The Truth Revealed
Nightshade, who hadn’t stopped shivering since she and Mistoffolees
left the
junkyard, lapped up some cream that Gabrielle had left out. She
silently
padded into the room where she and Mistoffolees usually slept. He was
sitting
on the pillow grooming. She leapt up and sat next to him, and she
gently
batted his ear with a paw. “Hey.” She said.
“Hi. So what do you think of my friends, you know the tribe?”
“They seem like good cats, you looked upset when we were dancing, was it something I did?”
“No, not you. The Tugger, that’s who bothered me. All the female cats, the Queens, and the kittens go crazy over him.” Mistoffolees said.
“Don’t pay any attention to him, I think he did it to get under your fur. I mean were you jealous of him dancing with me?”
“Of course not, Nightshade.” He said, “You have no idea how much I hated seeing you in his arms.” He thought to himself.
“Okay, then.” She finished. She leaned over and nuzzled him, licking his fur. He looked at her, a shocked look in his eyes. “You missed a spot.” She said, as she moved closer towards the window.
“Are you okay, Nightshade? You look like you have a lot on your mind, do you want to talk about it?” Mistoffolees asked, as he padded next to her.
“I’m okay, I just miss my mother.” She said, as a little sniffle escaped.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Mistoffolees asked, as he looked at her.
“Not really. I just wish she was alive, I miss her so much, and I miss talking to her.”
“I’m sorry, Nightshade.” Mistoffolees said, as he nuzzled her gently. She nuzzled him back, then the two of them curled up and slept.
The dawn broke over the flat, flooding the room with early morning light. Nightshade woke first, and headed towards the open window. Leaping on the sill gracefully, she headed out.
Old Deuteronomy had just settled on the Vicarage Wall, when he noticed Nightshade padding by. “Are you looking for me?” He asked.
She nodded and leapt up to sit next to him. “I was, actually. I wanted to talk to someone.”
“Well, my ears are always open to those who need to talk.” He replied, as he made himself comfortable, and prepared to listen.
“My mother, BlackShadow was killed by my father. He’s looking for me, I know he is. I’m scared for all the cats, my new friends, and my tribe. He’ll hurt you to get to me. My mother died protecting me, and she died in my arms. I remember the grin on my father’s face when she died. He had no remorse.” She said, as she sniffled quietly.
“I see, you have seen much tragedy for one so young. You lost your mother, but you gained so much. You gained a family, friends.” He said, as he looked at her.
Rising, she looked at him. “Thanks for listening to me.” She said, as she leapt down and headed off.
Munkustrap appeared minutes later; he padded over to Deuteronomy. “Hello.”
“Munkustrap, what brings you so early?” He asked, as he looked at his friend.
“Have you seen Nightshade, Mistoffolees was at my house soon after the crack of dawn. He couldn’t find her.”
“She was just here, she needed to talk to someone, and we spoke. She is worried somewhat fierce about her father, but she won’t tell me who he is.” Deuteronomy said, as he looked at Munkustrap.
“I wonder why not?” Munkustrap replied, as he sat next to his friend.
Nightshade ran into Mistoffolees back at the flat. “What’s wrong?” She asked.
“Where’ve you been?! I’ve been worried!” He said, as he looked at her.
“I went to see Deuteronomy. I’m sorry I worried you, I’m not used to having someone care about where I go.” She replied, she looked at him through downcast eyes, “do you, Mistoffolees, do you care?”
“I care.” He replied, as he looked at her.
“I don’t know what her problem is, she should be flattered that I’m
trying to
be sweet to her.”
“I think that she has her sights on someone else.” Mungojerrie said, as
he
looked at his sister. They shared a look, “wanna know who I think?”
“I don’t care who, I just wanna know why she isn’t all over me, like
the
other female cats?!” The Tugger fumed, as he began to pace.
“Maybe because, I can see you for what you truly are.” Nightshade said,
as
she padded into the junkyard.
“And just what am I then?” The Tugger asked, as he looked at her, and
fluffed
up his mane.
“You are a pampered self-centered cat. You do what you want, when you
want
to, you expect the female cats to just fawn all over you, but not me. I
don’t
fall for your bad-boy routine.” Nightshade said, as she walked around
him,
looking him over, her eyes remaining cool.
“Who is it that you do like?” Mungojerrie asked, as he looked at her.
“No one in particular.” She replied, as she returned his gaze. “I know
who I
want, I want my father dead. I’ll give my life if I have to.” She
thought to
herself. She rose and headed for the entrance of the junkyard. There
she ran
into Mistoffolees. “Were you looking for me?” She asked.
