Victoria glanced over at Jenny, who was sitting with Skimbleshanks near the tire as they watched the oldest of the young queens dance their turn. It was almost the part of the ball she'd warned the kittens about, and Victoria and Plato planned on dancing alone. Their only obstacle came in the form of a middle-aged tabby with tiger stripes and leopard spots. Victoria lifted her chin a bit higher as she joined with the others on the floor, moving fluidly with the music. Her heart pounded faster, and she became aware of Jenny's eyes on her—the fur on the back of her neck was standing straight up. The dancing slowed, and the young almost-queen found herself standing alone in the middle of the floor.
She turned around slowly, hoping Plato wouldn't back down. She could sense Jennyanydots fuming as he approached her, and they danced together slowly. Victoria could feel a completely new rhythm and tune rising in her mind, and she opened her mouth to let the words fall out, afraid it would be lost.
"Kiss me too fiercely, hold me too tight," she sang softly to Plato. He blinked momentarily in surprise, but recovered himself. "I need help believing you're with me tonight… My wildest dreamings could not foresee standing beside you with you wanting me," Victoria let her voice grow louder, building with her confidence. "Just for this moment as long as you're mine; I've lost all resistance and crossed some border line. And if it turns out it's over too fast, I'll make every last moment last! As long as you're mine,"
Plato pressed his forehead against Victoria's, both of them blissfully unaware of the other cats playing audience to their song. "Maybe I'm brainless, maybe I'm wise, but you've got me seeing through different eyes. Somehow I've fallen under your spell, and somehow I feel it's up that I fell,"
They held each other close as they joined in together, "Every moment as long as you're mine, I'll wake up my body and make up for lost time!"
"Say there's no future," Plato sang, while Victoria shook her head vehemently. "For us as a pair,"
"And though I may know, I don't care! Just for this moment as long as you're mine! I'll be all you want to, and see how bright we shine! Borrow the moonlight until it is through," They gazed into each other's eyes, holding the note as they blended perfectly. "And know I'll be here, holding you! As long as you're mine!"
As they finished their song, the rest of the tribe joined them in the center for a well-sought-after rest, and as Victoria snuggled into her new mate's chest, she heard Jenny whisper at her, "I have some strong words to speak with you, young kit." Despite the impending fury of Jenny, Victoria giggled as she realized she and Plato had done something for the first time in Jellicle history: they defied Jenny's rules while she was watching and got away with it.
Electra fidgeted as Jenny cleaned a small cut across the bridge of her nose. She and Etcetera had been hit by Macavity during his wild attack on the tribe, and they were now seated in Jenny's famous medical den along with Munkustrap, Alonzo, Demeter, and Mungojerrie.
"What do you think Vic's doing?" Etcetera asked. "I think she's out finding a den,"
Electra shrugged, but didn't say anything. She knew that Jennyanydots was furious; she had a stinging nose from too much ointment to prove it. If it had been her in the situation, she would be gone from the junkyard for a while. Heaviside knew what Jenny would do when she was in this kind of mood… and to put a cap on it, Rumpelteazer had brought her tom-friend to the junkyard, and everyone had found out that Jenny's daughter regularly went out thieving with him.
As Jenny was pinching together the cut on Electra's face—which was rather painful—Tumblebrutus poked his head in. "Cettie, Electra, we're going to start a game of tag, if you want to come," He gave his 'special smile' to Etcetera (who squealed and squirmed as Jenny finished patching her up) and left the den.
"Calm down, Etcetera!" Jenny snapped. She sighed and shooed the two queen kittens out of her den so she could attend to the more serious injuries.
Electra and Etcetera bounded towards the clearing, where the rest of the young population was gathered to start their famous game of early morning tag. They only did it on mornings when the adults stayed up late, just so they could bother them more than usual. The real object of the game was not to get yelled at; the first one to be reprimanded by an adult (anyone who has danced the mating dance) got 'it', and had to provoke someone else into being scolded. After so many mornings of playing the game, none of the adults had figured it out.
"Alright, listen up!" Tumblebrutus gathered everyone around, signaling for them to be quiet. "Victoria and Plato are now adults, so if they tell you to buzz off, listen and announce yourself as 'it'."
"But nobody's seen them all morning," Jemima added. "So there's a good chance they left the yard for the day."
Tumblebrutus studied the faces of the young cats. "Anything else?" No reply. Tumble smiled. "Ready, and… GO!"
There was a chorus of 'not it's', with Pouncival being the last one to speak. He pouted for a moment, letting the rest of the kittens scatter as they began their game.
[A/N] OK, so the poll is up so you can vote for your favorite contest entry!
Also, this is definitely going to be a 'musical' of sorts… I know I'm going to have fun with it; I already have a bunch of songs lined up! Happy reading!