Munkustrap sat at a booth in the night-club, unsure of how he had been coerced into coming.

It was Mistoffelees birthday and Tugger had insisted on taking the now Tom out to celebrate, along with a few of the Jellicles.

Munkustrap had just given Misto his present, his collar for coming of age, when Tugger had burst in, a giant grin on his face and had informed them that they were going out to celebrate and that Munkustrap was joining them, even if Tugger had to drag him by his tail.

"Are you okay, Munkus?" Misto asked loudly to be heard over the music, as he slipped to sit beside Munkus in the booth. Munkustrap gave a nod, his emerald green eyes straying to Misto's collar. He gently hooked a claw under it and smiled.

The collar was a black velvet one, with a velvet, somewhat glittery, bow-tie attached to the front.

It had taken him a while to find it, but when he finally did he was relieved. The collar suited Misto's personality so well.

Misto grinned as he adjusted the collar as Munkustrap let it go.

"Do you like it?" Munkustrap asked. Misto nodded.

"I love it, Munkus, it is perfect." He replied, smiling.

"Excuuuse me!" A drunken voice suddenly sung beside them. Misto and Munkustrap looked around, seeing Tugger leaning against the table. "But I believe this is Misto's birthday, so no sittin' around!" And with that, he grabbed Misto's paw, dragging him back towards the dance floor. Munkustrap watched them go, chuckling, and shaking his head.

"Now, now, that's a beautiful smile you have there." An older midnight black Queen smiled as she stepped up to his booth. Her green eyes shined as she looked at him.

"Um, thank you?" Munkustrap stammered, unsure. The Queen slid into the seat opposite him and smiled. Munkustrap took a proper look at her. She was beautiful, her midnight black fur, now flecked with grey, was shiny. She had a soft smile, her muzzle flecked with grey, and her green eyes were bright as they stared at him.

"You don't recognize me, do you, darling?" The Queen asked him. Munkustrap gave a small shake of his head.

"I-I don't believe so." He answered.

"I'm Sasha," She introduced herself. "We met a very, very long time ago, when you were just a small kitten…a very miserable kitten actually." Munkustrap's eyes widened as he was suddenly hit with an old memory, of a midnight black queen telling him to smile, because all adorable kittens deserve to smile, while his mother tried to flirt with the owner of the club.

"I-I remember." He stammered, shocked. Sasha gave a small smile, reaching over and gently squeezing his paw.

"I was so worried about you when Kira came back to the club and said she had gotten rid of you, Nuka was furious." Sasha told him gently. "He wanted her to get you a baby-sitter or something, so at least you'd have some time away from her, but when she said she'd gotten rid of you, he was furious and kicked her out before I had the chance to sink my claws into her." Munkustrap gave a small nod, paws playing with the glass in front of him.

"She sold me into slavery." He admitted.

Sasha hissed under her breath. "That no-good, rotten…" She trailed off as she looked to Munkustrap.

"But…but you're okay now, sweet-heart?" She asked, worried. Munkustrap smiled and gave a nod.

"After a few masters, I was bought and freed by the Tom I now call my father." He smiled. Sasha leaned forward, eyes on his collar.

"Yes, I can see he cares for you," Sasha murmured, indicating to his collar, and smiling. "Not a lot of cats have collars as beautifully crafted as that." Munkustrap reached up, touching his collar, as he smiled.

"I have a wonderful family now." Sasha beamed at that, wiping away tears that came to her eyes.

"Oh, honey, I'm so happy for you!" She gushed, squeezing his paw. "You deserved to live a happy life, especially after living with Kira for that time."

Munkustrap sighed. "She hates me for it." Sasha tilted her head, confused.

"What do you mean, honey?"

"I ran into her not that long ago, she swore to make my life a living hell." He admitted.

Sasha snarled. "She better not!" Munkustrap gave a small nod, glancing towards Misto and Tugger, who were dancing near Cori, Mungo, Alonzo and Admetus.

"I just hopes she leaves my family out of it." Sasha followed his gaze and sighed sadly before deciding to change the subject.

"So, you were adopted, did your new dad give you a name?" Sasha asked, remembering Kira never gave him one. Munkustrap chuckled and nodded.

"I go by Munkustrap now." Sasha's eyes widened in shock.

"W-Wait, as in Munkustrap the Jellicle Protector?!" She asked, shocked. Munkustrap gave a nod. Sasha laughed, beaming.

"Oh, honey, I'm so proud of you!" She giggled, patting his paw once more. "Well, my darling, I need to get back to Nuka." Munkustrap gave a small incline of his head.

"It was good to see you, darling, I'm so proud and so happy for you!"

"Thank you, Sasha." Munkustrap murmured, smiling. He watched as she got up and sauntered away across the dance-floor, before he sighed, shuddering as old memories were stirred up.

Sasha made her way to Nuka, who was leaning against the bar and watching the patrons. He smiled as he spotted her.

"Ah, Sasha, my darling, I was wondering where you got to." He smiled. Sasha purred as she cosied up to the rusty coloured Tom.

"I found someone we knew a long time ago," Sasha murmured before her expression turned dark. "Nuka, you need to talk to your friends and spread the word to make sure no one hires Kira."

Nuka sighed as he detached the fuming Queen from his side. "Darling, you've hated her since the day you've met her."

"And for good reason." Sasha growled. Nuka nodded.

