Um, I'm getting towards the end of the story, stumbling along. I'm not exactly sure how to end it yet, but I have some ideas... Enjoy!

Chapter 20

Munkustrap swallowed as Mungojerrie handed him Pouncival, but bristled as Tumblebrutus, Admetus and Plato stepped out from behind the tiger tabby. "You three are in serious trouble," he said in a measured tone, but with a threat to it that the three toms knew all too well. That dealt with, Munkustrap turned to Mungojerrie with a sigh.

"I don't know what to do Mungojerrie," he confessed, and for a fleeting moment Mungojerrie saw the insecure tom who still lived at the back of Munkustrap's mind, unsure whether he could do the job properly, unsure if the decision to hand him the Protector's Title was a good one.

This was the side of Munkustrap rarely seen, still the scared little tom under pressure to perform and keep his extended family safe. His insecurity was tempered by his rationality, but faced with a hard decision, he always doubted himself. He didn't want to mess up. One slip and the tribe were in danger.

His eyes, usually sparkling, vivid green, were deep and pleading with Mungojerrie to tell him what was right. To make the decision and take the responsibility.

Just for a fleeting moment. Then it was gone. "Munkustrap, if Oi'da wanted ta kill anyone from th' troibe, Oi coulda done it tanioght. Plato, Addie an' Tumble spent near ta an hour wit' me. Alone. Oi don' wanna kill anyone. Oi wanna have a real family." Mungojerrie pleaded his case.

Munkustrap looked at him thoughtfully and then smiled wanly. "Ok Jerrie, c'mon. It's late and you need sleep if you're going to handle the kittens tomorrow." "Really?" "Really." Munkustrap smiled properly now. "Ok, Oi'll see ya tamorra then Munkus. Ya too, Pounce. Plato, Addie, Tumble, nioght."

Walking back to his den, Mungojerrie felt like he was walking on clouds, he felt that light and jubilant. Rumpleteaser was waiting in the den. "Jerrie!" she cried and jumped on him. After a good half hour of explanations, Mungojerrie managed to get to bed.

"Mornin' Jerrie. The kittens are drivin' me crazy; can ya ge' outta 'ere an' ge' 'em ta shut up?" was Rumpleteaser's greeting the next morning. "Oi'm up, Oi'm up!" he groaned as she threw a pillow at him. After taking a few seconds to neaten up, Mungojerrie staggered out into the blinding sunlight 2 minutes after rolling out of bed, into the chaos that was the kitten's Tag.

"Orriogh' Oi'm 'ere!" he exclaimed. Six kittens ran up to him. "Yay, Jerrie's here!" squealed a hyper Etcetera. "What are we going to do today?"

Mungojerrie thought for a moment before answering. "We're all going to get into a circle and wait while I grab some paper and pens." Upon returning, he found Victoria in between Etcetera and Electra, Jemima beside Electra, Tumble next to Jemima, and Pouncival between Tumble and Etcetera. Etcetera and Pouncival, looking none the worse for his stay in Macavity's quarters, were prone to bickering, so Mungojerrie sat between them.

"Okay, 'ere's 'ow th' game goes. We's each gonna ge' a paper. Then, we pick a subject. Everyone 'as ta wriote down a word an' keep it a secret. Then, ya give the papers to me, Oi shuffle them an' diviode 'em, so everyone ge's a different one, an' ya 'ave ta guess who wrote it." he explained.

The first subject, picked by Etcetera, was, "Who is your favourite grown-up cat?" Mungojerrie chuckled to himself when he divided the papers, and saw the answers. Tugger, Plato, Munkustrap, Mungojerrie, Skimble and Alonzo; a very mixed bag; however, he couldn't help but notice that they were all toms.

Tumble read his aloud, "Tugger." "Etcetera!" everyone exclaimed. She pouted and everyone laughed.

Victoria's was noticeably harder; "Skimble?" After some incorrect guesses; "Tumble? Pounce?" it was discovered to be Electra's paper. The red and black kit turned out to be a fan of the Railway Cat.

Pouncival read, "Munkustrap?" and Victoria said, "Jemmi." Surprised, Mungojerrie looked at her. She said, "He's so cool," and left it at that. *Ok?* Mungojerrie thought.

"Plato." Etcetera read out and said, "Your favourite cat is your brother, Tumble or Pounce?" and Mungojerrie realised the kittens didn't know about Victoria and Plato. "No!" both brothers replied.

"That means it's Victoria's." Tumble added. "Really?" Electra asked. Victoria blushed lightly. "Yes. I like him." Amazed, Etcetera turned to her friend. "Why Plato?" she asked. "I just like him!" Victoria protested.

