Mistoffelees and Alonzo were now on the third floor, making slow progress. They did not know the mansion. They could've been on the fourth floor already. Finally they found the stairs. On the landing, the toms wandered for what seemed like hours before Misto stopped, ears pricked.
"What??" asked Alonzo.
"Quick! Hide!" hissed Mistoffelees. He grabbed his companion and dived into a closet. They peeked out through the vent. Two strays lumbered by. One Ear and Hist.
"Dumb cats in cage, Macavity gonna have fun wit dem." said the stray One Ear.
"The girl at least. He'll dispose of the older one." said Hist. One Ear cackled at this and their voices faded down the hall.
Mistoffelees and Alonzo clambered out of the dusty closet. Both knew they had to get to Victoria and Skimbleshanks before time ran out. They continued their search.
Mistoffelees froze and pricked his ears for the second time. He put his ear to the door next to him. His eyes widened.
"They're in here!" he mouthed. Alonzo nodded. At the same time, they kicked open the door. Victoria and Skimbleshanks lay in a corner of a metal cage. Two strays who had been guarding the door, got up from the floor where they had been thrown. They didn't move. Odd...
Suddenly, a cackle made both toms spin around. The strays caught and held their arms. Mistoffelees kicked the stray who held him and started toward Macavity. The kicked stray followed and raised his claws to strike but Macavity held up his paw. The claws stopped in midair.
"That's enough, Maghe."
Macavity stepped toward Mistoffelees. he struck him once across the face. Once. Twice. Victoria shouted some rude imprecations and one of the strays made an even ruder gesture at her. Macavity struck the magician cat once more and stepped back.
"Let that be a warning to you strays." Macavity said to the subordinates. He turned to the toms. "I am going to kill you now. And him." he nodded at Alonzo. "And the orange one. And then, the white kitten is mine."
Victoria sobbed into Skimbleshanks's shoulder.
"Unless." Macavity said. "Unless you wish to fight me. To the death. For your friends. Win and you get them. Lose however....." Macavity sneered. He eyed Alonzo. "You'd make a nice henchtom. Too much spirit though. We'd have to break you."
Alonzo glared at the ginger tom. Mistoffelees set his jaw and addressed the evil cat.
"Deal."
"It's done then!" Macavity dismissed the strays. Alonzo was dragged kicking into the cage with Victoria and Skimbleshanks. The door clicked. It was locked.
The latter was now drawing out his claws and circling the Hidden Paw. Suddenly, without warning, Macavity dived. Mistoffelees vanished and delivered a painful gash down his back. Macavity hissed.
"No cheating, Magician!"
Misto reappeared. Round two. Macavity dived again, dodged a slash and delivered a swipe to a hind leg. The brawl went on and on. Mistoffelees began to tire. Mistoffelees collapsed and the Hidden Paw stood over him. He raised his claws to deliver the fatal blow.
Mistoffelees looked at the monster standing over him. A white hot anger filled him. He shouted and jumped at Macavity. The red cat staggered back, startled. Mistoffelees pretended to have run out of ideas and backed towards the window. Macavity followed.
Checkmate.
He locked eyes with Macavity. Before he could react, Mistoffelees dived behind him. He turned around and was promptly kicked out the open window.
"HISTYOUMORONYOUFORGOTTOCLOSETHE--"
Everyone cringed as Macavity hit the ground. Mistoffelees turned to the strays and hissed. They scattered, tails between their legs.
Mistoffelees grabbed the key off the table and unlocked the cage. Victoria ran into his arms sobbing. They sank to the floor, lucky to be alive.
~*~
Back at the junkyard, Misto, Alonzo and Skimbleshanks were greeted as heros. Cats from miles around had come to see the epic battle. Word has gotten quickly back to the junkyard that Mistoffelees had won and Macavity was dead at long last. A feast was proclaimed in the heros' honor.
At the feast, Old Deuteronomy stood up from his meal. Everyone fell respectfully silent, even the non tribe members (everyone had invited friends). Deuteronomy began to speak.
"Every once in a while, a conflict threatens the Jellicle tribe. Someone is hurt, a kitten is kidnapped, someone gets lost. Most often it is due to Macavity inexorable love for evil. But, thank heaviside, his life of evil is over.
"It was not my wish to have him die. I'm not sure of any alternative, but he is my son. Munkustrap's brother and Tumblebrutus' father. There's a place in all of us that regrets his death. We do not see it, but it's there." He paused to look at the three heros.
"Because of the efforts of three brave toms seated here tonight, the tribe is once again living in peace and happiness, and so it shall for generations to come. They risked their lives to save one of our number, and that is the ultimate price. So friends...." he nodded at the guests.
"...Family...." he nodded at the tribe.
"...and loved ones, raise your glasses to Mistoffelees....Alonzo...and Skimbleshanks. Now and Forever."
Everyone raised thier glasses and said as one: Now and forever. They drank to the cats that would never be forgotten.
Epilogue
"And yes, those brave toms all got old and passed to Heaviside. But their memory never dies. They will always be remembered in the hearts of the tribe. My brother Mistoffelees, my good friends Alonzo and my surrogate father Skimbleshanks."
Mirahcles paused and looked at the kittens at her feet.
"Goodness! Why are you crying?" she asked them. Nasturium piped up.
"That was so sad...!" she sniffed.
Mirahcles laughed. "Why?? Everyone goes to Heaviside at the end of their lives. It's something to be looked forward to. I'll go when I get old and so will you!"
"Not me!" piped Calliope, not yet old enough to understand. "I'm staying here with Strap!"
Both Mirahcles and Nasturium laughed and she looked hurt.
"C'mon, stinkers. Who wants a snack?"
And so ends this timeline which contains the stories of the three heros and the the lives they touched.
Email Mirachles at Jesse@quiksilvernchs.zzn.com