Jemima sighed and relaxed on the car trunk. Etcetera sat next to her.

“Bored, bored, bored!” she said. “I am so bored!”

“There’s nothing to do,” Jemima agreed as she groomed herself. Suddenly she looked up. “Hey! Who’s that?”

Both young queens looked towards the edge of the junkyard, where a petite young queen of Jemima’s age was watching them curiously. She was very pretty; her base coat was pure white, and she had golden ears, golden paws, and a golden tip on her tail. Her long-lashed eyes were the color of the midnight sky, and just as starry. They mirrored a pure and innocent soul.

Jemima and Etcetera were inexplicably drawn to her. As they approached, the young queen didn’t move or speak. She was perfectly still. So perfectly still, in fact, that it made them wonder whether she was even real. Maybe she was just an illusion conjured up by Mistoffelees to play a trick on them. They watched her closely, looking for a sign that she was indeed real. Her eyes were too lifelike to belong to a statue or illusion, but she was so perfectly still...

“Hi,” said Jemima. “My name’s Jemima. What’s yours?”

“I’m Reseda,” the young queen said quietly, proving beyond doubt that she was real. Her voice was like what Jemima and Etcetera imagined an angel’s voice must sound like.

“Do you want to play hide-and-seek?” Etcetera asked. The kitten named Reseda smiled at her.

“Sure,” she said. But just then, Munkustrap came along.

Reseda, obviously frightened by the tribe’s protector, turned and fled.

Reseda had run away from the junkyard, but she hadn’t left the Jellicles behind her...

Mungojerrie was walking down the alley towards the junkyard, not suspecting anyone to come flying past him from behind. So, when a flash of white came flying past him, he was understandably surprised. He froze on the spot, staring in a daze at the cluster of garbage cans that the white flash had disappeared behind. He turned around and saw a Pollicle headed straight for him. It stopped and glanced around, ignoring him for the moment.

“Did you see a kitten come this way?” the Pollicle asked after a moment of searching. Jerrie shook his head.

“I can smell her,” the Pollicle said, sniffing the air. He sniffed around a bit and dragged a beautiful young queen out from behind the garbage cans. Jerrie was shocked at how pretty the queen was.

Her fur was pure white, and she had golden ears, golden paws, and a golden tip on her tail. Her slender, tiny form was trembling in fear as she looked up at the Pollicle towering over her.

“ ‘Ey now, wait a minute,” Jerrie broke in quickly. “Surely you ain’t gonna kill a pretty lil’ thing loike ‘er?”

“And why not?” the Pollicle asked impatiently.

“She’s jus’ so...pretty an’...small...an’...scared,” Jerrie said. “Woy don’t ya pick on someone yer own soize?”

“Like who?” the Pollicle asked irately.

“Well, loike...some otha Poll’cle. Oi’m sure you knows anotha Poll’cle who’s got it comin’...”

“Look, cat, I’m just out for some easily-caught fun. And if this kitten isn’t what you’d call easily caught, then I certainly don’t know what is,” said the Pollicle. At this, the captive kitten glared and swiped at her captor. The Pollicle only looked amused. Jerrie growled and took a hard swipe at the Pollicle’s paw.

“Hey! Who do you think...?” The Pollicle was angered and leaped at Jerrie. As the two fought, the frightened queen once again took refuge behind a garbage bin.

Jerrie and the Pollicle had been brawling for a while, when suddenly a loud bark echoed from the other end of the alley and the Pollicle ran off.

Mungojerrie wiped blood from his nose and approached the young queen.

“ ‘Ello,” he said cheerfully but quietly, kneeling beside her. She looked at him a bit warily, and said nothing.

“Moy name’s Mungojerrie,” Jerrie told her, putting a gentle paw on her arm. “You don’t ‘ave ta be scared no more. The Poll’cle is gone now. Wot’s your name?”

“Reseda,” the queen told him cautiously. Jerrie smiled.

“Tha’s a pretty name,” he said.

“Thank you for saving me,” said Reseda, returning his smile.

“No pro’lem, love,” said Jerrie. He realized that blood was running from his nose again, and his paw flew to his face. But Reseda had already noticed.

“You’re hurt,” she said compassionately. “Let me see.”

“It’s not bad,” Jerrie protested.

“Let me see,” Seda repeated. Jerrie took his paw away from his face.

“We ‘ave a nurse at the Jellicle Junkyard,” he said. “Care ta come with me?”

Seda looked into his eyes for a moment. Then she smiled.

“I would love to come with you, Mungojerrie.”

******************************

“Now who’s this, dearie?” Jennyanydots asked Mungojerrie as the Cockney tom entered her lair with a tiny, beautiful young queen.

“This is Reseda,” said Jerrie happily. “She got in a bit o’ trouble wit’ a Poll’cle. But tha’s done now.”

“I see,” said Jenny. “You have to look out for those Pollicles. They’re mean ones.”

“I know,” said Reseda. “This isn’t the first time I’ve been bothered by Pollicles.”

Jerrie looked surprised. “It ain’t?”

“No,” said Seda.

“ ‘Ow did ya...Oi means...well...”

“They may be bigger, but on many occasions I was smarter, even though I’m still a kitten.”

“What seems to be the trouble with your nose, Jerrie?” Jenny asked, seeing that he kept his nose covered with a paw.

