|
Post by [scean] on May 3, 2007 22:18:31 GMT -5
Quaxo nodded, his gaze flickering for a moment toward Munkustrap before he buried his face in Tumble's shoulder, nuzzling him gently and holding him close. "I will," he said quietly, leaning up to kiss him softly on the lips. "I'll miss you, Tumble."
|
|
|
Post by Munkustrap Etc. on May 3, 2007 22:22:40 GMT -5
"Miss you too," Tumble said, before he pulled away from Quaxo and went to join Alonzo.
When Plato and Mungojerrie arrived, the four set out on their hunt, determined to feed their family and friends.
Munkustrap watched the guardians leave, wishing he were still one of them. He sighed and glanced back at where the kitten Deuteronomy slept. He was only Leader until Deuteronomy was big enough to reclaim his position. Then he could be the Protector again, or maybe just a simple guardian. He just had to be patient.
((Hope you don't mind, Arya, that I nabbed Jerrie like that - this gets them out of the way so scean can come STORMING THROUGH WITH TEH MONNIKS OF DEWM!))
|
|
|
Post by Arya on May 3, 2007 22:23:42 GMT -5
Rumple and Mungo both snaped their heads up from their nap. "Ya'?" They both asked in unison. Rumple then realized Alonzo only asked for Mungo. That was odd. Normaly they were called as a duo. Mungo looked at Rumple, who inturn shruged. With a frown on his face Mungo slowly got up. "Ya'?" He asked again looking at the Alonzo. Rumple watched him go, biting her lip. Mungo set off with the group after being told what to do, twice. Rumple was now pouting. Why couldn't she ome! Mungo was nothing without her. They were a pair, not a...uhhh what was the words she was looking for. She shook her head and buried her face in Cassandra's shoulder.
The queen was also sad to see Alonzo go. They were a new couple. Shouldn't they be bonding? Cassandra looked at Munkustrap then back at the walking away Alonzo, then back to Munkustrap again. She was glad atleast Munkustrap was staying.
|
|
|
Post by Arya on May 3, 2007 22:24:22 GMT -5
(Oh late post hold on.)
|
|
|
Post by Munkustrap Etc. on May 3, 2007 22:34:21 GMT -5
Munkustrap padded over to the queens and set his paws on their shoulders. "Jerrie and Alonzo will be fine," he told them. "They'll be back soon, and will bring us food as well. Everything will be fine."
|
|
|
Post by Arya on May 3, 2007 22:41:24 GMT -5
Rumple still kept her pout. "E' ain't nothin' wihtout me. E' wont be fine!" She objected stomping her foot, then wining in pain, she had stomped her foot to hard. Cassandra kept her eyes where Alonzo had just left. "I know." She muttered.
|
|
|
Post by [scean] on May 3, 2007 22:59:00 GMT -5
And so, he was preparing.
He'd been preparing for days, weeks on end, waiting for the perfect time to strike. Spies were sent, messages received, and they were almost ready. Today would be the day.
"Salute!"
"Hut!"
A rank of exactly forty-nine of the best Monnik warriors stood in battle position, their heads raised just slightly over the horizon and completely still. They wore their armor: cardboard "chest-plates" and tin-can "helmets" for most. Special warriors, the highest in rank, those got the nicely-made armor. They stood in a perfect seven cat by seven cat square, nine inch by seven inch slabs of wood boxing them in to protect them. Each warrior had a look of sheer confidence on his face, one that would bring fear into the heart of any common cat.
Another rank beside them, and another beside that.
It was not the ginger emperor who called the orders for the army of Monniks that stood there; instead, it was a completely black tomcat wearing extravagant cloths on his body, pacing back and forth in front of the three ranks. One hundred and forty-seven warriors. That would be quite enough to complete their mission.
"Who is the enemy?"
"Jellicles!"
"Who will we kill?"
"Jellicles!"
They spoke in perfect unison, those warriors. Ares gave the middle rank a once-over, spotting a cat in the back and gesturing for him to come forward. The cat did, but nervously. When Ares brought someone to the center, in front of the ranks, it usually meant something bad was going to happen to that unlucky cat.
"What is your name?"
"Gr-Gregor, general."
"Stop stuttering! You are a Monnik warrior. Say it."