"But I can't just tell others not to hire her for no good reason." He added. Sasha crossed her arms.

"Remember her kitten, the one who we thought she just abandoned?" She asked. Nuka nodded, sighing sadly.

"Turns out she didn't just abandon him, she sold him into slavery!" She growled. Nuka turned to her, eyes wide in shock.

"What?!" He hissed. Sasha nodded.

"The silver Tom sitting over there with the black and white splotched Tom and the calico, that's her kitten." Sasha nodded towards Munkustrap. Nuka looked at him and tilted his head.

"Well, he's looking like he's done well for himself." He mused. Sasha nodded.

"Apparently after a few masters, he was bought and freed by a Tom who then adopted him." Sasha murmured. "Now he is the Jellicle Protector." Nuka whistled, impressed.

"Good on him, turning his life around." Nuka smiled before he turned serious, looking to Sasha.

"What Kira did was unforgivable," Nuka growled. "I'd never want a Queen to put dancing over her own kitten, it's an unforgivable act, especially if she sells him into slavery." Nuka looked back to Munkustrap.

"She won't ever get a job in these clubs…ever." He swore. They looked back at Munkustrap, finding he and his friends were beginning to leave. Munkustrap glanced back and saw them staring at him. He gave a small smile and a nod before turning and leaving, a tall maned Tom flinging his arm around Munkustrap's shoulders as they walked out, laughing.

Munkustrap walked into his den, yawning widely. They had finally gotten back to the junkyard after Misto's party. Tugger had dragged Misto to his den, claiming to want to spend some more time with his nephew, but exchanging a sly smirk with Coricopat, who bid them goodnight and headed off towards his own den.

Munkustrap paused as he entered his den, finding Tantomile sitting on his couch, waiting for him. She smiled at him.

"How was your night?" She asked, head tilted. Munkustrap smiled as he walked over, sitting beside her.

"It was good." He replied. "Would have been better if you were there." Tantomile nuzzled his cheek lovingly as he took her paw in his own. Munkustrap smiled as Tantomile snuggled into his arms, purring. He purred back as he held her close. Tantomile leaned up, kissing him. He kissed back, the kiss growing in passion as they held each other tightly.

Somehow, through the kissing and paws roaming, they ended up in his bedroom. They both collapsed onto his bed, Munkustrap staring at Tantomile wide-eyed as she smiled at him, eyes alight.

"T-Tants, a-are you sure?" He stammered. Tantomile nodded, paws slipping over Munkustrap's thighs, making his breath hitch.

She whispered. "Yes." And that was all Munkustrap needed to hear.

Passionate kisses, exploring paws, soft moans and loving whispers were exchanged between them as the night grew old.

They collapsed in each other's arms, spent, and curled up, smiling exhaustedly at one another.

"Munkus…wow." Tantomile panted, eyes alight as she gently nuzzled him. Munkustrap gave a tired chuckle as he held her close. He watched as she drifted off to sleep and stared at her.

He couldn't believe what had just happened between them, that they had mated together for the first time.

Munkustrap had never thought he'd have a proper relationship with anyone, not after what he went through as a kitten, and he never thought someone would actually love him.

Now he had a family, a father who loved him, two brothers who protected him, a nephew he adored, caring friends and now a loving queen-friend.

He purred as Tantomile snuggled close in his arms.

Life couldn't be better.

Munkustrap was awoken the morning by the sound of a strangled cry. He quickly hurried out of bed, looking apologetically to Tantomile, who just smiled sleepily, before he hurried out to find the source of the yell.

He ran past the Jellicles who had been woken by the sound of the cry, peering out of their dens.

He found Alonzo staring towards the gates, face pale.

"L-Lonz, what's wrong?" Munkustrap panted, looking at his best friend.

"P-Papa!" Alonzo just cried out, racing towards a Tom limping into the yard. Munkustrap quickly followed his friend, watching as he enveloped the older Tom into a crushing hug.

"My boy, my boy!" Antony was crying as he hugged Alonzo just as tightly. Munkustrap stopped beside them, staring in shock.

Antony was alive.

He seemed to be okay, his fur was a bit dirty and ruffled, and he was rather skinny, but he didn't appear to have any serious wounds.

"Papa, I thought you were dead!" Alonzo cried as he buried his nose into his father's shoulder. Antony stroked the back of Alonzo's head, fingers threading through his head-fur.

"I know, my boy, I know," Antony murmured. "I will explain later." Alonzo nodded, letting go of his dad. Antony's eyes landed on Munkustrap and they widened in shock.

"It's good to have you back, Antony." Munkustrap smiled.

"Munkustrap, iz zat you?!" Antony laughed. "My, you have grown!" Munkustrap chuckled, inclining his head.

"Perhaps you should take your father to see Jenny, Lonzo," Munkustrap suggested. "I'm sure she'll want to check him over." Alonzo nodded, his honey eyes watery with tears, before he led his father towards the den.

Munkustrap followed them back, hearing Jenny's surprised cry and Skimble's yelling out to his old friend as he ran forward to give him a hug.

He had to hear what had kept Antony away for so long.

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Sorry it's taken a little while, but trying to get motivated and get my story-line in order :)

Things will turn bad for the Jellicles next chapter! :O

Thanks to those who reviewed!

Please read and review!

Love,

HGP!