That night, Munkustrap lay fast asleep in bed, his brow furrowed in fear as he tossed and turned, small whimpers escaping his lips, deep in a nightmare.

A battered and bruised kitten Munkustrap curled into the corner of the cold, dirty room, cowering from the large, fearsome looking Toms that towered above him, sneering and snarling at him.

Munkus whimpered as his small arms were grabbed painfully tight and he was yanked out of his corner and towards the centre of the room.

The small kitten struggled and cried out, knowing he was about to be hurt.

Munkustrap cried out in pain as he thrown roughly on the floor.

"Tsk, stupid, little kitten." A rough voice snarled. Munkustrap curled up on himself as the large shadows circled around him, aiming a kick at the small kitten here and there.

"P-Please…" Munkustrap begged before he was kicked back onto the cold, hard ground.

"You know the consequences of fighting back, brat." The rough voice snarled again. "I will teach you never to fight back and hurt your master again!" Munkustrap was grabbed again and yanked to his feet, none too gently.

There was a loud crack and red hot, searing pain suddenly tore through Munkustrap's back.

"No, no, stop!" Munkustrap screamed, trying to fight his way out of the grips on his arms.

"This is what happens to disobedient kittens!" The rough voice snarled again before pain sliced through his back again, causing him to scream.

Lash after lash rained down on the kitten's back, his screaming becoming hoarse, as he slowly slumped down in his captors' holds, blood pouring from the long gashes across his small back.

"Please…please…" Munkustrap whispered brokenly, tears pouring down his face.

"This is only just the beginning, kitten!" The rough voice hissed into his ear, his paw clamping down tightly on his shoulder.

"Munkustrap…Munkus…!"

"Munkus, wake up!" Munkustrap suddenly shot up, barely awake and partly still in his dream, his ears pressed back and his eyes narrowed into slits as he swung his claw out, trying to protect himself from his attackers.

There was a yelp as his claw missed flesh by mere centimetres.

The yelp broke Munkustrap out of his trance and he blinked, finding himself back in his own den, safe. Munkustrap panted as he rubbed the sweat from his brow before frowning, looking around to find out who yelped.

His emerald green eyes widened in horror when he saw Quaxo sitting up on the ground, looking at Munkustrap fearfully.

Munkustrap quickly slipped out of his bed and crouched on the floor, gently reaching out to the Tuxedo kitten.

"Quaxo, Quaxo, I am so sorry!" Munkustrap breathed. "I had no idea it was you!" Quaxo flinched away from his paw, his purple-green eyes wide with apprehension. Munkustrap pulled his knees to his chest, burrowing his face into his arms.

"Munkustrap?! Quaxo?! Is everything okay?!" Munkustrap kept his face hidden in his arms as sobs began to wrack his body.

"Easy, Munkus, everything is okay," Cori's voice said soothingly beside his ear as a paw gently rubbed his heaving back.

"Y-You need to take Quaxo, Cori," Munkustrap managed to get out between sobs.

"Munk!" Quaxo cried out.

"I-I can't hurt him, I-I wouldn't be able to live with myself." Munkustrap mumbled. Cori gave a small nod, knowing Munkustrap needed to focus on himself and after almost hurting Quaxo, he'd struggle with that thought every night if Quaxo was still in the den.

Quaxo threw himself at his guardian, wrapping his arms tightly around him.

"Munk, please don't send me away!" Quaxo whimpered. "I know you didn't mean to swipe at me! I know you didn't know it was me! Look, I know I'm safe, even my magic knows it!" Munkustrap wrapped his arms around Quaxo, hugging him close.

"I'm not sending you away," Munkustrap murmured to him, gently nuzzling the soft black ears. "I-It's just until…until things get better and I know I won't accidently hurt you," Munkustrap told the kitten softly.

"I couldn't live with myself if I hurt you." Quaxo whimpered but gave a nod against Munkustrap's shoulder.

"Cori and Tantomile will look after you," Munkustrap continued, as he gave his ward a final squeeze before letting him go.

"You will be back home before you know it," Tantomile said softly as she came over, gently taking Quaxo's paw and pulling him away.

