Thank you to you lovely people; SummerRose12, Lavie Nenharma, XmewmewLizzieX, Tuggers'Lil'Princess, musicgal3, jelliclesoul635 and AriaCloudrunner for your reviews! Oh, there's a reference to Pirates of the Caribbean in this - Skimble's been stealing characters from films for his stories! Paha :)

'Roite c'mon girlies, DOOP DOOP DOOP DOOP D-ROOO!' Rumpleteazer had been teaching the kittens the Gumbie Cat tap dance routine for the past hour, but none of them seemed to be able to grasp it.

'Oi Ad! You're leg's outta' place there!' she scolded, pointing at Admetus with a fierce look on her face. Demeter and Bombalurina glanced at eachother and burst into a fit of giggles - one dance lesson from Rumpleteazer and had she suddenly evolved into her mother.

Munkustrap was watching them from a large pipe, smiling warmly as he watched Demeter dance. There was absolutely nothing sexy or provocative about dancing like a beetle, but her grace was incredible.

'Who're you perving on?' Tugger squeezed next to his brother and sat with him in the pipe and glanced at the group of dancing beetles.

Munkustrap tutted, 'I wasn't perving.'

'Sure bro.' Tugger added sarcastically, raising his eye-brow.

'What're you doing up so early anyway, it's not even noon yet.'

'I couldn't sleep.'

'Bast, has heavy side collapsed?!'

'No, but it looks like someone fell from it.' he whispered, gazing at Bombalurina singing her part of The Gumbie Cat. Munkustrap cringed at his brother, how cheesy is that, but followed gaze; unable to stop himself from looking at Demeter.

'Who's perving now, Straps?'

'Shut up.' he muttered. 'Have you found a den yet?'

'I've seen a few places, yeah.' Tugger sighed, unable to believe that he'd be moving out of Jenny's den and into his very own in just in a few weeks.

'Well go get it soon before someone else does. I doubt Jenny would want a fully grown tom hanging around her den.'

'Who wouldn't want this hunk of meat hanging around their den?'

Munkustrap raised his eye-brow, glancing at Tugger's scrawny body and burst out laughing. Hunk of meat?!

'See, you can't even deny it.' Tugger replied boldly, brushing a tuft of fur away from his eyes.

'Sure Tugger, sure. So is Bomba staying with you?'

Tugger pursed his lips, Is she? I don't know.He frowned suddenly and scowled at Munkustrap; 'Why're you so interested?' he growled defensively.

'What do you mean?'

'Are you going to try and find all this out so you can just bitch about it to your little boyfriend?' he growled. 'Ohh Alonzo, Tugger and Bomba have a den, let's freakin' sabotage it!' he mimicked wickedly.

'I simply asked to see if you wanted help, but seeing that you don't need it I guess I'll go and 'bitch' to Alonzo.' Munkustrap crawled out of the pipe and pointed to Tugger, 'That's your problem Tugger, you can never let anyone in. You don't want anyone helping you, knowing anything about you. Carry on like this and you'll have no one Tugger. You'll grow up alone and miserable.' He flashed him a final disapproving scowl and walked out of the clearing.

'Alone and miserable? Alone and HAPPY - because I wouldn't have you to .. to-' by this point Munkustrap had left. Tugger escaped a loud growl and banged his paw against the metal, which made a deep clang that travelled along pipe in vibrating motions.

He looked around him. To the group of kittens dancing. Munkustrap and Alonzo patrolling. Jenny, Jelly and Asparagus taking an afternoon stroll; and himself lying inside his empty pipe. Secluded and isolated from the junkyard. He was alone, and he wasmiserable. Why did Munkustrap have to be right all the time? You could just go down and dance with the rest of them .. no, you'll spoil their fun. You won't let Munkustrap be right. Arse.

'What are you up here all yourself for?' a smooth voice asked.

'Huh?' Tugger glanced around his shoulder and smiled as Bombalurina squeezed next to him. 'Just .. nothing.' he replied cooly, forgetting Munkustrap's words. Not lonely now Straps .. ha ha ha.

'I'm bored.' she whined, letting her head collapse into her paws. 'Entertain me.' she purred.

