The Jellicle Chronicles - Year Eight

Gatherings

The Yard was buzzing with the hum of conversation. The two Tribes had intermingled, couples cuddling together, boisterous kittens tumbled around and Shadowdancer raised Phoenix onto his shoulders, to see it all. The only fatherless kitten in the Tribes, she had been adopted by them all, but one of her favorites was the huge Vicarage Guardian. 

      Grabbing his ears in her small hands, she bounced up and down gleefully. “Lotta cats!” 

      “That’s right, Shorty.” Holding her ankles to prevent her from falling off, the black cat looked around the yard. Very few felines from either of the assembled Tribes were alone and he almost missed the silent black and white Tom, who was lurking in the shadows, leaning against a pipe. One of Victor’s original crew. “How about we go and talk to Victor, Shorty?” 

      “Wic! Wic!” Phoenix’s bouncing started up again. Shadowdancer chuckled, making a beeline for the patterned Tomcat, who was sitting near the car with Cheetera. Both felines looked up and could not help smiling as the kitten clambered over Shadowdancer’s head, falling into his arms with a happy squeal. She caught one of his paws and started to clamber back up. 

      Victor nodded to the black Tom. “What can we do for you, Dancer?” 

      The black waited until Phoenix had withdrawn her foot from the step that was his mouth and had settled back on his shoulders. “Your black and white - Sebastian - why is he hiding away?” There was a shriek of delight from Phoenix as Shadowdancer suspended her upside-down by both ankles. “I’ve never seen him talk to anyone.” 

      “He...” Victor felt his Mate’s hand squeeze his knee. “He’s had a few problems in the past.” His reply was friendly, but tentative. “He doesn’t like to open up to many people because of those problems...” 

      “I’m assuming he’s never taken a Mate...” The couple exchanged careful glances, while Shadowdancer lifted the giggling Phoenix back onto his shoulders. 

      Victor finally shook his head. “He’s never taken a Mate.” He said, his voice quiet. “I can’t imagine that he ever will either. When he’s loyal, he’s incredibly so... but...” He paused searching for the right words. “There’s a wall around him and not many have been able to get past it.” 

      “Oh?” Shadowdancer glanced over at the mysterious, brooding Tom. An idea was already forming in his mind. Phoenix’s small paws tugged on his whiskers. “Nice talking to you two. C’mon, Phee. We have work to do.”’

      In a dingy alleyway near Macavity’s central warehouse, a certain Dumpster held some rather precious cargo. Curled up in a tight ball near the open top of the ugly green contraption was a tiny Jellicle kitten. All that one would see of the kitten’s coat if one happened to look in the Dumpster would be gray, but the kit was not solidly one color. White reached to mid-forearm and was edged in midnight black, a tribute to whoever her parents had been. The same pattern was present on her lower legs. The kit’s ears were also white, with a tiny black tuft at the tips, and a white streak ran straight down her nose. 

      The tiny kitten was about five months of age, but one would not know it, given her size. The form in the disposal unit shivered every so often, unconsciously burrowing deeper into the filthy fisherman’s sweater that she lay upon. Her mother had not named her, being one of the sorts to hang about in places that Griddlebone might frequent, and the Queen was long-gone, glad to have rid herself of the burden that was the kitten. 

      Nameless and hungry, she opened her mouth to let out a complaining mew. Nobody ever came to her when she cried, and she did not expect this time to be any different. She was weak from the lack of food, but she managed to make enough noise to attract the attention of three passing Jellicles.