by Katamania
"Hey Gini, how did the rave go?" Griddlebone asked, looking up from her game of poker with Katamania, Dexia and Miata.
"It went fine, there was Jellicles there though" Gingivere sighed, remembering the party that had lasted most of the night before.
"Uggghhh, poor you" Dexia said, putting a pen that didn't work and a set of keys in the middle, then put her cards down.
"Read it and weep gals" Dexia said, leaning back.
"Darn it" Miata mumbled.
"Of all the f-ing things" Kata said under her breath.
"Gals, just deal it again" Griddle said.
"Wanna join?" She asked Gingivere.
"Nahh, sorry, I have to check in with the boss, heard me some goss" Gini said, raising her eyes as in a 'I-know-something-you-don't look.
"Tell us when ya come back" Kata said, looking at her newly dealt cards.
"Mmhmm" Gini simply answered and went to see Macavity, her boss.
In the Jellicle Junkyard
The Rum Tum Tugger looked up from his spot on the 5ive star battery.
"Hiya Tuggy!" Etcetera exclaimed.
"Hey kit, what's up?" Tugger asked in his smooth tone that most of the she-cats (queens, girl-chicks, whatever you wanna call it) loved.
"Nothing much Tuggy, what are you doing?" Etcetera asked, fluttering her eyes.
"Wouldn't you love to know" Tugger answered.
"Ooo, tell me Tuggy please?" Etcetera asked.
"Hmm, maybe later 'Cetra" Tugger answered and pretended to fall asleep. Etcetera gazed at him for a few moments then ran off, probably to find Victoria or Electra.
As soon as she was gone, Tugger sighed and opened his eyes. He wouldn't dare to admit it, but he was getting sick and tired of all the girls swarming over him, he just wanted a mate and get on with life, not spend his days teasing, flirting and making the other toms mad at him. Tugger held his head in his paws and started trying to think up ways to fix his problem.
Down in the Junkyard, Munkustrap and Mistoffelees looked up at Tugger.
"What's wrong with him Munkus?" Misto asked.
"I really don't know Mist" Munkus answered, looking down at his younger brother for a moment, then back up at his older one.
"But see how he tricked Etcetera to go away? He wouldn't do that, he does the opposite Munkus" Misto said, now really worried.
"Maybe he just want's to be left alone, he'll be his usual 'Tugger' self soon, I'm sure of it Mist" Munkus said, trying to convince himself as well as his brother.
"Okay Bro, see ya, I have to go see dad" Misto said and started heading for the Vicarage walls.
"See ya Mist" Munkus answered automatically, before turning himself to visit Alonzo to discus some things about Macavity.
In Victoria Grove
"Bonnie! John! Dinner!" Sammie called.
Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer came to their master’s calls. They had no idea why they called Teazer, Bonnie, and Jerrie, John, but they accepted it, dismissing it as the stupid ways of humans. They ate their dinner of argentine joint, potatoes and greens, then started cleaning their coats.
"What do ya wanna do now sis?" Jerrie asked, in his well-known heavy accent.
"I dunno bro, you think of something, it makes me head hurt" Teazer answered, in her accent to match his.
"Ya wanna play tip?" he asked.
"Sure" Teazer answered then dodged as Jerrie tried to tag her.
"Tag! Your it!" she yelled then started running.
"Hey! No fair!" Jerrie answered then started running after his younger sister.
Back in Macavity's Warehouse
"So how did it go?" Miata asked as Gingivere returned.
"'Kay" Gini answered as she walked in, dropping in to a black, torn beanbag in the corner of the room.
"What did ya find out?" Kata asked, scratching her claws on the concrete to sharpen them.
"I can't tell, Maca said it has to be silent" Gini said, a smug grin coming onto her face.
"Fine then, talk to the paw" Griddle answered, already losing interest in the matter. The poker game had been given up after Dexia and Kata had got into a fight.
"Hey dames" Razamataz said, walking into the room without bothering with any of that posh knocking business.
"Hey Raz" Kata answered as the other dames raised a paw in a bored greeting.
"Well fine, C'mon Kata, gotta show ya something Mac and I found" Raza said and left without waiting. Kata followed him without talking to any of them.
