* PLOOOOT!

[Munkustrap Etc.]

"All the kittens will go up," Burelle said. "You too, Jemima."

[[scean]]

Macavity's eyes narrowed as Munkustrap appeared from inside the piano. Yes, stronghold of the Junkyard indeed, since the Protector stayed here. The ginger cat lifted his head higher and stared at the cat, one paw raised into the air, poised to call the troupes to attack. His other paw rested behind his back, clenched into a tight fist.

"I called for the Leader, Protector."

Macavity paced, giving a signal to his troupes. Each cat unsheathed their claws, raised slightly dulled knives, and lifted their makeshift shields.

"I want the Leader. I wish to speak with him."

[xxelectraxx]

Electra waited to be instructed to go up there... She wondered why the bad kittys were here... What have we done to get them upset?? Electra thought.

[Munkustrap Etc.]

"You called for me, and I came," Munkustrap said, sitting down in front of all these cats. Yes, probably going to die today. Everlasting Cat, don't let me get the rest of the tribe killed... "I am the Leader of the Jellicle tribe. What do you want, Macavity?"

[[scean]]

Macavity lowered his paw, his eyes widening slightly at the news of this Protector being the leader. This was the final piece of the puzzle; this was why today felt so perfect to attack.

"You?" he hissed, smirking and glancing back to his army. "Do you hear that, toms? This scrawny kitten is the Leader!" The cats chuckled until Macavity turned back to the silver tabby with a great look of disgust.

"Who would let such a pathetic excuse for a Protector become the Leader of this tribe? Why don't you have your army at the ready?" Macavity growled, his lip twitching as he glanced around the Junkyard.

"That's right, Protector, you don't have an army. You are not prepared for a full-scale war against the greatest tribe in London." Macavity said loudly. "I will give you a choice."

Macavity turned to his army, gesturing toward them, then Monnik land, then the Junkyard. "Your choice is this." he started. "Either you give up peacefully and claim defeat at the paws of the great Monnik tribe, or we attack and kill all of your toms, adult or kitten. The choice is yours, Protector."

[Munkustrap Etc.]

Munkustrap grit his teeth and refused to show a reaction to Macavity's words, which unknowingly echoed his own private doubts and fears. Feeling very dizzy and light-headed, Munkustrap looked around, raising a paw as if counting the Monniks. "So, you brought... two hundred cats to kill twenty Jellicles?" He blinked, looking back to Macavity and setting his paw back on the ground. "Don't you think that's a bit... overkill? Or were you just that worried about us?" Taunting Macavity was probably a very bad idea, Munkustrap realized a moment after he had spoken. Oh well.

He was going to die anyway. Might as well make Macavity mad first.

[[scean]]

Macavity lashed out toward Munkustrap, grabbing him by the throat quickly and shoving him into a leg of the piano. "Don't mock me, cat." he hissed, digging his claws into the tabby's neck.

"Make your choice, Protector." Macavity growled, shoving Munkustrap back but not before he let his claws go. He turned back toward his army for a second, then back to the silver cat.

Quaxo watched from the entrance, wincing when he saw the glint of Macavity's claws slicing at Munkustrap's neck. He glanced back at the cats who were leaving the piano, then silently jumped out, away from the eyes of the ginger cat.

[Munkustrap Etc.]

Munkustrap lifted a paw and touched his neck, frowning a little at the blood he felt. His collar had protected his throat some, but Macavity still cut him. Munkustrap licked his paw clean of the blood, eyeing Macavity thoughtfully. Being about to die really gives you a lot of freedom. "You were worried," he murmured, keeping his voice quiet, but not really trying to keep his words from Macavity. "Interesting..." After inspecting his paw to make sure there was no blood left on it, Munkustrap looked back toward Macavity, resisting the urge to touch his bleeding neck again. "It's Leader, now, and I have a question before making my choice. What will you do to us if I choose to surrender?"

[[scean]]

"I will not kill your toms, Protector." Macavity said, just to mock Munkustrap. He sneered, resting his paws on his hips and arching a brow nearly perfectly. "Your toms, instead, will be enslaved and will work for me, while your queens will be given away to toms who want them. Your kittens, they will be trained to be Monniks."

[Munkustrap Etc.]

"Oh, that sounds fun," Munkustrap said. "I'm sure the kittens would love not bathing and being taught to be rude and disrespectful to everyone. Everyone except you, though, right, kitty?" Munkustrap held up a paw. "Another question. If I don't choose surrender, what will happen to the rest of the cats? You'll kill the toms, adults and kittens alike, but what about the queens?"

[[scean]]

"They will be sold to whomever wants them. Either way, your queens are going to end up that way. Now, make your choice!"

Macavity was getting quite irritated by this cat's questioning. Deuteronomy would not have done this. The ginger tom flicked his tail in annoyance, holding up a paw once more.

"Now!"

[Shannon]

Rokkonen hissed at Macavity under his breath. The damn cat was annoying, if not down right evil.

Bombalurina could hear Macavity and felt the thump of a cat against the piano leg. "Hurry!" she whispered, handing Mali and Aprili up to Jelly. Now that Burelle's kittens were safe, she started on Jelly's. She grabbed Jemima and hoisted her up. Jelly grabbed her daughter by her shoulders and carried her up.

Five down, seven to go.

[Munkustrap Etc.]

"Oh, go eat your tail," Munkustrap said peevishly. "I'm new at being a Leader. Give me a minute, here. Now, let's see... toms dead and queens enslaved, or toms enslaved and queens enslaved. Hmm, decisions, decisions..." He tapped his paw against his chin until just before Macavity looked ready to attack. "I think we'll surrender," he said then, with a smile. "No deaths. We're really quite peaceful cats." Enslaved would buy them some time for Alonzo and the others to maybe rescue them. Hopefully. Or maybe it would just mean a lifetime of misery for his entire tribe. Munkustrap felt miserable, but he forced himself to keep smiling at Macavity.

"Up you go," Burelle said, picking up Electra. "Bombalurina, get up there!"

[Shannon]

Bombalurina shook her head. "No, Burelle." She grabbed Pouncival and sent him up, then grabbed Etcetera. "Ready to go up, Etcy?" she asked the kitten.

[[scean]]

"Good choice." Macavity hissed, turning for a moment to Ares. He whispered something, and Ares gave a nod, gesturing for two of his warriors. The two warriors held a rope, and Ares led them over to Munkustrap. Macavity grabbed Munkustrap by his shoulders as Ares's warriors tied the rope tightly around the tabby's arms behind his back and around the leg of the piano.

"You'll stay here, Protector." Macavity purred, grinning evilly. The warrior pair took up post beside the tabby, and their ginger leader pointed for Ares to go into the piano.

Ares nodded, bowing to Macavity before slinking silently toward the entrance.