in the early hours

[shizoo]

Anna was about to answer the mercurial little tom when he bolted past her to the outside. Well, he was moving pretty well, so she figured he must be all right. The older female hadn't seen his friend since leaving the farmhouse, but considering his buddy's reaction from the lab, they'd both find each other & be ok.
Fascinated, she watched the byplay between Krystalle & Stubby too. Now that was strange.
She leaned more comfortably against the old bag of bones & watched.

Jemima had a raging headache. She walked over to the healer's den, really hoping she'd find Tugger & Jelly safely there, but when she didn't scent anything fresh from either, her hopes dropped. Pushing through the door, she paused to let the short energetic tom pass, sparing a brief moment of wonder as to who he was, but the pain in her head soon superceded any curiousity.
Feeling dizzy & a bit sick, she pressedthe cool wet towel to the head wound again & entered. "Miss Jenny? I need a little help please," she managed softly, before dropping into a chair.

[ShirQuickpaw]

Jenny stifled a groan and and rubbed the bridge of her nose between her eyes. Shaking her head her eyes followed Merton as he frantically left the den. Before she could form any kind of thoughts about the young tom though, she noticed the figure of another Jellicle in the entrance frame.

Jenny squinted at the newcomer until she realized she saw young Jemina. It took her a little bit more to see, that the tribe's youngest princess was hurt and in need of help. Immediately Jenny switched into what could be called her business mode and was quickly at Jemina's side, guiding her towards a seat.

"Great Cat, Jemmi, what happened to you, dear?"

[dodd4]

Gus lened Anna as well takeing comfort in the warmth of her lean frame. both of the old toms hushed as they watched Jenny and awaited the young Queens answer.

[Deleted]

Krystalle stiffened as the Tom left, she then relaxed and slowly moved towards the freshly made bed she had been using and crawled under the covers. "Sorry, everyone..." Krystalle said softly.

[shizoo]

Anna couldn't help but notice Krystalle's agitation. She got up & went over to the black queen. Settling quietly next to her on the bed, she smiled. "Are ya sure yer OK baby?" she asked. Gently she tucked the blankets around the little female. The older female was dying to ask why Krystalle had reacted so strongly to Stubinz & the little one, Merton, but she was rather concerned that it might cause some problems. Seeing that Jenny was busy with the newcomer, Anna fetched Krystalle a hot cup of tea. "Here baby, try sipping this."
Of course the nosy old cat continued to listen with half an ear to Jenny's treatment of the new little queen. Jemmy huh? Would that be Jemima, Old D's youngest? Anna wasn't sure, she hadn't seen Jemima since she was tiny, but the markings looked right.

Jemi quailed a bit at Jenny's instant concern. Just how much should she tell her about Gilbert? the small queen wondered. She had a feeling Jenny wouldn't approve of all that had happened in Jemi's den during the long night.
Feeling oddly protective of Gil, she temporized. "I fell & hit my head on the trunk in my den."
Which was the truth, she just didn't mention what had led up to her fall.
Hoping to gain a little information, she asked hopefully, "Has anyone seen Tugger? He was supposed to come back to my den, but I haven't seen him since last night."
Mentally, she was crossing her fingers with hope that they had & he was safe, but the icy feeling in her stomach wouldn't abate. Something was wrong, she just knew it.
As Jenny started her treatment, Jemi took the cloth off of her head showing an impressive lump & a deep cut, which was still bleeding sluggishly.

[dodd4]

Stubinz peered about, "well he's na followin ya 'bout an...yes Adalaide...ah am quite sure that...yes Adilade ah heard ya...
he would be!" the old tom rambeled to both Jemmima and the empty space next to Gus.

Gus in turn sat there paws twitching his care worn features mirroring inner worry.

[ShirQuickpaw]

Jenny frowned sceptically, when she inspected little Jemmie's wound. The wound did look like the description the princess had given. But still, it just didn't fit the princess. Jenny voiced her suspicion.

"Honey, I would expect such a wound and story from Quickpaw. But you are usually not so clumsy. Usually can give little Victoria a run for her money in the grace department. So don't tell me you just "fell" in your den."

She again scrutinized the princess, but then shook her head.

"You know, hon, never mind. If you don#t want us to know how you got yourself such a lump on your head, that is okay. You are already paying the price anyway. The headache must be horrible..."

Jenny went and fetched everything she needed to treat the still slightly bleeding wound...

"And no, honey, we haven't seen the Tugger. Wasn't he supposed to be part of Jelly's rescue troupe? We haven't heard anything of them either."

[Deleted]

Krystalle's ears flattened against her head and stared into her pillow at Anna's question.
At the scent of tea, the ebony Queen granted Anna and sat up, gingerly taking the cup, mumbling softly, "thanks..."

[dodd4]

as Gus watched Jenny treat Jemimma his old heart ached, for here was another Kitten whoum he had not claimed. oh at the time it had seemed both reasonable and even honorable to step aside when Old D had so clearly won her Mothers heart, but in light of Jelly's reaction to his admition and the disappeaerance
that had followed the old tom could not shake the feeling that he had failed both of his daughters in some way. he shook his head and gave a mealoncoly sigh.

