CATS: Looking For Etcetera

Chapter Fifteen: Safe

The street was silent. Misto and Demeter stood on the cobbles and stared after the dog, both panting hard. The smaller cat had a deep gash on his side from where the creature had slashed him, and small drops of blood dripped onto the road. A little down the road they heard a clanging of metal on the ground. The lid of a trash can wobbled around steadily and caused both cats to turn round. The sound of familiar voices from inside eased their nerves. 

"Move, you're squishing me!" 

"You're tail's in my face!"

"Your face is in my butt!"

"Get out then!"

"You get out, I was here first!" 

Tugger suddenly poked his head out and looked around, his fur messy and covered with rubbish. He caught sigh of Misto and his ears shot up. 

"What the hell happened with you?" 

Before anyone could answer, Bombalurina's head appeared next to Tugger, and she too looked shocked and confused. 

"What was all the noise about? Where's the dog?"

"Misto...Misto fought him off!" Demeter said, her eyes wide with admiration. 

"I...I didn't..." Misto started, but Tugger leapt out of the bin, hitting Bomba in the face with his tail in the process, and interrupted. 

"You fought an actual dog?! On your own?" 

Bomba scrambled out too and padded towards Demeter to check she was okay. Tugger rushed over to Mistoffelees and stared at him in awe. 

"How did you do that?!" 

"I didn't really, I mean..." he trailed off, beginning to blush. Tugger shook himself off to get rid of the junk stuck in his fur, and in doing so he caught sight of the cut on Misto's rib. 

"Damn, did it get you?!"

"It's okay, it doesn't hurt," he replied, looking away. Tugger shook his head and gently began to lick the wound. Mistoffelees flinched at his touch. It felt so good to be this close to him. Demeter's voice interrupted them. 

"Plato. We have to find him." 

"You think he...You think he'll be okay? I mean, where did he go? Why didn't he come find us?" Bombalurina asked, glancing over at Tugger and raising an eyebrow when she saw him grooming the other tom. Demeter raced off to the alley and Tugger quickly pulled away from Misto and followed. They reached the narrow street and began to search for their friend. It was almost pitch black, and the place was basically empty minus a group of bin bags at the end and a fire escape up above. 

"Plato?" 

Demeter's voice echoed round the alley and made Mistoffelees shiver. No reply. Tugger padded forward and peered into the shadows opposite them, his tail flicking gently behind him. There was a tuft of white and brown fur laying at his big black paws. Bomba called the young tom's name once again, but the only answer the echo of her own voice. 

"We have to keep looking," Demeter said. 

"It's no use, he's...He's gone, Demi," Bombalurina mewed softly, looking at the floor and flattening her ears. The thin she-cat ignored her friend and headed up the fire escape. Everyone followed, except Tugger, who stayed on the ground. The three other cats headed skywards, unsure as to where the steps lead. When they reached the top they reached a small door. Mistoffelees tried to push it open but there was no way anyone could get through. Plato was gone. 

"What did it do to him?" Demeter mewed softly, her voice full of pain. "You think maybe...He took him?" 

"Don't say that," Bomba said sternly. "Plato would never get caught out that easy." 

"The where is he?! What else could have happened?" 

Panic struck Demeter like lightning and she screwed her eyes shut to try and block out her fear. Just as Mistoffelees was about to speak they heard a noise from down below. 

"Plato!" 

Tugger's voice split the cold atmosphere and lifted everyone's spirits. 

"Plato!" Demeter yelled, turning head over heels and sprinting back down the fire escape. The others followed straight behind, trying not to trip over each other. Plato was standing at the entrance of the alley, looking as happy as a cat like him could. Tugger raced towards him and jumped on top of him, licking his face fondly. The other three ran forward too and greeted their friend. 

"We thought you were dead!" Tugger said, sitting up and letting Plato recover. He didn't much appreciate affection. 

"No," he mewed cooly. "Just a few scratches. When it went after you I hid in the trees in the park."

"So we like, saved your life." 

"I mean...-"

"So thanks to us then," Tugger smiled obliviously. Demeter rolled her eyes and pushed him out of the way, helping Plato back up. 

"I never thought I'd see you again," she said gently. She cared deeply about the younger cats and didn't know how they would survive without Plato. The thin tabby said nothing, but nodded slightly before licking a wound on his neck. All the cats were amazed at how the young kitten had managed to stay so strong and collected, and make it out alive. 

"Maybe we should find somewhere else to camp out tonight," Mistoffelees meowed. 

"The trees are a great hiding place you know," Plato said. "Nothing can get us up there." 

"I've never slept in a tree before," Misto replied. 

"It's just the same as the ground, but safer. Come on." 

As their re-elected leader took them to the park, the sense of order and security was restored, and everyone's hearts settled. Macavity was still at large, but they still had each other.