"So, what do ya want a do?" Dexia asked.
"Rat hunting?" Miata suggested.
"Nahh, skip that for once" Griddle answered. They were interrupted as Macavity strode in.
"Hey boss" The dames greeted in a friendly chant.
"Yeah, hi, whatever, where's Kata and Raza? I thought I told him to, don't worry, the Jellicles have planned to attack us tomorrow night, were going to beat them to it and attack them, tonight, got it? And tell Kata when she returns, if I don't see her first, kay?" Maca said than stormed out to find his adopted daughter.
"Well, that's interesting, want to get ready gals?" Gini asked, a knowing evil grin on her face.
"Yeah" Griddle, Miata and Dexia answered, taking up the same evil grin.
Just outside the warehouse, where Macavity and his strays lived, Razamataz was showing Katamania what they had found.
"See? If ya go through this panel, it takes you to the meeting room, a lot quicker then if you go though the normal way, and no traffic jams" Raza said, pulling at a bit of panelling that had come loose.
"Freaky Raz" Kata answered, them flinched as Macavity pounced a few inches next to her.
"Raz, I thought I told you to, don't worry" Macavity said, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down.
"Katamania, Razamataz, I want you to go find my son, then catnap, this little new stray, he's just got kicked out of a human house, and we could use a new kitten" Macavity said.
"Kay? Go do that for me hmm?" Macavity said, ruffling Kata's head fur.
"Sure Mac" Raza answered, carefully putting the panelling back so it wasn't visible anymore.
"Whatever dad" Kata answered, rolling her eyes. Even if Macavity wasn't really Kata's dad, he told her she could call him that, since he had adopted her when her parents had abandoned her at the age of 9 weeks.
"Good, we'll be in a meeting, I'll tell ya what went on, now go get Jamarcus, oh, by the was, the kittens name is Gutierrez" Macavity added, then walked away.
"Do you even know where Jamarcus lives?" Katamania asked.
"Sure, I think so anyway, C'mon" Raza said and the two walked off.
In an Alleyway, a few streets away from Macavity's warehouse
Gutierrez wondered around the streets. He was lost, after being chucked out of his home. All he had done was eaten the pet Angelfish, ripped a few curtains and bedspreads and scratched the cars. *Some humans really suck*. Gutie thought.
He looked up, smelling some new cats come into the alleyway. He shrank back into a box and waited for them to pass. They didn't though. He peered out and saw a full black tom cat, a light brown tom cat with black and darker brown patches, and a white queen cat with orange and black patches.
"Hey kitten, what's wrong?" The queen asked.
"I'm kinda lost, do you know where the Jellicles are? I'm supposed to go there" Gutie said, remembering the words of his mother.
"Oh no kit, you don't want to go there, they'd kill you first chance they got, I know! You could come with us! We were just going back to our tribe, want ta join us?" The black one asked.
"Well, okay, what's you name? Mine's Gutierrez." Gutie said.
"But Gutie for short" He added.
"Nice name kit, mine's Razamataz" The brown and black one said .
"Mine's Jamarcus" The black one said.
"I'm Katamania, Kata for short, C'mon, Maca'll be waiting" The white, orange and black one said.
"Maca? As in, Macavity?" Gutie asked and stopped walking.
"Yeah, we're strays" Raza said.
"But, my mum said I should never go with Macavity" Gutie said, looking around.
"Why? Maca's cool" Jamarcus said.
"How do you know?" Gutie said, still looking for escape.
"He's my father" Jama answered.
"He's my boss" Raza said.
"He's me Dad" Kata said.
Gutie made a break for it and started running, he recognised a Junkyard and ran in. He was safe, if the Jellicle Junkyard and wondered off to find Munkustrap.
Razamataz, Jamarcus and Katamania watched as Gutie ran away.
"Great one." Jama said, hitting Kata over the head.
"Well as soon as he'd come back, he would've found out about Macavity." Kata argued, then turned and started walking back to the warehouse. Jamarcus and Razamataz followed her after quickly checking Gutie wasn't hiding close by.
