Trapped Part One

Trapped - Part One

The night was dark, for heavy clouds covered the full moon. The air was still, for there was no wind. The streets were quiet, for the only self-respecting beings that occupied the hot spring-almost-summer night were the four-legged city residents. Sitting, waiting, keeping out of everyone's way, a solitary cat watched his territory from where he sat on a brick window ledge. Dark forces were at play in his mind, but on this particular night the unsuspecting city was spared his havoc by a good mood. Macavity was content to rest, for now.

He was on the verge of sleep when the sound of motors split the quiet air. Slitting his eyes open irritatedly, he watched as a large van come rolling at a leisurely pace over the dark asphalt of street, followed by a truck and trailer. The rumble of their engines vibrated the ground, deep into Macavity's chest. The fluttering streetlights reflected brilliantly off their polished metal sides, painted the purest white with a solitary image on each side. It was a large logo of some sort, painted red and blue, resembling a cat or dog's pawprint. Macavity watched them go by with a yawn, ignorant of their meaning or purpose as they rumbled on towards the West end of the city.

He waited. Tense. Rigid. Afraid to move or breathe. It couldn't be long now. Those five minutes in which he watched the clouds creep lazily across the moon he was sure were the longest in his life. His eyes strained, his neck stretching as he willed the clouds on to greater speeds so that they might release the moon's light from their veil, letting it spill out over the junkyard, which lay silent as a tomb in the darkness. A soft hand came to rest on his shoulder.

"Wait..."

The protesting bundle at his feet was unwilling to wait, and squirmed incessantly with excitement. The wait wouldn't be much longer, he knew. The clouds parted, moonlight streamed onto the area, deserted only in appearance, and almost at once one clear tenor voice cut the silence.

"Jellicle Cats come out tonight! Jellicle Cats come one come all!

The Jellicle Moon is shining bright! Jellicles come to the Jellicle Ball!"

A flash of claws, and in a matter of moments the junkyard was flooded with all manner of faces, voices, and fur colors. The annual Jellicle Ball had begun.

From where she sat between her father's black paws, Demetria's wide blue eyes looked up into his face, wide with wonder. "Is this it?" her naive voice piped. Munkustrap gazed out at the cats, then smiled down at her and rubbed her between the ears.

"It sure is."

Beside Demetria, on the outside of Munkustrap's protective stance, a smaller black and silver-flecked tom kitten wriggled with boundless energy and excitement that contradicted his skeptical words. "Aw, it don't look like much."

Munkustrap regarded his impudence with a stern look. "You just wait, Velvedere."

Demetria copied her father's glance at the younger kitten, which was returned with a pathetic show of teeth. "Wait for what, Daddy?" she turned and asked Munkustrap.

"For your grandfather, Deuteronomy. That's when we dance."

"Why doesn't he come the same time as the other cats?" Velvedere posed.

"No one tells the Jellicle Leader what to do, Velv."

"Why not?"

"Because we respect him."

"So what do we do `til then?"

"Mingle. Have fun. That's what tonight is for."

Velvedere scoffed, scratching behind his ear. "Aw, but we do that every day. What's different about tonight?"

"Do you ever run out of questions?" Munkustrap finalized, bordering on irritated. The curious kitten immediately fell quiet. Demetria giggled girlishly, and while suppressing a smile Munkustrap ushered them out into the open. "Now Dem," he told her in the tone of voice she knew to listen to. "This is your first Ball, but it's Velv's too. Introduce him to some of the other kittens. Go on and play."

Demetria nodded in acknowledgment of her responsibility, then beckoned Velvedere as she bounded into the mass of cats. "C'mon, Velv! Look! There's Uncle Tugger!"

Munkustrap groaned, turned his eyes up to the moon as he mumbled. His gaze fell and caught sight of the cumbersome form of Jennyanydots lugging herself over an old stove to join the cats. Smiling gently, he bounded to help her, extending a paw which she grabbed in support.

