XV.

“Orion?”

I half-staggered, half-ran into the little room, then halted. My eyes took a second or two to readjust to the dim light. I didn’t see him anywhere. Nor did I see Otto. The sudden realization that I could be in the same room as him dawned on me and I glanced around quickly. Nervously.

A soft groan turned my head to the right. I gave a cry of surprise and horror as I saw Orion. He was huddled into one of the corners of the room, his body curled against itself. I took a hesitant step forward, not quite daring to speak. Because, maybe, if I didn’t say anything, it wouldn’t be true. He raised his head warily.

“Macavity? Is that you?”

I swallowed roughly, but still didn’t say anything.

“I thought I told you to get out of here.” He coughed violently.

I ran forward, dropping to my knees by his side. “I know you did, Ry, I know. But, I had to come back to help you. You know that I wouldn’t just leave you here, right?”

He stared at me in mild disbelief. “Yeah, of course. But, I was kinda hoping you wouldn’t. For your own good.”

I held out my paw to him, forcing a smile. “Well, when have I ever done what was good for me, Ry? Now, come on.”

He started to reach for my paw, then dropped back against the wall, shivering. “I can’t.”

“Why?” I asked. I shook my head. “Nothing’s wrong with you. Come on. We have to go now. Please, Ry. Try and get up.”

Orion stared at my paw for a moment more, then nodded miserably. “All right.” He grasped my paw with his own, forcing himself into a sitting position. He gritted his teeth as he looked up at me. The focused look suddenly vanished and was replaced by a look of surprised fear.

“Macavity! Look out!”

I started to turn around, but something caught me around the waist and snapped me back. I let out a cry of pain as my good arm was wrenched up behind my back. Black swirls passed into my vision for only the briefest moment, then were gone. For a moment, I expected to feel the bones in my arm break and gritted my teeth against whatever pain was coming, but none did. The paw holding onto my arm released it and clamped itself around my throat instead. I was spun around again, this time facing my brothers and Alonzo. Munkustrap hissed.

“Let him go, Otto!”

I felt my knees weaken as the paw tightened on my throat. I couldn’t breathe. How could he be so strong? I struggled against him, trying to throw him off, but to no avail. Otto responded to Munkustrap’s command with a booming laugh.

“Ain’t that sweet?” he asked, swinging me forward a bit. “You’ve come here to help out your big brother, huh? The one who’s hated you for years and whom you probably hate just as much. If not more, if I’m correct.”

“That’s not true,” Tugger growled angrily. He glanced at Munkustrap as if to confirm his statement, but Munkustrap only stared coldly at Otto.

“It is so,” Otto taunted. I felt a knee ram into the small of my back and sunk to my knees. Tugger cringed, but, still, Munkustrap remained emotionless. Otto’s brow lifted. “You didn’t even flinch when I did that.”

“Think what you want to,” Munkustrap replied, his voice icy and dangerously low. “He’s my brother, regardless, and he asked for my help. Unlike you, I honor that and agreed to help him.”

“You’re an idiot,” Otto growled. “If you were half as smart as everyone makes you out to be, you’d know better than to help him. He’s worthless.”

He suddenly pitched me forward onto the ground. I hit hard and choked on a mouthful of dirt. Otto kicked at my ribs savagely.

“You want to help him? Doesn’t look like you’re doing a very good job of it.”

“You-”

“Watch your language,” Otto snapped, punctuating each word with a sharp kick. I bit my lip to hold back any cries of pain. “I do so detest obscene language.”

Tugger suddenly lunged forward, taking Otto and everyone else by surprise. He managed to get in a solid punch to the jaw before Otto reacted. When he did, he simply backhanded my brother hard enough to send him to the ground, dazed. Munkustrap and Alonzo tensed. Otto noticed and smiled.

“Go on. I dare either of you to try it.”

“We didn’t come here to fight. We only want Orion and Macavity’s daughter back,” Munkustrap said softly.