At the Warehouse
"So, we will be attacking the Jellicles tonight, thanks to Gingivere, we know the Jellicles were going to attack us tomorrow morning, so everyone, we'll attack at midnight tonight, meeting's over! F_ _k off!" Macavity yelled and waited for everyone to leave. As soon as everyone had gone, Jamarcus, Razamataz and Katamania came into the room.
"Where is he?" Macavity asked.
"Didn't get him Dad, he got away, ran into the Jellicle Junkyard though." Kata said, standing to the side of Macavity, leaning on the chair Macavity was sitting on.
"WHAT???!!!"
"Calm down Dad." Jama said, leaning on the other side of his chair and Razamataz standing a few feet away in front of Macavity.
"Well, you'll just have to get later, won't you?" Macavity said in a dangerous voice.
"Yes Dad..." Kata answered him, in a soft voice, nodding her head and patting him on the arm.
"Katamania..." Macavity answered in a warning tone. Kata stopped patting his arm, folded her arms and took a few steps back.
"We're attacking the Jellicles tonight, midnight, Gingivere told me she heard some Jellicle at the party saying that they would attack us tomorrow morning, so we'll beet them to it. You three go get ready." Macavity ordered and Jamarcus, Razamataz and Katamania walked out of the room.
In the Dames Room
When Kata walked in, she was greeted by the sight of Dexia in front of a mirror, combing her fur, Gingivere was giving her self a wild fur cut, Griddlebone was sharpening her claws by scratching them on the floor back and forth, back and forth and Miata was reading a book called ' I wanna be a catstar' by Katie, Grace, Danielle and Alexi.
Kata glanced around room, shrugged her shoulders, then walked over, sat next to Griddlebone and started scratching her claws as well.
"Good info you heard Gini" Kata said.
"Yeah, I know, it's easy, those Jellicles are so dumb! I mean, just saying all the stuff around all these strays! I mean, more then half the strays worked for Macavity!" Gini said, looking up from her fringe cut.
"Okay then, well, we're going to get them back, by the way Kata, Maca's looking for you" Dexia said.
"No he isn't, he found me." Kata answered.
"Oh, what did he want?" Miata asked, looking up from her book.
"Don't worry about that, you'll find out tonight, anyway Gini, who were the Jellicles?" Kata asked, avoiding the question.
"I think they were Tumblebrutus and Alonzo and Pouncival" Gini answered.
"That makes sense, trust those Jellicles" Miata answered and went back to her book.
"Like, ya!" Dexia answered.
"So anyway, like, who wants to have a game of cards? We have to be rested and relaxed before our big fight, don't we dames?" Griddlebone asked in a mocking voice, probably imitating some Jellicle or whatever. The 'dames' giggled and Miata grabbed a pack of cards and started dealing as the rest of the 'dames' hunted for things to put in the middle.
In the Jellicle Junkyard
Tugger was walking around, swinging his tail as he was followed by Etcetera, Electra, Victoria, and a new cat called Alexist.
"Anyway chicks, I'm going to sleep, so ta-ta girls" Tugger announced. All the girls giggled and said in sync "Bye Tuggy" and ran of giggling. Alexist started to run away but Tugger caught her arm and said "Not you babe, I want to talk to you" Tugger said. Alexist started giggling.
Over the other side of the Junkyard, Munkus and Misto were watching Tugger again as he walked of with Alexist practically floating on the air behind him.
"See, he's normal again Mist" Munkus said, shaking his head but smiling.
"Yeah, I guess so bro, but still, I don't think he's totally normal yet" Mist said, standing on the tips of his toes to try and see Tugger and Alexist.
"Yeah, maybe, maybe not, anyway, I have to go to Demeter, we're meeting for lunch" Munkus said and walked off.
Misto looked around, then made himself disappear in a cloud of blue smoke. He appeared in an underground lair with magic books and smoke filling the air. Misto walked over to a particular stand where three books were open and two test tubes were spilling out green and gold smoke.
He picked them up and added them into a new test tube. They mixed, then changed to a transparent purple, green, silver and gold colour.
Misto smiled a knowing smile, then opened a door that lead into a freezer. He picked up a small box made out of wood and metal and brought it out, sat it next to the test tubes, put them in a test tube rack that was in the box and carefully closed it, locking it, then he put it back in the freezer, then he made his expression go into it's normal, carefree expression, then he zapped himself back into the junkyard.