"Munkustrap," she breathed gratefully, wiping an orange paw across her brow. "Thankyou. Oh, dearie me, have we started already?"

Munkustrap couldn't help but laugh. As much as he liked the Gumbie Cat, the idea of her dancing was preposterous. "No, Jenny," he chuckled, respectfully taking the end of her fluffy tail and dusting it, much to her delight. "Far from it."

Jenny fanned herself with her paw, glancing over the gathered Jellicles. She frowned momentarily. "You brought that little black kitten? Velvet Ears, or what's-his-name?"

"Velvedere," he politely corrected. He caught her disapproving look and shrugged. "His family has been friends with Gus's family for as long as I can recall. I didn't see why he couldn't attend. Demetria seems to think he's her best friend."

"But he's not a Jellicle..."

Munkustrap grinned knowingly and winked. "He may not be now."

Jenny fluffed her tail, abandoned the conversation, and bustled off in search to see if that ragtag son of hers had arrived. It would be up to her to make sure he was clean, and that he didn't roll in any dirt or trash until the night was over. Heaviside, what a habit! Munkustrap watched her go, then was content to sit back atop a stack of newspapers that reeked of his scent and watch the activity. Most faces he knew were there: Skimble, Cassandra, Asparagus, Exotica, Coricopat and Tantomile, Bombalurina, Alonzo, Plato, Pouncival, Mistoffelees, Jellylorum, Jenny, Carbucketty, Victoria, Etcetera, Sillabub, and (of course) Tugger, but many more faces he didn't know. Outside the junkyard or the Ball, the Jellicles rarely saw each other. Everyone knows that cats aren't particularly social animals. Each year new kittens showed up at the annual dance, or new mates, or other family, or cats that had not been present last year, and this social gathering was a time for talking and catching up. Neither of which Munkustrap was very good at. He sought comfort elsewhere.

Lifting his eyes, the silvery-white orb of moon filled his vision. A small spark of happiness shone in his features as his face was bathed in her light. The moon had always been a source of divinity for Jellicles, but for Munkustrap it was something more. It was his link to Demeter. When the moon was round like tonight he could sit and talk to his mate for hours, comforted by the thought that Demeter might hear him. It had been some time since she died, and though Munkustrap found his ways of coping with the loss, it still hurt him to see their daughter grow up without a mother. But that was the way it was.

"Well Demeter," he spoke out loud to the moon, smiling slightly, "what do you think of our daughter? Her first Ball. Let's hope she's as good a dancer as you." His eyes fell to where his daughter's silver tabby form was crawling over the black and spotted fur of Tugger. "She's beautiful."

It was awhile before Munkustrap's peace was disturbed by another cat. Tugger bounded over, face plastered in never-ending smiles, Demetria balled in one arm with Etcetera dangling from his other shoulder. Velvedere trotted behind, face sour as his short legs helped little to bound over the heaps of junk as Tugger did with ease.

"What's the matter, Stripes?" Tugger crowed, laughing. "Not in the mood to party?"

Munkustrap regarded him flatly, pressed back his ears. "I'm not here to party, Tugger. I'm here to make sure nothing goes wrong."

"Relax," Tugger went on, at the same time prying Etcetera's arms from about his neck as gently as he could. "You ain't the Jellicle Leader yet." It did him little good, for the moment the kitten's arms were free they moved from around his neck to his waist, bopping Demetria into Munkustrap's lap. She didn't seem to mind.

"Isn't this great?" she laughed. Munkustrap smiled and nodded. Glancing over her shoulder at Velvedere, who seemed totally caught up in Bombalurina's style of dancing, she whispered conspiratorially in his ear. "Velvedere got Pounced."

