Munkustrap had soon returned to the forest where his fellow feline friends continued to party and have a good time with each other. Tugger, who was watching his tribe from above in a tree, suddenly caught sight of his gray tabby friend running through the woods and hollared, "Hey Munku! Up here!"
Munkustrap stopped dead in his tracks and glanced up. There above him, resting on the thick branches of the tree sat Tugger. Through his panting, Munkustrap hollared up at him, "You need to come down, I have to talk with you." Tugger laughed amusingly at the gray tom's weary call and replied as he continued to gaze at his tribe laughing, talking, cooking, eating and much more, "No Munku, what you have to do is go out and have fun. You've made friends here, next step is to socialize with them. You can-"
"Please I must talk with you!!" Munkustrap cried again, this time with more authority in his tone. His outburst caused the tribe to divert their attention to the two toms as the good times ceased and silence overtook them. Realizing this was important to his companion, Tugger sighed and began his desension from the tree. Once eye level, Tugger asked, "Alright, what's up?"
"I need your help." he then turned his words over to the tribe as well since he had their attention, "I need all your help. There's a place not far from here where cats like you and I live under a wicked ruler. They live as slaves and are seen as nothing but slaves and are treated like the untouchables."
"You mean the Jellicles." Pouncival piped from the crowd. Munkustrap frowned, "You've heard of them?" Tugger laughed, "Of course we have." Munkustrap was shocked, "And why havn't you done anything about it?!" Tugger shrugged, "What can we do? Somethings you just can't change as sad as that may be." Munkustrap shook his head, "No! No, it can be changed!" Munku faced the crowd of felines and said, "With your help," and his gaze then turned back to Tugger, "and your courage and our strength and determination, we can overthrow Macavity and his force! If we-"
"Stop it!" roared a voice from the crowd and all heads turned to Serric who had a look of pure annoyance and anger. He marched forward boldly till he was face to face with the gray tabby and growled, "You're under estimating Macavity's power! Do you think we're all stupid? We know Macavity, we knew his father, and we know the entire ancestry line of them! We know more about it than you ever will! To go against The Hidden Paw would be suicidal! We're happy here just the way we are. Why go out looking for a battle we are destined to lose?"
Munkustrap was shocked at the toms' words and replied, "Think of those poor Jellicles who -"
"You're not thinking of us!" interupted Serric profoundly. "I think you're only thinking of yourself!" retorted Munkustrap. Serric's fury rose as he growled, "I think you need to keep your mouth shut as to what goes on around here!" The words pierced Munkustrap like lances through his gut and great hatred spewed out from him for this despicable tom. Realizing this evil anger building up in him, Munkustrap spun himself around and walked away. Demeter saw the determination in Munkustrap's heart and felt the courage in his words. He had changed from what he once was and Demeter's trust had thickened in him. This tom just may be the only key to her sister's and the Jellicle tribe's freedom. Demeter then quickly followed him deep into the woods. She found him sitting on a boulder staring up at the sky with all hope lost. Slowly, she slinked up beside him and whispered, "I'll go." Munkustrap glanced at her and saw the truth in her eyes. She would do more than just go. Munkustrap could feel that this queen would give up her life for the rights of this Jellicle Tribe. Munkustrap shook his head in despair, "It's going to take more than just two bold felines I'm afraid." But Demeter was determined in not letting this courageous spirit in Munkustrap dissapear as she replied, "But think about it - two cats will enter in but legions will come out. The Jellicles will be behind us all the way. They've yearned for the day of freedom. Gain their trust and you've already won." Demeter was right. They just needed a leader, someone who wasn't scared of Macavity and willing to show them the way to a safe haven. If not him, who? If not now, when? Munkustrap's mind was set. He and Demeter would march in and take what's rightfully theirs!
