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Victoria and Old Deuteronomy watched Grizabella until she had vanished into the sky. The sight of it was so beautiful and Victoria couldn't have been happier. Finally, Grizabella would receive the happiness she had been starved and deprived of for so long. Wherever she was going now, it was surely a better place.
The little white queen finally lowered her gaze from the sky and at the same time a gentle paw rested on her shoulder. She turned to face Old Deuteronomy who was smiling warmly at her. "Come now my dear, it's time to go."
Victoria glanced down and saw both Mr. Mistoffelees and Munkustrap climbing back up to help the elderly cat climb down the lion statue. Victoria slid down herself with ease and landed lightly onto her paws. She then watched the two toms as they assisted the older queen down gently.
Once they were all standing together again Victoria asked "Where to now?"
Munkustrap turned to her, his arm around the older queen. "Well, I'm going to escort Old Deuteronomy back to her home then head back home myself."
A sudden realization of dread came over Victoria and she lowered herself down onto her haunches looking forlorn.
"What's the matter?" Mistoffelees asked coming to kneel down beside her.
Victoria met his concerned eyes and said "I... don’t have anywhere to go?" Her voice was so quiet that it was almost a whisper. She dropped her sad gaze back down to the pavement as she acknowledged the fact that she had been intentionally abandoned by her humans.
Old Deuteronomy and Munkustrap's hearts broke for poor Victoria as they watched Mr. Mistoffelees slip an arm round the sad white queen and nuzzle the top of her head to comfort her. She leaned into the black tom and appeared to be holding back tears. It was so cruel that any human would abandon a poor helpless creature like Victoria, but then again not every human had hearts of gold.
"Don't worry Victoria" Mistoffeloes said softly as he continued to comfort her. "You can come back home with me".
She lifted her head and faced him in astonishment "Really? Are you sure?"
He nodded a smile crossing his face. "Of course, I doubt my humans would turn out a beautiful queen like you."
Victoria broke into a big smile and instantly leaned in to nuzzle his neck, this time in gratitude. He responded with an equally joyful smile and closed his eyes as he relished the loving affection, she was giving him. Taking her paw in his she got back up again to face Munkustrap and Old Deuteronomy who were both smiling at them. The younger cats came over to give the grey tom and older queen a nuzzle in goodbye before the two pairs parted in different directions.
Victoria followed Mr. Mistoffelees down a long red road lined with trees on both sides until they passed a colossal building that was surrounded by a tall iron fence. "That's the royal palace" he said as they crossed the huge roundabout and into a vast park, "My home is just across this park and down the road. We should arrive in time for them to let us in for breakfast."
"Are you sure they will like me?" She asked as they approached another road which was on the edge of the grassy park.
"Of course, I'm sure. The kids have often asked my mistress if they could get another cat. So, I see no reason why they would not want you."
The dawning sun was rising higher in the sky, a few cars were now driving down the roads and here and there were the humans who had risen early. The two cats avoided going near any of them as they ran along the pavement and luckily, they were mostly ignored.
Finally, they arrived in a street of white terraced housed which all looked cleaner than most of the other houses and flats they had passed on their way. Black railed fences with black gates stood in front of the houses. Mistoffelees led Victoria to a gate and stepped through one of the gaps between the bars and Victoria followed him. Looking up she saw that all the front windows on the ground floor had bunches of beautiful flowers growing in window boxes. In one of the windows the face of a little boy appeared. When he caught sight of her and Mistofferees walking up the front path he looked surprised then hurried from the window.
Muffled shouts came from inside but both cats could hear what was being said with their sharp hearing. "Mum! Mum! Emily! Come and see!"
Seconds later the front door opened and the boy was there in a blue dressing gown, he was then joined by a little girl in a pink dressing gown. She looked as equally surprised as the boy when she looked down at Victoria who was doing her best to be brave to these strangers.
"Henry, what's all the fuss about?" Said a new voice from within the house.
"Quaxo is back Mum, and there's a white cat here with him?" The boy called over his shoulder.
Moments later a lady came in the doorway and Victoria moved closer to Mistoffelees until she was right up against his warm body. "My goodness!" The lady exclaimed "It looks like our Quaxo brought a friend home." She stepped forward and knelt down. Mistoffelees trotted over to be stroked by the lady who then gave his ears a scratch. He then trotted over to the kids who greeted him with equally loving strokes.
The lady held out her hand towards Victoria who was unsure at first, but the smile she gave her was friendly enough that Victoria was reassured of her sincerity. Slowly she approached the lady who gently stroked her once she was within her reach. The touch was so soft and loving she knew that she could trust the lady. The two children came over and also stroked Victoria who rolled onto her back so they could rub her tummy.
"A queen" said the lady as she looked closer at Victoria who was purring loudly as the children continued to stroke her.
"I like her, Mummy." Said the girl.
Mistoffelees padded over and nuzzled Victoria's head with his own. "I think you do too Quaxo, is she your girlfriend?" The boy asked rubbing Mistoffelees back who purred in response.
"Aww," said the girl who was still stroking Victoria. "Mummy, can we keep her?"
The lady seemed uncertain as she regarded the white queen. "Well Emily, she doesn't have a collar, so it's possible she's a stray. So, she may stay if she wishes to. And only if no one calls to claim her, then yes, she can stay with us."
Victoria let out a joyful "meow" and nuzzled the girl's hand, Mistoffelees meowed too and rubbed up against the lady who smiled and scratched his ears again. "What shall we call her then?" The lady asked.
