By Quicksilver   This story takes place about a week after the jellical 
ball, as my favorite character is Munkustrap you might not want to read it 
if you don’t like him much.  Corpricot yawned sleepily and stretched, trying
 not to wake Tantomile. Suddenly he became aware of a commotion from in 
front of the old ford, wondering what it could be he woke his twin with a 
slap of his tail. “What? Did you have to wake me? I’m tired!” She growled 
at him, her ears twitched as she also heard the noise, “What’s going on 
down there?” Corpricot shook his head and stood as she rose also. Both cats
 jumped down from their perch on the tire and walked over to where Alonzo 
had stood shouting. They sat behind the rest and listened in trying to 
figure what was going on. “You scruffy pig, get out!” Alonzo roared at a 
snarling cat cornered against the truck. The cat which was filthy and
 scarred, it spat and hissed back. “My master told me to come, this is now
 my territory I claim it, oppose me and you’ll answer to him.” “Who is this 
oh so godly master of yours?” Demeter growled, the cat smiled, “you all 
fear him I know it, his name makes you shake with fear, Macavity.” Tugger 
laughed “Us shake with fear, at the mention of that lunatic’s name? You’re
 mad.” Corpricot pushed his way to the front of the crowd. “What do you 
mean this is your territory, we own it.” The cat glared at him, “Macavity 
has decided to take it over, you have three days to clear out.” Before the 
cats could tear him to shreds, which they wanted to do Corpricot said. 
“ Maybe we ought to let Munkustrap decide what to do about him.” To this 
they all agreed and Admetus went to find him.  Admetus ran along a broad 
fence top seething with anger, that ratty excuse for a feline! Imagine, 
trying to drive the jellicals away from their own junkyard, if Munkustrap 
didn’t order that cat’s decapitation he would be very surprised. He ran up
 to Munkustrap’s house and looked around the porch, Munku always stayed 
where they could easily find him if he was needed. Thinking hard of where 
else he might have gone Admetus sprinted off to the Vicarage wall to ask 
Duteronomy. Nearing it he saw the silver tabby sitting in front of 
Duteronomy talking with him, Munk saw him coming and backed up to make room,
 Admetus jumped up panting. “Cat, (Gasp) in the junkyard (gasp) wants it.” 
He stopped for breath and started over realizing that he made no sense 
whatsoever. “There’s one of Macavity’s cats in the junkyard, he came with
 a message that Macavity is taking over the junkyard and we have three days
 and nights to clear out. What should we do, can we just kill him?” He 
looked up Munk nodded to Deut and jumped off the wall, “come on, I want to
 hear this riffraff myself.” Admetus sighed, bowed to Deut, who nodded and 
smiled and followed Munku back to the Junkyard.  Munkustrap disappeared 
into the shadows as he neared the junkyard, surprise was an advantage. He 
watched the cats guarding the messenger and the others, sitting in small 
groups talking, bristling whenever the prisoner looked their way. Admetus 
walked out and sat down, he looked for Munku but couldn’t see him. The rest
 of the jellicals sat down around him, watching the prisoner and waiting 
for Munkustrap. Munkustrap decided to make a dramatic entrance to scare the
 messenger. He crept around behind the tire and when no cat was looking his
 way leaped out and over the tire. Landing without a sound infront of the 
cats, which had all given a start at his appearance, he turned and glared 
at the messenger who trembled slightly. “So your master wants our territory?”