"We'll have some fun while you're with us," She winked at Quaxo before giving Munkustrap a sad look. Munkustrap gave her a thankful smile.

"Munkus, are you okay?!" Munkustrap looked up as Tugger barged into his den, head-fur and mane all messy as though he had just woken up, looking worried.

"We will leave you two alone," Cori murmured, gently touching paws with Munkustrap as Tantomile and Quaxo left the den quietly

"C-Cori, if he asks…tell him everything." Munkustrap said hoarsely as Cori headed towards the den exit. Cori turned and looked at him, unsure.

"Are you sure?" He asked softly. Munkustrap nodded.

"He deserves to know." Munkustrap murmured. Cori nodded and left the den.

Tugger walked over and sat beside Munkustrap, pulling his baby brother into his arms and hugging him close. Munkustrap curled in closed, desperately holding onto his brother to escape his haunted thoughts.

"H-How did you know how to come?" Munkustrap asked, voice shaking. Tugger nuzzled his nose into Munkustrap's head-fur reassuringly.

"Coricopat decided to appear in my dreams and yell at me to wake up," Tugger chuckled softly. "Told me you needed me, which definitely woke me up, and I came as quickly as I could."

"Thank you," Munkustrap murmured softly. Tugger rubbed Munkustrap's back comfortingly.

"So, want to tell me what happened?" Tugger asked gently. "And why Quax went off with the twins?" Munkustrap told Tugger about the nightmare and how when Quaxo woke him up, Munkus still being caught in the dream, swiped at the kitten, missing him by less than a whisker length.

Tugger just squeezed Munkus tighter by the end of the story, though his face was pale after being told what his adopted little brother had gone through as just a young kitten. Munkustrap burrowed his face against Tugger's neck, tears falling silently from his eyes as Tugger held him close.

Tugger had almost forgotten how vulnerable Munkustrap actually was. He'd gotten used to seeing the strong, brave, smiling Protector around that he had almost forgotten how fragile and tormented Munkustrap's soul was.

Tugger looked down at his baby brother, seeing Munkustrap's eyes were closing due to his emotional exhaustion.

"C'mon, little brother," Tugger murmured softly as he stood up, pulling up his tired brother with him.

"Where are we going?" Munkustrap mumbled tiredly.

"Bed." Tugger answered. He held onto Munkustrap tighter as Munkustrap struggled slightly against his grip, giving a small whimper.

"T-Tugs, I-I can't…" Munkustrap breathed, his normally lively emerald green eyes were rimmed red and tired bags were under his eyes.

"You need to sleep, Munku," Tugger coaxed him.

"I-I don't want to live through that again, Tugs," Munkustrap said hoarsely. "Seeing it in my dreams, in my memories…I can feel everything a-all over again." Tugger gently pushed Munkustrap into the bed before crawling in next to him.

"I'll be right here," Tugger promised as he held his trembling brother close. Munkustrap gave a small nod.

"You won't leave me, right?" Munkustrap asked, voice small. Tugger shook his head as he lay down, pulling Munkustrap down with him.

"Never." He swore. Munkustrap settled down beside his brother, but curled close just to reassure himself that he wasn't alone and that he was safe.

Tugger watched his brother as Munkustrap reluctantly fell asleep.

As he watched Munkustrap sleep, Tugger fell into deep thought again, which Munkus always joked was dangerous for him.

As the years had gone by, the scared, meek, vulnerable and tiny kitten Munkustrap was had transformed into a strong, brave, happy, proud and tall Tom and a few of the Jellicles, Tugger included, sometimes forgot that Munkustrap's soul was still tortured and filled with the horrors from his past.

Not many Jellicles saw that side of Munkustrap anymore, he did his best to keep it hidden or behind his den door.

Tugger realised he was the same.

Everyone saw him as the flirty, confident and somewhat egotistical Tom…but when it came to Munkustrap and others who were in need of comfort and support, he would always be there by their side. He became calm, comforting and was actually rather wise at times.

Tugger quickly ran his paw comfortingly through Munkustrap's head fur as a large shudder ran through Munkustrap's frame, his face screwing up into a frown.

