Skimble put one very cautious paw into the Junkyard and looked around. All seemed still for once and the vast distance between his and Jenny's den didn't seem so far. Surely it was impossibly easy. He sighed, maybe he was getting too old for this, and took another step forwards. Alonzo seemed to appear from nowhere.
"Alright Skimble, good trip?" he asked amiably. Well Alonzo wasn't so bad now, was he. Skimble nodded a greeting.
"Fair enough thank you, lovely weather," Skimble murmured in reply, hoping that the conversation would peter out. Oh how he missed his chair and his wife's tea. And his wife, he supposed he should add her too.
"You know who's been missing you?" Alonzo asked with a playful grin. Skimble looked up sharply.
"Oh no. Alonzo, please no, no, n—"
"Hey! CB!! Skimble's home!" Alonzo called out, cutting him off. A cry went up around the Junkard.
"UNCLE SKIMBLE!!" Victoria called out, she was the first to appear. Perhaps she should have grown out of calling the orange tom an uncle but the excitement brought out her kittenish side.
"Oh God," Skimble said weakly, glancing over again to judge the space between him and his den. Carbucketty dashed out from behind Alonzo and flung himself at Skimble, grabbing his tail into a playfight and accidentally sticking his claws into it.
"Thank you Lonz!!" the patched kitten beamed, rolling around in play with Skimble's tail while the ginger tabby cursed under his breath.
"Yes, thanks Alonzo," he sighed, sitting himself down in the dust where he was as the entire tribe's kittens jumped on him.
"Hello Jemima, dear," he said tiredly, pulling his daughter in through the scrum and stroking her fur absentmindedly, "where's your mother and your wee sister?"
"Mummy's making you tea and El's here...somewhere," she murmured, nuzzling into the fluffy fur on her father's stomach. Feeling a little strengthened by the presence of his daughter, Skimble stood up again, Jemima curled in his arms.
"Tell us a story, Uncle!!" Etcetera screamed in his ear. Skimble almost jumped out of his waistcoat as he noticed the kitten hanging off his shoulder. He looked around rapidly for any others. Bill was hanging off the back of his waistcoat and CB still had hold of his tail. He held Jemima closer and looked pleadingly over to his den. Jenny appeared in the doorway with Electra by her side and gave him a sympathetic smile. Electra grinned and bounded over to him, managing to climb halfway up his leg before he got hold of her and pulled her up against his waistcoat.
"Storyyyyyyy!" Bill demanded, digging his claws into the fabric of the tom's waistcoat in order to stay up.
"Alright guys," Alonzo said, finally taking pity as he plucked CB off Skimble's tail. CB didn't go
without a fight and Jemima watched with detached interest as plumes of her father's ginger tail fur drifted to the ground. "Go easy on Skimble, he's getting old," Alonzo murmured just loud enough for only Skimble to hear. He gave him a little cheeky grin as the older cat turned to stare at him.
"I'm not sure I need help from the likes of you," Skimble said haughtily, turning back around with Electra in one arm and Jemima in the other.
"Well if you're sure," Alonzo sighed, setting CB down again and giving Etcetera an encouraging wave. She giggled.
"UUUUUUNCLE SKIIIIIIMBLEEEEEYYYYY!!" she screamed, laughing happily, "TELL US A STOOOOORYYYYYY!!" Skimble flinched as CB scrambled up his rather forlorn looking tail again.
"Oh Alonzo...Oh Jenny..." he sighed without really thinking.
"What's that? Your harem?" Munkustrap asked, appearing by his shoulder.
"What?" Skimble asked, his head snapping round as he heard the voice.
"Alonzo and Jennyanydots, your harem?"
"What?! Oh...no, no...no," Skimble murmured, taking another heavy step forwards.
"Playyyyyy!" CB demanded with a giggle from halfway up Skimble's tail.
