Mange
Kitten
Kissing the Darkness
Posts: 43
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Post by Mange on Aug 25, 2007 16:13:34 GMT -5
Oh god he was crying again. Alonzo tucked his arms around his younger brother tighter, hating the fact that Skimble was now with Quaxo..and that he couldn’t run over and give that tom the beating he deserved. How he could do such a thing to such a innocent little kitten was beyond him. It hurt him. And no one ever really hurt Alonzo and got away with it…
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Post by cookingspray on Aug 25, 2007 19:38:06 GMT -5
It was in a rare circumstance that the Tugger, on his way to greet the rest of the tribe after an absence, did not swagger, saunter, or otherwise announce the pleasure of his presence with a jaunty gait. Thus, one had to know something was amiss the moment they laid eyes on him as he approached the trainyard a second time.
Shoulders usually held proudly squared were slumped, and a chest that was usually puffed emphatically out was sunken. The customary smirk had been replaced by a more pensive expression, and both ears and tail drooped. This is not to mention the slightly ugly, blood-matted gash along the Maine Coon's neck and the suspiciously absent tuft from his once-glorious mane.
Yes, something was very amiss.
The heist had succeeded, with a hitch - and it was because of this hitch that he was ambling in the direction of the Jellicles again and not still in Demeter's painful clutches. At this point, however, he couldn't say which he would've preferred. . .
They'd escaped with Alicia and Apollinax, as well as Simeon. The last part of the bounty had been unplanned, and as such, Deme had seen fit to deposit him in the nearest rubbish bin. When Tugger drew the line and protested, he'd ended up a few strands of fur lighter, and was forced to obey.
Deme's Humans had, as calculated, taken pity on the newborn kittens, but they'd shooed him, "the mangy tomcat", away into the night. It was the first, and probably the only, time Tugger enjoyed hearing the words "mangy tomcat" in reference to himself. He'd vanished into the night on cue before Deme's angered yowls could begin, and had tried to go back for Simeon - however, the rubbish bin that had housed him was empty, and no amount of searching turned the tomkit up (although Tugger didn't blame him for not heeding his calls, if Simeon had heard them - who wants to run back to the tom who just abducted you and put you out with the garbage?).
So now, he was returning, empty-pawed and empty-spirited. Tugger really couldn't recall a time when he'd felt quite this low, and half of the melancholy was self-imposed. He was more than braced for a less-than-joyful reception - one that he deserved.
He hesitated, and then entered the closet doorway for the second time in the past couple of days.
Without so much as a greeting, he announced in a heavy voice: "I stole the kittens."
Tactful greetings hadn't been Tugger's forte to begin with, but this time, he thought the ensuing outrage would be deserved.
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Post by Munkustrap Etc. on Aug 25, 2007 22:20:44 GMT -5
Munkustrap froze where he was nuzzling Bombalurina, trying to cheer her up, before he lifted his face, a perfectly blank expression on. "Excuse me?" He must have heard Tugger wrong. He must have!? "You did what?" And there was a tinge of anger now, of rage - Tugger had taken his kittens!? Tugger!? His best friend!? How could he!?
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Post by cookingspray on Aug 25, 2007 23:12:34 GMT -5
"You heard me." The tone of Munkustrap's voice would've made his ears droop, but they were nearly plastered to his head as it was.
This would've been a very opportune time to start explaining himself, but Tugger was content to stand somberly in the doorway and let the full force of the silver tabby's anger pummel him. After what he'd done, he was more than entitled to a moment of martyrdom.
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Post by Munkustrap Etc. on Aug 25, 2007 23:48:16 GMT -5
Munkustrap rose to his feet and padded toward Tugger. "Where are they?" he demanded. "What have you done with them?" Once the kittens were back, safe, then he could worry about things like "why" and "what were you thinking!?"
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Post by cookingspray on Aug 26, 2007 0:09:36 GMT -5
He sighed and began. "They're at Deme's place. At least, Alicia and Apollo are. Deme decided Simeon was best left off in a rubbish bin."
It would be best to start at the beginning, he realized, before his vague answers made Munkus' temper escalate further. He ran a hand through his head fur, thinking of how to begin. "She threatened me into being her accomplice, since Apollo wouldn't have been quiet otherwise. . . I tried to wake up Etce, and then I tried to fight her, but then this happened." He pointed to his neck. "And Simeon woke up and saw, so Deme made me grab him, too."