“Aouw, jus’ a bit of a leak is all,” said Jerrie. He showed Jenny his bleeding nose, and she gave him a handkerchief.

“Just keep your nose pinched shut with this for awhile, and you’ll get better in no time.”

“Thanks,” said Jerrie. “Boy the way, Reseda, this is Jennyanydots. She’s the nurse Oi wos tellin’ ya about.”

Reseda gave Jenny a warm smile. Jerrie blushed as he realized he probably looked like an idiot with the handkerchief on his face. But it was better than having a bloody nose.

“Jerrie,” said Reseda quietly as they left Jenny’s lair. Jerrie looked at her, and she made a rather queer face at him. Jerrie burst out laughing.

“Wot wos tha’ for, luv?” he asked.

“I-I’m sorry,” Reseda apologized. “I just didn’t expect to see that handkerchief on your face.”

“Aouw, tha’,” said Jerrie, still laughing a bit. “Oi knows, Oi looks loike a bloomin’ fool.”

“It’s better than having a bloody nose,” Reseda told him. Jerrie was surprised that she had repeated exactly what he’d been thinking. Just then, the couple ran into Pouncival.

“Hey Jer! Who’s your friend?” the bouncy tom asked. “Great Everlasting Cat! You’ve been to the Heaviside Layer, haven’t you?”

Mungojerrie looked puzzled.

“You picked up an angel on your way back!” Pouncival explained, unable to take his eyes off Reseda. Reseda stared at the ground, embarrassed.

“My name’s Pouncival,” Pounce introduced himself. “I’m the Jellicle pogo stick!”

Reseda laughed and looked up at him.

He looks very friendly, she thought.

“Very nice to meet you, Pouncival,” she said quietly, with a smile.

“Everyone calls me Pounce, baby” Pounce told her, mocking the Rum Tum Tugger. “So...what are you doing tonight?”

“Aouw ‘ush!” Mungojerrie chided, but he spoiled it by laughing. “Don’ pay attention ta Pounce. ‘E’s a big joka.”

“She can pay attention to me if she likes!” Pouncival protested.

“Hi there,” said Munkustrap, joining them. “I’m Munkustrap. I’m sorry I frightened you off earlier!”

“Oh that’s alright,” said Reseda. “I just don’t often meet toms like you.”

“He’s intimidating all right...even unintentionally,” said Pouncival. Mungojerrie elbowed his friend in the ribs.

“Anyway, I’m pretty much in charge of things when the Jellicle leader isn’t here,” Munkustrap said. “I’m the Jellicle leader’s son.”

“And I’m his brother, Alonzo,” said the black-and-white tom, also joining them.

“And I’m their brother, Rum Tum Tugger.”

Reseda took a small step back, clearly startled at the sight of the Tugger. Everyone who saw struggled not to laugh. Reseda was the very first kitten not to fall all over Tugger! Tugger was equally shocked by Reseda’s reaction, but he kept his cool attitude.

“I’m pretty much in charge of the females,” he said. “Unlike my oldest brother, Munkustrap, who is merely in charge of the rest of the tribe; and also unlike my second oldest brother Alonzo, who helps him.”

Munkustrap and Alonzo gave Tugger looks.

“Please, Tugger, don’t scare the poor kitten on her first day here,” said Alonzo sarcastically.

“Jerrie, why don’t you show Seda around?” Munkustrap suggested, turning away from Tugger for a moment.

Jerrie showed Seda around the junkyard and introduced her to all the Jellicles, then asked her what she thought.

“I think it’s the most wonderful place in the whole world,” Seda told him. Jerrie looked at her strangely.

“I’s jus’ a junkyard, loike any otha one,” he said.

“It’s not the place that makes it special,” Reseda told him. “It’s the cats. Like you; you’re special. All the Jellicles are.”

“Well, if tha’s ‘ow ya feel, woy don’t ya stay an’ be one?” Jerrie suggested.

“Be a Jellicle?” Seda asked, shocked. “Do you mean to say that I may really stay here?”

“Tha’s exactly wot Oi mean ta say, love,” said Jerrie with a smile. Seda returned the smile and hugged him. Jerrie could feel his heart beating a little faster.

Chapter 2 ~ A Part Of The Tribe

From that day on, Reseda was part of the Jellicle tribe. The tribe took an instant liking to the young queen. Everyone in the tribe could talk to her, and she was never bored with any of them. She seemed to be able to listen to anything.

Though she didn’t seem to be aware of it, Reseda got special attention from all of the younger toms. The queens were no different. They loved to talk and play with her, and Jemima, Etcetera, Victoria, and Electra all agreed that there weren’t many as good at hide-and-go-seek as Reseda was. Seda loved to play with her friends, and could persuade even Demeter to play a game or two with them.

The older cats of the tribe loved Reseda dearly. They were especially enchanted by her ability to talk with them as though there were no large age difference between them. The look that came over her face when Skimble told his many stories of Scotland and the trains made it evident that she was as delighted and eager to hear the tale as Skimble was to tell it. Her sweet little peal of laughter after one of Admetus’ jokes was priceless. And Jenny and Jelly were more than a bit surprised to find that Reseda actually enjoyed sewing with them.

In short, Reseda found something special in each and every one of the Jellicles. There was always something she was eager to do with them or for them.

