THE GOOD STRAY
CHAPTER TEN - EPILOGUE

"I can't explain it any other way, Munkus! I saw death. I truly saw it."

The silver tabby wrapped a calming arm around his mate, knowing that even though she had highly developed senses for one so young, Demeter did have tendencies to be rather hysterical with her predictions. He seemed wary of them whenever they took the form of dreams.

"Demi, it was nothing but a bad dream," he soothed, leading her back to her bed. "You remember what I told you about bad dreams, don't you? Dreams can't hurt you. They're all in your mind."

"But..." The gold queen was on the brink of hysteria, her face tear-stained and her eyes red and watery. She had tried for half an hour to explain to her beloved Munkustrap that all was not well, but to no avail. He wouldn't believe her. "I'm telling you, Munkus. I saw somebody's watery grave and I know that we have to get there or else we'll be too late."

"Too late for what?" A red head poked through the door way of their cupboard, emerald eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Didn't mean to interrupt you two, but I heard crying and wanted to make sure everything was..." Noticing the gold queen's tears, the red became worried. "Demi?"

"Bombi, help me convince your sister that her dreams aren't real." Munkustrap was exasperated.

Bombalurina turned her attention back to her younger sister, wrapping comforting arms around the trembling queen. "What happened in your dream, Dem?" The older was hesitant to mention, but knew she needed to find out. "Macavity again?"

"No!" Demeter snapped, her trembling amplifying. "The old river... someone jumped, Bomb, and we have to help them."

Stroking the back of the younger soothingly, Bombi cast a look up at the silver protector. "Munkus, don't you think we could humour her this one time? I think she's serious about this."

With a groan of reluctancy, Munkustrap nodded, and let himself be lead down to the river. The walk to the river wasn't too long, but with the silver tabby grumbling all the way it made it worse. It didn't seem right that they go scouting for trouble that may or may not exist in the middle of the night. Scouting for trouble could lead them to stumble into more trouble, and the vicious cycle would begin. His mate's scream brought him out of his thoughts.

"Teazer!"

Running to where the two queens stood at the top of the bridge, he saw what they were referring to. It was undoubtedly the body of their old friend Rumpelteazer, who he remembered was banished with Mungojerrie for being workers for Macavity.

"Come on, girls," he whispered, pulling the distraught and shaking queen along with her sister away from the scene. "There's nothing we can do."

"Like hell there's not!" Bombi snapped suddenly. "We tried to convince you that Teaz and Jerrie were good, but you wouldn't believe us. Now look what she went and did. You get her out of there this instant, Munkus, if you want to ensure your mate's happiness."

It was an unfair blackmail, for the red queen knew that the silver would do anything to see his mate happy. Sighing, he found the easiest way into the river and swam out to meet the young queen, dragging her along behind him as he reached the shore again. With the help of Bombi, he was able to drag the queen up to dry land. They all noticed to their amazement that the still body nursed a tiny kitten, no more than a few hours old.

The red queen pried the kitten away from it's mother, handing the kitten to the eager Demeter, while Munkustrap tried to revive Rumpelteazer. It was vein effort. Her pulse had stopped, her body was cold. It was clear that she was dead.

With a heavy heart, he looked back at the two queens. "Sorry," he mumbled. "She's dead."

From Demeter's arms, the kitten wheezed slightly, it's tiny body shuddering as it tried to cough what little water was in it's lungs. "He's alive," the gold queen announced. "A little water-logged but alive." Nursing the cold body to her own, Demeter tried to warm the body temperature, smiling slightly as the tiny creature began to purr.

Munkustrap sighed deeply, lifting Teazer's still body into his arms. "Atleast tonight wasn't a total disappointment." He kissed his mate's cheek softly. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you, Demi. To make it up to both of you, I'm going to ensure that Teazer gets sent to the Heaviside where she belongs."

"I'll raise this kitten the way Teazer would have liked," Demeter smiled faintly, rubbing her nose against the tiny one of the kitten. "As a Jellicle."

*~*

The End