The Curiosity Of Magical Cats

For Meg 🎄 Meg24601

It was two weeks before the Jellicle Ball and a tension seemed to sweep across the streets. A chill rose up every back and some cats claimed to have spotted Macavity lurking in the shadows; many seemed to dismiss this, saying it was those mischievous kittens Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer.

Nevertheless all the felines in the land were preparing to be sent to a new Jellicle Life in order to return to a different Jellicle Ball. Jennyanydots was teaching the mice how to hat; Skimbleshanks was polishing his train; Grizabella roamed the alleyways. It seemed that only two cats were enjoying their life that they had in that moment.

"Mister Mistoffolees, I want to go outside," a young cat with a mane that he said he had inherited from a lion (although he didn't know his true parents) exclaimed. "Have you been outside? There are so many new things to explore!"

"And that's why the call you the curious cat, Tugs," a cat who was black from his head to the tip of his tail replied, lounging by the fire. "Can't you just stay inside?"

"And miss everything?!" the Rum Tum Tugger pounced beside his friend and rolled onto his back. "Come on, please? You can even show me your new trick."

Mistoffolees closed his eyes and yet Tugger kept persisting. Eventually, after much coaxing, Mistoffolees found himself outside watching Tugger chase a butterfly around the garden. It wouldn't have been that impressive to anyone else, but to Mistoffolees, it was one of the most adorable sights he had ever seen.

"Mister Mistoffolees!" Tugger leapt on top of the black cat's tail as it flicked from side to side. "I want to go inside. Have you been inside? There are so many new things to explore!"

Mistoffolees turned his head toward Tugger, the epitome of annoyance written across his face. Tugger saw this and smirked, lunging once again for the others tail.

"In and out, can't you just decide?"

"No, it's actually quite hard," Tugger strode towards the door and started scratching at it. "Let me in! I want to come in!"

(To human ears, this would sound like mewling.)

Their human opened the door, sighing in discontent. Tugger looked once more behind him to Mistoffolees to check that he was coming (he was slowly walking down the garden path) and jumped inside the house. Their human quickly shut the door and walked stiffly away muttering about the curiosity of that dreadful cat.

"Mister Mistoffolees, I think that we should-" Tugger looked around but his companion was no where to be found. "Mister Mistoffolees?"

A crash was heard from outside.

"Quaxo?" he leapt upon the kitchen counter staring out of the window where there was no sign of Mistoffolees.

Tugger panicked only for a second before his curiosity was peaked by something else and, consequently, the most magical of cats was erased (momentarily) from his mind.

***

The night crept in, until darkness surrounded the town and the humans had shut their curtains against the blackness. Soon, the hustle and bustle had dissipated, leaving an ominous silence and for cats to roam the streets freely.

On the rooftop of a house near the dump, sat a cat of moderate size looked into the distance waiting for another to arrive. They met each night under the light of the pale moon, recounting their days and speculating who would adventure to another life.

Victoria, the white cat, waited until streaks of orange sunlight streamed over the horizon before her heart began to race. Where was Mistoffolees? He hadn't been seen by any other cats and Asparagus (Gus) had reported to her that he hadn't seen him since he was playing with Tugger two days prior. Although, it wasn't unknown for Mistoffolees to disappear, be it by some kind of magic trick or by accident.