"You are," Skimble muttered wearily, then put Jemima back on the ground, "could you run back to your mother sweetheart, and tell her that I'm feeling a wee bit tired?" His reasoning was not so
much to get a message to his wife, though he would dearly love a mug of tea and to curl up in his chair. More that with the three other kittens draped around him, both his daughters were a little too much. Jemima was the elder of the two and therefore slightly heavier. He watched her scramble back to the den with a certain amount of jealousy and gave Jenny a look which he was sure she'd understand.
"How are things in the Junkyard?" he asked Munkustrap politely as Alonzo fell into step on the other side of him. He heaved Electra a little further against him as she fidgeted precariously.
"Well that depends. If you're a bigamist then they're about to get more hectic," Munkustrap smirked in reply.
"I am NOT a biga-argh!" Skimble interrupted himself as Mungojerrie tumbled in between his legs.
"We already knew that, that wasn't the question," Alonzo smiled, watching the kitten try to join Carbucketty.
"I want to go to bed," Skimble whispered forlornly. He regained control of himself briefly when Electra nuzzled up against his chest and sighed happily. "Where were we, I'm not a bigamist. Mungojerrie will you PLEASE not do that!!" Mungo looked up at Munkustrap with an innocent smile. He'd somehow managed to climb up Skimble's tail, over Carbucketty, who was in the process of trying to join him, and up to Skimble's watch pocket. He had the silver watch halfway out of its pocket when he paused to beam up at the older toms.
"Nice try mate," Alonzo grinned, winking at Mungo.
"Don't encourage him!!" Skimble wailed, juggling his daughter around a little to extract his pocket watch from Mungojerrie's grip.
"Daddy says he's feeling tired," Jemima said, matter of factly, "I don't believe him. Grown-ups don't get tired."
"Where did you get that from?" Jenny asked, smiling as she looked up and met her mate's gaze.
"It's true, you never go to bed. Well Daddy does when he gets back but...Daddy doesn't count. He's making it up."
"Jemima dear, we just go to bed once you're all asleep," Jenny said gently.
"I don't believe you. You're always awake when I am, even in the morning," Jemima said, then fell silent for a moment or two. "Does Daddy know he's going round in circles, Mummy?" she asked.
"I don't think so sweetheart," Jenny replied, watching her mate unknowingly get walked around the Junkyard yet again by the two cats at his side.
"He's silly," Jemima remarked. Jenny smiled.
"I think I agree with you."
"Munkustrap, much as I know that Macavity is a great and powerful evil, he's not really imminent, can we discuss him tomorrow? I don't think we've quite caught the peak of my concentration span. Alonzo, I'm sorry, I know I'm ancient, will you please help me?" Skimble sighed, interrupting Munkustrap mid-sentence. Alonzo smothered a laugh and exchanged a glance with Munk behind Skimble's back.
"Of course Skimble, how rude of us," Munk said benevolently, laying a warm paw on the tabby's shoulder, "come and have a sit down over here and a little rest."
"I was going to..." Skimble protested feebly as he was led to the entrance of Munk's den, "oh all right." He joined the two other toms on the floor, sitting down carefully so as not to crush any of the numerous kittens which were still hanging off him. He let his daughter into his lap where she lay half-asleep while Carbucketty, Bill and Mungo wrestled around, trying to win Etcetera's favour while she remained on the giddy heights of Skimble's shoulder.
"How was your trip, Skimble?" Alonzo asked with affected kindness. He wasn't sure who was winning their wager currently but he was sure that he needed to keep Skimble away from his den for longer to win for sure.
"Mmm? Oh, yes. Glad to be home," Skimble replied, his eyes half closed.
"Skimbleshanks that wasn't the question we asked you, the tribe is at stake here!" Munkustrap shouted importantly, working hard to contain his amusement as the ginger tom sat bolt upright.
"Munkustrap, I'm...I'm terribly sorry!!" he exclaimed, "I was just d-d-drifting off...i-it's been a very l-long week..." he explained worriedly.
"Skimble it's just not good enough. You're not nearly what you used to be. Gone are the days when you were proactive in the matters of the tribal safety," Munk sighed. Skimble looked taken aback and clutched his daughter close to his chest.
