At the feasting that night there was much celebration as Tumblebrutus, on his first hunt, had brought down a small deer with only a little help from his father. It was kind of funny, Eliot thought, the way everybody got a cut from "Tumblebrutus' kill" before even touching the other, much larger beasts that were roasting on the fire.
Rhumpus had joined them; it seemed his injured shoulder prevented him from making his own kill, and Tumblebrutus was his brother after all. He sat just behind his father, trying to be inconspicuous. Of course, this was not too easy for the giant black Coricat, and Rhimara was definitely into him.
The tiger-striped female came right up to Rhumpus and sniffed him, then delicately licked his face. Rhumpus tensed slightly, looking at her guardedly. She licked him again and her long, black and orange striped tail crept round his waist as she tried to nuzzle him.
Rhumpus quickly moved away, but Rhimara followed him. Eliot almost laughed out loud watching the massive Rhumpus trying to get away from the smaller female. He tried to hide behind his mother, but he was far too big for that, and besides, Bombalurina didn't seem very sympathetic. She languidly stepped out of her little sister's way.
Finally, Rhumpus sought protection from his father. Admeetus started as Rhumpus butted him in the back and miaowed plaintively. (It was very deep-pitched, but it was still a miaow.)
Admeetus looked down at the giant black Coricat crouching behind him like a frightened kitten, then at the older Rhimara. A conflict of emotions passed across his grey and white face as he watched them. Finally, a sad smile settled on his mouth and he said apologetically, "Rhumpus doesn't want to 'play', Rhimara."
Rhimara looked disappointed, but obediently moved away, her tail and ears drooping slightly. Rhumpus poked his head between Admeetus' arm and body and watched her go. Admeetus looked fondly at his kitten and stroked his head and back.
illustration of the above scene, courtesy of Sachmet
"Poor Rhumpus," Jemymah whispered at Eliot's elbow. "He'll never quite fit in with the Jellicle tribe."
Eliot turned to look at the little black, white and red female with the big black eyes. "Jellicle tribe," he echoed. "Is that what you guys call yourselves? Jellicles?"
"Yes," Jemymah and Vyktorea chimed in unison.
"So why doesn't Rhumpus fit in?" Pavel pressed.
"You'd think a big guy like that in this kind of civilization could call his own shots," Jabez commented. "I know I wouldn't go against anything he said."
"He may be large, but he can't do magic," the tiny Jemymah retorted. "He is the only one of us who can't. He can mind send, but he simply doesn't have any magical ability."
"Oh, so that's what his problem is," said Mozu, who had suspected it was something like that.
"Yes, he's embarrassed by it," Vyktorea agreed. "That's why we rarely see him."
"But that's not fair!" Eliot, the closet channeler, protested. "Why should he be ostracized because he can't do magic?"
"He's the exception to the rule, El," Jabez said simply. "His lack of magical ability makes him a freak--a weirdo."
"That's what Tughar and Mistoffelees told him anyway," Vyktorea said tightly.
"Oh, Tughar," Mozu muttered. "That figures."
"And Mistoffelees," Vyktorea added firmly, obviously not proud of her two brothers.
"Well…" Mozu began, trying to think of something to say in defense of her favorite black and white Coricat.
She was spared when the caslikohs struck up their song and that same cat started a solo dance. Alahnso quickly joined him and together the two black and white males began making advances to Bombalurina. Eliot cast a furtive glance at Admeetus, but the grey and white hunter seemed unconcerned. And rightly so, for the red and white beauty turned her back to the lustful males and hissed at them, showing her teeth and her claws.
Undaunted, Alahnso strutted back to the center of the hall with Mistoffelees and Pouncival dancing along behind him. Alahnso nodded to them and was about to make another pass at Bombalurina when Tumblebrutus did a series of handsprings that landed him pointedly between his mother and the amorous male.
Annoyed, Alahnso made a gesture of defiance, sticking his paw out at the protective young cat and shaking his whole body. Tumblebrutus returned the gesture. Alahnso made the gesture again, and Mistoffelees and Pouncival copied him. Tumblebrutus just shook his hips at them and turned back to his mother, who rubbed against him affectionately.
Alahnso was distracted from the red and white female when Cazondra cart-wheeled over to him and gave him a sexy, come hither look. He held out his paw to her and they did a brief, full-body rub before slipping off to the sidelines.
Mistoffelees, Tumblebrutus, and Pouncival had begun an elegant, balletic dance when Bombalurina jumped in front of them and began a sultry, hip-swinging dance. Annoyed at being upstaged, the three younger males stalked off to the sidelines. Bombalurina was joined on her left by Cazondra and Etsetera and on her right by Demeetar and Rhimara. (Rhumpus had slipped out of the hall when the music started and Rhimara was trying to lose herself in the dancing.)
The Terran males were staring in fascination at the females' dance (made all the more provocative by the fact that none of the Coricats wore any clothing), but Eliot still noticed out of the corner of his eye a few of the males gathering nearby. Tughar was in their midst and they were watching the females as if to say to each other, "Let's go get some!"
At a nod from Tughar, the five males swaggered up behind the females and paired off in this fashion: Alahnso to Etsetera, Admeetus to Cazondra (a little revenge here? Eliot wondered), Tughar to Bombalurina, Plaetoh to Demeetar, and Carbukety to Rhimara. The five couples did a brief dance then the males lifted their respective partners over their heads, each in a different way, and carried them back to the sidelines.
As soon as he had set Bombalurina on her feet, Tughar turned and strutted back to the center of the hall, singing in Coricus. It sounded to the Terrans like the bass scream of an excited puma, but it had a magical effect on most of the females, who clustered around him like bees around a honeysuckle vine. The black and leopard male began a sensual dance with the females twirling around him. He would let them get close and even touch him, but pushed them away if they tried to get too intimate. Mozu is right, Eliot thought. He really is a jerk. After a while, the other males joined in, trying to copy Tughar's moves, but the sexy cat remained the center of attention.
Eliot looked around at the Coricats who weren't dancing. Of course, Old Dutironomy sat at the sidelines with Munkustrap and Demeetar nearby. Demeetar was cuddled up to her mate, and the scornful look on her face clearly said, "Munkustrap's the only cat for me!"
Alahnso and Mistoffelees were holding themselves aloof of the whole spectacle. And there were two nursing mothers who were watching with their mates. One, of course, was Tantomile with Quaxo and Coricopat. The other was Ezotika, a tall brown female who was the younger sister of Admeetus and Cazondra. She was nursing her infant son, Aurhyan. Near her sat Carbukety, her mate, rhythmically stoking their older kitten, Petrah, who was dozing in her father's lap.
Then there were four older Coricats who stood in a cluster, whispering as they watched. Azperighus was among them, along with his mate, Jelilorum, whom Etsetera obviously took after. The orange and brown striped male and female were Skimbleshanks and Jenyenidahts, who were twins and the parents of Bombalurina, Demeetar, and Rhimara. It was hard to tell, but Eliot thought the older four were casting disapproving looks at the doings of the younger cats.
Then, just as Tughar's dance reached a fevered pitch, the tall black and leopard cat froze and pointed at something on the other side of the hall. Everyone turned to look, including the Terrans.
©1999 Delilah
