Author's Note:

Hi there. I'm taking a bit of a leap into the unknown with this - but what the heck, why not, right? There's not enough Cats fanfiction on the net, and I want to contribute.

To any readers of ABFOB, the sequel is still being planned - gotta make it live up to expectations i.e. almost watertight in detail. This is a brief hiatus, but only so I can refresh my VK-juices.

- I write long multichapter fics
- I plan alongside writing with only a "guideline" to the plot, so everything is open to improv and input from you guys. Send in feedback whenever inspiration hits you, and I will do my best to work it in!
- I'm gonna put brief notes to explain my own take on the Catsverse as I write, because it's well-known for being open to interpretation, so there are conflicting opinions on how it works. I think, to make sure things don't get too confusing, some explanation is needed.

Alright then guys, please enjoy the read!

Old Deuteronomy was rather surprised to find himself not alone on a stormy summer's night. There was the tang of raw electricity in the air every so often signalling the likelihood of lightning, but something about this particular storm had his heart pounding.

He was on his way back home after having gone to check on his human earlier on in the day - a decision he regretted in hindsight, as he wasn't sure if he'd get back in time to warn Jenny and the other queens to settle the kittens before the storm was due to pass. Lord knew the kits would make a great deal of fuss about the noise and flashing lights otherwise. He worried about his own sons too - they were both toms now but he knew they weren't so far past their kittenhoods to have forgotten how frightening storms could be. However - this was the price of being… well, him. Old Deuteronomy had many responsibilities - he had a responsibility to watch over his brood, his Jellicles and his human - and with his human getting on in years he had to keep extra vigilant for the day when he would pass on to his human Heaviside layer (or wherever the two-footed fools went for their eternal rest). Prioritising any one of these things over the other was nigh impossible, because they were all family - all equally important.

But back to the present - Deuteronomy wasn't alone in this downpour as he had first thought - he was passing through another yellow-lit alley and had paused momentarily to catch his breath. The downside to being so large was that he had to carry his weight around him, and so moving in any haste was always a tremendous effort. Age had packed on considerable weight - but luckily for him, it also meant his outer coat had become oddly waterproof over the years. It was thick and fibrous and more akin to wool than cat fur. Like a deranged pollicle, he shook his body vigorously to rid himself of some of the water and stomped his paws to get some feeling back into them.

But just as he was about to head onwards he heard a very small, pitiful mew.

Deuteronomy's heartbeat quickened as his paternal instinct flew into action and he spun around, his eyes scouring the alley for - a very young kit by his ears. His heart ached to think… well, he didn't have to venture too far into guessing what the situation likely was. The poor thing must have been abandoned, or else its mother would have been with it. To abandon a kit… Deuteronomy could never understand any parent making that decision - he knew they always had a reason, often they had no choice… but to him it was still unthinkable. Then again - he adopted kits, toms and queens of all ages from all sorts of places, and the only cats he'd ever lost had never been out of his own choice.

But those memories were too painful to dwell on right now.

For now, he sought the kit desperately - the storm was drawing ever closer and the rain was finally sinking through his outer-coat to his inner fur -

The kit mewed again, but search as he may - he just couldn't find them!

"Child, make yourself known!" he called out, but then cursed himself - an abandoned kit might not yet know how to speak. Without a mother to talk to, how would it have learnt… anything? How was it even still alive? Deuteronomy cursed his old eyes and sodden ears which were making it that much harder to find the kit. But then - as he spun around once again - he noticed something which he had thought to be part of his shadow did not move with him.

He crouched down and could barely distinguish a tiny face in the darkness, upturned in the rain shower and blinking droplets out of its eyes - the kit appeared to be… enjoying the rainfall.

How bizarre.

Yet, the closer Deuteronomy inspected the kit, despite being completely drenched and shaking violently in the rain he was smiling. His mind was so focused on the rain that in spite of all of Deuteronomy's fussing, he hadn't noticed him at all.

Old Deuteronomy cleared his throat.

"Well, hello there," he said gently. He was so very tiny that Deuteronomy was fighting every parental instinct he had to gather the kit in his arms and protect him, knowing his size was intimidating to even full-grown cats. This assessment was sound, since the little kit turned to him… and his eyes just kept growing wider and wider till Deuteronomy feared they would fall right out of his head! He smiled warmly and hunkered down (in a puddle, he digressed - but anything to pacify the poor, helpless kit) to make himself appear a little less enormous.

"What are you doing out here in the cold, little one?" he asked, knowing there would be no answer but wanting, in any way he could, to reach out to the kit and make sure he was alright. He couldn't help but flinch when there was a flash of white light not so far away.

The storm had begun.

The kit's ears flew back and he squeaked in surprise, tumbling in Deuteronomy's direction without meaning to and falling into his thick outer-fur. It wasn't the softest of fur, nor was it as nice-smelling as Jennyanydots or the other queens', but compared to the storm it was a blessed comfort, and with that thought - the kit clung to Deuteronomy. He could feel needle-thin claws, but it was hardly painful after what he'd gone through with his sons. He nuzzled the tiny thing and chuckled warmly.

"It's alright, little one. It's only a storm on our tails," a rumble in the distance raised his hackles, "Everlasting Cat - we'd best get out of this rain nonetheless!" and with this, he plucked the kitten out of his fur by the scruff of his neck and started to walk home. To his surprise however, the kitten swung like a pendulum and batted him right on his sensitive nose - causing him to be dropped in his shock.