With every passing day, Mungojerrie grew more and more fond of Reseda. He always wanted to ask her for a walk or just a chat alone with her, even if he couldn’t yet find the courage to tell her of his love for her. But the opportunity seemed to pass away with each day. Reseda was always with someone, it seemed. True, she spent a lot of time with Mungojerrie. But they were never alone, not really. And to make things more difficult, Rum Tum Tugger seemed set on Mungojerrie and Reseda having as little time together as possible.

******************************

“Wotcha up to taday?” Mungojerrie asked cheerfully, sitting down next to Reseda on the car trunk. He flashed her a cheeky yet handsome smile, and she smiled back.

For once, she was alone.

“I’m not up to anything today,” she said with a sigh. “I’m tired today.”

“Ya are?” Mungo asked. “Never moind then...”

“Wait!” Reseda called after him as he started to walk away. “Never mind what?”

“Ya said ya were toired. Oi don’ want ta disturb ya,” said Jerrie. Reseda put her paw on his shoulder.

“You can ask me,” she told him gently.

“Oi...Oi wondered if ya wonted ta...tha’ is...if ya would...loike ta taike a walk with me?” Jerrie asked. “Oi ‘as somethin’ Oi thought maybe ya’d loike ta see.”

“I’d love to go,” said Reseda. “I enjoy seeing new things.”

“R-really?” Mungojerrie stammered in surprise. “Yer toired...”

“But I wouldn’t miss a chance to see something with you,” Reseda told him. Jerrie smiled and politely offered his arm. Reseda giggled as she linked her arm in his.

“Toms don’t often offer their arms to me,” she said. “I’m just a kitten.”

“Yer still a laidy though,” Jerrie told her.

“A lady? Then that makes you a perfect gentleman,” Seda said.

“Oi wouldn’ say perfect,” Jerrie laughed. “As far from as ya kin get, actually. But Oi kin play the part when Oi want to.”

Reseda laughed as they continued walking. She didn’t know where Jerrie was taking her, but it didn’t matter. Jerrie was taking her, and that mattered.

“Where are ya from?” Jerrie asked, completely out of the blue. “From ‘ere in London?”

“I’m not really sure where I’m from,” said Reseda. “Ireland or Scotland perhaps. I had an accent when I was little, but I’m not sure which country I was from. I can’t remember. I’ve spent much of my life on the streets of London.”

“Oi spent lots o’ moy loife on the streets o’ London, too,” Jerrie told her. “Except Oi wos born ‘ere, on the east soide o’ the city. An’ so wos Teazer, o’ course, ‘cause she’s moy twin. Our mum wos ‘it boy a car when we wos little, so we lived on the streets until we wos quite a bit older. We’s only been Jellicles for ‘bout three years, but we’s always stolen, eva’ since we wos old enough ta know we ‘ad to. We stole ta survive, an’ it became instinct.”

Suddenly, Reseda stopped and stared at the sight in front of her. “Jerrie, what’s that?”

“That, luv, is where we’re goin’.”

Jerrie led Seda under a lovely white arch covered in red climbing roses. Inside was an entire garden of nothing but roses of all colors and varieties, all beautifully arranged.

“It’s like a fairy garden,” Seda breathed in delight.

“Isn’t it?” Jerrie agreed. “Oi loike ta come ‘ere.”

“There’s a good reason for that,” said Reseda.

“Would ya loike ta see the rest?” Jerrie asked. Seda nodded eagerly. Jerrie showed her through the entire Rose Garden, as Seda learned it was called. When the tour was at last over, Seda felt as though she had just stepped out of a dream.

“ ‘Ere, Oi picked this for ya,” said Jerrie, handing her a bouquet of pink roses and honeysuckle. Seda buried her nose in the sweet-smelling bouquet and hugged Jerrie.

When the couple returned to the junkyard, the other kittens pretended to be suspicious of Seda’s bouquet and demanded to know who’d given it to her. Seda smiled and wouldn’t say, but they all really knew who it had been.

Reseda went about the whole rest of the day singing happily to herself.

“The sunset is so wonderful, isn’t it?” she asked Jemima as they sat together, watching the sun go down on the horizon. “It turns the sky into so many pretty colors...and sometimes I imagine that it’s a little peek at the Heaviside Layer. The pink-and-red sky and the golden clouds, all aglow with the last sunlight of the day.”

“It is beautiful,” Jemima agreed. “The pink and red and gold always remind me of a bunch of roses.”

“Doesn’t it?” said Seda. “Which color roses are your favorites?”

“The red ones,” Jemima told her.

“Red roses are the flowers of love in full bloom,” said Reseda. “They’re the flowers of passion. As for my favorite roses, I can’t choose between red and pink. Pink roses are the flowers of fresh, new love that hasn’t quite blossomed into passion yet.”

“I like that,” said Jemima, smiling. “Where did you learn that?”

“I’m not sure,” said Reseda thoughtfully. “I’ve always seemed to know that. I probably learned it when I was very small.”

“Jerrie told me that you’re from Ireland or Scotland, one of the two. How come you don’t still have an accent?” Jemima asked.

“Because I’ve lived in England for so long that I’ve picked up the way that you talk and lost my accent,” Seda explained. “Sometimes my accent reappears, but only when I’m really angry or happy or something like that.”

