Macavity tried to put his mother's words out of his head as he set out for the hunt, leading the Jellicles for the first time. He was a little concerned about discovery in this vulnerable role, but decided that if he and Munkustrap truly had the same father, then they probably also had similar hunting styles.
He left nothing to chance, though. Realizing that the quiet Admeetus was the most skilled hunter, Macavity wisely allowed him to set the pace. The grey and white male soon detected a small herd of ghatsas and sent mental cues to the others, telling them where to go and what to do. Munkustrap must let him do this all the time, Macavity decided. And he seems quite comfortable in the role.
The elk-like ghatsas were in a clearing, drinking at that same stream where all Macavity's problems had first begun two days ago. Admeetus watched them through slitted gold-green eyes as the other hunters silently got into position. Of the five mature does, two were noticeably pregnant and would likely get the most protection from the two mature bucks. Best to leave them alone and concentrate on the younger ghatsas who were frolicking while the adults drank and grazed.
Admeetus glanced at Macavity, who nodded an okay, then the grey and white hunter opened to his power and concentrated on keeping the ghatsas oblivious to their approach. His magic powers were actually rather feeble, but he had honed them and specialized them to this task, supplementing them as needed with his greater psionic ability. In this way the Coricat hunters tightened the circle around their intended prey.
The older buck was the one to sense that something was amiss. He raised his head and sniffed the air, ears swiveling wildly this way and that. The Jellicles all froze where they stood and waited for a cue from Admeetus. Eventually the buck began grazing again, and at a mental nudge from Admeetus, Rhimara rose from her crouch behind a ghoesha tree and began to swing her bola over her head, aiming for a young doe that was grazing a little apart from the rest of the herd.
The alert buck spotted her, though, and charged her, barking a warning to the rest of his herd. Rhimara released her bola and hurriedly scrambled up the ghoesha tree, mere centimeters ahead of the buck's formidable antlers. Her weapon had fallen a little short of its mark and the herd began to scatter, forcing the Coricats to try to catch the stragglers.
Admeetus managed to snag the doe that Rhimara had missed and so failed to notice Macavity who leaped upon the back of the buck that was menacing the tiger-striped female. The buck gave a high pitched cry and reared, trying to throw his attacker, but the grey and black Coricat clung to him with all his claws and sank his teeth into the back of the beast's neck. Then the branch on which Rhimara was precariously perched snapped, sending her crashing down on top of prey and predator. The branch went a little way toward protecting her from the buck's rack of antlers, for she landed on his head, breaking his neck with a sickening crack.
While Admeetus, Tughar, and Tumblebrutus dealt with the doe and half-grown buck they had captured, Bombalurina and Coricopat helped untangle their tribe mates from the now-dead buck.
"That was a risky move, Munkustrap," Bombalurina said in a slightly admonitory tone. "And I'm not even sure Rhimara needed the help."
"Well, we got the buck, didn't we?" Macavity panted a little irritably, shaking his head as the world spun around him. Rhimara had accidentally kicked him in the face.
"Yes, we did," Rhimara nodded, rubbing her sore hip, "and thank you for coming to my rescue, Munkus." She leaned forward and began to lick his face.
"It was nothing," Macavity mumbled, feeling strangely self-conscious.
Alahnso joined them then, closely followed by Admeetus. "Everyone okay?" the black and white male asked, holding out a paw to help Macavity to his feet.
Once upright, Macavity stumbled and steadied himself on Admeetus' rock solid form. "Once the trees stand still I should be fine," he murmured, covering his face with one paw.
"Rhimara?" Alahnso turned questioningly to the orange and black striped female.
"A little sore, but I'll be okay," she replied.
"We made a pretty good haul," Tughar noted as he joined the group.
"And it's still early," Tumblebrutus added eagerly. "We could make another try before we call it quits."
"We could," Admeetus nodded, and turned to Macavity.
"Just give me a moment to catch my breath," Macavity murmured.
Alahnso nodded and turned to the younger hunters. "Tughar, Brutus, get Plaetoh and the twins to help you carry the carcasses back to the settlement," he ordered. "When you get back, we should be ready to start again."
The two young males nodded and hurried off to tell their peers of the plan. Macavity sat down under the ghoesha tree to await their return.
Why don't you have a mate? Grizabella's stinging words suddenly came back to him. Why don't I have a mate? he pondered. Moya would be the most obvious choice, but Morghen got to her first. Gritelboen is too young and flighty, as are most of the unmated females in my tribe. Or maybe I'm too picky.
Macavity found himself watching Rhimara as she clambered up a nearby tree to prove to Coricopat and Bombalurina that she wasn't badly hurt. There is a female who set her heart on one male and was crushed when he refused her. So she ends up sharing a mate. Would sharing Moya really be so bad?
Macavity stood up slowly and walked over to the tree where Rhimara was balanced. But is she really content sharing Admeetus with her sister? he wondered as he watched the sun glint on her burnt orange coat.
Rhimara noticed him watching her and gave him a friendly smile. Macavity realized he had been staring and hurriedly looked away. She wouldn't smile at me like that if she knew who I really am, he reminded himself. But she is a fine looking female about my age, maybe a little younger.
His thoughts were interrupted when that fine looking female suddenly pounced on him from the branch above. The sudden weight on his back and shoulders brought him to his knees, and Rhimara resisted his efforts to shake her off. "You little minx!" he half-laughed. "Get off me!"
