Jennyanydots found the most comfortable pillows in her den and quickly made a bed for Tristesse. As soon as she had lied down she fell asleep, and then she set to work cleaning the kitten's fur. When she was halfway done she saw that Tristesse was mostly white, but her tail was tipped a light tan. Her lower arms and front paws were also tan, and the same was true for her back paws and legs from the knee down. Her ears were also tan, and she had brown and tan markings around her eyes. The older queen then spotted something interesting: on her cheeks were three pear-shaped markings, two on her right cheek and one on her left cheek. The markings looked exactly like tears, which gave the impression that she was crying. She supposed this was what earned Tristesse her name, because she knew from listening to her humans talk that Tristesse was French for "sadness".
"Jenny? I was just looking for you and…oh, Heavyside have mercy!"
Jennyanydots turned around to see Jellylorum standing there, staring at the kitten in shock. "I found her just outside the junkyard last night. She didn't have anyone or anywhere to go to, so I took her in." She lowered her voice a little. "I think her mother was murdered by…well, you know who."
"And you think he mutilated this kitten too?"
"Yes. She was covered in blood when I found her." She stopped when she saw her friend's worried look. "What is it? What's wrong?"
"Jenny, don't you notice who she resembles?" Jellylorum asked.
"No, who?"
Jellylorum looked around the den, making sure no one was eavesdropping on the pair of them. "She looks like…" she gulped. "Griddlebone!"
"What in Heavyside are you talking about?"
"Don't you see? The long fluffy white fur? The golden markings around her eyes? The pink lips? Those are all the same traits that Griddlebone has, you know."
"Jelly, I really don't think she's like Griddlebone at all. I mean, look at her face again. See those tear-shaped marks?"
Jellylorum looked at the kitten again. "I do."
"Griddlebone doesn't have those marks, now does she?"
"I see your point. What's her name?"
"Tristesse. I suppose that's how she got her name, because her name means "sadness" in French."
"How do you know French?" Jellylorum asked, perplexed.
"One of my humans is a French teacher at a school." Jennyanydots explained simply. She took another look at Tristesse and found that she could remember just how the kitten's voice sounded. "I think she's about the same age as Jemima. Do you think Munkustrap and Demeter would be willing to let Jemima meet Tristesse?"
"Well, that all depends. Does she seem trustworthy?"
"Very. Now please, I need some help closing up her wounds."
Jennyanydots spent the next week doing everything she could to make sure that Tristesse would make a full recovery, not just physically but psychologically as well. Tristesse's wounds had healed, the blood was gone, and she had gotten to what Jenny considered a normal weight for a kitten of Tristesse's age (she noticed just how thin the kitten was when she found her).
However, every time Jennyanydots offered to talk with Tristesse about what had happened, the kitten didn't say a word. "I understand that you want to forget what happened," Jenny had said, "but keep in mind that it's sometimes better to talk about something like this."
One afternoon just after Tristesse had laid down for a nap, Jennyanydots left her den to see if Jellylorum, Skimbleshanks, or even Asparagus was around anywhere. She had been so busy that week taking care of the kitten that she hadn't had much time for herself. Right in the center of the junkyard, she saw that her three friends were sitting on the old TSE1 where they normally met.
"Oh, there she is!" Jellylorum rushed her friend's way. "We were wondering how you were doing."
"I'm fine, although I've been rather busy taking care of her." Jennyanydots explained.
"Who would that be, dear?" Skimbleshanks asked in his Scottish burr. The two mates normally shared everything, and it was rare when one of them had a secret.
Jennyanydots looked at him curiously for a second before realization dawned on her. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I can't believe I haven't told any of you yet." Without waiting for questioning from the others she explained what had happened a week ago. The other cats listened intently, but not one of them doubted that she was telling the truth. Even Jellylorum backed her friend up on this, considering that she was actually the first one to see Tristesse after she was taken in. Jellylorum even admitted that she didn't fully trust the kitten because she was so similar in appearance to Griddlebone.
"Jenny," Asparagus said carefully, "I believe you when you say that this kitten is trustworthy and that we have nothing to worry about, but I really think you ought to discuss this with Munkustrap. Maybe even Old Deuteronomy."
"Actually, I believe Munkustrap would be better." Jellylorum said thoughtfully. Looking around the junkyard, the cats spotted the aforementioned tom.
"Munkustrap, could we speak to you please?" Asparagus called.
The gray tabby came over to them. "Of course you may."
All eyes turned to Jennyanydots, but she ignored them and looked directly at the younger tom. "Munkustrap, there's something you should know…"
"So, you're saying that this kitten seems trustworthy enough, despite her appearance?" Munkustrap asked once they'd gone somewhere private and she'd told him the kitten's story. Jennyanydots nodded. "May I see her?"
Jennyanydots took Munkustrap to her den and quietly led him inside. From where they were standing they could see that Tristesse was sleeping peacefully, unbeknownst to the two older cats in the room.
"She seems to be making a good recovery." Munkustrap said after they got back to the corner of the junkyard where they'd been talking. "I might be able to decide where she should go once she recovers."
"I'm not sending her back into the street again!" Jennyanydots exclaimed, staring at Munkustrap in disbelief. "She needs someone to take care of her!"
"Jennyanydots, I am not going to risk the tribe's safety by having her around." Munkustrap spoke firmly, one of the few times he did so to any of the adult cats. Normally, he'd reserve that tone for the kittens.
"Do you honestly think she'd be that dangerous?" the older queen practically shouted. Upon realizing what just happened, she hung her head in shame. Both cats were silent for a few minutes, unsure of what to say to each other to avoid another argument over this.
"Was she alone when you found her?" Munkustrap asked, finally breaking the silence.
"Yes. I think her mother was murdered."
"Are you sure about this?"
"Yes. She has no one else to go to."
Munkustrap, Jennyanydots could tell, was desperately trying to figure out just the right solution that would work for both of them. "All right. She can stay, but you will be fully responsible for her. Now, I'm willing to give her a chance, as I'm sure the others will. However, if she gets caught doing something harmful to anyone on purpose, she either has to stay under you watch constantly or leave the junkyard."
Jennyanydots nodded. "Even though I very highly doubt that she'll do such a thing intentionally, that's fair enough for me." Suddenly she remembered something. "May I introduce her to Jemima?"
Munkustrap considered this and nodded. "Yes. Besides, Tristesse does sound like she'll need a friend around here. You may introduce them, but I must ask you to remember my warning."
"I will."
And with that, both cats returned to the center of the junkyard.