"Whatcha doin?" a gorgeous black queen kit stood across from the pond, looking anxious. Mungojerrie groaned. Tilly, the tailor's kitten, had to be the worst cat to show up. How am I s'pposed to kill her if everyone keeps comin around? Tilly walked up beside Mungojerrie and sat down. The kit was on a floating stick, visibly frightened and shivering.

"I'm teaching her how to swim." This was Mungojerrie's fifth time saying this.

"You can swim?" Tilly asked, amazed. How stupid do ya get? Tilly didn't ask him o prove it or anything like that. She automatically believed him.

"Yup." Tilly started rubbing all over Mungojerrie. He glanced around nervously. Last time Tilly did that, his mom popped around the corner and started yelling. Something about Tilly being a no good insert name for Pollicle female and what sounded like horror, but was obviously much worse.

"Wow, that's cool! Hey, guess what?" Tilly was under his paw now, grinning up at him. The position sent a shiver down Mungojerrie's spine, but he politely shoved her away. Queens were only a distraction.

"What?" Mungojerrie grumbled. He glanced at the kit. Darn, still there. He made a face at her.

"Lonrina told Mama last week that I could be next Empress. Well, as long as your Mama didn't find a better suited queen." Under Mungojerrie's fur, he paled. Oh boy. Tilly for a mate? Holy crapezius!

"Uh, that's great…"Mungojerrie muttered. But how was that possible? Lonrina had said that as long as no qualified queens came along, Mungojerrie was up for the throne. She'd announced this after testing Tilly, among batrillions of other queen kits. Of course no one was happy. Even Mungojerrie's own mother was disappointed. Queens had been top-ruler for 500 or more years. Mungojerrie would be the first tom top-ruler in over 5 centuries. He'd gotten used to the idea. But Tilly could ruin it. He'd be second-ruler. Mungojerrie wanted to join he complaints that daily rained in on Lonrina (most about him).

"That spineless fraud!" Mungojerrie's outburst startled Tilly. She was leaning on him, her back to his right side. The tom found it very uncomfortable. And disturbing.

"What?" she looked up at him. Mungojerrie's nose was inches from hers. If he hadn't have been so grossed out, he might have seen her longing look. But, that's guys for ya.

"Uh, never mind." There was an awkward silence, then, 'Has Lonrina told my mom yet?" Tilly shook he head.

"Why not?" Tilly settled farther into Mungojerrie. Mungojerrie felt off balance. He looked at the kit. She'd curled up into a tiny fluff ball. Now there wasn't going to be an accident unless Tilly left. Man, queens ruin everything!

"Lonrina said it didn't matter. Your mama'd have to find a queen in two months. Lonrina doesn't know of any pregnant queens that can have possible matches. Except one, but her litter died, so it doesn't matter. Isn't it great? When your mama reaches her 10th end of the seasons, we get to be on the throne!" Tilly sounded way too happy to Mungojerrie. He just kind of sat there, picking blades of grass that tickled his legs. This is so not fair. A thought struck Mungojerrie. If Mama had thought the kit had throne triats in her, she'd have suggested bringing her to Lonrina. Which she had. Sot here was a small glimmer of hope. Tilly was too old. With the kit as Empress, it'd be easy to fake an accident and be top-ruler.

Mungojerrie jumped up, shoving Tilly aside thoughtlessly. Ignoring her startled cries, he ran to the shore nearest the burdened stick and grabbed the kit. He dragged her across the rocky grasslands all the way home.

Through tears, Tilly spoke quietly.

"Mama, he doesn't like me. Not at all. He totally ignores me!" The queen's mother sighed. She furrowed her brow in deep thought. She zoned out o her daughters wails for a moment.

"He doesn't even pay attention, even when I'm right under his paws!..."

"I got it!" Tilly jumped when her mother exclaimed this.

"Uh…?"

"I know how we're getting you on the throne!"

"Mama, I don't want to be on the throne. I just want to be with him!"

"Now now dear, that's the wrong attitude! Look, this'll work because you've always wanted him, like wanted him."

"But Mama! I'm too young!"

"Ah, but all toms can't resist. He'll take you, and you'll be forced to be up there! It's bomb proof!"

"Wait, what am I doing exactly?"