Meanwhile, The Rum Tum Tugger was having a inner battle of his own. He knew freeing the Jellicles would be right, but he had to think of his own tribe as well. Lives would be lost and he would be opening the risk of them becoming slaves also. He sat on the ground near an old twisted tree, resting his back against the trunk. In his hand was a thin branch that he used to swirl the dirt beneath him as he thought. Just then, his ears pricked to the sound of leaves crumpling. Someone was coming. His eyes were steady on a bush before him as he awaited the mysterious arrival of this stranger. Finally, the figure came out of the thick leaves and into Tugger's sight. The maned tom eased up as he saw how it was only Old Deuteronomy. "Well this is a shocker." began the huge gray tom, "It's not everyday that I see the Rum Tum Tugger just laying around with nothing to do."
Tugger grinned as he replied, "I was just thinking." Old Deut laughed, "Even a bigger shock!" The old feline then rested himself down beside his good friend, "Thinking eh? Since when did you take time away from galivanting, getting into mishief, gauking with damsels in beauty and running a muck to actually sit down and think?" Tugger couldn't help but chuckle at Old Deut's words as true as they were. "I've come to a turn in my life where something serious has actually presented itself to me as a leader of a tribe and I havn't the slightest clue what to do about it. I know I've run this tribe like a huge game. We live here in the woods where all we do is party and have a good time. But now, a total stranger shows up and everything is flipped upside down. I was given a tough decision. Help free the long slaved Jellicle Tribe or stay out of it. I know to free them would be right, but I would be putting my tribe in danger." Old Deuteronomy was surprised at Tugger's way of thinking and the situation he was in. Tugger continued, "We as a tribe have never fought. We don't know the first thing about fighting. We do it as a game, but no one gets hurt. Serric's right, it would be suicidal to go against Macavity." Old Deuteronomy cleared his throat, "Well...it looks like your looking at two sides of the situation here - there's this stranger you speak of who wants to free the Jellicles, but then there's Serric's point of view where he says it would bring termoil to this tribe. Now, I ask you, apart from what these two say, what do you think?" Tugger shook his head in fustration as he threw his stick, "That's the point! I don't know what to think! I don't know what to do! I agree with Serric, just stay out instead of breaking our necks to help a tribe we dont know! Let the outside world break its own neck!" Old Deuteronomy stared for a while silently at Tugger who was fustrated and getting a bit on the furious side. Old Deut then slowly stood and replied, "Then it looks like you've already made a decision. But now you're deciding whether or not to go with that decision. It's what being a leader is all about."
"Ok," said Tugger, "I've heard the gray tabby's and Serric's point of view. I want hear yours." Old Deut sighed, "Well, you obviously brought one tribe to life and have helped it throughout the years, why not help another?" and he walked back from where he came, leaving Tugger alone once again in his thinking.
Munkustrap and Demeter were escorted by two large toms dressed in full body armor and armed with spears. They entered into a huge colloseum where Macavity stood in the center giving out a speach to his kingdom sitting and cheering in the stands. His eyes then narrowed on the two arrivals and he haulted in his words. Munkustrap again? he thought to himself. And what was this? Demeter at his side? Macavity motioned for the guards to bring them forth. Once close enough to where they could talk with having the crowd hear them, Macavity said to Munkustrap, "I thought I locked you up! Why have you come back? Have you come to apologize?"
