Part III
Tatsel approached the Junkyard in the murky dusk. It was sprinkling and
it would probably rain later on. He would be done by then. He was
probably going to die, but he had three targets. Munkustrap, his father
who had abandoned him, Demeter, his mother, who had done the same, and
Pouncival, who had been his long-time enemy. These Cats would die! No,
better! They would be taken back to the lair where they could be…dealt
with!
Tatsel came near the place Pounce was staying. He slipped in, and put a gag around his mouth and bound his legs together before he had even woken up. He picked him up and thrust him into a box, which he left outside. A few other henchmen would come and take him away. Next, he approached where Demeter and Munkustrap were staying. He didn't care if they lived or died…he hoped for the latter.
Demeter was easy to surprise. She was bound, tied and gagged as quickly as he did Pounce. Munkustrap was another matter. Demeter thrashed around a bit as he thrust her outside. He was startled and a paw with outstreched claws tore down his back. He whipped around. This was the moment he had been waiting for. Munkustrap growled in surprise.
"Tatsel!"
Tatsel paid no attention, but took out a small knife and lunged at Munkustrap. He dodged and jumped behind Tatsel, who immediately turned around.
"Tatsel!" Munkustrap said again. "What are you doing?"
"Trying to kill you, now will you hold still so it's not so painful?"
Munkustrap ignored the remark and grabbed Tatsel's arm and twisted it behind him. Tatsel spat and snalred.
"Let me go! Let me go! I'll tell…"
"Tell whom?"
Tatsel kept his lips shut and didn't say anything else. Munkustrap grabbed the knife and threw it to the floor, far away from Tatsel's reach. Munku tied Tatsel's arms behind him and led him out the door, kneeled on him while he un-did Demeter, and he told her through gritted teeth not to follow them and stay inside. She did so. He pulled Tatsel to the outskirts of the Junkyard. It started to rain harder and faster as if to match Tatsel's mood.
"Would you like to tell me where you've been these last two years?"
"On my own." Tatsel answered simply.
"You lie. As father to son, where have you been?"
"You are no longer my father."
"What?"
"Ok, I'll tell you. Then I'll kill myself. I've been with Macavity. He's taught me everything, and…"
"And now I will destroy you both." Came a voice from above.
"Macavity!" gasped Munkustrap.
"Who else?" he said as he lept down.
"Both?" said Tatsel, surprised.
"Yes. I've no need for you, boy, and I've always hated you, Munkustrap. You leave me no…other…choices…" and he pulled out a dagger and ran at Munkustrap. At the last moment, Tatsel shouted,
"NOOOOOOOO!" and lept in the way. The dagger pirced his proud young heart. Macavity took a step back, and as Munkustrap raised glittering eyes to Macavity, he ran away in a hurry. Munkustrap gently laid Tatsel in his lap.
"Oh, Tatsel…"
"I'm so sorry…father…All these years I've hated you…I had no reasons…You…put too…much-" Tatsel coughed and shivered, and his arm twitched. "Too much work…too many punishments…I…needed to find…" he clutched at his chest, and breathed slowly and laboriously. "I wanted a way out. I'm so sorry to cause you worry…father…" His eyelids fluttered a little, and Munkustrap could feel his heartbeat slow. Tatsel weakly pulled the dagger out and winced at the pain. The rain beat down unmercifully, washing Tatsel's blood off him.
"Don't go Tatsel!" Munkustrap cried in desperation. It was odd. Munkustrap was acting childish, and it was Tatsel who was acting older.
"Father, I could never live with my crimes. Let me go. Tell mother I'm sorry and I love her." Tatselclosed his eyes and his neck went limp. Munkustrapa shook him a little shouting "TATSEL! TATSEL! NOO!"
"He died for me!" he thought in despair. "For me!" Munkustrap carried Tatsel's body back to the rest of the Junkyard and laid him down outside the door where Demeter was waiting. She gave a cry of anguish when she saw him. They carried him inside, but he was already dead. They laid him down on some blankets.as Tatsel's body laid there, an pale figure of Tatsel arose and sat up. Then it stood up.
"I will wait for you, father…mother…" he embraced Munkustrap and Demeter, and walked out the door and disappeared. His body was lain to rest, and Munkustrap and Demeter ambraced in sadness…
EPILOUGUE
Munkustrap looked fondly down at his newborn son. He hugged Demeter and
they both looked happily down on...Korish…their new kitten. When all
the Cats had left them in peace at last, they heard a voice whisper,
"I love you father and mother…"
Munku and Demeter looked at each other, then at Korish, whom they noticed glowed a little for a while, then it faded. Korish grinned happily, even though he couldn't see. Munku and Demeter embraced, knwing that Tatsel was happily in the Heaviside Layer…