Chapter 1

"Oh look, Deuteronomy, two gorgeous sons!" were the first words I heard. *Gorgeous?* I was a little put out about that. I was small, I could tell, but I couldn't see. I could feel that there was another little figure beside me, smaller than me, and a larger female cat, presumably my mother, on my other side. "What shall they be called?" I felt a shadow over us. "I think… the older one, the Silver Tabby, shall be Munkustrap. He is the strongest looking one. The younger one shall be… Chimera." *Well, which am I? Since I think I'm bigger, I must be Munkustrap. Cool.* "Oh, Deuteronomy, look at his handsome face. He's no Chimera, he's going to be the best-looking tom in the Yard when grows up. He needs a fancy name, like, Rum Tum Tugger."

"Oh, alright, Aurora, Rum Tum Tugger it is." *Hmph,* I thought, *Let Tugger be handsome then. I'm strong.* "Aurora, look at Munkustrap, he is so strong and calm already. Tugger is too flimsy and rather skinny. Munkustrap shall be the future tribe protector when he grows up." *Well, that doesn't sound too bad.* I thought, pleased.

Unknowingly, the burden had already been placed on my shoulders at the age of ten minutes old.

*********************************************************************************

Weeks later, Tugger and I had discovered that we were the first kittens born to the tribe since 'the litter' which had been mentioned in the passing. They never spoke about it but I got the feeling it was a bad thing. However, we heard that 7 kittens had been found on the street, all in different places, and brought into the tribe. Coricopat and Tantomile were twins, Cassandra and Exotica were sisters, Alonzo had been found alone, and Bombalurina and Demeter were best friends. We were all about the same age and good friends. One morning, we were all sitting around talking.

"Hey, Tugger, how are the dances going?" Alonzo grinned. "They're going just fine, thank you very much!" Tugger replied indignantly. "Actually, he means terrible. I saw him dancing yesterday and he tripped over his feet five times." Bombalurina grinned evilly. Tugger went as scarlet as Bombalurina's fur and hit out at her. She squeaked and skittered out of the way. "Tugger," I reprimanded him, "You're not supposed to hit queens. Or anyone for that matter." Tugger turned on me with a look of pure anger. "Shut up Munkustrap. Just shut up!" "Rum Tum Tugger," a high-pitched voice rang out in the clearing, "Did I just hear you tell your older brother to shut up?" Jellylorum was far from impressed.

"How about we play hide-and-seek?" Alonzo suggested quickly as Jellylorum came striding over. "Ok, I'm counting!" he added before anyone could object. "One, two, three…" we scattered. I hid in the TSE1 trunk, and I knew it was a great hiding place; most of the kittens were scared of the dark, but not me. Settling down on the furs, I heard low voices above me.

"Deuteronomy, I think they're ok." Was that Skimbleshanks and my dad? "Skimble, we cannot know for sure. I am inclined to think they are alright, but we cannot know for sure." "But they have shown no signs of it at all! By the time he was as old as these two are now, he was already showing odd signs of---" I couldn't hear the last words Skimbleshanks mumbled. My father sighed. "Ok, Skimble. They are exceedingly ordinary kits, and cannot ever know about him. It would scar them forever. He will not be mentioned until the time is right."

I was very curious by now. What were they talking about? Were they talking about me and Tugger, as in 'these two'? "It is clear, already, that Munkustrap is the responsible level-headed one, the more intelligently developed of the two, and definitely the stronger. Tugger has proven to be flirty and flimsy, he is thin and not muscled, and intent on causing trouble. He is also irresponsible. Munkustrap is most definitely going to be tribe protector when he grows up." Well, I was pleased with that! But, some part of me felt that maybe being responsible all the time wasn't really for me.

*************************************************************************************

A month or so later, Tugger and I had grown and now had the hallmarks of Deuteronomy's sons; well at least I did. Tugger didn't really. All the adults remarked that I was exceedingly rational, responsible and strong, then sighed as they wondered about what went wrong with Tugger. I personally felt that Tugger didn't 'go wrong', he just had a different attitude to me and liked playing the flirt. He shunned responsibility and seemed to just lay back and take life easy. Unlike me; I always looked after everyone and was almost always behaved. He was being lazy, I was looking after cats. We were as opposite as could be. He flirted endlessly too; I didn't see what he thought of it. I found it downright embarrassing to even start chatting up girls, let alone swing my hips about and have them drool over me. If I didn't know he was my brother, I certainly wouldn't be able to tell.

