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Demeter’s body was woven tightly around Munkustrap’s. She wrapped her arms around his neck so firmly, that he could scarcely breathe. Not that he minded, of course. He was used to it. Side by side, in the small refrigerator box they shared, they looked like one body-one very multicolored body-black and gold intertwined with grey and silver.
“I know, love. I hate it too.”
She rested her cheek just below his chin and closed her eyes before she spoke. “Munk, don’t you get tired of it?”
He looked at her quizzically. “Tired of what, Dem?”
“Tired of me being this way. Being jumpy and afraid of everything. Especially now, after he showed up again last night.” She opened her eyes again as a tear rolled down her cheek. “I tried so hard to forget it. I try to be like Bomba, but I just can’t make myself do it. You must hate it.”
With her last comment, he lifted her head so that he could look at her directly. “Hey! Now you listen to me. Dem, you don’t have to be like Bom. And I don’t hate anything about you. I love you. If you were like your sister, we wouldn’t be together now. You’re the way you are for a reason, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. When I asked you to be my mate, I knew what I was getting into, and it’s not something you have to deal with alone. We’re in this together, remember?”
She nodded faintly. However, Munkustrap still wasn’t satisfied.
“I’ll keep saying that until you believe me. You don’t have to apologize for anything.”
She sighed. “It’s not that I don’t believe you Munk, I do. You make me feel so much better. I’d be dead now if it wasn’t for you. I just-”
“Just what?” He prompted.
“I just can’t help but worry. I don’t know really. I-” She stopped short and lay her head on his chest again.
“It’s alright, Dem. Try not to dwell on it anymore tonight.” He started to stand up. “Want me to go out and get something for supper?”
Instantly Demeter bolted upright and clinched his leg. “No Munk, please! Don’t leave me here by myself! He’ll come back! I know it!” Her eyes were wide with panic.
Munkustrap whirled around, and forgetting completely about dinner, collapsed next to the shaking queen. He wound his arms around her small frame and hugged her close. “I wouldn’t leave you for the world, Dem. I mean, if I’d known you were this upset I-”
She simply buried her face in his shoulder and wailed. He said nothing, but let her cry as he held her. In a few minutes she was calm enough for him to persuade her to lay back down and try to rest.
As she rolled over on her side, she looked out into the junkyard. “I especially worry about Jemima. I don’t want her to know-EVER. She’d feel so hurt, so betrayed-”
“And she won’t, love. Who would tell her?”
“Munk, what if he comes after her?”
Munkustrap shook his head. “Dem, as far as I know, he doesn’t even know about her. And I’ve told you before- as long Alonzo and I are around, there’s no way he can hurt anyone. Not you, not Jemima- nobody.”
“But Munk, last night! He was here last night!”
Munkustrap ran his paw lightly down her back. “My point proven, Demeter. What happened last night? He had the nerve to show up, and we kicked his sorry ass.”
For the first time since the night before, Demeter smiled. “That you did. Hell Munk, what in the world would I do without you?”
He laughed. “Well for one thing, you’d have to catch your own dinner. You feeling better now?”
Forgetting about her worries, she lifted her golden head to face him, and gave him a sultry smile. “Well there’s one thing that would make us both feel better.”
He winked. “And what is that?”
“Well if you don’t know now, I think you’ll soon find out.” With that, she pulled his face to hers and gave him a long kiss. Gold and black once more mingled with grey and silver. And as the Jellicle moon shone above, Demeter knew she was in loving arms.
***
“Because Jellicles can and Jellicles do...”
It was day two after the Ball, but it was still as fresh in Jemima’s mind as if it were still happening. She had long since forgotten about her upsetting news the night before, and was now content on doing the one thing that kittens did best- playing.
She skipped around, dancing the familiar routine, not even noticing that she was heading out of the more populated area of the junkyard and into the back alleyway where the giant green trashcan was.
“Jellicles do and Jellicles-”
She stopped abruptly and turned around. She knew she had heard something. Was someone following her?
