CATS: Looking For Etcetera

Chapter Twenty: The Last Straw

Misto walked with Demeter. Tugger walked with Bombalurina. Plato walked at the front. Demi had somehow convinced him to keep going, but no-one knew where. He was right; their luck was swiftly running out. Even Demeter was close to giving up. They were all starving and tired and uncomfortable. The other three didn't know what had happened between Tugger and Misto but it had made things ten times more awkward, and now they padded along slowly in silence. Plato's head was drooped and his tail dragged along the ground. Bombalurina wanted to talk to Tugger but knew he was in a mood and would just push her away. Demeter was tired and deflated and empty. She had been so determined to find Etcy; so certain they would find her. But now there was no hope. If they'd had any lead at all it was gone. They were just wandering around aimlessly, what was the point of it all? 

"Maybe we should head back and ask the hunters to help," she mewed, her voice hoarse and desperate. They kept walking, and for a moment it seemed no-cat was going to respond. Eventually Plato shrugged and muttered blankly:

"What's the use? We could get the whole pack to look and it wouldn't make a difference. He's stronger than all of us. There's no way we'll find him...in time anyway. It'll be too late." 

This sentence shook Demeter. It made her bones quake and her fur bristle. Too late. "Too late". 

"It's not too late!" she shrieked suddenly, skidding to a halt and arching her back. "Everlasting Cat, don't ever say that!" 

That's what He'd said to her, all those moons ago.

"They'll never find you. And when they do...it'll be too late." 

Too late.

Too late. 

Not for Etcy. No. Never. She couldn't be the one to let another cat go through what she had. Not a poor innocent kitten. Never. She whipped her head round and stared at Bombalurina pleadingly. 

"It's not too late! You know what he did to us, what he did to you! Everlasting Cat, we can't let her become one of us! One of his hand me downs. We can't Bomba, we can't!" 

"Demi-"

"Oh for the love of Heaviside!" Plato hissed suddenly, turning to Demeter and unsheathing his claws. "Ever since we set out it's just been moan, moan, moan from you! Maybe this is why we're not getting anywhere! Maybe if you actually tried to help we would have found him, you knew him after all! You were all over him, I remember-" 

Bombalurina's claws interrupted him. She slashed the cream tom straight across the cheek, making his neck twist to the side as he winced in pain. 

"Who gave you the right?!" she screamed. "What do you know?! None of you know anything! Leave her alone or I swear-" 

"Stop, all of you!" Misto's small voice rang out through the sunny streets. All eyes were on him. Plato was seething and he and Bomba looked ready to attack at any moment, but Tugger pulled the red cat back sharply by the scruff. She turned and snarled at him but his rock solid glare shut her up. Misto continued. 

"You're only making things worse. Look, this is all my fault." 

"No it's not," the scarlet queen sighed impatiently. 

"Let me finish," he mewed. "This is all my fault. Before we set out, I knew something that would have changed this whole thing, but I never told you. I should have, I know, but-"

"Just tell them, Misto," Tugger muttered, the hostility in his voice clear. His tone hurt Mistoffelees deeply, but Misto forced himself to forget and continue.

"For weeks now, my magic hasn't been working." 

Demeter, who was crumpled on the floor, looked up sharply. Her wide, tearful eyes were now full of shock and disbelief. Plato, who was still ready to explode, flattened his ears in confusion. Bomba said nothing. Silence. Misto looked at the floor. 

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, all of you. I know I should have told you, but I didn't, and it's all my fault we're in this mess. I did sense something back the other day, but that's the most that's ever happened. I can't help you find Macavity. I'm sorry." 

"So...you can't find him?" Demeter asked, though it had just been made abundantly clear. 

"Can't you hear?" Plato spat. Three deep gashes dripped blood on his cheek. "So what now? We just go home and tell them she's good as dead?" 

"Can you shut up?" Tugger finally spoke. "You're just making it worse." 

"Well you're not helping either," Plato muttered. Tugger brought out his claws too, but Misto kept talking to stop a fight breaking out. 

"But we can't give up. We can split up maybe, in groups-"

"No way I'm going anywhere with any of you," the pale kitten said sharply. 

"Don't think for a second I'm staying on my own with them," Demeter sobbed, glaring at Tugger and Plato. 

"Would you grow up?!" Tugger yelled. "This isn't about you, it never was!" 

"Has it ever occurred to you that not everything is her fault?!" Bombalurina stepped forward, the white fur on her chest bristling with fury. "You always blame her for everything, even when we were kittens-!" 

Kittens. 

Kittens...

Then Tugger remembered. 

He knew where Macavity was.