"Far from it Macavity. I've come to take the Jellicle's home and away from here." Macavity rolled his eyes and shook his head as if to say 'havn't we already been though this?' "What will it take to get them out?" Munkustrap asked. "Surely you are willing to compromise. Don't lower yourself to where actual fighting has to be involved." Macavity was silent as he thought. He wished not to fight his brother for there was still a spark of love inside his cold hard heart for him. Then a wicked grin appeared on the red tom's face. He figured he would have to out smart this tom into giving up his pathetic quest of freeing his slaves. With the microphone in one hand, Macavity announced, "Queens and toms, I present to you our new challengers of the ring!" Munkustrap frowned, "What are you trying to pull Macavity?" Macavity laughed, "You want the Jellicles? You can have them...IF...you can stay alive long enough to walk them to the kingdom gates! To win the slaves, you must fight a gladiator that I choose. We have a colluseum right here, so I ask you, how far are you willing to go for this worthless tribe?" Munkustrap was discouraged that it did have to come to fighting but he had said that he was willing to lay his life down for the Jellicle's freedom and his mind didn't change even now. Seeing that Munkustrap made no notion to back down from this challenge, with microphone in hand, Macavity then announced, "Then my gladiator that I call forth..." and the gates were opened as a young tom was shoved into the ring. His shackles were removed as Macavity continued, "...is Alonzo, non other than a Jellicle himself! And the rules - fight to the death!" and the crowd cheered. Munkustrap's eyes widoned and Demeter gasped. Macavity was clever. "Destroy this one pathetic Jellicle, and the rest are yours." said the sly red tom. Munkustrap could clearly see that this Jellicle tom was in no condition to fight. He had been beaten severly and deprived of food and clean water. Macavity gently took Demeter's upper arm and escorted her to the first row in the stands, leaving Munkustrap and Alonzo alone in the ring with legions of cats cheering for action and bloodshed. In a low enough voice to where the crowd nor Macavity could hear, Munkustrap said to the black and white tom, "I'm not going to fight you. I've come to free the Jellicles. Demter...you know Demeter right? She's come to help as well." Alonzo stared at the gray tabby and for some odd reason, he believed him for at this point in his life, he had nothing else to believe in. A tear of joy and anguish rolled down from Alonzo's eye as he stood there staring at Munkustrap who could only feel for this poor tom who had been through so much. This aquaintance only heightened Munku's spirit into bringing them their freedom. "Where are the Jellicles?" Munkustrap asked in his hushed toned voice and Alonzo glanced to his right. Munku followed his gaze and saw an iron gate closing off legions of Jellicles who pushed in to witness the fight. Munkustrap analyzed his surroundings. Next to the iron gate stood a guard with the key. Opposite of the gate on the other side of the colloseum ring, was another open gate to where cats came come in and leave. All they had to do was run out of the colloseum and make a break for it towards the open kingdom gates and they were free. The crowd grew louder as they grew impatient so Munkustrap made his move. He ran towards Alonzo acting as if he was going to fight him but instead leaped right over the frightened tom and towards the guard. A quick punch to the jaw sent the guard to the ground and Munkustrap used his keys to open the iron gate. A flood of Jellicles emerged and the crowd stood up in horror and surprise. Macavity stood and cried out, "NO! GUARDS STOP THEM!" But the Jellicles ran over the soldiers like ants, shoving them aside and stampeding over them. Demeter stood as well and cheered, yelling for them to run towards the kingdom gates that stood there open for them. Nothing could stop the Jellicles as they ran for all they were worth. Munkustrap spotted a young Jellicle queen who had fallen and had hurt her ankle. Immediatly Munkustrap came to her aid and lifted her in his arms. Through her tears, the young queen whispered faintly, "Thankyou!" Munkustrap replied, "Hey no problem, we just got to get you out of here...uh." "The name's Sillabub."
They continued toward the gates. Even the sound of gunshots didn't stop them. It was now or never with no looking or turning back.
"CLOSE THE GATES!!" ordered Macavity over the loud mass of chaos and the guards positioned themselves high on the walls and cut the ropes that held the gates up. Munkustrap's eyes widoned as he saw up ahead how the steel gates were roaring down. "No please!" he whispered but he hautled only two feet away when the gates slammed to the floor infront of him. Not one Jellicle had made it through the gates. Munkustrap's heart sank as he held on tightly to Sillabub in his arms. Here he held a young Jellicle in his arms and he wasn't about ready to let her go yet. Munkustrap looked towards the heavens and whispered, "A little help here God..." and a single tear rolled down his cheek, "...please!"