“Not want a fight?” Otto shook his head in mock confusion. “Then why ever did you come?”

He lashed out, intending on slashing Munkustrap across the face. My brother jumped back with a warning hiss, his body tense with anger. Alonzo extended his claws and narrowed his eyes, not otherwise moving. I struggled to sit up, but Otto pushed me back down with his hind paw.

“Well, Macavity, at least on of your brothers is quick.” He glanced down at me. “Such a shame I’ll have to kill him, too. I could’ve used another tom to help out around here.”

“What are you talking about?” I gasped, pushing upwards again.

“Oh, Mac, that’s easy.” He knelt and grasped a pawful of my headfur. I yelped in started pain as he wrenched my head back to look at him. “I’m taking over the warehouse.”

“Wha-”

“Silence!” he roared suddenly, slamming a fist into my jaw. Dazed, I slumped forward and he dropped my head, allowing me to rest my face in the dirt.

“You idiot? Don’t you understand? With you dead and all of your precious kittens dead, too, I’ll be made the leader.”

I gasped. “No. Vindonia…”

“I’ve already taken her into consideration, my dear Macavity. Don’t think I was so unprepared as to not think about your darling, pure Vinny.”

I lifted my head slightly, feeling a dull anger raise inside me. “What do you do to her?”

He smiled a knowing smile that made my blood run cold. “Quite a few things, but I do believe she enjoyed them.”

My fists clenched. “You bastard!”

He kicked me and I saw Munkustrap take a step forward. Alonzo was helping Tugger to his feet, although I don’t believe my younger brother really needed the aid. All of this went unnoticed by Otto. He sneered down at me.

“Calm yourself, Macavity. She’s a grown girl, after all. Besides, I’ll do the decent thing by making her my queen.”

“She’s your sister,” I protested, feeling sick to my stomach.

“Honestly, don’t be so old-fashioned, Mac. Things like this happen all the time.”

“No…”

“Yes, Macavity.” He smiled then, looking almost kind. “I know. Would you like to see your little girl before I kill you?”

“Vinny?” I narrowed my eyes angrily. “Where is she?”

He nodded, then snapped his fingers. “Vin! Get in here!”

Munkustrap turned towards the door as a tall, striking queen appeared. She glanced at him with more than a trace of nervous distrust, then noticed the other toms. Her gingery fur glowed in the dim light as she took them in silently.

“Now!” Otto growled.

Vindonia walked forward, licking her lip nervously as she did. I could see her twist a small bit of fur between her fingers, a habit acquired years ago. Tugger bared his teeth angrily at her and I wanted to yell at him. She turned her steel blue eyes away from him quickly and focused on Otto. Her head lowered ever so slightly.

“Yes, Otto?”

“Come here, lover. I have someone I want to show to you.”

She nodded, slipping wordlessly into his arms. Her eyes seemed wary, as though she were terrified of him, yet adoring and attracted to the huge tom. He claimed a savage kiss from her lips, more for my benefit than anyone else’s. My stomach turned over in disgust and outrage. Then he pointed down at me.

“Macavity.”

She whirled away from him with a gasp of shock and horror. “Daddy!”

“Vinny? What…”

She knelt down, wrapping her arms around me. I closed my eyes a moment, feeling comforted by her touch. She was still my daughter. She nuzzled her head against my neck. “What happened to you? What did you do to him?” she demanded suddenly and I opened my eyes. Her own were turned icy and angrily up to her older half-brother.

He grabbed her wrist and jerked her to her feet. Vindonia uttered a cry of pain that made my heart break. It was so also filled with panic and shame. A cry of someone who has been horribly mistreated and thinks it their own fault. His eyes burned into hers and she looked away.

“Shut up! Don’t you realize that this is for your own good, as well as mine?” he demanded, hooking an arm around her waist. His voice dropped lower. “Your father doesn’t approve of us and this is the only way for us to be together.”

“But, Otto…” Her voice was weakened and shamed.