11:53pm, the warehouse
All the strays that worked for Macavity had gathered in the meeting room. Macavity was giving them one last pep talk.
"Now, we can beat those Jellicles, we can, you know we can, and I'm not going to let you forget it if you do lose, okay? Now, everyone, you get out there, and you show those Jellicles who the toughest cats around here are!" Macavity said and everyone cheered, then ran outside, leaving the dames, Macavity, Jamarcus and Razamataz.
"Why are you still here?" Macavity asked.
"Were going to go in, after most of the strays have worn out the Jellicles dad." Kata said, speaking for the dames.
"Don't know why they're still here though" Miata said, pointing a paw at Raza and Jama.
"Why were just, umm, were just, leaving, that's it" Jama said and started walking outside.
Raza shrugged and started talking to Macavity.
"That sucks" Gini said, "I thought that one would have got them moving, anyway gals, we'll start moving shall we?" Gini added and started walked slowly. "Shall'nt-we?" Dexia said, quoting from her favourite movie, Ace Ventura, When Nature Calls.
Griddle slapped Dexia over the head.
"Heyyyyy, do you know how long it took me to get my hair right?" Dexia said, worriedly fixing it the best she could.
"YES" The dames replied.
"If you spent the time you did at that mirror, you did training, we'd have a killing machine here" Gini teased.
"Well, I might run into a good-looking tom" Dexia exclaimed fluttering her eyes.
"At the Jellicle Junkyard?" Griddle asked in disbelief.
"All right dames, break it up" Miata said, stepping in between Dexia and Griddlebone.
"Yeah, just another few blocks and you'll be able to put that fighting technique to good use" Kata said.
The Dames thought about this and continued walking.
When they got to the Junkyard, the Dames split up to do some fighting. They figured they could attack more Jellicles if they covered more ground. Gini went in the direction of Tugger for some weird instinct reason, Dexia wondered over to the injured toms, Kata swung her claws around, walked forward and thought 'If any Jellicles doesn't get outa the way for me, they're diggin' their own grave.' Ouch.
Griddle went to fix up Old Deuteronomy.
Miata looked around for someone to fight but everyone was either running away, was on her side or was already been taken by some cat on her side. She finally noticed Mistoffelees, a magic cat who was preparing to zap the life out of Macavity. *As if* Miata thought and pointed her own paw at Misto, changing his magic. Whenever he tried to zap Macavity or one of the strays, the shots ended up shooting one of the Jellicles. Miata stared laughing at Mistoffelees expression as time and time again, he hurt the Jellicles. Miata turned around just to come face to face with Munkustrap.
"What do you think your doing to Mistoffelees?" Munkus yelled in her face.
"Isn't it obvious?" Miata asked.
"Not really, why don't you explain?"
"Your dumb, aren't you?"
Miata ducked as she saw Macavity sneak up on Munkus and attacked him.
"Lucky duck" Kata said as she swung by.
Miata gave Kata a weird look and started looking for some other Jellicle to make fun of. First she made Victoria's fur turn fluoro green, then she made Tugger's mane disappear, Tugger nearly fell over from the weight difference. Then she made Bombalurina's fur pure white and made her shorter. By that time, most of the Jellicles had run away and Macavity had got bored. "C'mon strays, we're done here" He announced and all the strays followed him as he ran out.
On the way home, the strays compared their wounds and laughed about the fight.
Then Dexia suddenly asked "Hey, where's Gingivere?"
The dames asked the cats in front of them and behind them, asking them if they could see Gini. By the time they got to the warehouse again, it was clear she wasn't with them.
"Well, look for her tomorrow dames, now, get some sleep, you've done well" Macavity said.
"Yeah, thanks Maca" said the dames, (except for Kata because she called him dad and Gini because she wasn't there) and then the Dames went to sleep, after cleaning their small wounds.
In Tugger's secret lair
Gini opened her eyes, and tried to sit up.
*Where am I?* she asked herself, she had a MEGA headache and could fell the blood still oozing out on her chest and stomach.
"Hey, you okay, be quiet, the Jellicles 'll kill me if they find out I'm helping you" said a low voice.
