Chapter 4: Family

A/N: Well, I'm going to let you read this. I'm a little torn between it. But I'd love to hear your opinions! I really have to thank everyone who has reviewed the story so far! It really means a lot to me, and I hope you're enjoying them. There's kinda an offer that I didn't mention before: If you really love a story, review or PM me. Some of them I've considered into making full stories, but I'm not planning on it unless people are really going to read it. It's kinda an inspiration thing, you know? Anyways, enough of that, you're here for the story! :P

Disclaimer: I don't own Cats.

I stretched out in the sun, letting my fur soak up the warmth from its rays. A purr began to rumble from deep in my chest. My vest assisted in absorbing any extra warmth. I let my tail sway gently back and forth in complete satisfaction.

I managed to push Jenny and the rest of the yard from my thoughts and was able to take in the refreshing air and the majestic scenery. Some time ago the train had somehow managed to break away from the congestion of the city and green trees and crystal rivers had been speeding by all day. But I knew that that meant we would soon be pulling into Gallowgate, and I was loathe to leave the peace of the scenery behind.

Reluctantly I gathered my paws under me and stretched as I prepared my body for activity. I would need to make sure that the passengers successfully departed, left nothing behind, and perhaps some slight cleaning before the new passengers boarded. I may even check in on the cargo car and make sure the employees were working smoothly. And somewhere in there I was hoping to sneak a few minutes to stretch my legs on the platform.

I breathed in the last of the country air as I watched the boarder of the city grow on the horizon. I smiled as the train blasted its whistle, letting the town know of its immanent arrival.

Once I had my satisfaction of the clean air, I turned and headed for the front of the car. I had been sleeping in the luggage car as the train had sped on its path. It was the only car that always left the windows open, allowing me to feel the speeding breeze and take in all the sights and sounds of travel.

Jenny had always laughed when I told her about the joys of my journeys. She would just tell me that she really did believe me, but would leave those small joys to me; she was content to stay in the yard. I could still picture her brown eyes sparkling with the smile she always seemed to have. I constantly found myself following her tiger stripes with my eyes as she continued with her cross stitch…

All that didn't matter any more. It was over.

I shook the images from my head as I nudged the car door open. I braced myself against the sudden rush of wind as I was exposed to the outside air. Through squinted eyes and windblown fur, I deftly jumped the space between the carts and landed easily on the small platform of the car in front of me. This car had a small cat flap, and a grin spread across my face as I remembered the day they decided to install the contraption.

Gently, I pushed my face against the flap and slinked into the car. I was greeted with bright lights and dimmed conversation. The passenger car was always my favorite, with all the sounds and excitements. How could I turn down a scratch behind the ear and a treat or two?

With all the authority I could muster I began to meow at the passengers in a voice that I had mastered as commanding but polite, letting them know that we would soon be at the stop. The ladies giggled as I passed while all the gentlemen and the train employees tipped their hats or dipped their heads in respect. My chest puffed out with pride as I continued to call to the passengers.

The train finally pulled to a stop and I took my usual spot at the foot of the ticket master. Sitting as smartly as I could, I gave my vest a quick straighten before straightening by back to say my farewells to the passengers. As each one left I gave a short goodbye mew and received a polite nod in return.

After the last of the passengers departed, I quickly sprang to my paws and began my usual check. Any trash I could find lying on the floor or stuffed in the seats I swiftly gathered and deposited them in the car trashcan. Most other items that needed addressing were a little too large for my small Jellicle frame to handle. I would leave those to the employees, and check back before the new passengers boarded the car.

I deftly jumped back onto the cargo car, though it was a lot easier now that I wasn't fighting any wind, and peeked in to make sure that the baggage men had begun to unload. I also wanted to make sure that they were doing it with the most respect and delicacy that they had, as they should. Nothing rubbed my fur the wrong way than seeing incompetent baggage men throwing other people's luggage around without a care in the world.