"She's white as snow," said the girl.
"A name with "Snow" in it," The boy suggested "Snow White, Snowball, Snowflake, Snowbell, Snowy?"
The girl grinned "I like Snowbell"
"So do I" Said the boy
"Snowbell it is then." Said the lady standing up. "Let's bring them in and get some breakfast, I expert they're both hungry."
Henry picked up Mistoffelees while Emily picked up Victoria. Together the two children carried the cats indoors who were both purring happily in their arms.
In the kitchen the lady put out a dish of cat food and both cats dug in sharing from the same dish. Victoria was starving, though she had had a fair share of the feast with all the other Jellicles when they had gone to Bustopher Jones's place, but that feast felt like a long time ago. Then she shared a drink of milk with Mistoffelees's from his drink bowl. The children watched them with undivided attention from the kitchen table as they had their breakfast. Once the felines were finished Mistoffelees led her over to his softly cushioned basket and both cats settled into it together.
"Looks like we won't need to get her a basket Mummy." said the girl.
"Probably not, but I will be getting one for her just in case she changes her mind or wants her own space once in a while." She took the children's plates from the table. "Now you better go and get ready for school. When I pick you up later, you can come with me to buy our new little queen the things she's gonna need." The children jumped up from the table and went upstairs.
When the lady had finished the washing up and left the kitchen to get ready herself. Once they were both alone Victoria turned to Mr. Mistoffelees "So, why do they call you Quaxo?"
"Don't remember last night when Munkustrap told you how a cat has more than one name? Well, "Quaxo" is the name that my human family use for me, whereas you and the other cats know me as "Mr. Mistoffelees". And as you just heard. The humans have given you the name they will know you by, which is "Snowbell". Yet I and the other Jellicles know you as "Victoria."
"Oh, I guess that makes sense." she said and she settled herself down more comfortably.
Mistoffelees did the same, snuggling against her. Both cats had decided to have a sleep because they had had a long night with the other Jellicle Cats and needed to get some much-needed shut-eye.
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When they woke up again a few hours later, the house was quiet and sunlight was shining through the windows. After getting up and stretching, Mistoffelees gave Victoria a tour of the lovely home. He showed her where the cat flap was at the back door, where he had a box of toys, where the litter tray was and all the ledges and windowsills were he often napped in the middle of the day when the humans were gone.
As they both sat in a patch of sunlight Victoria wondered again why she had been abandoned in the first place. But still, she could not find an answer, but maybe she didn't really need an answer. Because she was not alone. She now had a possible new home here with these kind humans and she had become one of the Jellicle cats. And best of all, she had Mr. Mistoffelees who had been at her side ever since she had been found the night before when she had been thrown into the gutter. Since then, he had been nothing but kind to her, had helped save her from that dog when she had been trapped, danced with her at the Jellicle Ball and he had even invited her to come live with him.
She had repaid the same kindness he had given her by believing in him when he had lost all his confidence when it had come to him saving Old Deuteronomy from Macavity. And it had all worked out.
Feeling the urge to move after sitting for so long, Victoria jumped down from the windowsill and began twirling round in a graceful dance. Mr. Mistoffelees smiled happily from his perch and in a flash, he jumped down and joined her. Then the two of them were dancing joyfully together with just as much grace as they'd had at the Jellicle Ball.
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The lady and the children came back in the late afternoon and sure enough they had brought Victoria her very own basket with a comfy cushion, two bowls and from out of a fancy box, her own white collar which was sparkly. The little girl showed Victoria that on the license it read "Snowbell" then while the lady sat on the sofa with Victoria in her lap, the little girl gently put it round Victoria's neck.
"There we are Snowbell sweetheart. Don't you look pretty?" Said the lady stroking her.
It was a different feeling now having a collar round her neck but it felt comfortable and something she could get used to very quickly. And she was happy that they had chosen once which was indeed very pretty. But she meowed in response and relaxed under the lady's soft stroking palm.
"Today I also went to check if anyone had reported a missing a little white cat, but nobody came forward from any of the services, so it looks like this can be your new home now if you wish Snowbell."
Victoria purred loudly and nuzzled against the lady's chest. Mistoffelees jumped up onto the sofa and joined in the nuzzling and receiving strokes from the lady and both the children.
Not that long afterwards, the children's father arrived home just before the lady was about to serve their dinner. And he was delighted to meet Victoria and was just as welcoming to her as the others. They all ate their dinner together in the kitchen, the family all seated at the kitchen table while both Mr. Mistoffelees and Victoria ate from their cat bowls. The children found it hard to keep their eyes off their new cat as she ate.
When they had decided a short while ago that they'd wanted another cat, they had hoped that the one they did eventually get would get on with Quaxo. But it seemed that Quaxo had done it for them and saved them having to go to the Animal Shelter. Plus, the two of them looked as though they had fallen for each other.
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Later that night, both Mistoffelees and Victoria were seated on the garden wall side by side, watching the moon as it glowed up above, bathing them both in moonlight.
"Are you happy, Victoria?" he asked.
Smiling blissfully, Victoria leaned up against the tuxedo tom "I am the happiest that I have ever been and I wish it will never ever end."
Tenderly he licked the top of her head before resting his head on hers, then he whispered quietly "I love you, Victoria."
Purring softly, she whispered back "I love you too."
Under the moonlight their dangling tails entwined as they both looked out at the beautiful lit up view of London city.