The cats and the moon - I/ TWO TRIBES

21. Chormarelle

Hello I'm back! I came back from holiday on Monday and now I can go back to updating regularly :D

As the four kittens were cuddling against each other, three Jellicles and one Moonlit, they were suddenly interrupted by an hesitant Chormarelle.

"Uh... Tiara?" he said uncertainly.

On instinct, the three Jellicles cuddled protectively against Celestiara. Etcetera eyed him warily.

"What do you want?" she snapped.

Chormarelle sighed, looked over to where Maerissa had fallen asleep, then sat down to face the four kittens.

"I just wanna talk. And..." he took a deep breath "I don't mind if you stay, if that can comfort you."

Victoria glanced at Tiara, who shrugged, then got up and gently hushered Etcetera out of the den. Tumblebrutus grinned at Celestiara before leaving, too. Tiara sat up straight, her muscles tensing as she faced the black and brown cat.

"I... I've been thinking, Tiara."

"Yeah? About what?"

He flinched under her cool gaze. He couldn't have failed to hear her conversation with the Jellicles and she knew it fully well, so she wondered whether this was about it.

"What you said about Artemis earlier... And, well... Everything that happened up that hill."

Tiara looked at him, her eyebrows raised.

"Okay, and the conversation you just had with the others", he admitted, embarrassed.

"Thought so", she mumbled. "So what about it?"

"I don't think it's because of your paw that Artemis won't play with you."

"Yeah, I know, I know. She's all over Ed."

"That's not what I- Wait, what?"

He stared at her in concern.

"Oh, you didn't know?"

Tiara felt slightly guilty. She was aware that Chorm, like most of the toms she had ever met, had a huge crush on Artemis. She had thought he knew he had no chance, however.

"N-no" Chormarelle miserably stuttered. "But anyway, that's not what I meant to say."

She didn't respond but nodded for him to go on.

"I think Arty... Well, she likes to feel that she has power. Over us and... Well, over you."

Tiara still didn't answer, so Chorm went on.

"You know how she was so happy to see I'd do what she told me, when I jumped in the river. And then how she was so eager to tell you everything was fine, she had the situation under control. You know? She hates being helpless."

Celestiara slowly nodded.

"That makes sense."

"And she likes to feel that she has control over who we like, and who we hang out with, and who we play with or don't play with, and..."

He stopped, realising he was getting carried away. Tiara nodded in agreement, however, giving him courage to utter the next sentence.

"And I'm over being under her control."

"So..."

She stared at him, bewildered.

"So I... I don't want to let her decide for me any more... What I do, or... Who I like."

Tiara lay down, resting her chin on her paws.

"But you are", she finally said.

Chormarelle's mouth fell open in a startled gesture.

"Wh- how so?"

"You've come to talk to me because you want to do the exact opposite of what she says. She's still controlling your behaviour, indirectly."

Chormarelle opened his mouth to answer, but no words came. He shut his mouth and lay down, mimicking Tiara's posture. He seaked her gaze but she had her head turned away and only her blind eye was facing him now. He took time to collect his thoughts. After a moment of silence, Victoria, Etcetera and Tumblebrutus came back into the den, hesitantly checking if the conversation was over. Chorm didn't notice them.

"Tiara?" he asked timidly, wondering whether she had fallen asleep.

"Hm?" she replied, still staring at the other side of the den.

"I... I want to get to know you. Not because of following Artemis or not following Artemis, but because... You're part of my tribe and I barely know you. And then when I do, I can decide whether I want to be friends with you, or not, and decide for myself."

His voice had grown stronger as he spoke and Tiara eventually looked back at him.

"Fine. Whatever", she said rather coldly. Chorm looked at her in surprise. He had thought she would be happy about this, but she really didn't seem to care at all.

"I thought you'd be glad", he said at last.

"Oh, is that so? Want to know what I'm thinking, really, deep down? I'm thinking you and the other kits have been bullying me since I came in the tribe, mocking me and making fun of me and excluding me, and from all you've told me the only thing that stands out is you were under Artemis' control. Well you know what? That's not enough of an excuse! We're not going from enemies to friends just like that, because you actually realised that's not what you wanted and oh no it was Arty's fault all the time! You might not have wanted it but that's what happened, and as much as I hate Artemis you can't just throw back the responsibility on her shoulders! Ever considered that your actions may have consequences? Well they do, and it's your own fault, and you can't just give up on cleaning up after yourself because you did it out of fascination for another cat!"

She jumped up again and angrily hurtled out of the den. Vic, Etcetera and Tumble ran after her, calling her name and leaving a very dismayed Chormarelle behind.

"Tiara! Tiara!"

She didn't stop. Tears blinded her, and she didn't see where she was going anymore, which caused her to crash rather violently into another cat.

"Ow!" the two of them meowed.

She wiped her valid eye, not bothering with the other one, and looked up at the cat, a tabby ginger friendly-looking tom.

"S-sorry", she croaked.

"No worries", he returned with a warm smile. "Where you runnin' to, little one?"

Victoria, Tumblebrutus and Etcetera came running.

"For Heaviside's sake, Tiara, stop using that paw unreasonably!" the white kit exclaimed.

Tumblebrutus pulled his friend into a hug.

"Everything'll be okay, Tiara", he whispered in her ear.

"My, my", their elder said in a concerned tone. "What is going on here?"

"Oh, it's okay, Skimble", Etcetera replied. "Tiara just needs shelter for tonight."

"I think you should come and sleep in our den", Victoria told her softly. Still hiding her face into Tumble's shoulder, Celestiara nodded. Skimbleshanks watched them off with a bewildered look on his face.