******************************

“Look at her, Anonymous. She’s beautiful.”

Anonymous looked at the queen at which his companion was pointing. He remembered having seen the kitten a few times before. His bright green eyes glowed at the sight of her. She was stunningly pretty.

Anonymous was a quiet tom…so quiet, in fact, that many cats believed that he couldn’t speak at all. He was slender, but very strong and very tall. His inky black base coat was striped with a rich honey-gold color. He was constantly on alert, and when he looked at you with those vivid green eyes, his silent scrutiny was almost unbearable.

“Yes?” he answered his assignment partner, whose name was Daine. He went on assignments often with Anonymous, but right now they were enjoying some free time.

Daine was also Macavity’s agent. His completely pitch-black fur made it easy to slip easily in and out of the shadows as though he were one of them. His piercing deep-brown eyes were fixed on Reseda with a sort of eager interest that Anonymous didn’t like at all.

“She’d be the perfect mate, don’t you think?” Daine asked Anonymous. Anonymous scoffed, and Daine gave him a look.

“Her? Be your mate?” Anonymous laughed. “That’d be the day. What makes you think that she’d ever want to mate with you?”

“She doesn’t have to want to,” Daine replied matter-of-factly. Anonymous looked at him incredulously.

“If you look deep enough into the matter, my friend, you’ll find that she knows nothing about you and probably would never want to learn more. Why would she love you?” he asked.

“There’s a little thing called ‘force’ and I’m very good at using it,” Daine told him shortly. Anonymous laughed again.

“You’re a fool, Daine,” he said. “If you want her to even come near you, you’re going to have to seduce her somehow. That’s one thing that you cannot do.”

“Oh?” Daine snapped. “We’ll see about that!”

“The art of seduction is repulsive unless it’s done properly,” Anonymous pointed out.

“Any tom can seduce a queen without being repulsive,” Daine countered. “If that Rum Tum Tugger can do it, then so can I.”

Anonymous looked doubtful. “I don’t see why you don’t think she’s in love with one of the Jellicle toms.”

“I never said I didn’t think that.”

“Aha!” Anonymous cried triumphantly. “You see? You admit it! She’s already in love! You’ll never be able to break her away from whoever it is that she loves.”

“Well, I’ll just eliminate him. Remember that little thing called ‘force’ that I said I was good at?” Daine asked. He smiled and shoved Anonymous off the ledge that he was lounging on. The noise made Reseda jump and turn around. Daine grabbed her and covered her mouth.

“See what you think of that!” Daine told Anonymous.

“Very slick,” Anonymous said sarcastically as he picked himself up.

“Thanks,” Daine replied, and the two toms hurried off with their captive.

******************************

“Seda!” called Rumpleteazer. “Me ‘n Jerrie are goin’ out an’ we wondered if you’d come.”

She got no reply.

“Odd,” Teazer said to herself. She poked her head into Seda’s lair. Seda wasn’t there.

‘At’s funny, thought Teazer. She wos ‘ere jus’ a minute ago.

Teazer proceeded to search the entire Junkyard for her friend.

Chapter 3 ~ A Tangle With Evil

“Teazah!”

Mungojerrie’s rather irritated voice made Teazer jump and turn around.

“Wot?” she asked.

“Wot are ya doin’? We wos s’posed ta leave an’ ‘alf hour ago! Whe’s Seda?”

“Well…er…um…”

Jerrie looked alarmed. “Well?”

“She ain’t ‘ere, that’s all Oi knows,” Teazer told him.

“Ain’t ‘ere? Then whe’ is she?” Jerried asked.

“Oi dunno!” Teazer stamped her foot impatiently. “Woy d’ ya s’pose Oi’s been lookin’ for ‘er fo’ the past ‘alf hour?”

“Alroight, Oi’s sorry,” said Jerrie, looking embarrassed. “But if Seda ain’ ‘ere, then we need ta foind ‘er. She could be in trouble.”

As the Cockney twins searched the London streets, they ran into one of their good street-cat friends. Well, he was more than just friends with Teazer, and Jerrie knew it. They’d been in love for a while, and not too long ago he’d had announced his intention of becoming a Jellicle.

The tom’s name was Roundoff, and he was a little older than Jerrie and Teazer. His fur was light brown with white and cream-colored stripes. His paws were white, and his eyes were a warm honey-brown color.

“I’ll help you guys look for her,” Roundoff offered upon hearing their plight. “It’ll go faster that way.”

The threesome hurried on, combing the streets of London thoroughly. There was no trace of Reseda.

“Jer, whe’ else could she be?” Teazer asked as she sat down on a bench to rest. Roundoff sat next to her.

“Paws…ouch,” he said.

“Yeh,” agreed Teazer. “We’s been walkin’ fo’ hours ‘n hours!”

“There’s only one place left ta look,” said Jerrie.

“You don’t mean…” Roundoff began.

“Macavity’s Place?” Teazer finished. “We can’t go in Macavity’s Lair! We’ll get ‘urt!”

“Oi’m willin’ ta risk tha’,” said Jerrie. “ ‘Ow ‘bout you?”

“I’m game,” said Roundoff. Teazer rolled her eyes at them.

“Toms,” she sighed. Jerrie and Roundoff laughed as she joined them and they headed toward Macavity’s Lair.