 He hissed, stalking forward a bit, making his voice as loud and deep as 
possible. The prisoner nodded weakly, his eyes wide, “y-y-yes s-sir, he 
does s-sir, he demands t-t-that y-you give it u-up and sur-render to him
 sir, it all be-e-longs to him n-now sir.” He stammered, he looked about 
as if seeking an escape, Munkustrap signaled Alonzo and Quaxo who were on
 either side to stop him. They moved in closer to him, Quaxo growled a 
warning in his ear and both moved back a bit, still nearly brushing him 
but a bit behind. He had no place to go but strait at Munkustrap, 
Munkustrap was an extremely tall cat and in this light his silver fur 
glowed, while the light sank into his black stripes. His strong muscles 
stood out plainly, as did his extended claws, he was fairly sure that the
 messenger wouldn’t dare to try to fight him. “Well then that dog slobbering
 fool is wasting his time, we refuse to give up, if he wants more territory
 he will have to look to more timid cats.” Munkustrap snarled at the 
prisoner, who hunched down and gulped, looking around wildly. “And this 
mutt, sir?” Alonzo inquired for effect, this way the prisoner could easily 
tell who was their leader and who’s paws his life was in. “Shall we kill 
him, sir, he really does deserve it, sir.” He hated calling Munkustrap 
‘sir’, but in this case it was necessary, and the prisoner trembled and 
fell to his knees with fright. Tugger, Alonzo, Tumble, and Quaxo formed a 
half-circle, ready to kill the messenger on Munkustrap’s word. Munku looked
 at the prisoner like he would a worm and frowned, he growled menacingly 
and snarled. “No, he was sent to us with a message so he will return with
 one to that dog turd he calls master,” the cat fell over sobbing with 
relief, he jumped upright as Tugger kicked him in the ribs, he looked up 
at Munkustrap, who said. “You will carry a message back to Macavity, if you
 last that long, tell him we think he is a lunatic and refuse to submit to
 his preposterous demands. Show him this as a token of what we think of him.”
 With this Munkustrap drew back his paw and hit the cat across the face, 
his claws left a bloody trail just below the prisoner’s eyes. The cat ran 
wailing from the junkyard, Munkustrap turned to the other cats walked 
through their midst and hopped up on the dishwasher. He looked down at 
them then meowed for their attention, seeing them watching him he spoke. 
“Macavity will not give in, he will come at us with his best forces, this 
will be a war and I doubt we can prevent it. Our choices are these, surrender, 
run away, or fight,” he waited then went on. “All in favor of surrender raise
 your paws,” no one did. “All those in favor of running raise your paws,” Quaxo, 
Exotica, and Ectectera started to but thought better of it. “All those in favor 
of staying and fighting it out raise your paws” every paw there went up. 
Munkustrap grinned, waited for quiet then started speaking again, “So we will 
stay, from now on everyone will be taught how to fight and protect themselves. 
The training will go like this, I will test all those who think they know 
enough to be instructors, there will be three instructors, myself and two
 others. Everyone else, the training will be from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm, it will 
be done in the junkyard or in the woods on the west side of town, this training 
will include a special program for kittens. Who would like to be an instructor?” 
Tugger, Alonzo, Tumblebrutus, Quaxo, Demeter, and Bombalurina all stepped forward,
 Munkustrap nodded and told the rest to please clear the center of the junkyard
 floor. He walked into the middle and called Quaxo, to try out. “Alright Quaxo,
 let’s see what you can do, no blood shed, claws sheathed, if someone falls 
out of the circle they’re out. To make it more real if your opponent taps 
your throat you’re dead, if they slap you along your belly your dead, if
 they slap your eye you’re blinded and must close that eye. Understand? 
Then fight.” They circled and Quaxo sprang in and feinted to the left when 
Munkustrap tried to sidestep, Munkustrap kept sidestepping past his swipe
 and hit his shoulder, knocking him off balance. Quaxo hit out with his 
hind leg as Munku slid out again, his foot hit the very tip of Munkustrap’s
 ear as he ducked in. Munku came up from beneath and slammed Quaxo to the 
ground, he pressed his advantage and dropped down and rolled in. he jumped
 up as soon as his fur touched Quaxo’s and slapped his throat, Quaxo 
pretended he was dead. Then he stood and walked out to sit down and watch 
the rest, looking a little disappointed. Munku sat up and called Tugger.
