"Oh, don't be such a goody-goody, Jenny!"

"No! Mum said that I wasn't allowed to outside the Junkyard!"

"Wuss!" The kittens were fighting. Again. Little Skimbleshanks, Jennyanydots and Asparagus Junior seemed to be the problems this time. Apparently, Skimble and Asparagus wanted to go down to the park, sneakily, but Jenny and Jelly said they weren't allowed. Skimble had called Jelly a wuss, which resulted in Jenny sitting on him. For the fourth time that week, Asparagus Senior was called in to separate the kits.

The young theatre cat was tired of his kittens, Jellylorum and Asparagus Junior, getting into fights with 'those two troublemakers'. Although the little queens got on well together, when the young toms were added into the mix, fighting usually broke out. And, inevitably, one way or the other, Jennyanydots ended up sitting on someone.

"Okay, kittens, break it up." Although quite slim and small, Gus had quite a powerful voice from his theatre job, and the kittens separated immediately.

"Who started it?" All at once, the kittens all launched into their own explanations.

"Skimble wanted to go down to the park and Gussy-"
"Don't call me that!"
"Gussy was trying to make us go but Jenny's mum said we couldn't and-"
"Yeah, right, Jenny was just being a chicken."
"Hey! Do you want me to sit on you again?"
"And we said we wouldn't so Skimble called her a wuss and she sat on him and-"
"You so are a chicken."
"So am not!"
"Yes you-oof! Jenny, get off, that hurts,."
"No! Not 'till you admit I'm not a wuss."
"But you are-OW! Gus! Jenny poked me!"
"Serves you right."
"ENOUGH!"
Jenny and Skimble stopped their bickering, and looked up at the stressed out theatre cat, who was clutching his headfur in despair.

"Jennyanydots! Get off Skimbleshanks at once, and apologise for sitting on him."
The mustard coloured kitten pouted, but mumbled an apology to Skimble, who was still trying to get up off the floor.

"And Skimbleshanks? Apologise to Jenny for insulting her." It was a minute or two before Skimble could speak again, he was that squashed, but he mumbled "Sorry" in Jenny's general direction.

Gus sighed, before dismissing the kittens. As soon as they thought they were out of sight, they split off into two groups-Jenny and Jelly and Gus and Skimble. Gus shook his head in dismay. Why, why, why did he ever have kits? They were so hard to control. It was almost impossible to see how even he had been one, once. He idly wondered what they would be like when they were his age, and got up to go back to the pub.

As soon as the kittens had got out of earshot, Jenny started complaining about Skimble.

"I am not a wuss! Or a chicken." Jenny stopped in her tracks and stared into space, puzzled.

"Jelly? What's a chicken? And why am I one?"

Jellylorum sighed, then thought about it, realising she had no idea.

"I don't know. Let's ask Skimble next time we see him."

"No! I'm not talking to him! He called me a wuss!" Jelly rolled her eyes. This wasn't the first time Jenny had not been talking to Skimble. In fact, it wasn't even the first time that week. And it was only Tuesday.

But the Gumbie kitten seemed to have a mischievous glint in her eye. Uh oh. This, thought Jelly, is only going to lead to trouble. And even more trouble for me, 'cos I'm the oldest.

"Jelly…how do you fancy a quick trip to the park?"

"Your mum will never let you!"

"Who says she has to find out?" When Jelly didn't answer, Jenny put on her best 'innocent kitty' face, pushing out her lower lip and making her eyes about 5 times bigger than usual. "Pleeeeeeeease, Jelly! If I don't, Skimble will…will…" Jenny trailed off, not actually having an end to that sentence. "Please, Jelly! I'll give you my pink mouse."

Jelly's ears pricked up. "The squeaky one? With the huge tail?"

"Yep!"

Jelly just had to agree with that one. After all, who can resist the pink squeaky mouse?

Meanwhile, Skimble and Gus had just reached the park. It wasn't actually that far away from the Junkyard, despite all the fuss that had been made. It had taken them about five minutes.