Munkustrap laughed and deposited her on the ground again, where she simply jumped back into Tugger's lap, seeming to enjoy him almost as much as Etcetera. "C'mon, Cet," she growled playfully, grabbing a mouthful of Tugger's fluffy mane. "Together we can take this bigshot down!" Through a mouthful of fur her words were barely recognizable. None of them noticed Velvedere's wandering off.

An hour passed in what seemed to most was just fifteen minutes now that the proceedings had commenced. No sign of Deuteronomy. None really noticed, as they were too busy chatting with friends, flirting, or showing off their moves. The Ball was supposed to last all night anyway, many of them reasoned. Munkustrap hadn't moved from his spot on the newspapers, and presently was watching his tomboyish daughter play-fight with Tumblebrutus on the dusty ground. Demetria was winning.

Among the mingling cats Munkustrap spotted the white and black-splotched fur of his best friend Alonzo dancing alongside the gracefully angelic Cassandra. Against her agility he was naught but a clumsy tom as he tried to outdo her every move to little avail, all the while his real intention was to catch her eye. Flirt... Apparently it was working. She seemed as charmed with him as she tried to hide it under her snickers each time he ended up on his tail. But one had to admire his persistence. Then Jenny found him. By the various gestures and lashing of her tail, it was obvious to most that he had indeed been rolling in dirt again.

"In all my years I've never seen such a filthy, self-destroying, downright disgracing tom who ever set paw in--!!!"

"MUNKUSTRAAAAAAAAP!!!!!!"

All attention was drawn and actions stopped as a silhouette appeared over a high ridge of junk surrounding the area the Jellicles were enclosed in. It was small, darker than the night around it, and was screaming frantically as it bolted down into the cats. Munkustrap rose to his paws in alarm, mind ringing with intruder, only to realize it was Velvedere.

"Velv?" he asked aggressively. "What's the meaning of thi--"

"RUN!!!" the kitten screamed, and bolted, leaving an array of confused cats in his wake. They looked at each other in wonder, then to Munkustrap, but not a word could be uttered before a commotion occurred from beyond the ridge, and in a burst of snarls no less than four enormous dogs leaped over it and into the Jellicles.

It had been a flirtatious queen that drew little Velvedere away from the gathering of cats. Batting her eyes and swishing her tail, she led him giggling on a winding path through the junkyard, only to leave him stranded and lost. In such a vast area of winding paths and endless garbage, the kitten felt no hope of finding his way back. So he wandered forward on the path he was on, deciding that it had to lead somewhere. It wound like a snake, sometimes leading to a pile of junk that he would have to either crawl over or through. Being smaller than average, it was an easy task.

The black and silver-flecked kitten halted in his tracks when he heard the first sounds. Muffled voices and footsteps. Thinking he'd found his way back, he picked his way over the junk eagerly, muttering rough seacat language at his short legs. The sight that opened up below him under the moonlight and the dim flickering of a sole streetlamp chilled his blood.

Dogs! Almost a dozen of them. Not only dogs, but humans! Along the twisted, tangled, rusted fence that encircled the junkyard was parked a white van and matching white truck and trailer. A number of humans milled about them, unloading boxes and metal crates, cans and cartons, restraining the dogs and writing on clipboards. A number of them wore long white coats, while some had on more common human wear: mostly blue legs and colored tops. He watched them attentively, ears and whiskers quivering forward. Curiosity at this human activity had him, and he crept silently closer.

The strong, acrid smell of chemicals greeted him first, making the kitten wrinkle his muzzle and cover his nose with a paw, but not stopping his advance. He crept down the gentle slope of garbage until he was almost at the barbed-wire fence. He jumped up, setting his paws on the fence for a better view, but almost immediately a dog sighted him and went near crazy, barking and straining against its leash. Velvedere dropped down, ducking into a pipe where he took the rest of his observations.

The dogs were big, very big. Their fur was short, black mostly with brown undertones. Their faces were sharp and pointed, ears rigid on the top of their heads, and where their tails should be only a stub remained. And they all possessed a mouthful of long, gleaming white teeth. Velvedere shuddered at the thought of what those teeth could do.