 Tugger was bigger then Quaxo so he was more evenly matched with Munk and 
lasted longer, eventually Munkustrap knocked him flying from the ring with 
a move that was best described as a triple backward summersault just 
slightly off the ground with his shoulders coming into contact with Tuggers
 shins while his paws shot up as Tugger fell on him. Tugger lay still here 
he landed for a moment, then he sat up and rubbed his side where he had 
landed and his shoulder where Munkustrap had kicked him. Munkustrap called 
in Bomb. She didn’t last as long as Tugger but longer then Quaxo, in the 
end she was blinded in both eyes and Munku killed her by charging her and 
hitting her shoulder with his, she fell and he killed her by slapping her 
throat while it was exposed. Alonzo was next and he lasted the longest of 
any of them, when he was finally killed both he and Munkustrap were blind 
in one eye, his stomach was slapped then he was sent rolling from the circle,
 propelled by a powerful kick to his thigh. Demeter and Tumble
 were both killed by having their throats slapped, neither did too bad but 
no one had ‘hurt’ Munk more then Alonzo, so all were certain he would be an 
instructor. Munkustrap sat down on the tire stairs to catch his breath, he 
smiled at them and stood. “I’m going home for dinner, would you six meet me
 hear about when the church clock tolls nine, anyone else may also come if 
they want to.” With this he trotted off, the other cats watched him for a 
moment then started on their ways home, some lived closer and these stayed 
for a while talking about the training and the upcoming war.  Munkustrap 
slid out his cat door and ran to Duteronomy’s house, he knocked at the 
window and came in the cat door, Duet woke and stretched on his cushion by
 the fire. “Hello there Munk, come on over, how is everything in the 
junkyard? I wish my old bones would allow me to run back and forth like 
the rest of you.” He looked at Munkustrap questioningly, Munkustrap took 
his time choosing a spot and sitting down. He then told Duteronomy everything
 that had happened that day since their last talk when Admetus interrupted.
 Duteronomy heard him out then spoke, “well under the circumstances you did
 wonderfully, you didn’t really need to slash that cat’s face but I under-
stand that you are not as easy going and peaceful as me. If I were younger
 I probably would have done the same, but only if I was your kind of fighter,
 however I’m not, I don’t have a clue how to fight. When I was growing up 
things were different, no war, no need to fight, I wish it was still like 
that. I’m no battle-hardened warrior like you grandson, you need practice
 handling everything, this situation is yours to handle, I put the tribe’s
 fate in your more then capable paws.” Munkustrap nodded, stood and headed
 out, back to the junkyard.  Upon arrival he saw all the cats assembled, 
“okay I guess everyone decided to come back, though I must say, you’re in
 for a disappointment.” At this all the cats stared at him, he saw this 
and continued as he walked to the front. “The tests are not over yet, 
fighting was only the first part. Next is an endurance course through the
 woods. Would you six please follow me?” He waited for them then walked 
off, the rest of the cats followed rather then stay waiting for word on 
what had happened. Arriving at the edge of the woods Munkustrap turned to 
the six cats and the others behind them, “alright, you six follow me and 
be ready to fight or dodge at a moments notice, be wary, be swift. The rest
 of you might want to go back to the junkyard, we’ll meet you there at
 midnight.” With this they set of, Munkustrap in the lead, into the woods, 
the others walked back to the junkyard talking about what they thought 
would happen in the woods.  Munkustrap looked around and sprinted on ahead,
 he could hear the other panting as they ran, single file behind him. He 
leaped up into a tree and from it jumped to another then another, this was 
great! The perfect exercise, he jumped up high so he could see the others. 
The others jumped behind him from branch to branch, but none were what he 
wanted, he wanted cats who had dignity even when exhausted. They were doing
 good, trying to copy his every move and adding in bits of their own but 
none were a fluid and graceful as he would have liked. Don’t be too hard 
on them, they are following you and you have more experience then them at 
this, relax a bit. He told himself and took off again. Jumping across a four
 foot gap between branches he leaped to the ground and ran on, behind him 
Bombalurina yelled as she slipped and misjudged the distance, she fell to 
the forest floor. About a sixteen foot drop, but she was a cat and landed 
on her feet, wearily she got up climbed the tree and tried again. Munkustrap
 reached the edge of a stream, about four feet deep and about ten across. 
He jumped in without hesitation as he was accustomed to swimming and swam 
to the other side, he turned to watch Quaxo balk at the sight of the stream
 then warily plunge in. He grinned turned and began to run again, changing 
course and heading home to the junkyard.  When they arrived back at the 
junkyard the other cats were waiting, they were appalled at the condition 
of the cats that Munku lead in. They were soaked to the bone, some bled from
 small cuts and scratches and all were dead tired. Munkustrap looked them 
over, this would be perfect to test the next part, he told them to take a 
breather. “Take a rest, please choose your places where you can’t see and 
of the others and where they can’t see you.” they went off and he turned 
to the rest of the cats. “ Would all of you please not give them any signals
 of any kind to indicate where I am or what I’m doing, ignore them 
completely.” They looked surprised but sat down talking, not looking 
anywhere.  Demeter waited in her nook and tried to rest, but she was 
puzzled, why choose a spot away from the rest? What was Munkustrap up to, 
shouldn’t the tests be over by now? She closed her eyes and suddenly she 
thought she herd something behind her. She pretended to be sleeping, it 
inched closer on her right, then something slapped the left side of her 
head. Surprised she rolled upright and hissed, but to late, the thing 
knocked her over as easily as it would a mouse. A hard push to her shoulder
 and she was down, she opened her eyes to see a cats claws inches from her
 throat. Scared she looked up from her new position on her side and saw 
something move into the light. The light caught on silver fur, “Munkustrap?”