“Yeah, I was. The sun set and I was worried about you. Are you coming
home
tonight?”
“Yes, Mistoffolees. Let’s go home.” She replied, as she nuzzled him
gently,
inserting her head underneath his.
They padded off together heading in the direction of Gabrielle’s flat.
When
they reached the flat, Gabrielle was outside looking for them. “Misty?
Night?
Where are you two?” She called. She called them again, then saw the two
of
them headed towards her. Mistoffolees raced towards her, leaping into
her
arms. She pets him gently, as Nightshade purred and rubbed against her
legs.
Nightshade went inside while Gabrielle carried Mistoffolees.
Nightshade’s
incredible sense of smell picked up the scent of cream and fresh canned
tuna.
She padded quickly into the kitchen and ate some tuna leaving plenty
for
Mistoffolees; she lapped up some cream leaving plenty. She padded back
into
the living room, and leapt up onto the pillow. Curling up, she closed
her
eyes and slept.
Mistoffolees padded into the living room a few hours later, to find her
curled up and silently sleeping. He gave a half smile, and leapt up
next to
her, without a word he curled up next to her and placed his head over
her
shoulders. He closed his eyes and slept.
Hati watched as Macavity paced. He had been pacing for hours, snarling
all
the while. “Where is she?!” He snarled, he lashed out at Skoll, his
second
under Hati, and caught him in the side. “I want my daughter found! Find
her
you incompetent fools!”
“We haven’t seen her around, sir.” Hati said, and Skoll nodded.
“Never mind you fools! I’ll find her myself in my own way!” Macavity
shouted.
“Leave me! I want to be alone!” Skoll and Hati nodded politely and left
Macavity in the chamber.
Macavity knelt down, and closed his eyes. “Daughter, do you hear my
voice, do
you sense my presence? Can you feel me inside your mind? Come to me my
child,
take your place at my side.”
Nightshade’s eyes snapped open at the sound of her father’s voice. She
slipped out from underneath Mistoffolees’ head and padded for the open
window. She leapt up onto the sill, and looked out the open window.
“I’m
sorry Mistoffolees. I’m so sorry.” She whispered as she crept out the
open
window and into the night. “Father, I’m coming.”
Mistoffolees opened his eyes, as he watched her pad out of the living
room.
He watched her slip out the window, and followed. He followed her down
to the
docks, and watched as she approached the warehouses that lined the
waterfront.
Nightshade stopped moving and looked around, her eyes searching, her
nose
sniffing at the night air. She licked a paw and kept moving,
Mistoffolees
followed, keeping his distance. He watched as she moved swiftly through
the
maze of warehouses, heading for a particularly dark one.
“That’s it daughter, come to me, come back to me.” Macavity thought to
himself, as he directed his thoughts to his daughter. He had placed
Hati on
guard duty, with Skoll. Hati noticed her and stepped forward.
“What are you doing here?!” He snarled.
“My father called to me, I need to see him.” She said, as she looked at
the
cat that had taught her to fight.
“He will kill you Nightshade, you know that already don’t you?” Hati
replied,
as he looked at her.
“Do you want to fight me? I want to see my father!” She snarled.
Mistoffolees couldn’t believe his ears. “Her father, she told us that
she
hated her father. What the heck is going on here?”
“Just let me see him, he called to me.” Nightshade said, as she looked
at
him, and hissed. Skoll caught a scent and moved stealthily away.
“Hati, Skoll, let my daughter through!” Macavity snarled from inside
the
warehouse.
“Macavity?! He’s her father, no wonder she fears him that’s why she
didn’t
want our help. She has his powers of disappearance, which is why she
wanted
to stay alone.” Mistoffolees thought to himself, as he turned and
started
off. Mistoffolees turned and came nose to nose with a huge tomcat. “Who
are
you?” He asked.
“I am Skoll, Macavity’s second in command under Hati. I caught your
scent,
and you are trespassing!” He hissed.
“Let me pass.” Mistoffolees said.
“NEVER!” Skoll hissed, as he launched himself at Mistoffolees. He
tumbled
underneath the heavy body of Skoll. Skoll lashed out at Mistoffolees
and
caught him in the left hindquarter. Suddenly lightning bolts erupted
from the
tip of his paw; they caught Skoll in the chest and launched him back.
Mistoffolees regained his feet and raced into the night.
Nightshade headed into the warehouse and came face to face with her
father.
“You called me father?” She asked, as she looked at him, hatred burning
in
her eyes.
“Yes. Join me, my daughter, take your place at my side.” Macavity said.
“Never father, I will never join you. Life means something to me,
unlike you.