Next his attention turned to the words on the van and truckside. Young as he was, his studies in human language had already progressed his literacy, but not much. He squinted, sounding out each syllable of the words that were painted boldly beside the blue and red pawprint.

"Annn...any...no, er, um...annnymall..." He frowned, searching his mind for a real word that sounded similar. "Anymall...anymal...animal!" He giggled, proud of himself, and did the same with the second word. It was considerably easier, and brought a cold chill over his heart. "Control."

The kitten's breath froze in fear. Now he saw it. The humans...scientists. Animal controllers. Exterminators! The dogs...their trackers. Those cartons...chemicals. Those boxes... Velvedere gasped as he saw one normal-dressed human lift one of the boxes' contents and hold it aloft for inspection.

"Guns!" he hissed. Any cat with half a brain knew what a gun was and what it could do. The sight of it terrified the kitten. He crouched down, trying to make his paws stop shaking. What am I going to do?! Human with guns and dogs! Human Animal Controllers with dogs and guns! His panicked thoughts as he began to creep away were halted by the sound of another vehicle motor. He peeked back through the end of the pipe.

Another van had approached and stopped at the gate. This one was blue, looked very battered, and was covered in a wide assortment of what Velvedere knew to be stickers. He frowned. A sticker had gotten stuck on his paw once. He didn't like them. Two more humans got out from that van, one male, one female. The female had extremely long hair tied back, and wore very bright, colorful clothes that contrasted the dark night. The male had on the blue legs and no top. A little fur covered his chest, but not much. The two strode boldly up to the Animal Controllers. They didn't look happy. A lot of shouting exchanged between the two groups, the two new humans waving a sheet of paper and pointing at the guns and dogs. More shouting. The female made a gesture at the Animal Controllers, and the two climbed back into their van and left in a squeal of tires. Velvedere watched it all, perplexed. That was when they released the dogs.

Like a hurricane of fury they plouged into the junkyard through the open gate. Velvedere hissed and puffed, knowing it did little good, as they immediately made for his hiding spot. A myriad number of teeth descended on the pipe, and scared as he was Velvedere was frozen. It was a wonder he escaped alive. One of the dogs lifted the pipe in its jaws and shook it violently, sending the kitten tumbling out. In a scramble of claws Velvedere kept his balance and bolted, running as fast as his short legs could carry him.

The kitten's short limbs did little to help him through the junkyard, but at the same time the dogs did not fare as well, either. They were big, weighing much more than a cat, and the unstable junk beneath their feet would shake and sometimes collapse beneath their weight. Their size also hindered their dexterity among the hidden gaps and holes of the piled garbage, and Velvedere could dart and bob his way through the junk, increasing the distance between them. He had to find the Jellicles!

Which landed the kitten bolting unwittingly into the midst of the Jellicles' mingling, the dogs trailing not far behind. At the sight of them, Munkustrap instinctly took immediate action.

"Cats!" he bellowed. "Scatter!"

A chorus of screams accompanied the panicked rush as the Jellicles ran for their lives. Mothers grabbed their kittens, toms grabbed their mates, and cats dashed in every direction, leaving the dogs stupefied as to which way to go. Only a moment's hesitation passed before the canines selected a direction and continued their rampage.

"Daddy!" Demetria cried out in fear. She lay curled in a tiny ball on the ground, eyes searching the confusion frantically for that face of protection. Munkustrap pounced, his large paws landing around her as he snatched her up by the scruff and bolted, heading for the closest place he knew was safe from the dogs...and where he hoped the others would, too. From where she dangled, Demetria's voice could barely be heard over the screams and barking. "Daddy! Where's Velvedere...?"

Munkustrap said nothing, keeping his mouth shut firmly. His mind was only set on his and Demetria's safety. The others he could worry about when they were safe from the dogs.

