A Full Week Later

[Munkustrap Etc.]

Munkustrap climbed onto the tire, reclining beside Deuteronomy, his paws crossed before him. He looked up when Deuteronomy spoke, but by the time the old cat had finished, Munkustrap had ducked his head in pleased embarrassment. Only Deuteronomy could consistantly bring a blush to Munkustrap's face (though his silver fur hid it well). "I only do what is expected of me..." he said.

[deuteronomy]

"You do more than anyone has expected of you." He had heard those words once before, from another Protector, one of his youth. He had not meant it, however. He had been afraid at the time, fearing banishment, he had been cowering from someone much younger but with more power than he would ever know.

Deuteronomy, on the other paw, very rarely said things he did not mean. Therefore, when he glanced up at Quaxo and remarked "You don't seem fully awake, Quaxo... Has sleep been coming hard?", he was not merely trying to make conversation.

[[scean]]

"No, sir." Quaxo replied quietly, giving their leader a smile and lifting his head. He turned his gaze quickly to Munkustrap, shaking his head slowly. "I was just looking out for Munkustrap while he was healing. I didn't want anything bad to happen to him while he was asleep, sir." Quaxo smiled at Munkustrap and sat up, crawling onto the tire on the other side of his friend and resting one paw on the small of Munkustrap's back.

[Munkustrap Etc.]

Munkustrap leaned over and butted his head affectionately against Old Deuteronomy's arm at those words, smiling at the old cat. Not for the first time, he wished he actually was Deuteronomy's son, so he could have another reason to make him proud.

He turned to smile faintly at Quaxo as well as the younger cat joined them on the tire. "Quaxo has been a good nurse, making sure I stay in bed as Jellylorum ordered, as well as helping keep the yard safe. Alonzo has been doing an excellent job as well." Munkustrap believed in sharing success, even for something as seemingly insignificant as what Alonzo and Quaxo were doing. It mattered to someone.

[deuteronomy]

"Now that he seems a bit better, you may want to consider getting some rest," the leader advised, his tail giving a slight flick. "It will do no good to run yourself ragged. Then it would be up to him to take care of you, and poor Alonzo will never be able to pass off his duties."

They were not trying to hide their actions, and Deuteronomy was almost glad for that. It would have been awkward for all parties if he had to ask. He had never seen the fuss, really. As long as his human didn't fall for some classless public school girl. Or an American. Then he might have had a problem.

There were times when Deuteronomy wished Munkustrap was his son, or at least that he had grown up within reach. He did not know much about the tabby's past, but he suspected it had not been a happy kittenhood...

[[scean]]

Quaxo smiled at Deuteronomy, giving a small nod of his head. "I will, sir. Thank you." he said quietly, bowing his head again in respect and moving a tick closer to Munkustrap. He let his arm slide completely around the older tom's waist, and he smiled a little, wondering if the elderly leader noticed his affections toward their Protector.

He turned his gaze toward the large cat's face for a moment, smiling widely. He'd always admired Deuteronomy's seemingly endless strength. "For now, sir, I think I'll stay up, though... I'm not sure if you know this, but my... er, Macavity attacked two days ago. We fought him off, but he didn't get hurt too badly. He disappeared on his own. I'm not sure where he went..."

[Munkustrap Etc.]

Munkustrap laughed slightly. "I don't know if Alonzo would love getting the job so soon, or wish I still had it." He glanced down at Quaxo's arm, and then over at Deuteronomy as well. "Macavity tried to kidnap Quaxo. He has discovered that Quaxo is the one who brought you back at the last ball. He may try to come after you again... but I think, right now, his attention is on our magician."

[deuteronomy]

"Yes, I'd heard..." he muttered, sighing and shaking his head. Why could that ginger menace not keep his nose in his own territory, as least while they licked their wounds? He would have said that he had wished Macavity had gotten killed, but such bitter words were not needed. "In a few more days, I'll be up to any major healings, so exhaustion and illness should not be a problem, as well as any more injuries that are sustained,"

But, of course, magic could not fix humans. Well, it could, but at much too high a price. Too high a price for a cat to ever pay for a human in the first place.

"I am quite safe, Munkustrap. Macavity would not dare attack a human home. Quaxo, on the other hand, I worry for."

[Munkustrap Etc.]

"Macavity is notorious for pushing the limits of what he would dare to do," Munkustrap countered. "While you're probably right, there is still some amount of danger. With Quaxo, we would notice immediately if he went missing, but you live alone." With a smile, he put a paw on Deuteronomy's knee. "I cannot help but worry about you. It's part of my job."

