Author's note: this takes place about a month after the Jellicle ball we all know and love. Also I know that everyone has their own opinon about Old Deutoronmy being Munkustrap's father or grandfather. In my fan fic he is Munkustrap's grandfather.
Part 1-Overture
Jaina yelled out as she jump-kicked her opponent.
He ducked and tried to punch her, but she easily countered. Jaina was
really ticked as she thought about what her twin brother had done to her at
school earlier that day.
He had posted "candid" photos of her all around the school building.
"Luckily," she had thought," I get to fight Andrew in karate class
tonight." This last thought brought her back to the present.
As Andrew looked to the left to see what one of his friends was saying, Jaina saw her chance. She kicked him squarely on the bottom of his jaw. Andrew's skull pounded as his teeth clicked together, hard.
"Ok," he thought," This means war."
They squared off for about 2 minutes, neither getting the upper hand, when Jaina did a kick incorrectly and momentarily lost her balance. This was all Andrew needed. He kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying into the wall-lengthed mirror behind her. Before Jaina blacked out she heard her brother screaming something and musical twinking of glass as the mirror shattered.
When Jaina awoke, she was cold, wet, hungry, and alone. She found it hard to walk but she forced her legs to move. Her head ached. She dragged herself to a pool of rainwater in the middle of the alley in which she lay.
Jaina gasped as she look at the face that stared back at her. She was a cat! She was all brown, with darker brown fur on her back and lighter brown fur covering her stomach, throat, and face. She had brown and black strips, but they were hard to see. Other than brown and black the only other color fur was a white cresent moon on her forehead.
The pain in her suddenly doubled. She touched the back of her head then looked down to see on her paw. But there was something else mixed in with the blood. She put her paw into the water and then looked at what was left on her paw. It was glass! "Just like when I hit my head on the mirror."
The pain in her head pounded like a drum. She was exhausted, but somehow she managed to drag herself onto the street to find somewhere to sleep. She didn't know where she was going or how long she was wandering until she pulled herslef into some sort of junkyard, but she couldn't be sure. Finally she gave into the mists that were surrounding her and blacked out.
A group of cats gathered around an unconscious brown queen. A big gray tabby sat beside his red queen, both deep in conversasion with the topic being the newcomer.
"But Munkustrap, she's just a kitten." The cat identified as Munkustrap replied to his mate's,Demeter's, plea,"No, she's not a kitten, but she looks about Mistofelees' age."
"What's that supposed to mean?," came a voice from behind them. Munkustrap and Demeter both jumped around to find the previously mentioned young black and white tom sitting above them on a junk heep.
"Don't do that again, Misto. I was comparing your age to what I think that cat's age is."
"Oh, sorry. Have you guys seen Victoria?"
"Yeah, I think she's over there with Jemima," Demeter replied.
Mistofelees thanked her then went to find his mate.
Demeter was about remark that she wondered who this newcomerwas when they heard a low moan come from the young brown queen. She blinked her chocolate brown eyes, obviously seeiing thecats around her. She tried to get up, but when she halfway standing she fell down again. Demeter felt so bad for the younger female. Demeter went over to her and helped her up and supported.
"Thank you," replied the brown female.
"Who are you? Where did you come from?," cautiously asked Munkustrap.
She didn't know what she was saying or what she was supposed to say but still words poured out of her mouth," My name is Ariadne. My parents were named Allag and Diana. I lived with them until they were killed by a car. I've been on my own for about 2 months."
A gasp was heard from someone in the surrounding crowd,"Diana, dead? She was my little sister," said the cat named Jellylorum.
"Well then, that makes you a Jellicle, like all of us. You can stay with us here in the junkyard tonight. Tomorrow we'll decide what to do with you," offered Munkustrap.
"Sure. Oh, my head," Ariadne said touching her wound.
"Come on dear, Jenny and I will get that cleaned up," Jelly said while taking Ari to another part of the junkyard.
Later Ari found herself sitting and listening to idle chit-chat and gossip between four of the older queens, Jellylorum, Jennyanydots,Demeter, and Bombalurina. Jelly wouldn't let her go and play with some cats of her own age because she was afraid Ari would go and hurt herself further. Ari didn't complain but still it was quite until they quitely, almost cautiously, mentioned someone she had never heard of.
"Who's Macavity?"
All of the conversation abruptly ended between the four and they turned to stare at Ari. "What? What did I do wrong?"
"You've never heard of Macavity?," Bombalurina asked bewildered.
"No."
Jelly turned to Demeter, mutely asking something of her. Demeter turned her down by shaking her head. Jelly turned back to Ariadne and told her,"let's just put it this way, his evilness surpasses all others who have lived. If you ever meet him run away. Then come back here and tell one of the adults."
"How will I know that it's him?"
"You'll know."
Ariadne was about to see if she could get more information out of the four queens when she suddenly became tired and yawned. Jelly looked down at her niece, whom she was growing to like very much, and smiled. "Come on you must be tired after the day you had. You can meet everyone else tomorrow."
Jelly said her goodbyes over her shoulder and the ushered Ari to the old oven which served as her home. She helped Ari in and watched her lay down and try to fall asleep.
She would have to call her own children into sleep soon but she would wait since it was such a beautiful spring night. She smiled and once again looked down at her niece who was sound asleep. "So beautiful, just like your mother. You'll make a fine Jellicle, Ari,a great one."