There was one place in the junkyard the Jellicles had hoped they would never have to use. Deep in the heart of the dump there was an enormous pile of cars, tires, and all manners of discarded appliances. What wasn't shone was that it was hollow inside, and there were only two entrances: a leaning trashcan near the base, and one at the very top, disguised as an oven. Munkustrap didn't know who built it; it had been there ever since he could remember. It was known by all Jellicles that if a crisis should arise (such as Animal Controllers releasing a team of dogs in the junkyard), that particular place was a safe haven for any cat. It was sturdy and dog-proof. At this moment, nothing was more welcome.

Munkustrap felt his legs about to give out from under him as the lower main entrance came into view. The sounds of the snarling dogs were behind him, not close, but just the fact they were there at all made him urge his legs to go faster. Demetria cried out as Munkustrap suddenly leaped, seeming as though he would slam into the metal trashcan, but it easily gave way under his weight and the two tabbies found themselves sprawled on the cool dirt of a sheltered place. Behind them, the mad barking and snarlings of the dog mixed with its claws scraping the metal. Demetria, whimpering, huddled close to her father as he climbed to his paws. He held her comfortingly, glancing about the place which was lit by only the moon filtering through the gap in the ceiling. By its light he was surprised to see several other cats already there. Faces peered from the darkness, eyes wide in fear. Whimpering kittens could be heard alongside the soothing of their parents. Fear hung in the air as the dog's attempts to get in failed, and snarling it slunk away. For an eternity all was quiet.

Munkustrap shakily padded forward, away from the entrance. Demetria clutched his side like a shadow, her breathing short and rapid with fear. "What was it, Daddy?" she asked barely over a whisper. Immediately following: "Is Velvedere okay?"

"I'm sure," Munkustrap said hastily, eyes scanning the place. The kitten was nowhere in sight. The cries of the terrified cats became more frantic and louder as the sounds of the dogs outside faded.

"Is it over?"

"What's going on?"

"No! You can't go out there!"

"Where is he?!"

A female cat bounded forward to meet Munkustrap. Her breath was ragged with pants, eyes wide and frantic, and her voice heavily accented.

"Munkastra'!" Rumpleteazer gasped. "Whe'e's Jerrie? Didja see `em? Whe'e is `e?! Las' I `eard `e was screamin'! Whe'e is `e, Stra'?!"

Her cries helped nothing. Already frightened cats began to panic, and Demetria crouched down into a tiny ball and began to cry. Munkustrap hushed her quickly with a comforting shoulder squeeze and made himself prominent. "Everyone!" He waiting until they gave their attention. For a moment complete silence reigned the hideout. It was broken by a chorus of angry voices beyond the sturdy walls. Human voices. They rose bickering among the yelps of dogs, then faded, but didn't die. There must have been dozens of them. Then rumbling motors and mechanic clicks joined the orchestra that struck fear into the cats' hearts.

"There's death out there," Exotica's low, prophesizing voice growled. The sound of doom in her voice sent chills up Munkustrap's spine. None of the cats seemed to want to argue.

An ear-splitting gunshot cut the air, followed by the angry curse of a human. It was distant, but the feeling of death fell over them all. Demetria buried her face in her paws and Munkustrap swept her up, holding her against his chest tightly. Another cat moved from the darkness.

"What's goin' on?" Skimbleshanks asked. His orange-striped face was etched in fear. Munkustrap saw behind him, crouching in the darkness, Jellylorum's frail figure. At least they were safe.

"Heaviside," Munkustrap whispered, feeling Demetria tense against him. "I wish I knew." He shifted his weight and began to set Demetria down. She wouldn't let go.

"Daddy..."

"It's okay," he purred. "Go sit with Jellylorum over there. Don't worry, you'll be safe." His daughter's bright blue eyes met with his, begging. Reluctantly she went. Munkustrap turned back to Skimble. "We can't stay in here for long, Skimble. There's no food and no water. Heaviside knows what it'll be like tomorrow when the sun comes out and it starts getting hot..."