The kitten landed with a splash in a puddle (well, pretty much everywhere was a puddle now) and instead of shrieking like any cat ought to, he got right to his paws and gave Deuteronomy the most disgruntled look he'd ever received. With that, the kit flicked his tail in the air began to walk off alone. Deuteronomy watched this little display with great amusement. Let it be known that Old Deuteronomy has an awesome sense of humour, no matter how serious times are. He decided to wait a few minutes to see what he would do before taking him home - they weren't far from home anyway, in fact -

"Child, if you take even one step further, you will be in Jellicle territory," he warned him, but wasn't that surprised to see that his advice went unheeded. The kit was surely defiant as it held its head up high and proceeded forwards, and -

"Ah, ah," Deuteronomy tutted, grinning at the astonishment on the kit's face.

It turned to him with massive eyes and a despondent mew.

"I did warn you," he sniggered, though not unkindly. He took his steps a little more slowly as he approached the boundary, knowing that it was always best to take your time when doing so. Deuteronomy glanced behind him, eyeing the dark cloud hanging low in the sky. He still hadn't heard thunder, but he knew it wouldn't be long till the show began.

As he stepped over an invisible line, he felt the changes immediately - all his nine (or ninety) lives slipped off his shoulders - his spine straightened out and his mind instantly sharpened. Deuteronomy always felt a little nostalgic when returning home - for this was where his soul felt as young as he wished it to and his spirit was most free. He grinned down at the small tom in amusement, impressed by how calmly he was taking everything. Most cats or kits adopted by the Jellicles found the transformation quite alarming, even frightening at times - but this kit was so young, he wouldn't know any different - Deuteronomy realised. For this reason, he merely eyed Deuteronomy cautiously as he walked over to him on his hind-paws, more alarmed that these changes made him even bigger than he already was on all fours than the fact that this was not normal cat behaviour.

Nevertheless, the kit was quickly won over by Deuteronomy's kind physiognomy once the thunder began.

An almighty crash had him diving under Deuteronomy's legs, though he was caught and lifted up into his arms before he got there. He felt thunder in Deuteronomy's chest as he laughed heartily, wrapping him up in the loving embrace he was famous for, and making him feel so safe that he could even peek over his shoulder into the frightening beauty of nature in chaos without feeling afraid. He curled up against Deuteronomy's warmth and closed his eyes, completely exhausted by all the excitement and fell asleep before he knew it, lulled by the rocking motions of himself being carried away.

Immediately, he knew this kitten was going to be different when he clung to him with strength his petite body should not possess and his whole body sparkled when he tried to detach him.

Deuteronomy desperately wanted to get out of the rain but he didn't want to draw his Jellicles' attention because then he would be announced and all of them would want to come and greet him - and that would take a long time, by the end of which they would all be thoroughly soaked. This was why he hesitated on the outskirts of the junkyard - one step further and Coricopat and Tantomile would sense him and then the metaphorical cat would be out of the bag.

His son's den was unfortunately the most central to the junkyard, making it the hardest to get to unnoticed. That was the first place he'd planned on going to - however, he suddenly remembered that young Munkustrap had recently begun a courtship, so… perhaps arriving unannounced would be unwise. He had wanted to take the kitten to Jenny and the queens' den, but that was even further away and also - he didn't want to burden the queens who were busy with a den already overrun with kittens, and this kitten was so timid and small that… no, he couldn't leave him there.

There was only one option left, one which - had anyone been watching him - many would have questioned his sanity in even considering, but one which in his opinion shone with potential.

His youngest had also claimed his own den now, and it was conveniently on the outskirts of the junkyard - Deuteronomy assumed his desire to be out of the way was an act of recluse - others saw him trying a new hand at attention-seeking and shirking his duties, but Deuteronomy was really worried about him. This period of un-Tugger-ish behaviour had been going on for months, and he was at the point where he would do anything to deal with the aftermath of Tugger's troublemaking over this bleak silence.

This was why he thought this plan might work.

Kittens are noise and chaos, and liveliness and joy.

Tugger desperately needed a slap to get him out of whatever rut he was in. The amount of sulking he was doing was totally unreasonable, and he and Munkustrap had tried every trick in the book to cheer him up - none of which had worked. They were the only ones Tugger let near him, which made things much more difficult because frankly - neither he nor Munkustrap were experts in cheering a cat up in the first place. They were reasonably cheerful fellows, but not the type of cat that could magic a dull day bright.

Deuteronomy suspected that there was a dark secret in Tugger's heart that was the root of his depression, and he worried that if they let it grow inside him for much longer it may consume him. Tugger was just so very different to everyone else - he could fill the whole junkyard with the grandest of performances, but was just as easily leave it silent as a grave. They hadn't ever seen him like this before - not even in all his kittenhood strops - so no one had any idea how to deal with it, and most were making the assumption that he would recover in his own time. He was truly the life of the tribe - without him, it was like they had no rhythm to their dance-steps, no heart to their songs - no heart -

Oh - heart… all the broken hearts he was leaving to rot - the queens had followed him into a collective silence - and he didn't even know about the founding of his own fan-club!