“Darling, listen to me. It’s for the best,” he replied, pressing his mouth against hers again.

“Stop manipulating her,” I heard a growl respond. I turned my head to see Orion was on his feet and looking furious. The pain he had been in seemed to have vanished.

Otto stared at him for a moment in disbelief. “Fine,” he growled and shoved Vindonia aside with great force. Luckily, Alonzo caught her as she stumbled and lost her balance.

I straightened upright as Orion advance, dread filling my body.

~*~

The fight between Orion and Otto was hopelessly short.

Orion lunged at Otto suddenly, his eyes filled with an almost murderous rage. I had never seen him so angry and bent on hurting someone in my life. I cringed back as he slammed a fist into the younger tom’s jaw.

Otto stumbled back a step, drawing a confused gasp from Vindonia. She looked around her in panic, as though concerned what might happen if Orion managed to hurt Otto. I wanted to kill Otto for what he had done to my family.

However, Otto quickly regained his balance and retaliated with a solid punch of his own. Orion was flung away like some sort of rag doll, gasping for air. I realized that he had been hit in the stomach and was struggling to regain his breath.

Otto realized this, too, and smiled. He knew that he had every advantage he could want at the moment. And, we could do what he damn well pleased. Orion’s eyes flashed up to meet his and he paled as he saw the look on Otto’s face. It was look that let me know that he had suddenly given up all hope.

Orion was slammed back into the wall. He struggled to throw Otto off him, but was too weak. Otto had an advantage over him. Orion was injured badly and was suddenly rendered completely helpless.

Otto smiled at him, then trust his paws forward, claws out. Orion let out a gasp of shock as the younger tom’s clawed slashed into his stomach. Otto held him against the wall for a moment, then took a step back. I watched in stunned horror as Orion stood there, his paws hanging limply at his sides.

Then, he looked down. His face seemed confused, as though he couldn’t believe that he had actually been injured. Then, he moaned softly and sunk down to the ground. His features, normally so in control, contracted in pain as he squeezed his eyes closed.

I somehow found strength to get to my feet and run to his side. I sunk down beside him, taking his trembling body in my arms.

“Orion! Oh, God! Orion, look at me!”

Orion’s eyes turned up to meet mine. “Macavity, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know that… I wanted to help… I…”

I shook my head violently. “Shut up. Stop talking. It’s not your fault! I’ll get you out of here, trust me. You’ll be fine, Ry.”

Orion shivered and licked his lips. “Macavity? Why…”

“Just stop,” I moaned as blood leaked onto my own fur. “Please. You’ll be fine, Ry, I promise. Just stop talking and…” I couldn’t bring myself to finish as he moaned again, closing his eyes, but not passing out.

I heard Otto laugh behind me. “Well, you can’t really blame me, can you? After all, he was being such a pain and I just wanted to kill you and have it done with, Macavity. He would’ve interfered with that.”

Suddenly, something inside of me snapped. I saw a black blue creep into the edges of my vision and was on my feet. All pain and sorrow forgotten, I lunged forward.

Otto was thrown off his feet and onto the floor. I pounded my fists onto his head and shoulders in rage. I could hear myself yelling something, but didn’t know what. I could hear Vindonia’s screams as well, but they didn’t matter to me. Nothing did anymore. Nothing.

Suddenly, Otto managed to hook a fist up and sent me sprawling. I rolled over, not hurt, and hissed.

“You bastard! You killed my best friend!”

His lips turned up in a smile. “And raped your daughter, don’t forget.”

“I’m going to kill you!” I growled.

“You’re welcome to try.”

Before I knew what was happening, I was pitched backwards. I hit my head hard on the ground. The world spun around me in meaningless blurs of color. It focused suddenly and I could see Otto advancing towards me. Only, it seemed to be in slow motion.

Glancing at Orion’s limp form, I jutted my paws forward, claws out. Otto landed on me with a growl, then gasped in pain and surprise. His eyes widened in pain and surprise.

