A/N: Hello, again! So today was my first day at the new job - it was fantastic. I had finished this I think either yesterday or the day before, so I thought I would give it another edit and deliver it to you wonderful peeps. Still can't make any promises, however, I do think the new vocation will be conducive to at least regular updates, if not as frequent as they have been up to this point.

Also, MusicalGurl and anyone else wondering: Rumpleteazer will absolutely be in this tale. I've got plans for her; she has just been slow in making her appearance. She appears in this chapter, albeit briefly, and should be appearing with greater regularity beginning next chapter.

Chapter Four

0o0

"Tantomile, dear!" Jennyanydots called.

Hesitantly, Tantomile paused to let the older queen catch up with her. She mustered a thin smile for the tabby. "Hello, Jenny," she said.

Jenny took her paws in her own, gentle copper eyes meeting her gaze. "My dear, I owe you an apology," the motherly cat began regretfully.

"You really don't," Tanta contradicted.

"But I do," insisted the Gumbie Cat. "I ought to have spoken to you in private, rather than somewhere we could be so easily overheard. I was just so surprised that, well, I must have made things terribly awkward for you. And I am so sorry for that, Tantomile. I know that Jelly feels badly about it, as well, and will likely tell you herself the next time she sees you."

"Thank you," the younger queen said. "Not only for your concern, but also…" She trailed off.

Jenny smiled knowingly. "But for also realizing that I've done you wrong?" Her expression brightened warmly at Tantomile's small answering smile. "I try not to be misguided in my concern, and I've learned that just because I mean well doesn't mean that everything I do is right."

"That must be what makes you so approachable," Tanta said.

The tabby fondly caressed her cheek with a paw before tucking her arm around her own and continuing in the direction Tantomile was going when she found her. "Now, I know that things must seem a bit overwhelming to you. How could they not? Feeling like you needed to hide this from everyone, only for me and my big mouth to interfere, poor dear," Jenny said. "But I want you to know, that no matter what, you can always come to me – and not just concerning your condition, dear. For anything. Always. Understand?"

"Jenny…" Tantomile murmured, feeling touched. If there was one cat besides her brother in the tribe that she had begun to feel a connection with, it was Jennyanydots. The older queen had always made her feel welcome, even though she was not exactly the most forthcoming.

"Now, now, sweetheart, don't do that," Jenny tutted kindly. She reached out to smooth a stray tear from the younger queen's cheek. "You're too pretty for all that. Come here."

As she leaned down a bit to accept the tabby's embrace, Tantomile couldn't help but think that she was in danger of becoming dependent upon such contact. It seemed more and more cats were hugging her in some way and her former lack of it was growing ever more pronounced.

Tanta tentatively tightened her hold on the tabby. She could not remember being held by her own mother. The queen had died when she and Cori were very young. In fact, she could not reliably say that she knew what the queen looked like, except that others had said she and her brother resembled her more than their father. Their father certainly hadn't hugged them in years. Not since their powers had become obvious; maybe even before.

"There, now," Jenny soothingly rubbed a paw against her shoulder. "It's going to be just fine. You'll see. And I think you'll find that even though some of the others are still surprised, they'll be understanding towards you, so don't you worry your pretty little head over that. If anyone gives you any trouble, I'll give them what for, okay?"

"Okay," Tantomile mewed, finally pulling back.

The tabby smiled up at her. "Better?" she asked, receiving a small nod. She tucked the younger cat's paw into her arm, once more. "Let's move along, then. The others missed seeing you after you disappeared, yesterday. Demeter, especially, wanted to be sure you're okay."

Tanta gave an uncertain smile at this. She still wasn't sure she shared the older queen's optimism about how the others would respond, but she supposed that at the very least she had Jenny on her side. That alone brought her a lot of comfort.

0o0o0

"There you are!" Bombalurina's tone was almost admonishing. "Dem was afraid you'd hide yourself away or something."

One thing was certain: Tantomile was definitely not accustomed to receiving so much attention. She and her brother were never exactly ignored by the rest of the tribe. In fact, compared to the northern tribe where they had grown up, the twins were treated warmly.

"I apologize. I did not mean to worry anyone," Tanta said to the two queens who had approached. She wished that Jenny hadn't left her, quite yet, finding that she missed the tabby's presence even though the older queen was still visible within the clearing.