"Are you a Jellicle?" Gini asked, instantly not happy.
"Well, kinda, my dad's a Jellicle, but as far as I'm concerned, he can go to Heavyside layer already, now my mum, well, let's don't go into that, your one of those dames aren't you" The voice asked.
"Our full name is Hells Dames but yeah, I'm one of them, why? And who are you? What's your name? Why am I here and why are you helping me if I tried to kill you?" Gini asked, suddenly filled with questions that she had to know the answers to.
"Slow down, your full of question's aren't you, now let me see, I just wanted to know if you are who I thought, I'm Tugger, Rum Tum Tugger to be exact, but please, call me Tugger, your here because you tried to fight me but Alonzo, one of the other toms, kicked you in the head and you kinda fell onto my claws, and I'm helping you for a reason I don't even know." Tugger said, smiling as he helped Gini sit up.
"But, your a Jellicle, I'm not supposed to be helped by you" Gini said.
"Too late for that" Tugger said, shrugging his shoulders.
"Anyway, your staying here, until your better (he paused as Gini started to protest) no say in the matter, your staying here, and there's nothing at all to be done about that. It won't be so bad, we'll talk, and I'm not going to try and find out information about you or Macavity or anything, I think that's just stupid, that's why I didn't leave you out there, or Munkus would've got you and started pounding the truth out of you, now, you just tell me about your life, and I'll tell you about mine" Tugger said, leaning back on some torn pillows and chucking some to Gini.
"Now, you start" Tugger said.
Back in the warehouse
"Well? Have you found her yet?" Griddle asked, paws on her hips and glaring at the toms that just walked in.
"Well, no Griddle, but , you've got to understand that-"
"That you’re not trying hard enough? That we should tear you up right now?" Miata asked, looking up from her game of poker with Dexia and Kata who were sitting just behind an aggravated Griddlebone.
"Get out of our sight, and keep looking for her! NOW!" Griddle yelled.
"If those Jellicles have got her" Griddle muttered as she sat down behind Dexia to continue giving Dexia her weekly fur-do.
"Why the hell would she be with the Jellicles?" Kata asked, swearing under her breath as Miata won another round.
"Well, she might have, umm, good point" Griddle said, finally finishing Dexia's fur-do.
"There, finished" Griddle said, chucking up a fur brush and letting Dexia catch it.
"Oww, be careful Griddle" Dexia whined.
"Scardy cat" Miata teased.
"Lay off" Dexia whined.
"Stupid baby" Kata muttered.
"WHAT??? I heard that!!!" Dexia yelled.
"Congratulations" Kata answered sarcastically.
"Dames" Griddle said in a warning voice.
"What? She's acting like a kitten! Were the hells dames! Were tough! All the queens in this city wants to be one of us! And she's whining just because she had to catch her own hair brush! Just grow up!" Kata yelled, threw down her cards and stormed out the door to find Razamataz. "Whoa! She had the Ace, the king, the queen and the 10 and the 9 of Spades! That's good! She would've won for once!" Miata exclaimed, looking at Kata's cards.
"Cool, whatever, stay here and call me if anyone has any good news" Griddle said and sauntered out to have a rest from the younger dames. Miata and Dexia started playing poker again.
Outside the warehouse
Kata stormed outside and jumped up some boxes to jump over the wall enclosing the warehouse, even if Macavity had warned her not to go over the wall for some reason, she didn't care just then. She looked down to see what was so bad, or good for her and any of the other strays to know about, except for Macavity. Kata's eyes widened as she recognised something very familiar, the Jellicle Junkyard.
Kata carefully jumped down onto a few small tyres. She slinked along, close to the ground so she could make a quick getaway if needed. She was looking around behind her when she bumped into another cat. He was very tall, black, and leopard printed. Kata was about to make a smart remark when the tom, as fast as a snake, whipped a paw over her mouth and whispered, "Your another one of those Hells Dames or whatever, aren't you?"
Kata nodded, wondering what he meant by 'another one of those hell dames'. "Good, and I guess your missing one of them, maybe by the name of Gingivere? And you'd be looking for her?"
