"'E should've been back by now," fretted Rumpelteazer. "'Im er the'enches er both—by the bye, I don't like it one jot that we simply left'im t'deal wif'em."
"But yew'eard miz Tanto, they's scared of'im—" her brother tried to interject.
"Nevahmin'," she cut him off, "bu' me point is, we should've seen somefin' of'im by now if'n all was well, er the'enches if'n all weren't well. Sommat must've'appen'd."
"Not necessarily," Mungojerrie attempted to soothe her. "Mebbe'e's jus' tryin' t'talk'em into leavin' still. Can't be easy, y'know, even if they are scared of'im now."
"Ay, an' why's it up ter Mackey t'convince'em all on'is onesy? An' how d'we know they's scared of'im?"
"Well, yew'eard, some'ow Quax fill'd Mack wit' lightnin' powahs fer a mo' an' zapped ol' TB to a crisp. Now them'enches as saw it finks'e's some sorta wizard cat."
"An' how long can'e be expected t'keep up that pretense?"
"Miz Teazy?"
Jerrie and Teazer turned, rather sheepishly, at the sound of little Sillabub's voice. She stood below the Tire where they sat, looking hopefully up at them, holding baby Etcetera by the paw. The matched tabbies were meant to be watching them and the other kittens whilst everyone else was either seeing to the injured or preparing for another possible attack.
"Er, er, yes, m'dear, wot is it?" asked Teazer, hopping down to the floor.
"Can't you tell us what to play?" Silla begged. "Tumble an' Bucky say they playing Rescue an' we too little." She pouted. "But they letting Toria play."
Rumpelteazer glanced over a the older kits. Carbuckety was evidently the 'bad guy,' and Tumblebrutus had to 'defeat' him and save the captive kitten. The extent of Victoria's role mainly involved sitting around waiting to be rescued. Teazer didn't see why all three queenkits couldn't fill this role, but kits were so full of notions…
"'Ow'bout," Jerrie suggested, "that…that fing where yew chase each othah—er, er…Ting, Tong…"
"Tag?" Sillabub looked disappointed. "We play that lots. We bored of it." Etcetera nodded her head vigorously.
"Bor," she mimicked.
"Then…" Jerrie paused. "Then wot about this made-up game, ''Ow Did Lady Mothah—'"
"Jerrie!" Teazer interrupted, glaring at her brother. "Tha's no game fer kits!" In her time here, Teazer had learnt a thing or two from Jennyanydots and Jellylorum about what one did and didn't say to kittens.
"How did Lady Mothah—what?" Sillabub asked, intrigued.
"Nevah yew jolly well mind," said Teazer firmly. "I gots a much bettah idear. Play Crashin' Tower! Y'stacks a load o'boxes as high's y'can, an' then knocks'em ovah! It's a lark!"
Sillabub and Etcetera clapped their paws excitedly and raced off to gather boxes.
"Listen, Jer'," Teazer hissed, turning back to her brother, "I'm gonna go check on'im an' help'im out if need be…"
"O no yer not. If'n yer that worried, I'll go."
"No y'won't! Fink I'm ever gonna trust yew'n Mackey out'o my sights again? When the two of yew gets idears, y'land yerselves in'eaps o'trouble."
"'Twas Quax's idear," Jerrie protested.
"Well in any case I'm goin'."
"Then I'm goin' wif yew."
"The kits!"
"Then we bof stay."
Teazer stamped her paw in exasperation. "Sommat's amiss wit' Mack, I know it!" She sighed. "Miz Jen'll kill me an' nevah let me near the kits again…but I fink they'll be a'righ', an' this's life an' death… Tumble!" she called.
The patched tomkit looked annoyed at having to leave his game, just on the verge of pinning Carbuckety to the ground and demanding the return of Victoria, who merely sat there innocently sucking her paw—but he came over readily enough. "Did you want me?"
"Lissen, Tumble," Teazer proceeded eagerly, "yer a great big grown responsible tom now, ain't ya?"
Tumble stood just a little taller at that. "'Course," he declared. "And I'm strong and brave. I help Munkustrap protect the borders all the time. You don't have to be scared of a thing, Miz Teazer. I'll protect you if those bad'uns come back!"
"Well, tha's just it, Tumb. I needs yew t'protect the little'uns whilst Jerr' an' I sees t'somefin very important. C'n yew do that?"
Tumble's face fell. "Kitsitting," he grumbled.
"Protectin'," Jerrie corrected. "There's danger about an' the kits're countin' on yew t'keep'em safe!"
"Countin' on yew," Teazer emphasized. "It's yer'ead if anyfin' 'appens!"
The tabby queen gulped, knowing perfectly well that her head was the one in danger here.