"M-munkustrap...can you forgive me? I've been away f-for so long. I...please?" he asked helplessly, looking wide-eyed, over to Alonzo to appeal for help.
Alonzo bit his lip, registering the panic in the ginger tom's eyes and briefly wondering if they were going too far. "Munk, maybe we can sort something out?"
"You mean like a home guard? Have the elder toms stay with the kittens and queens as a last resort?"
"I'm only just a father," Skimble complained quietly, stroking his daughter's fur gently.
"Kittens have made you soft," Munkustrap sighed. Skimble frowned, considering just how much longer he could put up with having his daughters slighted, even by the heir to the leader.
"Munkustrap, much as I respect you, I think maybe we should continue this some other time. I think you're messing me around. Will you excuse me Etcetera?" he asked his daughter's friend as he lifted her down off his shoulder before getting to his feet.
"Tomorrow then," Munkustrap said with smile of respect, standing beside Skimble and patting his shoulder, "no hard feelings." The ginger tabby whimpered too quietly to hear in confusion but nodded to Munk and Alonzo.
"Jemmi, dear, why don't you go and play for a little while. I don't think your father's in a very good mood, we don't want him getting snappy on the first day back do we," Jenny said gently.
"What if he shouts at you instead?" Jemima asked, enjoying martyrdom.
"Jemima love, I'll take care of it, I just don't want him telling you off when he doesn't mean it. Look, Victoria's over there." Jemima sighed and nodded, running over to the white kitten that was waiting for her. Skimble leant to put Electra down then dropped into his chair, closing his eyes with a sigh.
"Mmmm I've missed this," he said contentedly.
"Skimbleshanks! I do wonder if you miss that chair more than you miss me and your daughters!" Jenny exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips, "I am NOT waiting on you!"
"Oh Jenny, just a second. The chair was close, I'm exhausted. It just happened," he explained cheekily.
"If you don't get up and kiss me within five seconds!" she threatened. Skimble opened one eye and smiled at her, getting to his feet.
"Oh, I'm coming, I'm coming," he muttered, trying to sound put upon. He flung his arms around Jenny and kissed her. "Oh God it's good to be back," he groaned, pulling the little Gumbie up into his arms and spinning her around.
"Skimble!" Alonzo called through the entrance, making Skimble jump. He stepped backwards to regain his balance and onto Electra's tail. She yowled and Skimble jumped again, dropping Jenny and stumbling backwards before tripping over the rest of his daughter and falling backwards in an effort to avoid her.
"DA-ADDYYY!! IT HUUUUUUURTS!!" she cried, crawling over to him and weeping into his fur until Jenny picked her up and cradled her carefully to quieten her down. From the floor, Skimble groaned.
"What was it Alonzo?" Jenny sighed, rocking Electra comfortingly.
"Just thought...pocket watch," he said, handing the silver watch over to Jenny and backing out of the room again, "are those two alright?"
"They'll be fine," Jenny smiled, "thanks," then to her daughter, "are you alright El? Daddy's sorry, there, it's alright. Why don't you go and talk to Etcetera for a while, she looks like she's having fun?" Electra nodded sullenly, waving her injured tail out of reach of her paws as she went to find her friend.
"Skimble, what have you done to yourself sweetheart, come and sit in your chair my love," Jenny said, kneeling beside him, "El will be fine."
"Do you want a hand?" Alonzo asked, still hovering nervously by the door.
"I didn't realise you were still here!" Jenny exclaimed, looking up.
"Skimble...I didn't mean it when I said you were old," he said cautiously, taking a few steps forward and taking hold of the ginger tabby's shoulder while Jenny took the other.
"Ooooh my back," Skimble moaned as they pulled him upright, "will somebody get me some tea, please!" He leant heavily on his mate as Alonzo tried to take more of his weight.
"Skimble get off me you're too heavy!" Jenny said hurriedly, buckling under Skimble's arm.
