((my first CATS fic! ha. i own none of this, except merry, of course. she is mine c: this fic i actually about a year and some months after the musical and i also have to mention how awesome The Penguin Ate My Homework has been with betaing this fic. she is awesome, yall, go check her out c: so thanks! and thanks to yall for reading!))

Sometimes, he thought, a nice sunbath would not be a terrible thing. After all, Tugger enjoyed them—perhaps a bit too much. But his dear brother had offered him advice the other day, which he had intended to take: "Loosen up!" It was true; Munkustrap could do with some loosening up. While he still could. The Jellicle tribe would become his responsibility at some point.

He considered all of this as he sat on his family's stoop, taking in the sun. It hit him hard, having a darker coat than some, but it was relaxing. His eyes were slowly beginning to close. Thoughts whirled around in his head as he began to doze. Responsibility…Old Deuteronomy…tribe…until finally, something woke him up with a start. He looked around, hearing a low growl coming from two unfamiliar kits. They spat at each other, their hair standing up. He rose up, wanting to intervene, but he didn't think now was the time. He didn't know these kittens, but he knew all kittens needed to have spats if they were to learn.

A Russian Blue cat was the first to say something. "I wish you didn't have to come back, but if I don't return with you, you know they'll blame me. It isn't my fault you're some sort of…freak," he spat with venom in his words. "Your dear old mum misses you, for some reason."

The other kitten, a white kitten with large black spots around her body, shook her head. "Why should I care about what sort of trouble you'll get into, Raphael? Go back home and be with those who are /normal," she said, and she turned her back, attempting to walk off. Raphael stood there, watching curiously before he frowned and turned back, away from where the other kitten was. Munkustrap watched with some interest as she made her way into the alley between his people's home and their neighbor's. Curiosity got the better of him and he rose up, inspecting where she was going. She sat next to a garbage can, staring intently at a candy wrapper. What she did next made him stop in his tracks. She stared at the wrapper, and much to his surprise, it began to levitate in front of her. She sat in a playful stance, the wrapper rising up to about her eye level before slowly floating back down to her paws.

"Quite impressive," said Munkustrap, and the kitten glared at him, rising into a defensive pose at once. "You're not from around here." She didn't respond. She didn't look familiar at all, though she obviously wasn't much of a threat. Munkustrap was sure that a capable tom like him could take this young queen. He cleared his throat. "Where are you from?" Munkustrap asked. After a moment she shrugged, and he frowned. "You don't know where you live?"

"I live two blocks away from a pack of Pollicles," she said carefully, frowning.

Munkustrap didn't know exactly how close the junkyard was to a Pollicle tribe, but he would certainly check. "Are you lost?" he asked, wanting to help, but he found himself counting the number of kittens they already had and one more would be stressing his tribe.

"No," the kitten responded, and began to levitate the candy wrapper once more, concentrating hard. It fell and she sighed, rolling onto her back. "Are /you/ lost?"

Munkustrap stammered. "I…no. I live in the junkyard." He watched her play with the wrapper, and he frowned. What an odd cat. He decided he would give her more chance to be friendly and personable (or, should he say, catable?). He cleared his throat. "My name is Munkustrap." He said this with dignity, and expected immediate respect from her. He received none, and he promptly sighed with impatience and disappointment. "What's your name?" he asked.

She frowned. "I don't know you well enough to say," she responded, seemingly concentrated on the candy wrapper. Now Munkustrap was frustrated, and it was very clear.

"What about your family name? What name is that?"

"No family. Live in a box," she said, and she looked up to him before finally rising onto her feet, stretching. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have more pressing matters to attend to besides playing twenty questions. Good day, Munkustrap," she said, and began off. And Munkustrap did not feel like following after her.

--

That night, Munkustrap found himself sitting and grooming himself, Tugger and Mistoffelees sitting around him. Munkustrap glanced over and casually mentioned the kitten. He told how she was a rude to him, and didn't know about him (and he assumed the rest of Jellicles. After all, if someone didn't know /him, they probably didn't know another Jellicle).