Rumpleteazer had been right in being afraid to go there, especially since she was a queen. Macavity and his agents were a dangerous lot. Mungojerrie had once been one of the agents, until Macavity had begun to physically abuse him because he had refused to do something he’d been ordered to do…and because Macavity had found out that he was a Jellicle. Jerrie had let the abuse go on as long as he could stand it, but finally he could take no more.

Jerrie was no longer Macavity’s agent, but Macavity and the majority of his agents hated Jerrie with a passion.

As the three of them walked through the lair, Teazer shivered with apprehension. She wasn’t normally a nervous sort of queen, but this place positively gave her the creeps. She was mostly afraid for Jerrie because there was no telling what Macavity and his agents would do if they got hold of him.

But she was also afraid because some of the agents got very…rowdy at times. Would they do something to Roundoff and herself?

Teazer clutched Roundoff’s arm. She was good and afraid now.

Suddenly they heard a high-pitched scream that sounded just like Reseda. Jerrie took off running towards the scream, with Teazer and Roundoff on his heels. Soon they could hear struggling and toms laughing.

Jerrie could see the toms now. They were a group of Macavity’s rougher agents, and there was a small young queen in their midst. Jerrie recognized her instantly.

The agents were quite surprised when Jerrie shoved his way into the middle of their group and clasped a sobbing, frightened Reseda in his arms.

“What do you think you’re doing to that poor little queen?” Roundoff demanded angrily.

“We were just having a bit of fun, that’s all,” said one of the toms. He pulled Teazer out from behind Roundoff and said, “Look! Here’s another bit of fun!”

Roundoff angrily swiped at his wrist, releasing Teazer from his grip.

“If you touches me, ya’ll get wot’s comin’ to ya!” Teazer said indignantly. The agents laughed at her.

“What’s going on down there?” they heard a quiet but authoritative voice call from further down the hallway. As the source of the voice drew nearer, they could see that it was Anonymous.

The rowdy agents all of a sudden turned placid and solemn. Jerrie tightened his arm around Seda.

“I asked you a question and I expect an answer!” Anonymous told the rowdy agents.

“Well, we…we saw this queen here and…we didn’t think…” stammered one.

“Start thinking then!” Anonymous cut him off. “The one thing that’s vital to working here is the ability to think! If I tell Daine what you’ve been doing to his queen, it’ll be just that much worse for you, believe me.”

“Excuse me,” Seda interjected softly. “I am not Daine’s queen.”

“Yes, of course,” said Anonymous absently. Jerrie stood up and started to walk away with Seda, but Anonymous grabbed Seda by the arm.

“You may go, but the queen stays,” he said.

“Wot?” Jerrie asked. “Oi don’ think so.”

“What do you mean by kidnapping her?” Roundoff asked, twisting Anonymous’ free arm behind his back and holding it there.

“I don’t mean anything, because I didn’t kidnap her,” said Anonymous. He maneuvered himself so that he was twisting Roundoff’s arms behind his back. “Daine kidnapped her and he means to mate with her.”

“No! I won’t! I refuse!” Reseda said angrily. “I’ll have nothing to do with this Daine tom.”

“That’s what you think anyway,” Anonymous replied. Reseda shot him a biting look.

“I’ll have none of your kittenish cheek,” Anonymous told her.

“Oi got cheek fo’ ya!” Teazer said hotly. And with that she slapped Anonymous across the face as hard as she could.

Reseda had to stifle a giggle behind her tiny golden paw, for Anonymous looked as though he’d never been hit before. Jerrie and Roundoff were also having trouble keeping their straight faces.

Suddenly Anonymous came to his senses. He grabbed Teazer and shook her.

“That will teach you to slap me!” he shouted. Jerrie wouldn’t see his twin sister handled so roughly. He swiped at Anonymous and kept himself between the agent and Rumpleteazer.

Reseda tugged at Jerrie’s arm, silently pleading with him not to fight. Jerrie put his arm around Seda and said, “We’ve ‘ad enough o’ you.”

They started for the door, and for a moment thought they would get out easily, for Anonymous didn’t stop them. But suddenly, out of nowhere, Daine stood in their path.

“Going somewhere, Reseda?” he asked.

“I’m going home,” Seda told him. Daine reached for her, but Jerrie stepped between them.

“You’ll ‘ave ta get boy me first,” he said boldly.

“Are you challenging me?” Daine asked. Jerrie stared him boldly in the face.

Reseda kept a tight grip on Jerrie’s arm, but Jerrie tugged his arm away.

“What’s the matter?” Daine jeered with a wicked half-smile. “Are you scared?”

“Oi ain’t scared!” Jerrie growled. He swiped at Daine’s cheek to demonstrate. Daine retaliated, and a fight broke out between the two of them.

Reseda was horrified. She would’ve tried to get between them and pull Jerrie away had Rumpleteazer not been holding her back.

Soon other agents came to see what the brawl was all about, and of course took Daine’s side. Roundoff also leaped into the fray in a desperate attempt to help Jerrie.

Seda closed her eyes and hid her face in Teazer’s shoulder. Suddenly, a large, handsome tom came up behind them. His fur was white with black patches, making him look a bit like Alonzo. But unlike Alonzo, who had blue eyes, this tom’s eyes were a deep glossy brown. He seemed about the same age as Roundoff.