I gave a curt nod then leaped out of the car. I landed as expertly as all cats do, and gave a quick glance at the station clock. We were right on schedule. We would depart as soon as the engine was watered and the new passengers' tickets were punched. I let out a sigh, happy that the trip had been smooth so far.

As I was contemplating the words "Night Mail" emblazoned in golden letters on the engine when I was distracted by some kind of scuffle near the luggage car at the end of the platform. I swiveled my ears in an attempt to pick up the source, and soon discovered what sounded like a group of cats was the origin.

I quickly trotted down the station, ready to squash the conflict and send the troublemakers away. However, I wasn't ready for what I saw.

A large group of cats stood in a small mob, all facing the train, though I couldn't quite tell what they were looking at as a pillar obstructed my view. As I drew closer, I realized that the group was the source of the noise, as they seemed to hiss and spit at whatever was hiding behind the pillar. I also noticed that the gathering was made up of mostly queens, but a few toms were scattered throughout as well. If I had to guess, I would've said that there were at least twenty cats gathered. I wasn't sure what was going on, but I knew that the gathering was starting to become conspicuous, and I needed to get them away from the Northern Mail as soon as possible.

If I thought the sight of the gathering of cats had surprised me, I was in for a shock when I drew close enough to just see past the pillar. Standing erect and statuesque in front of the animated crowd was a beautiful, alabaster queen. Her fur was so white that I was sure that it would have glimmered in almost any light. I couldn't see a single blemish of color on her, except for her petite pink nose. The queen was lithe and small, like the Jellicles back home, and she could only be few years out of kittenhood.

I drew even closer and the scene became complete. The snowy queen stood in front of the angry crowd, staring blankly ahead as if waiting for the call to board. Behind her, the cats continued to yell. What shocked me was that they seemed to be hurling insults at the young looking queen. Some of them were so harsh that it would have made Jenny blush.

I would have sworn that the snowy queen was deaf, they way she kept her stoic expression through all the insults. But that wasn't true, because every once in a while, I saw her ears flick back in irritation as particularly harsh insults were flung; most of those included statements of whore, or telling her that she wasn't wanted. Her jaw was set in a strict line, and I could tell that she was clenching her teeth in frustration. It must have been taking everything she had to act as if the mob didn't bother her, or even exist. I wouldn't have been able to do that.

It didn't take long for me to become fed up with the scene, and I quickly trotted over, head held high with authority. "Can I help you?" I asked, trying to sound as professional as possible, even though my mind was screaming for them to shut up.

The mob of cats quickly hushed and settled down, taking on the demeanor of polite cats. The queen herself remained as statuesque as ever, and kept her head held high. Her blue eyes glanced toward me. After she quickly sized me up, she focused her gaze back on the Night Mail.

A plump, portly queen stepped forward. She would have been slightly attractive if she didn't have such a venomous look on her face, and her eyes seemed clouded with malice. "Yes, sir! I hate to place such a burden on you, but you must take this trash out of Gallowgate immediately!"

I felt my fur begin to rise in anger and I could feel my nerves on edge. I couldn't stand someone telling me what to do with my job, and for some reason, it really bothered me the way they were treating the young cat. But I also knew that my job was to be as polite to the public as possible. I gave the queen a curt nod before turning to the downy figure of self-control. "I can't make you board ma'am, but if you would like a ride on the Midnight Mail, I would be more than happy to provide all the accommodations you need."

The queen glanced back at me and looked me over more studiously this time. I could tell she was weighing my words against my expression, trying her best to gauge my sincerity. I could only hope that she could tell that I meant her no harm. After making her own silent judgment, I thought I saw a soft smile enter her eyes. She gave a gentle nod, "Thank you." Her purr was soft and a lilting kind of music seemed to dance in her voice.

