Cats Forever

Chapter 14. Springdancer.

Sitting on the wall of the village near the Jellicle Junkyard was Electra, Etcetera and Jemima, three of the youngest queens of the tribe. It was a perfect day to leave the Yard and roam around the surrounding land, and it seemed that this wall was the perfect sun worshiping pedestal for the queens to relax upon.

"Tell me again!" Jemima sighed dreamily. Rolling her eyes, Electra suppressed a chuckle.

"So he took me aside and asked how I saw us in the future." Explained Electra.

"Huh? Who's this?" Etcetera chipped in with a clueless daze upon her face. The two other young queens giggled at their dear air headed friend.

"Tumblebrutus." Electra reminded.

"My brother?" Cettie's eyes lit up.

"Yes!" Jemima giggled from behind a paw. Once again Electra rolled her eyes before continuing on with the story.

"I said that I hope we'd be in a good place. And then he went on to explain that within the next few months he wants to Pledge." At that precise moment Jemima burst out into a high pitched squeal, she was so happy to hear that Electra was finally going to have a mate; after all the rust coloured queen could be a social pain sometimes.

"Now we've just got to find a handsome strapping tom for you Cettie!" Jemima mused.

Actually paying attention this time, Etcetera scoffed and waved dismissively at the idea. "Aw, naw you don't have to do that. Toms don't really take my fancy."

"Oh?"

"Hey guys...what's that?" Pointing through the thick of the trees that separated the local park and village, the three queens squinted to see some sort of structure standing in the center of the park. It was brightly coloured with red and white stripes all around, and the turrets of the structure were topped off with little yellow flags.

"That wasn't there yesterday!" Cettie screeched as she hopped off of the wall to land on the grass.

As they queens made their way out from underneath the cover of the trees, the structure became more clearer and bigger! This was what the humans referred to as the Circus! All kinds of people bustled about with their tasks. One woman was juggling knives! Another practiced walking along a tightrope, and then he back flipped off! The Jellicle queens, needless to say were amazed, and they continued into the tent, eyes wide with curiosity. The interior was breathtaking, the tent was decorated to look like the night sky,instead of red and white like outside it was a deep blue, lights dotted around on strings to look like stars and constellations. But most of the light was focused on the center ring where a tall robust man with a peculiarly large top hat upon his head stood. He cracked a whip to the air which startled the young queens and a faint gasp escaped Cettie's lips.

"Ladies an' gentlemen, lads an' lasses!" He bellowed to the non existent audience. The Ringmaster held up both arms and the long whip dangled aimlessly. "Welcome to Leapin' Leopold's Circus!" Suddenly, there was a dramatic crash of symbols and the curtains on the far end of the ring parted, revealing a parade of glorious golden horses. One by one they trotted out in a rehearsed fashion until they neatly lined the ring.

"What kind of shindig is this?!" Electra whispered to Jemima mostly, Cettie was too absorbed by the horses' graceful performance. They galloped around the ring in an enchanting blur before halting in a line and bowing, then a troop of children marched out and mounted the horses. The children rode and controlled their horses with as much expertise as that of an adult whom had been riding for years. The act finished with the horses rearing up and turning a full circle. Next, four young men came tumbling out in a flurry of back flips, front flips, cartwheels and all sorts!