HAT: I was on a roll, wasn't I? Maybe It'll continue.

Disclaimer: Besides Jasper and the three soon-to-be-named kits... I own nothing T_T


It hasn't been the best couple of days for the Rum Tum Tugger's been pretty close to sulking. Not everyone knows that he has actual feelings for the railway cat, but a good portion of them do and try to cheer him up. Even Jasper, the one he's threatened and barely gotten to know, wants to cheer him up. On the third day while he's sulking in the pipe (Mistoffelees had left to stay with his humans) he feels something brush against him. He sees that one of Exotica's kits, the little tom he and Skimble had held. The blind kit mews pitifully before burying it's nose in Tugger's fur.

"Your mom and dad must be panicking because of you," Tugger mutters as he picks up the tom-kit and stands before checking the brown and black tux for anything wrong and smiles. "Looks like you're still healthy. I should probably take you to Jenny to be checked out before I take you back to your parents... how'd you get out anyway? Were they sleeping?"

He talks to this kit like he can speak. The curious cat shakes his head and enters the Gumbie Cat's den.

"Hello Tugger... are you kitsitting?" Jenny asks.

"No, actually while I was in the pipe he came to me. He seems fine, but I decided that I should probably have you check him before I go to Cori and Exotica."

She smiles at him. "That's so good of you. Come here let me check him out," she says before she nods. "He's perfectly fine... you'd make a great father, you know."

Tugger blushes and shakes his head. "D-don't let anyone know. I've got a reputation to keep up."

A laugh bursts from the smaller cat. "That reputation was ruined long ago. Everyone knows that you've a soft spot for kits."

He chuckles as he takes the small tux kit. "I'll take him home now. They must be frantic by now."

"Goodbye."

Tugger walks with a little swagger to give a little extra bounce for the kit to rock him to sleep and when he reaches the den containing the new parents he pauses at the sound of frantic searching and yelling from the inside. He sighs and looks down at the small kit, wondering how something so small can cause so much trouble... but then he thinks of himself and the other kits and nods. Kits are supposed to cause trouble, but so soon? At such a young age? He doesn't know. He knocks on the door and the door opens to reveal Exotica and her features turn into one of relief.

"Oh, thank the Everlasting... where'd you find him?" Exotica asks.

"He came to me," Tugger admits with a shy smile as he hands the kit to his mother, but the kit squeals and reaches for Tugger.

Exotica smiles. "He's taken a liking to you... I want you to choose his name."

Tugger blinks. "W-what? I mean I intruded enough, I can't pick a kit's name. That's also making me the godfather and-"

"I know that you're good with kits, Tugger, so don't try to hide it... besides, you've had an attachment to him since the day he was born."

The Maine Coon smiles. "Well... yeah. I guess I get an attachment to tuxes," he says, his mind going to his little brother Mistoffelees.

"So what's his name?"

"Um..." Tugger takes a minute to look at the little kit, taking in his features and trying to gauge what to name the tom-kit and then... the kit's eyes open and they're blue, like all kits before their eyes adjust, and look right at Tugger. A soft smile graces the cat who'd been sullen for the past few days as he gazes at the small kit. "Llyir."

Exotica smiles. "I like it... Llyir."

LLyir responds to his name, looking at his mother after she says it before reaching for Tugger again. Tugger bends down and nuzzles the kit with a purr, promising to see him later. Coricopat skids to a stop at the sight of his son and breathes a sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank the Everlasting."

"Tugger found Llyir... or rather Llyir found Tugger," Exotica explains to her mate.

"Thank you Tugger... and you picked such a wonderful name," he purrs as he nuzzles his mate.

"Um... actually Tugger named him."

Coricopat blinks before smiling. "Thank you again... I'm glad to have you be his godfather."

"Perhaps more names will come to mind. For now Llyir's the only one that's been named," Exotica says.

"I'm just glad to help," Tugger shrugs.

Their eyes flash with intuition, but Exotica smiles at her friend. "I don't think you helped Llyir... I think Llyir helped you. You haven't smiled in since Skimble left... until Llyir."

He blinks in realization. They're right and he smiles, knowing he and Llyir are going to be close for a long time. "I'll see you all later... no, don't cry, I'll see you again. After all, I did name you."

Llyir stops crying, but he still pouts before he's taken inside. Coricopat thanks him once more before going back inside to attend to his kits. Tugger shakes his head and walks with a little skip to his step, definitely happy after having spend time with the newly named kit... the kit that he named. He feels pride well in his chest at that thought and his chest swells at the thought of being a godfather. Being an uncle is much different, he knows. You can be crappy and still be an uncle. To be a godfather you have to be good, responsible (though he's never been looked at as responsible as others would want), and dependable and trustworthy... parent material. To think that he lives up to all of those makes him happy, though he prays that he'll never have to take on the kits in because he doesn't want the two cats to meet an untimely end and have the kits lose their parents.

Suddenly he sees Munkustrap, Victoria, and Jemima talking frantically, the girl's eyes filled with tears, and Munkustrap's full of sadness and when they look at their older brother they seem reluctant to say anything. Tugger slowly walks forward, knowing he's going to regret hearing whatever he's about to hear, but he has to hear it. He stops in front of his little siblings and then they throw their arms around him for comfort. As the older brother he has to comfort the younger ones.

"What is it?" Tugger asks, fear lacing his words, but not enough for his younger sisters to hear, but it's loud and clear to his brother.

Munkustrap gulps and then his silver eyes meet his brother's golden gaze. "Mistoffelees hasn't been at his human home... Macavity took Mistoffelees."


HAT: DUN, DUN, DUUUUUUUUUUN! I told you that you'd hate me. CLIFFHANGER!

Electra: You know that's wrong right?

HAT: I know, but still... what's gonna happen next though?

Electra: I don't know, you're the author... wait are you still gonna write that thing?"

HAT: Which thing?

Electra: That thing.

HAT: OHHHH! Yeah, of course.

Electra: Okay... well... Review!