I'm realising my chapters get longer and longer as we go. I'm currently into writing book 5 (yes) and some chapters are like three times as long as this one, which is already one of the longest in book 1.
Anyway, I'm going on holiday today and won't be home for a month, so I have absolutely no idea when the next chapter will be up. It may be as late as the 25th of August (ish). Or if I come across an Internet access earlier and feel like updating, I'll post another chapter. Anyway, don't expect too much from me for the month to come. I'll return to posting every Wednesday and Sunday in late August/early September.
Enjoy, and cya soon!
Meanwhile, Tumblebrutus, as promised, had shown the two kittens around, then led them to Jelly's den. The elderly queen was there, looking after a tired Celestiara. Sitting with her were Etcetera and Victoria. As the others came into the den, the ginger kitten nodded to Jellylorum that she would be okay and Jelly went over to take a look at Chormarelle. Tiara watched after her bitterly.
"Tiara?" Victoria asked softly. "Are you okay?"
She snapped out of her contemplative mood.
"Yeah, fine. My paw just hurts a bit."
"You should have told us, the other night. We would have played softly..."
"Nah, it's okay."
"Tiara..."
Victoria could feel that it was, in fact, not okay. She lay down and nuzzled close to her friend.
"Hey, what happened? We're friends. You can tell us", she added, indicating herself and Etcetera.
"I just told you, Vic, it's okay. There's nothing to be told."
"Tiara, just tell me why you didn't tell us about your paw. Maybe next time we can arrange, play softly or make sure you-"
"Or just leave me out?" the ginger kit spat, suddenly angry.
"Wh- of course not! Tiara, what's the matter with you?" she cried out in a mixture of exasperation and worry.
"Nothing."
Celestiara coolly turned away, angry at herself and at Vic. Victoria now looked seriously annoyed at her friend's behaviour.
"Well, that's obviously a lie, and I have no idea why you're turning so cold on us, since all we did was ask if you're fine. I don't know why you're so convinced we're just going to stop playing with you because you're injured, but I guess if you think so poorly of us, we might as well go. You probably don't want us around anyway, do you?"
Without waiting for an answer, she got up and left, signalling for Etcetera to follow her. Etcetera gave Tiara a look of sadness and confusion before joining Victoria. Tiara watched them go, tears building up in her eyes, then suddenly got up, ignoring her paw again, and ran to the entrance of the den.
"Vic!" she called after her, her voice desperate. The white kitten paused and turned around, glaring at her.
"Oh, so you've decided to talk to me now?"
She was still mad, but her friend gave her a look of such loss and despair that she gave in and walked back to her, Etcetera still hot on her tail. When the pair got up to Celestiara, the ginger kit looked away.
"I'm sorry", she whispered. The words were hard to pronounce. She looked up at Vic, and her face was pleading. Victoria sighed.
"Get back inside, and for Jellicles sake, stop using that paw", she said. Tiara didn't move.
"I... I'm sorry, Vic. I'm so... so sorry."
That was all she could manage. She had no idea how to phrase what she felt. She looked so lost and desperate that Victoria softened up.
"I'm sorry, too", she said, rubbing her head against her friend's. "Come on, let's go back inside before Jelly makes us."
Tiara nodded and walked back, her head hung low. The other kittens watched the three females walk in and Tumblebrutus jumped up to join them, lying down next to Celestiara. He was on the side of her missing eye but she recognized his scent.
"Oh, hey Tumble", she muttered.
Etcetera nuzzled into the fur on her neck, and Victoria sat down in front of her with a mixture of affection and dead seriousness.
"Are you gonna tell us now?"
Tiara looked away guiltily.
"I don't get it", Etcetera piped up, and she sounded genuinely confused. "Why would we stop playing with you because of your paw?"
"Because that's what everyone does", Tiara mumbled. "I'm just a burden for all the other kittens." And a threat, she added mentally, but that was only because Artemis was way too interested in the only person who cared about her - handsome, perfect Ed.
"What?" Etcetera meowed, startled. "Of course you're not! You're not a burden, you're a friend!"
Tumble tilted his head thoughtfully.
"Tiara, I'm going to ask you something, but it's okay if you don't want to answer, alright?"
She turned her head to steal a glance in his direction with her valid eye, then looked away and nodded.
"Does this... The fact you think like that... Have anything to do with the fact that you wouldn't answer when Pounce asked if the other kittens in your tribe were nice, the other night?"
"Think like what?"
"That you're a burden and that we won't want to play with you because you're less fun with your paw..."
Victoria's ears perked up as she suddenly seemed to understand.
"Do they... They don't play with you because of that?"
Tiara shrugged.
"Actually, I'm not sure it's really because of that. I think Artemis just hates me. And everyone loves her."
"So does no one play with you?" Etcetera asked in disbelief.
"Well... Not really. Or when they do, they mock me."
Victoria gave a low sigh.
"I'm still mad at you", she informed her, before cuddling against her.
"Don't bother", Tiara replied sarcastically, nuzzling against her friend. "I'm already mad at myself."
YOU ARE READING
The cats and the moon - I/ TWO TRIBES
Fanfiction[CATS fanfiction] The story you are about to read takes place in a London junkyard. It is the home of a tribe of cats known as the Jellicles. They live peacefully between their beloved junkyard and their human houses, their bliss only disturbed by t...
