Deuteronomy was a pretty sorry sight. His thick fur was soaking wet and dripping all over the sidewalk, his face was almost entirely covered by a black spot, and he wore a scowl.

"I've told you time and time again," Munkustrap sighed. "You don't chew on ink pens. But do you listen? No. You got what you deserved."

"No cat ever deserves a bath," he said, frowning furiously.

"Don't glare like that; you look enough like a Himalayan as it is."

It was a little past three o'clock, and the two were making their way to the junkyard. They had wanted to go earlier, but it had been raining until noon, and then Deuteronomy had felt a sudden urge to destroy something. He had picked a black fountain pen. The kit had gotten ink splattered all over his face, and had earned himself an hour long bath while the human queen tried to get it out, with no avail. And just when the scratch marks across his cheek had healed, too.

The Jellicle leader wasn't the only one having a bad day. A girl of about fifteen was fuming down the opposite sidewalk from the cats, and headed towards them. In six hours of school, she had cut her hand on a sharp piece of metal on her locker, nearly flunked a math test, and had forgotten all about her English homework.

She wore a typical school uniform, which included a grey sweater and a pleated plaid skirt. She had transferred to a private school two years ago, and wasn't overly happy about it. But her grandmother had died and left her money, to be used solely "for her education". In her opinion, the entire place was full of snobs and jerks.

At least it stopped raining, she thought with a sigh. The sidewalk's still soaked, though… She had missed the bus, and had to cut through a few places she didn't often go. She knew them well enough, but all she wanted to do was get home and wash the blood off of her sleeve.

Deuteronomy paused, looking across the street. There was a girl there, and she looked so familiar… Like he knew her. But he was sure he'd never seen her before.

The girl stopped, spying a grey kitten across the road. It looked just like… But that was impossible. He had been dead for almost two years ago. Yes, it'd two years in late December. But it looked just like him… She went to take a step closer.

A bus went by, hitting the puddle directly in front of the girl and soaking her with muddy rainwater. When the bus went by, the kitten was gone.

She felt like swearing, but she knew it wouldn't do any good. Her mother was going to kill her for getting her uniform so dirty.

It couldn't have been him, she reasoned. It had just been her imagination. There were hundreds of grey-based mixed breed cats wandering around London. Besides, that kitten had a black face. Deuteronomy had only had touches of dark grey on his paws, chest and tail… Christine sighed, shaking her head. It was bad enough she had talked to her cat when he was alive, now she was seeing him when he was dead.

She really should tell her mother, if she ever stopped to listen to her. She'd get a kick out of it. Mum, I see dead kitties. Ah, it had been a long day.

Deuteronomy stared at the girl, and went to step forward.

"Come on," Munkustrap said, nudging him away from the road and into an alley shortcut. "The street's dangerous, you know that."

He followed the tabby, and didn't get another look at the girl. He had probably just seen her around the neighbourhood, anyway.

"She said yes! She said yes! Oh, Everlasting Cat, she said yes!"

"What's wrong with him?" the Jellicle Protector asked, nodding his head at Mungojerrie, who was currently going to fits of joy.

"He asked Juana to be his mate," Jennyanydots sighed.

"Three guesses to what her answer was," Skimbleshanks said wearily.

"Aw, I can't believe how fast our Jerrie's growing up," grinned Rumpelteazer. "Just think, pretty soon you two will be Grampa Shanks and Granny Jenny."

"Yeah, and you'll be Auntie Teazer," Munkustrap reminded her, giving her a poke in the shoulder. "Imagine, your little brother getting mated before you. You're going to end up a spinster at this rate."

"You're older than me and you're not mated!" she protested.

"I'm not older by much, despite what your maturity displays, and I've had my paws full for the last few years," he scowled. "And now, I'm too busy with a kitten to take a mate."

"What about Demeter?" questioned Jennyanydots. "She was getting rather friendly with you after you saved her from Macavity."

"Yeah, but she moved on. She had a crush on Alonzo until he mated with Cassandra, then she moved on to Mungojerrie, but that ended quickly. I don't know who she's going to target next."

"I never really saw Dem as that kind of queen," Teazer commented. "Always saw her sister flitting around, not her."

"I think Bombalurina's nearly ready to settle down," Skimbleshanks said. "She and the Rum Tum Tugger have been spending an awful lot of time together lately."

"I don't think she or the Tugger will ever really settle down," sighed Munkustrap. "Sure, they might have a kit together, but that's no guarantee they'll stay together."

The four watched the calico-like tom for a moment, who was still running around, practically doing back flips, and hugging any unfortunate Jellicle who happened to walk by.