"She was…odd. Not like the kittens here. She said she lived a few blocks away from a pack of Pollicles," Munkustrap finished, and he set his head down, frowning forward.

"The closest pack I know of live nearly fifteen blocks away from the junkyard…she was surely far from home," Mistoffelees said to Munkustrap, eyeing him. "Why didn't you bring her here? Was she able to hunt?"

Munkustrap frowned. And then he realized why he should have. "Perhaps," Munkustrap responded, and he cleared his throat. "Also…she was able to levitate a candy wrapper," he mentioned. Tugger's ears rose curiously, but apart from that, he was just as distant as before. Mistoffelees, however, looked at Munkustrap quite seriously. "Are you able to do that?" he asked Misto, who nodded.

"Yes," he finally said, and thought. He'd never come across another cat that was able to perform such tricks as he could. He looked to Munkustrap. "Where did she go?" he asked, wanting to find her, and at least speak to her. Perhaps to try to return her home, or at least show her a few tricks while he had her attention. Munkustrap didn't know, and after a moment, Mistoffelees rose, leaving the junkyard to find this kit. Munkustrap exchanged a look of guilt with Tugger.

Tugger chuckled to himself, and looked up to his brother. "This is why I don't get involved with strays. When are you going to start listening to me, hm?" Tugger rose and left, but not before ruffling poor Munkustrap's hair.

--

Mistoffelees' search was fruitless. Unless you count the dead bird hanging from his mouth, of course. He made his way happily through an alley, pausing to scratch behind his ear, and he heard a small mew. He looked around, and finally came across a kitten that matched Munkustrap's description of the rude kitten. He frowned, watching her pouncing on a cockroach, leading him to sigh.

"I know someone who wouldn't appreciate that," the tuxedo cat said with a chuckle. That was more for him. "I have something a little more satisfying. A dove." She seemed interested, now. He left, expecting her to follow. She peeked from behind the garbage can, watching this tomcat chow down on this dove.

She approached curiously, bending down to casually eat, though her large blue eyes were fixed on Mistoffelees as she chewed. Misto finished, nudging for her to finish the dove. He leaned against the wall, and smiled. "My friend says you can do a pretty impressive trick," he said casually when she was almost done. "Levitation, correct?" he asked, and she nodded gently. He nodded as well, and looked down, letting her finish finally. After she was done, she made her way over to find another wrapper. He watched attentively. She bent down and concentrated on the wrapper before finally it rose up in the air, this time up to her ears before it fell back down.

She grinned up to him. "I can't make it go up much higher than that." Her smile was proud.

Mistoffelees nodded, and he smiled. "I can do tricks like that, too. Watch." he reached over behind the kitten's ear and pulled out a very long green ribbon, watching her eyes widen as he continued to pull and pull. At the end was an ace of clubs, which landed by her feet. He bowed and she clapped gingerly. "So. What's your name, kid?" he asked, and began to scrunch all of the ribbon into his hand.

"Merrytus," she responded. "And yours?"

"Mr. Mistoffelees, but Mistoffelees is quite fine," he said to her, and he opened his palm. Much to her surprise, there was no ribbon. "Is there anything else you can do, Merrytus?" he asked the kitten, sitting and relaxing for now.

"Sort of," she responded. "I can make things disappear, but I'm afraid I don't know how to get them back again." She grinned. "I don't practice much. My tribe…my old tribe, they weren't very fond of my powers. They said it just wasn't normal," she responded with a shrug. "I haven't met another cat like me, who can do things like me. Does your tribe make fun of you?"

Mistoffelees shook his head. "No, no…my tribe enjoy my ability." He paused. "Perhaps…would you like to join us?" he asked, and regretted it. He had gone too far…she wasn't very trusting.

Just as he predicted, she backed up. "No. I've found my new home," Merrytus responded with a smile, and she looked down as she began off. "Thank you for the dove." She frowned. "I would like to learn some new tricks, though," Merrytus mumbled.

Mistoffelees nodded. "Of course. I'll come by," he said, and he watched as she walked off, no doubt to a cardboard box nearby. He began towards the junkyard, knowing she would come around on her own soon enough.