Tugger had always been admired as a kit - his magnetic personality was hard to ignore - but none of them could have ever predicted how much of a sensation he would become. Tugger became a tom mere months ago (in fact, around the same time this stint began), and yet puberty had taken him seemingly overnight - and what a change it made! Not only did he physically double in size, but his previous charm increased tenfold, becoming particularly irresistible to the queens, who promptly formed a devoted fan-club to him. Deuteronomy had always thought Tugger would grow up to be a very handsome cat, but as they say - you never know what's coming round the corner - and his son's exceedingly good looks drew attention from all over London.

But instead of enjoying his fame - as they all thought he would - Tugger retreated, rumours - a hundred to one - sprouting up everywhere in his wake. They couldn't understand it - why a cat with such a loud personality as his would disappear on the cusp of his fame. But he even ignored all the rumours, choosing to hide from everything and everyone. He was still Tugger, in the sense that if he did not want to be bothered, he wouldn't be.

And they hadn't seen much of him since.

The kitten let out a whine - alerting Deuteronomy to the fact that he was spending far too long thinking as usual - in the rain, no less. He nodded in agreement, "Quite right, little one. This is not a good thinking place," and with that, he entered the den.

In the end he found Tugger was already asleep, which made things a lot easier for everyone.

His den was a mess, but Deuteronomy could not complain - it was dry and warm, and so very Tuggerish that he was relieved to see that his son's colourful personality was still surviving in isolation. He knew it would be best to introduce Tugger to his guest, but… he also knew the wise phrase - let sleeping pollicles lie - and that to wake Tugger would put him in a very foul mood.

So.

He carefully detangled the kitten's claws from his fur, and ever-so-slowly rolled him out of his arms and -

Right onto Tugger's tail. That's right - and Tugger didn't so much as twitch.

Tugger's tail was gorgeous - the thickest, fluffiest tail any cat ever saw. Deuteronomy knew he wouldn't wake from the kitten cuddling up to it - he would barely feel anything under so many layers of fluff, even if the kit were to chew on the ends. He smiled happily down at the two - amazed at how Tugger's large body dwarfed the kitten even more - chuckling silently at how Tugger's long fur enveloped the kitten in one breath, and the kitten only sank down further into his blissfully warm bed. They were already good with each other… though, granted, they were asleep, he took this to be a good omen, and ignored his conscience chiding him for being overly optimistic.

Deuteronomy hunkered down someway further off, eyes drooping on a sweet sight - as his eyelids sleepily shut, he caught a glimpse of Tugger's tail winding around the kitten as it let out a wide yawn.

"Father."

The suddenness of the morning always took him by surprise, but he woke slowly nonetheless, clinging onto the last vestiges of a wonderful dream about cream and fish, Deuteronomy reluctantly peeled open one eyelid and immediately saw Tugger.

A rather perplexed Tugger, with one hip cocked to the side, arms crossed - his tail twitching in annoyance.

His eyes caught movement at Tugger's heels - the kitten from the night before! Oh, the little one was having a wonderful time batting at the fabulously fluffy tail swinging two and fro. He scrabbled onto his back with all his paws in the air, letting out a giggle as Tugger's tail tickled his belly.

"Father - what is this?" Tugger jerked involuntarily as the kitten managed to wrestle the tip of his tail to the floor and was proceeding to lick it with great enthusiasm - or slobber over it, rather.

"A little friend, my son, a little wanderer…" Deuteronomy rose gracefully, stretching with a great yawn. He grinned down at the kitten, and then at his son's unreadable expression. "…I found him lost in a dark little alleyway when the storm was coming in. I couldn't very well leave him alone there now, could I?"

"Oh really, you couldn't?" Tugger snapped as the kitten started chasing something in the air - dust motes possibly, or a fly. "And you decided to bring him here?" Despite deliberately putting on the front that he was not pleased with this invasion at all, Deuteronomy noticed his son was keeping a watchful eye on the kitten, and his mouth was not set in anger. That was the wonderful thing about kittens - no matter how bad a mood you might find yourself in, they were very good at distracting you from it.

As Deuteronomy continued to observe Tugger and his new 'little friend', it was obvious the exact moment when he realised how rude he'd been - and to his own father too! He shot an apologetic look at him which was met with a gracious smile, and little by little he saw Tugger begin to loosen up as the kitten worked his magic in gunning down his negativity, and the old Tugger charm ooze out and draw the two together in play.

Deuteronomy was delighted by how quickly Tugger changed from being moody to agreeable and watched as his son sat down and let the kitten climb all over him with little more than a roll of his eyes. It dawned on him that - as he had woken rather late when Tugger and the kitten were awake, perhaps they had gotten to know each other while he had been sleeping. And with closer inspection, he saw that the kitten's fur was pretty immaculate instead of being matted with mud - knowing how well Tugger maintained his own coat, he assumed he was probably just as good at giving baths - Deuteronomy beamed.

"Well I see you're getting along swimmingly," he remarked with a proud gleam in his eyes.

Tugger instinctively swelled at the praise - but then, then - he eyed Deuteronomy's eyes flitting between himself and the kitten a few too many times -

And he saw where this was going -

"Oh no," he stepped forwards, his tail dragging behind him under the weight of its gleeful passenger, "No - absolutely not," he jabbed his paw right up at his father's nose, "You are not leaving him here!"

"Oh but Tug, you're doing so well with him - he seems to be quite fond of you already,"

And timed perfectly to support his statement - the kitten sidled up to them and wriggled itself under Tugger's mane, settling there with a contented purr, as though the place was his to claim.