"You don't have to apologize," replied Demeter, who gave her sister a reproving look. "I just wanted to make sure you're all right."

"I'm all right," Tantomile assured.

The problem had been that the siblings had not been used to interacting freely with those around them when they'd arrived. They had been outcast due to their abilities for as long as they had had them and the idea that others actually wanted to talk to them was foreign. Eventually, their reticence had dissuaded all but the most irrepressible cats and the majority of their new tribe gave them their space.

"Tanta!" There was one of the irrepressible souls, now, bounding towards her in such a manner that she half-expected to be embraced, yet again. The calico stopped just short of colliding with her, however, grin lighting up her freckled features. "I 'eard ya was 'aving a kit! Congratulations!"

"Thank you, Rumpleteazer," she responded.

"So, you an' Lonz, then, eh?" the Cockney continued chattily. "I can see it. Though, I always thought ye'd be more for someone like Plato."

Demeter had reached out to put a paw on the younger cat's shoulder, although judging by her expression, Rumpleteazer didn't seem to understand her motive for doing so. It occurred to Tantomile to wonder if either Rumpleteazer or her brother Mungojerrie were aware that others started off as strangers and later became friends. They certainly had always treated the twins like they'd already known them. Tanta had found this behavior bemusing, whereas Coricopat had been a little put off by it.

"It was not exactly planned," Tantomile answered softly.

/They're certainly being friendly, today,/ Coricopat remarked dryly as he made his own way into the clearing, electing to avoid the group gathering around his sister. He jumped up onto a dryer and curled his tail around his feet.

His sister shot him a look. /They're always friendly,/ she informed him reprovingly. The tom scoffed aloud, earning a frown from his twin. /Just because you seldom deign to interact with them, doesn't mean they aren't friendly./

/You expect me to believe they aren't being more forward than they usually are?/ Cori questioned.

Tantomile turned her attention back to the queens in front of her, responding to something Bombalurina had said. /I didn't say they weren't. They're trying to be supportive./

/Right. Of course. Must be why you're so tense, then./

She shot him another look.

/You are! You're tying my shoulders into knots from sitting so stiffly!/ he protested, rolling his shoulders for emphasis.

His twin dismissed him with a slight shake of her head, but made a conscious effort to relax, nonetheless. Tantomile was half-surprised to find that both Rumpleteazer and Bombalurina had already left, as she only vaguely recalled bidding them goodbye. It was largely her brother's fault for distracting her. Cori clearly captured this sentiment and rolled his eyes.

"Unfortunately, I have to be going, as well," Demeter was telling her. "I'll see you later?" A flicker of uncertainty shone in the black and gold queen's eyes, emphasizing the hopeful note in her tone.

"Of course," Tantomile answered. She was rewarded with a warm smile. After Demeter left, she sat alone for a moment, although several cats glanced in her direction, waiting for some undetermined interval to elapse before approaching her. She had just decided to go join her brother when the kittens made their way towards her.

"But Jelly said not to crowd her," Jemima was protesting quietly.

"We're not crowding her," countered Pouncival.

"Yeah!" agreed his sister Etcetera. "See? She's all by herself! We're just giving her company."

"I'm pretty sure all of us together counts as crowding her," opined Victoria, to which both Jemima and Electra nodded.

"Hi, Tantomile!" greeted Tumblebrutus, being the first of their group to reach the queen. The others echoed the greeting, except for Electra, who looked down at her paws. This seemed a bit odd, since from what Tantomile had observed of the little queen, she wasn't really that shy.

"Hello," Tanta returned with a smile. The little ones really were rather cute. She found she couldn't help but wonder what her own would be like.

Apparently, beyond their initial hellos, the kittens hadn't planned what to say, for they gazed uncertainly amongst themselves. A minute or two of this passed before Jemima shyly asked, "Are you really going to have a kitten?"

"Jemi's excited 'cause she won't hafta be the youngest, anymore," Etcetera piped up. Her friend pouted at this, proving the statement had some verity.

"Yes," Tanta confirmed, "it is true." She was amused by the general thrill of excitement that went through the young group.

"And Alonzo's the dad, right?" queried Tumble. "Are you going to be his mate, now?"

Such inquisitive young souls, but it was a very good question. "Should I..?" the queen mused aloud yet again, though she had already settled upon her answer, for good or ill. She glanced over to where the tom in question had been entering the clearing before drawing to a halt. Apparently, he was having a staring contest with her brother.