“Enough! Stop this now!” he commanded. Just behind him was a lovely, pure-white queen who seemed to be about Teazer’s age. She tried to comfort Seda, who was quite shaken by the whole experience.

Daine paused and looked at the black-and-white tom. “Stay out of this!” he said scornfully. “You’re just a novice, and this isn’t your affair.”

“It can be my affair if I make it so,” the black-and-white tom replied calmly. “If you don’t all clear out within five seconds, I’m taking this matter to Macavity and exposing the whole thing!”

“Fine!” Daine growled. “But that queen will be my mate! And no one is going to stand in my way!”

“Oh gosh, what a creep,” the black-and-white tom said. “I’m sorry about all that, especially for you, miss Reseda.”

“Y-you know my name?” Reseda asked, frightened.

“There now, don’t look so sad,” the white queen comforted her. “Everything’s alright now. He won’t hurt you.”

“Alroight?” asked Teazer. “Jerrie’s unconscious an’ Roundoff’s bleedin’ an’ everythin’s alroight?”

“I’m terribly sorry,” the white queen apologized. “I just didn’t want her to be scared. She’s been through enough, I’m sure, if it was Daine that got hold of her.”

“Teazer, don’t be so harsh,” Roundoff scolded gently. “They’re just trying to help.”

“Oi know, Oi know!” Teazer cried, wiping blood from Roundoff’s face. “It’s jus’ that foights scare me ta death.”

“Let’s get this tom out of the hall,” the black-and-white tom suggested. He picked up Jerrie as easily as if he were a small kitten and carried him into a spare bedroom, where the white queen pulled up a small chair and examined him. While she did this, the black-and-white tom introduced himself.

“My name is Seth,” he said. “I’m a new agent here, but I’m definitely not staying. I hate it! I thought this was a real job, not a crime organization. And that white queen over there looking at Mungojerrie is Crystal, my lovely, my sweetheart…”

“Oh hush, Seth,” said Crystal, though she was laughing. “You’ll give them the creeps.”

“Nonsense,” said Seth, smiling playfully.

“Seth, he’s got some pretty painful injuries,” Crystal said, turning serious.

“It looks like it,” Seth replied. Suddenly Jerrie came to his senses and looked around.

“Aouw ‘Eavisoide Laya, wot an’ ‘eadache!” he exclaimed. “Whe’ am Oi?”

“You’re in Macavity’s Lair. I’m Crystal and this is Seth,” said Crystal.

“Aouw…’ello,” said Jerrie dazedly. “Kin ya tell me woy the room is spinnin’ about?”

Crystal smiled at him and put a warm, wet towel on his forehead. Jerrie gingerly reached up and touched it.

“You took a nasty hit to your head in that fight, Mungojerrie,” Seth explained. He stopped Jerrie from getting up and added, “Don’t get up. You’re still too dizzy and you might hurt yourself. You’ll be sore for quite awhile, I imagine.”

Seda brushed past Crystal and Seth and sat next to Jerrie.

“Thanks,” she said, giving Jerrie a gentle kiss on the cheek. Jerrie grinned and hugged her.

“When kin we go ‘ome?” he asked.

“When you can walk properly,” Crystal told him. “You might be able to go now, provided your friends here will help you.”

“Of course we’ll help him,” Reseda said. “But what about you two? If you’re not staying here, where will you go?”

Seth looked uncomfortable. Crystal looked over her shoulder at him, and his face turned bright red.

“I-I…don’t have anywhere for us to go,” he admitted. “That’s why I’ve been putting off…”

His voice trailed off as he stared at Crystal, and Reseda understood what he meant.

“The Jellicle junkyard!” she said excitedly. “You can come to the junkyard and be Jellicles! Oh, please say you’ll come!”

Reseda’s kittenish enthusiasm was enough to convince Seth and Crystal to return to the junkyard with them and become part of the Jellicle tribe. Anywhere was better than Macavity’s lair. As soon as the group returned to the junkyard, Seth and Crystal were immediately accepted as new members of the tribe.

The next morning…

When Jerrie got up, he was feeling much less energetic than his usual self, but he didn’t bother to tell Jenny or anyone else about it. He dismissed it as the aftermath of his fight the previous day. The first thing that he noticed was a hoarse cough that started at about midday.

Teazer noticed the cough too, and began to be worried about her brother. Then Jerrie started having a hard time speaking, and she was more worried. When he spoke, he sounded as though he was having trouble breathing. She finally decided to take him to Jenny, whether he liked it or not. She went to get him and found him lying on the bed in their lair. He looked up at her when she entered. There was a look of slight panic on his face. His breathing was terribly labored.

“Teazah!” he choked out, his voice a barely comprehendible whisper. “Oi can’t breathe!”

“Wot?” Teazer asked in shock. Jerrie shook his head, as if unable to speak anymore. Teazer grabbed him by the arm and ran to Jenny and Skimble’s lair.

“Jenny! Jenny! Jerrie can’t breathe!” she cried. A very startled Skimble jumped up.

“Jenny isn’t here, lass,” he told her. “Jerrie canna breathe, ye say? I’ll fetch Jellylorum for ye, then, until Jenny can get here. Lie your brother down over there and I’ll go as quick as I can.”

Teazer could feel Jerrie’s paw going limp in hers. She had just barely enough time to lay Jerrie down before he stopped breathing altogether and lost consciousness.

