A/N: Morning everyone. Before anyone jumps down my throat, this fic is also on DA - see a link to it in my profile or drop me a line over there if you don't believe me.

Background: This is a Cats fic that explains the story behind Grizabella's whole... exile, thing... and also kind of... brings you from the ground up. From the start of the Jellicles in that junkyard to the Musical, and then I think I'm also going past that to find out what will happen to Macavity (for justice and all that). It's heavily Munkustrap-centric, most of everything will be told from his perspective, and then other cats like Demeter and Grizabella may have centric chapters here and there. Who knows. That may change. It's an exciting rollercoaster for me too. You'll probably be able to tell quite early on which characters I adore and which ones I just glaze over, so be wary of that.

Setting: I've placed the junkyard near Epping Forest, in the UK. I do not live there and it's only a very basic point of reference for me, so if there are any geographical inaccuracies, blame my creative licence.

Disclaimer: Speaking of that creative licence - I don't own Cats. I just went and saw the stage production for the first time when it came to my home town. I subsequently saw it a second time, and now am travelling interstate to go and see it again. It was AMAZING. I'd known of Cats and was a little obsessed as a kid, but now I'm older and all I want to do is immerse myself into the fandom again...so I hope you guys are still out there?

Rating: There will be aplenty of themes in this story, not limited to dub-con, rape, miscarriage, kittens as a product of rape, kitten grooming, suicidal thoughts, mass killings, infertility, birth scenes ;), torture, kidnappings etc. (Wow it sounds awful when you lay it out like that) Please keep in mind that this is not a sad fic. There will just be sad moments. Also, I will never get explicit. While there'll be suggestions of sex, and maybe some lewd comments, it's all going to fade to black ;) But still, this fic could be triggering to some people and that's the opposite of what I want. I'm not going to rate every chapter, so consider this your warning. The only thing that is absolutely not in here is 'underage' sex. I refuse to let anyone touch the kits. :P

Last thing:

If any of you have seen the UK and Australia versions of CATS, you'll notice that The Rum Tum Tugger has had a bit of a makeover. He is now a young hip-hop cat and raps instead of sings. Despite absolutely adoring John Partridge in the movie, I find that this younger Tugger adds a really interesting dynamic to the cast and because of the way this story is, he will be portrayed as a kitten somewhere around Misto's age in the musical (as they are like, besties, during the entire thing).

Also, families are confusing so if it gets awful, let me know and I'll clarify things. I do have a family tree that I'll post on Deviant Art once all the kits are born (there are a few surprises), so hopefully you guys can hold out until then.

Now, we begin.

It was dark.

The moon had risen high into the night sky – the perfect time for Jellicles to be out and about. It was the perfect time for capers and mischievousness. Munkustrap should have been sparring with his older brothers, or lazing about.

But Munkustrap couldn't even blink.

His heart pounded as he sat, on alert. Ears twitching, hearing everything and nothing. His eyes were wide and drying out as he waited foranything.

A shiver rippled through him and he pushed the days' memories from his mind. He wouldn't think about it. Not yet.

"Munk?" a kind, pained voice called through the darkness.

Munkustrap was up the tree in seconds, peering at Jenny through the thin veil of darkness. "What's wrong?"

"Jelly," the queen said softly, "She's in a bad way, sweetheart,"

Munkustrap scowled at the nickname, but this wasn't the time to protest. "Do you… do you think she'll live?"

Jenny glanced up when a pained mewl echoed through the woods, and she lay a hand on his shoulder. "I'll let you know,"

Munkustrap's head dipped with the weight of their current issues, with being alone, and Jenny tutted quietly. "You should get some sleep."

"What if…" Munkustrap seemed to shrink, his voice dropping to a whisper. "What if he comes back?"

Jenny's eyes softened, stretching slightly and groaning. Munkustrap's eyes flicked to her swollen belly, watching it convulse as the kitten inside shifted.

