CATS: Looking For Etcetera

Chapter Eight: Falling Apart

Plato lead the other four cats through the city streets, picking the best ways to travel so they could stay hidden. They padded gently down alley ways, across walls, and through gaps in fences and wires. 

Plato's senses were alive; he slipped silently past every obstacle, tail thrashing behind him, ears pricked up, claws unsheathed and ready in case anyone tried to get in his way. His eyes darted around wildly and he checked over his shoulder every few seconds to make sure he wasn't being followed. Plato had a plan of action, and nothing was going to stop him. Find Macavity. Bring him down. Save Etcy. Get everyone home safely. These were the only things that mattered to him. 

As far as he was concerned, it was typical that Etcy was the one to get caught up with Macavity. She'd always been bad at keeping herself out of trouble. Plato would have sensed the Hidden Paw coming from miles away. Of this he was sure. Yeah, Etcy was young, and she wasn't a fighter, but how could she have managed to get taken from a den of sleeping kittens without anyone noticing? Did she even try and fight back, or at least cry out for help? Obviously not. Even at that age Plato would never have gotten caught out so easy. But that wasn't important. He couldn't afford to get distracted. He lifted his head high and continued silently through the evening.

***

As the five cats traveled further and further away from the Jellicle Yard, the sky began to darken. The air grew cold and no-cat said a word. Misto was nervous. Demeter was terrified. Plato was frustrated. Tugger was confused. Bombalurina felt exposed and anxious. 

They hadn't spoken to each other since they'd left camp, and none of them seemed up for conversation. Plato took them further into the smaller hidden streets and away from the traffic that roared beside them. Eventually Misto spoke, in a shy, quiet voice. 

"P-Plato...Where are we going?" 

Plato, who was walking directly in front of him, said nothing for a moment, and when he did speak his voice was callous and dry. 

"We're heading to the Alleys. That's where M-" he stuttered a little before continuing. The hesitation was sensed by everyone. "That's where He hangs about."

Misto nodded to himself. 

"But we'll need to camp out tonight," Plato continued. "He could be anywhere. We'll need to search every street and corner. If we hurry we can get to a quiet spot in time, but we won't be able to look tonight. Not when it's this dark." 

Demeter's fur bristled in the night air. 

"What d'you mean camp out?" 

She slipped past Tugger and Misto and trotted alongside the thin scruffy tabby.

"We don't have time to sit out stargazing round the campfire! Etcetera's in grave danger!" Her voice cracked the stained glass silence of the night. The pain in her words was unmistakable. "We can't stop looking 'til she's found!"

Plato sighed loudly and spun his head round sharply, skidding to an abrupt halt. 

"Look, we're not even half way there yet," he spat coldly. "If you really wanted to slow us down so much by complaining you should have said so at the start so I wouldn't have brought you." 

His harsh voice chipped away at the wafer-thin sheet of crystal. Demeter searched his eyes grief strickenly, trying to find something to say. She knew he was right; it was going to take them till moon rise to reach the Alleys, and even when they got there they would need time to recover their strength. Macavity could be anywhere, ready to attack at anytime. They had to be prepared for him. Macavity could be anywhere...

"Macavity could be anywhere..." 

The words escaped her lips so silently that no-cat seemed to hear. She looked at the ground helplessly, hurt by Plato's words, but more so by the truth in them. It was then that the Rum Tum Tugger piped up for the first time that night. 

"Maybe you should leave her alone," he mewed cooly, his tone seemingly emotionless. Plato tore his eyes off Demeter and stared at the young tom, confused and taken aback. He wasn't used to being spoken to like this, which Tugger obviously knew. He was one of the few cats who could talk down to Plato and actually get him to listen. 

The brown and white tabby flattened his ears and narrowed his eyes, but said nothing. Tugger ran a careless paw through the tuft of fur hanging over his face and looked at Plato expectantly. Bombalurina and Mr. Mistoffelees exchanged surprised glances and Demeter's own eyes flickered quickly between the two cats. She hated both of them, that much they all knew, so why was Tugger standing up for her? She detested him with a passion, why couldn't he feel the same about her? She shook her head frantically and mewed stiffly:

"Come on, we're wasting time." 

She padded off swiftly, closely followed by Bomba. Plato flashed his sharp teeth briefly before following suit. Misto glanced at Tugger, and Tugger glanced back. A smirk broke out on the smaller cat's face, and Tugger couldn't help smiling too. 

"That shut him up." 

The tall golden cat raised his eyebrows and gestured with a flick of his tail for them to move on. 

"You think any of us will actually get to sleep tonight?" Mistoffelees asked as they headed to catch up with the others. 

"I know I won't," Tugger replied. 

"How come?"

The bigger cat shrugged and looked away. 

"Dunno. Something's on my mind I guess."