"Not yet," she said. She wrestled him onto his back and sat on him, leaning so close that all he could see was green eyes set in a white face with black stripes. "You've been a sourpuss all day, so let's see you smile!"
Macavity felt the corners of his lips twitching upward. "Impudent brat," he smirked at her, "is that any way to talk to your chief?"
"Come on, Rhimara," Alahnso appeared suddenly and hauled the tiger-striped female to her feet. "It's hunt time, not play time."
Rhimara stuck her tongue out at the black and white male's back and winked at Macavity. "I'll get a smile out of you before the day's over," she said confidently.
"We'll see," Macavity said with mock sternness. Then on impulse, he nuzzled her face with his head.
Rhimara purred and nuzzled him back, whispering as her mouth came close to his ear, "I'm sorry I kicked you."
"It's okay," Macavity mumbled, suddenly uncomfortable under her bright green gaze. "You didn't mean to."
Friendly adoration, that was all he saw in her expression. And that only because she thought he was her chief. If I told who I am right now, how would she react?
You don't belong in this tribe, Grizabella's voice was suddenly back, mocking him. You don't belong here.
"Shut it, shut it, shut it!" Macavity hissed unintentionally.
"I didn't say anything," Rhimara said in a hurt tone.
"I-I didn't mean you," Macavity said awkwardly. "I, um…oh, look! Tughar and the others are back. We'd better get moving."
He avoided looking at Rhimara's puzzled face as he moved past her to where Alahnso stood. This is too chancy, he thought. I have to get back to the Tyghurss now.
The hunt had gone very well for Munkustrap so far. They had taken down two khaska, one cow and an older bull, and also a pollicle that they had startled and had to kill in self-defense. Now they were preparing to head back to the settlement.
Munkustrap moved a little way away from the hunters as they prepared the carcasses for easy transport. He was tired of the charade he had been playing for the past couple days. "I want my own life and my own body back," he said quietly to the gently swaying trees. "I can't take much more of this."
No sooner had he spoken these words than he became aware of something approaching and tensed. Whatever it was, it made no attempt to move quietly. Munkustrap watched as a shadowy grey figure came into view, accompanied by a scent that was strangely familiar. Then a voice reached his ears, muttering, "…didn't realize I was better off without her. 'You don't belong here. Why don't you have a mate yet?' Nag, nag, nag! I'll be so glad to get away fro--aigh! Oh, hello, brother."
Munkustrap pulled himself upright and stared at the Coricat he had pounced on. "What did you call me?" he demanded of the cat who wore his body.
Macavity returned his glare in kind. "I called you brother," he replied. "Now get off me before I decide to do something awful to this body."
Munkustrap allowed his enemy to stand, but kept his claws near the smaller cat's throat. "I am not your brother," he snarled through clenched teeth.
"Unfortunately you are," Macavity corrected him. "You can ask Mama yourself when you get back. If you get back."
"If?" Munkustrap queried, tightening his grip.
"Careful, Munkustrap," Macavity sneered. "You wouldn't want to kill your body before you can get back into it."
With a wordless growl, Munkustrap pushed him away and looked him up and down. "I suppose I should be glad you've kept it in good shape," he grumbled. "I hope you know a way to switch us back."
"I think so," Macavity dropped his hostility. "What happened was this: my intention was to gain control over your mind by permeating it with a little of my consciousness. I had already opened the channel when you jumped me, and all of my consciousness got pushed through, forcing your own back the other way. Do you understand so far?"
"I…think so," Munkustrap said uncertainly.
"So what we need to do," Macavity continued, "is open the channel again and allow our consciousnesses to go back to where they belong."
"How do we do that?" Munkustrap frowned.
"Well, that's where I need your help and cooperation," Macavity sighed. "Right now I have the skill but not the strength, while you have the strength without the skill. So we'll have to work together…"
He never got to say more, for at that moment a bola came whirling out of the underbrush and struck him a ringing blow to the head as it wrapped around his neck. He dropped to his knees, gagging and clutching at his throat.
"Good shot, Grumbuskin!" called Morghen's voice as his brother leaped out of hiding and dragged the grey and black chief to his feet by the leather strap around his neck.
"Finally," the big sandy-orange hunter exclaimed, "we have the Jellicle chief at our mercy. And now to finish him off." And Grumbuskin prepared to snap his captive's neck.
"No, don't kill him!" Munkustrap yelled. He knocked the other Tyghurss to the ground with a swift blow and freed Macavity from the bola's grip.
"You idiot!" Macavity gasped as he struggled to regain his breath and his composure.
"Why shouldn't we kill him, Macavity?" Demeetre asked suspiciously, and Munkustrap was dismayed to see most of the Tyghurss hunters nearby.
"Because," his mind raced, "because…because we're going to demand a ransom for him from the Jellicle tribe. He'll be no good to us dead."
Good one. Macavity flashed a brief, approving smile at his rival.
"What kind of ransom?" Morghen wanted to know.
"I've got a couple ideas," Grumbuskin said as he rose to his feet and took hold of Macavity.
I have a suggestion, Macavity put in evilly.
"We'll discuss it at the feasting tonight," Munkustrap said quickly. "Now no more talk; let's get going."
©1999 Delilah