Unseen Beauty, the light of her torch

This one is pretty graphic. It's probably PG-13. It's not that bad, though. Just, kinda, messed up?

Ebony was quickly washed off and fed. She looked as though she hadn't eaten for days. She was thin and cut, like I said, and needed rest before anyone could see her. But when she was well and she walked out in public, everyone's jaw dropped.

All who had seen her come back didn't see her all the way. She was covered with blood and very hungry, after all. But the time she was a hostage, she had grown into a very beautiful young queen. Before she had always looked pretty, but eerie, also. But now she had such incredible beauty that even Energite stopped and stared at her. Her figure had perfected into a very... umm... well... feminine shape. Her sleek fur was smoother and lovelier then before. Her face had a beautiful shape, and the dark brown rim around her pupils were gone, so you could only see white ovals when you looked at her eyes. Though her looks were very different than before, the color was the same, as was her personality, except for the fact that she didn't like the toms to touch her at all. Macavity beat her every day, and she wasn't willing for that to ever happen again. Tugger turned away from Bomb suddenly to look at Ebony and he almost got a good slap.

Jett could not keep his dark eyes away from her. She was his best friend, he never really saw her in this light. He decided to approach her while she did her daily dance practicing. He watched her dance a while before he approached her. He suddenly began to dance with her, he recognized her dance. Ebony paused suddenly and whispered, "Who's there?" Jett gently took her hand and placed it on his face. "Jett!" She exclaimed joyfully embracing him. "You can't know how much I've missed you!" "Oh I think I perhaps I can." He said carefully as he smiled. "You're smiling." Ebony said after investigating. "Everlasting cat! I've missed the feeling of a smiling cat so much." Ebony smiled herself as she nuzzled him a little. Jett blushed a bit but then calmed himself. Ebony herself had embraced him, and she didn't like to get close to toms. He was satisfied.

They met each other all the time and talked and talked and talked. Ebony shivered from time to time as she remembered Macavity. But whenever she did, she always heard Jett's voice next to her, calmly talking to her, and she would feel safe. "Bomb and Tugger are mates, Etcetera and Pounce, Dem and Munkustrap, eahum.." Jett made a strange sounding word when he found nothing more to say, and they both began to fall over with laughter. As they giggled, Ebony quite accidentally rolled on to Jett. She blushed as she quickly retreated. Jett was unprepared for this accidental action and he too blushed furiously and they were both silent for a moment. Piecing her words carefully, Ebony broke the silence. "So, when will the next jellicle ball be?" Jett smiled faintly. "In two months." Ebony gasped. "Has it really been ten months?" "Yes" Ebony sighed uncomfortably. "What would you like to do this year?" Jett shrugged. "Dunno." Ebony smiled. "You sound like your father." Jett grinned as she giggled. It was true, Tumble was famous for his lack of proper English. "So, what's the agenda?" Ebony asked. "I'm not sure." Jett answered. "But I do know that this year we kittens get to go into the loss of innocence now." Ebony raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Has it been that long since..." She didn't feel like so much time had passed. She didn't want to feel like so much time had passed. Ebony gave an involuntary shudder as memories flooded through her mind. Memories of Macavity and his hench cat's lair...

Ebony woke up. She felt around her and did not recognize her surroundings. What was going on? The sound of a door slamming brought her attention to the scent of a new cat. She hissed at its familiarity. "Don't be so feisty, little kitten." A horrid voice growled. "Get comfortable, you're going to stay here for quite a while." Ebony could sense the cat circling her. Like her mother and father, she had extraordinary senses. "So," the sly cat continued, "this is Mistoffelees's daughter. A little small if you ask me, but very pretty." As he said that he came a little closer to Ebony. She swiped her claws at him. He pushed her down and clawed at her right back. She gasped at this new feeling.

Pain. Blood rippled down her shoulder and felt like a river flowing down her arm. Clinging to her arm she backed away from the stray, only to bump into a wall. "My father told me I should have a little fun now that I'm getting older." The mean cat purred, yet he sounded more like he was growling. Ebony shuddered. "What do you want?" She snapped. "You." was his answer. "I need something to do in my life, and you are pretty." Ebony frantically began to move to her right with her back on the wall only to soon find another wall. She quickly moved in the other direction and that other wall too was close. Ebony's eyes widened as it dawned on her that she was in a closed in space. She was always a little claustrophobic, and this was indeed a small space.