'Okay .. what happened when the cat ate the ball of wool?'

'I don't know, what?'

'She had mittens!' Tugger grinned cheesily, waiting for her reaction. Bombalurina stared at him blankly and burst out in laughter, not because the joke itself was funny, but something about Tugger's daft smile just made her giggle.

'That is the worst joke I've heard in my life!' she cried through a fit of manic laughter.

'Well it entertained you didn't it?'

'Heh, I guess it did.' she smiled at him warmly.

'You looked great out there. I told you you're a natural dancer.' he grinned, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her into what he believed was a semi-head lock, truthfully he just wanted to hold her close to him.

She wriggled from his grasp and lay beneath him, 'Why're you not out dancing out there like a beetle aswell, seeing as your an artful on the dancefloor?' she asked facetiously, batting her eye-lashes sweetly.

'Cos I'd put you all to shame.' he purred confidently.

Bombalurina scoffed, but held her breath as his face moved closer to hers.

'OI BOMBY! Dancin' lessons are startin' again soon!' Rumpleteazer bellowed in the distance.

Bombalurina and Tugger flinched and glanced at eachother in horror, Bombalurina pulled Tugger's chest down to reach her so his ear was grazing her mouth.

'Tugger, help me!' she whispered through gritted teeth. The Main Coone lifted his head and grinned at her broadly, 'C'mon, i've got something to show you.' He grabbed her paw and pulled her out of the pipe.

She giggled exictedly, 'Where are you taking me?'

'Just wait and see.'

'This better not be something stupid Tugger.' she raised her eye-brows, but let him lead her out of the junkyard, curious of what she might see. Her heart was racing in ecstasy as they raced out of the large gates and onto the street, just the two of them. They'd be alone together and it would be perfect - as long as their journey didn't include any of his awful jokes.

* * *

'Where is she?' Rumpleteazer asked frustratedly, tapping her paw on the ground.

The kittens shrugged, too terrified to speak incase she set off.

'Hmph.' Rumpleteazer shrugged. 'I'll catch up wiv 'er later. Roight, first positions!' The kittens leapt into their spots at tremendous haste and stood up straight, waiting for the lesson to begin. Rumpleteazer shook her head and giggled to herself, she knew fine well where Bombalurina would be and she didn't want to spoil it for her, cheeky mare!

* * *

Tugger placed his leather adorn paws over her eyes and lead her forward.

'There.' He released his paws and stepped back from her and smiled warmly.

She opened her eyes and stared around in awe. It was a forest - abundant in giant trees and butterflies in the background. It was magical, she had never seen anything like it before - she'd only heard about them from Skimbleshank's stories (and she hoped this forest didn't have any ogres living in it.) Who knew life outside of the junkyard could be so incredible? She was always told it was a massive city, full of humans and danger, but this was nothing like that at all.

'How do you know about this place?' she asked, amazed by her surroundings. She had never seen an area so colourful, the junkyard was so mundane compared to the vivid greens of the trees and the grass.

Tugger sat against the trunk of a tree, 'My mum used to bring me here when I was a kit.' he said softly. He chucked sadly to himself, 'She used to catch birds here, and she'd bring me and Straps to run around. Good times.' he sighed.

Bombalurina stared at him, undecided whether she should ask about her - it had always been a touchy subject for Tugger. Unfortunately, her curiosity overwhelmed her; 'What was she like?'

'I can't really remember.' he cleared his throat awkwardly. Bast, don't cry you big queen.

Bombalurina bit her lip, bast, I shouldn't have asked that. 'Y'know you can tell me anything Tugger.'

He smiled sadly,' I know Bomby, thanks.' He was genuinly thankful that he could trust her. He'd never been able to talk to anyone about his mum, or any of his problems in general. Jenny had always called him a 'hopeless case', and he never saw much of his father after his mother had left. Whenever Tugger wanted to ask about her, Deuteronomy was always too busy to listen. And Munkustrap didn't understand - he was always their father's favourite. But Bombalurina was different, she didn't downgrade him at any chance she could get or find an excuse to leave, she understood his predicament - she was abandoned too. She cared for Tugger, he could see that, he believed that she was the only one who did. Even his mother who he adored couldn't have cared for him much considering she just left one day. Bombalurina was all he had. But all he wanted, all he needed.

