The Jellicle Chronicles - Year Five

Magic Night

This time, Rumblepurr felt good about taking down the volume, and getting out his notes. As the Bard had said, “All’s Well That Ends Well.” At least, the Chronicler thought, this particular chapter did. He pulled out the notepad, and got his fountain pen from the box. An inkbottle came out, and he made sure the pen was filled to his satisfaction. Sitting at his desk, he opened the volume to the last filled page. 

      Scanning the notes, he had yet to come up with a proper title. He was tempted to put the Shakespearean Play’s title there, but shook his head. That particular night was special - it was almost… “magical.” At that moment, a broad smile came over his face. With a sweeping stroke of the pen, he wrote the title “Magic Night” with a special flourish across the top of the page. 

      His notes almost started soon after the Jellicle Ball. With Affy kidnapped, Artemis out tracking her sister, and the Tribe angry, there was no peace around the Yard. Munkustrap was like a caged animal, and Quaxo hovered around the Leader like a mother hen around a lone chick. For once, Demeter was not frantic, which surprised a number of the Tribe. Bombalurina was more nervous than the Seeress, and yet both Queens had a kitten missing. Demeter was not withdrawn, nor was she flighty. There was a calm impatience, if that set of words could actually be combined, Rumblepurr thought. It was if she knew everything would turn out all right, but she wanted it to happen NOW! Still, Demeter and Bombalurina were not alone. Scatterburr was Demeter’s watcher and Cassandra was Bombalurina’s shadow. 

      Instead of Quaxo on the pile of cars, Demeter was there, looking north toward the rooftops of the old warehouse district. Below her, Alonzo and Asparagus had the Railway Pipe duty. Rum Tum Tugger, Pouncival and Admetus were at the Vicarage Pipe. From her position, Demeter glanced down, and smiled weakly at the Silver Tabby. Amanda was in the best of hands right now, riding on Quaxo’s broad shoulders. 

      “This is all for the good of something, Grandfather wants me to believe,” the Silver Tabby snorted. “It’s definitely not good to me, and not to Deme either. I want to do something, Quaxo! I don’t like just being here!” 

      “What would you do, Munkus? Storm the Warehouses like the proverbial Knights of Old? That would certainly prove fatalistic for everyone involved. Like it or not, my friend, your place is here.” 

      “What about her, Quaxo?” Munkustrap gestured with his head rather than a paw toward Demeter. “That’s her oldest kitten out there. Rumpus knows what’s happening to her and where she is.” 

      “Do you trust Grandfather?” 

      Munkustrap almost acted as if Quaxo had slapped him. “Of course I do.” 

      “Then we wait.” 

      Rumblepurr nodded over his volume. Wait they did. Quaxo had to physically carry Munkustrap back to the closet after nearly four days of constant vigilance. The Silver Tabby was exhausted from lack of sleep. Scatterburr and Alcestis took turns sitting up with Demeter. Cassandra and Silvana did shift duties with Bombalurina. Somehow, the Tribe made do with a bad situation, and Rumblepurr could only marvel at this group of Jellicles. No matter how you hit them, the Families rolled with the punches and stayed loyal to each other. In a way, Rumblepurr felt proud to be included with these exceptional beings. Even if his role was merely recording what they did, and how they did it. 

      And then, there was Nightchaser. Rumblepurr shook his head here. The junior Warlock could only do so much. As long as Stealth shielded himself, Nightchaser could not locate Aphrodite. So, he had shifted his search to find Artemis. Her, he could find easily. But, she moved seldom, and her view was on a set of warehouses that could be anywhere in the district, or even across town. After a while, he gave up and allowed his Father, Coricopat, to take over. His Mother, Tantomile, was already trying other methods to find the Princess.