Kata shrugged her shoulders, she hadn't exactly been looking for Gini at that exact moment, but maybe this tom knew something about her. "Well, you come with me, don't make a sound, unless you want and try and beat the whole Jellicle Tribe off by yourself, you follow me, and I'll show you where Gini is, okay?"
Kata nodded again and rubbed the back of her neck as he let her go. *I might as well follow him, maybe he isn't trying to catch me, and anyway, he knows Gini's name and everything* Kata thought and followed the black and leopard print cat between a few boxes and under some tyres, into some sort of passage wall, that Kata could tell didn't get used often at all.
In Tugger's secret lair
Gingivere was very bored. Tugger hadn't visited her since yesterday and she didn't like to admit it, but she kinda looked forward to his visits. She heard a noise and hopefully looked up, she did this a few times a day but usually it was just a rat or something that made a good meal, but not someone to talk to.
But the sound sounded different, and the beat to the sound she could hear was familiar. As the thing that was making the noise grew closer, she could tell it was a cat, or maybe two...
Tugger came in through the door and smiled at her, then turned around and said in a low voice.
"C'mon, there isn't a dog or Munkus in there or something."
"I know that, I'm just being careful" Came another voice as the other cat entered.
"There you are Gingivere, Griddles got all the strays looking for you, you know" Kata said, smiling at Gini as much as Kata did smile.
"Thanks Tugger" Gini said, smiling up at the taller and older tom cat.
"Hey, no prob, don't make to much noise you two, I'll come back later okay?" Tugger said and walked out, not waiting for their answer.
At the warehouse
Griddle rubbed her eyes as she woke up from a nice nap in the sun on the top of the warehouse that no cat (or dog thank the everlasting cat) could get to from outside, you had to be inside the warehouse to start of with. Griddle stretched out all the kinks in her body as she sat up, then started licking her paw.
*I hope they've found Gini* Griddle thought.
Macavity had put her in charge of watching the queens that ever came to them.
After a while, they'd realised the queens were good fighters and could also trick in some toms, to find out information. After this discovery, Macavity choose the queens more carefully, he chose them for their thinking ability, acting skills, fighting skills and their looks.
If they were Jellicle though, Macavity absolutely refused to teach them, maybe help them in minor ways, if they were a kitten, but sometimes, he'd take a Jellicle if it was under the age of 10 weeks at the most. Griddle had tried to convince him, if they got Jellicles on their side, the Jellicles Tribe would soon die out but he simply refused to listen.
Griddle finished cleaning her coat and sat thinking. She hoped that Gini would come back soon. She treated and cared for the dames as her own siblings and she'd hate it if one of them went missing. She could tell Macavity was shaken by the disappearance, but then again, he got shaken any time something went wrong.
Griddle stretched her long body again and decided to go back and see if any cat had anything interesting to report.
In Macavity's Lair
"Ummm, Macavity? Sir?" Asked Natch as he timidly entered Macavity's part of the warehouse.
"Yes Natch" Macavity snapped, from his red velvet throne.
"Ummm, I just spotted your daughter, ummm, jump the wall that you've forbidden us to ever past, and I was wondering, did you give her permission?" Natch asked, nervously keeping an eye on Macavity's claws.
"Your mean Katamania?" Macavity said, in a low, dangerous, voice.
"Ummm, yes, sir" Natch said.
"Are you sure it was Katamania?" Macavity asked, his voice still low.
"Yes sir, I heard that she was in another fight with one of the Dames, Dexia" Natch replied, gaining a bit of confidence.
"Them again? As soon as Katamania comes back, tell her, no actually, I'll get her myself, bring Griddlebone here for me" Macavity ordered, digging his claws into the side of his throne.
"Yes your highness" Natch muttered and ran out to find Griddlebone.
In Tugger's secret Lair
"So why did you even bother to stay here?" Kata asked in disbelief.
"Tugger helped me, and well, I don't know, I just stayed here okay?" Gini answered in an angry voice.
"Whoa, okay, calm your aura, jeez, why did I even come here?" Kata asked, putting her head in her paws.
"I don't know, tell me" Gini answered, interested in why Kata would ever go into Jellicle land when she wasn't even going to fight.