“Pouncival? That you? This isn’t funny!” she called. Nothing but silence answered her.
She shrugged and started walking again. However, it wasn’t long before the large trash bin fell and toppled over to its side. This startled her so badly that she shrieked and nearly jumped over the back alley fencing. As soon as she recovered from the shock she started to giggle at her predicament.
“You’re being silly, Jemima,” she assured herself. “If I keep acting like this, they’ll start mistaking me for Demeter.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure, Jemima,” replied a voice from behind.
She spun around. All color drained from her face when she saw whom the voice belonged to. She was standing face to face with none other than Macavity himself.
She froze, unable to move, as he slowly advanced toward her.
“It’s perfectly alright, Jemima. I usually get your kind of reaction from my fellow Jellicles. I’m rather used to it.” He took another step and ran a claw over his face and through his wild orange and crimson mane.
With each step he took, Jemima stayed rooted to her spot, her eyes fixed with sheer terror.
He was now blocking the tiny crevice next to where the bin had fallen over. She was surrounded on either side by twelve foot walls.
She finally spoke. “How do you know my name?” she whispered hoarsely.
He grinned and took another step. “I know many things, Jemima. I like to keep up with your family.” He paused.
He was much too close for comfort now and she had to turn her head. She knew he was pure evil, but did he have to be so- attractive? Jemima hated herself for even thinking such a thing after what had happened with her sisters, but she couldn’t lie. He was tall and lean, but still very muscular.
He took a final step and now was only an inch away. He towered over her, never taking the sinister smile from his face. She could feel his breath on her neck- still she dared not to move. Never in her life had she felt so afraid, yet so wanting at the same time. She shivered again, trying to rid herself of the thoughts she was having. This was all very new to her. Mungojerrie and Pouncival combined couldn’t have produced this much sex appeal. She tried to shut him out as he started to speak again.
“The truth is, Jemima, I saw you at the Ball the other night when I was looking for Demeter. I didn’t think anyone could be more lovely than she. But I believe,” he said as he raked a claw down her chin, forcing her to look up at him, “I believe was proven quite wrong.”
This was too much for Jemima. She tried her best to tear away from him and scale the fence, but he was too fast for her. He had her pinned to the ground in five seconds flat. She tried to push him away, but he struck her across the face so hard that she almost blacked out.
She began to cry. “Please let me go! Please! I’ll do anything, I swear!”
“Anything?” he asked her as he conjured a knife out of thin air. Now he held it to her neck. She leaned into the ground, straining her head as far away as possible.
He kept the knife to her neck as he spoke. It sounded almost soothing, in a sick, demented sort of way.
“There’s no need to fight me, Jemima. The more you struggle, the worse it will be. This can be...a wonderful experience for both of us, if you just relax.”
She shook her head and whispered faintly, “Please. I told you I’d do anything. Please don’t-”
She was cut off as he waved the knife threateningly, before moving completely over her. His lips reached hers. His kiss was cruel, but satisfying at the same time.
Fearing for her life, Jemima stopped fighting back, but closed her eyes as they welled up with tears. It was almost as if Macavity cared, for every time a tear rolled down her face, he would lick it away. But she knew a monster like him wasn’t capable of caring about anyone.
The kissing and petting progressed, becoming much more forceful now. She tried to close her mouth, but he was too strong for her. He was pressing almost his full weight on her, so that she could barely breathe.
This stage went a bit longer until she noticed that he was changing positions. Suddenly, a sharp pain surged through her thighs. She couldn’t help but scream loudly and squint her eyes tighter. As soon as she yelled however, she wished she hadn’t. A blow to the back of her head knocked her completely unconscious.
It was sometime later when Jemima awoke, still in the alley, her whole body throbbing with pain. She shivered, but refused to move. She darted her eyes around, but saw no trace of her attacker except for the knife he had used. It was lying carelessly in a corner, almost hidden from view by the trash bin. She stared for a moment at the blade, gleaming in the afternoon sun, before all went black again.
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