Chapter Seven: The Junkyard of Mixed bags
In the morning, Asteria woke up to find Mungojerrie's face inches from her own. She jumped then relaxed. He was curled up with Rumpleteazer next to him, snoring. Moving carefully, Asteria crept off the blanket and began fumbling with a can of tuna for breakfast. Somehow, she cracked it open and quickly guzzled the pink, succulent fish.
She thought it would be rude to waken her hosts, so she busied herself with grooming. Her mane was snarled and her tail had lost most of its fluffiness. But after a half an hour of grooming, she was clean and fluffy like a queen should be.
But the siblings were still snoring and Asteria was growing quite bored. She started pacing back and forth, flicking her tail. Then she saw bold mouse creeping along one of the shelves. Her hunting instincts took over and launched herself at the mouse! The mouse ran, but Asteria kept going and crashed into the shelf, sending everything from beads to glasses flying!
Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer sat blot upright and stared at Asteria, who was covered in a cascade of multicolored beads. Mungojerrie burst out laughing, but Rumpleteazer was livid.
"You idiot!" she cried "Look wha' yo've done! Do ya know 'ow long it took us to collect 'em glasses?"
"I'm so sorry!" Asteria spluttered, bright red, shaking beads out of her mane and ears.
"Sorr'e? Sorr'e! Will sorr'e bring back all them long hours we spent collect'n 'em?" Rumpleteazer looked truly wild as she picked up the edge of a rose colored glass, "Yo've broken ma favorite glass!"
"Calm down Teaz'ah," Mungojerrie had gotten off the blankets and put an arm around his sister, "Tha' famil'e 'ad a collection of 'em glasses, you'll git anoth'a soon enough."
Rumpleteazer took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. Evidently, it didn't work, for she said, "'Scuse me, fo' a moment," and disappeared out through the hole in the shed.
"There was a mouse, it was just instinct . . ." Asteria stammered, kittenishly, but Mungojerrie cut her off.
"You'ah still young, i' takes some time tuh know when tuh hold back" he said, " Fuh' stat'ers, jus' try tuh 'old back if ya could 'urt someone o' somethin'."
"Hey come on," Asteria couldn't help remarking, "You can't be much older then me, don't tell me you don't still occasionally chase a mouse into a wall."
"Well . . ." Mungojerrie blushed, "Ya caught me on that one, Asteria."
The two cats laughed and Asteria felt that same electric current shoot through her limbs. She moved a little closer to Mungojerrie, so that she could feel the warmth coming off his body and their fur brushed together. He looked at her and smiled, but if he was going to say anything, he never got the chance, for Rumpleteazer came slinking back in.
"Ah shouldn't 'ave yelled," she apologized, "Jerr'eh's right, ah can find more glasses the next time we visit the 'Enderson's 'ouse. Well Asteria, ya ready to meet you'ah fath'a?"
Asteria swallowed deeply and nodded. A million thoughts were whirl winding through her mind. "What would he be like, the tom who had forgotten her mother? The tom that didn't even know she existed? The tom that, by the way the twins reacted, hadn't changed much from the day he discovered himself?"
"Don' worre'," Mungojerrie nuzzled her shoulder gently, "I'm sure Tuggah will be unda'standen abou' this."
"I'm surprised ya 'is firs' kit," Rumpleteazer grinned, "Tom like 'im probably 'as 'undreds."
"Teaz'ah!" Mungojerrie snarled, but his sister only smiled knowingly and pawed at the pearls around her neck. He rolled his eyes and looked back at Asteria.
"Sorr'e 'bout 'er," he said, casting an evil eye back at Rumpleteazer, "She got dropped on 'er 'ead as a kit. Anyway, le's get movin'."
The threesome crawled out into the late afternoon sunlight and Rumpleteazer managed to give her brother a claw in the leg for insulting her. He chuckled before telling her to save her energy for her nighttime visits with Alonzo. The name meant nothing to Asteria, but Rumpleteazer snarled and walked ahead, not looking back at the two of them.
"She's ov'ah sensitive," Mungojerrie grinned.
"Follow 'er" he added, following Rumpleteazer onto the street, "She's still goin' to the Junkya'd."
The twins lead Asteria through the dank alleys and honking cars, although things weren't half as scary during the day. Asteria stuck close to Mungojerrie's side, she still felt more comfortable with him then his sister, for she seemed to have a temper. Besides, she was secretly hoping to feel the electric current shoot through her again; it was more exhilarating then stalking prey.
Suddenly, a strong smell of garbage hit her nose. Surprisingly, Asteria did not find it repulsive; if anything, she found it nostalgic. Then, as the twins rounded a bend, she saw it. Fenced off by wire was an enormous pile of garbage. There were heaps of junk everywhere, but for the first time in her life Asteria couldn't have been happier to see trash. She knew this was where she belonged.
Tears wetted her eyes as she looked to the sky. "Mom," she whispered, "I'm home."
Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer lead her inside the junkyard and she wiggled her claws in the soft dirt. It was a welcome change from the pavement.
"Mungojerrie? Rumpleteazer? Is that you?"
Asteria flinched as a silver gray tabby cat leapt down in front of them. He eyed them suspiciously and Asteria gathered that the twins had built themselves a reputation.
"Hey Munkustrap," Mungojerrie grinned, "Just escorten' a newcomer."
The tom looked at Asteria and asked, "Might I enquire your name and business?"
"My name is Asteria," she told him, "And I am here to find my father."
