IEchap1

After the battle was over, several Jellicles and few strays lay dead on the field. Two prisoners were the trophies of victory for Macavity.
��The Massacre of the Jellicles�!� Macavity cried victoriously as he scanned the area.
Defeated and bedraggled, the Jellicles went back to the main area of the junkyard, not knowing two of their precious queens were tied up, waiting to go back to Macavity�s Lair.
As soon as the Jellicles were out of sight, Macavity went back to where his two prisoners sat, one hissing and spitting and struggling, the other sitting in a small ball, only wishing she could get away.
�Now, girls, you lost your chance to get away quite some time ago. I�m not going to free you, just to warn you. So, now you�re coming back with me.� He smiled pleasantly. �Ready?�
Ria spit in his face, which earned her a head butt from Marajade.
�Quit,� Marajade hissed. �You got us into this!� Marajade glared daggers at her friend.
Ria stuck her tongue out at Marajade, a carefree look determinedly set on her face. Marajade just continued glaring, and waiting for them to be put into a cage at Macavity�s Lair.
After gathering weapons, and anything else they needed, the strays headed out, Macavity keeping a close watch on his prisoners.
Once back at the Lair, henchcats were given careful instructions for the treatment of the prisoners; they were to lock them up in separate cells, but where they could see one another. They were to be given plenty of food and water, but only one thin blanket.
Ria was not pleased with the arrangement, but Marajade, on the other hand, was thrilled. At least they would get food, and they could talk to each other.
�Marajade, we�ve got to escape,� Ria hissed through the bars the first night they were there. As always she was being the rebellious, adventurous girl.
�No, Ria,� Marajade hissed back firmly. �We�ve got to stay here and wait for the Jellicles. Macavity will kill us if he finds out we�re trying to escape. It�s best just to stay here.�
�Oh, being the perfect , good girl, are you?� Ria snarled angrily at her friend. A sneer made it�s way across her face.
�No, being the smart one,� Marajade snapped in reply. �Ri, I don�t want to be hurt. I don�t want you to be hurt either.�
�Oh, save your breath, Jade. I can defend myself.� Ria angrily turned away and went to lie down on her thin blanket.
�But Ri! I just��
�Shut up and let me sleep.�
Marajade was silent, but only for a moment. �Good night, Ria.�
�Go away.�
�I can�t. I�m stuck here.�
�Then shut up!� Ria let out a low growl.
Realizing it was useless to try and reason with Ria, Marajade gave up with a sigh, and curled herself into a ball to sleep.
The next day, they were awoken early by a mangy, dirty henchcat. �Rise and shine girls,� he said with a rather toothless grin. �Boss Mac wants ya.�
Ria stayed curled up. Marajade was instantly on her feet.
�That�s a good girl.� The cat gave Marajade an unpleasant smile. Then he rounded on Ria with an angry sneer. �Get up, ya lazy queen!�
Ria didn�t move.
�Ri, come on!� Marajade begged, not wanting her friend to be hurt.
Ria shook her head, and curled up tighter.
�Ya get up now, before I hasta hurt ya!� The henchcat grew angrier.
�Leave me alone!� Ria snarled. Her voice was muffled, as it was buried in the blanket.
The henchcat finally pulled open the cell door and went in, grabbing Ria by the scruff. �I said get up!� He shook her hard.
�Ow! Let me go, you oaf!� Ria struggled to get away from the stronger tomcat. �I never said I wanted to get up!�
The tom ignored her and, grabbing her arm hard, he dragged her out of the cell. He then opened Marajade�s cell, and dragged her out, but more gently than he had with Ria.
As he dragged them down the hall, Ria kept screaming for him to let her go. Heads came out of various rooms to see all the commotion. The henchcat kept a dignified, official look across his mangy face. When they reached the throne room, the henchcat bowed in respect, and threw the queens forward.