You kill with no remorse, you killed my mother, and for that you shall
die.”
“My child, my beloved child. Your mother would have been so proud.” He
said.
Nightshade hissed and launched herself at her father. Catching him, she
scratched him in the side. Blood poured from the wound she inflicted
upon
him, she turned, and ran. Macavity clutched his side, and looked as she
made
her hasty retreat. “You’ll be back, and you will pay.”
Mistoffolees didn’t stop running until he reached home. He leaped into
the
open window and licked his wounded hindquarter. It was seeping blood,
but was
slowing down. Minutes later Nightshade leapt through the window, and
padded
next to him. “What happened to you?”
“Why didn’t you tell me?! Tell the tribe?!” He snarled at her.
“What are you talking about?” She asked.
“I know who your father is. I know why you wanted to protect all of us.
Macavity is your father.” He hissed.
She paled at his statement, “he knows, how does he know?”
“I followed you tonight, I was worried about you, I guess that I cared
too
much, I just never thought that it would hurt this bad. I ran into
Skoll.”
“My father’s second in command under Hati.” She whispered.
“I see you know him, he did this.” Mistoffolees said, as he motioned at
his
hindquarter that was still bleeding. She tried to place a paw over it
to heal
it, but he slapped her paw away. “Don’t you touch me, you lied to me! I
cared
about you, I trusted you in my home and you lied to me!” He fumed. “I
wish I
had never met you, you spawn of Macavity! Get out!”
She looked at him, tears flooding her eyes. “Mistoffolees, I’m sorry.”
She
whispered, as she moved to try to heal him again.
“I said don’t touch me! Get out!” He snarled at her.
“I will prove that you can trust me, Mistoffolees, believe me.” She
broke
then and raced for the open window, leaping out the window, she raced
into
the night. Alone once again, she ran.
Two days later-
Mistoffolees felt terrible about what he had said to her. The things
that he
had said, he wished he could take back. His mistress had taken him to
the
vet, and he was going to be okay. He hadn’t seen Nightshade in two
days, and
he was so worried that he had stopped eating. He headed for the
Vicarage Wall
to talk to Old Deuteronomy.
He lay with his eyes closed on the wall, he was peacefully napping when
the
patter of paws on concrete woke him. Opening his eyes he saw
Mistoffolees, he
usually bright eyes, downcast and blank. His coat looked dusty, and
dull.
“Hello, Mistoffolees. What can I do for you today, you look like you
have a
lot on your mind.”
“I’ve done something terrible, Deuteronomy. I don’t know how to handle
it.”
Mistoffolees said, as he sat next to the Jellicle leader.
“What is it that you have done, my son. Tell me all about it.”
“I found out who Nightshade’s father is, and why she fears him so. Her
father
is Macavity. I said some things to her that I regret, I haven’t been
able to
find her though.”
“You hurt her, Mistoffolees. You hurt her deeply, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did. I called her Macavity’s spawn, and told her not to touch
me,
when she wanted to heal my wound, and I told her to get out of my home.
I
said that I didn’t trust her. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Mistoffolees
said, as he looked down at the ground.
“How do you feel about her, Mistoffolees?”
“I really care for her. What do I do?”
“You have to find her and apologize.”
“I don’t know where to look. I’ve been down to the warehouse where
Macavity
is holed up, and she’s nowhere. I don’t know where else to look. I’ve
been to
the train yards, everywhere.”
“Maybe you need to look in the least logical place, the one place where
she
didn’t feel safe.”
“The junkyard. Thank you.” Mistoffolees said, as he headed in the
direction
of the junkyard.
Nightshade rested comfortably in a small drainage pipe that ran in the
junkyard. She was so depressed, that she hadn’t moved from this spot
since
the night that Mistoffolees had cast her out. She just thought about
what he
had said, and how much it hurt her heart. “Nightshade?” Mistoffolees
called.
She looked up and saw him, as he entered the junkyard. She made herself
invisible and just watched him.
“I wanted to tell you the truth, really I did. I just didn’t know how
to tell
you, or if I should have. I should have told you, I should have trusted
you
with my secret, but my father would have killed all of you, and it
would have
been my fault.” Nightshade sniffled, and a large tear fell from her
eye, as
it made a small puddle at her feet.
Mistoffolees turned and looked in her direction, he saw the small
puddle of
her tears, walked over and sniffed it. Nightshade moved backwards
deeper into
the pipe. “Nightshade, I know that you were here. Where are you? I need
to
talk to you. I...I love you.” He said, then sighed and headed in the
opposite
direction.
