Disclaimer: I don't own CATS!
The entire junkyard searched for days but there was no sign of Cori anywhere, after a whole week of looking most of the cats had given up and no more search parties were sent out.
Tantomile was both worried for her brother but also afraid of what would happen if he came back and constantly tried to contact him for several weeks but to no evail.
After a long lamaz class one day, Tantomile found herself seriously thinking about what it would be like if her brother never did come back. She had spent the time when he was talking to her again allowing him to torment her, but she hated the idea of completely letting him go, she couldn't let him go yet.
Tugger did his best to be supportive but found himself constantly distracted by everything they were facing now, becoming mates, becoming parents, it was all really new to him.
As they walked back to Jenny's den from the lamaz class, Bombalurina approached them with envy written on her face. Tugger and Tanto both stopped as she walked up to them and turned to Tanto,"um, Milly, could me and Tugger have some time to speak about something?"
Tanto nodded and then said to Tugger, "I'll be waiting at Jenny's," before she headed off.
Tugger watched her go and then looked back at Bomba, who had an impatient look on her face.
"So, have you decided on what you're going to do?" asked Bomba.
Tugger had gotten tired of Bomba's antics long ago, this was really starting to get on his nerves. "I thought I told you, I'm becoming Tanto's mate."
Bomba looked up at him, trying not to believe him, "you're not serious, you don't have to stay with her. All we 'd have to do is go and find a new tribe"-"Bomba, it's over," he told her firmly.
"This isn't you Tugger, this cannot be you talking. You have never been responsible for anything in your life."
Tugger glared at her, she had to understand, "Bomba, it's for that very reason, it's because I've never done the right thing in my life, I have to start now. We're done," these last words hurt because he new that he had just thrown away the last shred of his old life, but what hurt even worse, was walking away knowing that Bomba still didn't understand.
Instead of going back to Jenny's, Tugger wandered the junkyard aimlessly for hours, not even noticing what went on around him. Eventually he climbed up on an old lawn chair where he stretched out and tried not to think about anything. It was evening, and you could see the first stars peaking over the horizon.
Suddenly, Tugger heard a voice behind him, "I was wondering where you were."
Tugger turned around and saw Tanto coming up to him, looking a little bit worried.
Tugger stood up and took Tanto's paw and helped her to sit down and then sat down again himself.
"I had to tell Bombalurina that she and I are over, she still doesn't get why though, she's angry and doesn't understand."
Tanto put her paw on Tugger's shoulder sympathetically, which he quickly removed and held in his and continued, "if she's so heartless that she expects me to abondon you and my future kits, she's just not worth it."
Tanto leaned on his arm and said, "that's a very mature attitude, especially for you."
"Well, dealing with your future kinda does that to you sometimes," he said, trying to be serious.
They were quiet for a while, the sky was dark now, with a cool blanket of stars.
Tantomile finally sat up and looked at Tugger straight in the face, she slowly touched the sides of his head. Tugger held her paws and closed his eyes, allowing her to read him again. She saw fear and longing, fear and longing. It was a fear of what the future had in store, but also a longing for it. She searched deeper and found that there was also fear of letting go of the past, exactly what she felt. She understood, it was like they were sharing the same feelings.
As Tanto opened her eyes and removed her paws, she moved one of them to the place on Tugger's neck where the bandages had been and where now there were light scars. She gently ran her paw over them before Tugger brought her paw back up to his face and then pulled her into a kiss. During that long kiss she decided that even if she wasn't ready to let her brother go, she was ready to fall in love.
She brought her arms down around his shoulders and held him tight before breaking off the kiss and looking at him deeply, "Tugger, I've never been in love before, I've always been afraid of falling in love and expressing love and"-"So have I," he said, putting a paw over her mouth. "I have never been in love before, until now."
Tanto leaned into his mane and he held her tightly, not wanting to let her go. She ran her paws through his thick mane, having him there gave her a sense of security, something she really needed. The junkyard was so quiet it seemed like they were on there on little star among the millions shining down upon them
"Tugger," said Tanto after a while, realizing it was getting late, "I need to get back to Jenny's."
"Alright, and when we get there, I'm making us a big pot of mouse soup," said Tugger, helping her up.
Tanto smiled and they walked back to Jenny's den, with the moon shining down on them.