I put on my best host smile and held out my elbow to her. She demurely took my offered arm and we walked towards the luggage car. Behind us, I heard the same queen that had assumed leadership hiss, "And don't come back you little tramp!" The two of us pretended as if we didn't hear a word.

Luckily, the baggers had finished unloading and loading, and the cargo car would not be disturbed again. I jumped up to the platform and then turned to offer help to the delicate looking queen. She gave a feint smile and then leapt to the platform without any help at all.

"You may sit anywhere you like in this car, but please refrain from getting inside anyone's luggage." I thought I saw a hint of laughter in her eyes as I said those words, but continued, "Anyways, I've gotta make sure everyone boarded properly, and then give the signal. I'll be back as soon as the train is underway."

I simply received a polite nod, indicating that she had heard. Not wanting to shirk my duties or remain in the awkward silence with the queen, I quickly turned on my heel and headed for the passenger cars.

After the "all-clear" signal was given, I began my trot back to the luggage car. I realized, ashamedly, that I had performed my duties only half-heartedly. I just couldn't get the new feline passenger out of my mind. I swiftly jumped to the luggage platform and nudged my way past the door.

I found my guest seated at the very top of a securely tied down pile of crates. The mound was conveniently placed right next to the window. It was so close that if she simply fell off the crate she was on, she would tumble right out of the train. At first, a sudden feeling of terror gripped me for some reason but after examining her calm face with her downy fur blowing in the wind, my fears fled me. For some reason, I could just tell that she was in complete control of herself.

I jumped up to the top of the pile and sat myself down a few feet away from her. Only a slight flick of her tail indicated that she acknowledged my existence. I examined her face as she watched the world rush past. I could tell from the way the wind played with her fur and her eyes glimmered in the light that she was a real beauty. It wouldn't matter where she was, she would always catch toms' eyes and attentions.

We rode for a while in silence. I was unsure of what to say, and I don't think she really cared. After a few seconds, I was ready to snap and just say something, but before I decided on what to say to her, the queen interrupted me, "Thank you. I feel I've been rude. But I really must thank you for treating me so kindly at Gallowgate." Even as she spoke, she continued to stare ate the window, watching the world transform into a blur.

I was taken aback, unsure of how to respond, "I-It was nothing, lassie." I stuttered in my astonishment. Somehow I had said something worthy of a small smile, but nothing further was said. But now that the conversation was open, I couldn't suppress my curiosity any longer. "If you don't mind my asking, why were they driving you out of town?"

The queen's smile dropped as she sat silent for a while. She eventually turned to face me, her eyes searching mine. After a moment of contemplation, a false smile came to her lips as a kind of sadness entered her eyes as they dropped to her paws. "Didn't you hear? I believe it was a combination of being a slut, a bad influence, and I think I heard some catnip usage."

I rolled my eyes, and laid down on the crate, glancing between the queen and the window. "Why did you really get run out?"

Her eyes found mine again, and a more sincere smirk came to her face. "My name is Victoria. It's a pleasure to meet you too." Was there a small chuckle in her voice? Did she have a sense of humor?

After a brief moment's reflection, a blush spread across my face as I could feel the heat of shame as I realized how rude I was. "Oh, ah. Yes. Ahem. I'm so sorry. My name is Skimbleshanks, the railway cat."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Skimbleshanks." She paused to glance back towards window before turning another gracious smile in my direction. "Anyways, I was run out for many complex reasons, I guess. Most of which really is my fault."

I was surprised, I had never actually assumed that Victoria held any guilt in the matter.

She continued, unable to look away, it was as if she was daring me to break my gaze. "I mean, it's hard to explain. Maybe it was nerves?" She seemed to be contemplating her answer as she spoke. "Cats fear that which they don't know, and even though I knew that, I didn't care. I entered into the main junkyard of Gallowgate, and tried to keep to myself. I'm not a very outgoing, social queen. And I never really had a family to relate to. But when one keeps to themselves, it worries others. And when no one knows anything about the stranger, it doesn't help the case either. Plus, with no pride or self-conceit, it's hard to keep a low profile when you look like this." She glanced down at her pristine paws.

