Tugger sighed and got to his feet. It had been a few days since he discovered Munkustrap and what had been happening to his big brother.
"I'm gonna go for a walk," He told Alonzo, who nodded, offering him a sympathetic smile. Tugger ignored Coricopat's raised eyebrow as he continued through the yard.
"Hey, Tugs, where you going?" Tugger stopped and looked at the kittens. Pounce and Tumble were looking at him, eyes wide, while Jemima, Electra and Etcetera huddled behind them.
"I'm going for a walk, kits," Tugger said quietly.
"Can we come?" Pounce asked. Tugger shook his head.
"Sorry, kits, I wanna be alone." Tugger murmured, he startled when Jemima threw her arms around his waist, which was quite un-Jemima-ish. Tugger looked at her in surprise. Her light blue eyes were teary as they stared up at him.
"I miss him too, Tugger," Jemima murmured. Tugger unlatched Jemima from him, gently, before he turned and left silently. Tugger walked through the streets, feeling uneasy. He arrived at Macavity's lair and was let in, though the hench-cats glared and hissed at him. He went towards the room Munkustrap was kept in.
"I wouldn't go in just yet," Tugger turned around to see a tall white Persian walking towards him; she looked like Griddlebone except for the black patch over the right side of her head-fur. She offered him a sympathetic smile. Tugger stared at her.
"Why can't I go in?" Tugger asked. She hesitated.
"Look…Tugger?" Tugger nodded. "Just wait a few minutes…trust me, you don't want to see your brother like that." Tugger gave a small nod as he realised what she was trying to say. She gave him a small smile.
"What's your name?" He asked, glancing at the door.
"Selena," She answered.
"What's a queen like you doing in a place like this?" Tugger asked her. Selena gave a small smile.
"I've heard about your flirting, Tugger, it's not gonna work on me." Selena said. Tugger shrugged.
"You still didn't answer the question," Tugger said. Selena inclined her head.
"My mother didn't keep up with her payments…I was given to Griddlebone in exchange for my mother's life." Selena answered, giving a small shrug. "I've been in her care since I was a young kitten."
"Selena!" Tugger gave a small wince as Griddlebone stalked around the corner.
"Yes, Ma'am?" Selena asked, turning to Griddlebone.
"Macavity wants you to go check over the kittens, they've been fighting," Griddlebone said. Selena gave a small frown.
"Do you mean the kittens at…" Selena trailed off as Griddle nodded.
"Yes, where he actually raises the kittens, that's where he wants you to go." Selena nodded.
"I'll leave right away, Ma'am," Selena said. Griddle nodded and Selena turned.
"See you around, Tugger," Selena murmured as she stalked past him. Tugger turned to watch her go.
"Yeah, I guess so." He said. Griddle was staring at him, arms folded, with an eyebrow raised as he faced her again. The door opened and Macavity walked out. Tugger quickly slipped in and comforted his brother. Munkustrap was trembling in Tugger's hug. Tugger rubbed his brother's back, murmuring softly to him. They sat in silence soon after as Tugger continued to rock his brother.
"How's everyone coping with my 'death'?" Munkustrap asked quietly. Tugger looked down.
"They're taking it quite hard," Tugger murmured. "Demeter especially." Munkustrap winced. His poor mate, she had gone through something similar when Macavity caught her. Tugger looked around and saw no one else around.
"Coricopat knows you're alive, though." Tugger whispered to him. Munkustrap looked up, his hazel eyes glinting somewhat. Tugger smiled as Munkustrap shined through.
"He can still sense me, can't he?" Munkustrap asked softly. Tugger nodded. Munkustrap smiled.
"Have you really been friends since kitten-hood?" Tugger asked. Munkustrap nodded.
"Yes, Coricopat and I were quite close…Tantomile hung around with us of course," Munkustrap said.
"Did he hang around with Macavity as well?" Tugger bit. Tugger regretted saying it as Munkustrap lowered his eyes.
"Unfortunately." Munkustrap murmured.
"You've never told me the whole story, Munk," Tugger murmured. Munkustrap pulled away from Tugger's hug.
"I'm not going to tell you what Macavity tried to do to that kitten," Munkustrap murmured, smoothing out the creases in the blanket.
"Because of him?" Tugger snapped. Munkustrap stared back at Tugger and shook his head.
"Because of the kitten he tried to hurt," Munkustrap murmured. Tugger stared at him.
"The kitten is still in the yard, isn't he?" Tugger asked, as he came to the realisation. Munkustrap gave a slight nod. Tugger looked to Munkustrap.
"Does Cori know?" He asked. Munkustrap gave another small nod.
"Don't press him about it, Cori wants to forget." Munkustrap told him sternly. "I think he may have already repressed it." Tugger smiled, Munkustrap hadn't completely broken just yet. Munkustrap looked up as a bell rang throughout the warehouse.
"You need to go, Tugs," Munkustrap murmured. Tugger looked at him, shocked. Munkustrap looked at him and gave a half smile. Munkustrap hugged Tugger tightly before he left.
"Come back soon…please," Tugger looked back at Munkustrap and saw he looked vulnerable again. Tugger nodded and left.
Munkustrap walked around the room, his paws absently brushing at his ribs, which were sticking out slightly. He looked around as Macavity entered the room. He turned back to examine a painting on the wall that Macavity's thieves had recently stolen. Munkustrap winced as Macavity's paws came to rest on his hips, one of them on the bite mark that Macavity had left.
"I'm leaving for a few days," Macavity murmured, pressing his lips to the back of Munkustrap's neck. Munkustrap shuddered.
