The next chapter! Please review even if you're an anonymous reader. Reviews can really make an author's day! Enjoy.

XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD

Growing up isn't all fun and games – chapter 6

Pouncival and Jemima walked under the star-lit sky until they reached the park. Since all the humans were sleeping at this time, the park was peaceful and quiet so they decided to sit in a wide open area. Jemima sat down besides Pounce and looked at the moon, while he stared at her. When she turned to him, he blushed and looked away. Jemima also seemed embarrassed so she asked, "What do you want to do?"

"Let go catch some breakfast."

"Okay"

They stalked around the park and finally caught four mice in a little more than half an hour. When they finished devouring their mice, Jemima asked him again what he wanted to do

"I would like to get to know you a bit better. Maybe we could just tell each other a little about ourselves." Pounce mumbled.

"Sounds like a plan," Jemima smiled, "What do you want to know?"

"A lot, but I won't ask you all at once. What do you do when you're bored?"

"Well, usually I'm not bored but if I ever am, I just look at the moon."

"Why?"

"Because it's so peaceful and it's like my friend."

Jemima seemed a little embarrassed by that statement so Pounce gave her a warm smile. She blushed a little and asked him, "What do you do when you're bored?"

"Hm, well I like to go see what neat things I can find in the junkyard."

"Cool."

They continued to ask each other similar questions, like their favorite games, for a long while.

Meanwhile…

Misto had found the Rum Tum Tugger and had asked him how to win a queen's heart.

"Having queen troubles eh? Well, you've come to the right cat. But if you want me to help, you have to tell me who it is," Tugger said with an evil smile on his face,

Misto groaned and said, "Can't you ever help a friend without having a catch?"

"Of course…not, I have a reputation to maintain Misto. So are you going to tell me or am I going to have to force you to tell me?"

"You're my friend; I shouldn't have to tell you if I don't want to."

"Fine, I guess I'll have to force it out of you. Is it Electra?"

"No it isn't. Can you just help me already?"

"Jemima?"

Misto blushed a little but Tugger noticed it and exclaimed triumphantly, "Aha! You were always too easy to read. You're the tom that's been fighting with Pounce over her!"

"How did you know about that?!"

"A better question is how can I not know? Anyways, if you want to win her heart, you need to get a little more physical. Queens dig that." Tugger said suggestively

"Tugger that's disgusting. Jemima isn't like that." Misto said angrily.

"Whoa, no need to get all defensive. Fine, then I think you should show off a little. Queens love you see what you can do."

"You obviously don't know Jemima at all do you? She doesn't want any of that!"

"Well then why did you pick such a boring queen? Will nothing please her?"

"SHE'S NOT BORING! All she needs is someone to love her and comfort her. And someone to keep her company but give her room at the same time. She just needs someone to talk to and listen to and someone who will quietly watch the moon with her." Misto stated gruffly.

Tugger looked at him with a winning look and Misto realized that he had solved his own problem.

"Thanks for the help Tugger. You're the best."

"I know. Queens adore that."

Misto rolled his eyes and said before heading back to his pipe, "Queens might actually mate with you if weren't so arrogant all the time!"

Tugger shook his head amused, and said to himself, "If Jemima doesn't pick him to go to the ball, he's never going to get over it. I hope she had good taste."

XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD

When Jemima and Pouncival ran out of questions for each other, Jemima turned to moon again. Pounce noticed how beautiful she looked with the moonlight shining lightly on her face and couldn't help sliding closer to her. Since she didn't seem to notice, he moved until his head lightly brushed hers. When she turned to face him, Pounce couldn't contain his feelings any longer and leaned in to kiss her. This one lasted far longer than the first one and when they finally broke apart, they were both blushing heavily and panting lightly.

"What was that for?" Jemima said quietly while looking back at the moon.

"I felt like it?" Pounce said uncertainly.

She turned back to him and he hoped she would kiss him again but instead she got up and said, "Let's go back to the junkyard and catch something to eat."

