In a junkyard in the middle of London, in the deep of the night a cat's cry can be heard, echoing through the air before silence breaks and the air stands still.
A large grey and brown spotted tom runs through the yard, to the source of the scream, stopping front of his mates den, where a saddened cream and white striped cat, Jellyorum, exits. She looks the tom in the eyes and slowly shakes her head and she takes his paw and leads him into the den.
There, lying still as a rock, in her nest is Andromeda, a black spotted white manecoon queen, and next to her is a quiet little tiger spotted tom, eyes unopened, yet breathing small mewls as he yawns. A tired orange queen, with lepord spots and tiger stripes, sits in the corner looking with a sad smile at the small tom as it noses to it's mother to try and nurse the dead cat.
"Jenny…" The old brown tom sighs sadly.
"She left us as soon as the tom was out, Deuteronomy." The orange queen ays looking him in the eyes," We could only get one of the two kittens out. The other died in her when she did. It would've been a still born anyways."
"Oh, my poor Andromeda…" Deiteronomy sighs as he walks over to his mate and holds her still paw.
Her glassy eyes stare straight ahead, tears still fresh within the lids. Deuteronomy knew that is was from the sadness of not being able to watch her kits grow into fine Jellicles, not from the pain of her death itself. He sobs quietly as he lifts his paws to close her eyes, before looking to the small manecoon nestling beside the slightly warm queen, shivering for warmth.
"My son." Deuteronomy sobs as he quickly reaches down and grabs the tom, hugging him firmly and sweetly," my beautiful son."
"What will his name be, Deut?" The cream queen asks as she gently hugs him from behind.
"Andromeda said that she wanted our next tom to be named Tugger, but I wanted to name is Rumble, so I will combine the names." Deuteronomy says with a small sad smile," He will be Rum Tum Tugger."
"What a curious name." Jenny says with a small laugh.
"For a curious cat." Deuteronomy replies.
A silence fills the air once more as the three cats look at the tom-kit held in Deuteronomy's arms softly purrs, knowing it's being held by it's father. Jennyanydots, the orange tabby, finally breaks the silence with a sad and disheartening sigh.
"What will you tell the boys?" Jenny asks in a bitter monotone voice.
"Their mother has joined the Everlasting Cat in the sky, but has left us a Rum Tum Tugger in exchange." Deuteronomy says in a shaky voice.
"Oh, Deut." Jenny says looking at the large tom, wiping a silent tear from his cheek.
"I will be alright, Jenny." Deuteronomy sighs shakily," I must be alright. It's not the first mate I've lost. My boys need me, there's no use in breaking over a death."
"You're a very strong tom, Deuteronomy." Jellyorum sighs as she nuzzles the cheek of Deuteronomy," Now you should return to Macavity and Munkustrap. Show them their brother first, then tell them of Andromeda."
"Those boys loved their mother more than the world." Jenny says with a small sob," And poor Macavity…losing his second mother in his lifetime."
"They will be fine." Deuteronomy says semi-sourly," They're my sons, they can weather sorrow and loss, as I have."
With heavy hearts, Deuteronomy walks out of the den, holding the little Tugger closely. The night moon was high and full, a night that Andromeda would fawn over. Deuteronomy felt his hear pang with sadness but kept his eyes dry as he made the trek back to his den, the Jellicle leaders den.
As he came near the door, he heard the scurry of two tiny sets of paws, and opened his arms in time for a pair of young tom-kits to jump into his arms. A small silver tom-kit with black stripes nuzzled closely and purred, while a slightly larger ginger cat purred heavily as he crawled over the large brown tom.
"Hello my sons." Deuteronomy beamed at his two sons.
"Hello, father." Munkustrap, the silver tom-kit, says with a large smile showing his tiny sharp fangs.
"Hey, dad." Macavity, the ginger tom says leisurely before spotting the small package," Is that our new brother?"
"Brother?" Munkustrap asks excitedly.
"Yes, yes, my sons." Deuteronomy says happily," This is Rum Tug Tugger, you're new little brother."
Macavity and Munkustrap both look closely at the small tom-kit in Deuteronomy's arms. He's small and fluffy, with a mostly black coat, but with some leopard spot on his chest and sides. Munkustrap and Macavity look in awe at the tiny kit then look up to their father, both beaming with large smiles.
"May I hold him?" Munkustrap asks politely motioning his arms towards his little brother.
Dueteronomy nods with a smile and quietly hands over the small kitten to Munkustrap, who carefully took the small kit into his arms. The small Tugger stiffened for the first few seconds, but Munkustrap quietly whispers to the kit and it relaxes, snuggling close to his older brother.
Munkustrap smiles and starts to walk into the den, while Macavity climbs on top of Deuteronomy and looks around puzzled and sad. He climbs down and looks at Deuteronomy, the unspoken question Deuteronomy dreaded lying in the air.
"Where's mama?" Macavity asks, in a small kittenish tone as his ears flatten onto his skull.
"She…she's with the Everlasting Cat." Duteronomy says with a sad sigh.