"Please don't let Munk see," Lonz muttered as he put both arms around Skimble's chest and pulled the ginger tom back and upright, "where are we going?"
"Could you just put him on the chair over there for me?" Jenny said, standing beside Alonzo with a mug of tea. "Oh Alonzo thank you, can I get you anything?" Alonzo was silent for a moment while he helped Skimble lower himself into the chair and passed him the mug of tea which Jenny was holding.
"No...thanks..." Alonzo said slowly, still wary of accepting things which he hadn't found for himself since his days as a street cat, "if you need me then just ask..." He wouldn't say it but he felt a little responsible for letting the kittens climb all over Skimble then leading him around the junkyard for a good half hour before letting him go.
"This chair was much more comfy two minutes ago," Skimble moaned, sipping his tea.
"You're such a drama queen dear," Jenny smiled, "thank you Alonzo, I'm sure it's not all that bad," she added reassuringly. Skimble spluttered into his tea.
"Since when have you had a bad back?!" he asked, outraged.
"I've known you for too long not to realise when you just want fussing over," she said gently, patting his paw, "I suppose I will anyway since you've just got back." Alonzo looked between the two and cleared his throat.
"I'll er...be leaving now..." he said, aware that this sounded horribly awkward, "and maybe I'll come back and see if you're alright," he added, to counter his last statement, then considered this for a couple of seconds, "if you need stuff," he continued, to distance himself.
"I'm not dying you know," Skimble said blankly.
"The way you've been going on about it," Jenny muttered, then noticed Skimble's expression, "oh I am glad, I'll just have to smother you with attention anyway," she said a little louder. "Alonzo I'd just run for it, dear," she sighed, giving him a sympathetic smile.
"The minute I finally get home," Skimble grumbled as Alonzo bolted, "my back packs in, can't even get comfy in my own chair now." Jenny smiled to herself as she thought of her promise to Jemima that Skimble would lose his temper. "What's tickled you!?" he demanded, annoyed that his mate would appear to have stopped listening to him.
"Skimble dear, I could set your watch by you. Five minutes after you get through the door, something will have wound you up. Last time it was the mouse you think you saw, the time before that it was no one telling you about the kitten, before that you couldn't find your newspaper. What do they do to you on that train that gets you so het up?"
"There was a mouse," Skimble protested after a moment.
"Oh Jemima's right, you are silly sometimes. Leave it be pet, just enjoy yourself, you're home! What can I get for you?" Jenny asked comfortingly.
"My own daughter has no right to call me silly!!" Skimble said, trying to jump to his feet in outrage but yelping and sinking back, very slowly, into the chair.
"She's got more right than most," Jenny told him gently, "drink your tea and tell me about Scotland," she said, settling onto his lap.
--
"Where's Alonzo when you need him," Skimble muttered as he lay on his back on the floor beside the bed. Jenny yawned and turned over, curling up.
"For your own good dear," she mumbled sleepily.
"You could have joined me," he sighed resentfully, staring at the soft darkness that was his warm bed.
"Mmm no good, the floor's bad for my blood pressure," Jenny smiled.
"What are you talking about?" Skimble frowned.
"Not sure," Jenny dismissed, "go to sleep Skimble."
"Don't think I haven't been trying," he grumbled.
"You're being silly, there's nothing wrong with the floor in this house. I dusted all the spiders away this morning."
"We've never had any spiders Jenny. I don't see why I couldn't have had a blanket or something," he complained after a few seconds.
"You know the warmth is bad for you," Jenny replied thickly. Skimble raised an eyebrow and swiftly whittled down the replies which came into his head.
"Just go back to sleep Gumbie," he sighed warmly.
--
"Can I go and sit in my chair yet?" Skimble asked wearily, blinking what felt like grit away as he watched Jenny wake up.
"Have you slept at all?" she asked, coming to stand beside him.
"What do you think?" he sighed, struggling to roll onto his side and get up.
"Do you want some coffee?" she asked, helping him up and letting him lean on her shoulder.
"Coffee? Good God no! Why on earth would I want to stay awake any longer?"