For propriety's sake, Tugger bristled at the contact and intended to shove the tiny tom off his person… but for reasons unknown, he couldn't. Well, he knew what the reason was - no matter how much he wanted to deny it, he was flattered by the kitten's instinctive trust in him. It was different to being fawned over because he was being sought for comfort and security rather than to be flirted with, and he was surprised that he liked knowing this. Tugger found his anger seeping away, quickly forgotten as he realised with a sinking feeling that - sure as the kitten was succeeding in burrowing under his mane rather insistently - he had somehow managed to wriggle his way under his skin in the space of under an hour.

"Does he, by any chance, have a name?"

He snorted, "As if I would know - he can't even talk yet! All he does is squeak and purr."

"Give him some time, Tugger. He looks like he's only just opened his eyes - to think his mother abandoned him so young and helpless. It's perfectly understandable that he would not know how to speak yet."

Tugger's eyes narrowed. In his heart he knew he was fighting a losing battle. Deuteronomy was less known for being the sneaky cat he was - he was choosing his words carefully to make him sympathise with the kitten, and the problem in that was - it was working. It was awful to think of the poor kitten's situation, and it did make him want to help him somehow - but raising him? Really? Tugger was barely out of his own kithood - and he knew any other cat would be better suited to the task than him.

"I'm still waiting, Tugger."

"Hmm?" he jerked to attention, wondering when he had gotten lost on this train of thought, and what he had missed in that time. Had he been asked something? His blank expression made Deuteronomy laugh.

"I asked you - does he have a name?" he repeated in a meaningful way.

"What do you mea- oh," Tugger blinked, "Oh."

He wanted Tugger to name the kitten. Dear holy Everlasting Cat - how was he supposed to do that?!

He could not refuse this task either, for it was a great honour to name a cat - particularly since this would be the kitten's first name - it would be the one he would use till he came of the right age to choose his next, and hopefully it would still then be maintained in everyday use if he liked it - so it had to be good. Tugger had never taken the time to consider names and naming, and as what tends to happen when one is put under pressure - his head was as empty as a drum.

"Um…"

He craned his head to look around the space in the den for some inspiration, but it was all just litter - cardboard boxes, ripped tyres, plastic and metal - the labelled containers had faded, scratched pictures on them. None of it was any good, not unless he wanted to name the kitten after fabric softener or… or candy wrappers. Tugger eventually dropped his gaze to the kitten himself - without meaning to he was already causing him trouble by making him have to think so hard. The little blighter was chewing on his fur, bright black eyes sparkling up at him, full of mischief and… and Tugger was tempted to call him Sparky just for that, but the name didn't sound right to him. No, he looked much more like a -

"Quaxo," he finally said, immediately liking how it sounded rolling off his tongue. "Quaxo," he repeated once more, just to make sure it sounded right.

"Good name," Deuteronomy praised, "It suits him, I think."

Tugger nodded, pleased with himself - and eager to see what the kitten thought of it too - "Quaxo," he called softly - he wondered if he said it enough times the kitten might learn how to say it too. But after several minutes of no success, Tugger had to convince himself the kitten's uninterested sniff was acceptance if nothing else.

Before Deuteronomy could make a quick and stealthy escape - planning to leave the two of them to continue to bond - he was intercepted by Tugger who blocked the den entrance with his large body. Quaxo dangled from his mane, clinging to it as he swayed with Tugger's movements.

"And where do you think you're going?" he demanded, eyes flicking down at his passenger, "Leaving me with this."

Deuteronomy frowned, "Tugger…"

But he shook his mane vigorously, managing to dislodge Quaxo who tumbled harmlessly onto the ground between them, "I've endured him for long enough. Leave me alone. Take him with you - "

"Tugger."

The Maine Coon shrank at his reprimanding tone, suddenly feeling like a naughty kit and remembering his place too late once again - he couldn't bring himself to meet his father's eyes. He knew his words were harsh and selfish, but he had problems enough of his own.

"You will never speak of kittens in such a way again! He is not dispensable, nor is he to be endured," Deuteronomy shook his head, "I expected more from you."

Tugger scoffed loudly, "Don't try to guilt me into this. I've made my decision."

"Give me one reason why you can't - "

Perfectly timed once again - Quaxo took this moment to let out a long mew and roll towards Tugger, leaving behind him a strip of sparkles on the ground. Tugger could tell without looking that his father's jaw had dropped open, but he already knew of Quaxo's special abilities. He met Deuteronomy's shocked expression with a sheepish shrug.

He scrubbed at the floor and grumbled when the sparkles were transferred to his paw.

"Well, there's this," he halted Quaxo's rolling around with one paw, "For one 'reason' why I can't. When I was giving this rascal a bath, he did this same thing - only on my tongue! It tingles," Tugger pushed Quaxo over to Deuteronomy, "I can't deal with this, father. It's too much," It's too soon, he wanted to say.

"Well I never!" Deuteronomy exclaimed, bending down to scoop Quaxo into his arms. He gasped as there was a tingling sensation where they were touching. "I had my suspicions, but this… this is magic," he glanced at Tugger as he flinched at the word. "Tugger…"

"Don't."

"Do you have any idea what this means? Things can finally be put right! Your brother - "

"Don't," the Maine Coon spun around, ready to retreat to his den, when -

Quaxo squealed, squirming frantically in Deuteronomy's hold - he mewed and stretched his short limbs out, reaching towards him. Tugger froze, not knowing what to do. His plaintive mews pulled at his heartstrings, and that was the moment Tugger realised he had him totally wrapped around his tiny paw, and there was nothing he could do about it.