She smiled at him softly. 'C'mon let's hunt for stuff.'

Tugger nodded, 'Hey! Me and Straps buried Jenny's treat tins here, we could try find it! Remember Skimble told us that awesome story about pirates?'

'Uhuh?' she asked, raising her eye-brow.

'Well I'll be Captain whathisface .. Sparling! And you could be Elizabeth!' He grinned excitedly, for some reason the forest was bringing back fond memories with his mother who he deeply cared about. Except, she left. She left him when he needed her most, and as each day past, his care for her deteriorated. Any care that rears itself is quickly overwhelmed with hatred and forced out of his head. This forest wouldn't belong to him and his mother anymore, it would belong to him and Bombalurina - who he cared for more than he possibly could. Sure it was ridiculous that a tom who was soon to be an adult wanted to play pirates - but nothing was more exciting than being able to save Bombalurina, his fair maiden, from pirates and get rewarded with a kiss.

'You want to play pirates?' she stared at him in a disgruntled manner, what's got into him? He wouldn't even play hide and seek when we were kits and now he wants to prance around a forest like a pirate?

'Why not? C'mon, killjoy.' he flashed her a cheeky grin, and with that, she could not refuse.

'Lead the way, Captain.' she purred.

'This way, m'lady.' he bowed and gestured forward. Bombalurina giggled and held out her paw coyly, which he happily accepted.

Tugger laughed with her, it was the first time he had ever acted himself around her. He didn't have a strange fetish for pirates or anything, he was having fun. To be honest, he'd always felt insecure around the kittens - he had to be cool. But the kittens weren't there, and Bombalurina seemed to enjoy his carefree, but somewhat quirky, nature. They exchanged broad grins and bounded into the forest, enjoying the feeling of grass underneath their paws and the cool air breezing through their fur.

* * *

'Time for dinner darlings.'

Rumpleteazer leapt to the table and her face lit up at the sight of tuna, 'OH! I'm gonna get ya' litto' fishy!' she sang, swiping a chunk and stuffing it into her mouth.

'Teazer, I'm worried about Bomba.' Demeter whispered behind her paw.

'She'll be awl'rite Demmie, she's wiv Tugger.' Rumpleteazer flapped her - tuna covered - paw at Demeter and pulled her into a cuddle.

'That's what I mean.' she rolled her eyes.

'What's wrong Demeter?' Jenny asked.

'Nuffin!' Rumpleteazer chirped, nudging Demeter in the ribs to stop her from telling Jenny about Bombalurina and Tugger's unknown whereabouts - which Rumpleteazer was not sure of either - but she had never squealed on a friend, and she never would.

'No, Demeter,' Jenny emphasised Demeter and frowned at Rumplteazer disapprovingly before turning to Demeter and pulling her face into a sweet smile; 'What is it?'

Demeter stared into her lap and glanced upto Rumpleteazer who was staring at her with wide eyes which meant 'don't tell'. She moved her sight over to Jenny who's paws were placed firmly on her hips and her eyes were reading straight through her and casting some kind of spell which made it impossible to lie; 'Bombalurina's missing!' she squeaked.

'No she ain't, she's wiv Tugger!' Rumpleteazer chuckled uneasily, smacking Demeter on the back as she laughed.

'Tugger's missing too?'

Demeter nodded. 'Na!' Rumpleteazer grinned innocently.

Jenny stared to Rumpleteazer and then to Demeter. 'SKIMBLESHANKS!' she shrieked, scurrying at the speed of light into the junkyard to assemble a search party.

Demeter stared at Rumpleteazer in horror. 'C'mon!' Rumpleteazer grabbed Demeter's paw and raced to the door. 'Oi, ya lazy lot, come and 'elp us find them!' She hissed at Admetus and Plato who were hiding behind a cushion in confusion. Rumpleteazer shook her head, oh shit, I 'ope they're awlright. Despite hoping that they were safe, she was more sympathetic knowing that they'd have to face the wrath of Jenny when they were found, a fate which which did not come lightly.