Tugger repeatedly brushed his paw through Munkustrap's head fur soothingly, giving a small smile as Munkustrap relaxed, his facial expression becoming content and a soft, rumbling purr erupting from his chest.

Tugger smiled at that.

He settled down beside his younger brother, Munkustrap curling his close, and closed his eyes.

For now, Munkustrap was safe.

A week went by and Munkustrap was struggling to overcome his nightmares.

He didn't want to sleep and after a few nights of waking up in a cold sweat, sometimes screaming or crying or waking up to find an alarmed Tugger pinning him down, trying to wake him so he didn't hurt himself, he told Tugger that he wanted to handle it on his own. Tugger had protested of course, but Munkustrap didn't want to ruin his life as well as his own and had lied to him, telling him the nightmares were getting better.

Now most nights he spent patrolling the yard or just walking around, not wanting to face sleep and the nightmares that were sure to come.

Munkustrap looked up from where he was lying on the tyre as Alonzo suddenly lay down beside him.

"Are you alright, Munk?" Alonzo asked softly, looking at the tired Tom. Munkustrap gave a small nod, his emerald green eyes on Quaxo, who was playing with Victoria and the other kittens. Quaxo had been staying with Coricopat and Tantomile and also Bustopher Jones and Victoria for the past week.

Munkustrap felt horrible for making his charge stay somewhere else but he knew he had to keep him safe. Quaxo knew what had happened to Munkustrap when he was a kitten and was shocked, telling Munkus he'd help, but Munkustrap didn't want to risk hurting him or sharing his horrid burden with the small Tux.

"I'm okay, Lonz," Munkus murmured finally as he tore his eyes away from his nephew.

"What about you?" He asked, concerned. A few days prior a message had been delivered for Alonzo, saying that his father had gone missing and it was presumed he had been captured by the enemy tribe he was defending his clan against and that he was dead.

Alonzo gave a weak smile.

"I-I'm getting there." Alonzo managed to get out. "I just don't believe he's gone, Munkus." Munkustrap gave a small nod, gently nuzzling his friend. Munkustrap's head snapped up suddenly at the sound of a screech. He leapt off of the tyre and quickly headed towards Jenny's den.

"Jenny?" He called tentatively as he stuck his head in the den, looking around. He frowned when he saw the usually spotless den was a mess.

Jenny was standing in the middle of it, frozen by her shock.

"Aunty Jenny?" Munkustrap called softly as he walked over to her, gently resting his paw on her shoulder. Jenny turned around and collapsed against him, crying softly.

"Jenny, what happened?" He asked, worried.

"Some cat has robbed us!" She sobbed. "The blankets, food, wool and more have been stolen!" Munkustrap frowned as he looked around the den.

Who would do such a thing?

"I'd only been gone for ten minutes!" Jenny cried out. "I went to check on the kittens and when I came back…!" Jenny sobbed again as Skimble walked in, shocked by the mess, but taking Jenny into his arms, leaving Munkustrap to look again, gently sniffing here and there to try pick up and familiarise himself with the thief's scent.

"There were two of them." Munkustrap murmured to himself as he managed to detect two unknown scents.

"Munkus…"

"I'll find them, Jenny, and get them to give your stuff back." Munkustrap promised her. "They'll probably still be in the yard somewhere."

"Why would they still be here?" Skimble asked, confused.

"Because there's more opportunity for them to steal," Munkustrap answered simply, knowing this from his time as a slave and hearing stories from other slaves, some who were there because they had been caught stealing.

"Munkus, don't push yourself, darling, you need to rest and eat as well…" Jenny started, knowing Munkustrap had been struggling. Munkustrap just smiled as he leaned down to nuzzle her cheek.

"This will help distract me," He told her softly, before he kissed her cheek and left the den.

He had to find the two thieves.

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Okay, I am so so so so sorry it's taken me this long to update, but I've been struggling a bit with anxiety/depression and life and everything, then the document I've written the story in corrupted and I had to try fix it, which took a few days…and everything is just so ugh…

Anyway…

I will continue to update the story, don't worry, but it might take a little bit of time…

Thanks to those who reviewed!

Please read and review!

Love,

HGP