"Skimble, the point wasn't to torture you, the point was to help your back. You'll put it out again if you go and sleep in that chair," Jenny explained patiently, stopping as she saw Carbucketty sitting in the entrance to their den.
"Will you tell me a story Uncle Skimble?" he asked hopefully.
"Coffee please," Skimble muttered to his mate as he took his weight off her shoulder and limped over to sit in his chair, "c'mon then," he said to CB, who looked pleased with himself and scampered across to sit on the back of the chair.
"You're up early lad," Skimble commented vaguely, wondering how he was supposed to tell a story when he couldn't look at his audience.
"I was gonna move your chair back before you got up but then I heard your voice," CB laughed proudly. Skimble's eyes widened briefly as an image of himself missing the edge of the chair and doing his back in drifted through his head.
"Mmm very good," he said with a little frown, "maybe you should try Gus next time. What story do you want?"
"You pick one," CB said, pawing at the back of Skimble's ear as he hung off the back of the chair. Skimble sighed reluctantly then a sly smile came onto his face.
"Oh all right. When the Junkyard was nae more'n a wee piece o' scrap," he started, sleep deprivation thickening his story-telling accent, "the Heaviside Cat made the first four Jellicles in his image. One from fire, one from ice, one from the cliffs and one from the clouds
"That's boring, it's so predictable," CB groaned.
"Look laddy, it's the way this story goes. Like it or lump it," Skimble muttered, accepting a huge mug of coffee from Jenny.
"Fine. Get on with it," CB said reluctantly.
"Jenny, could you tell me when I started taking orders from wee kitties?" Skimble sighed, drinking a mouthful of his coffee. "The four cats. Well the Fire Cat's fur was a blazing bright red..."
"Like yours you mean?" CB scoffed.
"Before you pulled it all out," Skimble murmured, "let me finish. Fire Cat was bright red, Ice Cat was a clear silver, a wee bit like Munkustrap if you will. Earth Cat had fur made out of boulders, big
brown patches. There, now are you satisfied with your lot? And...oh Cloud Cat. Pure white like wee Victoria."
"You're making this up," CB said lazily.
"If there's one thing tae be said for being my age it's that you gather so many stories to tell tae young kits. Shut up and listen. Every Jellicle today is descended from one of the four elemental cats."
"What, they all went out with the Cloud Cat?" CB asked sceptically.
"Stop pickin' holes in my story!!" Skimble growled, "just listen for once. Jenny, we used tae be able to listen tae stories when we were wee didn't we?"
"Weweewewee," CB taunted quietly.
"Carbucketty, you're pushing your luck my lad," Skimble warned him, "do you want this story or are you going to leave me in peace?"
"Story," CB decided glumly. He considered the older tom for a second before resolving to be quiet for perhaps two minutes to soothe the tension then starting up again.
"The patched Earth Cat was a bit of a rascal. He loved mischief and play. The Cloud Cat was more peaceful, she was as pure as the colour of her fur and spent most of her time in deep meditation. The Ice Cat was very serious much of the time, a natural leader among the other three. The Fire Cat had a temper tae match the colour of his fur.
"Well one morning the Earth Cat was up early. He decided tae play a trick on Fire Cat because Fire Cat was the most fun tae trick. If he did it right, he could watch Fire Cat lose his temper from a distance. The thrilling part was, if he got it wrong, he knew how much trouble he'd be in. Well the Earth Cat snuck in to Fire Cat's den and stole his slippers before he woke up."
"The great Fire Cat wore slippers?" CB sniggered.
"Yes he bloody well did. It's cold in Heaviside," Skimble huffed.
"Skimble dear, watch your temper," Jenny said absently, without looking up from her sewing. Skimble sighed and drank another mouthful of his coffee.
"He stole the Fire Cat's slippers and hid them in his own den, then lay in wait just outside Fire Cat's den for him to wake up. Well Fire Cat woke up soon enough and went to put his slippers on, only to find that they weren't there. Fire Cat got so angry that his bright red fur immediately set on fire!"