Pounce hid his disappointment but thought confidently that she would soon love him more than Misto. The though cheered him up and he followed Jemima back to the Junkyard.

XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD

When the two got back to the junkyard, the found they found Etcetera and Tumble sitting next to each other in front of TSE 1 and Munkustrap watching the junkyard from the tire. Jemima's eyes widened when she saw her friend so close to Tumble and quickly made her way towards them, only to be stopped by Munkustrap.

"Hey Jem! What are you doing?"

"I was talking to Pounce at the park and now I'm trying to get to Etcetera," Jemima replied a little impatiently.

"Pounce huh? Good luck with that," He winked mischievously at her.

She blushed and when Pounce caught up to her, they made their way to Etcy and Tumble.

"What are you two doing so close to each other?" Jemima asked when she reached them.

Etcetera blushed and mumbled, "Tumble and I are gonna be mates when I reach queenhood."

Since she looked thoroughly embarrassed, Tumble gave her a comforting nudge on the head, and the two began purring.

"We'll leave you two alone then," Jemima stated. Before she and Pounce left, she gave Etcy a look that said you better tell me everything!

"See, that went pretty well," Tumble said affectionately to Etcy.

"Yeah, but she's gonna torture me about it later," Etcy said with a face of mock gloom.

Tumble laughed and the two moved to a more private place.

XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD

When Jemima and Pounce had finished catching their next meal, they sat down where Etcetera and Tumble were previously sitting, and had another discussion. This one was slightly more awkward.

"Why do you like Misto more than me?" Pounce asked quietly.

"I don't," Jemima sighed, "I thought we already established that."

"I just wanted to make sure. I was just curious, why do you like him?" Pounce said with an honest face.

'Well, he's really nice and he's usually is very patient. I guess I just like the way he is, there's nothing more to it," Jemima replied honestly.

"Why do you like me?"

Jemima blushed and replied with, "I like your personality too. Where Misto is more mature, you're always so energetic and fun to be around."

Pounce smiled at her and asked again, "Who did you like first?"

"Well, technically Misto because he kissed me first," she replied while blushing heavily at the memory, "Why do you like me?"

It was Pounce's turn to blush and he managed to reply with, "I like you not only because you're beautiful but you're also very sweet. You're so good at all the things you do and I love the way you always try to help everyone."

They both blushed heavily and looked away from each other for a brief moment before Jemima quietly said, "That's very kind of you to say Pounce."

Just as he leaned in to kiss her again, Demeter came up to Jemima to tell her it was time to go home. She then noticed what her daughter and Pounce were about to do so she looked apologetically at Jemima and said, "I'm sorry dear, were you in the middle of something?"

They were both blushing as hard as one can possibly blush. Jemima thought she was going to die of embarrassment. She mumbled a quick no and gave a quick peck to Pounce before scampering off to join her mother, who had left to give them a little privacy.

When Jemima caught up to her mother, Demeter smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry for disturbing you there. So you've chosen Pounce huh?"

Jemima was still blushing and said, "Its okay. And I still haven't decided yet. I'm just alternating days spent with Misto and Pounce."

Neither of them said anymore until they reached their human home. Jemima was quite tired from the day and quickly fell asleep. Demeter however, stayed up for a little while longer.

She got up on the roof just like Jemima had and sighed in relief. Thank goodness Jemima's found a civil way to pick a tom. I still remember when I found that that both Munkustrap and Macavity liked me. I knew that when I had that nightmare where they both fought to the death over me, it would mean something bad. At least she didn't have to see Misto and Pounce fighting in real life. I thought Munku was going to die that day.

Demeter sighed once more at her unfortunate kitten hood andlooked at the stars for a while before joining Jemima, who was already asleep. Demeter watched the sun slowly rise before joining her daughter in a peaceful slumber.

XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD

Hope you enjoyed that. If anyone didn't know what the italics were, they were Demeter's thoughts. Review? =D