The cruel cat chuckled at the fear in her eyes. "I'm Devil, by the way. My father, Macavity would love to see you, I'm sure." Ebony buried her face in her hands as tears trickled down her cheeks. "There's no need to cry." The stray snarled as he roughly licked her wounds. "Just keep away!" Ebony screamed. "Oh my," He declared, "that was a mistake." She clawed at the ground as he grabbed her feet and began to drag her on a stony floor. He walked with her as she screamed and the stony floor cut at her skin. When he finally stopped he knocked something and muttered, "Macavity?"

"Ebony?" Ebony plunged into reality once more at the calm sound of Jett's voice, and the soft feel of his paw on her shoulder. "I'm sorry." She mumbled softly, and then placed her face in her hands and sobbed.

Jett was a little startled. He had never seen Ebony cry before, and he didn't enjoy seeing her cry. He did remember, though, that she had every reason to cry after what she'd been through. He came closer to her and she took down her paws and the tears on her face were visible to him. Gently, ever so gently, he licked her cheek. She turned towards him and sobbed into his shoulder as he put his arm around her comfortingly. When she stopped she smiled softly stayed in his arms for a while before she left.

Ebony smiled slightly as she thought about how Tantomile, Coricopat, and her father had saved her from something awful. But her smile didn't last long. She knew Devil. She knew that he would never stop until he had his way, and she was frightened and never wanted to be alone anymore, let alone have a tom touch her. With the exception of Jett, of course. He was nothing like Devil. She knew him well enough to know that she was safe around him.

The Jellicle ball had arrived at last. Ebony smiled as she thought about it. She wasn't really certain about what was going to happen. She knew though that Bomb and Dem weren't going to sing 'Macavity' this year, but that they still wanted it sung. In the beginning, Ebony joined her mother and Jemima on "Can you find your way blind when your lost in the street?" Jett had no role in the beginning, though. Time flew by. Demeter looked around nervously and Ebony shared her concern. They both understood that Macavity and Devil was nearby. It scared them both.

Ebony was startled at how soon the 'jellicle ball' song came. She knew that after that was the loss of innocence dance. Ebony danced around with the others and ended up singing "Jellicle cats have moonlit eyes." with her mother. Because she was blind, Ebony did not see Jett watch her every movement. Aileen did, though. She remembered how she felt when she watched Quaxo's every movement. She just hoped that Ebony was ready for what was about to happen.

All began to impressively dance, except for Aileen. Quaxo came towards her and they went together. Exotica began to wildly show off and Alonzo came her way so she went with him. Victoria once more went with Plato and that made them officially mates. Three times in a row declares it once and for all. Jemima and Tumble, Pounce and Cetie, the usual. Energite didn't go at all, he wasn't interested. Jett danced next to Quaxo and Tumble for a while, and then knew that if he didn't want anyone else to, he had to now.

At long last the music calmed and Ebony alone stood in the middle of all of the other cats. Ebony prepared herself for an answer to whomever was coming towards her. Jett placed his paw on her shoulder. "Ebony, do you trust me?" Ebony grasped and answered, "Yes." Jett Came closer to her than ever before and gently rubbed her nose with his. He afterwards lifted her above him and she gasped in surprise, and somewhat delight. When he put her down she felt his face and found he was smiling. She smiled too and throughout the rest of the dance she enjoyed it and cuddled with Jett at the end of it. He proudly nuzzled her and she responded happily.

Almost anyone would have loved to have gone with Ebony. Alonzo at first came towards her but she refused him. It was Jett whom she let come to her. Jett was cuddling with the fast asleep Ebony, and then thought to himself about what to say to her when she woke up. She had become more than a friend to him. He was falling in love with her. Jett was wondering if he should tell her. She seemed

Thoughts of Devil suddenly clogged Ebony's thoughts and she jerked awake as she realized in horror who was very close. Demeter had awakened too. She muttered "Macavity." To Ebony. "Devil." Ebony breathed back. She had told Demeter what had happened to her in her catnapping because she knew she'd understand. The others also woke up and moved around uncomfortably. Aileen shivered at the thought of Macavity. He came into view and then disappeared, as did Devil, close to him. "He's the cat who took Ebony!" Jett declared. "Another hench cat, I suppose." Someone muttered. "No." Ebony sighed with wet eyes. "Not another hench cat. His name is Devil, Macavity's son."