* * *

'Found anything yet?'

'No, how about you?'

'Nope.'

'Some captain you turned out to be!' she chuckled.

'Oi!' he shoved her playfully and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She laughed heartily and snuggled into his chest.

'We should probably go back, it's starting to get dark.'

Bombalurina stared up to him, do we have to?, and nodded reluctantly.

'What way do we go?' she asked, staring around the forest. Tugger followed her gaze and gulped.

'I'm pretty sure it's .. thatta' way!' he pointed to a random tree and grinned foolishly.

Bombalurina's eye's widened. 'Tugger .. where are we?'

'I-I don't know.'

'You don't know?' she shrieked. 'Tugger! We're stranded in the middle of some forest!'

'Don't worry, I'll protect you.' he stated boldly, jumping into a 'kung fu' position and pulling his face into a comic sneer in a desperate attempt to make her laugh.

'There's a better chance of the Rumpus Cat popping out of that bush in a dress than that ever happening.' she hissed.

'C'mon Bomby, don't be like that.'

'Like what? Tugger we're lost!'

'Do you know who you sound like?'

Bombalurina's paws were firmly on her hips and she was frowing at him. 'Who?'

'Your sister!'

She crossed her arms and began storming into the forest, huffing to herself.

'Hey Bomby, come on! Where are you going?'

She didn't answer, she wasn't sure were she was going in the slightest, but she would not let Tugger know that.

'Bomby!' he caught up with her and pulled her round to face him. 'You're not going out there alone.'

Bombalurina scowled at him, but noticed the concern in his eyes and dropped her arms to her side. She would only admit to herself that she was being foolish, she was frightened, she never expected her first outing would result in her getting lost in a forest. Tugger wrapped his arms around her and whispered into her ear, 'Everything's going to be okay.'

* * *

'They canny huv gone far, can they?' Skimbleshanks asked anxiously.

'I don't think so, they don't know the city well.' Jenny stared around the street in terror and wept into her paw. 'Skimble, what are we going to do? The city isn't safe!'

'It's awrite love, everything's gonny be fine. We'll find them, they've probably just scurried off somewhere, y'know what kittens ur like.' Skimbleshanks replied softly, a hint of doubt wrenching in his stomach.

'We don't know that! He might-'

'Don't bring him into this.' he spat.

'I can't help it Skimbleshanks, what if the same thing happens to Tugger and Bombalurina? What if he has them already? I couldn't live with myself.' Jenny shrieked, her voice cracking in panic.

'It's not going to happen Jenny.' Skimbleshanks replied fiercely. 'I won't let it, not again.'

'But if-'

'Nae if's, nae but's Jenny. Help me find their scents, they'll be aboot here somewhere!' He said sharply, leaping atop a fence and sniffing the air to catch their scent.

Jenny nodded and began scanning the street, I hope you're right, dear heavyside I hope you're right.

* * *

'Look, we could stay here.' he pointed underneath a large tree which was shaded by a wall shrubs and wildflowers.

She nodded and lay underneath the tree anxiously, worrying that something or someone was going to ambush them from the bushes.

Tugger leaned against the tree trunk next to her, showing none of her worry. 'I'm so hungry I could eat my leg.' he said casually, scratching his ear.

'Me too.'

'Well me and Straps hid tins of food in one of the tree trunks ..'

Bombalurina's eyes widened 'No way, i'm not looking for anything you and Straps found ever again!'

'I was joking.' he chuckled.

'Hilarious Tugger. Excuse me while I wet myself.' She hissed sarcastically, rolling on to her side, her back facing to him.

Tugger bit his lip, bast this just keeps getting better. He had to sweeten her, but how? He'd managed to get them lost in a forest with no food or water. She always gets so bloody cranky when she doesn't eat. He had to make it at least a tiny bit easier and more enjoyable, and Jellylorum had always said that laughter was the best medicine ..

'What kind of cat loves water?'

'This is no time to be joking.'

'C'mon Bomby, might as well make a night of it, eh? So, what kind of cat loves water?'