Another gunshot cut the junkyard. This one was rewarded by cheers. Munkustrap forbid himself to think what the humans were shooting at. The quiet that followed was unbearable...the quiet of those waiting for death. He couldn't stand it.

"Everyone," he said again. Skimble didn't move. "Everyone, listen to me." They were only too eager to listen to the one they looked to for guidance so long. "As long as we're in here, we're safe. The dogs can't get in here."

"Jerrie's out the'e!" Rumpleteazer cried again. "Oi got'a foind Jerrie!"

"There's death out there," Exotica hissed, echoing her own foreshadowing. She was crouched in the darkest area of the many-angled and many-corridored hideout. Her eyes glowed strangely in the dark.

"Of course," Munkustrap said to her calmly, not wanting to argue with an insane cat especially in this sort of situation. "We know, Exotica. Everyone just stay calm. You won't help anything by panicking."

"I wanna go home," a kitten cried. "I'm scared."

"Shut up," Pouncival snapped from where he perched on a stovetop ledge. Munkustrap shot him a glance and the younger tom backed down. Rumpleteazer was still standing alone, limbs quaking with panic that went uncured by Munkustrap's words.

"Oi can't stay `ere," she began in a whisper, eyes darting from the entrance to the cats. "Oi can't stay `ere...Jerrie's out the'e. `E moight be `urt! Oi `eard `im screamin' afta' th' runnin' star'ed." She took a shaky step towards the entrance, ears working as though gathering the nerve to run out. "Oi got'a foind `em! Summun `elp me!" She turned to Munkustrap, to Skimble, to the others, but no one said anything. Not even moved. "Please!"

Munkustrap wasn't sure if he was relieved or irritated when Tugger's lanky form materialized from the darkness, taking hold of Rumpleteazer's shoulders and pulling her back with him. "It's alright, Teazer. We'll find him. Even if he's out there, he's smart. He can take care of himself."

That was Tugger, Munkustrap thought. Tell the truth no matter how horrible things got. But even that seemed to reassure Mungojerrie's frantic sister, and she squeezed tight to Tugger's side as he led her to sit down.

Demetria's crying never ceased, and Jellylorum finally gave up trying to soothe the kitten and turned her over to her father. Munkustrap sat in the cradle of a broken chair, the tiny striped kitten held gently in his arms. She wept for fear, for Velvedere, for several things until she cried herself to sleep with a last mumble of "Those things are bad." Munkustrap found himself suddenly swept over by exhaustion. He breathed out and let himself relax for a moment. His eyes roved over the hideout full of Jellicles.

It was a large place, at least thirty feet high, with endless paths and tunnels through its walls of piled junk that Munkustrap had no idea where they led to or how long they were. There were uncountable numbers of ledges and niches made by the garbage as well, such as the chair he lay in now. These places were where most of the cats lay, huddled down as small as they could, waiting for something, anything, to happen. About twenty cats had made it to the hideout, well over half of the occupants that had been at the Jellicle Ball not half an hour ago. What had became of the others...he shuddered.

When Munkustrap was sure Demetria was fully asleep, he ever so gently laid her out on the chair and leaped down to the soft dirt that made up the floor. He avoided eye contact with all others as he padded across the floor. He knew their eyes were on him, fixed on his striped back, expecting him to be the one to figure out how to get them all out of this safely. Here he was at a disadvantage. He didn't even know what they were up against. But as long as they had hope and faith in him, he wouldn't let them down. He would find a way out, come humans or dogs.

Creeping along a rail of planks that would have creaked under the weight of a less dexterous cat, the silver-gray tabby crept up towards the open entrance of the hideout. It was a wonder the dogs had not yet found it. Looking up, the saw the still full moon creeping behind clouds again, their shadows hiding his form to the other cats. All he wanted was a look, a hint of something to let him know how many the enemy numbered.