The park was quite a pretty place for humans, but for cats it was a paradise. Especially small ones like these. And in the late autumn, as it was then, the place was a beautiful mix of oranges and browns. Funnily enough, it reminded Skimble of Jenny's fur, although he would never stoop to complimenting her like that. This was one proud kitten.

He was jolted out of his train of thought by Gus poking him, as he was staring into space with a goofy grin on his face. Gus asked if he was okay, then promptly teased him about fancying someone for the next ten minutes or so.

In fact, Skimble wasn't sure whether he did or not. He was at the stage humans called 'teenager'. He wasn't quite sure what the word meant, but he used it to describe himself anyway. In any case, he had been thinking about Jenny a lot lately, and he knew that meant they weren't just friends.

No way! he thought I'm too young to mate! Ew, that's gross!

And, as if on cue, Jenny came into view, towing a reluctant looking Jelly along behind her. So she did come after all! I hope she doesn't sit on me, he thought idly.

As soon as the little queen noticed Skimbleshanks, she ran up to him, grinning, chanting "I'm not a wu-uss! Skimble's the wu-uss!"

The two little queens collapsed into a giggling heap on the floor, before regaining what little dignity they had left and scrambling to their paws.

"Am so not a wuss! You're the one who wouldn't come in the first place." Skimble pouted, and pretended to not want to look at Jenny. She instantly looked at the floor, muttering an apology. That was when he grinned, and it was Jenny's turn to pout.

Jelly broke the silence. "Where's Gus?" she asked, suddenly noticing her brother's absence.

Skimble shrugged, and Jelly ran off, yelling her brother's name. "Gus! Gus? Asparagus Junior, come here right now!"

Jenny smiled. "She sounds just like her mum."

There was an awkward silence, as neither kitten knew what to say next. They had never been any good at small talk, and this was no exception.

Finally, Jennyanydots decided to break the silence.

"Skimble…what's a chicken? And why am I one?"

"Er…I don't know. The tom kittens at my humans' say it and…" Skimbe looked at the ground, embarrassed. "I just…thought it sounded cool…that's all."

Another sudden silence was broken by Jenny breaking out into hysterical laughter, although she wasn't quite sure why. Laughter, as they say, is catching, and soon both kittens were rolling around on the floor, tears of joy in their eyes, and mud all over their fur.

Finally, they both ran out of breath and decided to shut up, and looked at each other properly, for what seemed to the like the first time ever. Their eyes met, and right then, next to the pond in the park, framed by the red, gold and yellow of the setting sun, it was almost one of those perfect fairytale moments they had only head in Gus Senior's stories.

Skimble looked deep into Jenny's kind grey eyes, and swallowed. This was it. This was the only chance he would get.

"Jenny. Did you know…I mean, I just want to tell you that I...I kinda like you, Jenny."

Skimbleshanks swore internally. That sounded so bad. So why was Jenny smiling?

"That's okay, Skimble. I kinda like you too."

Back in the present day…

"Pouncival! Stay away from my knitting basket!"

The old Gumbie cat sighed. Kittens! It was hard to believe she had ever been one. As soon as Pouncival was out of sight, Jenny sat down on an old paint can she sometimes used at a chair. Jellylorum was supposed to have met her here by now. They needed to make a blanket for Tumblebrutus' new basket, and it was going to take hours.

As if she had read Jenny's thoughts, Jelly came bursting through the door about a minute later, followed by Jenny's mate Skimbleshanks, and Jelly's brother Gus.

"Sorry I'm late, Jen, I bumped into these two rascals on the way back."

"Oh?" Jenny looked raised her eyebrows in mock annoyance. "Well, you know what I always did when you annoyed me."

Skimble moaned in mock terror and dived under the table. But he was too late. Jenny, giggling, sat on him.

Asparagus recoiled. "Get a room!"

"You get out of our den! " Jenny snapped back at him.

Outside the den, Gus Senior rolled his eyes.

"Some things never change."

Disclaimer-I don't own Cats, or any of the characters mentioned.