'A stupid one.'

'OCTOPUSSES!' Tugger grinned at her stupidly, but his smile descended as she simply blinked in a state of heart wrenching silence.

'Bomby, I'm sorry. I didn't want us to get lost.' Or did he? He could never be alone with her for more than ten minutes without Demeter or Rumpleteazer butting in.

'I know you didn't.'

'So what are you getting all pissy for? We're out in the forest without Alonzarse and Munkushit, we should be happy.'

She exhaled deeply and buried her head into her paws. Tugger stared at her, he hated seeing her unhappy, trust you to screw things up as always. He edged his head to her shoulder.

'Can I tell you a secret?'

'Mm?'

'I'm really happy that you came to the junkyard.'

Bombalurina turned her head round to face him, 'Why's that?'

'Because no one gets me like you do.' For the first time in his life, Tugger was pouring his heart out. It was true, despite what Munkustrap said, Bombalurina had been the only one he had ever let into his head. Into his heart.

'What're you on about?' she scoffed, taken back by his words.

'I'm not kidding Bomby, you've always been here for me and stuff.' he stared into his lap and fidgeted with his paws, oh man, you sound like a queen!

Bombalurina was stunned. Is this it? Did he - was he experiencing that strange thing that Jenny had told them about? And was she feeling the same way too? She stared at him and longed to blurt out how much she adored him, how she had always adored him; 'Well, that's what friends are for.'

Friends. Just friends? Surely they had past that stage by now? He frowned, should he ask her to be his mate? He couldn't think of anyone who he'd like to spend the rest of his life with apart from her.

'Bombalurina ..'

She kissed him. Silencing him from his words, which were now drifting from his mind and his mouth completely. All he could feel was the sensation and the warm bliss of her lips touching his. 'I'm sorry for being a bitch.' she chuckled apologetically.

'I'm sorry for getting us lost.'

She shrugged, 'It's not all bad, we're alone I guess. No one annoying us ..' She would not admit to being glad that she was with him, although she had guessed that he had already realised that.

'Tell me about it. What do you think old Straps would be saying to us if we were back at the junkyard right now?'

Bombalurina cleared her throat and burrowed her brow, 'You should not be lying underneath that tree, it is not safe, heavyside forbid that I do not want a minute piece of bark to fall onto your nose and kill you!' she growled in a mock tone of Munkustrap's voice.

They fell to the ground in a fit of hysterical laughter. 'You're my kind of girl, Bomby.'

She smiled and began to groom his fur affectionately. He purred. 'What're you doing that for?'

'The ground's made your fur all dirty.' she said calmly, continuing to pull her tongue against his neck, as if licking someone randomly was the most natural thing in the world.

He grinned and opened his mouth to groom her. 'Nice try buster, I'm on the clean bit.' she raised her eye-brow wryly and Tugger glanced down to his bed of mud. Nice one Tugs.

'I don't think so, you're lips look a little-' before he finished, he pecked her on the lips, catching her completely off guard.

She tore her lips away and giggled cutely. 'I think yours are too.' She kissed him back, this time for longer, and more romantic.

Tell her.

Tell him.

No, you'll spoil it.

They continued to kiss to the relaxing sound of the trees swaying in the wind, enjoying the warmth that their two bodies made as they touched.

Tugger pulled away and stared at her, his blue eyes catching the reflection of the moonlight. 'Is this what you want?'

Bombalurina nodded and licked her lips, continuing to look into his eyes. She didn't look like cute little Bomby anymore, she looked like Bombalurina, the red queen who's eyes were laced with seduction and desire. Heavyside, he was nervous, he had thought about this for weeks - what is wrong with you?!

'What's wrong?' She whispered, nuzzling his chest. 'You want this too .. right?' she asked hesitantly. She felt her cheeks flush, oh bast - he thinks you're ugly. She looked away from him shyly to hide her crimson cheeks, but Tugger had already noticed them. He suddenly didn't feel nervous anymore, nothing had felt so right. He held her head in his paws and kissed her sweetly. And between the nerves, fear and the wildflowers; they lost their innocence that night.