The quiet sound of crickets greeted Munkustrap's ears as he sniffed, then carefully pulled his head and torso up the opening into which he barely fit. All around him the junkyard lay quiet, its darkness seemingly innocent of the enemy he knew lurked there. Their scents saturated the area, but none were seen. It was eerie.

A sound. Distant, but definite. Munkustrap's head whipped sharply in that direction. His limbs went stiff with terror. Four bright lights, like steady fireflies, pointed from a ridge of junk not fifty paces away. They bobbed and weaved as Munkustrap stared at them, creating the shuffling sound that he heard. Then he heard another...a low click. His whiskers and ears stood forward, straining.

BAM! The tin can to his immediate left exploded a millisecond after a thundering crack was heard. Sharp fragments shot in every which direction, one large chunk embedding itself in Munkustrap's shoulder. Immediately he threw himself back down into the hideout.

Three or four cats were waiting on the platform below the hole. One of them: Asparagus, leaped back, nearly tumbling off, as Munkustrap came slamming down. Skimble helped him up.

"Strap, what happened? We heard a gun--Aye! You're shot!"

"No," the tabby muttered as he pushed the orange cat away. "They missed. It's just metal."

"What'd you see?" asked the last tom. It was Tugger.

"Lights," Munkustrap rasped. "Human scent all over the place." He shook his head in defeat. "They're out there."

"We're going to have to tell the others something," Asparagus pointed out soberly. Tugger began to protest immediately. Munkustrap silenced him with a look.

"If we don't tell them something, they'll take the silence as a safety sign and may try to leave. Humans can't miss that often."

"They'd all be shot," Skimble agreed, nodding his head. Munkustrap gestured them away, remaining a moment to wrestle the knot that had been tied in his stomach. His mind rang with the sound of gunshots, the sight of the unseen weapons tearing into little Demetria and snuffing the life from her. His mind saw her fall to the ground, dead. Shuddering, he padded back to the ground level, gazing at Demetria still asleep in the chair. To his right he saw Exotica's eyes staring at him lifelessly. He averted his gaze, and once again called the attention of the Jellicles.

"Cats," he said with a sigh, gazing at the floor as he felt all eyes weighing upon him. "I'm not going to lie to you: we're in a dangerous situation. We're stuck in here. Tomorrow the sun will come up, and Heaviside knows how high the heat may climb in this junk. We have no food and no water. The humans are all over the junkyard, and they have guns and dogs."

"What do they want?" came the voice of Mistoffelees.

"I don't know, and right now I don't think that's important. They're here. They obviously want to kill us. Until then--"

"Death!" Exotica yeowled, making Munkustrap start in surprise. He whipped his gaze again to her as she slipped from her shadow, slinking low to the ground towards Munkustrap, her back arched sickly. Munkustrap couldn't help but shrink away from her thin frame and mange-ridden fur. "Death is upon us! We have displeased the Everlasting Cat with our feral ways! See how we are punished? We carry the mark of the Dark One as we take on his acts. You will all die as punishment!"

"Can't you shut her up?" Pouncival's rash voice barked again. "She's scarin' the kittens."

Exotica whirled at him, ears flattened against her skull-like face. "You have good right to be afraid! For when the dogs Heaviside-sent descend upon you--!"

"That's enough," Skimble said, standing tall over her with a strict gaze. "That's quite enough, lass."

She whirled and hissed at him. "It's the end! Death!" And scampered back into her shadow, mumbling nonsense words. It was awhile before another cat spoke.

"So what do we do?" Jellylorum asked.

"We wait," Munkustrap said resolutely. "Something will happen, but we'll wait. Conserve all your energy, stay in the shadows. We won't die in here."

As usual, Tugger's voice of dissent followed shortly. "Heaviside willin'."