"Well, I got into another fight with Dexia, because she was acting like a little kitten, then I stormed out, and jumped that wall Dad said we should never go over, and over the wall was the Jellicle Tribe! I didn't know that, no one does I guess, except Dad, but anyway, I jumped down to spy on the Jellicle's except this 'Tugger' guy caught me and guessed I was looking for you, and he brought me here, why are you here still?" Kata asked.
"Well, it's kinda a long story, but, I guess you'll find out" Gini said and started talking.
In the Dames Room
In the Dames room, Miata and Dexia we're playing poker and talking a little bit.
"Why did Katamania say that? I'm not a little baby! Lots of toms love me! Older toms! And they tell me I act a lot older and I look a lot older then I really am! Kata's just jealous, isn't she?" Dexia said, looking at her cards.
"Ummmm" Miata said, trying not to get caught up in it.
"Exactly! I knew you'd be on my side! I bet Griddle's telling Macavity right now!" Dexia said satisfied.
Miata rolled her eyes, but put her cards down.
"I've got the ace of hearts, spades and clubs and the queen of diamonds and hearts, what do you have?" Miata asked, putting down her cards.
"Fine, you win, again, but anyway, more about me, I mean, really, why would Kata just say that? I was just afraid of getting my fur messed up again, after Griddle spent all that time as well" Dexia said, gathering the cards and dealing them again.
"I was just teasing you, you know" Miata said, looking at her claws to see if they needed sharpening.
"I know you were Miata, where do you think Griddle went?" Dexia asked.
"She probably went to her lair, she needs her quiet time after you and Kata fight" Miata said, looking at her cards and trying to decide what she could kept and swap with the deck.
"Yeah, you’re right, what are you going to do after this?" Dexia asked.
"I'll probably go and see Linzzy and Mindzzy or something" Miata answered, frowning at her cards, 'cause for once, she didn't have catnip.
"Oh cool" Dexia said, normally, she'd go with Miata but she got the feeling Mindzzy and Linzzy didn't like her.
"What are you going to do?" Miata asked Dexia, just to talk about something.
"Oh, I've got so many things, so little time, you know, hehehehehe, look at the time! I really have to be going, see you Miata" Dexia said and nicked off, leaving Miata to clean up the cards and the chips and everything.
"She's got to be kidding" Miata muttered, and snapped her claws. A tom waiting outside the door walked calmly in and stood next to Miata.
"Clean up the poker game" Miata ordered, pointing at the abandoned game.
"As you wish, Miss Miata" the tom answered and started cleaning up the game. *Oooo, life is good* Miata thought as she lay in the hammock and flipped through a magazine.
"Do you, Griddlebone, have any idea where Katamania is?" Macavity asked, trying to keep his voice calm, because Griddle was one of his sister, and he knew, she could kill him if she wanted to.
"No, not exactly Mac, all I know is Dexia and Katamania had another fight, after Kata called Dexia a baby because Dexia whined when I chucked up her fur brush and she had to catch it. Then Dexia and Kata had the fight, Kata muttered something about going to see Razamataz and ran out. Then I had a headache, and went out, on the roof and had a little sleep. When I got up, Natch found me, and told me to come here." Griddle explained.
"It's just because Natch said he saw Kata jump over the wall that leads to the-" Macavity got cut off.
"She went there? But I remember you telling her never ever to go there" Griddle said.
"Yeah well, she did, any news about Gingivere?" Macavity asked.
"Not that I know of" Griddle said, shaking her head.
"They're hard to look after, that's the problem, toms, find out what they can, and can't do, and they stick to it, but queens, they're always exploring" Maca said.
"Yeah, well I remember telling you, when we found Kata, that kitten was going to be hard to teach, now she's an adult and you can't tell her what to do. Anyway, I think I'll get the Dames and we'll go and look for Gingivere, then-" Griddle got cut short when they heard some thumping, that sounded like some hyped cats jumping of the walls, coming their wall. Gingivere and Katamania burst into the room, and ran up to Griddlebone.
"Hi Griddle! You will not believe what happened! We...umm....hi Dad" Kata said, seeing the look on Macavity's face.
"Umm....I....I'm in trouble, aren't I?" Kata said, already knowing.
"Yes, I'll talk to you while Griddle is talking to Gini, then Griddle, tell me what happened to Gini, come on Kata" Macavity said, taking Kata to a different room.
