"Jellylorum, dear, why don't you come inside? It's freezing out there - you'll catch your death!"
Jellylorum shook her head emphatically so that Jennyanydots could see it clearly from inside their shared den. This was an old argument between the two friends, and Jennyanydots knew better than to push it.
If Skimbleshanks insisted on going out on the trains every night possible, then moon take her she was going to wait for him and her best friend knew it. She sighed, and suppressed the desire to get out of the starting snowstorm even though her son was not yet back. She still didn't understand why he liked to travel so much. All their life was here with their friends and family, where it was safe. But then again, her father had always insisted on going out as well. She assumed that was why her mother had not stayed with him, and why she herself was so anxious to have a place of her own.
It wasn't that visiting various theatres wasn't enjoyable; it was. But Jellylorum longed for stability in her life, regularity and routine. Clearly her son took after his grandfather more than she ever had. But, if he was happy that's what really mattered.
Not that it was going to stop her worrying.
She must have dozed off, for she jolted awake as a familiar voice called her name and shook her shoulder "Mum? Mum! Why didn't you go inside? Come on, you need to get warm."
Jellylorum blinked, her blurry vision swimming as she tried to focus on the face of her son. He helped her up, and she sleepily registered that he was holding something as he guided her across the junkyard into her shared den.
Jennyanydots met them at the door "Goodness me, your mother is going to get herself killed over worrying for you one of these days!" She said, admonishing the tom in a tone that made it clear she had a hard time trying to feign anger at the cat she had always treated like a favored nephew.
Skimbleshanks sighed, turning his mother over to her friend "I know," he said "I wish she wouldn't insist on waiting for me every night I go out."
"Cold doesn't stop my ears from working, I can still hear you." Jellylorum grumbled as Jennyanydots lead her to their nest of blankets. Skimbleshanks flashed a smile "I'm glad it doesn't, Mum. Who would take care of me if you couldn't for some reason or another?"
Jellylorum smiled reluctantly at her son "Upstart kitten, you don't need taking care of."
Suddenly he seemed very interested in the bundle he had clutched against his body in the crook of his arm.
"Skimble," Jennyanydots said warily, noticing the bundle for the first time. "What do you have there?"
He began walking closer, unwrapping it as he did.
"I found an abandoned kitten in one of the stations, I-I couldn't just leave it there."
Jennyanydots' heart softened for the young tom "Oh Skimbleshanks, of course you couldn't," she began approaching him sadly, knowing she had to tell him as soon as possible.
"But we can't keep it, dear; you know that we are not like other cats and it needs a good home where it can be taken care of by people, or other cats like it."
Skimble did not seem to hear her, it was as though the only thing on his mind was unwrapping the small bundled up kitten.
"Skimble -" Jennyanydots started again, putting a hand on his arm.
But her voice caught in her throat once the last corner of tattered blanket was pulled away, and the kitten revealed.
The cat was a Jellicle.
^^ This'll be my first "series", as opposed to one- or two-shots.
At this point in time Skimbleshanks is barely an adult, and the youngest Jellicle is Demeter. Consult my profile for more information on what cats would be alive at the time and may show up in the story.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it! :D