"He needs you, Tugger," Deuteronomy insisted, holding Quaxo out to him. Bringing them even closer made Quaxo's tail go into an excited frenzy and his eyes curve up as he smiled - already anticipating being received in Tugger's arms… "Plus, you know how to handle magic," he pressed on, "You've dealt with it before. The tribe will feel much safer with him in your hands."

"Will they? After what happened…" Tugger continued to try reasoning with Deuteronomy, but it was half-hearted. He took Quaxo from him, smiling grimly as he was immediately chewed on and clawed at. The sparkles had started to fade, but the tingling remained.

"He likes being with you."

"Yes, well… let's take him to the queens. If it looks like they can't handle him… I will. But let's at least try."

They headed out, dodging the massive lake-like puddles that had spread everywhere, and noting how empty the junkyard was with the unwelcome abundance of water wisely discouraging most of them from venturing outside. Quaxo hung from Tugger's mouth like a pendulum and wildly batted the air like he was fighting it. It was very hard trying not to drop him when Tugger could feel himself wanting to smile.

Deuteronomy entered Jenny's den first, the squeals of the kits exploding from the entrance as soon as he was received. Tugger let him go in first, wanting to wait outside for a bit to let the excitement die down a bit. Just being near the noise reminded Tugger that he had been living in isolation for quite some time. It almost frightening - the prospect of being surrounded by so many people, not knowing where he stood with them after having avoided the tribe for so long. He felt like an outcast - inconceivably an outsider. Not so long ago, he had enjoyed being among a crowd, and often enough - being the centre of its attention. But that all changed when he grew and the attention changed and in the aftermath of such great loss he just couldn't handle being desired.

Avoiding his fellow cats became more of a way of dealing with himself than not wanting to be around them. He missed them, but after spending so much time away from it all, he just didn't know how to come back.

Tugger placed Quaxo in front of the den entrance and for a moment simply stared down at him as he looked around curiously. It was then that Tugger realised he might have made a mistake in bringing him here. It sounded like all the kittens were in there and making quite a fuss - and that wouldn't make a very good first impression on Quaxo. Tugger knew how rowdy a litter could get, especially with the arrival of an exciting new addition.

But then he heard the kittens quieting down and Deuteronomy's booming voice - and he sighed, thinking that he couldn't just leave now - not after being announced - the queens would be expecting them.

He sighed again, "Well, my little friend, I'm afraid there's no escaping this."

Quaxo cocked his head, but before he could offer any consolation, someone burst out of the den.

Tugger reeled back as his brother leant right into his face. He swiped a paw around Quaxo, dragging him under his mane in a protective gesture he would never have expected of himself - but Munkustrap was towering over Quaxo, and the kit was already shaking violently that he felt the need to do so. Munkustrap's distaste was unmistakable as his eyes flitted from Tugger to the short black tail flicking madly under his chin. Tugger again surprised himself when - without meaning to - he started hissing at his brother and arching his back aggressively.

"So it's true," Munkustrap muttered, completely ignoring Tugger's hostility as he crept closer to inspect the new kitten. All that could be seen of Quaxo was his small, black wriggling behind and his hind paws scrabbling as he frantically tried to burrow under Tugger.

Tugger bristled at his tone, taking immediate offense at his brother's words. He knew his reputation was not one you would typically associate with good caretaking, but Munkustrap knew him better - he should, out of everyone, have some faith in him - not shoot him down before he could prove himself capable. But then, to his bafflement, Munkustrap shot him an unexpectedly warm smile.

"He likes you."

Munkustrap's laugh rolled out of him as light as a breeze, yet it was a warming sound - and Tugger was getting tired of being made a fool for making assumptions. It always reminded him that they were actually blood-related whenever Munkustrap smiled because they shared their father's smile. It was practically the only similarity they had, and many a cat would tell them so. Quaxo's peeked up at Munkustrap, curious at the change in atmosphere between the two. Once he'd discerned that he was not in any danger (and that he could always make a retreat into Tugger's mane if need be), Quaxo bravely ventured out a little further and cocked his head again with a mew.

As the tension dissipated, Tugger watched Quaxo and Munkustrap interact - again, it struck a chord when he recalled how well-suited his brother was with his role of Protector. He lowered himself to the kitten's level for inspection and subconsciously moved his body to be a barrier against the direction of a barely-perceptible breeze. Quaxo quickly relaxed as he sensed Munkustrap was good and delicately sniffed at him - probably noting that he and Tugger were related - and then bumped his tiny pink nose against Munkustrap's as it took no time at all for the scary stranger to become a friend.

"Yes, well he's…" Tugger watched Quaxo dismiss Munkustrap's face and lunge at his tail instead, "… he is a little… different."

Munkustrap's smile grew wider.

"Are you finally admitting that one has to be 'different' to like you?" he remarked, causing Tugger to scowl. Munkustrap had always been good with younger kittens - he endured Quaxo's tail-swatting and him climbing all over him with the patience of a saint. Tugger hadn't ever had any interest in entertaining kittens younger than himself. He preferred to spend his time with older cats rather than kittens since his patience was not well-suited for their play. It was both a miracle and a mystery that he could tolerate Quaxo!

