Snow fell softly from a deep blue sky, which was quite dark in spite of it being only three o'clock in the afternoon.

The Jellicle Junkyard was blanketed in white, shimmering with highlights of silver and deep shadows of purple and blue. A good deal of the shadows were moving about over the clearing in front of the Great Tire; the kittens were having a blast playing in the snow. They squealed and yelled, breath steaming in the cool air, wet and tired and happy as only kittens in their first snowfall can be.

Munkustrap, watching with a smile from atop the TSE car, stood up suddenly and looked around in an exaggerated manner.

"Everyone!" he said, in a booming voice, "Gather 'round! It's time!"

Etcetera clapped her paws. Tumblebrutus bounded over her, accidentally landing on Plato, who unceremoniously threw him onto Electra, a visible target.

"Plato!" she yelped, shoving Tumble back.

"Stop, Electra," Plato said, "You're being such a kitten."

"Why you..."

"Kittens!" Munk boomed. "Settle down!"

Electra shot Plato (who was ignoring her superbly) a dirty look, but settled herself down into a spot at the front.

Munkustrap, once the tom-and-queen-kits ceased messing around, declared:

"It's time for you all to hear the story of this wonderful season. It's time for the story of Red Paws."

"Red Claws," came a new voice, lazy and indolent. Munkustrap looked up to the bedsprings where the Rum Tum Tugger sat, one arm thrown behind his head and the other fiddling aimlessly with his studded belt.

Munk said-"No. It's Red Paws." He continued: "Every year, at Christmas time, we celebrate the coming of Red Paws, and the good fortune he brings.

"Red Paws was a jolly Jellicle cat from the snowy North, blessed with magic so powerful that he could slow down time. He traveled across the land, seeking others with powers and teaching them to use them wisely. He spread his knowledge far and wide, using his power over time to reward good cats and punish bad ones-"

"Macavity!" Etcetera chimed it.

"What? Where?" Demeter gazed about wildly. Bombalurina shook her with loving exasperation. "He's not here, Dem."

Demeter flushed slightly. She looked at Munkustrap, who simply went on:

"When Red Paws visits at Christmastime, and sees how good you are, he uses his power over time to capture hundreds of mice-"

The kittens couldn't suppress squeals of excitement.

"-and brings them to all the good queens and toms. Now, Red Paws may not be here yet, but in good cheer we have some mice that you-" he pointed at each kitten in turn-"get to catch. Because Red Paws is here to spread good joy and cheer..."

"No." Tugger landed next to Munkustrap on the TSE car. He straightened up, shook out his mane, and gave all the kittens (and junkyard) plenty of time to give him their undivided attention (which didn't take very long) and said,

"Ol' Red Claws is here for his dinner. My mother told me," Tugger intensely examined a paw, "that Red Claws was a wild, ravenous cat from the frozen North. Huge, and furry; white, from his ears to the tip of his bushy tail, all except for his paws."

Tugger raised both paws slowly. His eyes, hooded, sparked rather wickedly. "Except for his red paws..." The Tugger whipped out his claws, and leaned forward, hissing menacingly,

"...which are stained with the blood of naughty kittens!"

Etcetera wailed, tucking her tail under her legs. Jemima's eyes were as wide as possible, and even Pouncival looked unnerved.

"Every year," Tugger growled, "he comes down from his hellish Northern den, hungry from hibernation, and he sneaks through the snow with his white coat, to catch and eat little kittens. It doesn't matter if you're in a home. He sneaks down the chimney, quiet as a mouse, and tiptoes to your bed-"

"Tugger!" Jellyorum broke in, shocked, "Stop it!"

He stood back up, leaning heavily on one leg as was his custom, shoulders thrown back. He yawned. "Anyways, that's what my mother told me. She said 'Red Claws' would eat me up if I didn't go to sleep."

There was a long pause.

Munkustrap said, shortly, "No offense, but your mother was insane."

Tugger shrugged. Mistoffelees piped in, "The story of Red Claws is a holiday classic. Mother just told it to make us settle down. Of course," he added slyly, "she told me, at least, that it was, 'just a story'..."

Tugger said darkly, "That's just what Ol' Red Claws wants you to think. So if you see a hint of red in the snow..." He lunged at the kittens. "Watch out!"

The screams reached a pitch only Jennyanydots could sing. Munkustrap swatted his brother. "Damn it, Tugger!"

Another Christmas tradition ruined. Munk gritted his teeth. Would anything go according to plan? At least Old Deuteronomy was snowed in at the Vicarage and missed this appalling display.

Jenny and Jelly rushed in to comfort their kittens. Amidst the hubbub, Etcetera could be heard whimpering, "Mom! He can sneak in the chimney, just like Santa Claus!"

Victoria screamed and pointed.

Munk held his breath. A red shape was moving in the snow, towards the main clearing. He shook himself out of it. Wait a minute. It wasn't Red Claws, it was...

Bombalurina.

The red queen stopped in response to all the wild stares on her. She wrinkled her brow in confusion, big amber eyes wandering over the frightened faces of the kittens and half-relieved, half-irritated faces of the adults. She bit her lip. "Did I miss an important part?"

Tugger scowled. "The best part."

Demeter twitched and pulled Bomba out of the spotlight. "Red Paws became Red Claws," she said succinctly, but not very helpfully.

"Oh?" Bomba said, politely. "I've never heard that version. How does it go?"

Munkustrap smacked Tugger. The shaggy tomcat looked offended. "That was unwarranted."

"Hardly," Munk hissed. "Don't even think of starting over."

Tugger leaned in. "Are you kidding? That would totally ruin the effect."

The effect was apparently causing all the kittens to squeak, and stare at snow clusters, and look very frightened, unwilling to step a few feet away from their mothers.

"You know that you're making Christmas difficult for me, don't you?"

Tugger grinned like a maniac. "No. More exciting."

"Exciting," Munk muttered, "Right." He took a deep breath, and said, in a cheerful voice, "Now-who wants to catch some mice?"

A flurry of shaking heads.

Tugger stepped forward. "C'mon, scaredy cats. Ol' Red Claws hates whiny little kittens."

Munk glared at his brother.

"Those are the ones he eats first."

The ensuing cacophony, what with Jellyorum and Jennyanydots berating Tugger angrily over the wails and hissing of the kittens, made Munk wish that someone else was the Jellicle Protector come Christmastime.

Demeter sidled up to him. "I liked your story better." Her eyes were laughing.

Munk sighed and squatted down, resting his paws on his knees. He watched Tugger cringe as Jelly poked him with a furious, waggling finger and Jenny lectured him on Proper Types of Stories for Young Kittens. Demeter crouched at his side and nuzzled his shoulder, purring.

"Well. It is a Christmas we'll remember."

A/N: I'm trying to catch up with the day! On Wednesday, I'll put up the Wednesday prompt :) Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!