 She said aloud in amazement, he glared at her then put a paw to his mouth 
and slid off into the dark. She lay there watching everything in sight, 
maybe he was still there. She could tell easily that this was meant to test
 her reflexes after an exhausting run and she wanted to sleep but it was to
 dangerous to. She didn't know how long she lay there like that but suddenly
 she heard Munku calling them all out of hiding, she stood and walked over 
to where all the cats were assembling around Munkustrap, who was sitting on
 the dishwasher. He smiled then spoke, “well the tests are over, I’ve made
 my decision but I’ll announce it tomorrow. If you are not chosen please 
don’t get all angry, it just means that I think you need more training 
before you can effectively teach. See you tomorrow.” With that he watched 
them until they started to leave, then he leaped off the dishwasher onto a
 rocking chair, from hear he sprang high into the air and flipped around 
in acrobatic movements. Landing on top of the junkyard 
wall he rolled headfirst off, as soon as his feet contacted the table in 
the wall he pushed off. Running along the wall across old furniture and 
broken lamps as sure-footed as a mountain goat he leaped off and into the 
dark toward his home. In his wake the cats stared after him in amazement, 
"how in the name of the Heavyside Layer did he do that?” Tugger asked in 
the following silence. “After what we’ve done tonight he still has the 
energy and reflexes to do that???” Bomb said, “we’re all exhausted and 
there he goes doing acrobatics on shards of porcelain like those lamps?” 
“He does stuff like what you did tonight all the time.” Mungojerrie said, 
all the cats looked at him, he shrugged, “I see him at it often enough
 about every day. It keeps his reflexes tuned and his muscles in shape, it 
also helps his reactions and speed in fighting, as protector he needs to
 keep in shape ya know. I asked him what he was doing and those were his 
words, I want to know where he learned to do that.” Quaxo scowled, “I wish 
we knew more about him, but he never says a word about his past. He’s 
Deuteronomy’s grandson but his mother left this town when her people moved
 and took him with her. Four years later he turns up here, barely out of 
kittenhood. (jellical cats are not fully mature until four years of age, 
but kittenhood really ends at one year, they’re teens until four years old
 but are referred to as kittens) He saves Asparagus’s life, then fights 
off a Pollicle to save Admetus, he becomes second in command without 
meaning to and Deteronomy names him protector. It’s been two years and he 
has never said a thing about his past or what happened to him or, or, 
anything. If you ask he just ignores you then if you keep asking he walks 
off, after that he asks you to shut up and then well he disappears into the
 shadows and you don’t see him for a few days.” The six tired cats went 
home but the rest stayed for a bit longer talking in groups or grooming 
themselves, the kittens grabbed a mouse and chased it all over the place 
till the sun started to show.  The next morning the cats all ran for the 
junkyard, hoping that they weren’t late, Munkustrap wasn’t there, that was 
unusual but they waited patiently for knowing that he would show up soon. 
Victoria was sitting near the junkyard entrance when she heard a voice from
 behind her. “Hello, who are you?” She jumped up and whirled, her motion 
catching everyone’s attention. Behind where she had been sitting there 
stood a cat, a young queen about a year and a half old. She was completely 
gray with a white underside and darker stripes on her forehead. She looked
 at them and sat down, she stared at them all then opened her mouth again,
 and snapped it shut in surprise. Munku walked in from the other side of 
the entrance, he grinned at the cats but stopped when they appeared not to 
notice him. His eyes followed theirs and he saw the kitten, he walked over
 to her but as soon as he got within four feet there came a scuffle and two
 full-grown cats leaped into the light. They landed facing the cats hissing 
growling, the jellicals backed away at the sight and looked to Munkustrap 
for help. If they had expected any they did get it, in a way, he ran 
forward and hit the one closest to him with his shoulder. The queen tumbled
 to the ground, but it looked pretty and well planned, she didn’t really 
fall, she folded and rolled. She was up again in a flash, she and Munku 
circled for a minute then stopped and bumped heads purring, the other cat, 
a tom, came and did they same with Munku. Then the three adults with 
the kitten behind them came fully into the light cast by a street lamp and 
the adults were fully visible. The queen was a very tall cat, only a half 
inch or so smaller then Munkustrap who was the tallest of the jellicals,
 she was extremely muscular and, like Munku she was a tabby. Her fur was 
like Munku’s except where he was silver she was a deep and beautiful gold. 