Rumpleteazer slunk over to Munkstrap and whispered something in his ear. He started and his brow furrowed in thought. When he spoke again, his voice sounded strained.
"Asteria, might I ask who your mother is?"
Asteria dropped her gaze, heart suddenly heavy.
"Her name was Lillypaw," she muttered, "My father broke her heart and she bore me in the country. She is in the Heavyside layer now." Suddenly she was crying again and Mungojerrie put his arms around her until her hiccupping sobs subsided.
"Well Asteria, this is a delicate situation," Munkstrap frowned, kicking the dirt on the ground, "If what you and Rumpleteazer have told me is true, my brother is in for a serious reality check."
"Brother?" Asteria asked, "You mean, you are my uncle?"
"Well, yes," Munkustrap admitted and before she knew what she was doing, Asteria had flung her arms around him in a deep hug. Munkustrap smiled and gave her head a gentle nuzzle.
Asteria pulled herself off him and murmured an apology.
"It's alright," he said, "Now I can show you your father, but I won't do the talking for you. I can tell you are a mature young queen and you should speak from your heart."
Asteria nodded, but asked timidly, "Could Mungojerrie come with me?"
"That actually might be a better idea," Munkustrap nodded, "I have to stay on guard duty anyway."
Mungojerrie smiled at Asteria, then looked at his sister.
"Oh, don' mind me," she sniffed, "I'll jus' go ov'ah to Uncle Skimble's den until you'ah ready to go raiden'." With a flick of her tail, Rumpleteazer was gone.
"Did I do something wrong?" Asteria asked, worried
"Don' worre' kit," Mungojerrie assured her, "Like a said, she's ov'ah sensitive."
"You'll find in the center of the Junkyard with his . . . err fan club," Munkustrap told them climbing up on top of the pile of junk he had been sitting on, "Good luck Asteria and if you need a place to stay while you're here, your welcome to stay with me in my den, I've always wanted a niece."
Asteria smiled as Mungojerrie led her through the junkyard, taking in the odors and sights that were somehow familiar to her. She noticed Mungojerrie looking her over, but if he caught her eye, he looked away.
Then Asteria noticed they had reached what seemed to be a clearing. Cats were draped over discarded furniture, chatting with friends or sleeping. But Asteria wondered how they could sleep over the ruckus going on in the very center of the clearing. Four female kittens of assorted ages and color were all squealing over a tall mane coon standing in between them.
"Well, tha's 'im," Mungojerrie smiled, "Wha' do ya think?"
Asteria didn't know what to think. Her father was black with a golden mane and leopard spots on his chest. He wore a silver belt around his waist and a spike collar on his neck. Currently he was rocking his pelvis back and forth to the delight of the kittens around him.
"Rum Tum Tugger!" squealed a brown tortoiseshell kitten with hints of orange around her face, "Sing your song again!"
"Sorry Electra, I've been singing all day, my voice is used up," Tugger grinned.
"No, it's not," a tiny red, black and tan calico kitten mewed, batting at Tugger's leg, "Please!"
"Oh, all right," Tugger smirked, "but only because you are my niece Jemima." He rocked his pelvis some more then let out a high-pitched note that sent the kittens into hysterics. One, a cream, brown, and white kitten, kept mewing long after the others had stopped. Tugger looked perplexed and amused, but the last kitten in the group, a pure white queen who actually looked a month older that Asteria, clapped a paw over her mouth.
"I forget why I even hang around with you guys anymore," she sniffed, "All you want to do is fawn over Tugger, lets go and do something."
"Come on Victoria," the cream, brown, and white kitten pouted, "Ever since you've become an adult, you've gotten boring."
"What do you except Etcetera?" Electra smirked, "Ever since the Jellicle Ball all Vicky wants to do is be with Plato."
"That's not true," Victoria blushed.
"Hey leave her alone," Tugger told them, "If she wants to be with her mate, let her. It just means you get Rum Tum Tugger all to yourself."
At this thought, the three young queens wove themselves in between Tugger's legs, batting at his tail. Victoria snorted and headed off, leaving Tugger with his three biggest fans.
"Well, are ya gonna talk to 'im or what?" Mungojerrie asked, nudging Asteria slightly.
Asteria shrugged.
"I just can't believe this," she murmured, "Mom said Tugger was bad, but this is beyond anything I ever imagined. Maybe I would be better off without a father than with one."
"Nonsense, everyone needs a fath'a," Mungojerrie nuzzled the side of her face and Asteria felt the electric current shoot through her body. "What you need is a chance to talk to 'im alone."
Before Asteria could stop him, Mungojerrie leapt out from hiding and sauntered over to Tugger.
"Hey Tug!" he called, "I got someone 'ere who needs to 'ave a word wif' you in pri'vat."
Tugger smirked.
"Anything your sister wants to say, she can say it in front of the queens," he replied, causing appreciative mews from Electra, Etcetera and Jemima.
"Nah, i's got nuthin to do with Teaz'ah," Mungojerrie grinned, "Bu' it is rather important, so if ya don't mind..."
"All right Jerrie," Tugger obliged, "but you owe me." He sauntered toward Mungojerrie, while the kittens' mewed protests.
"Go back to your mothers," Tugger told them, "Or go play with the tom kittens. Don't worry, whatever this is, it won't take too long."
"Good luck," Mungojerrie whispered to Asteria, "if ya need meh, I'll be wif Teazer at Skimble 'ouse." Then he dashed off.
"Wait, I don't know where that is-" she started to protest, but he was gone and Rum Tum Tugger had come round the bend and was looking at her with curious eyes.