Chapter Nine

The Junkyard looked like a battlefield. There were wounded Jellicles everywhere, though no casualties as far as I could tell. Jemima was running around healing everyone she saw.
Alonzo came up to us. "You guys are okay, right? All of you?"
"Yeah," Misto responded. "Nessi had a close call, though."
Remembering this, I once again relished the ability to breathe.
"Well, Old Deuteronomy is gathering all the Jellicles at the Vicarage Wall. That is, all the Jellicles who aren't severely injured. He wants to discuss what to do about-"(he looked at Mel, San, Riniel, and I before continuing)
"...the situation."
All of a sudden, I got nervous. I wondered how many Jellicles shared his position.
We walked in silence. Some of us too tired to talk, some too shaken .
What if they decide that we're too much of a danger to the others and banish us, I suddenly thought to myself. Don't be stupid, I scolded. Old Deuteronomy would never agree to that. Still, alot of people were hurt this time.
I was jolted out of my thoughts by Riniel saying, "San? What's wrong?"
I looked over at Sanya. She had stopped completely and was staring across the Junkyard. She was pale.
I looked around to see Jemima huddled over a motionless orange tabby. Rumpleteaser was sitting with her, looking worried and frightened. I stared for a minute, then I looked at Misto. He was looking at Teaser and Jemi. Then he said, "Sanya?"
She looked up.
"I don't think Old Deuteronomy would mind if you missed this one meeting."
She stared at him for minute, nodded, and ran over to Teaser.
I looked at him curiously for a minute. "Thank you," I said.
"I know where I would want you to be, if it were me."
He looked away quickly, as though embarrassed by what he'd just said. I couldn't help but smile slightly.

There was a startlingly small amount of Jellicles at the Vicarage Wall.
Jennyanydots and Jellylorum were there, huddled with Etcetera and Electra. Demeter was there holding two of her kittens, Bombalurina was next to her holding the other two. I noticed Munkustrap wasn't there. I had hoped the reason he hadn't come to meet us was because he was here.
Plato and Victoria were there as well, and beckoned for Mel to join them, which she did. Riniel finally gave in to her kitten-like instincts and ran shaking to the warmth and comfort of Jelly and Jenny. It was then I realized how young the four of us, Meltoriel, Sanya, Riniel, and I were. We, as humans anyway, were early into our teen years.
Realizing this, I too wanted to run to the nearest mother figure. Instead, I sat down next to Misto. As if he was reading my mind, Misto put his arm around me. (yeah, I'm slightly abandoning the cat thing, bear with me.)
For the first time in what felt like years, I felt safe.

I enjoyed the feeling for only a moment, for Old Deut had arrived.
He held up his paw, as if to quiet conversation, but seeing as there was none, it was probably force of habit.
"As you know, this latest attack by Macavity has been the worst since long before any of you were born. We are here now to determine what we should do."
"I think we should give her to him," said Plato, glaring at me. "She's the one he's after!"
Mel looked at him, shocked.
"Somehow, I remember you saying this very thing when Demeter was the target," Misto responded.
"I say, we get rid of all four of them. Not give them to him, just kick them out." This suggestion came from Alonzo.
Once again, Misto came to our rescue. "We might as tie them to a neon sign that says, 'Hey Macavity! Over here!' "
"Enough!" Old Deuteronomy's voice seemed louder than usual. "We are not getting rid of anyone."
All was silent. He continued.
"There is only one solution.
"In my youth, there was such a crises as this. We decided to run, but there was nowhere to run to. So, we packed up our barest necessities and walked. It was slow, painstakingly slow, but we walked, and sometimes ran, for miles before we found this Junkyard. It was a safe place because our adversary at the time, Lossehelin, didn't know it's location.
"Lossehelin is now dead, and I believe that the original Junkyard is unknown to Macavity."
"But there are so many wounded and unable to travel," said Jelly.
"We will wait until they are able to walk. Then, we leave. No sooner, no later." There was a finality in his voice that silenced any other possible arguments.
"Go back to the Junkyard and begin preparing for departure. We leave as soon as the last cat can walk," he finished.

I reluctantly got up from my safe and warm place in Misto's arms, and we started our loooooong journey back to the Junkyard.