[[scean]]

Quaxo shook his head slowly, reaching his paw over to rest gently on their leader's arm. "Don't worry about me, sir." he said quietly after the grey Protector had spoken, giving the elderly cat a reassuring smile. "I'm sure I can hold my own against Macavity. His magic is not nearly as strong as mine. The worst he can do is disappear from my paws if I catch him."

The young tom chuckled quietly, pulling his hand back from Deuteronomy's arm. He rested it gently on Munkustrap's waist again, holding the older cat close and nestling his face into Munkustrap's neck as he nodded in agreement with Munkustrap's words.

[deuteronomy]

"My human would notice," he said with a casual shrug. Besides when she was at school or a music lesson, she was usually home. Poor thing didn't have much of a social life, but he would perfer that to having her running around with a gang or something of the like. "And I know you can't, no more than I can stop worrying about you. The pair of you."

[orangekittencream]

Pouncival had not had any luck with finding Tumblebrutus that evening, but was quite glad he had gone off. Apparently Macavity had made an apperance. A very scary apperance. Etcy had obviously jabbered his ear off about the whole ordeal for the past two days. He was actually sick of hearing it she was telling him so much.

But he did worry about Munkustrap and the others in the fight. They had not been out yet and he was relieved to see Munkus still alive when he came into the junkyard that night. And Old D! He grinned and felt like pouncing on all the old cat that was practically like a father to him.

Instead of full-blown tackling him he instead jumped on the tire beside him and began nuzzling the old one rapidly. He began to purr rather loudly and mewled happily. What a great way to start the night! After he had welcomed the Leader back he turned to the other Jellicles, still smiling.

"Munkus, I hope you're alright. I'm sorry I wasn't there to help!"

He totally would've helped had he been there! Helped by going to get help!

And then Demeter appeared. She hadn't been seen for a week. Almost as long as Deuteronomy had been gone. She slinked up, eyes darting for any signs of Macavity. It was a wonder she out after the notorious cat had attacked again just a night ago. She darted towards the Protector, eyeing Quaxo not all too friendly. Her eyes narrowed, but she said nothing as she gently pushed him aside to lay next to the gray cat she had for so long yearned for.

[Shannon]

Bombalurina opened her eyes and peered out into the darkness. She was not certain what hd woken her, but now she was up.

The red queen yawned and stretched, then exited her home. She wondered briefly where everyone was.

"Demeter!" Bomba called, spotting her friend. She raced over and licked her ear. "It's good to see you! I've missed you a lot."

{Sorry. I have to go. I'll be back later. Bye!}

[Munkustrap Etc.]

"But we don't have a way to contact her," Munkustrap pointed out. "Still, we managed to do some damage to Macavity during his last attack. With any luck, he'll be forced to lie low and recover himself, which will give us time to regroup. We may need to look into offering Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer permanent sanctuary, though." He told Deuteronomy briefly about how the pair had jumped to aid him in his fight against Macavity, and how Rumpleteazer especially had been injured. "I couldn't keep him off her," he finished sadly.

When Pouncival showed up, Munkustrap smiled fondly at the kitten. "I'm sorry too. Had you been there, we would have won for sure. But I'll be fine. I'm glad you weren't hurt."

And then... Demeter. Munkustrap looked up with a relieved expression as the gold and black queen appeared. He frowned slightly as she pushed Quaxo aside, but he reached out to squeeze her shoulder. "Hello, Demeter. It's good to see you again." Especially after Macavity attacked...

"POUNCIVAL!" Etcetera's voice was heard mere seconds before the little kitten came galloping around a corner. "YOU RUNNED OFF, YOU BAD KITT... Oh, hello, Old Deutemy, sir." She came to a quick stop at the foot of the tire, instantly looking bashful, tucking her paws behind her back and scuffing her paw in the dirt. "I didn't know you was here." After a moment of looking shy, she broke out into a large grin and hugged his legs, purring her happiness at seeing the leader again.

[[scean]]

He was being moved.

Quaxo's eyes widened as he saw Demeter curl up beside his Munkustrap. His? What the hell? The young tom snarled a little at the queen, the fur on his back raising as he resisted jumping on her. Wouldn't that just be perfect?

Instead of attacking the young queen, Quaxo took a deep breath and gracefully hopped off of the tire, sitting on the ground beside it and pouting as cutely as he could. He wrapped his arms around himself as well as his tail, curling his knees to his chest and yawning a little. Maybe now would be a time to go to his den and sleep. Demeter was not a queen he honestly wanted to see right now.