Jellicle Kits Are Gold and Black
"I'm pregnant."
He stared at her. She had just uttered the very words he had dreaded to hear; those two inevitable words.
She took his shocked-looking face in her paws and stroked his cheek. "I think it's time we came clean, don't you?"
He was still in shock, but he nodded. After registering the initial surprise, a slow smile spread across his face as he warmed to the idea. "You mean – we're going to be parents?"
She laughed. "Yes, darling, I do."
Suddenly, he was laughing, too. He took her in his arms and carefully swung her around, before setting her back on the ground and planting a tender kiss on her lips. "I'm going to be a dad," he declared proudly with a lopsided grin.
"But, as I said, I think it's time we put our relationship out in the open. If I'm going to have your kits, they need to know about us."
He nodded his agreement. "Alright. Shall we get it over and done with?" he asked, taking her paw.
"Yes." She suddenly looked very nervous, as did he.
The two walked paw-in-paw to find Munkustrap, the second-in-command of the Jellicle tribe, and asked him to call a tribe meeting.
Munkustrap looked at the two, confused and curious, but obliged.
Soon, the junkyard clearing was filled with Jellicles.
Tugger cleared his throat nervously. "Ummm…I have an announcement to make. Demeter and I have been seeing each other for a while now and…" – he slipped his arm protectively around her waist – "…we are expecting kittens."
The tribe sat in stunned silence. Demeter? Tugger? Together? Kittens? They were in shock. Suddenly, a cheer erupted from one side of the gathering.
The expecting parents looked over and noticed it was Bombalurina, Demeter's sister. Demeter was surprised at her sister's reaction – it was common knowledge that she had a bit of a 'thing' for Tugger – but she smiled.
Soon, most of the other Jellicles were cheering also. The couple looked immensely relieved.
However, the Jellicle elders had a whispered conference.
"I thought she knew better than that?" mused Jennyanydots.
"I don't know what she sees in him…I thought she liked Munkustrap? I can't believe it, my own daughter…" Jellylorum shook her head in shock. "I can understand Bombalurina, but Demeter?"
"Oh, they're perfect!" Demeter gazed in wonder at the three tiny kittens she had just produced. They all were gold and black, just like both of their parents. Demeter looked up at Tugger happily. "Two queens and a tom."
Tugger kissed her, then each of his kittens in turn. "What shall we name them?"
Demeter thought for a moment. "I thought Tarni, like a nice, shortened version of 'Tarnished Gold'; Mysta;" – she then pointed to the tomkit – "and Rugger."
Tugger gazed at his new family and smiled. "Perfect."
Disclaimer: I DO NOT own all of the characters depicted in this story; they belong entirely to T.S. Eliot. I DO, however, own Tarni, Mysta and Rugger. I also own the story, which is protected in my name under the Australian Copyright Law dating back to 2009.