"Macavity?" Devil asked. Ebony felt fearful at what she was about to meet face to face with. "So," a voice full of cruelty said, "this is our entertainment." Macavity's voice made Ebony shiver. "Yes." Devil answered equally cruelly. "This here is Mistoffelees's daughter." Ebony could not stand the stress and at that moment had passed out. When she woke, she was face to face with pain. Macavity from then on beat her every day. Sometimes Devil would visit to sneer at her. Only one day, he came after Macavity's beatings and was quiet for a moment. "You know, the beatings can stop." Hope poured into Ebony as he said this. "That is, the beatings can stop if," he paused, "you were to become my mate." Ebony was horrified at his words. Become his mate?! HIS?! Devil was a murderer! He killed some hench cat outside Ebony's little space slowly, and she could sense the blood dripping hours before he was dead. He had a longing for blood. Macavity killed for only territorial reasons or such. Devil didn't care who it was. If it could be killed he would kill it. Ebony was probably his next target, but her growing beauty perhaps changed his mind. How could she become his mate? But as Ebony felt the pain she was in she also realized that any more beatings could possibly kill her. Devil came up to her and began to nuzzle her in a fake affectionate way. "Stop it." Ebony finally declared as she made her decision. "I said stop!" Ebony yelled at him and pushed him as he did not stop. He growled as she did this and with a simple swipe he left her almost unconscious. "You better have an answer that pleases me tomorrow." And he left. The next day as she woke up she felt very strange, until suddenly she felt as though the world was swirling around her and she found herself in the junkyard.

Jett looked caringly at her as she explained who he was to the others. She told only Jett why she loathed him, though. Not long after that Exotica and Ebony both got up and walked around. Exotica lay down at last but Ebony began to sing, "Macavity's a mystery cat he's called the hidden paw." Ebony was going to sing Demeter's part this year. Suddenly Exotica came forward and began to sing, "Macavity's a ginger cat, he's very tall and thin." As they both began to sing and dance very much like Bomb and Demeter, Exotica glanced triumphantly at Ebony sometimes and she turned away, not wanting to remember.

As the song ended Munkustrap came to Exotica and Ebony with Alonzo and they heard a laugh. Munk stood by Demeter and everyone stood in pairs. Suddenly Macavity and Devil jumped out at them. Macavity came towards Demeter and fought with Munk. When Munk was pushed to the ground he grabbed at Demeter and Alonzo fought him and brought her back as others fought with Macavity.

Meanwhile, Devil clawed his way to Ebony and grasped her paw. "Ebony, why'd you leave me? Pain could have ended there!" As he said this he threw her to the ground with all his strength. "And here I come and see you with some other cat. I won't enjoy the feel of your blood on my paws. Yet.." he added seductively, "Perhaps I won't have to." He ran a paw up her arm then and purred. She bit him. He knocked her to the ground unconscious and grasped her waist as he began to run toward Macavity's rats.

Jett was at Jemima's side, but as he saw this he came at full speed towards Devil. Jett scratched Devil's arm and he let Ebony go for a moment. At this moment he grabbed her gently but swiftly and pulled her away from Devil. Devil came back at Jett and Ebony and grabbed her once more and they both hissed at each other. Quaxo suddenly came between them and took Ebony out of Devil's reach. Devil began to head towards Ebony once more but Jett prevented him from doing so.

Devil recognized this to be the cat he fought before. Jett clawed like before, yet with more skill. Devil remembered the scars he had received from Jett and how he had almost killed Jett. He decided that this would be a sinch and growled a threat to Jett. Jett and he circled each other and clawed at one another. Jett was thrown down once or twice, but he kept on clawing ferociously at him. The fire that never really died in his eyes took flame once more. Devil began to fight harder then before as he realized that Jett was more skillful in the ways of fighting. There never was such a fight. Devil finally clawed Jett in the side, close to his heart. Jett moved back a little as blood oozed from him. Devil stared triumphantly at his prey. Jett looked up and with surprising strength and speed clawed at Devil's throat. Devil fell over and felt the blood that came from his neck. He had never been actually defeated before. And now here he was, dying. Though Jett was not far off from his position.