*More than just like.* Mungojerrie chuckled to himself. "Ok fine." Etcetera answered. "Mungojerrie. Um, Pouncival." Electra guessed. "Yep," the tom-kit grinned at Mungojerrie, who smiled back. "So that means Alonzo is your favourite, Tumble." Jemima stated, putting her paper down. "Yeah."

After three more rounds, 'Favourite colour, food and animal', Pouncival started to thirst for trouble. "I choose, 'Who do you like?'!" he exclaimed, grinning cheekily. "Whatcha mean, like?" Electra asked innocently. "Like, like-like. Not just friend-like. Tom-queen like." Pouncival chuckled.

"And you have to do it," he added. Resignedly, the kittens picked up their pens and started writing. Mungojerrie got the feeling that they didn't mind it so much, or there would be protesting. Dealing out the papers, Mungojerrie foresaw trouble.

"Okay, me first!" Etcetera exclaimed. "Jemima," she teased. Jemima went scarlet but she smiled at the same time as Pouncival butted in, "And I have Tumble." Now Jemima wasn't the only red-faced kitten in the circle. Tumble's blush showed through his patches. "Ooohh, Tumble and Jemmi, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-grrfffmumbloof!" Mungojerrie muffled Pouncival with a paw over his mouth.

"Stop tha'. Now, next?" Jemima piped up with, "I have Pouncival!" "Me?!" Pouncival looked shocked. Mungojerrie thought that Etcetera needed lessons in subtlety. She was blushing like crazy! And Tumble noticed. "ETCETERA?!" he squawked. Etcetera just went redder and Pouncival started colouring as well. "I have Etcetera on my paper!" Tumble cried. Pouncival went even redder.

"Ooohh, Pounce and Cettie, sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes---oof!" Pouncival tackled his brother before a stunned Mungojerrie could intervene.

So Pounce and Cettie did like each other! He was a good pair-guesser!

"Ok lay offa each othah! Who's next?" Mungojerrie asked. "Um, I have 'Misto.'" Victoria said.

All eyes were on Electra, who blushed, and then quickly said, "I have Plato." "PLATO?! MY BROTHER?!" Pouncival cried. Victoria blushed but replied, "Yes Plato. I like him, and, what's more, he likes me too." "Rubbish!" Pouncival laughed. "My brother would never---" "Never do what, Pounce?" Plato's deep voice interrupted. "Nothin' Plato." "Good. Well it's lunchtime."

Later that afternoon, Pouncival spotted Victoria and Plato walking off away from the Junkyard. *No way!* he thought and followed them, hiding behind a pile of rocks and watching and listening to their conversation.

"You okay, Vicki?" Plato asked softly. "Yes I'm fine but your brother is so immature! He doesn't think his brothers can ever like queens, but you like me and Tumble likes Jemmi, and he doesn't accept that."

"Tumble and Jemmi? Cool. Don't you worry about else is growing up, but he isn't growing up as fast. He wants things to still be like they were before, with all us brothers playing together and not being interested in queens apart from as friends. He's just not changing with the times, and he thinks everything is still the same. He won't open his eyes to the obvious. He'll change too, eventually, but we'll just have to wait." Plato said wisely.

Victoria nodded and Pouncival held back tears; his oldest brother thought he was immature as well, so did Victoria! *Probably everyone does,* he thought dejectedly.

"Is it really bothering you that much?" Plato asked gently. "No, I'm fine now." Victoria smiled. "That's good…" Plato trailed off, lifting her face up towards his and pressing his lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around him and he reciprocated, pulling her closer to his chest, kissing her all the while.

It grossed Pouncival out and he turned and fled, running straight into Mungojerrie.

"Hey Pouncival. Is everythin' orriogh'?" Mungojerrie asked, concerned; his little buddy had a white face and looked upset. Pouncival felt like bursting into tears and hugging Mungojerrie and asking him to make his problems better, but he knew he had to grow up.

So he said, "No, just saw something gross. I'm going home. See you Jerrie."

Mungojerrie felt strangely displaced; obviously something was wrong and Pouncival didn't want to talk to him about it. He felt that he had lost a link in his relationship with the young tom; he was growing up.

Sighing, he turned and walked on, interrupting Victoria and Plato, who hurriedly stopped kissing and sat up straight. "Sorry guys." Mungojerrie apologised as they blushed. "S'ok Jerrie." Plato said quickly. "Ok then. Oi'll see ya two latah…"

From his vantage point, high up in a tree not three metres away, a tall, thin ginger cat was watching the exchange. As Mungojerrie, Plato and Victoria walked back to the Junkyard, he hissed maliciously, "Just you wait, Jellicles. NO-ONE steals my thieves and gets away with it…!"