The Acceptance
Nightshade ran for a long time, and she found herself by the Vicarage Wall. The old cat that had been there, was gone. She sighed, and looked around for anything or anyone. "What am I going to do?" She asked herself, as she began to lick her fur. She tasted blood on her fur, and she groaned. "Mother." She thought, she swallowed hard and continued to lick herself clean, and as she lost herself in thought, a cat approached her.
"You seem to have a lot on your mind, do you want to talk about it?" The cat asked, as he sat next to her.
"Not really." She said, as she turned to look at the cat that was sitting next to her. It was a male cat, and he was orange, black and white.
"My name is Mungojerrie, who are you?"
"No one." She replied, as she jumped off the wall and ran off.
"Was it something I said?" He thought, as he watched her go. Soon, Munkustrap and Deuteronomy found him. They approached him, and looked up at him. "Hello." He said, as he moved over to make room for the older cat.
"You look like you lost something." Munkustrap said.
"You know that new cat you were talking about, Munk? Well, I think I just met her."
"Where did she go?" He asked, as he looked around for her.
"She ran off. She just looked so sad sitting here, that I wandered over to talk to her. I told her who I was, and asked who she was, and she said the strangest thing to me. She said, ëno one.’"
"We’ll keep an eye out for her. Goodbye Deuteronomy." Munkustrap said, as he nudged Mungojerrie, and they wandered off together. They headed back to the junkyard, and then they parted company and headed in separate directions.
Nightshade watched them go, and then she headed back to the Wall. She noticed the old cat lying there. Suddenly, he looked directly at her, even though she was still invisible. "Come here, little one. I will not hurt you." Deuteronomy said, as he looked in her direction.
Nightshade hesitated for a mere moment and went to the Jellicle leader’s side. "Who are you?" She asked.
"My name is Old Deuteronomy. Who are you, and why can’t I see you?"
"I don’t wish to be seen, so I have the ability to disappear. My name isn’t important." She replied.
"Well, I wish I could see you." He said, as he looked to his left where her voice was coming from.
Nightshade began to appear in front of him, and he watched, as dainty white paws appeared, then black fur, and then her face. "Well, this is me." She said, as she looked into his face.
"What is your name, I can help you, are you running from someone?"
"My name is Nightshade, and I’m running from my father." She said, as her eyes got sad, and filled with tears. "I don’t know where to go, my mother was all I ever had..." she finished, as she burst into tears.
"Why are you running from your father?" The old leader asked, then looked at her.
Her ears perked up, as she sensed someone. "There’s someone coming." She said, as she disappeared.
Coricopat and Tantomile appeared their synchronicity was apparent, as they moved together. They nodded politely to Old Deuteronomy, and padded off towards their home.
"They are gone, Nightshade." The Jellicle leader said, as Nightshade reappeared. "Why don’t you come home with me tonight. You will be safe there; no one will hurt you. Will you join me?"
"Yes." She said, as she began to follow the old cat towards his home.
The next day, Munkustrap and Mistoffolees made a surprise appearance at the Vicarage Wall. They saw from a distance, Nightshade, sitting quietly next to Old Deuteronomy. "Who is that?" Mistoffolees asked.
"I don’t know." Munkustrap replied, "let’s go find out." The duo padded up to Deuteronomy, and Nightshade was ready to disappear, but was stopped by a caring paw.
"They are friends. Do not be afraid." He said, she visibly settled down. "Mistoffolees, Munkustrap, what brings you this morning?"
"Well, we wanted to be sure that you would attend the Ball that’s coming up in a few weeks." Munkustrap said, as he looked at Nightshade.
Nightshade licked her paws, and looked at Mistoffolees, her heartbeat began to pound in her ears, but she settled her heartbeat quickly. "Who is this?" Mistoffolees asked, as he looked at her.
"This is Nightshade, she’ll be staying with me for awhile. I haven’t gotten to know her that well. Maybe, one of your master’s would be willing to take in another cat?" He asked, as he looked at them.
"Mine would. She loves cats." Mistoffolees piped up; he then turned to look at Nightshade. "Her name is Gabrielle, she’s great."
"I don’t want to put anyone in danger, I’ll be just fine on my own, thank you though." She said, as she leapt down from her perch, landing lightly next to Munkustrap.
He stared at her. "Where did you come from, Nightshade?"
"Nowhere." She replied, cryptically. "My mother’s name was BlackShadow. I don’t want to talk about my father." She said.
"Nightshade, you should come home with me." Mistoffolees said, as he padded over to her.