Ebony smelled the air and realized that it smelt of blood. She recognized the smell of Devil's, and cringed at the smell off Jett's. Jemima screamed when she saw Jett, the youngest of her litter, sinking to the ground, paws near his heart. Tumble grabbed him and pulled him aside. Ebony used her senses harder than before to find Jett. When she did she sensed Tumble with him. The blood was flowing fast. Tumble was relieved to see Ebony and told her to that he would fetch Jenny as long as she kept close to him for company. Ebony felt the place of Jett where the smell was the strongest and found that her paw was stained with blood. Ebony licked the wound and cleaned it with her tongue. Jett opened his once closed eyes.

"Ebony." He whispered. "Jett, shush." Ebony whispered back. Jett reached out his paw towards her face and Ebony held it to her face. "I'm dying." He muttered. "No you aren't!" Ebony practically yelled. Jett sighed. "A person knows when their going to die, and I am going to die." Tears streaked down Ebony's cheek and onto his paw. "I once thought that." She said faithfully. "It was my last beating from Macavity and I just knew that I would die. But I am here now, alive. Don't give up faith. It's stronger than it seems." Ebony and Jett didn't notice but Macavity left with his son's body and the others had begun to notice that Jett and Ebony were not in sight. Aileen and Jemima found them and watched for a moment in sadness at the two. The thought of the two together was new to Jemima and she was surprised. Aileen merely watched in hope that he would live. Some of the others had found them too and for a moment didn't move and just watched them. The inability to communicate with others (Jett), the inability to see (Ebony. Duh!), as one. Tumble came back with Jenny and came to them. Jenny was the only in her right mind. "Come back to your mother my dear." She cooed to Ebony. Ebony held unto Jett's paw until she completely left him to go to her mothers side.

Jenny examined him and immediately set to work on helping him. His wound was already quite clean thanks to Ebony, but it was very bad. Jenny sighed as she thought about his chance of survival. It was an exact 50-50 chance. She placed him in blankets and helped the wound day and night for a month. He responded every so often. Only to his mother, his father, and Ebony. Ebony visited him constantly in agony. She pressed on though and kept insisting that he would live. Whether it was faith, luck, persistence, or good doctrine, no one will know. He lived.

He began to get well and heal. He never fully healed, but he lived. Jenny helped the healing, and his wound stopped to hurt. It prevented him from fighting ever again, but he was alive, like Ebony said he would be.

Jett found Ebony the day after he was fully healed dancing and singing. The song was very familiar to him and he recognized it right away. He noticed tears staining her face as she sang:

"Moonlight, all round.

Stars in the night, circling me.

Hear my song, give me strength.

Lend me the courage to see the bright light of a torch."

Jett began to dance next to her and without warning began to sing:

"Send me the courage!

Unleash my hope.

Bind all the fear of those who I loathe.

Light my way with the bright light of a torch!"

Ebony realized whom it was and turned round. "Jett." Ebony gasped. "Where are you?" Ebony frantically reached out her paws to find Jett. His paws gently enclosed over hers and swooped up into his arms. Ebony and Jett quite affectionately embraced each other for a long time. Jett finally found his courage. "Ebony, I love you." Ebony raised her head from his chest and raised a paw to his face. She felt every crease and turn and fold. "I am beyond in love with you." She smiled as she announced it. Purring contently, Ebony found words hard to say. Jett licked her head and she closed her eyes in his arms.

Aileen sighed at the scene. She loved to see her daughter happy. She turned and hobbled back to where Quaxo was. She came and curled up beside him. Quaxo smiled at his beautiful mate. His love for her couldn't be put in words. Aileen sighed as she thought about upcoming events. She began to tell Quaxo about Jett and Ebony. He seemed surprised, yet not that surprised. He declared that they made a good couple. "Quaxo," Aileen said, "It's amazing if you look at me two years after my encounter with the jellicles. With a mate, a daughter, good health, and happiness." Quaxo snuggled next to her. Aileen smiled to herself as she thought of the last line of Ebony and Jett's song.

The bright light of torch!

Warming my soul, hear me now.

I have but little to offer.

But give me strength on!

Aileen thought about the words. Aileen knew that strength was not an option in her case. She gave one last lick to Quaxo as he turned and licked her, and she closed her eyes, and they didn't open.


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