The next few hours seemed to pass by in a dream. At first none of the cats seemed willing to believe that they were trapped in here, at the mercy of whatever machines the humans had brought. Some cried, some cursed, some slept, but all hoped that soon they would just wake up and it be a bad dream.

There was Tugger, who was outright angry at the whole situation and made it well known. He was joined by Pouncival and Tumblebrutus, and together the three chewed over the same angry phrases and thoughts. Jellylorum and Jennyanydots had sought each other out, as female friends will do, and made it their business to rally and comfort the kittens, who had been at their first Jellicle Ball hoping to have a wonderful time and be initiated into the tribe. So much for that, Munkustrap thought sourly. And still there was no Velvedere. Munkustrap didn't show it, but his thoughts of the kitten's fate were not good ones. Demetria had woken up, and seeing she was still in this place after all she whimpered and climbed over to her father.

"I miss mommy," was all she said. As much as those words might have hurt him, Munkustrap never felt anything--pain or regret--when his daughter mewled that phrase. She had never known her mother. Except for those few moments when she snuggled blind and deaf beside Demeter's warm belly, there was no existing relationship.

If there was one cat who didn't seem the least bit worried or frightened by the situation, it was Exotica. From her dark perch in the shadows her yellow eyes glared out at the others cats. They were not evil, or menacing, but...strange. It was no wonder why she sat alone. "There is no defense against the humans..." Her crazy rant went on, lowering and rising no matter who--if anyone--was listening. Munkustrap for the most part chose to ignore her.

"You will all die...no one can stand against the Everlasting Cat's wishes. No one..."

"So what d'you think we should do?" Skimble finally snapped at her. "If we're going to die anyway, why rant about it?"

"Repent!" she yeowled. "Repent before it's too late! Skimble, I have seen you taste the blood of animals...what do I want you to do? Repent! What happens when the sun rises? The humans are not like us...they see in daylight. When dawn comes they will move! The junkyard will run red!"

Demetria buried her face in Munkustrap's fur, and he did his best to comfort her, though he didn't think it was much.

Munkustrap had begun to doze off himself when Skimble approached. "Stripes?"

The tabby opened one eye. Skimble's face was wide and white...he wanted to talk. Munkustrap sent Demetria padding over the Jellylorum after a short argument and beckoned the orange tabby to sit beside the chair he still claimed.

"I'm worried, Strap. Exotica's right. The humans'll start moving when the sun rises. Who knows what machines they have to tear this place down?"

"Maybe they'll leave before then," Asparagus's soft voice emitted from above Munkustrap's head.

"Don't bet on it," Tugger snapped from the place he'd been lounging at for hours. Munkustrap saw him turn his thick-furred mane and head so he could get a better look at the trio. "And what about food? I'm gettin' hungry already. I can only imagine what those kittens're feelin'. An' water?"

Munkustrap was reluctant to confront the problems he'd already been pondering. He was tired. "We have at least a day before things get bad in here..." he said, at the same time thinking it was perhaps more like a few hours until the sun rose. "But you're right. Waiting doing nothing isn't going to help. Listen, get yourselves and some other toms to search all the tunnels and hiding places in this heap of junk. Look for anything edible, potable, or blankets...something that'll help."

Perhaps it was the thought of having something to do to take their minds off their troubles, but all toms went to it with enthusiasm.

By dawn the place had been searched thoroughly, and Munkustrap discovered only two things: it was bigger than he'd thought and there was nothing to help them. All of the tunnels and crevices made good dens and resting places, but they were all either dead ends or looped back to this main cavern. None of them led out. Blankets and sheets had been found stashed, but all they were good for was providing the kittens and queens a little luxury. Tugger had once proposed that they dig their way out, but cats' paws were not designed for digging. After a few attempts they found it too painful. Munkustrap's thoughts had considerably taken a turn for the worse when a ray of hope came directly from Heaviside. And it came in the form of Mungojerrie.