"So," Rumpelteazer said, breaking the silence. "Where's Inky gotten off to?"

"Playing with Gus and the other kittens. Jemima's watching them. And I'd prefer it if you didn't refer to the Jellicle leader as Inky in the future."

"You've got to admit that the lad did look funny," Skimble smiled. "Looked like one of those Himalayan cats with the black face and the thick fur."

"Probably the first time he's ever looked like any specific breed of cat," Jennyanydots sighed. "As far as anyone can guess, including himself, he's some obscure cross between Maine Coon, Longhair Tabby, and possibly Persian."

"It's better that he blend in," Munkustrap shrugged. "That way, he won't draw attention. He doesn't stand out."

"Oh, he stands out just fine," Teazer snorted. "I'm serious; you could put him in a line of fifty other kittens who look exactly like him, black face and all, and still be able to pick him out. I don't know what it is, it's just… he's Old Deuteronomy. You can't mistake him for anyone else."

"Obviously Bustopher Jones can," muttered Skimbleshanks, and his daughter and Munkustrap nodded in grim agreement.

"Oh, would you lay off poor Bustopher!" Jenny exclaimed. "He hasn't harmed a fly, and you're all treating him like he's going to tear out Father's throat the first chance he gets."

"I'm just not letting my guard down," the Jellicle Protector sighed. "It's my duty to protect Old Deuteronomy and the tribe. I promised him that, and I intend to keep my word."

A tom slunk through the entrance of the junkyard, unseen by anyone. All of the Jellicles were around the centre area, by the tire or the Old Ford.

The newcomer appeared to by a common tabby, with a white-based coat and brown strips lacing his body. But he wasn't a tabby; there was one little detail about him that gave him another name.

He was silent as he carefully made his way into the depths of the large junkyard. He had to make his way to the tire area. He was sure to find him there. He walked for several minutes, unaware that he was being followed.

There was a clatter as something hit a tin can.

The tabby-like tom spun around to face a furry, black-faced someone.

"Hello!" the kitten said brightly. "Who are you?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you supposed to be wandering around alone?"

"No," he admitted. "But I know the junkyard really well. I never get lost."

"Are you a Jellicle?"

"Yes," he answered, and then paused. "You're not going to try to kill me now, are you?"

A confused look crossed the tom's face. "No, I'm not. Erm, I'm looking for a Jellicle here, maybe you could help me."

"Maybe I could. What's their name?"

"Old Deuteronomy," the striped cat said, careful to pronounce the name right.

The grey kitten's face lit up. "Oh! That's lucky!"

"Why? Do you know where I can find him?"

"Yep! I am him."

This stunned the tom. There was no possible way that kitten was Old Deuteronomy. "I think I'm looking for a different one. The Old Deuteronomy I'm looking for is very old, he's the Jellicle leader."

"I'm old, I was just reborn," the kit insisted. "And I am the Jellicle leader, even though Munk does mostly everything."

"I'm pretty sure Old Deuteronomy doesn't have a black face," he said, a last ditch effort.

"Oh," he said, slinking back a bit. "That's not my real fur colour, it's ink."

"Ink?"

"It's kind of a long story."

"Ah. Look, this… Munk. Is he your father?"

"Course not!" Deuteronomy snorted. "I'm way too old to be Munk's son. Beside, he hasn't even got a mate. I think he's gonna end up with Teazer, though. But don't tell him I said that. Munk's my second-in-command, and he's also the Jellicle Protector."

"Well, could you show me to where this Munk might be?"

"Sure!" he smiled, nodding. "Just follow me. Oh, and his name's not Munk, I just call him that. He might get mad if you do. His real name's Munkustrap. But I'm not good with long names. 'Cept for my own, anyway. I don't know why, but no one ever shortens my name to Deut or anything. I think it must be a respect thing or something."

"Right," the tom said awkwardly. He wasn't used to being around kittens; especially little chatter boxes like this one obviously was.

"So, what's your name?" Deuteronomy asked. "You never did tell me."

"It's Savon," he replied.

"If you were a house cat, who gave you your second name?"

"How did you know I was a house cat?"

"I just did. Besides, your claws are clipped and your fur's pressed down where your collar used to be."

"I gave myself the name Savon."

"Well, Savon? Did you know your tail's gone?"

He gave a small smile. "Yes, I did know that."

"Oh. Where'd it go?"

"I was born without one," he said, a bit proud. "I'm a special breed of cat called Manx. We're pretty rare, and none of us have tails."