/Stop it,/ she chastised her twin, who shot her a look before opting to turn his back on the bi-colored cat.

"Oh, you should!" Victoria was gushing. "I think it would be romantic!" Electra snorted quietly at this.

"Yeah – Alonzo is great!" enthused Tumble.

Pouncival gave a laugh. "Tumble just wants you to say yes 'cause he likes Lecs, but she's got a crush on Alonzo."

"DO NOT!" denied Tumble, face flushing red.

"BLABBERMOUTH!" Electra exclaimed heatedly. Cetty had the good sense to spring away from her brother before their two friends simultaneously attempted to clobber him.

The eldest among them, and therefore of the belief that she was quite above the others' immaturity, Victoria took the older queen by the arm and led her a bit away from her quarreling companions. Little Jemima trotted after the two of them, whereas Etcetera remained behind. (It was uncertain, however, whether Cetty was attempting to defuse the situation or contribute to it.)

"Don't worry about them," Victoria said austerely. "They're always like that. If they don't have one thing to fight about, it's another."

"It's mostly because Pounce and Cetty don't know when to keep things to themselves, though," added Jemima.

The white kitten nodded in thoughtful agreement. "We're all really excited, though. Kittens are so cute!"

Tantomile decided against pointing out that the two little queens were technically still kittens themselves. Jemima certainly was, even if Victoria was old enough to be considered an adolescent. Instead the older queen offered another smile. "Thank you," she told them.

"You're welcome!" Victoria beamed, her gaze flitting to something over Tanta's shoulder. "Anyhow, Jemi and I will be going, now. We've got to… um…"

"We need to save Pounce from Lecs and Tumble," said Jemima.

"Yes! That." The older kitten gave her friend an approving look. "See you around, Tantomile!"

"Bye," Jemima waved, and then the two small cats hurried away. The queen suspected she knew the reason for their hasty retreat.

"They haven't mastered subtlety quite yet, have they?" Alonzo remarked.

Tantomile turned towards him. "No. It doesn't seem like they have," she agreed quietly, amber eyes meeting his.

The tom held her gaze. He was glad to have found her here. Part of him had worried that she would avoid the rest of the tribe after what happened the previous day, but here she was. He silently added strength and courage to the list of attributes that she possessed.

"Alonzo?"

He blinked; staring again. The bi-colored cat shook himself. "Would you care to go for a walk with me?" he asked. She gave a small smile and nodded.

They departed from the clearing, following one of the numerous paths which wound between junk piles. Awkwardness had settled between them. Even though they had been acquainted through everyday life in the tribe, they really were essentially strangers. Alonzo had been brought into the tribe when he was still a young kitten, whereas Tantomile and her brother were already of age when they came from the north. With the twins' reticence, they had just never taken the opportunity to get to know one another.

"I have thought long about your offer," the queen finally spoke up.

"If you need more time, you have it," he replied. They came to a stop, turning to face one another.

"No need," said Tantomile. She looked down at her feet, falling silent instead of continuing.

Alonzo's heart made an odd sort of lurch and he was speaking before he had fully intended to do so. "Look, I know that things are backwards with us, right now, and maybe that will make things really hard. But it's not something I suggested flippantly. I would be good to you. I would be good to our kitten. Things are all out of order, but I think, if given the chance-"

"Alonzo," Tanta gently broke into his rambling, looking up to capture his earnest blue gaze. Despite the unorthodox situation they were in, she couldn't help but smile a bit. "I was already going to say yes."

He stared at her, incredulity spreading across his features. Had she really..?

"As you said, things are out of order between us, but I do believe it may be for the best," she continued. "I do not wish to be a single mother, even with the support of the rest of the tribe. I don't feel that it would be quite the same. I… I want a mate by my side, and maybe it's a bit foolish, but… if you are willing to try, then so am I."

Suddenly, Tanta found herself engulfed in another's arms again. She tensed in surprise. Had others always been this prone to hugging?

"Thank you," Alonzo murmured, pulling back almost as abruptly as he had embraced her. Part of her mourned that the contact had been so brief.

"And thank you," she returned. He smiled at her and she felt a bewildering flush rise to her face. The queen dropped her gaze, uncertain once more.

What in Heaviside was this tom doing to her?

0o0

To be continued...