Author's Note: Ugh! Sorry for the long update but work has been super busy! And then I got an idea for another story so it took a bit more importance than this one. But enjoy this chapter and thanks to everyone who has been sticking by with this one!
Chapter Eight: Try To Capture Every Minute
"Scared." Jemima said peering through the flap of the den.
"Don't be scared sweetie it will be fine!" Bombalurina said gently as she stepped over her daughter and padded just outside the den. "I will be here all the time, just take my paw."
Jemima glanced around nervously but took her mother's paw and allowed herself to be led out into the Junkyard. Being a relatively sunny day the Junkyard looked a little better than it normally did. Jemima's eyes widened as she followed closely behind Bombalurina taking in the sights of the Junkyard. In the Clearing Jelly and Jenny were bringing out the kittens for their daily lessons in Jellicle Lore and general day-care. Various other Jellicles lounged around in the rare morning sun.
Demeter raised her head from her spot on the back of the car and grinned at the sight of her sister and her niece. Sliding from her position she padded gaily over to the two.
"Well look who's out and about!" Demeter exclaimed, tickling Jemima under the chin.
Jemima giggled and allowed her aunt to hug her. "Are you ready to meet everyone?" Demeter asked.
Jemima nodded slightly, glancing back at her mother for confirmation. Bombalurina lifted her daughter up and they made their way over to where Jelly and Jenny were lining up the kittens to recite the ancient poem "The Naming of Cats".
"Victoria you are in the back next to Quaxo! Electra sit still darling. Pouncival put that bug down!" Jelly barked to the various kittens. She sighed and rubbed her temple with her paw, it was going to be a long day. She glanced up as Bombalurina, Demeter and Jemima came padding towards her.
"Oh look who's out! Hello Jemima!" Jelly said smiling kindly at the kitten.
"Hello." Jemima said quietly.
"Who that!" Exclaimed Etcetera from behind Jellylorm.
"Yah what's your name?" George asked climbing onto Tumblebrutus' back to get a better look.
"She's so pretty!" Electra sighed.
"I wish I had those eyes." Victoria huffed.
"I'm Misto!" Mistoffelees said crawling through Jelly's legs.
Jemima squeaked and hid behind her mother.
"Alright enough!" Jenny exclaimed, pushing the kittens back. "Let's give her some room to breathe children."
There was a collected groan from the group as Jenny moved them back towards their class area.
"Don't worry darling, they're all just excited to see a new face." Jelly said winking at Jemima.
Bombalurina gently pushed Jemima forward towards the group of kittens who eagerly scrambled to catch a glimpse at her from behind Jennyanydots. She squeaked and attempted to hide once again but was kept in place by her mother's firm grip.
"These are your new friends darling, don't be frightened." Bombalurina whispered into her daughter's ear. "Would you like to join the class today?"
Jemima shook her head, tears welling in her eyes as she clung to her mother's leg refusing to let go. Mistoffelees who was still peering at Jemima from under Jenny's legs crawled free from his captor and skipped over to the small tri-coloured queen.
"You can be my friend!" He exclaimed to Jemima, smiling broadly. "Look what I can do!"
He reached a paw out and grabbed at the air behind Jemima's ear and produced a small white daisy. Jemima's eyes widened as she took the daisy from him and sniffed it. She blinked at Misto and smiled. She glanced at her mother who nodded and smiled and took Misto's paw, following him to where the rest of the kittens were gathered, clutching the daisy as if it would somehow vanish.
"I'll be right there baby." Bombalurina said pointing to the tire. "Right where I can see you and you can see me okay."
Jemima nodded and watched Bombalurina move to the tire with Demeter. Once she was certain they weren't going to go anywhere she glanced around at the rest of the group.
"Everyone this is Jemima, a new addition to our little, ahem, class." Jelly said placing a paw on Jemima's head. "And Jemima you've already met Mistoffelees our class magician, so the rest of you lot introduce yourselves."
"Quaxo!"
"Victoria!"
"Electra!"
"Etcetera!"
"George!"
"Tumblebrutus, but you can call me Tumble."
"I'm Pouncival and you can call me Pounce!"
"Hey! I already shortened my name you can't too!" Tumblebrutus objected.
"Yeah I can!" Pouncival retorted.
"No you can't!"
"Enough!" Jelly growled. "Moving along!"
"Plato."
"Rumpleteazer!"
"Bill Bailey!"
"Victor!"
"And there you have it dear. All your new little classmates." Jenny said.
"I ain't little." Rumpleteazer objected.
