Chapter Six: The winner takes it all

Tugger lay in catatonic shock on the back of the car staring out into space, the sun beating down on his back. For the first time in his life there was absolutely nothing in his head, nothing except for the image of the kitten with the bright blue eyes, his bright blue eyes. He huffed and rolled onto his back and lay spread eagled, soaking up the sun.

From across the clearing of the Junkyard Munkustrap glanced over at his younger brother. He was tired of listening to the prattle coming from Mungojerrie and Admetus about Pollicles and Rumpus Cat getting into some sort of mess in Hyde Park. Tugger didn't look his usual self. There were young queens hanging around and he was not in their midst, preening and showing off, as per usual. No, Munkustrap knew his brother. Something was up.

"One minute guys." Munkustrap said absent minded and padded over to his brother.

Tugger didn't look at Munkustrap when he arrived but continued to lie there.

"Tugger?" Munkustrap ventured.

"Mm yeah?" Tugger replied, distracted.

"What's up?"

"Oh, nothing, just, relaxing." Tugger rolled onto his stomach and sat up.

"I see."

"Did you want something?" Tugger asked.

"Oh no, well, maybe you could do the night shift tonight?"

"Yeah whatever."

Munkustrap raised an eyebrow. "Alright what's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Tugger whined.

"You never want to do the night shift, so something must be wrong." Munkustrap persisted.

Tugger groaned and glanced at his brother. Munkustrap could see in his eyes that his younger brother was tired and distressed.

"I don't know what to do." Tugger blurted out.

"About what?" Munkustrap cocked his head.

"About, about Bombalurina!" Tugger exclaimed.

"What about her? She's with her human family." Munkustrap said.

"No! She had a baby."

"Oh, you know about that."

"Munk, everyone knows about that." Tugger sighed.

"I see. Why are you concerned about that?"

"You are so thick brother!" Tugger groaned.

"What?"

"The baby! The baby had my eyes!" Tugger cried.

"WHAT?" Munkustrap almost fell off the edge of the car.

"I know." Tugger glanced at his paws.

"You're the father!"

"You didn't know?"

"She didn't tell anyone, not even Demeter!"

"Oh."

Munkustrap rubbed his temples with his paws. What a mess.

"What are you going to do?" Munkustrap asked.

"What do you mean?" Tugger flopped down again.

"Well, you're not just going to let her deal with this herself are you?"

"I don't know." Tugger said blankly.

"What do you mean you don't know? You got yourself into this!" Munkustrap reprimanded.

"It's not my fault this happened!" Tugger defended.

"Not your fault? So this just happened miraculously did it? You know very well that it takes two to you know…"

"I know…"

"Well then what are you going to do?" Munkustrap demanded.

"I can't do anything."

"This is just like you to give up and not take responsibility for your actions."

"You sound like mum." Tugger groaned.

"I'm glad one of us does because you know I'm right and she'd be right." Munkustrap snapped.

Tugger said nothing and stared out into space. "I'm going for a walk."

"You think about what I said!" Munkustrap called after him.


"I know you think I'm fussy and overbearing sometimes Bomba but, Carbucketty and I are here for you." Jelly said as she cleaned up her own son Pouncival.

"Thanks." Bombalurina replied.

"For what it's worth, you'll make a wonderful mother, regardless of who the father is."

"We don't need him." Bombalurina assured Jelly.

"No of course not." She replied, a little disbelief in her voice. "But I'm always here if you need me alright."

"I know, I'll be in my old den, it will be okay." Bombalurina gave her aunt a hug.

"Yes, it will be okay."

"And you're here if I need you and Jenny is right around the corner." Bombalurina laughed.

"Yes you're right. I'm glad you've been listening."

"I always listen to you."

"Yeah right." Jelly laughed.


Tugger wasn't really sure where he was going but he just wandered around, out of the Junkyard and along the streets, dodging people here and there. He let his feet do the walking as his brother's words followed him. He walked and he walked, not pausing until he collided with a wall. A deep chuckle sounded from above him.