The other cat was not so large as the other two but he looked just as fit,
 he was a dark red with very faint red-brown stripes, there was a small 
piece missing from his left ear. They stopped and Munkustrap walked forward
 to the jellicals. “Jellicals these are some old friends of mine, may I
 present Miranda, and her brother Cinnamon. Cinnamon, Miranda these are 
the jellical cats, I’m not going to name them all now cause it would take 
to long so you’ll have to learn their names on your own time.” Alonzo 
stepped forward and gave Munku a look that clearly asked if he was going to
 announce who the cats were that he had chosen for trainers, seeing this 
Munkustrap continued. “When I first realized that something might be up 
with Macavity, that was two weeks ago, I asked them if they could come help
 out. They were in a town about 35 miles away, I sent word by a letter in 
the doorjamb of the train. They were on the move and were planning to come 
for the next jellical ball but they were able to come early to help out. 
Who is she?” He asked with a gesture to the kitten. Cinnamon stepped forward,
 “we found her in a ditch beside an abandoned building, she is a jellical 
so we brought her with us her name is Rowansi. Call me Rowan please.” The 
kitten spoke up, “I hate my name, Rowansi is stupid, it’s just all my 
parents and grandparents names mixed up. Grandma was Rosana and Mom was 
Wasilia, so it was Ro-w-an-si, every other part of their names.” She quieted 
again looking around at her new surroundings, Munkustrap went on, he told 
the two new cats about the situation and what was happening. Then he turned
 to the rest and said, “last night I thought about all those who tried out 
and I decided that Alonzo,” there was a big round of applause, “and Tumble-
brutus will be the trainers.” There was more applause then quiet, 
Munkustrap held up a paw for attention then started talking again. 
“Miranda and Cinnamon, like myself, have trained cats before, they will be 
watching the training, giving advice, laying out courses and schedules, and
 helping us three,” he gestured at himself and the two trainers, “in 
training everyone. They and myself will go daily into Mcavity’s territory 
and check out the situation. They will also be in charge of the kittens 
training program.” He sat back and began to lead the three cats around 
introducing them to everyone in the junkyard.  Rowan walked along behind 
Cinnamon, trying not to stare at the silver tabby leading them. He must be 
important, all the jellicals shut up when he started to speak. She had been
 told that he was a born leader but wow, he was cool, more to the point he
 was the handsomest tom she had ever seen. I wish I weren’t so young, he’ll
 never notice me. She thought sadly as he lead them to a pair of queens, 
one was black and gold and the other was red with black spots. “Miranda, 
Cinnamon, Rowan, these are Demeter and Bombalurina.” The black 
and gold queen smiled and said, “now do you plan to tell us about your past,
 or will that still remain a mystery?” the red queen nodded and smiled at 
Rowan, who immediately liked her. Munkustrap scowled, “I guess I’ll tell, 
but not until Deuteronomy gets here.” The two queens nodded and they 
continued on to three toms. Munku stepped forward and introduced them as 
Alonzo, Tumblebrutus, and Quaxo. Other cats started to gather around and 
in ten minutes she had met Exotica, Jennyanydots, Victoria, Cassandra, 
Jellylorum, Jemima, Skimbleshanks, Rumpelteazer, Sootaput, who turned out 
to be new, she had just come two days before. Ectectera, Electra, Silabub,
 Mungojerrie, Gus, Pouncival, Admetus, Plato, Corpricot, Tantomile, 
Mistoffelees, who appeared in a burst of red sparks, and Rum Tum Tugger. 
