Disclaimer: While I own all the original characters in this fic, I don't own Cats. Cats belongs to Andrew Lloyd Webber and the RUG. Also, there are some similarities between this fic and "Running From Family" by Actress of Broadway. When I asked, she said that I could look to her fic for inspiration for mine, but I'm not committing plagiarism here. So, credit goes to her.

Make A Wish

Chapter One: Jenny's Discovery

That went well, Jennyanydots thought to herself with a smile. She had just finished another successful lesson with her mice students; she'd actually gotten a couple of them to sing during the music lesson. The way she saw it, her lessons more than made up for how she spent her days, just sitting around, not really doing much of anything.

"Jenny dear, how did your lessons go tonight?" Jenny looked up and smiled when she saw her good friend Jellylorum coming her way.

"They went very well, Jelly, thank you." Jenny responded, and the two friends went to the den that Jenny had made for herself. They made themselves comfortable on the old pillows Jenny had furnished her den with. "So, how are Etcetera, Pouncival and Victoria doing?"

Jellylorum smiled. "They're wonderful. I know they haven't seen you in a while, and they miss you considerably, I'll admit. You know, I don't think Asparagus and I would've ever raised them properly without your help."

"Well, if any mates in this tribe gets a litter of kittens of their own, they know where to find me."

Jennyanydots and Jellylorum were as different in appearance as night and day. Jellylorum's coat was a mixture of a golden yellow and white, with a few brown markings on her face, and she was in very good shape for someone her age. Jenny, however, was a little on the large side, and she was a light brown tabby with stripes and spots for markings. When it came to raising the kittens born into the tribe, Jellylorum was a little on the strict side, while Jenny was sweet and fun-loving with a great sense of humor, and she was only strict when it was appropriate to do so. Still, the two queens acted as second mothers to the kittens, and the help they gave was always greatly appreciated by the couples that were first-time parents.

An hour or so later, Jellylorum announced that she had to go back home. "Asparagus will probably be wondering what's taking me so long, I don't normally go out of my den at this hour, you know."

"I do." Jenny smiled, and the two friends laughed. "Say hello to Asparagus and the little ones for me."

"I will." Jelly nodded.

Both queens said goodbye and before Jenny knew it Jellylorum had slipped out of sight. Jenny was just about to go back inside when she thought she heard a muffled mew. Curiosity getting the better of her, she listened and heard it again and realized it was coming from just outside the junkyard. She pawed her way to the source of the sound, and she gasped at what she saw. A young female kitten was lying there in a heap, badly injured. Her fur was stained with blood, so much that Jenny could barely tell what her real fur color was. Upon first glance it would've appeared that this kitten was dead, but Jenny could feel the kitten's pulse and she saw her stomach moving, so she was at least breathing. Soon enough the kitten's eyes opened.

"Are you all right, dear?" Jenny asked, truly concerned.

The kitten's head whirled to the source of the voice, and Jenny saw that the kitten's pretty brown eyes were filled with fear. "W-who are you?" the kitten asked. She had a soft, young voice, so Jenny took her to be around Jemima's age. Her voice also gave away just how scared she was.

"I won't hurt you, I promise. My name is Jennyanydots, but most of the time I'm called Jenny. Do you have a name, dear?"

"Yes, it's Tristesse. Mama chose that name for me when she saw the markings on my face."

"Where is your mother, dear?"

"I…I don't know. This large red thing found Mama and I one night, and it started to attack Mama. She told me to run and I did, but then the thing caught up to me and beat me. She never came back to find me."

Jenny was silent for a minute. She was sure she knew just what, or rather, who this "thing" was that Tristesse was talking about.

"What's wrong?" Tristesse asked, seeing Jenny's grave look.

"It's nothing. When did all this happen?"

"Two days ago."

"Oh, you shouldn't be out here if you're this weak. Come on, dear. Let's get you cleaned up." Jenny helped Tristesse up and they made their way to Jenny's den.