"There isn't much we can do now, Munk…" she said delicately, "You shouldn't worry yourself over all of this..." she took a deep breath to settle herself and her unborn kitten. "How is Bombalurina?"

"Alonzo is with her," Munkustrap said quietly, glancing to another set of branches. He could hear her pain-filled sobs, and was trying desperately to ignore them. Her mother and Demeter were among those unaccounted for.

"Tell us a story?" Jenny asked softly, moving back up the branches to where he could see Jelly's tail and a tiny bit of Asparagus' hind legs.

"I-I can't-"

"Please…" a tiny voice asked from another branch, below him this time.

Munkustrap scaled the trunk, until he arrived on the branch that held the eldest of the kittens – Cassandra, with Munkustrap's brother in her arms, young Plato tucked against her side.

Tugger reached out with grabby hands and Munkustrap took the kitten, thanking Cassandra quietly. She stared down her nose at him, eyes red from crying.

Tugger had been the youngest to make it out of the abandoned warehouse that the tribe of fifty-five Jellicles had called home for almost ten years.

Now… Munkustrap could only imagine the scene that it would show now – bodies everywhere…blood-

"A story?" Tugger asked again, nuzzling into his warm chest.

Munkustrap gazed down at his half-brother, related only through their father – Old Deuteronomy. Oh, how Munkustrap wished the wise old cat would appear. To take care of everything like he always did.

"The awefull battle… of the Pekes and the Pollicles…" he started slowly, his voice timid.

"Speak up!" Asparagus called, and Munkustrap switched to a different branch – just below Cassandra.

He could see the ground clearly from here – would be able to look after his tiny tribe. He lifted his voice so those up the top could hear, and the cries of pain and the sobbing subsided as he recited his favourite tale, the one that he always asked his father to tell.

"All hail and all power to the Great Rumpus Cat," Munkustrap had almost fallen back into a whisper by the end of it all, and by the gentle snores above, he could tell he'd put them to sleep. Tugger stirred, one eye cracking open to gaze up at Munkustrap.

Not wanting him to wake up, Munkustrap started singing – making it up this time, just to keep them asleep.

"I…have a Gumbie cat in mind…" he sang softly, "Her name is JennyAnyDots…"

He sang on, starting to make up other stories, now only singing to himself as both Bombalurina and Alonzo fell asleep as well.

That was, until his nose twitched and he stopped mid-word, the fur on his neck bristling. Tugger stirred, a tiny yawn escaping his lips, and Munkustrap quietly hushed him, keeping him close as he scaled down the tree.

He listened hard, nose twitching, until he recognised Skimbleshank's comforting scent, and all tension left him.

"Skimble?" he called hopefully, stepping forward when another scent hit him and he closed his eyes in relief.

Old Deuteronomy.

"Munkustap?" Old Deuteronomy was not composed as usual. "My son," he said gruffly, pulling the young kitten close.

Munkustrap almost suffocated against his fur but allowed himself to be held, making sure Tugger was secure and safe.

"Father…" Munkustrap whispered. "There's… nine of us left."

The numbers were devastating, and Munkustrap suffered in the tense silence as Deuteronomy took in the sheer tragedy. He quietly sent Skimbleshanks to check on the rest of the cats up the tree, to stand over them while they slept.

"Come," Old Deuteronomy said softly, and for the first time in his life, he was unsure of what to say. He took Munkustrap, and the kitten folded underneath him, curling into his arms. Old Deuteronomy carried him up the tree, to the lowest branch, and settled him between his large bulk and the trunk.

Grateful to be hidden, Munkustrap turned away from his father when he took Tugger, leaning against the trunk. With his father's comforting bulk behind him, his warm body shielding him from everything that had happened, Munkustrap burst into tears, silently sobbing into his paws. He'd lost his brothers, sisters and friends.

Old Deuteronomy was silent, and Munkustrap fell into a restless sleep, eager to let his father take over.