Cats Onwards

Chapter 33. Macavity's back!

Alone in the dark of the night, her rage now fizzled out to a sickening guilt, Bombalurina gingerly paced along the outskirts of the junkyard. The moonlight was not as bright there as it was back at the Jellicle clearing, so the queen was feeling naturally vulnerable at that moment in time. Nevertheless, she continued on with her journey. She had already decided at some point to return, just not yet, she and her sister needed time to cool off.

After some time of sulking about, Bomba came to an abrupt halt. Her ears twitched as she felt the presence of another. The air felt thick, suffocating. She knew this feeling all too well and so did Demeter. Out of the corner of her eye she caught a flash of blazing red, making her breath catch in her throat. The queen whipped around, her mouth hung ajar, heart pumping rapidly in fear. Caligo was right...he was near.

"Demeter..." Bombalurina breathed. A crash of metal from a few meters away startled the female Jellicle and she yelped in fright. She had to get back immediately, to protect her sister, to protect her family. Springing up, she powered forwards in the direction of the Jellicle clearing. Her paws pounded upon the ground as she leaped from here to there, rapidly tearing through the nighttime breeze. The claustrophobic sensation of his presence still hung around her like a horrid stench. A deep and venomous cackle rippled around the area and Bomba shivered, her spine arching. Before she could even have second thoughts, her pace increased and Bombalurina powered through that junkyard at speeds like no other.

But he was hot on her trail, he'd caught her scent by now. Bombalurina was just an added bonus to his evening's intentions. She had always been the resistant one...he hated that. But the other one, after all these years he still lusted after her.

"Demeter." He growled into the darkness, she would be his eventually; there was no doubt in Macavity's mind.

~

"That's excellent, Hariena!" Victoria praised the small kitten as she improved her pirouettes.

"Thank you! They aren't as hard as they used to be now." The kitten confessed with a sheepish smile.

"Well you know what they say: practice makes perfect!" The white queen pointed out brightly. Demeter was sat on the tire with George and Callus to her left and Jemima on her right. Callus had his head rested upon his mother's lap and his attention was currently engaged by his brother's swishing tail. For a brief brief moment Demeter dragged her eyes away from her daughter's dancing and glanced to Jemima. The small queen had her eyes closed and her knees drawn up to her chin.

"Jem, are you alright?" Demeter queried in concern, placing a paw softly on her shoulder. Jemima sighed heavily and shook her head, truthfully she had been feeling terrible all night.

"No, not really. I have a wicked headache and my body aches all over." She finally confessed. "And I know its not the dancing otherwise I would have felt like this last year." Demeter's brows furrowed even more, it sounded like Jemima felt terribly awful, yet neither of them could work out why.

"Would you like me to fetch Jellylorum? I'm sure she could give you some kind of 'diagnosis'?"

"No...I will be fine, the ball is nearly over, then I can res-" All of a sudden Jemima was cut off by a thunderous crash, so loud it was hard to pin point its origin. The Jellicles halted in their tracks, their eyes searched around frantically for danger. Demeter's heart thumped in her chest, her spine tingled and her coat bristled, such sensations she only felt around him. Dread, fear, trouble. Those three words pounded in her head.

"Macavity!" Demeter shrieked, flying up from her seated position. Fear flooded the eyes of her offspring as she pulled all three close, Munkustrap was not too far away - he was ushering cats to safety yet it was not quick enough.

Macavity himself lurched down from the 'up top' and landed neatly in the center of the yard, he was followed by three black burly toms.

"Hello Jellicles!" Macavity greeted sarcastically. Demeter hissed and clawed out but Jemima, whom was still close by, hauled her back.

"I thought we made it clear last year?! You are not welcome here!" Munkustrap boomed. Instantly, a sickening cackle escaped the ginger tom's lips. George, Callus and Hariena watched their 'uncle' in utter terror, he was like a demon from a nightmare, torn dusty coat, razor sharp fangs and gleaming golden eyes almost hidden by hooded lids.

"Well brother," The way he spat the word 'brother' made Munk flinch, even Tugger, whom was watching from a nearby den entrance with Misto, felt the impact. "I heard about the new arrivals...and I just had to meet them for myself." Macavity cooed with an evil grin, spinning slowly on a large dirty paw. Munkustrap's jaw dropped in shock.

"NO!" Demeter screamed. Bombalurina was not to far away now, of course she wasn't as fast as Macavity, yet she couldn't sit around. Her ears pricked up at the sudden yelp of her sister's voice, she was so close now.

"Demeter, I'm coming!" Bombalurina roared. The cats that remained in the yard all spun around to see the red queen leap up over the automobile and land beside her dear sister on the tire. Her chest heaved as she tried to regain her breath from all the running. "You leave my family alone!" Bomba commanded. Macavity cocked a brow in amusement before simply lifting a paw. In one quick moment his three cronies lunged forwards and with ease swiped up George, Callus and Hariena. The Kittens screamed and squealed and struggled for their parents but there was no time to be rescued as they swept away out of the yard.

"PLEASE! NO!" Munkustrap begged in panic. Macavity sneered and glared at his brother.

"I like you begging. Do it again." He hissed. Munkustrap gulped and knelt to the ground before glancing up at his older brother.

"Macavity, please don't hard my kittens..." Munkustrap whimpered. A smirk spread across the ginger tom's face. He slashed out his paw, striking Munk across the muzzle, sending him crashing to the ground.

"Can't make any promises, brother!" With that he sprinted away after his cronies, leaving the Jellicles in a disbelieving silence.

A thick fog began to filter into the yard, some Jellicles who had previously been hiding, emerged with sadness written all over their faces. Slowly, Demeter descended from the tire, the queen's eyes were fixed on the path her three helpless, young kittens had been dragged away on, crying in terror. Disbelief was not a word that could be used to describe her expression. Neither the silver tom nor the golden queen moved.

"Caligo warned us of this." Bomba finally whispered, breaking the silence.

"It seems that his fury is no longer rooted with the tribe...but with family." Old Deuteronomy croaked. Alonzo stepped forwards and placed a paw on Munk and Demeter's shoulders.

"Well he's got another thing coming then." Alonzo stated firmly.

"We're one big family!" Rumpleteazer announced as she hopped onto Mungojerrie's back.

"So we all look out for one another." Coricopat smiled gently, appearing beside Bombalurina.

"So if it's a fight Macavity wants, I have first dibs on ripping his face to shreds." Cassandra meowed in a calm tone.

"In all serious-ness-erness, we've got your back." Mungojerrie concluded.

"Thank you...everyone." Munkustrap murmured. Demeter snapped back to reality as a twisting tune began to wind around the yard, she glanced to her sister knowingly and the Jellicles cleared away.