"Gini? What happened to you?" Griddle asked, sitting on Macavity's chair.
"Well, at the fight, on of the toms, Alonzo, kicked me in the head, and I fell on Tugger's claws, he helped me Griddle, he did, and I know he didn't tell any Jellicles, even when he caught Kata spying on the Jellicles, he didn't kill her, he even brought her straight to me, and he made me better, and caught food for me, and he looked after me and Kata, he was nice to us, then, he saw I was missing you guys, and he helped sneak us out, Tugger was nice to me, ask Kata, don't be angry with me Griddle" Gingivere said, not knowing what to expect from Griddle's temper.
"Okay, I will ask Kata, are you sure that 'Tugger' guy didn't do anything to you, except for 'help' you?" Griddle asked.
"No, he didn't. I was careful, Griddle, can I go and see Miata and Dexia now?" Gini asked.
"Sure, whatever, and don't get catnapped without telling me first, okay?" Griddle said to Gini's departing back.
The Griddle decided to go see what Kata had done. When she walked into the door, she was greeted by a very angry Macavity and a near-crying for once, Katamania.
"HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU? NEVER GO OVER THAT WALL!!! THEN YOU JUST STAY THERE, DON'T EVEN TRY TO GET BACK, AND YOU GET CAUGHT BY A JELLICLE! A JELLICLE!!!!" Macavity was yelling in Kata's face.
"YOUR MY DAUGHTER! I'VE GIVEN YOU THE BEST TRAINING, AND YOU GET CAUGHT BY A JELLICLE!!!" Macavity went on.
"Yes dad, sorry dad" Kata said, she knew the best thing to do was to agree with Macavity with everything when he was in this kind of mood. "Now Kata, you know I hate yelling at you, and I hate yelling at all of the Hells Dames, Jamarcus, Griddlebone and Razamataz, but you have to make an example. (he bent down a bit to be more her level) Now Katamania, Kata, promise me, you won't ever go over that wall without Griddle or me, okay?" Macavity asked.
Kata nodded, trying not to cry, she hated it when her dad yelled at her.
"C'mon Kata, please don't fight with any of the other Dames either, Natch said he saw you get in another fight with one of the other Dames, Dexia isn't it? How many fights is this now?" Macavity asked.
"It's the 45th one now Mac" Griddle said from the sidelines.
"In the last 4 months" Kata added quietly. Macavity put his head in his paws.
"Griddle, please, I think Kata and I need to have a private talk, okay?" Macavity asked quietly, trying to calm down.
"Sure Mac" Griddle said, she knew how hard it was for him, he had never tried to raise a queen before, Kata was his first, and probably the worst Macavity could've chosen.
After getting Kata, he had found Gingivere, Dexia and Miata, but had Griddle look after them, he had his paws full with Kata and looking after the strays, and his real son.
Jama had some other siblings, but let's not go into that.
"Kata, we fight, with almost every other cat, human, dog animal, on this planet. The only other cats and rats we don't fight with, are right here, please, just leave Dexia alone, I know she might be younger then you, I know that Dexia and you have different ways to go about things, but just, whine about it in a diary or something, just don't tell Dexia okay? Now, how about you and Raza go get Jama, then go try find that kitten Gutierrez, okay?" Macavity said, then hugged his daughter, before letting her go and find her friend Raza and her brother.
In the Dames room
"Gini!" Dexia and Miata cried when she walked in.
"Hi you guys!" Gini yelled back.
"Where were you?" Dexia asked, as she and Miata threw down their cards.
Gini rolled her eyes, but sat down on the ground next to Miata and Dexia, and started to tell her story again.
Griddle walked in, and listened as well, to hear the whole story.
After she had told the story, and everyone had gone to bed, Jama, Raza and Kata not back yet, Gini looked up at the moon, it was a Jellicle Moon, and with all the things that had happened, Macavity had decided not to invade the Jellicles, she hoped Tugger was looking at the same moon.
Epilogue
If you are wondering what happened to Gutie, when he ran into that Junkyard, it turned out not to be the Jellicle one, but the Pollicle one. Instead of tearing Gutie up, they liked him and made Gutie their King.