"But my father..." She protested.
"We can protect you from your father, Nightshade." Mistoffolees and Munkustrap said at the same time.
"No, you can’t. My mother died protecting me from him. I won’t ask anyone else to die for me, I can’t go through that kind of pain again." She said, her body trembled, as she began to cry.
"Don’t cry, little one. All will be well." Deuteronomy said, as he looked down on her with kind eyes.
"Come home with me, Nightshade. My mistress will treat you well." Mistoffolees said. Nightshade gave the briefest of nods.
"I will go with you, but you won’t see me." She said.
"What do you mean?" Munkustrap asked.
"This is what I mean." Nightshade said, as her ears quivered, and the tip of her tail twitched. Starting at the tip of her tail, she began to disappear. The ripple moved down her body, and covered her entire body, so that she disappeared, and they could see right through her.
"Nightshade?" Mistoffolees asked, as he batted the air with a paw, where she had been.
"Yes?" She asked, from his right side. Mistoffolees gave out a little squeak. "Sorry, if I startled you, but I’m quick." She said, as he head began to appear.
"You remind me of someone my master was writing about. Alice somethingorother. He was writing about a cat that could disappear, called him the Cheshire Cat."
"Well, I’ll go home with you, Mistoffolees." Nightshade said, the rest of her body appeared, and she was right next to Misto.
"You two get home safely. Bring her to the junkyard tomorrow, we’ll call a meeting. Introduce her." Munkustrap said, as he looked at Deuteronomy for confirmation. He nodded.
"What if they don’t like me?" Nightshade asked.
"They will." Deuteronomy said.
Nightshade nodded, and padded after Mistoffolees. He led her to a small flat, where a woman was looking around and calling for Mistoffolees. "That’s my mistress." Mistoffolees whispered to Nightshade. She nodded. He ran to her and leapt into her arms.
"Where have you been, Misty? I’ve been worried about you." She looked at him and pets his head gently. She then noticed Nightshade. "You brought a friend, who is this?" She said, as she put Mistoffolees down and picked her up. Nightshade cringed, but then purred under the hand of the woman who picked her up. "She’s absolutely adorable."
Nightshade purred and nuzzled the hand that gently caressed her fur. "She’s like my mama. Only mama loved me at first sight. Father saw me as something he could use. She really likes me." She thought to herself, as she purred in her arms.
"Oh, Misty, she’s beautiful. Shall we call her Night?" Nightshade purred even louder. "Then that’s already your name, hmm. Well it suits you." She said as she placed Nightshade on the ground. She opened the door, and Mistoffolees ran in and Nightshade just padded in behind him. Nightshade began sniffing around.
Mistoffolees headed straight for the water dish, and began to lap it up. He licked his lips and turned around, he noticed Nightshade up on his favorite pillow, curled up, her eyes closed in sleep. His mistress was sitting next to her, petting her fur gently. She was humming under her breath, as Mistoffolees approached. "Hello, Misty. She’s beautiful. I love this stripe that runs down her back, I wonder where she came from." She said, as she caressed Nightshade’s back. "Well, my little man, I’m off to bed. Goodnight." She said, as she headed up the stairs.
Mistoffolees jumped up next to Nightshade and looked at her. Nightshade opened her eyes. "Am I in your spot, Mistoffolees?" She asked.
"Well, yeah, but you can have it. I don’t mind. Do you need anything?" He asked, as he sat next to her. "No. I’m fine. Here, I can move over." Nightshade said, as she slid over on the pillow. "There’s enough room for the both of us." Mistoffolees lay next to her, and quickly went to sleep. Nightshade looked at him for a while, watching him as he slept. She then closed her eyes and slept.
Hati approached Macavity cautiously. "Master?"
"Where is my daughter?!" He snarled, as he jumped down from where he had been lying to stand over Hati.
"I saw her with a black cat, one of the Jellicles." Hati replied.
"Mistoffolees. We shall take them both and soon. She will regret leaving me." He said, as he strode over to the entrance and looked out at the dark night. "I will have you back daughter, do you hear me? I will find you no matter where you go or where you are."
At Gabrielle’s flat, Nightshade sat straight up. "Father?" She whispered, careful not to wake the sleeping Mistoffolees, she crept towards the door. She scratched at the door gently, then noticed that the window was open. Looking around quickly, she went to the base of the stairs, and headed up them. The window was in-between the first and second floors, where she was looking up at the window.