"Tugger, come here! Now! Jellylorum wants you!" "Just a minute!" my brother called as he tagged Alonzo. "Tugger, go now! Don't make Jenny and Jelly angry!" I ordered crossly. Tugger turned on me again, a common occurrence. "You suck-up! Stupid idiot! Mother's boy!" he ranted as he walked towards Jellylorum. I shrugged it off and scampered away from Alonzo as he ran at me.

*************************************************************************************

We were 3 months old when Mum died. It was a pleasant afternoon and she, Jellylorum, Jennyanydots and Skimbleshanks went for a walk. Us kits were playing Bulrush and Demeter was in, when Jelly, Jenny and Skimble came rushing back, faces pale and panting. Tugger asked them with his usual swagger, "Where's Mum?" Skimble looked at Jenny and back at Tugger, whom I'd joined at Skimble's feet. 'Skimble, why you crying?" Tugger asked, and I drew back slightly, a cold sickening fear filling my stomach. I decided to be the responsible one, as I knew Skimble would need to tell my father. Jenny and Jelly were almost hysterical. "What's going on?" Coricopat, Tantomile, Demeter, Bombalurina, Alonzo, Cassandra and Exotica had joined me and Tugger. I felt like bursting into tears and crying endlessly; my mother was dead and I knew it. But I also knew that I had to keep everyone off the older cats' backs; my father had to be told.

Swallowing the huge lump that was at the back of my throat, and holding back the tears that were filling my eyes, I said, "Um, guys, Skimble, Jenny and Jelly just met… um…" I thought back to an old conversation I'd heard between my father and mother: Bustopher Jones was back in town. "They met Bustopher Jones again." "So why they crying? Who's Bustopher Jones anyway?" Tugger asked rudely. "I'll explain later. Um, cos they haven't seen him for ages, is why." I lowered my voice, pretending to try not to annoy Skimble. "You know how older cats," I whispered, "get a bit emotional sometimes." I raised my voice again, "So yeah." "How d'you know that? He didn't tell you that. Where's Mum?" Tugger was being really annoying. "I know because… because I have conversed at length with our father and we been informed of the movements of the cats of this tribe," I finished grandly. I'd had no idea what I'd just said, but I knew it would stump Tugger. "And Mum…" I swallowed the lump and wiped at my eyes, "s-she stayed w-with Bustopher Jones a little while." My voice cracked and I started getting teary. "Um, c'mon guys, I'll explain who Bustopher Jones is." I grabbed Tugger's arm and led them back to the TSE1.

Skimble went to our den, and I started explaining who Bustopher Jones was, trying to keep myself from crying. "Um, Bustopher Jones was a kitten in the Junkyard and he got adopted by a human family who moved far away. Recently, they moved back around here and BJ has been seen around; he normally lives in town, and he's getting a little fat eating rice pudding all the time…" I trailed off. *Oh, Skimble's out of dad's den,* I thought. He looked miserable, and… angry? Dad walked out and he motioned that we come over. "Tribe, I want the toms to come with me," he said simply; he'd never been one for lengthy explanations. Us toms got up and moved over to him. "No, Alonzo, Tugger, not you," he said gently. "But Munkustrap's going!" whined Tugger. "He's older," was Dad's reply. Tugger pouted and sulked.

Dad, Skimble, Asparagus Jr., Gus and me went down a long alley. At the end, I could just see a heap lying on the floor. It only took a minute for me to realise what it was. "Mum!" I gasped. She was lying spread-eagled on the floor, scratched and bleeding, but also singed. Singed? "Munkustrap." My father stood next to me. "She's dead. You must know that I am very proud of how you handled the situation earlier. I also want you to know that you must not tell of how she looks now, you will upset Tugger and everyone else. Help us carry her home."

We carried Mum home and buried her at the side of the Junkyard. Then Dad stood in front of the tribe and said, "My fellow Jellicles, I hate to tell you this, but my dear wife Aurora has journeyed on to the Heaviside Layer." There was a collective gasp and I saw Tugger with tears streaming down his face. "She has passed away unnaturally, being… hit. By a… car." *What? Why won't he say the truth? But how did Mum die? Why was she singed?* I was a confused, miserable mess. Tears were pouring down my face, my stomach was twisted in a knot of fear and I was angry. Why Mum?

"Th-that bastard! That---" Skimbleshanks swore. "Skimble, why?" Jennyanydots sobbed. "He killed his own ---" I didn't hear his last words.

His own what? Did that mean that a feline was responsible for my mother's death?

Crying, I hid in the old pipe and sobbed my heart out. Then, just as suddenly as I'd started, I stopped. *I must be responsible now. It's what Mum would've wanted.* I thought.

I was determined to make her proud.