Just as Munkustrap managed to trap Quaxo between his paws and made to start bathing him, Tugger recalled what he had actually meant by 'different'. He lashed his tail in warning.

When Munkustrap's attention was immediately caught, he lowered his voice as he spoke in hushed tones.

"I mean that he is different, Munk. Different in the way we know."

Munkustrap's ears flicked back - and there was a definite change to the way he interacted with Quaxo that Tugger didn't like. He released the squirming kit and stood, tilting his head towards Tugger in a judgemental way, and though he wasn't outwardly shunning Quaxo, it was clear in the way that he was putting some distance between them.

Even Quaxo, young though he was, seemed to sense that he was less of a friend than before, and shuffled back over to Tugger for comfort.

"I suppose I can understand father's decisions now," Munkustrap muttered, "Seeing as he said you will be the one to deal with him from now on."

"He what?" Tugger asked in disbelief, "I told him I would only take him if the queens couldn't!"

Munkustrap blinked slowly, "Well, they can't - if you'd been around more in past months you'd know how many kits we have running around the place. And we thought your litter was a big one…" he shook his head despairingly, "Everlasting… we're up to our whiskers in kittens!"

"Surely they can handle another - just one more!" Tugger protested, pointedly refusing to give Quaxo the attention he was seeking. He had his mane to chew on, what more could he possibly want?

"Take a look for yourself if you have to, Tug. I think you'll have to agree with the rest of us on this," Munkustrap beckoned him into the den, hesitating briefly after he watched Tugger slink into the den - he'd forgotten the kitten! The poor thing was curled up into a tight ball on the floor, not even mewling for attention - he looked like he was having a hard time self-soothing, and Munkustrap's heart softened at the sight of it. He plucked him up by his scruff and carried him inside.

Inside was utter mayhem. Munkustrap hadn't been kidding. Two large litters together made a den where you had to watch where you walked - they were literally everywhere. The two sister queens were trying to hold a conversation with Deuteronomy but kept having to pull off kittens that managed to climb up his mane. It was a pretty ridiculous sight - and as soon as Munkustrap stepped inside, it became more of a frightening one.

The kittens all squealed at the sight of their Protector - recognising him as one of their favourite playmates, they all flocked around him in a mad flurry of excitement.

Tugger was sticking to the sidelines, uncomfortable in the presence of so many small creatures he could accidentally step on and squash to death so easily. He tried to stay out of the way but when he saw Munkustrap bombarded with attention, something like jealousy prickled at him. He recalled what it felt like to be on the receiving end of such warm adoration - how it made you feel so beloved and powerful.

But then he saw something that made his heart drop.

In the midst of all the kittens, Munkustrap was overwhelmed and - one kitten leapt up onto his back, another on his tail - and with a yowl, he dropped Quaxo into the fray.

The instant he lost Quaxo under the pile of kittens, Tugger leapt over there in such a hurry that he completely forgot wanting to remain unseen .

He nudged the kittens away with his nose and scattered them with his tail, and found Quaxo soon enough - curled up in a ball, shaking and crying -

It was immediately apparent to Tugger that Quaxo was far too small compared to the other kits.

Even when he wasn't curled up, he was much smaller, and even though he hadn't learnt how to speak yet, he still couldn't make nearly as much noise as the others did. He was black and white - a cat with no distinctive colouring, who didn't have a loud voice to speak up for himself and was so small…

How would he ever get any of the attention he needed when the odds were stacked against him like this? Would it be fair of him to leave Quaxo with the already overworked queens, knowing that he would probably - not be neglected, per se - but never be the first to receive any attention?

"You're right, Munk," he threw over his shoulder, "I'll take him," and with that, he picked up his new charge by the scruff and fled.

He didn't stop to say goodbye and ran till he was safe back in his den. Only when he made it there did he realise what he'd done. It was official now - he was... he peered down at Quaxo with rising apprehension… he was his now. All-too-suddenly the responsibilities of raising a kit became a crushing weight, and Tugger thought that maybe if he was fast enough he could slip back and amend this terrible mistake -

Yet, as quickly as this idea was thought up, it was dashed. Tugger hated how contrary his mind was - how his decisions were constantly in battle and how this impaired his thinking. Part of him was horrified at the thought of being shackled to this much responsibility when he knew he was in no way ready for it - but in opposition to this thought was his conscience, which told him the decision had been already made this morning when, for the first time in months he hadn't woken up lonely.

This tiny interloper - he'd first thought was a rat - had been stuck to his tail with mud, a mouthful of fur in its mouth and its large, dark eyes there as he blinked awake. Tugger's first instinct had been completely involuntary - his tail whipped out, sending Quaxo spinning across the floor. He couldn't forget the sight of him stumbling head over paws in his attempt to stop the skidding, and how this had looked - funnily enough - like he was dancing. His apology had been to clean Quaxo, which resulted in a numb tongue full of sparkles and him somehow obtaining Quaxo's trust and friendship through it all.

"I wish you'd stop doing this."

Spinning around, he saw Munkustrap crawling into the narrow entrance of his home, his tail swishing from side to side in obvious agitation as he swatted Tugger on the rump.

"It's bad manners to run out on company. Now father has to apologise on your behalf, and the kittens wouldn't stop asking me who the little fellow you kitnapped was."

Tugger wrinkled his nose in contempt. Those kittens were far too nosy for their own good!

