At the Train Station

[Munkustrap Etc.]

((Characters: Alicia, Alonzo, Apollinax, Ariadne, Bombalurina, Cassandra, Coricopat, Curculio, Etcetera, Flattpot, Grumbuskin, Jellylorum, Matamore, Mirabelle, Mungojerrie, Munkustrap, Pouncival, Rumpleteazer, Scythe, Simeon, Smokkate, Tantomile, Tumblebrutus, Viola

Thread Summary: A day and a half after the Monnik invasion, Alonzo and his foragers show up at the train station, looking for the rest of the Jellicles. They find their task easier than they thought - the Jellicles had retreated to the train station!

There is much rejoicing as loved ones are reunited and friends are proven to be alive and well. Alonzo and his foragers brought much-needed food as well, five packs of fish from Alonzo's human and a dead mouse. They sit and swap stories while Jelly fusses over Munkustrap and Coricopat and Tantomile take Alonzo to Bomba and her newborn kittens. Apollinax is intrigued by the magic cats' magic, and tries to get closer to them. Tantomile picks him up, much to Apollinax's pleasure. There is much cuddling.

Jellylorum is teaching Etcetera and Jemima how to be healers, using Munkustrap as an example.

Meanwhile, Grumbuskin's pirates have arrived on the Monnik docks, and they are confused. Where are all the cats?

The pirates find the Monniks in the Jellicle junkyard, and Smokkate informs them that Griddlebone is there, and she'd love that cat to be gone. Later, the pirates befriend Tumble and Pounce at the train station, and work out a deal - they help free the junkyard, and the Jellicles give them a place to stay for the winter.

Munkustrap has finally been able to visit his kittens, but Apollinax fusses whenever he's near - something is wrong between them. Ariadne doesn't notice, though, and cuddles quite happily with her daddy.))


The walk to the station was by far the longest trek Tumble had ever made. Skimble, they would find, almost certainly. The rest of the Jellicles?

Tumble had a nagging feeling that they were dead, that Macavity had killed them. He closed his eyes tightly and forced himself to keep putting one paw in front of the other, leading himself to the station. The packets of fish he carried, which were once a sign of hope, food for the tribe, were now just reminding him of what they had lost. Quaxo. Munkustrap. Admetus. The kittens. All of them, gone.

[Sonja [Alonzo]]

Alonzo's heart skipped a beat as the station loomed into veiw. Hope sprung up. They would see another Jellicle...they would get this figured out. He unconciously quickened his pace, and soon felt his paws hit the concrete of the station platform. His eyes scanned the place, looking for a flash of fur...any fur.

[Munkustrap Etc.]

"Caaaat!" Etcetera's voice rang out through the train station - she was watching out for any Monniks. If a cat came, she was supposed to shout, so everyone could either hide or fight. "But it's 'Loooonzoooo! And Tumbley, and Plato, and Mungajerrie!" With a giggle, the kitten leapt down from the window she had been watching from and came running out to meet the Jellicles. "Wooo! We was worried about you!"

Munkustrap opened his eyes at Etcetera's call and giggle. Skimbleshanks had brought him a long scarf which he had curled up, using as a pillow and a blanket. He still wasn't very far into the station, as he was too exhausted to move, and Jelly had advised them not to try and carry him, with his injuries. Bomba had come out once, but the kittens had stayed in a different part of the station, a warmer part. The multiple journies through the cold air wasn't good for a newborn, and neither parent wanted to expose the fragile kittens to any more danger. He smiled faintly, closing his eyes again. Alonzo and his foraging party had found them. They'd be better prepared should the Monniks attack.

Tumble nearly dropped his fish as Etcetera came running out of the train station. Wasn't she supposed to be... dead!? If she wasn't, maybe the others weren't too!

[Sonja [Alonzo]]

Alonzo dropped his fish too, as his mouth widened into a huge grin. Etcetera! He'd never been so happy to see the hyperactive kitten in his life... if Etcy was here, it meant at least some of the Jellicles were safe...she'd called to someone and she seemed happy and... unable to contain his delight, Alonzo scooped Etcetera in his arms. "Worried about us? We were sick with worry about you guys..." He muttered, but happily. "Where is everyone?" He said, as he set Etcy down.

[Coricopat~Tantomile]

Coricopat looked up at the sound of Etcetera's voice. Tantomile was still asleep, or at least was pretending to be asleep. Skimbleshanks had given them an old coat from the station lost and found for the pair to curl up on, and he tucked the sleeve over his sister before wandering over to the doorway. He nearly fainted from the shock. The foraging party was approaching!

