Quaxo walked towards Jellylorum's oven where Jennyanydots and Gemima stayed. He licked his paw and smoothed down the hair on his forehead. He glanced in a piece of broken mirror and when satisfied with his looks he nodded and walked up to the oven door. Quaxo rapped his paw on the door and sat down. Waiting patiently for the door to open he drew a picture of several cats dancing and frustrated he scratched it out with his paw. The black and white cat looked up as the door opened. He saw the kind face of Jellylorum smiling down at him.
"Quaxo! Darling, come in!" she invited him in happily.
"Good afternoon Jelly," he said. She opened the door wider and made room for Quaxo to enter the oven.
"And how are you today Quaxo?" she asked him.
"I'm fine thank you," he replied politely. He looked around the oven and was pleased to see Jennyanydots was sitting at the makeshift table. Oh good! he thought to himslef, In Jenny is here then that means Gemima must be here as well.
"Now Quaxo, what can I do for you?" Jellylorum asked him.
"Well, actually, I was wondering if Gemima was here," he answered. Jennyanydots and Jellylorum exchanged glances and Quaxo felt himself reddening.
"She's not here Quaxo. She went to go play cards with Rumpleteazer," Jennyanydots replied. Jellylorum turned away smiling to herself.
"Oh," Quaxo said, "I guess I'll just go find her then. Thank you Jenny; Jelly,"
"Your quite welcome Quaxo, feel free to come back anytime," Jellylorum said as she turned back around. She held the door open for him and, disgruntled, Quaxo wlaked out.
"Was that the most adorable thing you've ever seen Jenny?" Jellylorum said as she closed the door.
"It was!" Jennyanydots exclaimed, "He's such a sweet kitten,"
"I wonder what he wants with your Gemima?" Jellylorum said. Though distinguished, Jellylorum wasn't the brightest star in the sky if you know what I mean.
"Oh Jelly! it seems as if Quaxo is a true gentlecat," jennyanydots explained.
"Oh, my, I see!" jellylorum siad. The two older cats looked at eachother and started giggling like kittens.
*^..^*
Quadrothena sat in the center of Victoria Grove. Looking left to right she saw no one around. She stood up and quietly trodded over to an open window on the first floor. She hopped inside and looked around. Nothing worth taking in here, she thought to herself. Frustrated she found her way to the stairs and walked to the second level. The stairs led her to a hallway which contained the doors to several different flats. Quadrothena checked each door until she found one that was partially open. She tapped it with her paw and found the flat deserted. Yes, people lived there, but they were gone for the moment. Silently she stepped inside and started searching for a bedroom. When she found one she decided to look in the drawers before the closet. She padded over to the bureau and tugged a drawer open and hopped inside. it was filled with womens undergarments. Searhcing through them for perhaps some jewelry hidden in the bottom she got tangled up in the clothes. Suddenly she haerd a sound outside of the room. Laying deathly still she listened for another suspicious noise. It came a few seconds after the first one. There was a crash from the parlour room, and Quadrothena shook for fear of being caught.
*^..^*
The brown tabby slid into the flat on his bottom and hit the wall witha loud Bang! that echoed throughout the small apartment.
"Damned Bloomsbury Gaurds!" he muttered to himself, "I can't beleive they 'ave kicked out. I've allus been quite a good ol' chap!"
The cat looked about himself and decided to make the best of things. In an attempt to jump up on a coutner he knocked a pot off and it hit the ground with a loud crash. "Oh my! A lit'le bit to much Ca'nip there," he cautiuoned himslef. Having not made it onto the counter he tottered into the bedroom of the flat. He looked around and saw that the room was neat except for a drawer that was sliughtly ajar. Trying to be kind he approached the drawer and statrted to push it shut. Just then he heard a wail and jumoped back. Out of the drawer came a creature dressed in white. It was moaning and struggling about.
"Core blimey! Now I know I've 'ad to much catnip!" he shouted.
*^..^*
Quadrothena struggled about in the clothes trying to free herself. She groaned as she was trying to free herself. Suddenly she heard a shout, "Core blimey! Now I know I've 'ad to much catnip!"
"Who's there?" she asked, still covered in the clothes. The voice replied;
"Dear mother of God! I allus was a church goer! I swear!"
"Oh, calm your bloody self down!" she shouted. Quadrothena found an opening in the clothes and pushed her head out. She found the voice was supplied by a reddish-bron cat with white paws, a white face, and white on the tip of his tail.
" 'Oo are you?" Quadrothena asked.
