It was a still night. A cold night. Frost was settling over the surfaces of various rejected items that ended up in an old junkyard, just at the edge of London. Silent whisks of clouds drifted by over head, outlined in the pale blue moonlight that gently lit up the landscape. All the creatures of the busy land were at rest. Well, all but the few for which rest would come with the day.
Those few included a nimble calico she cat. Most of the other cats were dozing happily in the depths of their dens, ready for a bright and early start. This queen however, had just returned from pillaging family homes in the suburbs. She approached her own den, and dumped her night's loot inside. Turning away from the entrance, she observed the motionless yard. The queen shivered with delight. The sight before her appealed to her senses – moonlight shapes stretched across the clearing like a silent shadow disco, stars dancing on ahead... she grinned and leapt forward.
Energy exploded into the scene when she moved. Her dancing, commanding the mist around her to swirl upwards in an ice vortex, creating a breeze that would chill any observer. Despite the laws of physics, her orange pelt was luminous in the blue light. Black icicle stripes blurred as her body whipped around. Eventually she tired, and sprawled out on the frozen dance floor with an ungraceful jolt. Her chest heaved happily as she caught her breath, and her heat melted into the cold.
Feeling stiffness sweep over, the queen got to her feet. She brushed the sleet from her coat and slowly walked back to her den. Glancing around behind her a last time before going in for the night, she spotted a friend of hers sitting atop an old broken oven. Feeling her eyes on him, his two tone pelt flicked around to face her. He smiled when he saw her, and jumped off his perch to greet her. She smiled back at him when he approached.
"Wot are you doin up at this toime?" Her shrill cockney accent pierced the cool air with a misty puff.
"I could very well ask you the same question, Teazer" The black and white tom looked at her knowingly. Her night's escapade was far from a secret to any cat within a five mile radius.
"And the point of that?" Rumpleteazer crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at him.
"For you to 'confess your wicked sins'" He answered, taking the mickey out of the cat that ran the yard church services. She giggled, in turn making him giggle with her. The short lived sounds reverberated off the back fence.
"If you really want to know, I couldn't get to sleep."
"Oh. Whoi is that?" Teazer asked, a little frown disturbing her brow.
"I had a bad dream you see" he sighed, sitting down on an old footlocker.
"Aww Lonzie! Are you alroight? What was it about?" she sat down next to him, and took his hand. The concern evident on her features.
"Well, in it, I was having a terrible day, and just when it couldn't get any worse, you told me that you didn't love me and were going to become mates with Tugger" Alonzo grinned.
"Oh you!" Teazer slapped him, but the smirk remained on his lips. "And 'ere Oi was all worried ...Wot does it matter to you who Oi become mates with?" she asked, raising an eyebrow,
"Well, you are a delightful and utterly beautiful queen. You make the whole world shine when you smile, and I'd really hate to see all of your wonderfulness spent on a wasteful tom like him" he said melodramatically,
"Shut up" she scoffed.
"It's true!" Alonzo insisted, and he took her hand and kissed it softly, looking up at her with electric blue eyes. Rumpleteazer laughed and pulled her hand away.
"Get off. How many toimes have you been rehearsing that one?" she simpered knowingly.
"A thousand times my dear, and gladly a thousand more to get it perfect just for you"
"Somebody really needs to punch you in the nose, Alonzo" she shoved him off the footlocker and he landed on the ground with a muted thump.
"I know" Alonzo smiled back at her, noticing her embarrassment-reddened cheeks.
A long silence passed between them when Alonzo sat back down next to her. The moon peaked above their heads and they stared at it as it's radiance sliced through the clouds.
"Now that's wot Oi call beautiful" Teazer commented after a while. Alonzo nodded.
"It's the stuff dreams are made of."
They sat, listening to the continuous, stale, and far away moans of vehicle engines roaring along motor-ways. When the low temperature got through to Teazer and she began to shiver, Alonzo wrapped his arms around her. She remained in his embrace, the pair of them enjoying each other's company, and the closeness, but neither admitting to it. They stayed like that, even when Teazer yawned. Even when Teazer rested her head on Alonzo's shoulder. Even when Teazer's light breathing regulated into the soft contented pattern of slumber...
~
Alonzo looked down at her peacefully sleeping face, every so often twitching with repairing nerves. He was too kind to break the rare mellow spell. He slowly, carefully turned and whisked his other arm beneath her and lifted her form. Gently carrying her through the entryway to her hovel, and setting her down on the nest-like bed. He lightly kissed her forehead, and made for the door.
Alonzo turned back and gazed at Rumpleteazer wistfully. Knowing it was impossible but still wishing. Wishing only that she could know that his earlier words were full of sincerity.