"I-I am a M-Monnik warrior."
"Be confident, cadet! You are a Monnik warrior. Monnik warriors are the most feared in the land."
"I am a Monnik warrior!"
"That's better. Dismissed."
Gregor saluted with a paw to his heart and bowed quickly, scurrying back into his rank and taking a deep breath. Ares scanned the three ranks once more.
"You are Monnik warriors, toms." he said boldly, pacing slowly in front of them.
"Monnik warriors are the best in all of London. Monnik warriors are the best in all of the world!"
"Hut!"
"We will fight until all Jellicles have surrendered or died. We will not take no for an answer!"
"Hut!"
"Seven files. Now!"
The middle rank stepped forward, stopping just in front of Ares. The rank to Ares's right backed up to stand directly behind the middle rank, and the left did the same. They were in a perfect formation of seven by forty-nine. Ares's chest swelled as he took in a deep breath, the fur on his back raising as he took a step back, admiring the work of his training.
Turning toward the emperor, Ares put a paw to his heart and bowed low until the emperor himself stood, waving his hand for Ares to stand off to the side.
Macavity nodded slowly, pacing down the ranks and admiring the perfection of the lines the cats made. He smiled, turning toward Ares and gesturing for him to come closer. The general did, nodding a bow, but Macavity lifted his chin and looked him in the eye.
"Good work, general." he said coolly, his lips curling into a devious smile. Ares stuttered for a reply, glancing around. He always got this way around the ginger cat, despite his training that told him everything against any nervousness in any Monnik warrior.
"Thank you, sir," he said quietly.
Macavity let him go with a nick to his chin, slowly licking the drop of blood from his exposed claw.
"At ease, gentle-cats." Macavity purred, standing with his paws behind his back. Each of the warriors turned to look at him, looking slightly nervous. Most of the Monnik tribe was nervous around this evil cat.
"Warriors! We are about to go into Jellicle territory. You know what this means. We have to be on guard at all times, gentle-cats. They may not be strong, but the spies have sent messages of new cats entering the tribe. We don't know if they're like us or the Jellicles, but we cannot take any chances."
Macavity grinned that malicious grin of his, and Ares shuddered. He'd been this close to Macavity before, but every time it made him afraid, like he'd never be worthy to look the emperor in the eye.
Macavity turned to the general and sent a tiny gesture, a flick of his wrist, and Ares called the warriors back to attention.
"Go, general."
And so, they were off.
It was to be a battle of cataclysmic proportions; they were going to have all of London again; it was going to be the Monniks' once more.
|
|
|
Post by Munkustrap Etc. on May 3, 2007 23:05:30 GMT -5
"You'll both be fine," Munkustrap told Rumpleteazer. Maybe this separation would do them some good - the pair did argue a lot for a couple supposedly in love. He sighed and looked around. Speaking of love... how was Bomba doing?
|
|
|
Post by Arya on May 3, 2007 23:11:12 GMT -5
Selina crept out of the den. Something was wrong. And it wasn't her Jellicle sense tingling. It was her street sense. And that ment something was wrong. Very wrong. The hair on her back prickled up. Rumple grumbled. Not saying a thing.
|
|
|
Post by [scean] on May 3, 2007 23:30:04 GMT -5
It didn't take the Monniks long to reach the Jellicle border. It was unguarded, as usual, by the Jellicles. Not many of them liked to venture this close into the danger zone. Seven by seven, the Monnik troupes marched into Jellicle land.
"Halt!"
The entire army stopped at once. Each still had that look of sheer confidence on his face, each was prepared to kill.
"Seven legions of twenty-one, toms."
Three rows made up one legion. They split up, standing side by side as Ares stood in the middle of them.
"Lieutenants."
One cat from each legion save one stepped forward, their paw going to their chests in unison then back to their shield. They turned toward their legions, forming them into blocks of five by four, then led them off to their respective attack locations.
Ares stepped toward the center legion, forming them into their block and turning around.
"Salute."
"Hut!"
They started for the main gateway of the Jellicle Junkyard. No guard. Perfect.
Making their way through the entrance easily, the troupe marched in near-silence toward the piano. The stronghold of the Junkyard. The one place they'd never conquered. Ares spotted the other legions approaching.