�There they are, boss.� He nodded towards Ria. �Yeh might wanna watch out for that one; she�s a bit feisty, she is. Black one�s calm an� cooperative.�
�Thank you for the update, Screth. You may leave now.� Macavity studied the queens carefully as Screth left the room. �Now, your cooperative, your feisty,� he said, pointing first to Marajade and then to Ria. As he began to pace, he continued on, without them answering. �Now, I run things a bit differently around here. But first, I have to know your names. And you need to tell me your real names.� He stopped pacing and faced Marajade. �Name?�
�Marajade,� she whispered, quivering under the haunting eye of her captor. They eyes scared her more than anything, yet her green eyes were locked on to the matching green eyes of Macavity.
�Very good,� he purred, tickling her under the chin. �And you?� He set his gaze on Ria.
She said nothing, but stared up at him, challenging him.
He came down to get right in her face. �You don�t challenge me. You don�t want to know the end results. Just tell me your name.�
When Ria didn�t answer, Marajade burst out, �Her name is Ria!�
Macavity rounded on Marajade, slapping her harshly across the face. She landed on the hard concrete floor, crying out. �When I ask someone for their name, I don�t expect someone else to answer,� he hissed.
�I�m sorry,� she whispered through dry sobs. She gingerly put a paw to her face, then pulled herself to her feet.
Macavity turned back to Ria. �Now, I may have to do that again if I don�t hear from you what your name is.�
�Ria,� she muttered in defeat, not wanting to cause Marajade anymore pain. �It�s Ria.�
�Was that so hard?� Macavity stared triumphantly at Ria.
�No, it wasn�t.� Her voice never came above a soft, angry mutter.
Without warning, Macavity whirled about and slapped Marajade again. �Maybe if your friend here would respect me a little more, I wouldn�t have to do that,� Macavity hissed loudly.
Ria, glaring, turned her face up. �I�m sorry,� she said in a clear, respecting voice. �I�ll respect you now.� She had no intentions of this, but wanted him to believe that so he wouldn�t hurt Marajade again.
�That�s a little better.� Macavity had a glare set to kill on Ria. �I don�t like to hurt innocent queens, but I don�t like to change my rules either. My rule is that the friend of the queen who disrespects me is the one to pay. It�s all a thing of loyalty to your friends. So, if Marajade here becomes disrespectful, guess who�s going to pay.� He pointed to Ria. �You are.�
�That�s stupid!� Ria blurted out, instantly realizing she�d made a mistake.
�Guess you haven�t learned the rules.�
Marajade fell to the floor again as Macavity�s paw contacted her face. She gave a miserable, pitiful cry. �Ri, just shut up!� she moaned, knowing she�d have bruises covering her face.
�I�m sorry, Jade,� Ria whispered, going to crouch next to her friend. �I�m not trying to hurt you.�
�No, no, no,� Macavity said, tauntingly as he held Ria back. �Your punishment is watching your sweet little friend suffer.� He turned down to Marajade. �Aw� poor, sweet, little, innocent kitten��
�I�m a teen,� she mumbled, closing her eyes to rid her head of some pain. �Not a kit�� She slowly curled herself into a small ball.
�Hm� have I had enough fun, or should I keep going?� Macavity asked himself aloud.
Neither girl said anything as he puzzled over his problem. Both were afraid of the other getting hurt.
Macavity finally turned to Ria with a devilish smile. �What do you think, Ri?� His voice sounded perfectly angelic.
�I-I think you�ve h-had enough fun,� she stuttered.
�For Heaviside�s sake, yes!� Marajade cried out as loudly as she could. �Good God, you monster! You�re trying to kill me or something.�
�Not the brightest kitty in the junkyard, are you sweetums?� Macavity cocked his head, staring hungrily at Marajade. �Little Ria�s turn now.� He gave her a blow, which knocked her nearly half way across the medium sized room. �Now wasn�t that fun?�
�No, you bastard,� Ria muttered, pulling herself up off the floor.
�Tsk, tsk.� Macavity shook a finger at Ria. �Cute, little Marajade�s turn again�� With and odd, starving look in his eye, Macavity went again to Marajade. A psychotic grin was spread across his ginger face. �Maybe we could� change our style of punishment.�

Chapter One: Away to the Lair