Jellylorum, who had left Etcetera as lookout for a moment, returned to the door with a gasp. "Oh, my! I thought you had been killed by Monniks!"

[Munkustrap Etc.]

Etcetera giggled as the older Jellicle scooped her up. She flung her arms around 'Lonzo's neck and gave him a huge kiss on the cheek. "They're all inside," she said, pointing back at the train station. "Munkstrap's being all sleepy, and Bomba's spending all her time with her kitties - but they're sooooo cute! - and Daddy's with Momma and Jemmy and Electra and Pounce, and Cori and Tant'mile are here, and Cassie and Rumpateaza, and Meanie-Selinie are all here too, and I think the only kitties we're missing are Baby Deut, because he's with a Monnik, and Brelle, because she disdappeared, and Aprilli and Mali, because they went sleepy like Zali and Pussine." Etcetera sucked in a huge breath when she finished her list before launching into another one. "And Demeta and Mistokitty and the Great Rumpus Cat and Tugger and Jenny and Vicky are all at home and safe and so we don't gotta worry about them!"

Tumble laughed and laughed, sitting down and hugging himself.

[Sonja [Alonzo]]

"We're fine, Jelly. Just fine, now." He smiled at Jellylorum. She, as his mom's best friend, had been around a lot when Alonzo was a kitten, and he was very fond of her.

Alonzo listened to Etcetera's tale with unwavering attention, for once finding no difficultly following her long-winded explanation. When it was finished, he pulled in a deep breath, grinning so wide it nearly swallowed his features. He sat down, his muscles finally showing their weariness... but it felt so good, to know his tribe was safe and here... he let out a laugh and found he couldn't stop. "Etcetera," He said, sobering, flashing a grin at the kitten. "Are you hungry?"

[orangekittencream]

Pouncival stirred and blinked, finally coming up from his fainting spell. Darn cold. He had fainted as soon as he got here. He heard laughing and. . . Tumble? Where they all right? His ears perked and soon he was bounding out to greet the party that had returned. Etcy was explaining things and everyone seemed so . . . So happy. When was the last time everyone was this happy?

"Tumble!" He shouted, tackling his best friend in the whole wide world!

[Coricopat~Tantomile]

Coricopat bounded out of the train station, laughing at the sight of the foraging party and Etcetera. "You guys are safe!" He pounced on Tumble, glad to see another Jellicle. "Get inside, it's freezing out here!"

[Sonja [Alonzo]]

[Munkustrap Etc.]

"Is that food!?" Etcetera's eyes were big as she stared at the shiny packets Tumbley and 'Lonzo had brought with them. "Food for us!?"

"Ack!" Tumble fell back under the combined bodies of Pouncival and Coricopat. He laughed and hugged the kitten, grinning over Pounce's shoulder at Coricopat. "Pounce! Have you been guarding the tribe while we've been gone?" He reached out for Coricopat's paw, squeezing it. "You're safe too!"

Munkustrap smiled at the sounds - everyone was safe. He could rest easy now.

[Sonja [Alonzo]]

Alonzo ripped one of the packets open with his teeth, and scooped out a fish, offering it over to Etcetera. "Food for all of us," He smiled. "Everyone hungry?" He called, hoping that most Jellicles could hear him.

[orangekittencream]

"Erm. . .Well, yeah! Of course!" Pounce rolled over Tumble and nodded, trying his best to act brave. In actuality, he hadn't really done anything at all. But he didn't want Tumble to know that. He thought he was brave! He had to be! The Tomkit rolled around and gasped as he noticed the package of food that the group had returned with.

"Is that. . . Food?"

[Coricopat~Tantomile]

Tantomile grunted and kicked at the coat covering her. She heard voices...familiar voices, from outside the station. She leaped up and slowly padded over to Jellylorum. "They're safe." It wasn't really a question, so the older queen didn't bother answering.

"I'm glad they didn't cross any Monniks coming here," Jellylorum said, watching Pouncival and Coricopat jump on Tumblebrutus. "I don't know how we'll be able to return home. the Junkyard is crawling with Monniks." Tantomile nodded.

"I'll go wake the kittens and Bombalurina." Tantomile noticed the flash of foil food packets. Her and Cori's food came in similar packets. "They should eat something."

[orangekittencream]

"It is food!"

Pounce didn't want to seem too eager, but being a kitten and all his stomach just took over! He licked his lips and stepped forward, wanting to take a bite of fish. It filled his nose and smelled wonderful. He could just imagine it on his tongue! So good!