CATS: Looking For Etcetera

Chapter Twenty-Five: Nothing

Demeter had a choice to make. 

She had to get Etcetera home safely; this was her chance to get away from Him and take the kitten with her. But she couldn't just leave her friends fighting for their lives. She knew without extra help they weren't going to make it, and this thought terrified her. 

The four cats were still fighting but they were going down fast. Plato was bleeding all over, and while he still looked fierce and determined as ever, he was no match for the Hidden Paw. Misto, although a small and untrained fighter, had deadly sharp claws and was tearing away at Macavity's face whenever he could get close. The ginger cat seemed unphased. He was batting off the cats with ease, and no matter how many times they hurt him he did twice as much damage. The worst part was he had started to use his powers. If Misto's were still working, maybe they could try and match them, but right now it was hopeless. 

Macavity was no where near fully immersed in the fight, he kept glancing around, his flaming dark eyes searching his surroundings. And Demeter knew what he was looking for. She looked around, lost and frightened, until she made up her mind. She put Etcetera down and blocked her view of the brawl behind her. Plato was sent flying to the ground once more, and this time he didn't get back up. Demeter knew soon it would be too late. 

"Etcetera, I need you to do something for me. I need you to wait at the end of the alley over there 'til we're done, okay? Don't move, don't look, and if anyone comes then shout and I'll come and get you. Go it?"

Etcy nodded, her wide eyes confused. The kitten did as she was told and sat by the entrance to the street, her back turned. The river dock was always empty, especially when it was late, so Demeter could only hope she would be okay. 

But Macavity saw. He saw Demeter send his prisoner to safety, and he saw his ex-mate standing there in the shadows, the setting sun turning her fur a heavenly golden colour. She looked extravagant. Macavity shot a thunder bolt into Bomba, who was attacking him from the front, and the regal queen was sent crashing to the floor, her body cracking on the cobbles. 

"Bomba!" Demeter screamed, her fur standing on end. Before anyone else could react the ginger cat leapt over the red she-cat and onto Demeter, knocking her to the ground. Demeter shrieked in fear. This was as close to Him as she'd gotten since he'd left her, and she could feel his icy breath on her fur, feel his eyes burning into her own. She screwed them shut and flattened her ears, her heart shattering to a million pieces. 

"Demeter. I missed you," he hissed, his voice low. 

"Don't touch me!" she snarled, trying to swat him away with a paw. He grabbed her wrist and and dug his claws in, running his tail up her trembling body, his face almost touching hers. She screamed again and again until Tugger jumped on top of Macavity and bit into the back of his neck. The evil tom yowled in pain and reeled over backwards, setting Demeter free. 

"You just don't give up do you?" Macavity spat, shaking Tugger off. As he did so a flicker of recognition flashed over his sunken eyes. Then he smiled a crooked smile, showing all of his pointed teeth. "Well look who it is! Tuggies, my boy, what ever happened to you? I said you'd be a looker didn't I? Not a bad set of claws on you either." 

Tugger growled quietly and flattened his pointed ears. 

"I forgot I told you about this place," Macavity continued. Demeter was staring at Bombalurina's lifeless body, tears welling up in her eyes. But she used everything she had to force herself to stay put. One wrong move could set the whole thing flying. "Maybe you're not as dumb as you seem. I missed you you know," he hissed, a crooked smirk on his narrow face. He crept closer to his brother and tried to touch his jaw, but the other cat spat at him and pulled away before he could. "What's the matter, little brother? We used to be so close, don't you remember?" 

"I'd rather not," Tugger hissed, glaring at the other cat with a look that could kill. Macavity came closer still, so the two toms were almost touching. If Tugger was scared, which he obviously was, it was hardly showing. 

"You could have told them," the ginger cat whispered, so none of the others could hear. His expression was suddenly serious. "But you didn't. Why?"

"Because I made a promise, and we were supposed to be friends, and that's what friends do. But you threw it all back in my face, didn't you?"

Tugger was hurting, bad, and he wanted to let it out right here and now, but the whole procedure was delicate, and lashing out now could mean the end of everything. He used all the strength he had to suppress his anger and wait for a reply. Macavity was starting to get angry too, for different reasons. 

"Don't start acting like we had some special bond because of that, you betrayed me just as I did you! You were just the same as the rest of them, and I was stupid not to see it. All those years we grew up together, and you never once reached out, or tried to help, you never gave a shit!"

Tugger suddenly extended a muscular paw and struck the evil cat across the face. It took all he had to keep himself together. 

"Don't ever say that! I was always there for you, but what was I supposed to do if you never let me in? I spent half my time thinking about you and how I could help, but you shit all over that too! You think that I just forgot about you as soon as you left? Yeah, well, it doesn't work like that! I never stopped beating myself up for letting you go and I never turned my back on you. You chose this, Mac, and don't try and blame me, or anyone else for it. You're not the cat I used to know and that's not my fault. I just wish I'd realised sooner." 

For a moment, the world seemed to go silent. The two brothers stared at each other, neither moving a muscle. Blood dripped from the corner of Macavity's eye, but he seemed perfectly calm. Worryingly so. Tugger on the other hand looked broken and lost and ready to fall apart at any moment. The usually cocky and over confident tom now seemed like nothing more than a hurt kitten. Macavity saw this too. And he spat at the black cat's paws. 

"You're pathetic," he cackled, his tone back to it's flat sound. "And to think I was going to try and take you on. Train you up as one of my own." 

Tugger's gaze faltered. "What?" he mewed, barely audible. Macavity laughed again. The sound hurt everyone's ears. 

"How wrong was I? You're just as useless as the rest of them. More so actually. I knew you'd be useful as soon as I came back to the Yard that day. If only I'd realised the night I first left. Got to catch them early as they say. But no, it's all gone to your head. I don't know what you thought we had before, but I can assure you it's good as dead. If you won't help me, you're nothing. Nothing." 

Tugger flattened his ears and turned away. 

This is just a boring filler chapter but hope you enjoyed anyway :) Thanks for reading, next chapter should be up tomorrow! xxx