Hallowe’en – A witch cat’s view
Author’s note: This story was written as a response to a challenge for Hallowe’en. Now I’m a witch, so my perspective on Hallowe’en is a little different from most. I’m also Australian and Hallowe’en isn’t a really big holiday here for most. We don’t do the whole Trick or Treat thing. You actually get stupid looks and have to explain what you mean here, before anyone will even think about giving you stuff. It’s just not done. Bearing that in mind, let’s get started shall we?
“Hey Misto, Aph, are you coming to the Hallowe’en party?”
This came from Tumblebrutus, who, together with Pouncevil had pounced the two black cats as they made their way into the proper.
“Yah! We was wondrin iffen youse was gunna do magick tricks fur us.”
“Pouncevil! Have you been hanging around with Teaser and Jerrie?” came the startled comment from Mistoffelees as he and his mate shared a wry look. Hallowe’en, the time of year when the kittens went nuts on sugar highs from sweets stolen by Mungojerrie and Rumpleteaser from their pets at Victoria Grove. The time when the teen cats told scary stories to each other, and the adults looked on indulgently. And all because one cat had brought a story from their home that people do this. Not these cats though. No, for Mistoffelees, Aphrael and their little family, Hallowe’en was a different story all together. It was also at a different time of year than this one. For these cats and their seven kittens lived with a witch.
“Pouncevil, I’m afraid there will be no magick tricks for you at Hallowe’en this year, or any other year while Misto and I live where we do. We’re not coming to the party, and were just on our way to let Munkustrap and Old Deuteronomy know about it.”
Pouncevil looked crestfallen. “But we was ‘xpectin youse two to show us some magick tricks and tell scary stories as well. Won’t be nearly as much fun with out you.”
Aphrael placed a gentle paw on Misto’s shoulder, “Honey, I have an idea. Can you gather the adult cats at Old Deuteronomy’s, Pouncevil, you bring the kittens there as well and Tumble honey, can you get the teenage cats? We have a story to tell you all.”
“All right”
”Great!”
Mistoffelees watched the two friends race off to collect the kittens and teens and then looked at his mate with a question in his eyes. “A story Aph?
Aphrael just chuckled. “You put them in a trance, then I’ll deal with the story okay? We’ll need Maruman’s help, which is why I need you to gather the adults by yourself. I’ll bring Mar and probably Alonzo, they’re nearly inseperable lately.”
“Alright sweetie, just as long as you know what you’re doing, I’ll trust you.” He kissed his mate gently and dissapeared in a flash to start the collection.
After gathering all of the cats, and making sure they were all comfy, Aphrael decided it was time to start. “I’m sure you’re all a little puzzled as to why you’re here. Misto and I were pounced earlier by two young cats who wanted to know if we would be at the Hallowe’en party, when we told them that we wouldn’t be they were most disappointed that there would be no magick or stories from us. We decided to do that now, to explain to you all why we aren’t coming. Misto is going to start, he’ll put you all in light trance, then Maruman and I will show and tell you why Hallowe’en is different for Misto and me.” She nodded to her mate to begin
“Could every cat please close their eyes and relax, you’ll be taken on a journey. Tugger! Close your eyes and keep your paws to yourself!”
The hormone filled pest grinned, shut his eyes and removed his paw from Rumpleteaser’s leg.
“Much better. Now I want you all to imagine a hilltop, bathed in moonlight. There are enormous stones in a standing circle here. They are special. You know this, just as you are familiar with candle, with book and with bell. You can see humans, dressed in long flowing cloaks with their hoods pulled up, carrying lanterns that look like turnips with horrible faces carved into them. They are lit from the inside, with candles. Imagine you are creeping closer, close enough to hear what they are saying."
Misto looked at his mate, it was working, and all of the cats were in a light trance. She nodded at him to continue.