"And even when I knew what was happening, I pretended not to. I probably actually even withdrew further into myself, making my problem worse. So they decided I needed to leave since they were scared of me. So they made reasons. And with the way I had acted, there was no one there to defend me." She let out a dainty sigh. "It's just on to another city."

I stood there stunned. How do you comfort someone after that story? I had no idea how to react, and I became restless. I sat back up and glanced out of the window. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." It sounded lame, even to me.

I heard her throaty laugh. "What about your home Mr. Skimbleshanks?"

I glanced at her in some surprise. For all she knew, I lived on the train. How did she know there was another place that held my heart?

Her smile grew wider as she looked back at my shocked eyes. "I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me. But you are so kind…too kind. I only assumed you had to have a good home, a good family. I wanted to know what it was like."

Victoria seemed even more like a kitten as her sapphire eyes grew wide, hoping to hear even a small response to her request. How could I refuse? I cleared my throat, excited to tell her of the Jellicles. "Well, in the heart of London, there is a junkyard where a tribe of Jellicles gather." I noted her cock her head at the word. I smiled, "Describing Jellicles is a difficult matter. I'll explain them some other time. But it is one of the gentlest, most kind, loving tribes you'll ever find. They love to sing and dance… They care about each other. No one wants for anything. It's like paradise."

I looked down to see that Victoria had closed her eyes as she pictured the image I painted for her. When I had stopped my description, she peeked at me through a cracked lid. "But you're here…"

I was taken aback, partially due to her boldness, but also because of her perceptiveness. Even so, I wasn't going to let her think she had pinned me. "Th-this is my job. I work a ride or two…"

She shook her head and stretched her limbs out. Every movement seemed graceful and luxurious. I could definitely see why she wouldn't blend into the background in any yard. She cast her gaze back out at the blurs of green and blue and gave a small titter, "You said 'they', not 'we'. You don't intend on going back." She gave a sad smirk, "I know the feeling."

A few moments of silence passed and she turned to face me again. This time, however, most of her coolness seemed to have vanished and a look of sympathy and concern replaced it. It was almost a motherly expression, so warm and caring. "So what's her name?" She purred.

I felt my mouth fall open. Did she know about Jenny? She couldn't! So how did she…? I could tell from the look in her eyes that perhaps I wasn't hiding my feelings as well as I thought I was. I let a sigh escape. Maybe discussing things would help clear my mind. "Her name is Jennyanydots. She's one of the Jellicles."

Victoria gave a solemn nod as I hesitatingly began. Her eyes were glued to mine, but not in a defiant dare as before, but in a sense of kind understanding.

"She the most sincere queen you'll ever meet. She cares for everyone before herself. I loved her. And she loved me..." I trailed off, thinking of those kind chocolate eyes glistening with joy.

Victoria seemed enraptured with my story, her face was set with earnest anticipation. "So…why did you leave?"

Normally I would have balked at such an intrusive question, but I had already come this far, and I had a feeling that Victoria meant well. "Well, as I said she thinks of everyone before herself. One of the things she wants most in life, is a family. Her life would be complete if she had kittens. But I'm not the fatherly type. I don't know how to take care of others, and I leave periodically. In truth, kittens just scare me… everything I do could influence them… what if I was a horrible father…?

"After a while, she stopped talking about a family. But I knew better. It was her way of taking care of my wants over hers. She still wanted kittens, but she didn't want to make me feel uncomfortable, so she pretended. I knew that she would never admit to it, but I also knew that I was making her sad…So I left, without saying a word. I figured she deserved better, and maybe if she saw me as heartless enough, she would realize it too."