Tugger smiled sweetly and started trying to flirt with Miranda who growled 
at him and stepped on his tail, he backed off wincing and sulked for a 
while. How did they expect her to remember all these names? Munkustrap 
called for attention and everyone hushed, “now we’ll need someone to find 
a home for Rowan here, who would like to?” She blushed as almost every paw 
went up, Munku chose Plato and told her to follow him, she and her new 
guide started out toward a green house down the street. When they arrived 
Plato turned to her, “the people will come home in a minute from church, 
sit on the front walk as if you were asleep. When they come wake up and 
roll over, sit up and mew, play up to the kids, if they pick you up let 
them. Once your established as their new pet inside the house sit in front
 of the front door and mew to go out. They’ll need to learn that you are 
an outdoor cat, when you come out I’ll be behind those bushes, good luck.” 
With that he disappeared and left her alone, she lay down to wait. Soon a 
car pulled up and two little girls about seven years old stepped out, they 
looked like twins, both had red hair tied back with a green ribbon. They 
saw her and rushed up as their parents climbed out of the car, she did 
everything Plato had suggested and it worked. They picked her up and begged
 their parents to let them keep her. “Look mom, she’s hungry and has no 
collar, her mother must have left her hear, please let us keep her.” They 
both asked, their parents exchanged looks and their father answered, 
“alright but you had better take good care of her.” “Come on in now and 
we’ll find her something to eat.” The woman said and lead the way into the
 house. Inside she ate some tuna and lay down on the sofa, about fifteen 
minutes later she got up and mewed at the door, one of the girls came in 
carrying a blue collar which she fastened around Rowan’s neck, then she 
opened the door and let her out. “Come home soon and don’t get lost.” She 
called after Rowan. Rowan ran around the house to find Plato sitting 
beneath a window sill, “well done, now back to the junkyard.”  Arriving 
back at the junkyard they found that the training was about to start, 
Munkustrap jumped up onto the tire and waited till they all quieted. “Now,
 the teachers will call out the names of the cats in their group, when your
 name is called go to your groups meeting spot.” Alonzo stepped forward. 
“ My group meet by the dishwasher. Quaxo, Jellylorum, Gus, Cassandra, Mungo-
jerrie, Rumpelteazer.” They all headed off and Tumble came forward, “ my 
group meet over there next to that flag pole, “Jenny, Skimble, Corpricot, 
Tantomile, Victoria, Admetus.” Miranda stepped up as they left, “my group 
meet next to the old ford, “Sootaput, Ectectera, Pouncival, Rowan, Silibub,”
 The kittens followed her off and Munkustrap came forward. My group meet 
right here, Demeter, Electra, Tugger, Misto, Plato, Bombalurina.” The cats 
divided and went to their groups, the leaders met briefly then Munkustrap 
and Miranda lead their groups to other places to practice, leaving the rest
 in the junkyard. Rowan ran off with the other kittens, determined to do 
well. No doubt the first day would be difficult and the second worse, until
 they got strong enough to learn well. Miranda was a superb fighter and 
would probably be very harsh with their training, but she really wanted to 
make a strong impresion on these cats, so she would do what was required. 
Miranda lead her group off to an old car lot and started them training. 
First she began by running them around the car lot three times, the 
equivalent to a fourth of a mile. After that they learned how to fall so 
they wouldn’t get hurt, making bruises whenever they did it wrong. 
Exhausted and sore they went home, hoping that the next day wouldn’t be so 
hard.  The next morning they arrived at the junkyard to find Munkustrap and
 Deuteronomy talking with the three new comers. Deuteronomy smiled at all 
of them and said, “well I see that everything is going okay so far. Miranda,
 Rowan, and Cinnamon have been excepted as jellicals. They have all found 
humans in town and plan to stay. Now lets get star..” He trailed off at the
 sight of Skimble coming in with a kitten at his heals. The cats all parted 
to let them pass and saw that the kitten was all brown with white paws, a 
white star on his chest and a white stripe from between his ears almost all
 the way to his nose. Munkustrap moved forward, “who is this Skimble, and 
where did you find him?” he didn’t ask if the kitten was a jellical because
 Skimble wouldn’t have brought him if he wasn’t. Skimble grinned, “his name
 is Boots, I met him on the train he’s a jellical. He was born at the pound
 which burned down and escaped in the fire.” Munku gave the kitten a kindly
 look as the kitten stared up at him, “we are all jellicals, would you like
 to join out tribe?” “Yes I-I would like to sir.” The kitten said, gazing 
around in awe. Deuteronomy and Munku told the kitten everything that was 
happening and he said he still wanted to join so he started practicing with
 the other kittens that day.  Eight days had passed and still Macavity 
hadn’t shown up yet, the leaders trained the cats mercilessly. Slowly they 
began to adjust and become more comfortable with the work. Cinnamon and
 Miranda took turns training the kittens and watching around town for 
Macavity. Then one afternoon Cinnamon came running into the junkyard to say
 that he had seen Macavity and about a score of his henchcats coming. 