"I got bitten by Etcetera for - and I quote - 'making Tugs go away'. The kits miss you, and they're taking it out on me. They think, for whatever reason, that it's my fault that you've stopped visiting them. Everyone keeps asking me questions about you, but I don't know what to tell them. For goodness' sake, Tug - what's the matter with you?" Munkustrap hissed through his teeth, hackles raised and all. "You are not alone in this suffering, and yet you must make the worst of it! For once in your life, stop being so damn selfish!" Tugger gently pushed Quaxo out of the line of fire and shooed him further into the den.

He shot a look of disdain at his brother, "What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? You don't speak like that in front of a kit!"

"Oh look at you - suddenly the expert on raising kits!" Munkustrap sneered, turning to the side as he began his typical angry prowl, "I take back what I said before - I have no idea what father was thinking when he thought you were the right choice for looking after a kit when you can barely look after yourself! Look at you, Tug - you're a mess! When will you get it through your skull that the world does not revolve around you? Get your act together and stop feeling sorry for yourse-"

All through this, Tugger found himself shrinking in on himself as each verbal jab struck him harder than the last. He knew he was quite a bit bigger than Munkustrap now, but in moments like these he felt as small as a mouse, and as helpless as one to Munkustrap's accusations. He knew every word out of his mouth was true because it hurt, and Tugger had learnt that the truth will always hurt. He lowered his head to wait for him to finish, knowing it was best to do so, otherwise Munkustrap would just keep going.

But then there was a flash of bright white light - both of them yowled as the smell of - of smoke and lightning disintegrating into the air - there was no heat, but a blast of air and then sparkles.

Tugger found Quaxo right in front of him, standing between himself and Munkustrap like he was trying to shield him - his back arched and tail lashing fiercely. His whole body was taut as a bowstring and Tugger was dumbfounded by this, belatedly realising that Quaxo was acting on behalf of himself - he had a sudden urge to laugh, thinking how hilarious they must look - a tiny black kitten protecting a huge Maine Coon! He half expected Munkustrap would find this just as funny - but his brother didn't look at all amused. No, his eyes were… fearful.

Magic - of course, he'd almost forgotten how Munkustrap hated magic. The fact that Quaxo was literally sparkling - that there was lightning crackling up and down his body - just made it worse. For a few moments, none of them moved. Both toms' eyes were fixed on the kitten who was growling at Munkustrap like a deranged pollicle.

They reached the point where they were literally at a stand-still, but then - just as Munkustrap decided enough was enough and started to back out - a crackle of lightning hit him right on the nose -

"Munk!" Tugger exclaimed, but luckily - Munkustrap was only a little dazed by it. It was then that Tugger realised this could get very out of hand if he didn't stop it. Quaxo was too young to realise how dangerous his magic could be - but Tugger knew all-too-well how bad it could get. He slowly crouched down behind Quaxo and softened his voice, "Hey," he nudged him with his nose.

"Tugger," Munkustrap's voice was deceptively calm, though his stiff posture showed how afraid he really was.

"Working on it," he said out of the side of his mouth in an artificially cheerful voice. Quaxo's right ear was facing him - he probably had no idea what Tugger was saying, but he was being listened to nonetheless. Tugger thanked the Everlasting Cat for the length of his tail now, as he slowly brought it snaking forwards and wiggled it in Quaxo's line of sight. That was all that was needed to calm the kitten down - immediately he broke from his hissing and his tail twitched playfully at the distraction. He flopped down on his haunches and wiggled his bottom before springing into the air and pouncing on Tugger's tail. Bless the short attention span of kittens.

Tugger breathed a sigh of relief - crisis averted. But Munkustrap was still unmoving, still eyeing Quaxo as though he might explode at any second.

"It's fine now, Munk," he assured him, flicking Quaxo on the ear as 'punishment' for his little episode. Munkustrap flinched as he did this - Tugger rolled his eyes, "Really. Nothing's gonna happen now, see? He's calmed down," Even though this was true, Quaxo was still trailing sparkles wherever he rolled, and his coat was shimmering too.

After a few minutes of watching him closely, Munkustrap let out a shuddering sigh.

"Sorry Tug," he said quietly, not wanting Quaxo to suddenly find him interesting again, "All those things I said - I didn't mean it. It was father's idea."

Tugger frowned in confusion, "Father's idea…" he blinked, "…you mean," he glanced down at Quaxo, "This was - "

"A test - yes. Father sent me after you to make sure you weren't going to dump the kitten on someone else, and he… he also told me to make you prove to me that if you were going to keep the kitten, you'd be able to handle him."

"So provoking me - scaring Quaxo like that was supposed to prove something to you?"

"Yes. Trust me, I didn't like doing it either, but it has proven something," Munkustrap smiled, "Tugger - one of the first things you warned me about Quaxo was that he had magic. You know it's not something many of us approve of in the tribe. We all fear it, we barely understand it - he will have to be closely watched if he is to stay here, and in the hands of someone who can handle him when things get out of hand."

"So the only reason I get to keep him is because I can stop him when he gets too... sparkly?"

"He's dangerous - I refuse to allow him near the other kittens until he can control the magic inside him. But above all - the reason why the best person for him is you is because…" Munkustrap's voice gentled, "…because like I said before - he likes you. He's not going to hurt you - he listens to you, and I think father's right… he said that this could be good for you."

Munkustrap shook some of the remaining sparkles off, vaguely disturbed when they bounced off his coat into nothingness. He gave his brother a small nod.

