched away from her," I will decide if I am doing something wrong, Jellicle," she said the name with distaste. Dea backed away, her eyes filled with hurt. Deuteronomy stepped forward," Fonicle, what is your name?" Vixen glanced at him, looked down, and mumbled," Vixen," she looked up, to see the young calico queen and Deuteronomy with their eyes wide. The calico mumured," Did you say your name was Vixa?" she asked amazed. Vixen/Vixa scowled at her," Vixa was my old name, Now that I'm a Fonicle, my name is Vixen." "What was your mother's name, Vixen?" Dea inquired. Vixa kept her frown on," Puursia -why?" All except Constantine dropped their jaws in shock. Constantine, bewildered by the looks around him, obviously did not know what they were talking about. Vixa snapped at them," What, what's wrong with you!?" Dea shook her head, and remarked to the calico," And to think HER daughter, raised by Fonicles, my, my." The calico nodded. "Whose daughter?" Calitop asked quietly. The orange tom glared at her," Puursia's." She made a face back at him. Dueteronomy sighed," Vixa, you had better calm down, and I will explain,"So Vixen/Vixa sat down on the bed, startled by the pain in her spine. And he explained," There is a Persian queen here, who is the aunt to that calico, Jellylorum," he said pointing at the young queen," Many months ago, the Persian lost a daughter, in a new litter. Also, this Persian, is named Puursia. Anyway, Puursia had been living as a housecat for a long time, but when she lost her kitten she came back to her true home in the Jellicle Junkyard. For a long time, many searched for her daughter, but nothing was found except rumors that she had been kidnapped," he paused," Do you know who this kitten is Vixa?" Vixa gasped," Me," she choked out. He nodded," That's right." Vixa considered the facts she had just learned. After trying so hard to find a place where she could belong, when there was a junkyard right in London. The new Vixa did the only thing a hurt, lonely, and tired queen could do. She cried. This exciting story is over yet!!! Wait for the next chapter of Vixa- Chapter 3, A New Home ===================================================================== The End Please use you browser back-up button to go the the previous page =====================================================================