He sighed again, closed his eyes, and leveled, feeling too wretched to worry about being emotional in public. "I'm sorry, Munk. I was a coward. I could've done more. . . you have every right to hate me."
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Post by Munkustrap Etc. on Aug 26, 2007 0:52:14 GMT -5
"Demeter has them?" Munkustrap closed his eyes for a moment. Demeter. He should have known better than to trust her. "And Simeon? Where is he now?"
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Post by cookingspray on Aug 26, 2007 12:27:15 GMT -5
"At her Humans' house, yeah. They should be okay. . . physically." He shuddered a little to even glimpse at Deme's intentions.
The thought of Simeon made the miserable feeling return all over again (not that it had fuly left). "I don't know where Simeon is. I tried to go back and look for him, but he was gone - I searched a bit, but nothing."
Tugger offered no further apology, deciding that answering Munkus' questions directly and taking what was thrown at him was best.
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Post by Munkustrap Etc. on Aug 26, 2007 14:55:16 GMT -5
"Come on, Rum Tum," Munkustrap said. "We need to go get three kittens back." They'd get the other guardians, Alonzo and Tumblebrutus, and send those two after Simeon, along with Coricopat and Tantomile, who should be able to search for Simeon's mind. Munkustrap would take Tugger himself after Demeter.
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Post by Eminems on Aug 26, 2007 15:59:28 GMT -5
"Quaxo..." there was a warning to Skimble's voice now, advising the younger cat to keep talking or else, "please tell me what's going on between you and Tumble. I can tell there's something." Quaxo hesitated, he would have to say something, but what? Skimbleshanks obviously didn't know about... and there was no way he could explain that to the Railway Cat, without causing more awkwardness and problems. "Nothing really." he said dismissively, hoping that Skimble would just drop it. It wasn't exactly lying either, not really. ((Sorry it took so long, I've been low on ideas and stuff but I'm all back to my normal, inspired self. I hope))
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Post by Wolfjet on Aug 26, 2007 21:33:32 GMT -5
Skimble rolled his eyes. Everyone seemed to be telling him there was nothing to worry about ... which only worried him more. Steeling himself for the worst, he fixed his gaze back on the small black cat in front of him.
"Quaxo," he said tonelessly, "stop avoiding my questions. Tell me. Please."
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Post by Eminems on Aug 27, 2007 13:56:53 GMT -5
Quaxo sighed, still not able to meet the older tom's green eyes. He wasn't going to get out of this was he? He considered making a break for it, but he knew he wouldn't be able to hide from Skimble, not in the train station of all places. Resigning himself to the worst, he decided to explain, or at least part of it anyway.
"There's nothing going on with me and Tumble, not anymore. We were... uhm, together, for a while, but we're not anymore, I guess. Then I sort of... left." he explained, speaking quickly and quietly, as if it would soften the blow. He cringed, bracing himself for Skimble's response, looking at the ground if only to avoid looking at the older tom.
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Post by Wolfjet on Aug 27, 2007 15:00:40 GMT -5
Skimble blinked. Whatever he had been expecting, it wasn't that. "Oh," he said quietly.
The Railway Cat was silent for a moment, as he stared at Quaxo, who was avoiding his eyes. The stillness between them was awkward, hostile, unbearable. Finally Skimble, his mind still piecing things together, broke the emptiness. "Quaxo..." he started, hesitated, then continued. "Tumble ... seems to be taking it rather hard. Is there something else to .. to the breakup?"
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Post by Eminems on Aug 27, 2007 15:14:00 GMT -5
"Uhm..." Quaxo hesitated again. He couldn't be sure, but he knew he must have hurt Tumble pretty badly before he left.
"I, uh, we... it didn't end very well, I think it was mostly my fault." he finally admitted, feeling a bit guilty for hurting his kittenhood friend. Especially since Munkustrap didn't seem to be.... he shook his head.
"Or maybe, all my fault." he said in a small voice, shifting uncomfortably again.
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Post by Wolfjet on Aug 27, 2007 16:11:13 GMT -5
Skimble paused. He wasn't sure if he had the right to ask this question, or even if Quaxo would answer it ... but the Railway Cat had to know somehow, if he wanted to understand Tumble's emotion, and why he had been so hurt by his best friend. He hesitated, placing a paw on Quaxo's shoulder before speaking.
"...How?" Skimble asked softly.
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