From the top of a long wooden fence, Demeter peered down into the shadows of the street below.

"Can you see him?" She called. Bombalurina looked up from across the road.

"No," she replied. "He didn't go this way. But how else did he get back to the Junkyard?"

"Maybe he didn't go back to the Junkyard," Demeter considered. "He could have gone somewhere else. Alonzo loves to roam, you know."

"Yeah," Bombalurina agreed. "But we can usually find him. Do you think he might have gone back through the parks?" Demeter's eyes lit up. She leapt down from the wall and ran to the other queen.

"Rina, you're a genius! Of course he did!" She grinned. "I bet he wanted to take the long way back, after we'd surprised him like that! He doesn't want to admit we scared him!" Bombalurina giggled.

"Come on, let's go! Maybe we can catch him before he gets back!"

"Maybe we can scare him again!" They raced down the street, golden eyes gleaming in the moonlight.


"Ok, your turn to count!" Tumblerutus announced. "To fifty, remember, while I hide and then you come find me!"

"I remember," Pouncival sighed. He hid his eyes behind his paws and began to count. Tumblebrutus surpressed a gleeful laugh and raced away. He had a great place to hide, he was sure Pouncival would never find him.

The younger kittens weren't supposed to leave the junkyard without an adult, but Tumblebrutus had, quite conveniently, forgotten in the excitement of the game. Without a second thought he scrambled through a gap in the fence and ran out into the street. He knew Pouncival would never think to look outside the junkyard, so he didn't have to go far to find a place to hide. There was a shadowy corner across the road – that would do. He crossed the street, sniffing with interest as he caught a whiff of a cat, one he didn't know. The scent was going cold, so Tumble didn't follow it. The tom who had left it had probably just passed by. He came to the corner and slowed down as he smelt another scent. This one was familiar, but it was mingled with a much sharper smell – blood.

"Alonzo?" Tumblebrutus whispered in alarm, looking around. He couldn't see the older kitten, but he could clearly smell Alonzo's scent, mixed with the blood. Scared, the game forgotten, Tumble crept into the corner, where what he had taken for a pile of rags lay, as if flung like discarded rubbish. It was Alonzo, Tumble realised now. He leapt forward. "Alonzo!" He called louder, but Alonzo didn't move. Tumble batted the older kitten's face with his paw. He heard a noise on the rooftops above him and squeaked in fear, staring upwards with wide, frightened eyes. Then a voice called his name.

"Tumblebrutus?" Bombalurina's voice was surprised. Demeter turned.

"What?" She asked, moving over to the edge of the roof where Bombalurina was staring into the street.

"Look! Tumblebrutus is down there! He's out alone again, the naughty kit!" She remarked.

"We better go rescue him," Demeter sighed. They leapt down from the roof into the corner.

"Tumblebrutus! What are you doing out on your own - " Demeter began, when the small kitten interrupted.

"Demeter! Look at Alonzo!" Tumblebrutus cried. "Is he dead?" He crept over to Demeter, burying his face in her fur. Bombalurina gasped and stepped forward.

"Alonzo?" She asked.

"'Rina…is he ok?" Demeter began, trying to stop her voice trembling. At the silence from her friend, she put her arms around Tumble. "He's not…de…hurt, is he?" She avoided the dreadful word, fear clouding her eyes.

"I don't know!" Bombalurina whispered, crouching down next to Alonzo's crumpled body. She put her paw gently on Alonzo's still body, and felt no movement there. His fur was cold against her paw. Snatching away, she stumbled backwards, her breath catching in her throat. "No…" She whispered, trembling all over with horror. Demeter gasped.

"Alonzo?" She cried, letting go of Tumblebrutus and darting forwards. "'Rina, he's not dead! He can't be!" She made to push past Bombalurina, but the taller kitten caught her arm.

"I didn't feel any breathing Dem," Bombalurina' s gaze was filled with pain. "Don't go over there! Don't!" She screamed as Demeter tugged her arm. "He's not breathing!"

Demeter stared at her, the shock a solid wall between them, trapping them inside their fear.