I tried to steal a glance at Victoria's face, but it was as expressionless as the time we met. I couldn't tell if she was judging me or not. I felt like my confession was just the same as the trees that blurred past her. She stole a quick glance down at her paws as they fiddled in front of her. I seemed like a flash of sadness entered her eyes, but they quickly regained their stoic expression. "So how long have you been working on trains?"

What had I expected after sharing such a personal, possibly awkward moment with Victoria? Was I hoping that this was like storybooks and she would enlighten me with some kind of insight? I didn't know, and while the change of subject didn't surprise me, it was a little disheartening. It took me a while to find my words, but I eventually did. We spent the rest of the day talking about different models of trains and what I thought of each one.

The next morning I went about my usual business. I left Victoria asleep in the luggage car and began my patrol of the few passenger cars on the Night Mail. As I expected, the lack of children made my job easier as every one behaved properly.

After I went back and forth on the cars a few times, I padded my way to the ticket master's room. I scratched at the door to let him know that I had completed my rounds, and was ready for breakfast. As I heard the scratch of a chair being pushed back, I sat at attention, waiting for him to open the door.

The door quickly swung open as I was greeted with a round man who never seemed to lack a smile on his face. "Hey-o there Skimbles! Easy morning today, eh? Didn't see a single kid, your kind o' train ride."

I puffed out my chest at the praise, a smile spreading across my features.

He chuckled as my show of pride. "Well, as always dear lad, you deserved this." The large man reached behind him and pulled something off of a shelf and bent over to delicately place it in front of me. As usual, a small bag of old, dry cat food seemed to be hunched over in front of me. It wasn't anything high quality or special, but it's not like I could expect much else, they were taking care of me out of their own pockets.

I gave a polite nod and picked up the bag in my teeth and trotted towards the back of the train.

I heard the ticket master's bellowing laughter echo down the hall. "Haven't worked up an appetite yet?"

I couldn't tell him that I had stowed another cat on the train.

The roar of the train speeding through the countryside hit my ears as I entered the car. I figured she had opened the window again. Instinctively my eyes shot to the top of the pile we sat on yesterday, and as I expected Victoria sat, staring out at the blurry countryside.

The bag dropped to the floor with a bump and I called out to Victoria, "I have breakfast, lass!"

Her eyes met mine and a sheepish smile came to her face. She delicately slid the window closed, and a silence spread through the car. Victoria carefully picked a path down the pile before gracefully landing in front of the bag.

Victoria glanced at the bag, her eyes showing her hunger, but she immediately dropped her gaze and mumbled, "You didn't have to…"

I drew myself up to my full height as a began to open the bag. "I did, you're my guest."

She gave a submissive nod as I scooped a pawful of chow in front of her.

Victoria leaned over and sniffed the pile of dry goods and immediately recoiled, her nose crinkled in a grimace. "You eat that?" She mewed as she took a step back and started to turn away from the pile.

I turned a steely gaze on the queen. I knew it wasn't really my business, but she was young, and I had assumed care for her. Plus she didn't know anything about being on a train. "Listen here, lassie!" I snapped, putting more authority in my voice then I meant to. "This here is the food your host brought you. Additionally, I keep this train spik and span! The mice don't even try to live here anymore. You are going to eat this or not at all."

Victoria's eyes grew large, she clearly wasn't used to being spoken to like that. She looked back at the food as words seemed to fail her.

I let out a sigh and smile, pushing the pile closer to her. "I'm sorry Ms. Victoria, but it's true." I tried to put a little more politeness in my voice to make up for my previous harshness.

"I'm sorry." Victoria mumbled as she began to hesitantly chew her kibble. I quickly hid my smirk in my own pile as we ate in silence.

It wasn't long before the two of us sat contentedly at the base of a luggage pile, contemplating our full bellies. Victoria turned to me with one of her coy smiles. "It actually wasn't that bad." She purred.

"I know." I mused, closing my eyes for a quick catnap before I went on another round.

And thus began the misadventures of the snowy Victoria and I. It seemed that not a single peaceful day could go by on our trip to London.

