The next day Eliot was up early, getting the Phantom ready for departure. Before too long, all the Jellicles had gathered to say goodbye.
"Um, thank you for your hospitality," Eliot said awkwardly. "I don't know what we would have done if you hadn't been so kind."
"We would have ended up as cat chow, that's what," Jabez muttered, remembering his first impression of the Coricats.
"Will you ever come back, Eliot?" Vyktorea implored from Plaetoh's protective embrace.
"Maybe," Eliot hated himself as he said this, knowing that he would never return to Coricum.
"We'll miss you," Munkustrap said from where he stood with one arm around his mate and one arm around his mother.
Grizabella said something in Coricus and Munkustrap translated, "Mama says she is sorry she didn't get a chance to know you, but she wishes you well."
"Uh, tell her thanks and we wish her the same," Eliot murmured, fighting down an inexplicable lump in his throat as the chief translated this to his mother. He looked at Pavel and Jabez, then said, "Well, come on, guys. I hate long goodbyes, so let's…"
"Eliot," Vyktorea was suddenly right at his elbow, "please, don't ever forget us!"
"I-I won't," Eliot said shakily.
Vyktorea purred and rubbed against him, then went to rub against Jabez as Etsetera rubbed against Eliot. And so it continued. Even Tughar and Plaetoh, encouraged by their respective sweethearts, tentatively rubbed against the departing Terrans, which rather startled Eliot and Jabez.
When the affectionate nuzzling finally stopped, Eliot hustled his crewmates up the gangplank, saying, "Well, goodbye, guys. Thanks for everything."
The last thing he heard before the exit hatch closed on Coricum was Old Dutironomy saying, "You will always be welcome here, should you choose to return."
Once again, Cats and everything associated with it belongs to Andrew Lloyd Webber and the Really Useful Group. I'm am not being paid to write this stuff. Who would buy it, anyway? If you liked my crazy story, e-mail me and tell me what you liked. If you didn't like it you can still e-mail me, but try to be constructive with your criticism. The address to send your comments to is WitchCat07@yahoo.com. Well, that's all for now. Hasta luego!
©1999 Delilah