“Jelly please get ‘ere fast!” Teazer prayed to herself.

“What was that, Teazer?” asked Seth from the doorway. Teazer looked up, startled by his arrival.

“Seth!” she cried in relief. “Jerrie isn’t breathin’ an’ Oi dunno wot ta do!”

“Stay calm,” Seth reassured her. “I know just what to do in this situation.”

“Ya do?” Teazer asked. Seth nodded.

“We must act quickly,” he said, glancing at Jerrie. He ran to Jenny’s medicine cabinet, reflecting that Jenny wouldn’t mind him looking through it in an emergency like this one. He searched through the cabinet hastily, found what he was looking for, and brought it over to where Teazer and Jerrie were. He tried to force Jerrie to drink some of the contents of the bottle he’d brought over, but this proved difficult, since Jerrie was unconscious. But, with Teazer’s help, he was finally able to drip a bit into Jerrie’s mouth.

“Swallow it!” he instructed, as though it would help. But suddenly Jerrie began to cough. His breathing started up again, though it still didn’t come easily. Seth made Jerrie drink from the bottle again, and Jerrie coughed and regained full consciousness. But still he had a lot of trouble breathing.

“Drink this Jerrie. All of it,” Seth commanded solemnly. Jerrie did as he was told, and he started coughing violently.

“Is that wot wos s’posed ta ‘appen?” Teazer shouted at Seth. Seth nodded calmly.

Just then Jellylorum arrived. She helped Jerrie sit up and handed him a towel. Jerrie was still coughing very violently, and though he tried to stop it he couldn’t seem to manage. Finally he coughed something up into the towel and it seemed to help. He relaxed a bit after that, but Teazer was dismayed.

“Are you alright now, dear?” Jellylorum asked Jerrie. Jerrie’s breathing, although shaky, had returned to normal. He nodded slowly.

“Yeh, Oi’m okay,” he said. Jelly looked pleased, but Teazer looked skeptical.

“Jerrie, you’re coughin’ up blood ! ‘Ow kin ya possibly be okay?” she demanded. Jerrie looked at her, surprised by her outburst.

“Oi dunno ‘ow, but Oi am,” he told her simply.

“It’s only because his throat is so raw from coughing,” Jelly explained. “That’s all.”

Teazer, satisfied with this explanation, didn’t comment further.

Jelly filled a small cup with medicine and gave it to Jerrie. Jerrie drank it without protest.

“You should be just fine now. That medicine will help with your sore throat,” said Jelly. “But take it easy for a few days, you hear me, Jerrie?”

Jerrie nodded. “Oi ‘ears ya, Jelly.”

“I’m sorry you’re sick,” said Reseda when Jerrie told her about the incident. Jerrie slipped his arm through hers as they walked together.

“It ain’t yer fault, luv,” he said. “Oi t’ink it’s b’cause Oi fought all moy energy out o’ me yesterday, an’ it jus’ went down’ill from the’.”

Seda looked up at him. Involuntarily, Jerrie moved closer to her. He felt his face getting increasingly warm. Reseda lowered her dark, sparkling eyes and stared self-consciously at the ground. Jerrie wanted to hug her…he wanted to kiss her. But he was afraid that perhaps she wouldn’t be comfortable with that. So instead, he changed the subject. At least then he wouldn’t be so tempted to kiss her.

“Munkustrap an’ Demeter’s weddin’ isn’t far off,” he said. Reseda raised her eyes again to look at him and nodded.

“Yes, I know,” she said. “Jerrie…”

“Yeh?”

“I…”

Jerrie waited expectantly for her to say something. But she didn’t seem to know what to say; she was at a complete loss for words. Jerrie’s mouth twitched in a half-smile.

“Neva moind, luv,” he said nonchalantly. “It’ll come later.”

“Yes, I suppose it will,” Seda replied, smiling at him. Jerrie smiled back at her, but it was spoiled when he started coughing again. When he stopped, he looked dismally at his paw.

“Er…Seda, do ya ‘appen ta ‘ave a tissue?” he asked.

“Come with me,” Seda told him caringly. Jerrie followed Seda to her lair and she washed his paw off herself. He objected, but she only smiled.

“What, do you think a little blood frightens me?” she asked playfully.

“Well, no, but…Oi kin do it moyself,” said Jerrie. “The’s no need fo’ you ta botha about it.”

“Bother? No,” Seda replied. “You are never a bother, Jerrie. Everyone needs a little loving care sometimes. I’m just giving you yours for today.”

Then she handed him a little bottle. “If you take a teaspoon of this every four hours for a couple days, it will help you feel much better.”

“Whe’d ya get this?” Jerrie asked. “Jenny?”

“No,” Seda told him. “I made it myself. I learned from watching Jenny make it a few times.”

“You learned jus’ from watchin’ Jenny?” Jerrie exclaimed. “Wow.”

“It wasn’t that hard,” said Reseda modestly. “I saw how much of what she’d mixed together and I did the same.”

“The’s mo’ to it than that,” said Jerrie. “The’ ‘as ta be. Oi wonda ‘ow ya caught on so fast?”

“Oh Jerrie, I don’t know everything.” Reseda laughed. “All I know is two or three of the simplest remedies.”