A wall. That's what they'd created. A forty-nine-cat-across, three-cat-deep wall.
Macavity made his way through, standing in front of the entire procession and heaving proudly at the piano.
"Leader of the Jellicles! Show yourself!"
|
|
|
Post by Shannon on May 3, 2007 23:30:39 GMT -5
Sadly, Bomba had been asleep.
"What?" she exclaimed, staring wide-eyed at Jemima.
Jemima sighed. She had just finished the biggest run-on sentence in her life, and wasn't in the mood to repeat herself. The calico kitten had to explain everything Bombalurina had missed over the past few days.
"Do you now where Munkustrap is?" Bombalurina asked, worried. Her mate was leader! Sort of. Yeah... It was confusing, considering she had just woken up from a dream concerning dancing pickles and puppets.
Jemima shrugged and went back to her bed. She was hungry, tired, and bored.
Bombalurina rose to her feet, which took effort considering she was doubled inside. Jelly had told her not to move, but she didn't care. She wobbled over to the exit to the piano, stuck out her head, and called, "Munkustrap!"
|
|
|
Post by Munkustrap Etc. on May 3, 2007 23:36:38 GMT -5
"Bomba!" Munkustrap stepped over to Bombalurina, pulling her into a hug. She had been sleeping for most of the past week, and he had missed her alert presence. "You should be inside, sitting down." No sooner had he gotten her to a pillow, though, then did a call ring out.
"Leader of the Jellicles! Show yourself!"
Munkustrap slowly turned toward the entrance to the piano, every sense alert. The reek of Monnik was slowly filtering into the den. Oh no. Oh no, no, no... all the guardians were out! Turning quickly, Munkustrap threw his paws out. "Bomba, Burelle, Jelly, get to the back! Hold onto the kittens! Admetus... Rokkonen. You two are with me. Quaxo... I need you to cover the entrance. Don't let any Monnik inside - fry them if you must."
They were under siege, if not under attack.
"Monnik?" Burelle gathered her sons close to her, backing away from the hole. "Monniks, here?"
"A lot of them," Munkustrap said. "Everyone, stay calm. They aren't attacking." Yet. "I'll go out and talk with them." Going out would be suicidal. Staying inside would be suicidal. Munkustrap turned to look at Quaxo. "Would it be too much to ask you to cover me?"
|
|
|
Post by [scean] on May 3, 2007 23:39:52 GMT -5
Quaxo heard the call; it was his father's voice and despite his mock-hatred for the new Leader of their tribe, he agreed.
"I'll watch the entrance for you." he said, standing and following Munkustrap to the entrance of the piano and glancing back to the kittens. No, he couldn't betray his tribe like that just for a little tiff he'd had with the cat who happened to be asking.
Macavity saw movement in the entrance of the piano and grinned. Good. They'd heard him. He flicked his wrist again, causing the entire army of cats stiffen.
|
|
|
Post by Arya on May 3, 2007 23:43:45 GMT -5
Selina looked at the line. She let out a strong hiss, back up, her hair raising on her back. She of course had been outside, and crept inside the piano slowly. Cassandra screamed, hiding behind Bomba. And of course that left Rumple, who darted outside to see what was going on before Munkustrap could talk. Then she saw the Monniks, all of them, and Macavity. Her eyes went wide open, she opened her mouth. "MUNGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" She screamed on the top of her lungs. But of course her mate wasn't there. He was out with the group, hunting. He left her. He left her and looked what happened.
|
|
|
Post by Munkustrap Etc. on May 3, 2007 23:50:26 GMT -5
Munkustrap rubbed his paws over his face, taking a deep breath. He was going to die today, unless Macavity was feeling particularly vindicative, in which case, he was going to die in a few days. Unless some sort of miracle happened. "Protect the kittens," he told the toms. "No matter what happens... try to protect the kittens. Especially Deuteronomy." And Bomba... but he couldn't say that last wish out loud. He looked at Quaxo and offered him a small smile. "Thank you," he whispered, more grateful than words could express to have Quaxo at his back and not his throat. With that, he turned and stepped outside, holding his head and tail high, not letting Macavity see any fear. "Who calls for the Jellicle Leader?" he demanded.
|
|