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Post by Munkustrap Etc. on May 3, 2007 19:04:14 GMT -5
Munkustrap got up and caught Etcetera, stopping her from spinning. "Calm down, Etcy... you'll make the kitten sick." Deuteronomy or not, no kitten should be spun around like that. He took the kitten away from the hyperactive Etcetera and looked down at the puffed tom. Was this Deuteronomy reborn... already?
And if it was... what did you do when your leader was a kitten?
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Post by deuteronomy on May 3, 2007 19:09:34 GMT -5
Deuteronomy's ears were folded against his head slightly, more with the shame of facing Munkustrap than the shock of being spun around like Etectera's snugglebunny. There was a long silence. Finally...
"Hello, Munkustrap..." It was soft and scratched, not to mention painful on his throat, but it was audible.
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Post by Munkustrap Etc. on May 3, 2007 19:16:57 GMT -5
Munkustrap sat down rather abruptly, staring at the kitten he held. "Deuteronomy..." he whispered. So, all the stories about rebirth were true. Slowly, he began to smile, and then he laughed, the sound of so much stress and worry being relieved immediately. He hugged Deuteronomy, unable to speak at the moment, but just so, so happy that the old cat wasn't truly dead after all.
Burelle blinked, crossing her arms over her chest. Well! If that kitten was Deuteronomy, the ancient cat, she certainly wasn't about to let him nurse! He'd have to find some other way to get food...
...unless he really was too little to eat solid food, and then maybe they'd have to work out some sort of agreement.
Heaviside, that would just be awkward...
Tumble watched all of this, from Munkustrap's declaration to Alonzo's appointment as Protector to Etcetera's revelation to Munkustrap's laughter, and he scratched an ear. "Uh..." Deuteronomy was dead? No, Deuteronomy was a kitten. A kitten! He turned to Rusty and offered her a sheepish smile. "We don't usually have this sort of drama... sorry about that... I think..."
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Post by deuteronomy on May 3, 2007 19:21:10 GMT -5
Deuteronomy was going to eat solid food if he choked on it. By his estimates, he was old enough to. If not... He'd show up on a human's doorstep whining for carton milk.
"I... I beg your forgiveness..." he managed to rasp out. "And I ask you for acceptance back into the tribe. Heaviside knows I don't deserve it, after what I did..."
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Post by Munkustrap Etc. on May 3, 2007 19:25:35 GMT -5
Munkustrap calmed himself down and listened to what Deuteronomy had to say, setting the kitten down in front of him. Deuteronomy was a kitten! That was so hard to believe... but yet it was true, and Deuteronomy, sitting in front of him, was living proof. Living. Such a glorious word. "Hush," he said, shaking his head. "You don't sound up to talking just yet. You can explain things later." He touched Deuteronomy's small paw with his own. "You are always welcome in the Jellicle tribe, Deuteronomy, even if you die without giving us some sort of warning." He didn't know what else Deuteronomy could be apologizing for, and didn't bother thinking about it. "We're just glad to have you among us again."
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Post by deuteronomy on May 3, 2007 19:28:18 GMT -5
Deuteronomy smiled. Well... At least he wasn't being exiled... What a waste that would have been, to survive to make it to the junkyard then to be booted out again.
And Munkustrap was right, his voice was strained. So in thanks, Deuteronomy merely nuzzled Munkustrap's shoulder. Or as far up as he could reach, anyway.
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Post by Munkustrap Etc. on May 3, 2007 19:32:26 GMT -5
"This is going to take some getting used to," Munkustrap said, watching Deuteronomy nuzzle his arm. "You being smaller than me. I'm accustomed to it being the other way around." He touched Deuteronomy's small shoulder, realizing that their leader wasn't going to be that much older than his own kittens, now. "I... I can take care of things until you're..." he almost smirked, "old enough to be the Leader again." If things were only on a temporary basis, he could handle running the tribe. Surely he wouldn't have to do it for long, and Deuteronomy would be around for help if he needed it. Things were looking a lot brighter now.
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Post by deuteronomy on May 3, 2007 19:38:57 GMT -5
The kit nodded, a grateful smile. None of the other tribes were bound to take him seriously like this, anyway... Besides, he trusted Munkustrap. Even if he had of really died, there was no one better to lead.
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Post by Munkustrap Etc. on May 3, 2007 19:43:36 GMT -5
Etcetera bounced over and nuzzled Baby Deut's ears. "Was I right? I was right, wasn't I? He is Baby Deut!"
Munkustrap nodded, and Etcetera cheered, whirling around the piano in her excitement.
Tumble moved out of Etcy's way and crept closer to Munkustrap, glancing down at the kitten who was the oldest cat in the tribe. Had been the oldest. "So... um... what now?"
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Post by deuteronomy on May 3, 2007 19:45:07 GMT -5
And now he was going to have to put up with Etcetera, and probably a few others, calling him Baby Duet. Even after his chest infection cleared up and he got his voice back, he had a feeling his words would be greatly outbalanced by the sheer novelty of having a pocket-sized leader.
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Post by Munkustrap Etc. on May 3, 2007 19:46:11 GMT -5
((I'll be back))
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Post by deuteronomy on May 3, 2007 19:51:05 GMT -5
((I have to go for the night, I'm afraid...))
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Post by Munkustrap Etc. on May 3, 2007 21:13:22 GMT -5
"Now, we sleep," Munkustrap said, turning to Tumble. "This has been a very long day. Go, rest." He gestured to the corner where Quaxo was.
Tumble nodded and padded over to Quaxo. He nuzzled his little lover, offering him a smile and silently forgiving him for the way he wrapped his tail around Munkus' earlier.
Eventually, even Etcetera settled down and fell asleep.
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Post by deuteronomy on May 4, 2007 5:03:45 GMT -5
Deuteronomy settled himself closer to Bruelle than Etcetera, mostly for fear of being spun around again, and possibly dropped. He might have staked himself out a corner if the warmth didn't feel so good...
Had he done the right thing...? Probably. Christine was alive, he was alive, the tribe was safe... So what if his powers were a little... unreliable, for a while? Surely nothing that couldn't be dealt with.
The kitten finally fell asleep, dreaming of home.
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Post by rustystarlight on May 4, 2007 10:38:36 GMT -5
Rusty smiled as she looked around hopefully ths would become her new home.
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