The Jellicle Chronicles - Year Four

Rites of Passage

When the usual Young Adult pile began to sort itself out about mid-morning, Electra was missing. Tumblebrutus, who usually enjoyed waking up with the rust-colored Queen against him, looked carefully around. Etcetera and Asparagus came awake in one spot, with Cettie apologizing to Pouncival for sprawling her legs over him. Jemmina had Pouncival’s head on her stomach, so she had to wait for them to untangle. Moving carefully, Tumblebrutus still managed to kick Alonzo, who snarled at being rudely awakened by the Brown Patched Tom. 

      “Calm down, 'Lonzo. I keep forgetting you’re with us.” 

      “Move slower next time,” the White and Black Tom growled, still not happy. 

      “Morning, 'Lonzo,” Cettie said cheerfully. She shook her mane and primped at it slightly. “Did you sleep well?” 

      “If I didn’t mind getting kicked by Tumble here and almost stomped on by Electra, yeah, I slept like a log.” 

      “Oh? How does a log sleep?” 

      “Cettie? That’s just a saying,” Gus said, comforting the White Tabby Queen. 

      “Wait. What was that about Electra?” 

      “Just about dawn, she got up, stepped on my tail, and nearly got me. Said she was sorry and went over the seat.” 

      Tumblebrutus got up and looked over the car seat into the front. The front seat was empty, and there was no sign of Electra. “Did she say where she was going?” 

      “You kidding, Tumble? At that time, all I wanted to do was to go back to sleep. I thought she just had to go, and I didn’t think I needed to ask her that.” 

      “I wonder what’s bothering her now,” Pouncival said as he finally got up. “Thanks, Jemmie. You make a wonderful pillow.” 

      The small Black and Scarlet Queen smiled and shook her mane. “You’re welcome. Now I need to get up and stretch. I haven’t been able to turn for a while just because I didn’t want to wake you.” 

      “Aww,” cooed Cettie. “That’s sweet.” 

      Pouncival smiled as Jemmina got up and stretched by reaching up to look out the back window. He got up behind her, and ran his paws up and down her back. She groaned in appreciation as he helped ease the kinks out of her back muscles. 

      Tumblebrutus climbed over the seat and then went out through the hole in floorboard. Once outside, he began to prowl around the usual places they went. Electra was not out in the Square, nor was she up in the pile where a mantle clock lay. He doubted she would be in the Nursery, although he could check to make sure. He nodded as he made the decision. 

      As he opened the curtain, he knew immediately that Electra was not here. Alcestis looked up from her pillow. In her fourth month, she was clearly pregnant, and being tended to by her Mate, Admetus. She had a dreamy smile as she lay with her head in her Mate’s lap. Admetus stroked her mane, and had his other paw on the small bulge of her belly. Tumblebrutus saw that, and felt a strange tingle go through him. 

      “Tumble?” 

      A cream-white Queen looked up from the racks where the herbs were being dried. Although at a glance, she still looked a bit like Victoria. Tumblebrutus was beginning to get used to the newer Healer. Her cross necklace helped identify her, but he usually could tell by the off-white gloves, boots and tail tip. The Young Healer smiled. 

      “Is there something I can do for you?” 

      “Has Electra been in here this morning?”