"Going blind?" The voice asked.

Tugger glanced up and blinked at Old Deuteronomy who lounged casually on the top of the wall.

"Maybe." He replied.

"Don't tell me my youngest son has come for a visit?" Old D said with a laugh.

"I don't know." Tugger replied.

"You don't know much these days do you son?" His father said.

"I guess not."

"What really brings you here?" Old D asked.

"I don't really know, just needed to go for a walk."

"Something is weighing on your mind."

"Yeah."

"It's because inside you are torn about what to do, whether to run away or face your problem."

"Yeah."

"What is the right path?"

"What?" Tugger cocked his head confused.

"What is the right path?" Old Deuteronomy persisted.

"I don't know." Tugger admitted. "I don't know if I can do it. I mean she has my eyes, she's mine! But, I can't look after a queen and a kitten!"

"You can't?"

"No, I can't." Tugger said.

"How do you know?"

"What?"

"How do you know you can't do it? Have you tried?"

"No but…"

"Then try." Old D cut Tugger off. "How does anyone know what they are capable of if they do not try."

"I'll just mess the kit up." Tugger sighed.

"Perhaps, but perhaps not. You're not being asked to solely raise a child, but to jointly raise one. One parent may be able to raise one, but its nice to have help."

"I guess."

"Tugger, you're my son. I know you. You walk away from so many things."

"That's what Munkustrap said."

"You're brother is smart."

"He's always been smarter than me." Tugger groaned.

"No Tugger, you're smart too, just a little immature and a little self absorbed." Old D laughed.

"Gee thanks."

"No my son, you know you're self absorbed. Perhaps now this will teach you to think of someone other than yourself. Do you really think that Bombalurina can do this by herself?"

"I don't know."

"Well, you know in your heart what the right thing to do is."

"I do?" Tugger glanced up at his father.

"You know you do." Old D closed his eyes. Even for his sons his council only lasted a certain amount of time.

Tugger sighed and made his way back to the Junkyard. It was dusk and the kittens were coming out to play tumbling with each other, Jenny and Jelly watching over them with some of the other parents, like shepherds with sheep. He wondered whether he would be like that. Squeals came from the kittens as he entered and they ran up to him. He glanced down at them and chuckled. Some had just learnt to walk; others had been out for about a month. The boldest two and also the oldest were Tumblebrutus and Plato who came up and began imitating a few of his dance moves.

He laughed and patted a few on the head. "Tugger's gotta run kids."

"Can't you stay and play?" Squeaked tiny Electra who held her twin Victor's paw.

"Not today. Perhaps tomorrow." He said.

"Tugger!" Exclaimed Victoria, the little white kitten. "Do you wanna know something?"

"Sure kiddo." He sighed. "But make it quick."

"We's gonna have a new friend to play with soon!" She shrilled.

"Yeah!" Chimed in Pouncival. "My cuzzy Jemmy."

The kittens all seemed to find this very exciting.

"So I heard." Tugger said, and wandered away from them absently, much to their protests.

So many thoughts filled his head at that moment it was hard for him to focus on a single one. A scream broke his concentration and he glanced around. Little Etcetera, one of the youngest had fallen over and was screaming and crying. Without thinking he scooped her up.

"Did you hurt yourself?" He asked her.

Etcetera hiccupped, tears streaming down her face. She nodded slowly.

"Where?"

She pointed to her knee. Tugger inspected it. "It doesn't look too bad."

Etcetera grinned. "Tuggie save me!"

"Yeah I guess so." He replied and put her down. She latched on to his leg and hugged him tightly.

"Me loves Tuggie!" She exclaimed.

Tugger laughed and glanced at the others in the Junkyard. Jenny and Jelly stared at him, slight smiles playing on their lips. He smiled back, extracted Etcetera from his leg and hurried off. Suddenly he knew what he had to do.