"Great stars above! I' talks!" was her reply. Quadrothena unsheathed her claws and rippe dher way out of the clothes. Once free she hopped out of the drawer and the strange cat looked her up and down and smiled.
"Le' me introdcue meself, my name is Morgan, ex pirate, current door-cat a' Bloomsbury Square,"
"Yes, and I'm Quadrothena," she said walking out of the room, "current cat-burglar 'ose job ya just managed to ruin, thank ya very much,"
"Well I didna mean anyfin by my mo'ives madam," Morgan attempted to make up for his bludge on her plans.
"Well that's all jolly good and all, if ya don't mind I need to go back to the junkyard," Quadrothe4na said trying to leave.
"The junkyard? Not the junkyard?" Morgan stressed the word 'the' and his eyes bugge dout slightly.
"If you mena the Jellicle Junkyard, then yes, the junkyard," she replied with a toss of her head.
"Well, then, are ya goin' the the caterwaul tommorrow night?" Morgan asked her.
"Probably not," she stopped in her tracks and looked at him. He wasn't the most handsome of cats but she realized he was cute ina silly way. Kind of like a free version of Mungojerrie. Silly, yet level-headed enough to have fun with.
"And why's tha'? My guess is you don't 'ave a date," Morgan siad to her. He was circling her and she smiled at him.
"Maybe," she replied, played the minx.
"Wel then, I wasn't going to go, but you might talk me into going if you'll allow me to escort you," he said. She ahd to had him that, he was smooth.
"Well then, I'll see you tommorrow?"
"Well then, I guess you will," he smiled. With that he trotted out of the room and left the flat.
Sitting salone in the room Quadrothena said to herself, "You can't but like Morgan, 'e's got a kind 'art,"
*^..^*
"So, Gemima,are you going or not?" Etcetra asked the still single cat.
"Well, it depends. Do I have a date?" she replied.
Etcetra started to reply then shut her mouth in defeat. gemima nodded and trotted off in the direction of the oven. She tapped lightly on the side and pulle dopen the door. Jellylorum and Jennyanydots truned in surprise and quickly tried to stifle their giggles.
"G'day Jelly," Gemima acknowledged Jellylorum. In reply, Jellylorum raised a paw in a salute.
"Good afternoon Gemima," Jennyanydots welcomed her daughter, "You had a caller just recently,"
"Who would that be?" Gemima asked innocently. She sat herself down at the table and grabbed a small peice on cracker left over from the older cat's tea.
"It was a young gentle-cat," Jennyanydots started.
"He was extremely handsome," Jellylorum exagerated.
"Quite small actually, but very polite," Jennyanydots continued.
"Who was it?" Gemima asked impatiently.
"Well you're no fun," Jellylorum pouted.
"It was young Quaxo," Jennyanydots said. Gemima jumped up and nearly knocked the table over.
"Quaxo was here?!" she shouted.
"Not so loud Gemima!" Jennyanydots scolded.
"Which way did he go?" Gemima went on.
"Why, I don't know," her mother answered.
"Oh my! Gotta run!" gemima said as she ran out of the oven.
Jennyanydots and Jelylorum stood ther ein shock for a moment until Jellylorum broke the silence.
"Well, that was odd," she said.
"Yes, yes it was," Jennyanydots replied, "but I have a feeling things will work out for the best,"
Just thren there was a rap at the door and a strong baritone voice commanded;
"Jennyanydots, aka Gumbie cat! I know you are in there!"
"Oh my," Jellylorum shook.
"Who might that be?" Jennyanydots siad as she stood to answer the door. AS she pulled the door open a tattered rose was thrust in her face. She peered around it and saw the grinning face of Bustopher Jones, aka, the Cat About Town.
*^..^*
Alonzo raced down the streets of London towards Kings Cross Station.
"Oh! I hope I get there in time!" he said to himself. He came skidding to a halt as the station came in view. Looking at his reflection on the side of a trash can he smoothed his ruffled hair. Then, cautiously, he crossed the road and entered the station. He saw Harold Fleet, the station master's right arm and smiled to himself. Harold Fleet, though a good man, was a bit odd. Any cat Skimbleshanks brought to the station was put in the care of Mr. Fleet himself. No cat left the station if it wasn't in tip-top shape.