"That must have hurt," CB mumbled vaguely.
"Course it didnae hurt, you fool," Skimble dismissed.
"Skimble," Jenny warned.
"Of course it didn't hurt. He's the stuff o' legend. He can set his fur on fire if he wants tae. The descendants of the Fire Cat are renowned for their fiery temper!"
"Mostly," Jenny put in from her corner. Skimble cast an eye over his mate's ginger fur.
"Come off it, you've got a temper too," he told her. She smiled, conceding his point, and went back to her sewing again. "Well anyway. Fire Cat went storming out of his den, brushing right past Car-Earth Cat, I mean, and setting the tip of his tail alight. Earth Cat yowled in pain and Fire Cat heard him, then turned around and noticed him lying there. 'What have you done with my slippers?!' he demanded." Skimble cut off as Carbucketty began to howl with laughter from behind him. "What?" Skimble asked, looking over to Jenny, who met his gaze with a little smile.
"Is that how Fire Cat really talked?" CB asked, grinning widely.
"What?!" Skimble asked, baffled.
"In that deep baritone," Jenny explained, amusement glimmering in her eyes.
"Well yes, why not?" he asked, sounding completely confused.
"Never mind love, go back to your story, maybe no more voices," she smiled warmly.
"No!! Do the voices!!" CB protested loudly, nudging Skimble in the back of the head.
"Alright, alright!" Skimble growled, rubbing the back of his head with a paw, "well the Fire Cat was so angry that the Earth Cat had messed him about that while Earth Cat was blowing the flames on his tail out, he set the tips of his ears on fire. Earth Cat yowled again. 'Fire Cat! Stop!! I'm terribly
sorry!!' he howled." CB spluttered with laughter from just behind Skimble's ear and the orange tabby jumped.
"This story's going downhill, love," Jenny advised him.
"I love the voices!! I love the voices!!" CB gasped, lapsing back into laughter.
"What was wrong with that one?!" Skimble asked, outraged.
"It was lovely counter tenor, dear," Jenny nodded soothingly.
"Well Earth Cat was very sorry and left at the mercy of Fire Cat, who castr-"
"SKIMBLESHANKS!" Jenny exclaimed from her corner, "behave yourself!"
"No, tell me! I wanna know," CB said, crawling onto Skimble's head and dangling a paw in front of his eyes.
"Oh alright laddy, you've twisted my arm, what I was just about to say was-" Jenny cleared her throat meaningfully, "-Fire Cat let him get off scot free, with just a warning," Skimble continued quickly, noting the dangerous look in his mate's eyes, "but the point is that Fire Cat had a temper and when Earth Cat tried tae play tricks on him, Fire Cat got very angry and Earth Cat was very scared. All Jellicles are descended from them. Do we see eye tae eye?"
"You stories don't normally have morals," CB sniffed, "and you weren't going to say he let him off with just a warning."
"Carbucketty, don't dangle temptation," Skimble sighed, "I'll put morals into my stories if I want them there. They're my stories," he added defensively, "that's your lot."
"And that's your lot too, go and wake the girls up," Jenny told him as CB scampered through the entrance to go and find Bill.
"What me? Now? I've just sat down!" Skimble complained.
"You'll spend time with your daughters on your first day back Skimbleshanks," she said, raising her eyebrows.
"I've married my mother," he wailed. Jenny gave him a sharp look. "Sorry," he mumbled, getting up and going over to kiss her.
"And just for that you're getting them breakfast too," she added with a little smile when he pulled away again.
"If I just keep kissing her she can't add anything else," Skimble murmured to himself, leaning over Jenny again.
"Come to think of it you can get me breakfast while you're at it," she mumbled through Skimble's fur.
"Jenny I only got home yesterday, go easy on me," he whimpered, "and my back hurts," he added for effect, "I'm very tired..."
"Skimble dear, you've very good at being pathetic when you want to be. I'm not having it. Go and wake your daughters up. I suppose I take care of the food every other day, I may as well today."