Immediately training was called off and the cats assembled in the junkyard.
 To strengthen the cats the trainers had made them turn the junkyard into 
a fort, they even had water and food supplies for a day or so inside. It 
was completely secure from attack except in the front, where a wall of 
buckets, windows made of fiber glass and bricks that was low but to high 
to jump over ran along the entrance. Here there was one tunnel through, 
made of a small drain pipe that was barely big enough to fit through. The 
pipe could be blocked from the inside with a big piece of fiberglass. This 
couldn’t be reinforced though and it might collapse if hammered at long 
enough. Once shut they would be trapped inside with their enemies out side.
 The cats blocked the pipe and got ready for a long fight, in minutes the 
enemy rounded the corner and Pouncival who was perched on a lookout post 
called down to the waiting cats below, “here they come, there’s 23 of 
them!” Below Cinnamon had a group checking the rockslides and other forms 
of weaponry that covered the walls. The rest of the cats waited for a 
minute while Munkustrap unblocked a small opening in the tunnel and went 
out, “if I’m not back in five minutes and you hear the sounds of fighting 
block the entrance and dump the rockslide.” He told Miranda and Alonzo, 
Miranda nodded, she and Munku had had a long argument about who got to go 
speak with Macavity. Miranda arguing that the cats needed Munk and she was 
expandable, Munkustrap arguing that he was protector and it was his job, 
also that if he got killed he knew that he could trust her judgment to keep
 the cats safe. In the end Cinnamon and Alonzo joined with Munkustrap and 
now Miranda was pacing angrily with her claws out and tail lashing. 
Munkustrap slid through the pipe to confront Macavity, the Hidden Paw 
advanced as Munku appeared. “Well have you come to surrender jellical?” he
 sneered, Munkustrap concealed his temper and smiled at Macavity. “No, I’m
 sorry, that thought didn’t even cross my mind.” His voice rose to a roar,
 “You get out of here and we’ll let you live rat lover. You and your foul 
friends, this is what I think of you!” And he spat on Macavity’s feet. 
Instantly they were rolling and clawing at each other, Munkustrap came up 
and broke away, he lashed a henchcat across the face and climbed back 
through the tunnel. Miranda nodded to Alonzo who nodded to Cinnamon who 
slapped his tail on the ground as a signal. His group pushed the rocks 
from behind and they rolled down the wall of the junkyard, many of 
Macavity’s followers were hurt as the rocks tumbled down onto them. When 
the dust cleared Pouncival had a clear view of the enemy and called down to
 the jellicals that among Macavity’s followers there were, two broken legs,
 one missing ear, five missing teeth, one cracked tail, one blinded eye, 
and eight serious gashes and numerous smaller ones. The jellicals cheered 
and Alonzo opened the tunnel again. The cats spilled out onto their 
deormalized enemies and tore at them, soon all was chaos. “Just like the 
old days, huh, Miranda?” Munkustrap called to her as he tore the throat out
 of a grimy cat. Miranda smiled as another cat fell to her claws, “hey 
Munk, how about we show these jellicals how the rulers of the wilds fight?”
 He nodded and both began to speed up their movements until they were a 
blur. Destroying any cat that was opposing them. Macavity’s gang fought to
 get out of their way. Slowly the thrashing of the first jellical charge
 settled and most jellicals moved to the outside of the fight to allow the 
two warriors more room. The two cats took up the challenge and dove into 
the fight with frightening roars. Then in the middle of the fight everyone
 sprang to the sides as a ear popping roar filled the air. Munkustrap had
 found Macavity. The two cats bit and clawed at each other as they 
struggled to gain the upper paw. At first Macavity tried to use his powers
 of levitation to win him the fight but Munkustrap countered them with wild
 leaps and twists that forced Macavity to stay or lose his ears. 