""Why if it t'isn't none other than the one and only Alonzo!" Harold Fleet cried as he saw Alonzo. The black and white cat mewed at his feet, getting a good scratch behind the ears. He was ready to curl up and go to sleep when he heard a cough from behind him. Quickly turning he saw Skimbleshanks. The yelow and orange tabby looked at Harold Fleet abnd nodded. Harold Fleet patteed Skimbleshanks on the head and went on his way.
"Can I 'elp ya?" Skimbleshanks asked Alonzo.
"Well, yes, actually, you can," Alonzo replied.
"And?" Skimbleshanks pushed.
"Well, I was wondering when umm...uh..." Alonzo could feel his face turning red, "When tansyleaf came in," he finished.
Skimbleshanks blinke din surprise, "Tansyleaf? Well, I guess I could find that out for you, but...why do you ask?"
"Well, I..uh...I wanted to ask her to the Caterwaul tommorrow night." Alonzo managed to spit out.
"I would love to," was the reply. Alonzo peered behind Skimbleshanks, and there stood Tansyleaf. Alonzo smiled and he looked at Skimblehsanks as if to ask, "Why didn't you tell me?"
Skimbleshanks merely shrugged and stepped aside. Smiling he walked off to find Harold Fleet.
"Um, Hi!" Alonzo said after a moment of silence. Tansyleaf smiled at him. Alonzo smiled back. There was another akward silence, until Tansyleaf said;
"Umm, Alonzo? Your tail?" she pointed at Alonzo's tail which he hadn't realized was standing straight up.
"Uh, heh,heh," he laughed, obviously embarassed. Tansyleaf giggled and stood up.
"Come on! Let's go to the Junkyard," she helped him up and they walked off side by side. Alonzo smiled as she stepped closer to him. And this time, he walked proudly head and tail held high (no nasty notions thank you).
*^..^*
Victoria walked slowly towards the top hat. She stopped suddenly as it floated into the air. Confused, she stood there for a moment. Suddenly, it collapsed back to the ground and she saw Mistoffelees step from behin dit. He picked up a pad of paper and wrote somehting on it Stopping to think, Victorias took her chance.
"Writing anything about me?" she stepped up to him and tryed to peer over his shoulder.
Mistoffelees jumped in surprise and turned to look into the face of a beautiful snow-white cat.
"Victoria! What a pleasant surprise," he said.
"You didn't answer my question...writing anything about me?"
"Well, actually..." Mistoffelees replied. Quickly, he tore away the paper he had been writing on and quickly scribbled somehing down. Viuctoria waite dpatiently, peering at Mistoffelees and smiling to herself. After a minute or two Mistoffelees tore off the piece of paper and handed it to her. Victoria took it in her paw and read what it said.
Snow white kitty
beautiful you may be
But no one will look prettier
Then when you are beside me.
Tommorrow Tommorrow
I shall see you then
Tommorrow at the Caterwaul
I'm on your dance-card for at least ten.
"Well, that's certainly a creative way of askng a cat out for the night," she said as she looked up from the short poem, but Mistoffelees was nowhere to be seen
"Well, guess I'll see you then," Victoria said to the empty air. She folded the poem ad walked off.
Quaxo was walking near the front entrance to the junkyard when he saw Snipplefreck peering in the window of the office. The office was where the owner of the junkyard sat all day watching his tele. His favourite program was East Enders. Some of the cats enjoyed the show as well and went out of their way to stop by the office and watch it when it wa son. Quaxo quietly hopped up next to Sniopplefreck and she kept on watching the show.
"What's happening today?" Quaxo asked her. The sound of his voice alarmed her and she jumped. in doing so she fell off of the barrel she had been standing on. looking up at Quaxo she couldn't help but smile.
"Nothing really. Bert just turned it on," she replied. Bert was the owner of the junkyard.
"Oh, allright," Quaxo said. He hopped off of the barrel to stand next to his sister.
"So what're you up to today?" Snipplefreck asked him.
"Nuthin' much. just lookin' for Gemima,"
"Oh? I saw her playing cards with Rumpleteazer earlier this morning," Snipplefreck replied. She stood up and started dusting herself off, "Oh, I was wonderin', what's the name of Victoria's ex?"
"Who?" Quaxo looked at her sideways. She was washing herself, and being polite he looked away. She pause for a moment to answer Quaxo.
"You know, the one she was with at the Jellicle Ball,"
"How do you know who she was with?" Quaxo asked her. She stopped and looked at Quaxo.
"I was watching over the wall, duh,"
"Oh, well, his name is George, why?"