"I'm going to go save father from the others now. Be sure to take the kitten out for some sunshine every now and again, Tug. I know you've adjusted to hiding away these past months, but for his benefit - let him get some sunlight, alright? Don't be a Griz."

"Alright, alright - I've got it already," he grumbled, despairing at how much more his life was going to change - and all for a kitten. All for Quaxo… who was leaving a line of drool and chewed up fur along the length of his tail. Really - Tugger was amazed that he didn't feel at all disgusted or angry by this - only a little confused by Quaxo's obsession with his tail of all things. "Don't tell the Rum Tum Tugger what to do."

If he'd looked up right then, he'd have seen Munkustrap grinning like no other - backing out of the den slowly so as to not disturb them - "I won't," he said softly, letting the curtain (that served as a door) drop behind him. "It's good to see the Rum Tum Tugger is back."

"I never thought I'd hear you say that, of all cats."

Munkustrap turned to see Demeter appearing from under a rusted pipe. Her glassy green eyes were trained on his lips, which he found quite distracting - but then she mirrored his smile, which he hadn't realised he was still sporting. If it looked that ridiculous on her face, he could only guess how he looked.

"Should I be worried?" she purred, letting her tail brush against him in a tantalising motion that made his brain go all fuzzy.

"Worried?" he replied after a moment. Demeter laughed sweetly.

"About Tugger," she clarified, "I've heard from Jenny-"

"He's got a new roommate, yes - for once a rumour that's true," he watched her for reaction, knowing how Demeter felt about his younger brother - no doubt she was thinking of how badly Tugger was going to mess this up, and Munkustrap would have agreed with her predictions too… had he not seen a whole new side to Tugger just before - a side that was unexpectedly doting and patient. He blocked Demeter as she made to go save Tugger's new roommate, "Not yet, my love," he insisted, taking her by the arm as he lead them away, "Give him some time to prepare for your damage-control."

She raised a brow, "The more time we give him, the more damage there will be."

He laughed, "No doubt there will."

Chapter Extra:

"Alright kit, we're gonna have to set some ground rules, alright? First thing's first…"

Tugger poked at the sparkly patch of floor.

"…no more sparkles. None. We are toms. Toms do not do glitter or sparkly things - those are queenly things."

Quaxo purposefully sneezed out some glitter and blinked ever so slowly at him. He certainly didn't need words to tell Tugger exactly what he thought of his rules. Tugger tsked as Quaxo returned to kneading the ground in a circular motion as he made his bed.

"Second rule - you will listen to me when I tell you to - get off that now, that's not safe!"

Quaxo chirped, totally unbothered by Tugger's horrified tone - he was curled up on top of a broken car baby-seat… which was hanging off the top of a massive heap of rubbish. He liked the view from the highest part of the den, where the remains of a car door window kept the heat from escaping whilst also giving him an excellent view of the sky above. It was daytime now so this lit up a nice patch of warm sun which was perfect for his nap… not that he was going to surrender to naptime yet.

"Seriously, you know I can't climb up there with you, and if you fall…" Tugger's voice was very far away, which Quaxo didn't like - but he purred loudly to show he was okay, hearing him huff in exasperation. "… figures you'd be a daredevil and stubborn too. Just be careful, okay?" he could hear Tugger getting closer and peeked over the edge to see where he was.

Despite Tugger's massive size, he was still a cat and therefore still perfectly agile - he'd managed to get to the boot of the tilted car, with his paws clinging to the back seat. His head could just reach through the gap where the back seat had fallen through, and he propped it at an angle where he could see the white tip of Quaxo's tail.

"You like making my life difficult, don't you?" he panted, laughing at Quaxo's guilty mewl, "Well I'll pay you back in years to come, kit. Just you wait," he promised as he listened to Quaxo's movements - after a few minutes of hearing him shuffling around, he guessed that he was probably not going to sleep anytime soon. Everlasting… this kit was going to run him ragged! "…Still awake, kit?" he called uncertainly.

Quaxo purred loudly.

"Great."

He wondered what was the best way to get a stubborn kitten to sleep, knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep till the little one was sleeping soundly. A song? A story? Those were the methods used on him when he'd been little, but they'd only worked in keeping him awake as he wanted to know more about the characters in the story, or to join in the singing.

He sighed, mourning his carefree life before.

And then, he started to sing - thinking that Quaxo might as well learn about his fellow Jellicles if he wasn't going to sleep, and he would get some singing practice in as well since the Jellicle Ball was coming up soon. Skimble's song was easy enough to remember and he was probably the nicest cat to sing about, so he went about singing the song of the cheerful Railway Cat… right up to the second verse, by which time they had both fallen asleep.

Author's Notes:

1) The junkyard boundary - I like to envision that there is a distinct change between when Jellicles are outside the junkyard living their normal cat lives (i.e. hanging around their human homes) and when they come back to the junkyard at night. There is a physical change - they go from walking on all-fours to walking on their hind-paws. Their mind sharpens, their behaviour too.
It's like - when they come to the junkyard, they shed their disguises and become their Jellicle selves.

2) If Tugger seems OOC to you, that will be explained in chapters to come. He's still Tug, don't worry :) And if Munk seems bitchy to you, that is also linked to Tug's problem.

3) A "litter" refers to a generation (in this story), not a bunch of kittens birthed by the same cat.

Next installment: Tugger's excellent parenting

...to be continued...