"Do you want anything while I'm gone?" Munkustrap moved away from Macavity and turned to look at him. Macavity smiled as Munkustrap turned to face him, arms wrapped around his middle, and looking slightly fearful. Macavity's eyes travelled up and down Munkustrap's strong frame. Macavity gave a smug smile as Munkustrap shivered again, making his silver fur shimmer.
"Tugger?" Munkustrap asked hopefully. Macavity frowned.
"You want Tugger here while I'm not?" Macavity asked slowly. Munkustrap gave a nervous nod. Macavity shrugged.
"Fine."
Tugger stroked Munkustrap's ears like their mother used to do when they were kittens. Tugger was leaning against the wall, his legs out straight. Munkustrap's head rested on Tugger's thigh and he faced the door. A deep purr resounded in Munkustrap's chest which made Tugger smile. Tugger sighed and closed his eyes. Coricopat was covering his disappearance for the couple of days, saying that his owners took him on a holiday. Tugger looked back down at Munkustrap, who was lightly dozing off. A varied range of emotions passed through Tugger as he looked down at his older brother. He was angry at Macavity for doing this to his brother while he was upset that Munkustrap was so broken.
"Munk, why don't you just run?" Tugger asked his brother, pausing in the stroking of his brother's ears. Munkustrap rolled over so he was looking up at Tugger.
"And go back to being the Protector?" Munkustrap asked quietly. "Tug, look at me…I never can be the same." Tugger rubbed the stripe in the middle of Munkustrap's head. Munkustrap pushed his head further into Tugger's paw, purring. Tugger smiled down at his brother. Munkustrap's hazel eyes snapped open as the door burst open.
"Aw, aren't you two sweet?" Munkustrap sat up and eyed Griddlebone wearily.
"Macavity told you to stay out." Munkustrap said quietly, slowly. Griddlebone shrugged, Tugger went on alert as seven hench-cats stalked into the room after her.
"Mac did tell me not to hurt you, Munky, but he didn't say anything about your 'baby' brother," Griddlebone said scathingly. Tugger was surprised that Munkustrap still had his speed. One moment he was sitting next to him and the next Munkustrap was standing in front of him, snarling at Griddlebone. Griddlebone glanced at the hench-cats beside her.
"These ones have been getting a little jealous, Munks," Griddlebone said slowly. "They like you as well," Tugger watched as Munkustrap's legs began to tremble slightly. Tugger leapt up to defend his brother but was quickly pinned to the floor by Griddle. Tugger struggled under her but couldn't break free, she was sitting on his back, pinning his arms to his sides. He watched helplessly as Munkustrap was wrestled onto the mattress. Tugger gave a ragged breath and tried to bury his face into the floor as his brother's cries began to echo through the room. Griddlebone gripped the fur between his ears and yanked his head up.
"Look, or it's gonna get worse for your brother," Griddlebone warned. Tugger gave another jagged breath before forcing his eyes open. Tugger was forced to watch his brother being brutally attacked. After the last hench-cat finished, Griddle climbed off Tugger's back. Tugger scrambled over to his brother and took him into his arms. Munkustrap's eyes were clenched shut, tears made their way past his closed eyes and down his cheeks, and he was sobbing quietly as he trembled in Tugger's arms. Tugger tightened his hold on his brother as Munkustrap began to squirm and fight back. Tugger gave a small hiss as Munkustrap clawed him across the face. Tugger grabbed Munkustrap's paws with one of his own.
"Munk," Tugger soothed gently. "Munkus, it's Tugger, I've got you." Munkustrap continued to tremble but his eyes slowly opened to look at him. Munkustrap's bottom lip trembled and he buried his head into Tugger's mane, sobbing heavily. Tugger rubbed his brother's back, watching as Griddle and the hench-cats silently left the room. Tugger noted new wounds on his brother's frame and saw that tufts of his silvery fur were missing. Tugger waited until Munkustrap had fallen asleep out of sheer exhaustion before looking over his wounds. Other than new bruises and a few scratches, he was okay. Tugger rolled his brother over onto his stomach and examined his back. Tugger winced as he saw a few gouges on Munkustrap hips; he frowned when he saw a healed bite mark, which had scarred, on Munkustrap's right hip. Tugger brushed at the drying blood between Munkustrap's thighs. He looked back to Munkustrap when he heard a small whimper. Munkustrap's hazel eyes were watching him.
"Oh, Munkus," Tugger sighed. Munkustrap sat up and gripped onto his brother's mane tightly as he cried into his chest.
"Get me outta here," Munkustrap whimpered. Tugger held his brother tightly, though never saying a word. Tugger looked at Munkustrap, whose hazel eyes widened as he placed a paw against Tugger's cheek.
"Did I do that?" Munkustrap asked, shocked. Tugger gave a slight shrug.
"You were scared, Munkus, I don't blame you."
Coricopat watched as Tugger stalked through the yard a day earlier than he should've been. Cori ran over to his side and tried to keep up with his pace. Coricopat slipped into Tugger's den.
"What happened?" Cori asked worriedly. "Who gave you those scratches?" Tugger buried his head into his paws and collapsed to his knees, finally allowing his emotions to show. Coricopat knelt beside him and let him cry. Outside, a small Tom listened to Tugger's cries. He slid down the wall on the outside of the den and listened sorrowfully.
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I though updating might make me feel a little better. I'm kinda sick at the moment, so the chapter is a little shorter than usual…sorry.
Please please please read and review!
Luv HGP