Nightshade moved out of the pipe gently, not making any noise. She
padded out
further, and made herself visible. “You love me? Me? After all the lies
I
told to you, Deuteronomy and the tribe? Maybe I’m just lucky, to have
been
blessed with a good friend like you. Or maybe, just maybe, my mother is
looking out for me.” She thought to herself, as she padded silently out
of
the junkyard. She saw Mistoffolees, who was padding off, his head
hanging.
Mistoffolees walked, joyless, aimless, he had no idea where he was
going, and
he no longer cared. “Why did I say all those things to her? What have I
done
to her, she’s gone, and I never got to tell her how I felt about her. I
should never have judged her because of who her father is; she had no
choice
in who he was. How could I have said those things to her, what was I
thinking?” He thought as he padded along, his head hanging down, so
that he
could see every crack in the sidewalk.
Munkustrap was walking along and saw Mistoffolees, who was being
followed by
Nightshade. He wanted to call out to Mistoffolees, but hesitated. He
just
watched the two of them, and noted the distance between them.
Nightshade padded along, a few yards behind him. Mistoffolees crossed
the
street not even looking, and he didn’t see the car that was coming
along. It
hit him, and sent him flying a few feet. “NO!” Nightshade screamed, as
she
ran to his side. She reached his side in a few seconds, and sat next to
him.
Placing her paws on him, his whole body began to glow, as she healed
his
broken ribs, and the lacerations that he had gotten when he fell. She
felt
beneath her paws, broken bones knit together, internal bleeding stop,
and
felt his heart begin to beat with a fury, one that meant he would live.
When
she was finished, she collapsed against him, her breathing heavy.
A few minutes passed, and Nightshade finally began to move. She rose
off his
limp form and padded away, her steps shaky. Mistoffolees opened and
blinked
his eyes, he rose to his feet, “what happened?” he thought. Munkustrap
ran up
to him. “Munkustrap, what happened?”
“You were crossing the street and got hit by a car, Nightshade healed
you, I
saw her. Your whole body was covered in this golden glow, and then she
walked
off. Why did she do that?” He asked, as he nudged Mistoffolees gently.
“I hurt her feelings. Badly, I found out who her father is, and then I
told
her that she lied to me, I don’t even know why she saved me. I know
that I
hurt her badly, and she saved my life. I cant’ even thank her.”
Mistoffolees
said, as he rose to his feet.
“Who is her father?” He asked, as he helped up his magical friend.
“Macavity. That’s why she didn’t want anyone to know who her father
was, or
our protection.” Mistoffolees answered.
“She must have had good reason to do what she did, and you’ll apologize
to
her when you see her. Come, I’ll walk you home.” Munkustrap said, as
they
headed for Mistoffolees’ home. Nightshade watched them walk off
together, and
followed.
Nightshade followed them to Gabrielle’s flat, and watched as Gabrielle
picked
up Mistoffolees, and held him close. She sighed, knowing that he was
safe.
Then turned and started off, when she came nose to nose with
Munkustrap. She
hissed, then recognized who it was. “Geez! You scared me!” She said, as
she
visibly calmed down.
“Sorry. He told me why you were gone, and what he did, are you all
right?”
“I guess, it just really hurt. I didn’t tell you because I wanted to be
accepted for who I was, not hated, for who my father is.”
“I understand that. You healed him, even though the two of you are at
odds.
Why?” He asked.
“Because, despite everything that happened between us, he’s still my
friend.
I care for him, more than anything else, and I don’t want him hurt in
any
way. I don’t want anyone hurt because of me.” She replied, as she
looked at
Munkustrap tears in her eyes.
“Does he know how you feel about him?”
“No, but he hates me, he doesn’t care about me.” She stammered, as she
began
to cry. “Why can’t anyone just love me for me? My own mother was the
only one
who loved me, and my own father killed her. I just wish that once
someone
would love me for me.” She said, as she began to move away from him.
“Don’t go.” Mistoffolees whispered, as he appeared.
“Leave me alone!” She snarled at him.
“Don’t leave me.”
“Give me one good reason, why I shouldn’t just walk away.”
“Because you saved my life, and I owe you.”
“Mistoffolees tell her the truth, the real reason you don’t want her to
leave.” Munkustrap said, as he looked at Mistoffolees. “You have to
tell her
that you love her, or else she’ll leave you forever...” He thought, as
he
looked at the two of them, Nightshade was glaring at Mistoffolees.
“These two
are perfect for each other if only they knew it. She loves him, she
proved it
when she healed him, and brought him back to life. He loves her, he
just
hasn’t admitted it to himself, or has he?”
To be continued...