One morning, I had taken Victoria out of the luggage car to see the rest of the train. I knew that her manners were refined enough that nothing bad could happen if we toured. In fact, humans actually really adore pure white kittens. I just had to make sure that all the attention didn't go to Victoria's head. She was still my guest, not a passenger in the first class.

After the humans had gushed over her, Victoria mentioned that she wanted to see what made the train go so fast. I was hesitant at first, but what cat can deny such a curious mind. I quickly told her I would take her to up to the engine, but she had to follow me closely and do exactly as I instructed her.

I received a promise.

We began walking towards the engine, and it wasn't long before we passed the coal bed. I quickly indicated towards it with my tail, explaining that the coal is what actually provides the power for the entire train.

Victoria mentioned that she wanted to see the coal, fascinated to see what all that power looks like. I chuckled, knowing she would be disappointed. Yet, I wanted her to see for herself, so over my shoulder I told her she could have a quick look. I kept walking though, knowing that she would grow bored and soon catch up.

However, it didn't take long for me to notice that she didn't catch up as soon as I thought she would. I assumed she had been distracted by something else on the platform. As I turned to locate Victoria, my hackles immediately rose in horror as I performed one of those little jumps where you land with all four paws spread, as if readying for impact.

Balancing precariously on the edge of the coal bed, the dainty white queen was leaning further and further over, as if trying to touch a piece of coal. I could see the wind whipping her headfur. "Victoria!" I shouted as I sprinted towards her.

Apparently that wasn't the right thing to do, because as soon as I shouted, Victoria jumped in surprise and went tumbling into the pile of coal. My mind reeled as it contemplated al the ways she could have hurt herself. I wasn't sure why, but I just felt like I had to protect this young queen, no one else in her life had.

I reached the edge of the bed, and peered over, praying that everything would be okay. Suddenly, I could barely suppress a burst of laughter as I took in the scene in front of me. Laying clumsily on top of the coal pile was a white, gray, and black queen. Victoria was completely covered in coal, and if it wasn't for the few spots of her white fur being visible, I wouldn't have been able to locate her. She had been completely covered in the black dust.

Victoria's arms flailed as she made her way towards the edge and me. She looked like a pitiful kitten in sinking sand. I couldn't old the laughter in anymore as I held out a paw to help her back onto the platform. As I dragged Victoria out, a small pout appeared and she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"It wasn't that funny."

My laughter only doubled as I looked into her embarrassed blue eyes, now surrounded by stained, black fur. "You're gonna need a bath, a water bath! Can't lick that stuff off, you'll get sick."

Her eyes grew so wide I thought they were going to pop out of her head.

I don't think I'll ever forget the fight she gave me as I dragged her back to the luggage car, or her howls of anger as I tried my best to clean her with some water I stole from the passenger car. In the end, she looked as good as new, except for some damp fur and her bottom lip pushed out as she moped for the rest of the day.

It didn't end there either. There was another time where she somehow managed to anger a dangerous looking peke at one of the stations. Luckily I was close enough to defend her and that the peke was weak enough to take my bluffs seriously.

I swore to her that I lost a significant portion of my nine lives following her around. I was simply answered with a musical laugh as she settled down for sleep.

It also became a habit of hers to wake in the middle of the night, caked in sweat from some nightmare or other. She never told me what happened in her dreams, but she did say that she always ended up alone. Eventually, we had grown close enough that she allowed me to comfort her during these times, as I tried my best to make her forget her nightmares and know that she wasn't alone.

After a few weeks, we finally pulled into the London Station, the end of the line. The thought had entered my mind the day before, but I couldn't shake it. What if I went back to the yard, like I normally would? Would Jenny still be waiting, or would she have moved on by now? No, I had to stay strong. I couldn't go back to the Jellicles anymore, it wouldn't be fair.

