A/N: Many apologies for the lack of updates in my fanfictions, there is very little time between Art history, contemporary drama, work and Harlow Fundraising. I'll try to be a bit more reliable…


"Is it the ground?"

"Nope."

"Could it be the cardboard box?"

"Nope!"

"Ah, I think I may have it this time. It is the pantry?"

"Y'already guessed that," Rumpelteazer drawled with a cheeky grin. Munkustrap fumed, his ears pinned back against his head. His eyes were narrowed as they searched the yard in frustration. It was something 'brown'. It was something brown that could be viewed from where Rumpelteazer lay; he was right beside him so why was it that he could not see it from where he sat? It was not the ground, a box, the pantry, nor was it her looting bag.

"Rumpelteazer, I am certain that there is nothing about her that you may spot that is brown that I have not mentioned," Munkustrap stated firmly. "I am certain of the fact."

"And ya is right about that," she chimed, fixing one of her stockings with a snap. "So ya givin' up?"

"Yes, I suppose I must," Munkustrap grumbled half-heartedly. He was a stickler for pushing through and never giving up; at least kittens were not around to see his defeat. And to Rumpelteazer of all beings.

"Row Beast."

"Row... Roast Beef," he asked, stressing her mispronunciation. "Roast beef? Rumpelteazer, there is no roast beef around here."

"There was when we started," Rumpelteazer sang out. "I ate 'er as slowly as I could but... well ya was a lost cause."

"Rumpelteazer, you cannot use-"

"Nah, we never said-"

"Certain things much apply-"

"Ya just gotta spot it-"

"To use something that may disappear-"

"An' I spotted that-"

"As such this case was-"

"Ya're just being a sore looser," Rumpelteazer barked, her eyes narrowed. Munkustrap blinked, his mouth hanging open. What did she just say? "I played by the rules and ya lost and now ya just sore about that. I won. Ya can't always win, life ain't like that."

Munkustrap's tail swished as a smug grin crawled across Rumpelteazer's face. She thought she was so tough. She thought that she was so clever. Hmmp. "I did not see you earlier today, Rumpelteazer," he remarked, deciding to put the game's outcome aside for now.

"Yea'? And?"

"You missed all of the excitement, Rumpelteazer. It was a very big day in the Junkyard, for none other than Bustopher Jones came to visit," he explained, gushing slightly. It was quite the honor to have such a prestigious cat drop in.

"Yea', I saw 'im," she dismissed, picking at her garters.

"Then why did you not come down to join in the festivities? Jennyanydots was baking mouse cakes, Bustopher Jones was entertaining us with stories and tales concerning his travels as he was gourmandizing, the kittens even put on a small show. You would have had such a great time, I am certain of that."

"Yea', it's real fun to have to line up with ev'ryone else and have some big old honor of havin' him decide that I am dirty, immoral, loose, worthless, scum of the earth."

"What?" What? That could not be right at all. Why would-? Bustopher Jones wouldn't- "Rumpelteazer, you are none of those things," Munkustrap stated firmly. "You are funny, considerate, kindhearted, sweet; you are none of the things you have described yourself as."

"Even you once described me as a 'parasitical cat'," she reminded quietly, idly trying to smooth out her fur. "And ya're way less judgmental then he is... All the best cats in the tribe line up for 'im. And even some o' them get passed over. What chance do ya think I got for being approved? I'mma thief, a real good one, one o' the best - but I'm still a thief. I run around London at night, I can't keep my fur groomed no matter how hard I try; I flirt with nearly all the toms... I don't need him or ya ta tell me I'm worthless."

Munkustrap padded over to her, rubbing his cheek against her affectionately before nuzzling the side of her face. "I'm sorry if my comment has ever caused your pain," he apologized softly. " You are far from being worthless, Rumpelteazer. You bring such joy into everyone's heart. That was never intended in my comment, and if my foolishness has ever hurt such a dear friend as you are to me..." Munkustrap trailed, pulling away to look to her. There was a soft glow from the moonlight and from nearby streetlights, casting soft shadows across their features. Her brown eyes seemed to sink into the darkness but still shimmer in the given light. How could he have ever hurt such a dear friend?

Rumpelteazer butted her head against his, a small smile tugging at her lips. "No worries, I'm way tougher than that."

"And you do not flirt with all the toms," he added with a lighthearted smile. "You hardly pay any attention to me."

"That's a bloody lie," she said, pulling away from him. "I put on me best garters and I slink up to you callin' you 'Tiger Stripes' and ya get so flustered that ya can hardly speak."

"If you're speaking of the other month, I was not flustered by your approach, I was shocked that you would wear such a thing. You are a cat you're not-" Munkustrap stopped in the midst of his tirade. Rumpelteazer had leaned in close, her body angled in such a manner that all of her best assets would be displayed, heightened, even. He would not have described Rumpelteazer as curvaceous, at this angel however...

"I'm not what," she breathed, her eyes locked with his. Munkustrap felt her trace the outline of his striped pattern on his chest, slowly following the lines downward. He swallowed, feeling heat rising up within his body and rush to his face, flushed with embarrassment and... Flattery. What was he to tell her? She wasn't.... she wasn't good at this? Such a lie. She would never believe it.

"..."

Now he has been silent for far too long. How did he expect to recover from this? No amount of words could possible compensate for this current lull in speech.

"Well," Rumpelteazer beamed brightly as she jumped up to her feet. "I best be gettin' to bed, got a busy day of non-goodery ahead of me in the morning," she explained as she picked up her loot bag. She leaned in close to Munkustrap, daring to go close enough that their whiskers touched and twitched against each other. "G'night, Tiger Stripes," she whispered, bounding off the car with a giggle as Munkustrap caught himself leaning in.

Munkustrap sat there for a moment, watching the area that she disappeared into as he desperately tried to gather his thoughts. ".... Good night."