"Are you going somewhere?" Mistoffolees asked, as he appeared. She whipped her head around to look at him.
"I can’t stay...I have to go...I’m sorry...I...don’t want you to get hurt because of me..." She stammered as she leapt out the window and was gone. Mistoffolees sighed, and leapt out the window minutes after she did. He headed straight for Munkustrap’s home. He ran through the deserted streets, slicing open his paw on a ragged can, until he came upon the house where Munkustrap lived.
He gently walked around the house, until he spotted the sleeping Munkustrap. Lightly, he scratched on the window. Munkustrap opened his eyes and came to an open window. "What are you doing here?" Munkustrap asked.
"It’s Nightshade, she ran off. Said something about not wanting us to get hurt." Mistoffolees said. Munkustrap looked at him, and thought for a second.
"You have to find her, Mistoffolees." Munkustrap said, as Mistoffolees ran to do his bidding.
Nightshade walked along until a cat stopped her, which was orange and white. "Are you lost?" The cat asked. Nightshade arched her back and hissed. "I won’t hurt you. Who are you?"
"My name is Nightshade." She said, as she looked at the cat with the cheerful face. "Who are you?"
"My name is Skimbleshanks. I’m the railway cat. You’re down at the train station."
"Oh, I’ve never been here before." She said, as she looked at him.
"Are you hungry? Do you want to get something to eat?" He asked, his voice gentle.
"No, I was thinking of going back to this flat, where I’m staying. I’m staying with a new friend." She said, as she looked at him.
"Well, at least let me walk you home. Who is your friend?" He asked.
"Mistoffolees?"
"I know him, c’mon let’s go." Skimbleshanks said, as they started to head towards his house. After about a half-hour, they reached Mistoffolees’ house. He was waiting outside, looking up and down the block, the look on his face was a mix of worry, concern, and he really looked frantic.
"Nightshade? Skimbleshanks? Where did you find her?"
"Actually, she found me. I found her wandering around the rail station. She looked a little lost. I just merely walked her home." Skimbleshanks said, as he gave a wave of his tail, and disappeared.
"I was worried about you." Mistoffolees said. "Why did you run out?"
"I don’t want to talk about it." Nightshade said as she slipped past him; she looked at him, and as she walked by, and she noticed that his paw was bleeding. "What did you do to yourself?"
"I was trying to look for you, and a sliced my paw on a can. I was just worried sick about you." He replied, as she looked at him.
"Let me see it." She said, Mistoffolees lifted his paw. And she took it and stared at it, the cut was small, but was bleeding a lot. "Aw, Mistoffolees. I can I take care of this for you."
"My mistress will just take me to the vet." He replied, as he looked at her. He watched as she closed her eyes, and placed a paw over his. A golden glow covered both her paws and his, her whole body began to glow with this golden sheen. When she opened her eyes, his paw was healed. "How...how did you do that?"
"My...my mother...taught me..." She said, as she passed out. Mistoffolees nudged her gently, then squirmed underneath her, so that she was draped over his back. He carried her into the house, and to the pillow that she had been sleeping on. He lay her down, and curled up next to her. He looked at his paw, then at her, and then he closed his eyes and slept.
Nightshade woke up late in the afternoon, and looked around. Mistoffolees was gone. She stretched, and rose from the pillow. "Meow." Gabrielle walked in and came over to her.
"Good afternoon, little one. You slept a long time; I have some cream for you, in the kitchen. Misty is in there eating." Nightshade hopped off the pillow and padded into the kitchen. Mistoffolees was eating some dry food, and she went to the bowl of cream that Gabrielle had laid out for her.
Lapping up the cream, she looked at Mistoffolees’ paw, it was healed, she remembered passing out, but couldn’t remember getting to the pillow. Finishing the cream, she licked her lips, and padded towards the door. Gently scratching at it, Gabrielle came over and let her out. "Well, this door is always open a crack, and you are free to come and go as you please." She said, "before you go, will you take this?" She asked, as she knelt down next to Nightshade. In her hand was a collar. It was red, with a small silver star in the center.
Nightshade purred, and rubbed her head against Gabrielle’s hand. Gabrielle fastened the collar and let her go with a small hug. "Come back, when you like." She said, as she rose and walked back into the house.
Nightshade looked down at her new decoration, as Mistoffolees padded up next to her. "Hello, how are you feeling?" Mistoffolees asked.
"Fine, why do you ask?"
"Well, you passed out yesterday." Mistoffolees said.
