"Munk, have you heard about Rhimara and Admeetus?" Demeetar asked eagerly during the feasting.
Macavity nodded, munching thoughtfully on a kulasha fruit. "Yes, Alahnso told me when he got back from the hunt. I have to say that I'm surprised Bombalurina is taking it so well."
"Oh, that," Demeetar waved a paw dismissively. "I think Lurina just feels sorry for our little sister. And everyone knows that Admeetus and Rhimara are good friends. Now they're something more."
"Are they?" Macavity said skeptically, looking over to where Admeetus sat with Rhimara and Bombalurina on either side. "Do you think she'll be content to share Admeetus with her sister?"
"Why shouldn't she?" Demeetar purred, rubbing her head against his chest.
Macavity smiled and put an arm around her. "The music is starting up," he murmured as he nuzzled the top of her head. "Do you want to dance?"
"Not now," Demeetar mumbled a little incoherently as she burrowed deeper into his arms.
Macavity shrugged and watched over her ears as the young male called Tughar led his peers in a dance for the ladies. Most of the young females were sexually mature, but none had gone into season yet. This didn't stop the males from strutting their stuff, though. Most of the males flirted with several females, but Plaetoh danced exclusively with the ethereal Vyktorea. Macavity felt a pang of jealousy as he watched the young couple caressing and stroking each other. If only love were always so easy, he thought bitterly, hugging Demeetar tightly.
His attention shifted as he noticed Tughar making advances to the small, alien-looking female called Mozu. He couldn't recall ever seeing anything like her. The only fur she had was the long brown stuff on her head. He couldn't even see where her ears were, unless they were the peculiar round things on either side of her head, half hidden by her fur. She was only a little bigger than young Jemymah, but her scent was that of a sexually mature female already in season. No wonder Tughar is after her, Macavity thought.
Mozu seemed a little uncomfortable with Tughar's advances. When he put an arm around her and tried to lead her to a more secluded spot, she stiffened and dragged her feet. Then Mistoffelees suddenly popped up and yanked on Tughar's tail, and when the big Coricat turned indignantly, the black and white male smacked him across the nose with his claws. Without further ado Tughar pounced on his little brother and began chewing on his ears.
There was a heavy feeling in the air and Macavity knew that Mistoffelees was getting ready to deliver a magic blow. But before he could, Mozu scrambled onto Tughar's back, and grabbing two fistfuls of his ruff, yelled, "Tughar, if you don't let go of him right now, I'll rip out all your fur by the roots!"
With a sharp growf, Tughar abruptly rolled onto his back, slightly squashing Mozu, threw Mistoffelees off, and sprang to his feet. "A simple no would have been enough," he snarled at the alien girl. And with a flip of his ruff he stalked away, soon to be joined by Etsetera, Jemymah, and Elektrah.
"It never is for you," Mistoffelees grumbled under his breath, then he hurried over to help Mozu to her feet. "Are you okay?" he asked anxiously. "Did he hurt you?"
"No," Mozu replied a little breathlessly, "but I was going to ask you the same thing."
"Oh, Tughar never hurts me very bad," Mistoffelees said airily, "because he knows Mama would come down hard on him if he did."
"Well, what's he in such a snit for, anyway?" Mozu demanded, smoothing her rumpled blue tunic. "This same thing has happened every month for the past three months!"
"Well, um," Mistoffelees began uneasily, "that's because you, uh, go into season every month. Coricat females only do that twice a year."
Mozu looked at him resentfully. "How can you tell that I'm…in season?" she wanted to know.
"Because of your scent," Mistoffelees told her. "You smell…er…different now than you do the rest of the month. It's not quite the same as a Coricat female, but I'm pretty sure that's what it means."
Mozu nodded as she processed this. She had by now grown accustomed to the fact that her adopted family members were able to discern many things by smell alone. "So that's why Tughar keeps bugging me like this?" she said finally. "Because he wants to," she suppressed a shudder, "to mate with me?"
Mistoffelees nodded. "And you never really give him a clear refusal so he keeps trying. You might try smacking him or hissing at him or something."
"You think that would discourage him?"
"Well, maybe," Mistoffelees said doubtfully. "He can be pretty persistent, though. But there's something else you could try that would probably work."
"What's that?" Mozu asked eagerly.
The black and white male was suddenly fidgety. "Well," he said slowly, "if you would formally take someone else as your mate, he'd probably lay off. I know he doesn't like to share."
Mozu looked carefully at the young Coricat. "Was that a proposal?" she asked.
In answer Mistoffelees nudged her gently in the bosom with his head and mrowled suggestively.
Mozu's heart skipped a beat and her stomach was suddenly full of butterflies. Here was her favorite Coricat, after Munkustrap and Dutironomy whom she loved as a father and grandfather respectively, gallantly offering to be her mate so that Tughar would leave her alone. She hoped that wasn't the only reason and said as much.
"No," Mistoffelees said with conviction, "I want to be your mate because I love you and only you." He mrowled again and nuzzled her under her chin.
"I-I-I don't know what to say, Mistoff," Mozu stammered.
"What's to say?" Mistoffelees grinned. "Let's just do it!" He grabbed her arm and tried to lead her out of the hall.
"No!" she cried, slightly panicked. "I mean…" she cringed to see the confused and hurt look on his face, "I-I'm sorry, Mistoff, I just don't think I'm ready for that. Yet."
"Oh," Mistoffelees looked disappointed but nodded.
"Another time," Mozu promised and kissed him on the cheek. "Now, let's dance."
Mistoffelees quickly whirled his sweetheart into the middle of the dancing and Macavity soon lost sight of them.
Mama, he called mentally, what type of creature is Mozu? And how did she become a Jellicle?
I'm not clear on the details, Grizabella said as she sat down beside her son, but Mozu is something called a Terran, and she came from another planet far away in some kind of vessel that flies between the stars. When she came here she was an orphan, so Munkustrap adopted her and gave her that name.
Well, I guess that answers the question of whether there is life out there. Macavity said musingly, looking up at the stars. But how--
He was interrupted when Demeetar suddenly broke out of his embrace and butted him roughly in the chest with a distinct mrowl. When she turned her face up to him, he saw a clear message in her exquisite blue-green eyes. And there was no mistaking the scent that filled his nostrils.
This is not your mate, his conscience told him. If she knew who you really are, you can bet she wouldn't approach you like this.
To which his id replied, Who cares! And he followed the lovely female out of the hall for a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Grizabella watched them go, knowing of no way to stop them without arousing suspicion. Everlasting Cat, he's really going to do it, she thought dismally. What will Munkustrap say when he finds out? I do hope he's getting along all right.
©1999 Delilah