I tried my best to clear my mind as I said my farewells to the passengers. I just couldn't keep Jenny out of my head as I headed back towards cargo for my final goodbye of the trip.

Victoria was sitting on the outside platform, which made sense since the workers were busy unloading the bags. It was weird to see the queen without the wind toying with her fur. I sat down next to her, watching the now stationary scenery. What was going through her head? All I knew was that I wasn't sure how to say goodbye. It had been nice to have someone to talk to during what could have been the loneliest part of my life.

Moments passed, and eventually I noticed Victoria had turned to look at me. I glanced back and was surprised to be greeted with a true smile. Not one of the small, barely sincere ones that she dropped like rain, but a full-blown smile. It was warm and kind, and probably one of those smiles that younger toms would die to be graced with.

"I think you should go back." She purred, her tail swaying hypnotically back and forth. "The Jellicles are in London, right?" She pursued after a moment of silence

I gave a surprised nod, unsure of where this was going.

She laughed, her smile not dropping an inch. "I mean it really is up to you. But I can tell you love Ms. Jennyanydots. And if you ask me, you are ready for kittens and you would make a wonderful father. I can't stop thinking of all you have done for me. I've been a real three-month-old on this trip. Which, by the way, I am sorry but grateful you put up with. All those things, like making me eat my food, and comforting me, and protecting me…but most important, you're loving and kind. I know I'm being extremely forward as usual, but I think you deserve that happiness."

Victoria finished her speech and closed her eyes in satisfaction, feeling the rays of the sun warm her fur.

And as much as I didn't want to admit it to myself, she was right. Maybe I was ready. Did I really think that I could live without Jenny at my side? And if what she said was true, maybe I could be a father… it was almost too large of a realization to put into thoughts.

Even though my mind was racing, it quickly returned to Victoria. "So I deserve that happiness, hm?" I paused as I saw her smile grow wider as she nodded. "What about you, lass? What will you do now in London?"

She opened her eyes as her smile fell a bit. She stared contemplatively at the grass on the ground beneath the platform. "I don't know. I'll probably find a small suburb kinda place, maybe an alley. It's never too hard to find a place to lay your head down."

My heart almost broke. This young queen, who had been through so much, deserved happiness more than I ever did. I didn't think she had a malicious bone in her body; the entire time, she rarely acted selfishly. Here I was, running from a possible family and those I loved, and she was practically crying for it.

"What if you came to the yard? The Jellicles would love to get a new member!" I offered.

Victoria's head shot up and she looked at me with suspicious eyes. It was that same look she had given me so many weeks ago as she weighed my honesty in her mind. Even so, I could still see the small spark of hope ignite in her eyes. "W-would they like me?"

I chuckled as I took in her words. I couldn't think of any cats who could be more understanding than the Jellicles. Demeter's skittish behavior was a prime example. "I think they'll love you. And if they don't…" I reached out and placed a paw on top of hers, giving it a squeeze, "Now you'll have someone to defend you."

A melodious purr erupted from her downy chest as Victoria chose to believe my words.

I immediately jumped down and held out a paw for her. She took it and leapt down with a newfound joy that I had never seen before. Her entire demeanor seemed to have changed as we began our path towards the city junkyard.

As we drew closer, I could hear the sound of laughter and singing waft through the air. I immediately picked out Jenny's beautiful laugh. I could only hope that she would still laugh for me.

Victoria's grip on my paw tightened as she picked up the sounds of the yard as well. I turned to her and noticed that she was quickly trying to blink tears from her eyes. I gave her paw a reassuring squeeze. "Ready?" I whispered.

The alabaster queen nodded vigorously, using her free paw to wipe the tears tracing lines down her face. "I'm going to have a family." She mewed as we crossed through the junkyard gates.

A/N: So…. I'm not sure how this turned out of if I like it. I have been watching too many western movies that follow something similar. I really liked the idea in the outline, but after writing it, I'm on the fence. So let me know what you think, pretty please! Review! :)