"Well, my magic takes a lot out of me, it took a lot out of my mother too. My powers aren’t fully at capacity, but every time I try, I get stronger. I’m just glad I could help." She replied. "So where are we going?"
"The junkyard, you are going to be introduced to the tribe. You’ll do just fine." Mistoffolees said.
"As long as they don’t ask about my father." Nightshade thought, as she followed Mistoffolees towards the junkyard.
The junkyard was full of cats; Nightshade was so terrified at being surrounded by these strange cats, that she disappeared. Mistoffolees looked around for Nightshade, and noticed that she was gone. "Nightshade?"
"I’m here." She said, from his left side. She followed him, silently, and invisible.
Old Deuteronomy rose up, and looked for Munkustrap. "Munkustrap called this meeting, to introduce you to a new cat. Her name is Nightshade, and she’s right over.... Mistoffolees where is she?" He asked.
"She’s here. She was scared, so she did her invisibility thing." Mistoffolees said, as he walked up to Deuteronomy.
"They won’t hurt you, Nightshade, appear before us." Deuteronomy said, and Nightshade appeared in the center of the junkyard. The cats gasped, as she appeared.
The cats, all approached her, and sniffed her fur. She nearly cringed from all the attention, but she kept her gaze on Mistoffolees, he looked at her and she stood proud and tall. The cats nuzzled her in welcome. "Tell us something about yourself, Nightshade." Munkustrap said.
"I have the ability to make myself invisible, and to heal wounds." She said, as she looked at the group. "My mother died protecting me, and I have no other family." She finished, as she looked around.
Old Deuteronomy rose from where he had been sitting. "We are your family now, do you all accept her, are there any who reject her?" He asked, as he rose to look regally over the group.
Tugger strode in at that moment. "Sorry I’m late." He said, as the female cats ran to snuggle against him. He noticed Nightshade in the center of the junkyard, the females that surrounded him forgotten, and he went to her side. "I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure?"
"Nightshade." She replied her voice cool.
"I’m the Rum Tum Tugger." He replied, as he looked her over. Mistoffolees watched this, and anger and jealously clouded his vision for a moment. Nightshade merely nodded and moved away from him. Old Deuteronomy and Munkustrap shared a look. The Tugger looked a little hurt that a female would cast him aside in such a manner.
She sidled up to Mistoffolees, "is he always like that, so full of himself?" she whispered.
"Um hmm." He replied.
"Let us rejoice with the coming of a new member to the tribe." Munkustrap said, as the cats began to dance around. Nightshade looked longingly at the group as they danced. She smiled to herself, and then just watched.
Mistoffolees came to her side. "Want to dance?" "I’m sorry, I can’t dance." She replied. He reached out and took her paw, and led her to the middle of the junkyard. The music began to make her move, and she did. She swayed to the music, as Mistoffolees watched her, her moves were sultry and slow, but nice to watch.
Mistoffolees moved next to her and began to dance with her. She turned and came nose to nose with him. She looked at him, her eyes widening, her breathing shallow, her face flushed. She turned away from him and danced with him. Tugger danced in their direction, and she looked at him. The Tugger took her paw and twirled her away from Mistoffolees, giving him a look that said, "they-all-love-me."
Mistoffolees looked hurt and confused, as the Tugger twirled her away. He headed towards Munkustrap who was sitting with Demeter. "Mistoffolees? What’s wrong?" Demeter asked.
"I don’t know, Tugger took my dancing partner." Mistoffolees answered, as he looked at the ground.
"I don’t think so, look." Munkustrap said, as Mistoffolees looked up to see that Nightshade had moved away from him and was again dancing alone. Suddenly Demeter tensed up. "Demeter?" Munkustrap asked.
"MACAVITY!" She hissed. The cats scattered, except for Nightshade who was frozen on the spot, fear framing her face. Without a word, she turned invisible.
Macavity’s cackle could be heard throughout the junkyard, but then fell silent, as if he was leaving. Nightshade reappeared on an old tire she was shivering. Mistoffolees padded up next to her. "Are you okay?" He asked, concern lacing his voice.
"Can we go?" She asked.
"Sure, I think this is over anyway, Macavity has a tendency to break up the party every time." He replied, Old Deuteronomy who had heard the slight conversation nodded, and the two of them headed home together.
As they padded away, neither one of them noticed the fact that Hati who was hidden in a nook watching them. "She’s nothing like her father, her father is evil, look at the terror he inflicts upon these cats, who have done nothing to him." He thought to himself as he padded in the opposite direction.
To be continued...