“You can hear them chanting. Curious, you creep closer. By this time the humans have arrived at the outside of the stone circle. One by one they remove their cloaks, and the wisest kindles a fire in the center of the circle. You creep closer still. Alarm! You are spotted. Freeze in place. But look, a human is beckoning to you, it is the one who kindled the fire, creep closer to this strange human, standing naked in the light of the fire. She bows to you and invites you to join them in celebration of the eve of the new year’s eve. Don’t be afraid. Go have a good time, dance and sing without fear, the humans know that this night you are magickal, for they can all understand you. Dance the moonlight madness with them. Dance a spiral dance of theirs with them, feel the energy being raised all over the world by similar groups. Now the energy gathered is being sent out with a purpose. Spent you lie panting and fall asleep. Now come back to us, slowly, come back to the junkyard, come back to the places that we are. Open your eyes”
Mistoffelees watched as the cats all opened their eyes in wonder. He turned and smiled at his mate who was curled around their kittens by now.
Pouncevil piped up, breaking the seemingly magickal silence “I don’t get it. Youse was gunna tell us a story ‘bout why youse ain’t comin to the Hallowe’en party.”
Aphrael grinned indulgently at Pouncevil “Hush Pounce, We’re not done yet. Misto has taken you all on a journey. The celebration that he took you to was one of many held each year on the eve of Hallowe’en, or as our humans call it, Samhain. With the help of Maruman and Mistoffelees I’ll try to explain in another story why we go to these celebrations, for there are others on the night of Samhain.”
Author’s note: Samhain is pronounced Sow-een. I know that’s not what it looks like it should be but that’s what it is.
Pouncevil thought about what she had said for a minute, but what interrupted by Tumblebrutus, “What do you mean by ‘humans’? You and Misto here live together.”
This time it was Mistoffelees that answered. “Tumble, we don’t share a human, just a house”
“And our entire lives honey” The two mates shared a fond look, “Tumble, I have another human, but her mate was allergic to me, so she asked Misto’s human if I could live there. My human still visits me quite often though. Do you want to hear the story or not?”
Tumblebrutus, Pouncevil and the rest of the kittens nodded enthusiastically. Who wouldn’t want to hear a story when magick cats told it? The special effects were better than T.V.
“The god is dying. The harvest is in; we will eat well this winter. The god is dying. The year is ending. The god is dying, but will come again.”
Aphrael started telling a story of where the traditions of Samhain came from. Every time she described something Maruman and Mistoffelees managed to create an illusion of what she was talking about in the air in front of everyone.
“The Goddess reigns supreme at this time. It is her time, the darker time of year. The time when she is at her peak. The god has turned into the seed of his own birth. The goddess who was maiden is now mother, she will give birth at Yule”
Maruman and Mistoffelees were having a lot of fun with the illusions. At the moment they had an illusion of a pregnant cat in the sky that looked a lot like Aphrael. She glared at them.
“Samhain is a time for honouring the dead. On this night we set places for them at our tables so they know they are still welcome at our homes and in our lives.”
Mistoffelees and Maruman at this created an illusion of a table set with many places, in a gloomy room, looking at this, Aphrael decided she’d better lighten the story up a bit.
“This is not a sad night, for we know that they are happier where they are now.”
Mistoffelees and Maruman lightened the mood in the illusion that they had created. Mito sent a quick thought to his mate; “Honey, we can’t keep this up much longer, are you nearly done?”
Aphrael nodded to her mate and began to wind the story up “Samhain marks the ending of the season, but also the time of year when the viels between the worlds are thinnest. It is a very magickal and mystical time of the year and so we spend this in celebration, we dance and sing for and with our departed friends.”
Pouncevil’s eyes opened very wide in awe, and when he spoke, he forgot to use that irritating syntax he’d greeted them with “So you actually see the dead?”
Mistoffelees was the one who answered this “Yes Pounce, we see them. Our humans also put out an extra dish of cat style food for OUR departed friends, and we pass on updates on all of you as well. They are happy that you are happy.”
Jellylorum looked up and with tears in her eyes said “Thank you both from the bottom of my heart. But it is starting to get late and I think we should all go home to our beds now”
With that, she, Jennyanydots, Skimbleshanks and Munkustrap started herding everyone who slept at the Junkyard back there, while everyone else scattered back to their homes with their humans. Eventually, only Aphrael, Mistoffelees and Old Deuteronomy were left.
“My children, I thank you for sharing that with the other cats. I miss my witch human very much, but there is nothing to be done about it really. Tell Snowflake that I love her, as I know that she comes to any Jellicle cat on this night.”
He turned and went inside. Mistoffelees and Aphrael looked at each other and went home, secure in the thought that they were loved at this time of year by many.
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