It was well past midnight and nothing moved in the Junkyard. All the Jellicles were asleep, all of them that is except two. They were sat side by side in silence looking up at the moon. Mist swirled around the two cats, throwing creepy shadows on the ground in front of them.
"It's time," the taller of the two figures said and they stood up as one and crossed the Junkyard together. They made no sound as they passed the sleeping cats. Slipping out of the gate they melted into the shadow beyond.
Eventually they stopped under a tree beside the river. Tantomile went over to the tree and lent against it's rough trunk looking out over the water. "This was where I was sat when they found us."
Coricopat nodded. He could remember that night perfectly. It was the first of November, the day they had been found by the Jellicles and every year the twins came back to sit under the tree and think about that night.
"Why have we been left here?", Tantomile asked her older brother. They had waited for their parents to come back for a whole day but now it was dark and still nobody came.
Coricopat put his arm protectively around his twin's shoulders. "I don't know." The two kittens looked very small sat together looking from side to side for signs of their parents returning.
"What if they don't come back?", Tantomile asked in a tiny voice.
"I'll look after you," Coricopat glared fiercely at the darkness surrounding them, "We'll be fine as long as we're together."
Tantomile leant her head on Coricopat's shoulder and sighed. She felt safe with him to protect her. He was right, all that mattered was that they were together. She could cope with her parents leaving her here if she still had Coricopat. She snuggled closer to her brother and closed her eyes. It had been a long day and she was very tired.
Coricopat looked down at Tantomile. "Get some sleep. They won't come back just because we watch for them." When Tantomile curled up on the ground he curled around her to keep her warm but he didn't go to sleep.
That was how Skimbleshanks and Asparagus found them. They were hurrying home after a long day and almost missed the kittens in the dark.
Coricopat shook Tantomile awake when he saw two strange cats approaching and the kittens watched them from in the shadows under the tree. Neither of them felt afraid.
"Asparagus, did you see something?", Coricopat heard the orange tabby say and both cats stopped.
"Where?", the other cat asked looking around, "What sort of something, Skimble?"
"I don't know...I thought I saw eyes in the dark," Skimbleshanks looked uncertain, "under that tree over there but I can't see anything now."
Coricopat and Tantomile watched as the cats moved towards their hiding place. Coricopat moved slightly in front of Tantomile.
"Look, two kittens!", Asparagus called and he and Skimble hurried over. "What are you doing out here alone? Are you hurt?", Asparagus asked.
Coricopat shook his head. "Our parents left us here."
"They've been abandoned," Skimble sounded angry. He glared around him for any adults but there were none to be seen. "We have to take them with us. They'll never survive out here alone," Skimble said turning to Asparagus who nodded.
"Would you like to come and join our tribe?", he asked the twins.
They looked at each other for a second. Both of them knew these cats could be trusted and both of them knew the other wanted to go with them. "We'd love to," Tantomile said, "I'm Tantomile and this is Coricopat."
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Skimbleshanks and this is Asparagus." Skimble smiled down at the kittens.
Asparagus gently picked up Coricopat and Skimble picked up Tantomile and together they hurried home. They took the twins to Jenny's den and put them down in a warm pile of blankets. Skimble ran to find Jenny, who was visiting Jellylorum, and Asparagus gave Coricopat and Tantomile some food.
"Oh, you poor things," Jenny exclaimed as she came in and saw the little kittens, "Don't be scared, I'll look after you now. You get some sleep and we'll talk more in the morning."
"Thank you," Coricopat whispered as they fell asleep.
Coricopat and Tantomile smiled as they remember meeting Jenny. She had been so kind to them, everybody had. "We were lucky", Tantomile thought.
"I know," Coricopat replied and they sat together looking out over the river and watching the sun come up.