"Just wonderin', gotta go," Snipplefreck said. She hopped up and waved 'bye' to Quaxo. He waved back and she went off towards the center of the junkyard. Looking left to right Snipplefreck looked for George. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Victoria reading something in her hand. She headed over towards the white cat as she put away whatever it was she was reading.
"Victoria? Do you know where I can find George?" Snipplefreck asked her.
"Oh! Hi Snipple! Why do you need George?"
"Oh, just looking for him," Snipplefreck replied, looking away.
"Ah, I see, well, as far as I know he doesn't have a date yet. Try looking over by bicycles, that's where he likes to hunt," Victoria replied. She smiled and patted Snipplefreck on the back as if to say "Good luck," Snipplefreck smiled and headed over towards the bikes. She was halfway there when she heard a shout from above.
"Tallyho!!"
Snipplefreck looked up and then ducked. Flying out of nowhere came Tumblebrutus. He hit the ground and went rolling. When he stopped he was grinning form ear to ear.
"Guess what..." he said to Snipplefreck.
"What?" she rpelied playing along.
"I'm gonna ask someone to the Caterwaul!" he sang out loud. he started dancng around until another voice interupted him.
"Hopefully it's me,"
"Electra?" he said. He had stopped in the middle of his dance. One leg was in the air and he looked like a clown.
Electra sort of slid down out of the bikes surrounding the two cats. She had a rust quality in her voice that made her both cute and desirable at the same time.
"Well, actually," Tumblebrutus said. He stopped mid-sentence and smiled. Then he whappe dher over the head with his tail. Electra, as if answering, whapped him back and the two ran off laughing like hyenas. Snipplefreck would have said somehting if she weren't by herself, but another voice spoke what was on her mind.
"Well, that has got to be the oddest way of asking a girl to the Caterwaul."
"Wha'?" Snipplefreck turned quickly to find a white cat with a brown strip running from his right shoulder all the wya dpown his right leg. The hip on his left side had a few brown splotches on it and his head was orange with a brown stripe running down the left ear.
"Hey, you're Snipplefreck," he said with a cool collected voice.
"Y-yes, I am, and you are...George?" Snipplefreck stammered.
"That I am, how can I help you?" he said. Walking towards her Snipplefreck had to control herself. Oh! He's so cute! she thought to herself, If only I knew him better.
"So," she said.
"So," he replied, "goin' to the Caterwaul tommora'?" he asked her.
"Well, I wasn't going to go," Snipplefreck replied, cursing herself on the inside for not being more gutsy.
"Oh, that's a shame," George replied. He was tracking a mouse at the moment. The mouse was cleaning its whiskers as George tracked it. Though deep in converstaion, he had the talent of seeming as if he didn't care, and was able to use that in his hunting, but also while talking to Snipplefreck. "I saw you stand up to Macavity the other night, good show Snip!"
Snipplefreck beamed, but decided against showing she was proud. Calmly she said, "Thanks." George turned to look at her.
"You know, you're nothing like Victoria," after saaying this he went back to the mouse and didn't see Snipplefreck frown.
"I'm not sure whether that's a good thing or a bad thing," she said after a moment.
"Neither am I, but your nuthin' like her," George replied, "but nevertheless, I don't have a date for the Cat-"he pounced on the mouse as it darted away, "-er-" he pounced again and once again, the mouse darted off, "-waul," he finished as he fianlly pounced the mouse. Then, sitting up he held the mouse in his paws and opened his mouth.
"You don't?" Snipplefreck said hopefully.
George looked at her and clecnched the mouse tighter in his paw. "No I don't. If you want, we can dance together," his voice trailed off as if he was asking a question.
"It's fine with me," Snipplefreck answered, beaming on the inside.She watched as george opened his mouth once again and looked at the mouse. Snipplefreck closed her eyes so as not to see him devour the poor thing. Sure, she like to eat them, but watching someone else eat them made her sick. She closed her eyes but heard no chewing sound. Opening her eyes she saw that George was examining the little mouses tail. He didn't see her watching him, amazed, and he said, "Poor little guy, didn't I bandage your tail last week?"
In a quiet high pitched voice the mouse replied, "Yes ya-ya did s-sir. Oi didna tink it twas nut'n po'tant to bodder you agin."
"Sure it is, this time you keep that bandaging on, allright?" George scolded the mouse.
"Jolly good sir!" the mouse said, giving George a small salute. Snipplefreck watched as george produced a piece of white cloth and wrapped it around the mouses tail. The mouse thanked him and only then did George notice Snipplefreck watching him with a funny look on her face.
"What?" he asked.