Stubinz cocked a ragged ear at his friends exhalation but he looked like he had kept his attention on the pretty mystic who was also in distress as Adelaide once again began to fill him in on his old friends misadvetures of the last day and night.

[shizoo]

Anna tucked Krystalle in gently, something was bothering the girl, but she didn't seem to want to talk about it. Anna wondered if it had anything to do with that handsome young tom, but figured it may not be a good idea to ask.
Instead, she just gave the little one a smile, & settled beside her in support. Then the old cat turned & watched the other players in the room. She was a little curious at the look ol Gus was givin the young one, but chalked it up to worry over Jelly. Iffen that boy, Tugger & that girl, Jelly didn't come back soon, she'd go looking too.

Jemi tried to sit still through Jenny's ministrations, but worry over Tugger & now Gilbert made her tense. Every now & then she gave a soft whimper while Jenny worked.
The cold expanded all the way through her when Jenny said, no one had seen Tugger or Jelly. She wrestled with how much of what she'd seen in the woods to reveal-she didn't want to spread panic.
Then her eyes lighted on Krystalle. Wait. . Krystalle was a mystic, right? Maybe she could help Gilbert?
She kept her voice low looking at all the cats present. "Does anyone have any ideas on how to help a mystic who's power has little to no control?" The small queen gave Jenny an appealing look, "Do, you know the problems Gilert has?" She asked hesitantly. "I . .would like to help him if I can-he is one of Tugger's friends, after all."
She was trying hard to sound casual, so as to keep her own special interest in the tom to herself.

[ShirQuickpaw]

Jenny frowned even more, while she finished treating Jemina's wound. Gilbert? A mystic? A mystic, who doesn't know how to control his power. Usually the control came with instinct, as an extension of one senses or body you just learn to use like your arm or eyes. Jenny wouldn't know herself, never having one iota of power herself. But her talks with the wicce ... Tantomile gave her some inside as to how they should work.

Jenny again went over to her work-desk and started to brew a tea against the raging headache the young princess must feel.

"When they return you might want to talk to your stepsister, deary. I am sure our residential witch cat has some insight as how to deal with such things..."

[Deleted]

Plato limped into the healers den with the help of his mate. His face went from pain to worry when he saw young Jemima in the den. Being treated.
"Jemima....what are you doing here? What happened? " He had braced his hand against the wall to take some weight off of his mate.

[dodd4]

the scarred gray and black tom paused at the dens entrance,
"well my sweet cailín back we are." he said. then Grumbuskin crossed the den and kneeled next to Jennyanydots. "we have news my dear one an taint all good."

as the newcomers entered Stubinz began to shiver as the whispers began, the night before he had been able to put u with them while they were rescuing the queens but the shades that followed the piratical tom were insistent on being heard.

Gus gave a soft sigh and patted his battered old friend with a palsying paw.

[shizoo]

Anna noted old Stubby's reaction to Grum & raised an eyebrow. She might play at being a mystic from time to time, but she wasn't sure she ever wanted to actually be one. Frankly, it looked too darn painful to her.
She noted the new patient, but she couldn't remember his name right off, by my weren't he a big one!
Unobtrusively, she checked to make sure Krystalle was still settled, then went to help Jenny, by quietly fetching some hot water & laying out some supplies for her. then she retreated to Gus' side to try & stay out of the way. "Now dat don't look good." she commented softly.

Jemima looked up quickly hoping to see Tugger, but instead she saw her friend Quickpaw & Plato entering with a large scarred cat she didn't know well, Grr something.
Wincing she put her hand to her head. Damn, moved too fast. she thought dizzily, fighting down a wave of nausea. "I could ask you the same Plato," she answered trying to sound casual & not desperately worried. "I fell down in a fit of the clumsies & hit my head on that chest in my den. Now, your turn, What happened?? Are you & Quickpaw all right?" she asked anxiously, looking at her friend as well. "Have. . have you seen Tugger as well?"

[Deleted]

Plato looked at Quickpaw then to Jenny. He was unsure if he should tell her.

"I went after Jelly, Tantomile came to me and asked me to go. I ended up at the warehouse. Jelly had just been brought in by some toms. They wanted an 'in' with Macavity. A large black hench took her away from them and tried to find a healer. I went in to try and intervene and he reacted. Jelly stepped in and managed to get him to stop. She must have talked to him a while before I came in. He stopped right away. Another Hench though, he came in and practically paralyzed me from those pressure point things. I was out. I don't know what happened. Between what Colbalt did and that little rat tom, Jelly somehow helped me regain my muscles back to my own control. " He limped to a seat once he had his breath caught. He pulled Quickpaw with him and leaned awkwardly to not contract his rib area.
"Before I knew it I was tossed out the back door and Grum came. We waited outside and Tugger showed up. Munkus and Tantomile were behind him and Stacey too. Tugger walked right in without consulting any of us. Tantomile followed after a few moments. I haven't seen them since. I'm sorry Jemima, I have no idea what he is doing or if he found Jelly. Jelly was taken captive. I was unable to stop it" His ears lowered in shame. Some guardian he was. Now three of their own were in the warehouse.
"I failed..." He said softly.