Munkustrap jumped up and came down, jaws locked with Macavity’s, rolling, 
smashing any cat in their way the two fighters shook each other like rag 
dolls. Miranda spent this time keeping Macavity’s cats out of the fight, 
they were trying to jump in and pin Munku to end the fight. Slowly the 
jellicals drew back and Mcavity’s cats edged toward the street to run. 
Alonzo came running with a large group to block their path, Miranda worked 
her way around to block any cats from interfering with the fight. Suddenly 
the snarls from the center ceased and everything went quiet as the dust 
settled the cats moved forward to see the outcome. Macavity lay on his back,
 very still, crouched beside him was Munkustrap. the tabby’s jaws were 
locked on Macavity’s throat. Macavity looked to still be alive but Munku’s 
jaws were so tight that he could barely breath. Both cats were covered with
 wounds and blood stained the ground around them. Macavity was drooling 
blood from a place where his lip was torn off. Slowly Munkustrap let go 
and stood, Macavity was to close to unconscious for lack of air to move. 
He finally stirred but made no effort to move when he found Munkustrap’s 
claws at his throat. Munkustrap hissed at the defeated cat, “leave, leave 
this town and take your foul friends with you. I will spare your life this 
once brother, never again, you are not a member of my family anymore. Come
 back and I will kill you, you have till tomorrow to be gone.” He turned to
 walk away and Macavity pounced, there was a flash of teeth and claws and 
Munkustrap’s yowl of pain. Then Macavity’s roar as he was thrown violently 
threw the air to land five feet away. Munkustrap waited till Macavity was 
back on his feet, then his claws flashed once, Macavity screamed with agony
 and shook his head backing up. Munkustrap’s claws had torn his left eye 
apart, he ran from the junkyard screaming with what followers were still 
alive after him. Behind them Munkustrap slowly sank to the ground, the 
jellicals slowly moved toward him. He looked around then his drooped and
 he lay still. Miranda moved up and checked his pulse, “he’s alive, we’ll
 have to get him inside fast, come on. Alonzo get his feet over your 
shoulders, I’ll get his head.”  A day later Munkustrap woke, he slowly 
opened his eyes and cautiously looked around. Miranda sat beside him, 
Demeter was on his other side cleaning a gash on his shoulder. He hurt all
 over, in front of him cats lay nearby in small groups cleaning wounds and
 talking in hushed voices. He saw some glance his way as he shifted 
position, then Deuteronomy came forward. “Munkustrap, thank the Layer your
 alive. That was a touch and go there all night. No, don’t move, those 
wounds are bad.” He added as Munkustrap struggled to stand. Munkustrap 
felt weight on his shoulder and he lay back down, he looked around and 
Miranda caught his eyes. She was covered in gashes, though most looked as 
if they hadn’t been made by cats, they looked like dog wounds. He groaned 
inwardly, of course Macavity would have had dogs as back ups. After he 
passed out they had probably attacked, only Miranda would have been in 
shape to fight them off. Alley cats like Macavity’s hadn’t hurt him or her
 in years, they were just to good, it would have to be dogs. Miranda 
wouldn’t have wounds like that from cats, she was to good a fighter for 
that. She tilted her head and he looked in the direction her ears twitched.
 Something moved in the shadows and the Rumpus cat sat up on an old coffee
 table. He looked at Munk and smiled, he jumped down and came forward. 
“Hello, I didn’t see you there.” Munku murmured, no one except them and 
Miranda knew that he, Rumpus, and Macavity were brothers. That is except
 Deuteronomy, he knew, even if their father didn’t. “I wasn’t there, I 
was on the other side of town fighting two Labradors. I saw Macavity run
 by streaming blood with five of his followers, all wounded severally. The 
rest were killed, I came as fast as I could, just after Miranda killed the
 last of the seven dogs. I’m sorry I was so late.” He said, looking ashamed.
 Munkustrap bumped his head against his brother’s, “it’s all right, I’ll be
 fine soon.” He looked up at Deuteronomy who smiled at him, “I was right to
 trust you with the tribe’s fate grandson. You will make a good leader one 
day, anger doesn’t cloud your judgment and good reason, well done.”
 Munkustrap noticed that all the cats had been listening hard and now 
broke into tumultuous applause, he smiled wearily. He tried to stand after 
a few shaky attempts stood, the wall at the entrance had been taken down 
and most of the stuff around the walls had to. “I’m going home to rest for 
a bit, see you soon.” He left and the cats soon followed all wanting a long
 rest.