“Well, even so…” Jerrie’s voice trailed off and he seemed lost in thought as he stared at Reseda. He was curious, despite what she’d said, as to how she’d learned the remedies so quickly by merely watching. No other Jellicle had ever done that, and Jerrie knew that Reseda would rather eat a toad than tell a lie.

“Thank ya, Seda,” he said, breaking away from his contemplation. He left Reseda’s lair and sat in the sun next to his twin sister.

“Teazah,” he said pensively. “ ‘Ow do Oi let Seda know tha’ Oi loves ‘er?”

“Someone’s been daydreamin’, eh?” Teazer joked.

“Oh ‘ush,” said Jerrie. “Oi’s serious, Teazah.”

“Well,” said Teazer. “Ya follow examples, Oi s’pose.”

“Wot’s tha’ s’posed ta mean?” Jerrie asked.

“Pick up a couple o’ oideas from the otha toms, ta get sta’ted with,” Teazer explained. “Then, once ya gots the ‘ang o’ it, make somefin up yerself.”

“Oi could give tha’ a go,” said Jerrie.

It’s Munkustrap and Demeter’s wedding day! Wonder what the Jellicles are doing…

Munkustrap was nervous, but not too nervous as he waited for the Jellicles to assemble. His two brothers, Alonzo and Rum Tum Tugger, and his father, Old Deuteronomy, were waiting along with him. Tugger was busy grooming his mane, but Alonzo took notice of Munkustrap’s unease and put a paw on his shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Munku,” he said. “Just relax.”

Munkustrap smiled at his brother, but he couldn’t help being anxious.

“Do I look alright, Bomby?” Demeter asked her friend apprehensively.

“Lovely, Dem, simply lovely,” Bombalurina replied, fixing a wreath of red and white flowers on Demeter’s head.

“I’m so nervous, Bomb! How will I ever get through this?”

“Oh, Dem, hundreds of other queens have done it, and so can you.”

Demeter looked doubtful.

“Just pretend it’s only you and Munkustrap and Old Deuteronomy,” Bomby suggested. Demeter smiled, and then laughed a bit.

“That’s the spirit!” Bomby encouraged. “It’s time for the wedding. Remember to smile, and don’t worry!”

******************************

The Jellicles had all assembled in the center of the junkyard in neat rows. Old Deuteronomy and Munkustrap stood at the front of the crowd. As Demeter came to meet them, Bomby noticed that she had indeed remembered to smile.

“I haven’t seen her so happy since…well, since a long time ago,” Bomby whispered to Reseda. Reseda smiled at no one in particular.

******************************

After the ceremony, there was a splendid celebration. All the Jellicles excitedly joined in the dancing, for it was something that every Jellicle enjoyed immensely.

Mungojerrie danced one dance with Demeter, and she didn’t seem to want to shy away from him as she usually did. Then he danced with Rumpleteazer. They were accompanied to dancing together, and consequently were exceptional at it. Their graceful, smoothly performed acrobatics impressed even Pouncival, and they were among the best dancers in the tribe. They were a true delight to watch.

Normally, Jerrie would have danced with Teazer for the rest of the night. But tonight he had other plans. After he and Teazer had danced awhile, he melted into the crowd and watched Reseda for a while. She was dancing with Mistoffelees, and seemed to be enjoying it immensely. Then Alonzo asked her for a dance, and then Pouncival.

Do Oi even dare ask ‘er? Jerrie asked himself. He watched several more toms dance with Seda before he finally got up the nerve to ask her himself. She was sitting near the big tire, talking with Jemima. He decided that it was then or never and walked over to where the two kittens were sitting.

“Hi Jerrie,” Jemima greeted. Reseda gave him a smile that sent a tingling sensation from his ears to the very tip of his toes.

“ ‘Ey Jemoima,” he said. His mind was screaming at him to ask Reseda now, but he couldn’t find his voice.

“Was there something you wanted, Jerrie?” Reseda asked kindly. Jerrie nodded and offered her his arm.

“Want ta dance?”

The words came in a quiet voice, almost a whisper. He wondered if she’d hear him. It’d be unbearable if he had to ask her again!

“Okay.”

Jerrie was relieved that she’d heard him, and he felt that same tingling sensation as she slipped her slender arm through his. The sensation didn’t go away, and it intensified as they began to dance.

“Are you cold?” she asked suddenly.

“Er…no. Woy? Are you?” Jerrie asked.

“No. You shivered,” Seda told him.

“Out of pure deloight, luv,” he replied.

Reseda laughed…her laughter was such a sweet, musical sound. Jerrie loved it.

“Seda, would ya moind terribly if Oi kissed yer cheek?” he asked. Seda laughed again.

“I wouldn’t mind at all,” she said. So Jerrie kissed her cheek. Seda smiled at him.

“Wot?” he asked, also smiling.

“You…you’re so sweet.”

“Woy thank ya.”

Reseda looked deeper into Jerrie’s eyes and saw that somehow, that small kiss on the cheek hadn’t satisfied what he’d been desiring. But she didn’t say anything about it.

Jerrie noticed her look, but he wasn’t sure what it meant. He wanted to say something, anything that would break this awkward silence. But he could only manage to stammer.

“Never mind,” said Seda cheerfully, noticing how uneasy he was. “It’ll come later.”

Jerrie grinned. “Yes, luv, Oi s’pose it will.”

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