The cats and the moon - I/ TWO TRIBES

16. Misto's refuge

This is one of my absolute favorite chapters. And as I say that, I have written over a hundred chapters. I've almost finished writing book 4!!! You guys are absolutely not ready for what'll be coming your way in the next few months.

Anyway, enough sharing my overexcitement and impatience. Enjoy!

Meanwhile, Misto had led Ed outside the junkyard and into a nearby park. The two toms collapsed into the grass, giggling and panting.

"I feel like a kitten again", Misto laughed.

Ed agreed.

"It feels good", he admitted. "Where are we?"

Misto stood up again.

"This is my favourite place, and my secret shelter. Come, I'll show you."

Ed got up in turn and followed Misto up a huge tree that was planted near a lake. A little way up, the trunk parted into several branches, one of them turning out to be hollow. Without hesitation, Misto engaged himself inside the tunnel formed by the hollow branch. It was very dark and Edinson could only focus on the white tip of Mistoffelees' tail bobbing in front of him. However, a little way in, there was a crack in the bark that let moonlight in. The two toms lay down on either side of the crack. Misto motioned for Ed to look through it.

"Wow! It's... It's beautiful, Mistoffelees."

From where they were, they had a perfect view on the lake. And what a view! The moon was reflecting on the surface, its reflection troubled by a few waves. There was a little wind, sending the water into slight movement, and the light of the stars made it look like the lake was sparkling.

"You can call me Misto", the tuxedo cat answered.

"Only if you call me Ed."

Both of them looked up at each other and smiled before falling back into a contemplative silence.

"D'you think the kittens will find us here?" Ed asked eventually.

"No way. No one knows about this place. I usually come here when I want to escape."

"Escape what? Overexcited kittens?"

Misto snickered.

"More like over admiring Jellicles, usually."

Ed looked at him, staring in surprise.

"What?" Misto asked bitterly, starting to regret his words.

"I know the feeling", Ed quietly admitted. "Wanna talk about it?"

It was Misto's turn to stare in surprise.

"What?" Ed asked mockingly.

Misto let out a laugh, then turned serious again as his gaze wandered back to the sparkling lake. For a while he was silent and thoughtful.

"I don't know if I wanna talk about it. Let's say... There are things I can do, and everybody admires me for it, but... I sometimes get the feeling they like me only for that. Not for who I really am. And I guess I'm scared that if I tell you about it, it'll be the same."

"You don't have to tell me. I'm happy to be friends with you anyway."

"Yeah but... If we are friends, I'd want you to know... 'Cause it is a part of me after all."

Ed rubbed his head against his new friend's.

"You take your time. I'll never force you."

"Thanks", Misto whispered.

They lay in silence for a moment, staring at the lake through the crack of the bark. Eventually, Misto looked up again.

"What about you?"

"Me? Oh. Nothing fascinating really. I guess it's just... I'm handsome."

He sighed, staring at the lake.

"Back in our tribe... I'm the easy-going, friendly, handsome, funny cat everyone loves. Except I don't have any real friends, except for Tiara. They all like me but I really don't belong to any group, you know?"

"Yeah. I know."

He looked at the red tabby cat thoughtfully.

"You are handsome", he observed, tilting his head.

Ed laughed.

"Don't make this awkward, Misto."

Misto laughed too.

"You're the one making it awkward! I didn't mean anything like that!" he protested.

Edinson eyed him playfully and Misto shook his head, amused. After a moment of laughing, the two cats went back to watching the lake and fell silent again.

"Should we go back?" Misto eventually asked.

"Oh, yeah! I had forgotten the others..."

"Who's making this awkward now? Oh Misto, I forget everyone when I'm with you!" he added in a mocking tone.

Ed burst out laughing.

"My gosh. That's definitely a headcanon."

The two cats crawled back out of the hollow branch, and ran back to the junkyard, praying no one would have noticed their absence. Unfortunately, Eriva and Demeter had. They ran to the two toms as soon as they saw them.

"Where were you?"

Misto shrugged.

"Running away from overexcited kittens", he laughed, motioning towards the kits who were now attempting to climb into a car boot. The two queens giggled.

"Edinson, I think you're about to leave", Eriva said, motioning towards Leekochlorus and Lady Felegrine who indeed seemed to be greeting the others goodbye.

"Oh, well. I suppose I had better get Tiara in that case", Ed sighed.

He crossed over to the car boot and called the kitten's name from a respectable distance, preferring to avoid another play fight. Now was not the moment.

Celestiara extracted herself from the car boot and looked up at him.

"What?" she called back.

Ed stepped closer.

"We're leaving", he said.

Tiara's face fell.

"Oh..."

She gave her new friends a sorry look.

"Well, bye", she told them.

"Bye Tiara! See you soon!" Pouncival happily answered.

"You'll come back, won't you?" Etcetera eagerly asked.

Celestiara shrugged.

"I don't know. I hope so."

This was clearly not the response Etcetera had expected. Her face fell, too, and Tiara ran off, visibly upset. Edinson watched her go.

"Sorry", he told Etcetera. "She's like that sometimes. But I'm glad you get along with her. I'll try and arrange it so you can see each other again."

Victoria gave him a sincere smile.

"Thank you."

He nodded at her, then in turn took leave. Soon enough, the Moonlit were on their way back to the abandoned buildings.