The cats and the moon - I/ TWO TRIBES

22. Meanwhile, in the old buildings

Okay I'm bad at chapter titles sorryyyy-

Anukari had been worried sick since Artemis, Valentine and Porthusalem had returned. Plato, the Jellicle who had walked them home, did not seem very talkative, but he and Leeko had looked happy enough to meet again. Anu could see why. The kittens had explained everything, or rather, had delivered a confused speech from which she had gathered that Chormarelle had fallen into the river, Celestiara had run for help, and everything fortunately happened to have been going on by the Jellicle junkyard. How exactly Chorm could have fallen in remained a mystery to her, as well as the reason for the guilty look on Artemis' face.

Though she was not related to them in terms of blood bonds, Anu was the one who had raised the triplets and fed them as they were just newborn kittens, and she considered them as her daughters. This meant that she loved all three of them dearly, and also that she knew them all very well. She knew perfectly well that something had been on Artemis' mind since they had returned. She was also fully aware that there was something Valentine was not telling her, which was excessively rare since the one she saw as her youngest daughter, despite her being the exact same age as the other two, usually had no secrets for her. As for Porth, well, he was her own son, the only offspring of her and Leekochlorus, and there was no mistaking his behaviour since they had come back. Something had happened by the riverside.

For all these reasons, every moment that passed increased Anu's worry. The night had come and the kittens had fallen asleep. Most of the adults were out hunting, but Anu sat alone on a barrel outside the door, her tail wrapped around her paws, still as a statue.

"What's on your mind?" a soft voice whispered behind her.

She didn't have to turn around to know exactly who it was. His scent, his voice, his footsteps... She would have known her mate anywhere. Leekochlorus hopped up on the barrel and sat down next to her. She couldn't help smiling softly as he wrapped his tail around her body. Her own tail uncurled from around her paws and intertwined with her partner's.

"The kittens. They should be back by now... And something obviously went wrong at the river, and neither of them will tell me what it is."

"Don't worry about the others. They'll be safe with the Jellicles."

"It's not that. It's just..."

"Three of your kittens are left to spend the night alone with a tribe of cats you've never met, and you're going to tell me that's not what's worrying you?"

The beautiful persian queen sighed.

"Well thanks Leeko, I feel a lot better now."

"Sorry. All I meant was... I understand you're worried, but the Jellicles are trustworthy. And I recall Tiara getting along pretty well with their kittens. Besides... You'll get to know them soon enough."

Anu nodded thoughtfully.

"That still hasn't been decided."

"It's as good as that. Even Lady Felegrine is obviously in favour of the idea. I mean, given how rare it is that her thoughts on something are obvious..."

"Leeko!" she scolded playfully.

The brown stray cat shook his head.

"Well, it's common knowledge."

His mate batted at his ears and he laughed softly. It was some time before Anu spoke up again.

"I really wonder what happened this afternoon. I'm sure the kittens aren't telling me everything."

"How do you know?"

She gave him an annoyed look.

"Leeko, I raised them. They're my kittens."

Leekochlorus gave up trying to understand how Anu could be so confident about this. He actually gave up trying to understand anything about the beautiful white queen. No, more than that, he gave up on trying to understand queens in general. Instead, he nuzzled against her shoulder in a comforting manner.

"Everything will be alright", he promised her. "If it really is important, you'll find out eventually. You've always been the best at finding out things anyway."

Anu leaned against her mate's shoulder and laughed slightly.

"Not true. There's no beating Gemerald on that."

"Okay. You'll just have to ask him, if it comes to that."

Anu sighed softly.

"You're right. I guess I should stop worrying all the time. It's just that... I've got to protect this tribe."

"We all do... I understand that as one of the tribe's founders you take your duties very seriously, love, but you should give yourself a break now and then."

He hopped off the barrel.

"Care to go hunting?"

Anu shook herself, licked her thick, perfect white coat, and jumped off in turn.

"Okay."

And the two of them sunk into the shadows, each of them silently musing how lucky they were to be the mate of such a wonderful cat.