"Yeah me either." Plato grumbled.
"We're almost done with this class you know!" Rumpleteazer sighed.
"Almost! You still have to stay with us until the Ball you know!" Tumblebrutus said pouncing on Rumpleteazer.
She squealed and the two began a tussle around the middle of the Junkyard.
"Rumpleteazer! You're never going to find a mate if you keep fighting all the time!" Jenny called after the two but sighed and flopped down. "Oh I give up!"
Bombalurina and Demeter glanced at each other and grinned.
"Don't you remember those days in class with Jelly and Jenny?" Demeter asked.
"What? Munkustrap strutting around pretending he's the boss, Alonzo following him around like a lost puppy dog, Tugger attempting to flirt with all the queens and Cassandra pretending she's better than everyone else?" Bombalurina raised an eyebrow at her sister.
"Suppose not much has changed then." Demeter shrugged.
"Yeah only Munkustrap is the boss now, or at least he thinks he is." Bombalurina grinned.
Tugger sidled into the Junkyard and sat atop a perch on an old wicker rocking chair high on one of the piles of junk. From his spot he could see the entire goings on in the clearing and with mild amusement watched Jenny and Jelly listen to the kittens reciting for the third time The Naming of Cats. He could see Jemima positioned right in the middle of the group next to that little silver and orange striped kit, Etcetera her name was or something like that. He grinned, Jemima looked so tiny and scared. He couldn't remember his first day in class but he was pretty sure he was never that small and was never that scared.
Climbing from his perch he made his way silently down towards the tire where he could spy Bombalurina and Demeter chatting amicably to Olivia, the mate of Bustopher Jones and his mother. He groaned inwardly. What was she doing here? He got close enough so he could hear what they were saying but would, hopefully, be unnoticed.
"Oh she'll liven up a little bit don't worry." Olivia, a black and tan patched queen said. "Look at my little Victoria. She used to be so quiet and now all she does is chat away."
"Oh but it would be so nice if we could get her to sing!" Noily Prat, the aged black, orange and white patched queen.
"She'll find her voice." Olivia said.
"Hopefully before the ball though." Noily Prat checked her claws absently.
"Mother!" Tugger said loudly enough for everyone to hear. Noily Prat turned around and smiled broadly.
"Hello my baby! Look at you! More and more handsome, just like your father."
Bombalurina raised an eyebrow and Demeter choked back peals of laughter. Tugger glared sideways at them but returned the smile to his mother.
"Yeah well, I take after you!" Tugger exclaimed.
"Always the charmer! Well dear must be off just coming to check on my grand-kits!" She chuckled and got up slowly. "Escort your old dame to the wall will you hun?"
Tugger obliged and took his mother's paw leading her towards the entrance to the Junkyard. Before they got there Noily Prat turned to him.
"Tugger, are you ready for this responsibility?" She asked staring at him with the same blue eyes he had, the same blue eyes his new daughter had.
"What?"
"Looking after a child is a big responsibility you know that right?"
"Look, mum, I already talked to dad." Tugger began.
"I know you did and I'm proud you're going to stick by your mistake..."
"Mistake?" Tugger snapped.
"Well it was hardly planned, you and Bombalurina having this kit." Noily Prat said.
"No it wasn't planned. What are you doing here anyway?" Tugger glared at his mother.
"Just checking in."
"Checking in for what?" Tugger demanded.
"I wanted to see the mother of my first grand-kit for myself that's all." Noily Prat defended.
"You don't think Bombalurina is fit to raise Jemima?" Tugger growled.
"No! That's not what I think!"
"Of course it is!" Tugger spat.
"Tugger-poo don't be absurd! I just merely wanted to see my granddaughter for my own eyes. And to offer my assistance to your lovely mate to help raise the little princess."
"Bombalurina is not my mate."
"No I didn't think so. Well I must be off. Toodles dear." Noily Prat turned on her tail and padded away slowly.
Fuming Tugger turned on his tail and stormed back into the Junkyard flopping down beneath an old wooden table. He groaned and kicked the leg of the table causing it to snap off and then half collapse on top of him. He swore loudly and scrambled out from underneath tripping over something rather furry. Jumping to his feet he blinked at Electra who giggled and ran back to her friends.
"Tugger said a bad word!" She squealed.
The other kits laughed hysterically and Tugger could feel Jenny and Jelly about to come down heavily on him. He jumped slightly as a paw wrapped around his wrist and dragged him from the clearing. He blinked and grinned at his captor.
"Need a little time out?" Bombalurina asked.