Humorlessly, I curled my lips into a smile.

“Told you so.”

~*~

I only vaguely recall what happened next.

Munkustrap dove forward the instant I passed out from pain and hauled Otto off me. He was still alive, gasping and clutching his chest as if he could somehow heal himself by doing this. His eyes met mine for a moment and I nearly felt sorry for him. He suddenly looked very much like the little tom kitten I had tried to love and raise. I looked away.

I felt Munkustrap’s arms slid underneath my body. I grabbed onto him desperately, unaware that he was watching the others. He grunted as he lifted me from the ground.

“C’mon,” he barked at Tugger and Alonzo. “Don’t just stand there staring at me! Grab the girl and Orion!”

“But, Orion’s-”

“Just do it!”

Dizzy with pain and half awake, I groaned, tightening my hold on his arm. Munkustrap didn’t cringe. “Orion? Is that… where…”

“Just me,” I heard Munkustrap reply softly. His voice sounded dull and saddened. “Sorry.”

I shook my head weakly. I couldn’t remember where Orion had gone. Startled, I realized that I found the same thing true for myself.

“Where am I?” I demanded, feeling panic rise within me. The world was once again a colorful blur.

“Going back to the junkyard,” he answered.

Somewhere in the distance, I heard Vindonia sobbing.

“Oh, my God! Daddy! Otto! Why did he kill him? Why did this happen?”

She sounded hysterical with grief, but it was hard to tell for whom she was more sorry. Me, for having been abused and seeing my best friend die in front of me. Or for Otto, who had led her to believe… well, I can never be sure what he led her to believe. I heard Alonzo’s voice lower to comfort her.

I turned my face to see Tugger lift Orion’s limp form off the ground. He seemed oblivious to the blood that was staining his own fur. In fact, he was staring at Orion in a strange way that I didn’t understand and hurt my heart to see. Tugger turned his face to Munkustrap, his eyes betraying something to him, but I couldn’t tell what.

“Oh, my God! What happened?”

The accent was familiar and even though I couldn’t see him, I knew that Mungojerrie had returned. I saw Munkustrap frown.

“Get the kitten out of here, Jerrie! Don’t you think that she’s seen enough horror as it is?”

“Of course,” Mungojerrie replied, sounding forlorn and frightened. “Come on, Gissy.”

“Where’s my daddy? You promised I could see him! I want my father!”

“Ah, Gissy, not now,” Mungojerrie replied, his voice pleading. “Come on.”

“Daddy!”

“I’m right here, baby,” I found myself able to moan. I cleared my throat and said it again, louder this time.

Giselle started to protest at Mungojerrie’s paw trying to pull her gently from the room. She frowned up at him angrily, then her eyes dropped to the room around her. I groaned as her tiny, delicate face dropped in horror and sadness as she beheld the sight of the room. I tightened my paws on Munkustrap’s arm, feeling strength rush through me for an instant.

“Get her out of here.”

“Go, Jerrie!”

Giselle burst into sobs as I saw Mungojerrie lift her into his arms and carry her out of the room. I breathed in deeply, struggling for breath, and coughed. To my horror and surprise, there was the tiniest bit of blood on my paw when I removed it. Munkustrap’s face fell, but he tried to force a smile.

“Don’t worry, Mac. We’ll get you fixed right up. It’s only a little blood.”

I closed my eyes in misery as he walked from the tiny room. The movement was beginning to make me sick to my stomach. I clapped a paw over my eyes, trying to sooth myself. I could hear the others’ voices ahead of me, growing closer then farther apart with every step.

“Munkustrap?” I asked in a voice barely above a whisper. I opened my eyes, taking my paw away from them for a minute.

He looked down at me. For a moment, I thought that he looked almost ashamed that all this had happened, then he smiled warmly.

“Yes? Are you all right?”

I could see the hallway begin to lighten. We were walking toward the exit. The cool spring breeze felt pleasant on my face. I shut my eye.

“I’m really glad that you believed me.”


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