"I never knew that," the kitten shrugged. "Well, come on. I'll show you where Munk is. If he gets a bit mad at you, don't take it personally. Tugger says he's a spaz."

Savon held back a laugh as he followed the tiny grey kitten. If this was indeed Old Deuteronomy, he had been seriously misinformed.

"I don't know where he went! He just disappeared!" Jemima insisted. "One minute he was there, the next he wasn't! He's always doing that, you know that!"

"You were supposed to be watching him," Munkustrap glared. "What was so important that you left the Jellicle leader and three other kittens unattended to do?"

"Her and Mistoffelees were talking," said Grizabella matter-of-factly, Gus and Chelonian nodding in agreement. "She shouldn't be sneaking off to flirt with him instead of looking after little defenceless kittens."

"I can't believe this!" the queen exclaimed. "I'm getting a lecture on morals from the Glamour Cat!"

"Munk! Hey Munk!"

The Jellicle Protector turned to see Deuteronomy coming towards him with a strange cat. He leapt to the leader's side, putting himself between the leader and the newcomer.

"What do you want?" he asked, a hint of a growl in his voice.

"Munk, this is Savon. He said he came to see me, but he wants to talk to you, too."

"How do you know he's not with Macavity?" the tabby hissed.

"I just know," Deuteronomy said firmly. Kitten or not, when Old Deuteronomy just knew something, the case was closed.

"He hasn't got a tail!" Chelonian exclaimed. "Did you get banished from the Yaltas?"

Munkustrap turned to Jemima. "Could you take the kittens somewhere else? Deuteronomy can stay here with me."

She nodded, and quickly herded the three out of the area.

"Now, Savon," the silver tabby said, taking a seat on the ground. "What exactly did you wish to talk to me about?"

"Actually, I came to meet with Old Deuteronomy, but…" he trailed off, and gestured to the kitten.

"He was reborn in the Heaviside Layer, and returned without his memories," sighed Munkustrap. "I am his guardian and I make all major decisions for him while he is in his current state."

"Ah, well… First of all, I was a house cat. I lived in a high class neighbourhood in a mansion. My breed's very rare, and rich humans seem to be drawn to particular breeds. But my humans moved to America. They couldn't bring me with them, so they tried to sell me. Finding no one, they simply let me go free."

"How did you come to hear of Old Deuteronomy and the Jellicles?"

"A kitten of my human's friend once told me of them, but it was years ago. I asked around until I found the junkyard. I can't remember the kit's name, but she was pure white."

"Victoria," the grey kitten smiled. "See, Munk? He's not a psycho."

Munkustrap frowned. "I never said he was a psycho, Old Deuteronomy. Savon, what makes you think you are worthy to be a Jellicle?"

"Since when did a cat have to be worthy to be a Jellicle?" interrupted the kit. "It's not an elite club or anything. You said I welcomed everyone, as long as they have a heart that's true to the cause of the Everlasting Cat. And Savon has that. I just know it."

The Manx gave a small smile. "Is he always like that?"

Munkustrap sighed. "Most of the time. Unfortunately. I suppose he's right, though. If he just knows something, it's not up for discussion. Welcome to the Jellicle tribe, Savon."

He bowed to both the tabby and Deuteronomy. "Thank you very much."

"Well, now that you're one of us… In the matter of your tail…"

"He was born without it," the Jellicle leader piped. "He's a rare breed of cat called Manx. Even I knew that, Munk."

Savon actually laughed, something he hadn't done in a long time. "I can see that my time here will be far for uneventful."

"Like him? We've got two more reborn kittens, and he's got a pair of grandkits who you have to meet. Oh, and if Mungojerrie hugs you, don't take it personally. He's a bit weird today."

"Something tells me this is going to be a far cry from the cream and cushions I was used to," he smiled. "By that way… This may be a little bold, but… Is it normal to have a name you know isn't yours, yet you know it's yours?"

Munkustrap looked at Deuteronomy. "How in Heaviside do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Find Jellicles."

He shrugged. "It's my job, isn't it? Build my tribe and therefore the followers of the Everlasting Cat."

The tabby ruffled his fur. "You're growing up too fast. Come on, Savon, I'll introduce you to Jennyanydots and Skimbleshanks."

AN: I am proud to say that Cats had saved my butt once again! Who'd have thought it'd be useful for geography tests? Just look…

No

Cats

PRide

Pouncival's

Antics

Northern Territories

Central

PRairie

Pacific

Atlantic

The territories of Canada, from largest to smallest. I'm so smart… Anyway, review!